VDub Winterjam

So every couple weeks, I will move some of my collection of diecast to the table beside my favorite chair, just to mix it up and, besides, I have no life anyway. In honor of this event, I had to break out just a few of the many VW's in my collection. In addition to these seven pieces, one of which accompanied me on a road trip this summer, I enjoy at least 15 more.

Not as many Citroens as I now have. I haven't even counted those up yet!! At least 50, I know that!!

So anyway, this is the 14th year for this event, one I had never heard of until I spotted a flyer for it last year while looking for a bumper sticker for the inside roof of the Bus, a toy belonging to one of my older Brothers up in the Queen City of the Ozarks.

Well last nite was the kickoff event, a gathering out at Destination Daytona. As I know my camera is not the best at photographing cars, even small ones, after dark, that Polaroid stayed at the Taj Mahal while the olelongrooffan, the Kid and thejeepjunkie headed out to US 1 and I-95 to check out all those sweet old air-cooled machines. And some water cooled ones, too.

After checking that out, it is about a twenty-five minute drive away, my appetite was whetted for the real show coming on Saturday down at Ocean Walk, a mere 8 minute drive away, and that drive is on the World's Most Famous Beach!! That's right Counters!! Once I left the Taj Mahal's subdivision I crossed A1A, got past the Homeland Security checkpoint and drove on the beach to this car show. Also, since I have that, this year yellow, Volusia County sticker on the oleragtop, I was able to park right on the beach, for free, and not have to pay $10 to park in the city owned parking structure or lots. Sometimes things like that just work out for me. Now just looking for the bigger picture stuff.

But yeah Counters, it was a Chamber of Commerce kind of day down this way today. I left the Taj Mahal wearing an oxford and a pull over shirt, and with the top down, it was just about perfect. As I approached Ocean Walk, that is it in the background over the roof of this Westphalia, I started seeing VW's parked right on the beach and they were pretty cool.

In addition to that Westie,

There was a trio of, at least a couple, fairly heavily modified Type I's, one of the the small oval window signifying it was older than a 1957.

Once I walked that hundred yards or so, I go to the area, on the beach side of Ocean Walk, where the show was being held. Check out this cool old bus wagon. Remember the one I spotted out at the Turkey Run in the resemblance of the Dodge A-100? I got to build one like the olestationbus!!

I spotted this cool old license plate frame from Brumos Porsche on the back of this sweet old bug. The Brumos team, incidentally, won the Rolex24 Hours at Daytona this year, for the first time since 1978. And based out of Jacksonville, just a couple hours up A1A!!

As a part of this exhibition, there is a long board surfing competition

and these are the trophies!! Pretty cool eh?

And now, on to the Dubs. Remember a couple blogs back I did one on truck nuts and questioned whether this would be banned next? I found it pretty ironic to have spotted this, almost first thing walking up the beach.

And this rare old notchback. I saw one these last summer in Dresden, Tennessee, during the European portion of my On The Road, By The Numbers trip to the Ozarks.

I never quite could figure out the power plant in this beast but with full roll cage and those meats on the rear end of this, I highly suspect it is not stock. A tremendous amount of body work here to get it in this beautiful condition.

And an early Porsche Speedster was for sale for a cool $20,000. There was something about this car that just didn't sit right with me, but it could have merely been the late model wheels. It did have standard, for the car, drum brakes all the way around.

Now, on to the Transporters.

But first, let's check out the toys!!

A Porsche pedalcar.

And who defines what toys are? As I mentioned to my neighbor once, while I was changing the fuel filter on the olestationbus, and I was sprawled out in the parking area of the Taj Mahal. Tony asked me, "Having trouble?", Nope Tony, I am having fun. And I know in this plastic bin full of all sorts of stuff, there is a toy or two for the right thinking VW buff!!

And some diecast I lusted after and

some cool old period correct luggage and other stuff to accessorize your old buggy.

And, of course, surf boards.

I saw this sweet display on the bed cover of a cool old single cab.

This is a Riviera camper built by ASI Riviera in Vancouver in the mid 70's. I actually saw one of these just short time ago on the beach up in the Birthplace of Speed. Remember that red one? I hope so because I can't find the d*mn link.

And this rusty, old single cab?

This is the engine compartment in that sweet beast. Without exception, these old VDubs are in excellent mechanical condition, no matter what condition the owner's plan on the bodies of their rides look like.

The display plaque on this one called it a

Highroof. I think these used to be emergency vehicles for the German government in the 1960's but also am aware they served the business sector well, also. Still, the first one I had ever seen.

I want one of these!!!! So does thejeepjunkie and the Kid!!!

Yeah one of these would be equally as desirable. I prefer the stock look and feel of this one more than the bagged and lowered one adjacent. But a big old Porsche engine would be nice!

And this totally original Westfalia is to die for!!





Sorry about the terrible contrast in the next few images....Shot in the early afternoon with the sun behind me and several large buildings. Still trying to fine tune the old Polaroid!!



But ya can't beat the setting....beachfront...VW's and 60's degree weather....to many wetsuits and not enough bikinis....ah, that is being in your late 40's...

On the way out, I spotted this old single cab....

As well as this water cooled Vanagon hanging out in the parking lot for the air cooled Transporters...undoubtedly feeling a bit left out and I don't blame him.

So I then headed over to Riverside Park to see the kid's water cooled VW's. No disrespect, these kids have done some cool stuff to their Audis, VW's and an occasional BMW, and while I am certain these beauty's totally satisify their need for their car culture, Give the olelongroofan a Bus....and I am sure noone Counting Along With Me is surprised at this.

But I must say this about that.....

as nice as that engine compartment was in that rusty old single cab....

These kids provide the same level

of attention and cleanliness

to their equally quirky rides.... What Holsteins and Camo????

And this first generation Rabbit Ragtop....I remember when they came out....

but they sure had a lot fewer batteries.....

And yeah....either one of these, owned by the same family---his and her editions, would be welcome around the olelongrooffan's Taj Mahal. And that homelessguy to the right of this shot has a cell phone clipped to his hip!!! Go figure!!

And a super sweet first gen Scirroco...

And a totally kick ass Rabbit SCCA car....a buddy of mine used to race one of these, back in the boom days and was actually quite successful....blissful drip of a tear here....

and the VW Fox....when I was a junior in high school, my buddy Tim Penn's family had a Fox wagon and once, while driving the old Haven Lee Dodge Truck you have seen around here, I thought I could take Tim in a straight line run from the intersection of Seminole and Glenstone, that is a dangerous intersection for the Lee Boys, up to the Cherokee and Glenstone intersection....remember that ultra minature Brown Derby? Well of course, that Fox blew me away, but let's see that little, highly desirable, mini wagon haul 75 bales of hay!!!

I will say this...that tudor coupe looked extremely nice...

as did these old water cooled VW products...

now Classic Camber has two of these Bus's. One was here and the other was immediately adjacent

to where I was selling the Celebrate Life stickers over Beachside. Nice pieces, both, almost identical and highly desirable.

Here is a shot of one of the two longroofs I saw in the water cooled show. And I must say, I would take either. Gotta luv this Soccermom driving this as opposed to an SUV.

And the infamous VW Harlequin Golf... although I have heard about them for years, the first one I had ever seen...

And an Audi longroof, accepted by the VW clan as a cousin...

and after the water cooled show, I headed over for a walk around Manatee Island Park and got this image from the Bridge back to the Mainland, of the show.

All around a great look see. Always been a fan of that German line of automobiles, regardless of their inauspicious beginnings..

And my favorites of the VDub show....

yeah, you know me, an Audi longroof

a fake BMW cop car

but of course, a killer Microbus!!!

A ton more images here.

What a great day for the show and I am glad, that regardless of my state in life, I can still

Celebrate Life!!