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RESTO-COOL Some people have great vision when it comes to restyling VW projects. Shaun Howe is one such guy, and he knows all too well that ‘It’s all about the stance’... Words & Photos: Paul Knight
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remember first clapping eyes on this sweet Resto-Cal Bug at the Elemental VW Show at Mountfitchet (near Stansted). It was the stand-out car of the show for me as it just looked so right. I know a car is ‘right’ when I can’t pin down exactly what it is that makes me fall for it! In this case it’s clearly the balance of several factors that make it work so well... it’s a late-model Bug for starters, the colour just pops in the sunshine and it’s got tons of attitude thanks to a perfect stance. Of course, I couldn’t wait to find out more and to snap a few pictures! The ’69 Bug was assembled by 39-year-old Shaun Howe from Ipswich. Shaun told us, ‘I bought the car from a friend who’d spent quite a bit of money on it but was looking to move it on.’ He continued, ‘It was exactly to my taste, though, and after a good poke about I soon realised it was a dead solid little car.’ It turns out that the previous owner worked in a paintshop, hence the car was already painted in the Vauxhall Arden Blue metallic hue when Shaun picked it up. However, it looked quite different, with whitewall tyres and the front end just dropped a little. Shaun commented, ‘I wasn’t planning on a big project, more a quick makeover, but you know how these things go...’ We sure do! As soon as he got it back home, Shaun removed a number of parts, with a view to restyling the entire car. He said, ‘It was sort
of an ’80s UK Cal-Looker, with trimless rubber seals and teardrop lights.’ The first task was to replace all the window rubbers with OEstyle parts. West Coast Metric seals were used throughout, along with brand new aluminium brightwork. Speaking of brightwork, Shaun also retro-fitted a set of pre-’67-style wide stainless steel side trims to the car along with earlier-style wide running board trims. The idea wasn’t to predate the car as such, more to add a unique touch, and a little extra bling to complement the paintwork. Next Shaun turned his attention to the underpinnings. He told us, ‘Clambering underneath for a good look around, I was really chuffed with the condition of the Bug as it was the first car I’d owned in years that needed absolutely no welding.’ His first job was to strip off the old, Sway-A-Way-equipped front beam and replace it with a brand new, 4-inch narrowed beam from Slamwerks. Next came a set of 2.5-inch dropped spindles, dampers and a Porsche-pattern disc brake kit from Machine 7 Automotive. Mike Leche at Machine 7 also supplied a set of Porsche-pattern rear brake drums, along with those sexy, full-chromed Porsche Fuchs replica wheels. Incidentally, the wheels measure 4.5-in wide up front with Smart 135/70R15 tyres and 5.5-in out back with fat 185/65R15 treads. This immediately took care of the front end of the car, so Shaun wasted no time in
Shaun has added a number of neat accessories such as the headlight stone guards, bumper bars and a pair of yellow foglights, which are now used as indicators!
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IMPOSTER! Paul Bussey takes a close look at one of the most authentic Kübelwagen replicas we’ve ever seen! Words & Photos: Paul Bussey
Shown on Mel Hubbar d’s lawn, this is how the Kübelwagen rep lica began life – like a giant Airfix kit!
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ver the years, Chris Ranson has been able to indulge his passion of owning a variety of classic cars, with American muscle top on the list of the most desirable, as well as a number of Volkswagen Beetles. Indeed, for military memorabilia collector Chris, it has always been his dream to own a genuine WW2 Kübelwagen. What better vehicle to own, in which to display a fine variety of ex-military collectables? However, the spiralling cost and availability of genuine Kübelwagens kept Chris’s dream on hold, though there’s more than one way to skin a cat! Having known, and been friends with, Beach Buggy creator Mel Hubbard for 30 years, Chris would often discuss the feasibility of getting hold of a Kübelwagen between them and undertaking a special GRP body build project. The problem was always trying to obtain the genuine item. This discussion had been ongoing for at least 15 years, and then all of a sudden in 2008, by sheer luck an opportunity arose that was too good to pass by. Mel Hubbard was offered one of the destroyed body shells of a Kübelwagen that was used in the Indiana Jones feature film. The story goes that seven reproduction Kübelwagens were built and used for the film, six of these were totally destroyed during filming, but one survived, albeit a tad damaged. ‘This was an opportunity too good to miss, so Mel and I purchased the Kübelwagen, of which the chassis was completely ripped in two, torn down the middle and the body was partially destroyed’, reveals Chris. ‘However, because we only wanted to take moulds, we removed the body from the chassis, and then we patched everything up using cardboard and plywood, until we got the shape of each individual panel back again’, he continued, ‘We were then able to take moulds from each panel and make reproduction GRP panels’. It may not have been the genuine thing, but at least Chris could now go ahead and build his own Kübelwagen recreation using the GRP panels that Mel had produced. If you can’t buy a genuine Kübelwagen, then make one: where there’s a will there’s a way! ‘I decided to base
“Mel Hubbard was offered one of the destroyed body shells that was used in the Indiana Jones feature film”
n the interior has bee Almost every part of el. te an original Küb hand made to replica is stunning! ail det to ion The attent
my recreation around an early model which differs slightly by dashboard design, along with a few other cosmetic changes’, explains Chris. In order for the Kübelwagen to be as authentic as possible, Chris needed to source an original German LHD Beetle chassis which he managed to find in Cambridgeshire via eBay. The 1964 chassis came complete with log book and registration number, too. Once the chassis had been stripped down, cleaned, primed and painted in chassis black, it was built into a rolling state. The original front beam had to be discarded, as the intended fitment of 15-inch wheels and military tyres were too wide for the new bodywork, and would have stuck out beyond the arches, so a narrowed beam was sourced from Mel Hubbard. The remainder of the stock chassis was retained with the exception of fitting coil-over dampers all round. Fitting coil-overs helped achieve the desired ride height. ‘Nowadays, just about every part imaginable is readily available to lower your VW, but raising it, that’s a different matter’, jokes Chris! ‘Kübelwagens used 16-inch wheels that are difficult to obtain, so I ended up using standard 15inch Beetle wheels, but shod with 7.00-15 desert-type tyres’, said Chris. He continued, ‘Indeed, it took me the best part of two months simply to get the overall stance and ride height correct!’ It was an awful lot of work, but crucial to get absolutely right, otherwise the whole integrity of the project could have been in jeopardy, and the finished vehicle could have looked all wrong. Fitting the large wheels and tyres completely transformed things and was a
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rims measure 7.5in Genuine 15-in BBS RS at the rear... wheels wide up front and 8in sweeter! just don’t get much
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This Golf was origin ally a series 2 Mk1 but Arlen has retro fitted the early rea r panel/lights and chr ome bumpers
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BLACKDATED Early, chrome-bumper Golfs are not only very desirable, but also incredibly scarce these days, so Arlen Figgis chose to backdate his series 2 Mk1 for a truly classic look! Words & Photos: Paul Knight
et’s face it, the early Mk1 Golf is a very pretty machine, but if you’re like me (a real petrol head), then perhaps the meagre 1.1 motor (or maybe the wheezy 1.5 diesel, even?) fitted to a truly vintage Golf just isn’t going to make for an exciting drive, is it? But how about the GTI? Now there’s a car that can handle and perform, the only problem being that they were only launched in RHD format in 1979, a full five years after the original 1.1 Golf hit the UK market, and therefore not exactly a truly ‘vintage’ Mk1 bodystyle. And of course, very early GTIs command quite a premium – but if you’re willing to put in a bit of effort, there is a solution to the problem of mixing vintage style with a sexier, quicker chassis... And that’s exactly what 35-year-old music producer, Arlen Figgis, has done to create this slick backdated GTI. Arlen told us, ‘I bought the car back in 2007 and just drove it as it was for a couple of years before deciding it needed a bit of a revamp’. At that point the car was a stock-ish 1981 GTI fitted with Campaign seats and a battered set of factory BBS rims. Initially Arlen had no plans to backdate it, more to freshen it up a little with a new coat of Schwartz (black) paint. And so the car was handed to a guy by the name of
“There is a solution to the problem of mixing vintage style with a sexier, quicker chassis...” Timski on the Mk1 forums, whose work looked more than good enough for Arlen. He commented, ‘It was around that time that I picked up an early rear panel with the smaller tail light apertures’. He continued, ‘and one thing just kinda led to another’. Before he knew it, Timski had fitted the early rear panel and was busy filling the larger bumper holes and various minor detail differences. Next, Arlen ordered a pair of chrome bumpers from Retro Rabbit followed by keyless chromed door handles and a pair of flag mirrors. Next came a NOS pair of tail lights and a new pair of Hella headlights, too. The eBay frenzy was now in full swing and the ‘quick freshen up’ had developed into a full blown overhaul and series 1 transformation. Next, shops such as Status VW, Crazy Quiffs and Vaganon (in the USA) supplied the various rubber seals required, including window rubbers designed to accept the chrome trim. The trim itself was sourced via eBay Germany, however that proved to be a lot easier than the fitting! Once painted, Arlen set about the reassembly. He added a clear rear window
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GREENWITHENVY It’s fair to say that California is right up there when it comes to the customising and hot rodding scene. Barry Ambrose takes a trip to Bakersfield to check out a cool, custom cabriolet Bug! Words & Photos: Barry Ambrose
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amous for its onion fields and the excellent (but violent!) film of the same name starring James Woods, Bakersfield is a sprawling flat Metropolis seemingly crammed full of customising enthusiasts on practically every street. Maybe it’s because of its central location, which allows enthusiasts to easily get to any one of the numerous events that take place each weekend, all within easy driving distance? One of those enthusiasts is website wonder-man Rob Prince, whose love of all things VW is second to none. In fact, he literally blew me away with encyclopedic knowledge of the VW – but I digress... With the sun blazing down on the packed Californian coastal town of Pismo Beach while the resort played host to its awesome annual classic and custom car show, I stumbled across this mouth-watering, low-slung Beetle cabrio.
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The temperature was just shy of a road melting 100-degrees and I was on my last legs and not looking forward to my four-hour drive home, but I just had to check this stunner out. Suffice to say I was impressed, so a meeting with the proud owner was arranged to get some shots and the full low-down on this beast! During Rob’s early teens he was teased into the VW scene by a local guy by the name of George Delfino. George lived just a few doors along from Rob and owned a real mean Squareback, which was slammed on eightspokes. As well as the Square, there was also a cool Karmann Ghia being built just around the corner. Rob commented, ‘We used to jump on our bikes and go and check out what this guy was doing to this cool car every few days – it’s fair to say I got hooked on VWs real early in life.’ It seems there was no way to get away from these VWs, so it was only natural that at 16
he bought his first Bug, a 1970 model. This was followed shortly after by a ‘Hollywood-topped’ ’65, a ’69 auto-stick Ghia, a ’57 Oval rag-top and a few others that Rob has forgotten about along the way! Rob was up to his neck in all things VW but space was tight, so he had to slow down a little, at least until he could find a larger garage! And, as soon as the new space became available, Rob hit up his good friend Brook Bispo to talk
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about the good ol’ days and plans for the future. Rob mentioned that he wanted to start a new project, as it had now been around 12 years since his last (when his first daughter was born!). And, just days later his buddy ran into a mutual friend who just so happened to have a ’65 convertible sitting in his backyard; ‘Brook and myself went
round to see it the next day and I fell in love with it, I just had to have it!’ He continued, ‘Although I wasn’t really looking for a convertible, I took a bundle of pictures and quickly showed the wife who really liked the look of it!’ The car had sat in a backyard on the Eastside of Bakersfield for about ten years, and every year Rob’s buddy Art Rubio would offer the owner a handful of bucks, but each time he was turned down. Then, in 2005, his luck changed and the owner finally caved in to his pressure! And this is where Rob stepped in and threw the $16,000 he had stuffed in his pocket (as you do!) at him before getting it hooked-up and back in the garage. ‘It’s an ugly car, daddy!’ his girls immediately reported,
Left: Rob has named this car ‘Head Hunter’, hence the plate is one cool accessory! Centre: Check the ‘Head Hunter’ airbrushing on the decklid – very neat Right: 1914cc motor features Bergmann Porsche-style cooling system and dual Webers
but little did they know what was in store for the poor Beetle! Immediately after the car was unloaded, Rob began to dissect the project, boxing up the good parts and chucking out the junk. Rob worked way into the night – something that was to become a bit of a habit over the next few months. He told us, ‘I was working out of town for most of the week so any spare time I had was spent working on the car, and I tended not to stop until the early hours!” A few months later Rob left his out of town job and started his own business, working from home. But, whilst between jobs, Rob took a
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A TOUCH OF CLASS Born in Wolfsburg, perfected in Stuttgart – the VWbased Dannenhauer & Stauss is probably the nicestlooking coachbuilt ever. We take a look back at the story behind this famous company Words: Keith Seume Photos: Mike Key
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There’s more than a hint of Porsche about the D&S – maybe Messrs Dannenhauer and Stauss had been checking out 356s from down the road at Zuffenhausen… Siegbert Holtermüller’s example runs an Okrasa TSV1300 motor to give Porsche-like performance
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WESTY IS BESTY We take a look at the story behind the Bay-window and the greatest conversion company of them all: Westfalia. Lee Fillingham’s Westy is a perfect example of the breed Words: Keith Seume Photos: Mike Key
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here was a time not all that long ago when few people would give a Bay-window Bus or Camper a second glance. They hadn’t yet become hip, largely because all eyes were focused on the older Splitwindow models – and that market had gone crazy! Within a matter of two or three years, the value of old Type 2s skyrocketed, taking them beyond the reach of many enthusiasts. But as is so often the way, as certain models become more popular and more expensive, so the popularity of the ‘next in line’ begins to rise, too. It happened with the Beetle: you used to be able to buy an Oval-window quite cheaply, but as Splits went up in value, Ovals soon followed. In recent times, the early Bay-window Buses have become almost as valuable as some Splitscreen Type 2s. In fact, the very best of the breed are now commanding prices that, not long ago, would have done a pre’67 model proud. Has the world gone mad? Difficult to say – it’s all down to supply and demand and, perhaps, the realisation that Bay-windows are probably nicer to drive and more practical than some of their forebears… The Split-screen Type 2 had sold well, with around 1.8 million built between 1950 and 1967. If
you think that’s good, bear in mind that by the end of the Baywindow’s life in 1978, a total of 4.8 million Type 2s had been sold. That’s impressive. The new model shared no body panels with its predecessor, although there is still a clear genetic link between the two. The basic concept was the same, with a Beetle-derived engine at the rear and torsion-bar suspension all round, all mounted in a unitary body/chassis combo. But where the Bay-window scored over the Splits was in the rear axle layout, and the improved use of interior space. In place of the old swing-axle transmission, with reduction gearboxes mounted on the end of each axle (so as to increase the ride height and reduce the overall gearing), the new model featured what has become known as an IRS set-up, with each driveshaft featuring two constant-velocity (‘CV’) joints. The new design allowed for greater suspension travel without creating unwelcome changes in camber. The ride quality and handling were measurably improved with this new IRS system. It meant that a new gearbox had to be used, and this gave the engineers the opportunity to beef everything up to cope with the rigours of commercial use.
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Words & Photos: Stephan Szantai
THE OK
CORAL
Curt Kolar made a lasting impression on the VW hobby thanks to a hot rod-inspired, bright yellow ’62 Ragtop – see our February 2009 issue. Eager to tackle a new project, he recently acquired a ’57 Oval, which once again received the ‘Kolar Touch’ in the shape of subtle 1950s kustom details...
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he interest in the air-cooled VW scene remains deep thanks to the ability of certain enthusiasts to think outside the box. Curt Kolar, who hails from Lynnwood, Washington, definitely belongs to this group of movers and shakers, a fact substantiated by a couple of unique Bugs he recently built, filled with imaginative details. His yellow Ragtop known as ‘Sly Fly’ was a strong contender for Ultra VW’s ‘Feature Car of the Year’ contest in 2009, which should not come as a surprise considering the quality of the construction. However, while this Beetle took its inspiration from the hot rod hobby, his next homebrewed Vee Dub had a different spin – think ‘traditional 1950s kustom’! Curt purchased the ’57 Oval as a partly-completed vintage project car, started in 1986 by two brothers, Dave and Ron Groom. The Vancouver, Canada, residents had made slow progress on the vehicle over the next 20-plus
years, getting it eventually repainted L351 Coral Red – the original colour of the car – and about 80 per cent done. But lack of motivation or funds made the restoration process stall, leading to a ‘For Sale’ ad on the famous Thesamba.com website. Curt could not help but notice it... With his yellow ’62 now completed, he felt the urge to wrench on a new project car and that ’57 sedan seemed like the perfect candidate, especially since he fancied the colour. But there was a catch: To finance the purchase, he had to sell his blue ’70 convertible, a cool ride equipped with Porsche Gasburner wheels. Unfortunately, it found no taker at first; then again (and to his relief), the Oval of his dreams remained listed on Thesamba for a few more months, too! With the blessing of his understanding wife Shelley, Curt decided to check out the car during Vancouver’s 2010 Great Canadian VW Show weekend, held in August – with the understanding that the Cabriolet still had to be
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