In The Hood - Buick Super 8

Another car from VB's neighbor. (She knows it doesn't exactly fall into the category of a "Funkengroovin Wednesday" vehicle, but it's still pretty damn cool.) This 1940's Buick Super 8 is so special, he keeps it in his garage! It's a tight fit, as you can see from the photos. The car is a beauty. His other two cars VB has spotlighted are his 1930's Opel, and 1955 Dodge.
This is the last in this series of the neighbor's hobby cars, but there will be more "In The Hood" postings.

VB has had three electrical outages within a 24 hour period, since yesterday. Not sure if anyone else in Maadi or Cairo are having this problem, but it has become almost regular, with increasing frequency, and totally frustrating. This has been going on ever since the electrical pole fire, just outside VB's building, in late January / early February. It's just getting worse and the boab got stuck in the elevator yesterday during the two hour outage (he was somehow able to extricate himself from the cage-like contraption (VB is very happy to live on the ground floor.)

All photos should be self explanatory. Enjoy.






















NEWS:
(Too much, if you ask VB!)

As usual, full articles, photos, and (sometimes) videos, available at the link.

Why Should I Buy Seat Covers?
"I have a 1971 VW Bug; it originally had a white body paint job, but now it is Harley orange and black.

Pretty cool, but the multi-hued brown, tan, cream and beige vertically pinstriped seat upholstery—not so cool."


(See last paragraph - VB couldn't agree more.)
Thunder Valley Volks Rally Feeds Passion for Local Enthusiast
"BRISTOL, Tenn. -- For Kingsport resident Sam Manis, his passion for Volkswagens helps him look past their inevitable and unmistakable quirks and to see the enjoyment that comes from owning one…or six in his case. At least three of those will be on display during the April 12-13 Thunder Valley Volks Rally at Bristol Dragway.

For the past four years, Manis and his father have owned a small shop in East Carters Valley, Tenn., Valley Auto Volkswagen Service and Repair.

“There really isn’t anything about VWs that I don’t like,” he explains. “There isn’t a day that passes that I don’t hear a story from someone about the one they used to have, or the one their friend or relative had. Driving through town almost everyone that spots you gets a smile on their face and waves or throws up a peace sign. I’ve met some great people through these cars and I’ve made a lot of memories!”


A New View Every Day
"FOR some on-the-go second-home owners, maintaining their weekend getaways means checking the tire pressure and maybe changing the oil. Their second homes are recreational vehicles, a category that includes almost anything on wheels that has a bed, from half-million-dollar motor homes to pop-up trailers."

Does the second photo show a VW Van? Certainly looks like it to VB. Thanks, for the heads up from Awesome Daughter (she knows a slob (and a VW) when she sees one! Unlike those of us who have lived with and become accustomed to slobbery ourselves.) When your spouse is a slob


Battle of the retro cars
"Since Volkswagen released a modern version of the Beetle 10 years ago, manufacturers around the world have discovered there is money to be made by tugging at the heartstrings of car buyers.

The formula is simple: design a cute car that looks like something from the 1960s and reminds people of happier times. Equip it with modern features, reliability and the latest safety systems, so buying it is a rational, as well as an emotional, decision.

In addition to adding polish to a brand's image, retro cars have also taught makers about the appeal of good design."

Anyone read the Huffington Post? If you do, then you've noticed "Max" hanging around at the top of the page.
VW Ditches Multi-Message Tack
"Crispin's new work features a 1964 black classic Beetle named Max that will appear in all the communications and will become "the new, lovable brand icon" and "the glue of the campaign," Mr. Ellis told Advertising Age. The campaign adopts the global ad tag "Das Auto," which first broke in VW's home market of Germany last fall, but the marketer has added "What the People Want" for U.S. ads to make the brand more consumer-centric."

Lippert's Critique: Crispin Catches Talk Show Bug
"New 'Das Auto' campaign for VW puts an old model in the driver's seat

Porter + Resurrecting the iconic 1964 model, this new campaign for the "people's car" (the Volkswagen Beetle), from CrispinBogusky, features the tagline "It's what the people want." Very much in line with Crispin's past work for the carmaker, it's odd and surprising and will no doubt generate talk."


(Photo at the link)
Spindle could be yours for just $150,000
"BERWYN | Spindle -- art made famous in 'Wayne's World' -- now for sale on eBay

Berwyn's Spindle -- the west suburban skewer of cars made famous in the movie "Wayne's World" -- is for sale

"The concrete isn't included. Just the cars and pole,'' said Flight. "If someone wants to buy it and give it a home, we're willing to sell it to them. Otherwise, we're planning on probably taking it down sometime this year."

On eBay -- search Spindle Art Work -- the pileup is touted for its appearance in the 1992 film chronicling the adventures of Wayne and Garth. The piece is also, the site notes, "an internationally known roadside monument.''

But in an interview Friday, Flight warned the Spindle is in "really bad shape.'' The eight cars -- from the crowning 1967 red VW Beetle on down -- are pockmarked with rust and pigeon poop. Even if the Walgreens doesn't go through, "We had to take it down.''


Local owners will rev up their vintage VWs and Beetles on Saturday in Ventura
"Thursday, April 10, 2008

The 2008 Southern California Bug-In took place Sunday in Fontana, kicking off a week of Volkswagen revelry that includes a cruise up Highway 101 (it departed Monday from Ventura; people from around the country participated) and ends Saturday with the VW Treffen X at Ventura Harbor Village.

The 10th annual vintage Volkswagen event — "treffen" is the German word for "gathering" — is sponsored by Airhead Parts, a Ventura dealer of VW parts and accessories.

Vintage Bugs are still sputtering around, of course, some lovingly restored and others lovingly left rusted and banged up. When The Star asked readers to send us stories of their VWs, we got all kinds of owners...."

"They would probably all agree with the sentiment in one of the final Beetle ads that aired in 2003 to lament the end of the Bug's production. The Mexican commercial, with soaring music in the background, shows an empty parking space sandwiched between two cars on a street. Several large cars attempt to maneuver themselves into the spot, to no avail.

The final words on the screen are "Porque tu lugar nadie lo podrá ocupar."

Or in English, "Because nobody can take your place."

(Portugal)
LISBON: Classic cars on show this weekend
"Lisbon will be celebrating 70 years of the illustrious VW Beetle at the three day car show, culminating in a rally through the streets of the capital on Saturday, April 12."


(Photo and video available at the link)
My blaze heartbreak
"A MAN who was restoring a car for his son is devastated after it was destroyed in a blaze which gutted his three workshops.

Steve Kemp, 49, from Hovefields Drive, Wickford, is counting the cost of the fire, which ruined the outhouses in his garden.

He estimates the cost of replacing a VW Beetle, another vehicle, a go-cart and tools could be up to £6,000, on top of the loss of the buildings."


(VB tries to avoid mixing politics with her Funkengroovin Wednesday, but sometimes it's unavoidable.)
This week in fascism
"Maybe it really is springtime for Hitler. In the last few weeks, Nazi and fascism references have been everywhere, flying from the right, the left and landing on everything in between, from the Olympics and the Dalai Lama to pasta and Puget Sound. Let's take a quick tour of jackboot country.

In addition to references to fascism in the "War on Terror," the Nazi influence is felt elsewhere in politics. The Olympic Torch relay is in trouble because protesters have been using it to highlight human rights problems in China and Tibet. One factoid that's come to light: the torch ceremony was created by propagandists for the 1936 Berlin Oympics. In other words, it was invented by the Nazis. A dead giveaway should have been that the torch is carried in Hitler's favorite car, a VW bug."


Why Detroit Should Build a Plug-in Car With Generators Onboard
"In his biweekly Mechanic's Diary, PM's senior automotive editor takes a hint from his hippie days in a VW Microbus to imagine a mass-market electric vehicle that can get you can get where you need to be, gas-free.

Every PHEV engineer I've talked to is planning an engine far bigger than the 1200 cc, 40-hp one in my old VW hippie bus. I've heard them say, "We want our customers to be able to drive their vehicle anyplace or anywhere regardless of the state of charge of the batteries." Hey, that microbus was my major means of transportation when I was in college. And let me assure you, performance was measured along a different space-time continuum. When you drive a Microbus, you get there—eventually."


(Photos at the link.)
Peace, Man! Meets The Cowboy
" He let the kids get on the bus and take pictures and they all just had a great time and it was a fun day."

Underground Moving
"If you're stuck in the city underground moving or trucking might help you earn your way out too. All it takes is a second-hand truck or bus, a stable telephone number, strong arms and a broad back. Here's how two people worked day and night for a year and bought a farm.

Student Movers was a child of desperation born when my man and I returned to New York in September of 1970 with barely enough money to take our tired VW bus across the George Washington Bridge. By spring, our moving company had grown from a struggling one-truck outfit into a full-scale, full-time enterprise. That homey little underground operation footed our rent, kept us well-fed, paid a year's college tuition and took us out of the city and onto the land the following June with $8,000 in our pockets." (Hmm, isn't that what the current monthly average mortgage payment is? Just goes to show what a dollar buys these days - pretty much nothin'!)

Mexico Travel Tips
"We did our traveling in a '59 VW van. Naturally, you'll use whatever you have... but I would plug a little for the VW. Our doesn't have windows, which turned out to be a real blessing. There are times when you'll find yourself a curiousity—especially in tiny vilages where they haven't seen many gringos, much less "heepies"—and, in a windowless bus, you can get away from the stares when you get really desperate."

(More information and a Photo at the link.)
Did you know? Porsche built a VW T3 Vanagon-based B32
"While there are countless aftermarket engine, transmission, and brake upgrades for the Volkswagen Vanagon, what could be better than a factory conversion... from Porsche?"

(Ever have a problem with your car mechanic? ) (UK-Photo and article at the link.)
VW owner's not a happy camper after string of disasters
"LIKE many 21-year-olds, "Ruby" had big plans for a summer of music festivals and holiday fun.
But the bright maroon VW camper van is just lucky to be in one piece today following a terrible spell of luck for owner Stan Blackley...."

(Italy)
VW Transporter Sportline Kombi makes official debut at CV Show
"A new Transporter Sportline kombi model is on sale from 15 April 2008, the same day it makes its official debut at the CV Show."

(UK - Photos at the link.)
VW fan puts his back into hobby
"A Volkswagen fan who is covered in tattoos of cars, camper vans and logos says he is a 'walking billboard' for the car manufacturer.
Chris Redford, who runs Funkmaster Red in Cavendish Place, says his obsession started at a young age."


Shout! - The Isley Brothers