Everyone has a VW story.  Well, the better part of my life is my VW story.  Here’s the somewhat condensed version…

It all started when I picked up the Aug ‘88 copy of “Hot VW’s and Dune Buggies” and “VW Trends”.  I was hooked at the age of 16!  I guess it was somewhat genetic as Dad had several Bugs, Buses and buggies through out the 60’s and 70’s.  At the time I didn’t care much for Beetles, everyone had one.  I wanted a Karmann Ghia.  I saved up my hard earned cash and we ended up finding a ‘65 Ghia for $1450.  The owner knocked off $50 due to a faulty solenoid that just turned out to be a loose connection.  The Ghia turned out to be a POS and needed a ton of work.  Well, Dad and I (mostly Dad) took on the project and eventually got it finished in ‘96.  I owe my Dad the world for doing all the bodywork and getting it looking proper!

While the Ghia was on the back burner and I was in College I beat around a ‘74 Standard Beetle that I had bought for $350.  It was a rusty POS, but it got the job done.  Plus, I learned a lot about VW’s from that old Bug.  After graduation in ‘96 it got sent to the scrap yard, just too far gone by then.

After college I went through a water cooled phase for a few years.  Not much worth mentioning, owned a few GTI’s, a Sirocco and a Fox that my parents gave me.

In the late 90’s I got a desire for a Bus, never really thought much about them before.  There was no way in Hell I could afford a Splitty at the time, so I set my sites for a Bay Westy. Ended up finding one out in Allentown, PA.  I drove that thing daily for the next six years.  Drove out to Wyoming with my brother in ‘00.  Learned a lot about the Type IV engine and dual carbs.  Enough to know that I never want another Type IV engine, lol.

In ‘02 I finally got me a Split.  A ‘60 Single Cab I bought out of the Canton, Ohio area for $1400.  This is where I gained the knowledge needed to lower Buses and thus began the “WideFive” of today.

I drag raced the Ghia for a while, built a nice little 2276 for the street/track.  During that build and countless others I sucked as much knowledge from the brain of Tom Simpson as I could handle.  Than guy knows how to put together an engine combo that works every time!  I learned a ton of real world info from all my DdK brothers.  Guys like Rich Sedoris and Jack Spencer, really helped me through in the early days when money was tight and I didn’t know anything other than I wanted to haul ass in an air cooled VW.

There have been countless other VW’s in and out of my life, but more importantly many good friends made along the way.