SuperBeetles.Com

Bug Fest 2011
Smitten Below The Mitten, In Holy Toledo

Story and photograpy By Daniel Mosher

To say that I was thrilled to go to my first VW car show is a gross under exaggeration. I was like a kid privileged enough to actually visit Santa's workshop at the North Pole. It was F.A.O. Schwartz for grown-up Volkswagen aficionados. Why I had never been to a show, ages before, is a very long and boring story and not for here. Yes, I have been a fan of the VW ever since a tot being shown the engine in the back by my Uncle Tom, who lived next door and who owned a pre-63 Beetle. After high school, my second car was a VW Rabbit L Diesel (my dad insisted that my first car be a bit larger... a '74 Buick Apollo). My second VW was a '74 1303 Super Beetle, etc etc etc. The passion never faded and continues to this day.

My friend, Jay, here in Toledo, OH, is affiliated with the Greater Toledo Area Volkswagen Club. So, when he managed to wrangle a joint car show with the Michigan Vintage Volkswagen Club and asked me to attend, who was I to turn such an offer down?

The days leading up to the event, called "Bug Fest," were absolute crap. I mean it. In typical North-Mid-Western-United-States fashion, the weather refused to be nice. It was Mid-September and the temperature had already dropped to full-on jacket weather. Furthermore, it rained constantly. I mean it just "pissed it down," as the British sometimes say. "Cats and Dogs" doesn't even cover the amount of rain we seem to acquire in this part of Ohio. More like "Elephants and Whales." So, as "Lake Parkwood" formed at the end of my block on, you guessed it, Parkwood Avenue, my hopes of a pleasant day at "Bug Fest" began to quickly dwindle. The Toledo area had originally been just a marshy, damp, watery swamp, when the first settlers came here. I became afraid the region would return to its rain-soaked roots.

But, as luck and the VW gods would have it, September 18th was a bright, warm, sunshiny day. I had originally dressed for much cooler weather, clad in a thick hoodie, jeans and warm "city hikers." Jay had convinced me to enter my own '89 VW Fox in the show, since there would also be a "Water-Cooled" division of cars competing for trophies and prizes along with the classic air-coolers. I spent all morning washing Klaus (all of my Volkswagens have had male, Teutonic names), polishing him, meticulously covering his tiny surface rust spots with touch-up paint, using "Armor All" on anything made of rubber, vinyl or plastic, etc. Before long, Klaus was gleaming white and (almost) reflective of his former brand-spanking-new beauty. Admittedly, he's a good "ten-footer." If you squint your eyes, and keep a good distance, you can imagine how my little VW must have looked in 1989. Actually, things aren't quite that dire, but there are some surface rust spots bubbling on the hood and front clip that give away the twenty-two years the little car spent living in Detroit, MI.

By the time I arrived at the show, the sun was at its zenith, and I was boiling hot! The VW Fox came standard with A/C (maybe a reflection if its Brazilian roots), but mine needed recharging. Plus, I did have the forethought to wear a light tee shirt under the hoodie, but I had managed to spill black coffee on it en route to the gig. So, I suffocated in thick cotton fleece until I arrived at my destination. Once there, Jay helped me out by buying a “Bug Fest” tee shirt to change into.

In typical fashion for Volkswagen lovers, I was greeted at the gate with smiles from other Volkswagen enthusiasts. Also, too, while I drove through the lot en route to the sign-up desk to enter Klaus into the competition. Mine was the only Fox on the lot at Ed Schmidt Volkswagen, in Perrysburg, OH, where the event was being held So, Klaus actually got many kind, admiring looks. It struck me, just then, that the “Bug Fest” was the first time my little car received such glances... at least since I’ve owned him and as far as I know. For the most part, he is largely ignored by passing motorists or pedestrians on the street. At “Bug Fest,” however, he was among family.

I had a bit of trouble concentrating as I filled out all of the necessary stuff to get my Fox entered in. So near and so many were the fantastic variations of Beetles, Ghias, Type II vans and trucks, etc. There was even a beautiful, seemingly untouched and mint Type 411 wagon. Super cool! I had, admittedly, not seen one in person since the 70’s, when I was a young kid! Naturally, too, there were a few Type III’s, Manx-style dune buggies, a VW-powered trike (bad ass), 181 “Things,” etc. The siren song of the puttering air-coolers filled the air and, though I love my Fox, I yearned to once again own an old Bug or similar.

Jay knew just about everybody, and their Volkswagens, so he showed me around the lot and described each owner, as well as how many VW’s they own. The Water-Cooled” section of the lot, where Klaus proudly sat sandwiched between a late-model Rabbit and a sweet Corrado (both in gleaming silver paint), was as impressive as that of the “Air-Cooled” division. .. if a bit smaller. The competition was stiff. Klaus was not only up against the afore-mentioned vehicles, but also: A slick, black Scirocco; a green New Beetle; two amazing Mk I Rabbits; a beautiful Dasher; a Mk IV Jetta in deep, brilliant blue with a reflective carbon job done in the center of the hood and onward.

Naturally, the “Air-Cooled” collection of vehicles was more vast and assorted. Every manner of Kombi, Riviera camper, Week Ender, Westphalia, single-cab truck, etc, was represented. The Beetles, too, came in just about any production year one might imagine. The earliest, I believe, was a ‘56 Oval with a rag-top sunroof. Fabulous car! Too were several Bugs ranging from ’57, ‘64, ‘66, ‘72, on up to one black “Mexi-Beetle.” The Beetles were on display bone stock and also slightly modified. Of course, too, were the requisite “Baja” Bugs, the flashiest of which was painted in Old Glory’s red, white and blue.

I fairly drooled over the 181’s, for they had been a passion of mine, in the ‘70’s and I had always hoped to own one... along with a fleet of other air-cooled VW’s. Ha! Not at the asking prices these days! Who knew, when I was so young, the Thing would become so very rare and short-lived in the United States?

When the trophies were doled out among the winners, I have to admit I was a little disappointed Klaus didn’t win even a consolation prize of some sort. I mean, he was the only of his kind there. But, oh well! I was content with having attended and entered the contest. Plus, my Fox and I rolled away with a really cool dash plaque commemorating his participation in the event.

One thing occurred to me after “Bug Fest.” The only person I had deliberately taken a picture of was my friend Jay... who stood in front of a nice, bright-yellow Beetle Cabriolet to give the impression he was posing in front of his own Volkswagen. Oops. I guess the jig is up on that one. Sorry, Jay. As I downloaded the dozens and dozens of photos I’d taken of (nearly) each vehicle that had been present, I realized that there was little very special about them. The photos, I mean. You can see pictures of Volkswagens, even old ones, nearly anywhere on the ‘Net. What would have made these stand out would have been if I could have gotten photos of the owners along with their cars. Or, if nothing else, if I had not been so distracted by all of the VW eye candy enough to stop and talk to some of the people present. So, I made a mental note to do just that upon my next time at a Volkswagen function. Fortunately, there was just such another event coming just around the corner in October... another joint effort between the Michigan and Toledo clubs... a Fall color tour. I shall regale you with that story in my next article. Peace.

Manchester Ontario. The V-dubfest show for 2011 was, in short, another outstanding VW event put on by the VolksRus VW club. This two day event started on Saturday July 23rd with an All VW Poker Run which ran through Durham region with many interesting and scenic stops along the way.

This run was very well organized with stops at such places as the Slots at Ajax Downs, Hy Hope Farms and Archibald Orchards, just to name a few. I picked up some of the wine at Archibalds (they have their own winery) and I must say – it was really good!

The cruise ended at the Club House of Motor City Car Club. They graciously extended their hospitality to us, as, when we arrived, there was a table of snacks set out and some cold drinks waiting. We were most impressed and grateful for their thoughtfulness and generosity. The Clubhouse itself is a treasure trove of old posters and memorabilia, mixed in with practical space for the members to work on their cars. What an incredible atmosphere their Clubhouse has!

So much to see.In the evening after the poker run, participants met the Pickering Canadian Tire cruise night. Unfortunately, it ended a little early as it began to rain. The good news was, there had been no rain for the poker run and it was going to clear for the show the next day. All in all, a great kickoff to the show weekend!

The weather, for Sunday’s show, was perfect. It was held at Haugen’s Chicken & Ribs Barbeque in Manchester.We had a strong attendance for both air and water cooled. The variety of stock and custom rides was fantastic.

Kids were kept busy this year with games, a jumping castle and colouring contest. Proceeds from this yearly show went to the The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto. $3000 was raised this year, bringing this club’s total to $7000 for the past three years. This is something the VolksRus club is very proud of! Altogether, between Saturday’s fun cruise and Sunday’s well organized show, (including the great food at Haugen’s) this was an event not to be missed.For more on this show, please go to http://www.volksrus.ca/bugfest.php and click on the Photo Library. You can see many more pictures from this event including the award recipients.Looking forward to next year’s show!

Funfest for Air-Cooled VW delivers the fun
Woodstock themed celebration includes celebrities, seminars and awards

Story and photography by Mid America Motorworks

Effingham, Ill. - Some 1,300 Volkswagens and 8,000 enthusiasts converged on Mid America Motorworks' corporate campus in Effingham, Ill. for "4 Wheels, 2 Days & Funfest - An Air-COOLed Event." The 13th Annual Funfest for Air-Cooled VW took place June 4 and 5, with a Fun Run Road Tour and Downtown Party kicking off the celebration Friday evening.

Fun Run participation increased by 15% this year, with 200 Volkswagens following Mid America Motorworks Chief Cheerleader, Mike Yager, through scenic Effingham. The Effingham Convention and Visitors Bureau set the tone for the weekend with live entertainment by local musicians during the Downtown Party.

Several new aspects were incorporated into Funfest for Air-Cooled VW for 2011. Most notably, Funfest was moved to the north grounds to utilize the show field layout and give Funfest a connected atmosphere. Club Parking and special display parking for 1960s Woodstock-themed VWs were showcased along Funfest Boulevard throughout the two-day event. Camping, a popular part of Funfest for many enthusiasts, was given a larger role this year, with VW camping greeting enthusiasts as they entered the grounds.

"This year we are focused on giving our guests the best Funfest experience possible. I think that by making key changes and welcoming new activities, we were able to do just that, " Yager said.

Always a highlight of Funfest, Mike Yager presented the Platinum Bug and Passing on the Passion awards during Saturday's Welcome Ceremony. Dr. Darby Milnor and Corky Yager (Mike's older brother) were recognized with the Platinum Bug Award for their years of dedication and passion for furthering the VW hobby. Father and son duo, Dave and Ryan Marx, received the Passing on the Passion Award for keeping the VW passion alive from one generation to the next.

Special VIP guest, Bruce Meyers, gave enthusiasts an inside look at the history of the Meyers Manx Dune Buggy. He also gave tips on how to spot imposters, as the Meyers Manx that he created is the most copied vehicle in history. Meyers gave his approval and input on the Extreme Dune Buggy Makeover led by DuneBuggyArchives.com during Funfest. The group worked on a 1969 Meyers Manx Dune Buggy, including new wheels, brakes, engine and interior parts. The two-day project gave guests an up-close look at the steps involved with a makeover.

More than 25 guests received a glitter lava lamp as winners of the Celebrity Choice VW Judging Saturday and Sunday. VWs were selected based on a variety of criteria, including customization, original condition and personality. Funfest was also a chance for some lucky VW Clubs to receive recognition. Bruce Simurda, Associate Publisher of Hot VWs Magazine, selected four clubs as part of a VW Club profile that will appear in an upcoming issue of the magazine.

Additional highlights from the weekend include tours of Performance Choice manufacturing division and the MY Garage Museum and Retail Store, expert seminars, a Saturday evening performance by Mike Antrim and Family Zone activities.

Funfest for Air-Cooled VW is known as the premier Volkswagen celebration in the U.S., with guests attending from all over the world. Mid America Motorworks has decided to expand Funfest to three-days based on the overwhelming popularity of the event. Plans are underway for 2012 Funfest for Air-Cooled VW, scheduled June 1-3, 2012!

As my annual pilgrimage to the VW Nationals in Sydney was on the following day, at 10pm the night before, I decided I had better fill my Beetle up to get ready for the 300 kilometer drive which was to start early next morning. While driving to a NEW local gas station, my high beam headlamps didn't work. So after filling up with gas I attempted to find the problem under my bonnet, which I knew was just a loose connector, somewhere. While attempting to find the headlamp problem I knocked another connector off, so when I turned the key on... no alternator or oil lamp lights! After a few minutes of looking I closed the bonnet and drove home and noticed the voltmeter was showing the alternator wasn't charging as it needs the small light in the speedo to make it work. Once home I continued my electrical fault search and found the disconnected wire for the alternator and oil lights and now the high beam now also worked!

At 5:30am next morning I started my Beetle and away I went. Looking forward to the long drive of which half of it is over a mountainous narrow road with many very sharp and curvy corners and steep hills while at the same time straining my eyes for Kangaroos either on the side of the road or actually on the road. I did see about 15 Kangaroos on the side of the road during the trip and having to stop for one Kangaroo who was sitting in the middle of the road. As I stopped, he slowly jumped away. I was thinking at the time, "I should have had my camera mounted on the windscreen taking a video of the event." Before the Kangaroos, I had to pull over to the side of the road when blue and red flashing lights appeared in my rear view mirrors. A nice Police Officer (with a Radar gun in hand)] asked me if there was any reason why I was speeding? As I was doing 107 KMH, (I had missed seeing an 80KMH sign a while back) The 80 KMH zone was there on a side road, no houses or anything else, right in the middle of nowhere. Hmmm?

The rest of the trip was uneventful apart from the fact that my Beetle appeared to have lost a few horsepower along the way. It struggled up all of the hills and my engine had been going the best it ever had with my new SVDA Bosche distributor. As usual I got lost, even with a GPS in the car. So I arrived around 9:30am after following a Bay Window Type 2 who seemed to know where he was going. The 2010 VW Nationals had around 250 VWs including a large gathering of water cooled Volkswagens. One of my Sons had taken a large selection of used VW parts to the swap meet and I met up with the other semi-local VW owners at the show as usual.

At 3pm I left the venue finding my Beetle wasn't even keeping up with the Sunday Sydney traffic, I had to stop and refuel and have something to eat. Once back on the road, I noticed that my Beetle was going great again but by 4:30pm it was getting dark and I noticed that I had to operate my high beam switch a few times to dim my headlamps... and then...no high beams, only low beam. So I used my amber fog lamps to help light up the sides of the road to see if there were any Kangaroos around. I didn't see any and my Beetle was going great up the hills and around the sharp bends in the road. Although I didn't go over 80 KMH due to the Kangaroo problem, me not being able to see them and the Radar.

Half an hour from home I tested the high beam switch and it worked! Then a vehicle appeared and I tried to switch to low beam and it didn't. So I had to pull off the road and turn my headlamps off. I looked under the bonnet at the wiring, relays and fuse box but couldn't find anything. I prodded, pulled and moved the wires under the bonnet, then tested the headlamps when no vehicles were approaching. I was there about 30 minutes and then PRESTO!! Low beams worked again but no high beams. At least I was back on the road home again . I arrived at 9pm, it had taken me 6 hours to drive home. An uneventful day? I don't think so, and I won't be filling my Beetle up with gas at the new gas station again any time soon.

They did it again. Who did what you ask? Joe Chirco and General Manager Don Wiggins along with their new side kick and boy wonder Lemorris Harris pulled off a spectacular all FREE Volkswagen Extravaganza Show. The big event began Saturday October 17, 2009 with 80 plus Volkswagens lined up for a 30 mile cruise.

The caravan winded their way around the outskirts of Tucson, Arizona ending up at a FREE barbeque in the parking lot of Chirco’s. The lot was packed and burgers and hot dogs were a grillin’ into the early evening. Next morning “The Blues” and I arrived at Chirco’s at 4:30 AM and began lining up the cars and showing them where to park. All the money collected on the raffle prizes and engine blow competition was given to the local food bank along with food donated by all car entries.

The day ended with the engine blow out contest. They take a VW air cooled engine and run it full throttle with no oil until it blows. You pay a dollar to guess to the second how long it takes. The winner receives a $100 Chirco gift certificate. This year that engine held out for 3 minutes and 47 seconds. I believe that’s a record for the Chirco engine Blow out contest. They gave out lots of snazzy trophies and even though “The Blues” didn’t win this year we had a great time as always.

Funfest For Air-Cooled VW 2009
Celebrates Mid America Motorworks’ 35th Anniversary
Story and photography by Nancy Bushur

EFFINGHAM, IL – Mid America Motorworks’ corporate campus in Effingham, IL was invaded with Volkswagens of all types during the 11th Annual Funfest for Air-Cooled VW. Throughout the two day automotive show on June 6 and 7, 2009, there were over 1,300 Volkswagens and 8,000 enthusiasts that flocked the grounds at Mid America Motorworks.

This year Mid America Motorworks honored the company’s 35th anniversary along with Mike Yager’s soon-to-be 60th birthday. Customers were invited to park their Herbie car with the Mid America Motorworks collection of Herbie cars to create an outdoor display in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Herbie’s Hollywood debut in the movie “The Love Bug”.

“Each year, we all put our thinking caps on to develop new and exciting activities that we can offer to our guests,” said Mike Yager, founder and Chief Cheerleader at Mid America Motorworks. “Again this year, I think we achieved a fresh and original event.”

Mike Yager led over 160 Volkswagens on a 16-mile RoadTour/Cruise In through the scenic central Illinois countryside and around a beautiful lake. Mid America Motorworks switched this year’s tour up a bit by changing the tour to Friday night and ending at a local eating establishment for wine tasting, food specials, live music and games.

One highlight of the event was the 1st Annual Volkswagen Auction that was held late on Saturday afternoon. Hundreds of Volkswagen enthusiasts enjoyed viewing and bidding on over 35 Volkswagen vehicles in the auction. After the auction, a BBQ dinner was offered to the guests along with a FREE outdoor concert.

Some of the event’s other highlights were:
·         Free Tech seminars and product demonstrations
·         Free event t-shirts, pins, and posters for registered entrants
·         Free camping on the grounds
·         Exhaust sound off
·         Wheel and tire Installs
·         Kid’s events – shirt tie-dyeing, model car races, face painting, and much more.

Fur Rondy Grand Prix: Downtown Alaska Street Racing
Courtesy Hemmings Auto Blogs

First, Fur Rondy. AKA the Anchorage Fur Rendezvous, the Rondy is a 74-year old, 10-day downtown street festival. You’ve got your mix of traditional Alaskan and street carnival fare, so there’s the World Championship dog sled races and MultiTribal Gathering, plus a frostbite Ferris wheel and a midway. And naturally, a road course.

Aside from Pittsburgh and Long Beach, I’m having a hard time coming up with other major metropolitan areas that hold downtown races, and none have the provenance of the Fur Rondy. In a nutshell: Starting in 1960, the Alaska Sports Car Club started running a .61-mile race downtown in association with the Rondy. After the Anchorage earthquake destroyed the course in 1964, it moved onto ice and ultimately became the North American Ice Racing Championship.

That attracted drivers like Daytona 24-hour winner Pedro Rodriguez, Chris Cook, Elliot Forbes-Robinson, Dennis Aase, Swede Savage, Bob Bondurant, Judy Smith and our own Satch Carlson (who went on to become quite involved with the race in the Eighties). Sports cars predominated, with light MGs, Triumphs, Fiats, Porsches and the 911-powered Beetle of Jim Hemmesch which is best suited for the conditions – cooling was never a problem for the air-cooled vehicle. As Datsuns and Toyotas came into vogue, they joined the ranks, then RX-7s, with a smattering of American compacts, muscle cars and other interesting warriors.

In 1977, the GP came back downtown; it’s moved around since then but now runs a .71-mile course, which is where it was over the weekend of March 7. The only major change looks to have been the addition of a Legends class (Yamaha 1600-powered), which Strohl (who lived for a while in Oregon) says he didn’t think were big in the Northwest.

But it’s one of the two most popular Rondy classes, about even for entrants with the “Improved Touring,” which includes GTis, RX-7s, Neons and Rabbits. Door- and and snowbank banging are common, but serious injuries are somehow rare, and despite serious speed, there’s never been a fatality (I might credit track conditions that yield slides rather than rolls).

Getting power down is usually a problem, as it’s always cold and usually wet. The result is corners taken in a four-wheel drift and, when it’s a high power-to-weight car, a lot of excitement when they put the hammer down. Chad and Jim seem to spend most of their races sideways There’s remarkably little mainstream media coverage of the Rondy GP in the US, although it’s one of those only-in-America things that sometimes attracts foreign media. But the Rondy homepage has some information (and will undoubtedly bring 2010 updates as they happen), and there are a couple of galleries around.

The day started early at 5:30am when I drove out of my driveway on the way to the VW Nationals held in Sydney, only 290kms to go. First down the highway 75kms where I met up with four other Beetles. We had breakfast at McDonalds and turned off the highway to go over a narrow, steep and very winding road that goes over a mountain range, where the temperature dropped suddenly to around 0C. It wasn't long before I was overtaken by the other Beetles, but my Beetle was struggling to get up the steep hills, until I reached the crest of a hill and the engine stopped.

I quickly opened the engine cover and found the inlet manifold from the carburetor to both sides covered in thick white ice, I realised my manifold heater pipe was blocked. There was too much cold air coming into my engine compartment as I had fitted a large external oil cooler above the engine and I couldn't close the top of the engine cover, which was fitted with alloy stand offs. The engine cover was open approx 2 inches at the top and that was a problem. Luckily I had thrown a roll of wide masking tape into the boot, along with spare parts and tools. So Itaped the gap between the engine lid and body and all over the engine vents, allowing air into the engine bay from the sides only.

This allowed me to continue on and to catch up with the other four Beetles that had stopped on the side of the road. For the rest of the journey, my Beetle went like clockwork, and we all arrived at the venue. I had been to the VW Nationals at least ten times before, but this was the first time driving my own Beetle.

The show was up to its usual standard with all the cars being under cover. Although I didn't enter the show 'n shine, I did however park with all the show cars, lol! This year there were many water cooled late model Volkswagens at the show, which I really didn't look at as I was there for the early models with Air cooled engines.

I had taken off all the tape over my engine lid vents as Ientered the show, so I had to retape all the vents again for the return trip. My engine purred like a kitten all the way home. And even over that very cold mountain range, with my heater was working beautifully. After another 290 kms I was home again.

After talking to the other Beetle drivers I drove down with, I found that because of the inlet manifold freezing on the way down I had used twice as much fuel to go down. Nearly a full tank for only 290 kms! On the return trip I only used half a tank of fuel, Now thats better! And just like that the VW Nationals were over for another year.

EFFINGHAM, IL - Mid America Motorworks' 150 acre corporate campus in Effingham, IL was flooded with Volkswagen's of all types during the 10th Annual Funfest for Air-Cooled VW. This year's Funfest had, yet again, record breaking numbers. Throughout the two day customer appreciation party, there were over 1,300 Volkswagen's and 8,000 enthusiasts that flocked the grounds at Mid America Motorworks.

This year Mid America Motorworks honored special guest Bruce Meyers and his creation, the Meyers Manx Dune Buggy. There are many different styles of Dune Buggies, but Bruce Meyers is the man who started it all.
"Funfest for Air-Cooled VW was a huge success," said Mike Yager, founder and Chief Cheerleader at Mid America Motorworks. "As we played host to attendees from 29 states and Canada this year, we made sure there was something for everyone."

One highlight of the event was the Dune Buggy Build that took place during the free two day event. A group from dunebuggyarchives.com was challenged with the task of building a dune buggy from the ground up in just two days. Without a doubt, this was exciting to watch. The group achieved the impossible late Sunday afternoon and had the Buggy outside the tent for a photo shoot.

Mike Yager led 250 Volkswagen's on a fun filled 20 mile scenic Road Tour. Mid America Motorworks added a twist this year to the tour by turning it into a Poker Run Road Tour. $1,000 worth of gift certificates were awarded to the best hands at the completion of the tour. After the Road Tour, Mid America Motorworks still had more in store for their customers that evening. A Chuck Wagon BarBQ, bonfire and live entertainment were waiting for the participants upon their arrival from the 20 mile cruise.

Some of the event's other highlights were:

"Free Tech seminars and product demonstrations"
"Free event t-shirts, pins, and posters for registered entrants"
"Free camping on the grounds"
"Kid's events - shirt tie-dyeing, model car races, beading classes, Chalk the Bug, and face painting"
"Spa for manicures, pedicures, and massages"

Plans are already in the works for the 2009 Funfest for Air-Cooled VW, set for June 6th and 7th, 2009. To register for next year's event visit http://www.mamotorworks.com/acvw-1-116.html.

Planning a Volkswagen event can really take a lot out of you. First you have to pick a date (hoping that the weather will cooperate), and then try to contact enough Volkswagen owners to make the whole thing worth while. After that it's off to the city to try to get permission to use some park land for the event. Then you have to try to line up some sponsors to help carry some of the expense for the day. If you have a cruise planned, you have to plan out the route and print out enough copies of the map so that none of the participants will get lost. Add to that refreshments, prizes, entertainment, and so many other things you might think, "Why would any sane individual do this?"

Well Mitch Petty had a very personal reason for taking on this monumental task, his 8 month old daughter. Little Veronica got a bad blood infection and spent a lot time at the Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, Ontario Canada. She has since been diagnosed with a kidney abnormality, which means that Mitch and his family will be regular visitors to the hospital for monitoring. Needless to say, he totally believes in Sick Kids and wanted to raise money for the hospital, and have some fun at the same time. This is how Punch Buggy 4 SickKids was born.

Mitch planned to drive his 1974 Baja Beetle on a 40-hour Drive-a-thon to raise money to benefit the hospital. The cruise would take him up and down some of the busiest streets in the city and help to raise awareness for his heartfelt cause. During the week prior to the event the weather forecast was not looking too good, and on the Friday night before he really wasn't sure if it was going to happen as it was calling for rain and thunderstorms for the entire day. I said a prayer for Mitch and his daughter (what could it hurt?) and went to bed. My wife and I woke up at about 8am and looked outside, no rain. So we got dressed, hopped in our Super Beetle and set a new land speed record heading for Coronation Park just outside the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto.

We arrived to about a dozen Volkswagens parked in a semicircle with more coming in by the minute. Once we got our VW set up we made our rounds saying hi to all of the fellow V-Dubbers that made the trek out to help Mitch realize his dream. A radio station was on site and a couple of local television stations were busy recording the event and interviewing our gracious host. Around noon Mitch fired up his Baja and announced that it was time for our "Victory Lap" around the city.

We had about twenty or so VWs in tow, including a Karmann Ghia and a couple of Buses as we traveled eastbound in front of Lake Ontario and then up through the heart of the city, where were did a couple of laps around the Sick Kids Hospital. With the sun shining down on our little parade it was pretty hard not to get a little emotional over the whole thing. Holding myself together my wife and I gave the peace symbol to all of the people that where waving and taking pictures along the route.

After about an hour we were back at the park eating hot dogs and listening to the sounds of Kim Koren and Punchbuggy Yellow. At this point we knew that the day could not have gotten any better and we were happy for Mitch and his enthusiastic crew. Spectators were busy checking out the Volkswagens while their owners were making sure that Mitch knew that they would be back again next year to support this great cause.

It's great when all of the planning comes together so that an event can go off without a hitch and I don't what happened to all of that rain that was forecast, but it might be nice to think that someone was watching over us and Veronica. Please click here to donate and thanks to all of those people who did.

Joe Chirco, a living legend in his own mind, and his trusty sidekick Don Wiggins put on another fantastic V-Dubya car show. The two-day event began Saturday evening, October 20, 2007 with "Joe's world-famous night before BBQ." The food was terrific and free, and fun was had by all.

Chirco's is about an hour's drive from where I live, so I got up at 3:30 a.m. on Sunday to get over there in plenty of time to secure a good spot and help our VW club "The Dry Heat Panzers" (DHP) direct the parking. I thought I would surely be the first car there. However, a bright yellow bug was sitting in the parking lot when I rolled in. It seems the young man drove down from Mesa, Arizona for the BBQ and show and just slept in his car.

The show drew entries from all over the southwest including a guy from Sonora, Mexico in a 1997 Mexican Bug. Entry into the show was free, although everyone was asked to bring a bag of canned goods for the Tucson Food Bank. Dash plaques were given to show entries.

As usual, there were some amazing cars there including a green bug with no engine in the back, but it had a V-8 in the front. Volkswagens in all kinds of condition from the beaters to the big-dollar show cars were proudly displayed. The total number of cars this year was 160, and trophies were awarded in different categories. The system used to ascertain the winners was "People's Choice."

The swap meet area was packed, and people got some great deals. Joe opened the store and offered a 10% discount on items purchased during the show. There was a raffle, food vendors, music and the highlight of the day…..the engine blow, where a VW motor was run full-bore with no oil, until it gave up the ghost. People purchased a chance to win a prize by correctly guessing how long the engine would last.

Now on a personal note…I have entered "The Blues" in quite a few shows, and it has never won any award at any show, as usual I was entered into the "daily driver" category. I had been awake for what seemed like days, and although I was enjoying myself, I did have a few irritating moments during the day. I was sitting in my brand new blue camping chair with a nifty fold-out tray… all set to eat a big, juicy hamburger and enjoy an ice cold coke from the small ice chest I had sitting on the tray. Anyway, to make a long story short…mustard on my shirt…knocked the can of coke off and spilled it in my lap….hamburger now in the dirt…ice chest tipped over in the dirt, too. I cleaned up the mess as best I could, and then went to the bathroom to get the mustard off my shirt. While I was there, I figured I would just get rid of what coke I did manage to consume. I was doing just that when a woman walked in…….just another proud moment. Guess I either didn't lock the door, or the lock was broken. I really think she was more embarrassed than I was.

By the time I got back to the car the engine-blow had started. I noticed that someone had moved a car, which meant that I was no longer "pinned in. So I decided that this would be a good time to make my exit…..before the rush. As I said, I was tired, sunburned, and was still wearing most of my lunch. It seemed like a good plan.

Well, I hadn't been home much longer than thirty minutes when my VW mechanic called and said that I had won "Best Daily Driver - Type 1 - 1968 & Later." I was flabbergasted. Wouldn't you know……. the one year that I leave early "The Blues" wins. I am already looking forward to next year, and hoping that I won't be such a clumsy doofus at Bugtoberfest XIII.

The event was held at Harewood House, Leeds, England. Built in 1759, by the late Lord Harewood, Harewood House, home to the Queen's cousin, the Earl of Harewood, provides a wonderful day out for all the family and an excellent location for the event. The House, with its outstanding art collections, splendid State Rooms and fascinating 'Below Stairs' exhibition, is set in spectacular grounds, which include formal gardens and gentle woodland walks. A visit to Harewood offers the opportunity to marvel at the collections in the House, explore the Gardens and Bird Garden, take a boat trip across the lake, while youngsters can enjoy the challenge and excitement of the Adventure Playground! With an extensive program of events and exhibitions, Harewood offers something for all.

It certainly wasn't the kind of weather you'd expect in the middle of August, but despite it raining pretty much constantly from Saturday through to late Sunday morning, the show went ahead. And apart from the mud and associated loss of lanes and disarray, it seems that a good time was had by most. It certainly didn't stop people coming out in droves, and by early afternoon the showfield was looking very full.

The Show and Shine: For some enthusiasts this is was most important part of any show... their chance to show off their project cars and to try to win prizes. The competition is split into different categories which are judged by professional adjudicators. Prizes are given to the winners of each class at the end of the show, which is a great photo opportunity. Congratulations to all the winners, and in particular Peter Wray, the owner of the Beige 1300 Beetle that won the "Best of Show - Air Cooled"....he has owned the car for over 30 years; it has been used daily ever since, has never been painted, and never been welded. In fact he has only ever spent £1500 maintaining it since he purchased it for the princely sum of £800 all those years ago! Those of you that saw it will agree it was a worthy winner; not only was it one of the nicest Beetles we have ever seen, but he had painstakingly spent over 1000 hours polishing the engine and carburetor with a toothbrush....not chromed, but polished! Amazing!

It was great to see a much more balanced split between AIR and WATER this year, probably assisted by the camping on the Saturday and the fantastic support by some of the air-cooled clubs. This was our first tentative step to a two day event, and it is safe to say that we learnt a lot from the experience. After all they say, " What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger".

For more on this show go to http://www.vwfestival.co.uk. You can see pictures of the event and check out the winners of the Show and Shine and tickets raffle winners as well. I would like to give a HUGE thank you from myself, Paul, Kev, Shirley and Shane, to all the volunteers that helped us to ensure the show went as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

On Sunday August 12, 2007, under a beautiful sunny day in the municipality of Embrun Ontario Canada, Volkswagen enthusiasts were gathering to share what they love the most: Volkswagens. This one-day event is a non-judging Volkswagen car show. Whether you have a VW air cool or a VW liquid cool, the public has a chance to see Beetles, VW buses, Westfalias, Kharman Ghias, Dune Buggies along with new Beetles, Golfs, Rabbits, Siroccos, Cerrados and etc.

On Sunday morning, a dozen of us (members of the Capital City Volkswagen Club) left from Ottawa towards Embrun, which was a 25 minutes ride. Every one of us had a smile and was anxious to get to the biggest Volkswagen car show in Eastern Canada if not in Canada, but that we did not know until…We arrived in Embrun at around 8:45 am. Surprisingly, the site was already packed with German cars from all over Ontario, Quebec and some areas of the United States. We all had the feeling that there would be a lot of "folks" (volks…cough) for this 16th edition of Volksfest.

Year one of Volksfest had 90 vehicles on display. In 2005, Volksfest recorded 300 vehicles; then in 2006 it went up to 350 Volkswagen cars. This year, Volksfest recorded a phenomenal 425 cars. The Volksfest show is situated in a large park with plenty of trees providing shading areas and even with 425 cars there was still some space left for more entries. Can't ask for a better location!

The entry fee is only 5 dollars per car and Volksfest chief organizer Bob Lyons and its volunteers make donations to various local charities. Entrance to the site is free for the general public! Overall we all had a fantastic time and everyone on site had a chance to either buy a "nostalgia" souvenirs, toys, books or purchase brand new Volkswagen parts.

The North Alabama Volkswagen Club held their 8th Annual Bug'n in July charity car show earlier this month on July 14-15, 2007 in beautiful Point Mallard Park in Decatur, Alabama. Point Mallard Park, hidden among North Alabama's wooded pines, is a 500-acre family park that features an 18 hole golf course none of the South's best golf courses, a 25-acre wooded campground, and America's first wave pool, and an indoor ice skating rink!

The show and swap meet took place under the giant blue pavilion that used to house the old ice-skating rink. It was the perfect location for a summer car show, providing ample room for the 70+ cars and offering protection from the hot July sun and occasional summer sprinkle. The show benefited Crisis Services of North Alabama, a multi service agency for individuals and families in crisis. For the second year in a row, Bug'n in July was a two-day show, featuring lots of great info and entertainment for the whole family including Tech talks, an engine blow, and R/C drag racing!

The Tech talk was hosted by Vic from Online Air-cooled Part. Vic discussed the importance of maintaining your Volkswagen's fuel system and the proper location and placement of in-line fuel filters. The engine blow, always a crowd favorite, was handled by Airkooled Kustom's own Eric "Spook" LeClair. Using a discarded 40 hp motor, Spook invested a little time and a few parts to get the greasy derelict engine back to life. Bolted to an engine stand and outfitted with a thunderous exhaust system, the engine roared to life on Sunday and ran for just over two minutes before smoking and succumbing to thermal breakdown.

New this year was the R/C Volkswagen drag-racing. Track conditions and crowd participation were a little off on Saturday, but on Sunday, the track was moved to grippier concrete and several more spectators and R/C VW's showed up. Kevin Howlett won the unlimited class with his "invisible" New Beetle (unpainted body shell) with his wife Sandra taking a close 2nd in her red classic Beetle. And in case you forgot your miniature racer, Dolphe Mills was on-hand during the show selling goodies from his large and enviable collection of die-cast Volkswagen toys and collectibles.

If you got hungry during the weekend, the Boy Scouts were ready with peanuts and soft drinks, and the Hickory Barn BBQ folks returned this year with fresh smoked pork and BBQ sundaes!" For dessert, Cakes, etc. brought out an amazing Herbiecake on Saturday to share with the crowd. The showed wrapped up on Sunday afternoon several more door prize giveaways and finally the trophy presentations.