Hot VWs Magazine January 2024
On the cover: Could this be the most significant Bus find of the decade? (Photo: Chadly Johnson)
THE SCHULWAGEN KOMBI
The most significant Bus find of the decade. Some stories are so unbelievable that I wouldn’t even think them real if I had not seen and felt the evidence with my own eyes and hands. At times, I am not sure that I am not just living in the matrix or some dream. This is the story of an almost unbelievable find, the Schulwagen.
VW BUS FESTIVAL HANOVER, GERMANY
For seven generations and over 70 years, the VW bus has been one of the most iconic and popular vehicles in the world. Volkswagen wanted to celebrate this remarkable history and invite all fans to the VW Bus Festival 2023 at the Hanover exhibition grounds, promising an unforgettable weekend. We flew over the Atlantic Ocean to the hometown of the VW Bus, Hanover, Germany, to witness more than 6,000 VW Buses camping together.
AUTOBAHN EXPRESS
Residing in Northern Germany, a father of two and a devoted husband, Arne Steffen became enamored with air-cooled Volkswagens at the age of 18 in 1984. After four decades, he is still a dedicated VW enthusiast. We will showcase his current vehicle, the high-speed Autobahn Express van.
KÖWABUNGA VAN KLAN BUS SHOW
This is way beyond cool. Who would have ever imagined we could have a VW show taking over a pier, especially when the location is one of the most popular tourist spots in southern California? Don Ramsey and the Huntington Beach VW Van/Surf Club Köwabunga Van Klan have done it again – they parked 100 VW buses on the Huntington Beach pier!
DOUBLE BACK
Some say two is always better than one. Morgan Ingmire, whose family has owned a 1973 Squareback since it rolled off the showroom floor, didn’t hesitate to bring home a second orange Type 3 when he had the chance to add it to his stable.
BLUE BY YOU
Some VW folks have all the luck. Steve Mizzi received a ’61 Beetle as a present seven years ago. It soon evolved from a tame stocker into a ferocious animal, with a wide and low-to-the-ground stance, complemented with a 330-horsepower flat-four.
BUGGY WONDER YEARS
By now, many of you will know about the hundreds of buggy-related color slides – most dated from the late ’60s – which we have fortuitously found in our archives. This month’s article focuses on the low, aggressive and innovative Bugetta, conceived by legendary Indy car builder Jerry Eisert.
BUG-IN #47
Starting in early June, southern California began a VW extravaganza that extended over three weekends & featured eight major events. The culmination of the 2023 So Cal VW week was the legendary Bug-In.
TECH ALERT #71
Although disc brakes hadn’t quite caught on in American made cars, VW introduced air-cooled Type 1 and Type 3 customers to disc brake systems as early as 1965. Let’s take a look at this most popular caliper format, and see what’s available in disc brake upgrades.
And More!