John Maher is known to some people as the drummer for the early punk rock band the Buzzcocks. Starting in a punk band in the beginning of the punk rock era is pretty legendary. He also happen to be at the same place in the UK in the early days of when Volkswagen dragracing started to takeoff. John, after being in a band had an engine mishap (done by another shop) started repairing Volkswagens and soon after started rebuilding engines. His competition started at his first VW event when he entered...
May 18, 2024•2 hr 22 min
Some projects are more extreme than others. When buidling a custom VW, how far do you go? Well, if its an all out project and you team up with illegal speed shop prepare for it to go crazy. This project started as a brainchild of one of their customers that laid dead in another shop for about 10 years. It was put up for sale and when Harrison saw it, he reached out to the owner to talk about the project and he ends up, convincing the owner to bring it to illegal speed shop and get that project f...
May 10, 2024•58 min
Transaxles have always been a shifty subject. With less and less people rebuilding them it seems the world is getting smaller in the world of transaxles. Ben Berniklau is a second generation transactional builder. His father was half owner of one of the largest transaxle rebuilding shops in Riverside. He learned how to build tranny mostly on his own after not listening to his dad and following his heart and being in the VW industry. Working for several different shops and learning how to build t...
May 03, 2024•1 hr 38 min
Rusty Lee Pickering started in the Volkswagen hobby with a bright pink beetle. He couldn't have been more proud to drive that pink beetle in the early 90s. That led to a succession of different Volkswagens to own and always looking to make friends with other VW enthusiasts. When his neighbors owned buses and he wanted to meet him, an opportunity came where they could use his skill set. After leaving school, he learned to become a welder fabricator. When his new friend needed help with a rock 'n'...
Apr 19, 2024•1 hr 39 min
Rick Mortensen has been a VW enthusiast for over 50 years. His love started in northern California in the late 60s. Building his first cow look car in the early 70s. He has a love for all things early style col-look.  on this episode we discussed his history moving from Northern California to Phoenix, Arizona. Starting the Phoenix Bug o rama. The original Bug o rama in Sacramento, He used to fill-in when Dyno Don wasn’t available as an announcer. We discuss the varied vehicles that he’s had and...
Apr 13, 2024•1 hr 38 min
Roundtable! On this podcast, Bill and George discuss YouTube channels, Instagram followers, upcoming events and much much more. Also, Bill finds his Vin number for his original 1963 ragtop beetle that he would like to buy back any help would be much appreciated. We talk about the problem with, il the VW scene is larger than just southern California. Why do some people not pay attention to that. People that post on Instagram just to be posting. The problem some people have with car shows today. M...
Apr 05, 2024•1 hr 21 min
1990's UK VW Scene. Thump thump is a name synonymous with wild custom out of the park builds from the 90s. Jay Townsend's on this weeks podcast. His eye for style and creativity was exuded in the cars that were built through thump thump. Whether it was custom script where the rear air vents used to be. To reverse intake, manifolds and carburetors hidden behind the fan shroud. His ideas were definitely ahead of their time and style was the most important part of the build. It wasn't always good t...
Mar 29, 2024•1 hr 57 min
Pat Downs Has been building perfromance motors for the last 35 years. He was the main engine builde rat CB Performance for 30 years. On this episode we discuss what was the reason he left his last emolyer. What life has been like starting your new career in your mid-50s. What his expectation was and how it's turned out so far. We also discuss several new product lines. He's bringing to market the problem with main bearings and the solution. And we can't have this conversation without talking abo...
Mar 22, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Russel Ludwig is the owner operator of Oldspeed out of Paramount California. His shop has been in business since the late 80s. Starting as a source of income to get through college it turned into a business that filled a need in the Volkswagen scene. From buying and flipping cars at Pomona and giving them the "Oldspeed "look. Starting in the early 80s he seen it all in the Vw scene from days of the street races to building engines and cars for drag racers and gang members alike. His shop in Long...
Mar 15, 2024•2 hr 16 min
If you've read any issues of Volks World over the past 20 years I'm certain you know the name Paul Medhurst from his early days with the square back they gave him the nickname "Puppy". Setting off early in his days to roam the world his experience was cut short due to lack of funds. After he spent some money buying a lot of type three parts posting them for sale in the magazine advert Paul came back to an answering machine full of request for parts. Asking his friend Ivan to use the name type th...
Mar 08, 2024•1 hr 23 min
It doesn't always take tons of money to make a showstopper. Alex Boughen and his father are proof of this. Alex having a desire for an air cooled beetle picks up at 1975 1200. The seller says it needs just a little bit of work on a few weekends to get it on the road. Removing the carpet revealed that the nails holding the carpet down to the wood screwed to the holy floor pan meant trouble. Luckily Alex's dad is a welder by trade and they took on the rebuild of this project and it turned out way ...
Mar 01, 2024•52 min
Feb 23, 2024•1 hr 7 min
The name Paul Morton should ring a bell. Paul is a contributing writer and photographer to the new Vw trends magazine. Paul was also editor of autosound security magazine as well as import racer magazine and co-editor of drifting magazine. His first Volkswagen he bought in 1986 worked on it as long as he could and was forced to move on to mini trucks for reasons of convenience. Paul's an all-around car guy and he really has a wide breath of everything 80s. On this podcast we discuss Volkswagens,...
Feb 16, 2024•1 hr 29 min
Is this the ultimate Cal-look tribute car. The California look with something that started in the late 60s early 70s in Southern California. For the past few decades, there have been lots of tribute cars and some have gone over the top and some have chased every specific detail down to the last Lucas turn signal. Mark Akullian has been in the Volkswagen scene since he was 13 years old which means over 30 years he's been in the Volkswagen scene. He's no stranger to magazine covers in April 1988 h...
Feb 09, 2024•1 hr 35 min
Buses By The bridge 2024 is a wrap and we talk about the weekend. Bill drove ther & back in a day. George talks about how his bus did with the new IRS conversion. Bob Daniels from the Facebook page Custom VW's of the 80's & 90's. Bob is flying out to Vegas to ride to GNRS & OCTO with Bill in the Carbon Cab. While BOB is here we paly a game. Guess the cost of parts back in the 80's and what that means in todays dollars. We discuss what we watch on youtube. www.rosswulf.com www.vwtrend...
Jan 26, 2024•1 hr 14 min
On this episode we discuss the early days in La Puente California. Buggs Buddies founding member William Noguera comes on the podcast with Robert Vw Kidd and they discuss the late 70s early 80s VW seen in Southern California. With a heavy Latin influence the origins of the LA style seems to begin here. You'll get to hear some wild stories of what it was like being a member of Bug's buddies what was the story on all the cars and what "Combey" means. It was a wild time for young teenagers in La Pu...
Jan 19, 2024•1 hr 3 min
With recent podcast being about Drag & Drive events some of the original guys have been doing drag & Drive events in the Midwest have reached out to me. Prescott Phillips and Chuck Fryer respectively the beer Panzer and the corn panzer have been running Midwest Drive events for years. Both Street cars running 11 second quarter these guys have been representing the VW contingent on six summer. They go in a great detail about what it takes to do with these events the type of prep they do w...
Jan 12, 2024•1 hr 39 min
Ever wonder who's the guy on www.Thesamba.com with the super expensive original or NOS EMPI stuff. Wonder no more on today's podcast we've got Eric Lussier former VW collector, now owner of 2nd Avenue scooters in Phoenix Arizona. Eric is one of the original Pomona isle hounds that used to snatch up tons of EPMI & Rare stuff but before that he had an opportunity to go cross country several times and just grab tons and tons of EMPI and other cool collectible stuff from wrecking yards all over ...
Jan 05, 2024•1 hr 33 min
Dec 29, 2023•1 hr 31 min
Bill discusses his Power Tour experience. What you should do if you decide to do the power tour and the good and bad of it. George and Bill discuss a letter that we received critiquing the one crazy weekend. It goes over some positives but more negatives than anything else and we address all the concerns for last year's event only to bring you a more exceptional event in 2024. George gets completely heated and loses it when he's accused of picking his friends cars for trophies. George is a man o...
Dec 22, 2023•1 hr 43 min
More power on a budget? Kadron carburetors (The Brazillian Solex) have always been known for being the bottom level carburetor. Jeff Lane wirh Kaddie Shack will change your mind about that he's put down plenty of quarter mile passes that have been super fast and he got into tuning and dealing with cadre on carburetors years ago. Take a listen to a great story and interview on how Jeff decided to leave his full-time job and pursue his passion in the VW industry helping people get performance on a...
Dec 15, 2023•1 hr 27 min
On this podcast we discussed piston technology and manufacturing. Trevor Cleveland with iKON brand pistons (manufactured by United Engine and Machine one of America's largest piston manufactures) Gives us the lowdown on pistons. We discussed the anatomy of a piston and the technology. We also get into what the VW industry is lacking with respect to quality pistons. Trevor is one of us, he's a hard-core VW enthusiast that drives a 1969 Volkswagen fastback with an odd combination 2110. Not only do...
Dec 08, 2023•1 hr 35 min
Driving your Volkswagen is the most fun. One of the greatest experiences I've ever had was driving my Volkswagen in competition against other cars. This weeks episode is about the only Volkswagen that was in 2023's sick the magazine death week. It's a weeklong road trip that goes from track to track and plenty of oddball places in between for checkpoints. AJ Sims of low budget racing and Anton Walker piloted his fastback Volkswagen on this challenge. And what a challenge it was. It seems like th...
Dec 01, 2023•1 hr 38 min
Jeff Patterson is with Type 4 Revoulution. Hes your east coast type 4 guy. WIth a back ground in the military being trained in helicopeter manitinance. His love for working on VWs comes from a need to fix his own cars. He loves type 4 engines. We discuss the type 4 engine pros & cons. While stationed in Germany he was able to access cool type 4 upgrades for his Super Beetle. While he was in town for the SEMA show we were able to connect & sit down & do a podcast.
Nov 24, 2023•1 hr 12 min
Type 3's are a special VW, and the people committed to them area just as unique. Mario Steinhauser has had type 3HQ since 1991. An avid type three enthusiast he found a love for these cars at a young age. Realizing how difficult parts were to get in a few great opportunities he was able to start type 3HQ. They specialize in VW type three parts and lots of NOS pieces. If you have questions about type three originality details specifications and more you can always reach out to him on his Instagra...
Nov 17, 2023•1 hr 7 min
Drag racing in the United Kingdom with Volkswagens started in the late 70s early 80s. A lot of guys from the day are still around and we were able to track down one of them for today's podcast. John Brewster got into Volkswagens in the mid-70s eventually working for auto carava a VW restoration and supply company. That evolved into him building engines and performance motors. He I listed the auto caravan drag car that also worked for slalom racing and lots of other things back in the day. He was...
Nov 10, 2023•1 hr 46 min
Chris Goddin is from Wales England the wet part of the country. Chris and his son Zach are podcast listeners we started talking & he showed me his car. His 1973 Karmann Ghia is spectacualr. The imprssive part of this car is he built it all himslef. Its an example of what hard work & dedicatin can make happen. Its pwoered by a 2332cc powerplant. Tucked in bumpers, air ride, leater interior make this ghia one rad car! He's also had rthe fuchs custom made, He is producing 3 piece wheels thr...
Nov 03, 2023•31 min
When you see a Type 34 Ghia they are a work of art. When this Italian designed car meets an interior to match, You get the Ghia we have here. Rob "Rourky" O'rourke is a man with an eye for style. He's raised in the trade of coach trimming (2nd generation). His father started the business and he worked for him eventually taking it over. He is quite a character. In his daily life he works on Ferraris, Lamborghini's & Jaguars. Using his knolwadge of the classic coachtrimming from the golden era...
Oct 27, 2023•59 min
There are cars that inspire other peoples cars to be built, with out the people that build those cars that wouldnt happen. Randy Gates is the man behind several cars that have infulenced the VW scene. First his 1957 23 Window bus that graced the cover of Hot VWs in 2003. Then his 1952 Split window bug that was built by Buddy Hale in Tempe Az. This car most certanly had a huge impact on the VW scene as a whole. It definitely had that impact on me. The azure blue 1952 crotch cooler split window wa...
Oct 20, 2023•1 hr 25 min
This episode is a round table about the One Crazy Weekend. The people on this podcast are Andy Finch UK (Spikes Restoration) Russell Ritchie Scottland (Gasser Garage) Johnny Osmondson US Worlds fasetest street bug, George Tsagrinos US (the Wagen). If youve never been to the One Crazy Weekend. This podcast will give you some insite on what its like. The perspective from participants from around the world.
Oct 13, 2023•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 238
