Explore every episode of the podcast Lets Talk Dubs Classic The Classic VW podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ep 338 Black Gold Jank Wenk | 07 Nov 2025 | 01:14:19 | |
| Ep 337 Brett Hawksbee Bug Jam Targa Ghia and more | 31 Oct 2025 | 01:27:04 | |
Brett Hawkbee is a name that's known throughout the UK for creating a legendary bug jam. The largest show in the UK and it's third year it broke all records for any show that was happening in the UK car show specific. Going to other shows and feeling like he could do better, he decided to put something together with an idea and a couple opportunities. The doubters were stacked against him thinking it would be a flop instead 38 years later it still, pushing right along. He's also the builder of the legendary Targa Ghia that was at One crazy weekend. That's now owned by Russell Ritchie. That car has a place in Volkswagen history of one of the most iconic 80s cars ever produced in the UK. This is a story of what happens when you have the desire, determination and a love for the hobby. Brett has gone on to do skateboard shows. Music festivals and other events. He was also the founder of the UK's VWDRC . use LTD10 doe 10% off
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| Ep 328 Craig Gonzalez Bay WIndow Mafia | 15 Aug 2025 | 01:22:01 | |
The Bay Window Volkswagen Bus — affectionately (and sometimes not so affectionately) known as the Fat Chick, Late Model, Round Window, or Big Boy — covers the iconic 1968–1979 VW Bus era. It was the successor to the legendary split-window Bus, made famous on TV shows like Eight Is Enough, and while some purists dismissed it at first, others saw its potential and fell in love. In this episode, we look into the culture, history, and revival of these late-model Type 2 buses with Craig Gonzales (AKA Bay Window Mafia) a true champion of the Bay Window scene. Craig's passion for slammed, stylish late bays led him to create an Instagram page that exploded almost overnight, feeding the community's hunger for photos, inspiration, and connection. He's especially fond of early bays (1968–1971) — from high-roof postals to deluxe models — but appreciates every version in the lineup. We break down the key differences between early, mid, and late bay windows, explore their evolution, and talk about how Craig puts his own spin on styling them. Whether it's cruising into a split-bus-heavy show and turning heads, or highlighting the unique character of the 68–79 VW Bus, Craig proves that bay windows are every bit as cool as their predecessors. If you're a vintage Volkswagen enthusiast, a classic VW bus collector, or just curious about the growing new generation of bay window fans, this episode is packed with insights, stories, and plenty of VW bus love.
Check out Craigs Socials Here Use code LTD10 for 10%off https://www.thepunkrockmuseum.com
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| Ep 237 Air Mighty's Niels Timmerman | 06 Oct 2023 | 01:35:49 | |
Niels Timmerman is the man behind Air Mighty Megascene. The ultiamte VW Magazine. This is a great story about how one guy's passion for photography turns into a website which eventually turns into taking a huge risk and starting a magazine. Nils has been a staple in the VW community in the Netherlands. Just like the rest of us starting with nothing but hard work and a dream he's amassed a few car in his collection that he really enjoys. His background and graphic design is obvious when you look at the quality of the things that he produces. It's professional on another level. His eye for what looks good is evident with every issue of air mighty megascene
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| Ep 236 Paul Irving of Irv's VW restoration | 29 Sep 2023 | 01:02:27 | |
Paul Irving is a guy with passion you can sense just from talking to him about how much he loves Volkswagens. His commitment to do a high-quality restoration shows in the work they produce. Starting in his early days working on cosworth Fords and import cars. He found his true love when he saw his first split screen. From that point forward he's been committed to the hobby ever since. Constantly pushing the envelope and he's been repaid by high customer satisfaction and a never ending list of cars to restore. He has people bringing him cars from all over the world to this remote place in the Lakes District of England for full restoration. A painter by trade he paid his dues started from nothing and built it into one of the most impressive shops in all of England today. Besides that Paul (Irv) is a great guy with a great sense of humor if you catch him at make sure you chat him up.
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| Ep 235 Round Table Pre Show & Bill Goes world wide Air-Might | 22 Sep 2023 | 01:44:52 | |
It Showtime!! Bill & George talk about OCW (One Crazy Weekend) Show details. Also Bill tells the story of his trip to Hawaii for the VW Club of Hawaii's Shaka VW show. The trip to Maui on the saturday for the Kruise For Kurt. Then Bill & his son head out for a flight to London then a 2 hour ride to Essex to Spikes Vintage restoration. They meet up with a 5 car caravan of top level show cars drive to an overnight ferry. The next morning off to the show a 2 hour drive in the Netherlands. 2 days at the Air-mighty show and some of the cars that are there. A great weekend that just gets better. Live your life. https://www.youtube.com/@the_Wagen
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| Ep 234 Hawaiian Builder Allan Yee Owner of "Tickled Pink" | 15 Sep 2023 | 00:32:06 | |
Hawaiian Builder Allan Yee has been into Classic Air-Cooled VWs since the early days. In the late 80's he built a well known car. A car refered to by its name. Tickled pink. That car went through a absolute unbelivable life. Even being set on fire in Allans Garage. At the 2023 Shaka VW show thats put on by the VW Club of Hawaii Alan had 2 cars he built on display. A 1966 VW Fast back and 1974 VW Thing. some super unbelivable cars. Top quality cars built in Hawaii. A great podcat about one of Honolulu.
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| Ep 233 Lets talk Dubs goes to Hawaii | 09 Sep 2023 | 00:48:22 | |
This week let's talk dubs heads out to Hawaii. The first interview that I have is with Jody Madeiros from the valley Isle Vee Dubz club. Jody gives us the insite as to what's going on in Maui wit some of our VW Family that have been affected by the tragedy in Maui. The second podcast is with Todd Matsumoto who is the VW club of Hawaii president and has been putting on the shaka VW Show for over 21 years. Click the Go fund me Link to help out the VW People of Maui. Mahalo
TO DONATE TO Our vw family in Maui https://account.venmo.com/u/Maui-Strong808
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| Ep 232 Squeeg's Kustoms Doug Jergers | 25 Aug 2023 | 01:17:56 | |
Squeege's Kustoms is one of Arizona's peimere hot rod shop. They've built dozens of top notch hot rods over the years. Doug Jereger who took over for his Dad Squeege. some time ago started Just out of high School he moved to Phoenix from Ohio. Working for his dad was not easy. His Dad got him interested in VWs. He built his first VW back in Ohio. In his early years his pinnacle acheavment was getting his 1956 Bettle on the cover of Hot VWs August 1989. With All the custom work & Hot Rod details it was a show stunner. In 1989 It was ahead of its time. Doug has built a few cars that have been in the runnig for AMBR (Americas Most Beautiful Roadster)in 2011 Doug won with Daryl Wolswinkel's 33' ford. If youre looking for custom paint or a full build Squeeges can get it done. Hes got a great story. Check out his site https://www.squeegskustoms.com/
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| Ep 231 Electric VW Guy Jehu Garcia | 18 Aug 2023 | 01:42:31 | |
Jehu Garcia is a DIYer like no other. With a passion for tinkering he started getting into trying to make his bus powered by electricity. Through the long process That you can follow on his YouTube channel he was successful in making his bus fully powered by batteries. This podcast has a lot of information with respect to doing electric conversions not only in your car but your house with battery back ups. Where the technology is going and what's available today. He currently owns four Volkswagens that he's working on converting most of them to electric. With one day a dream of his to have 10 electric buses available as rentals. He's got a great story and a lot of determination to figure things out. | |||
| Ep 230 Dave Kindig an OG VW guy! | 11 Aug 2023 | 01:20:02 | |
We've all seen the TV show Bitchin rides on MotorTrend TV. Dave Kindig from Kindig it designs out of Salt Lake City and his crew build some of the highest level custom cars on the market today. Dave Kindig started out in the hobby as a VW guy. Still a huge VW enthusiast he's built several on the show as well as he's finally coming out with one of his own. On this episode we talk about the humble beginnings of Kindig it designs what were some important milestones. Some of the challenges with growing a business. And the evolution to a TV show. After this podcast you will know Dave Kindig a true Vw guy he's been in the hobby sfor 30 years and he still loves them to this day. Look forward to see him putting out some more cool Vw's in the future. As well as some of the best showcars built today!
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| Ep 229 Eric Meyer Designer VW enthusiasts and founder of Simple Shoes | 04 Aug 2023 | 02:17:17 | |
Eric Meyer has been involved with Volkswagens for over 45 years. Starting with his first bus that he picked up when he was around 13 years old all through high school even into part-time jobs working on them. Loving the skateboard culture which goes hand-in-hand Volkswagens he wanted to have more of an impact in making skaters more identifiable. He gets himself a job at Vision Street Wear (more like creates himself a job). After a few years there decides to branch off on his own and start Simple shoe company. In order to do that he was sacrificed some of his Karmann Ghia's for seed money to start his new shoe company. On a wing and a prayer he shows up to the first action sports clothing event and hits a home run. This is a great story about the persistence and determination that is indicative in every VW enthusiast. As you'll find out Eric's had quite a few VW's and a lot of them that you'll remember. It's a great story and lots of cool history.
https://www.letstalkdubs.com/showtime.html
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| Ep 228 What Happened to pookies dream the ultimate sqaure back | 28 Jul 2023 | 01:19:51 | |
Pookie's dream was one of the coolest square backs in the 90s fully detailed. Gunmetal gray paint Nissan pulsar seats it toward the show circuit for several years always a top contender. Tony Moyer and his wife built this things with the beginning intentions of having a daily driver. Like all car built this one spun out of control and wet detail crazy from the polish fuse to the chrome detailing on the transaxle the chrome front beam and so much more chrome this was the wheels off fully detailed show car. What happened to this car and where did it end up we find out on this week's podcast with a special guest appearance at the end. | |||
| Ep 327 From Surfboards to Speedometers – The Story of Steve Burdett, the "Speedo King" of Classic Volkswagens | 08 Aug 2025 | 00:56:35 | |
If you're restoring a classic Volkswagen, chances are you've thought about the details that make your VW truly authentic – and few details matter more than a properly restored speedometer. Steve Burdett is one of the most interesting craftsmen in the hobby today. With a background in shaping fiberglass and building custom surfboards, Steve has always had a gift for creating things by hand. When the surfboard industry began to slow, he turned his skills toward another passion – vintage vehicles. Having restored Vespas and Lambretta scooters, Steve's love for mechanical artistry eventually brought him back to his first automotive love: Volkswagens. After buying back his original Super Beetle from his brother, Steve began rebuilding VW speedometers, combining precision craftsmanship with a deep passion for the hobby. Today, through his business SpeedoKing.com, he offers expert speedometer restoration, repair, and customization for classic Volkswagen Beetles, Buses, Karmann Ghias, and more. In this episode, we dive into the world of VW speedometer restoration – from common issues to watch for, to performance upgrades, custom faces, and personalized touches that make your dash stand out. Whether you're restoring a split-window Beetle, a '60s Bus, or a Type 3, Steve shares insider tips and stories that only come from years of hands-on experience. If you care about authenticity, craftsmanship, and working with someone who truly loves the Volkswagen hobby, this episode is a must-listen. Use code LTD10 for 10%off | |||
| Ep 227 Sam Kutz NuVintage VW | 21 Jul 2023 | 00:48:37 | |
Sam Kutz is the owner of new vintage VW repair shop. They're based just outside of Denver in Arvada Colorado. Sam has been wrenching on VW's for over 25 years. He's also been listening to podcasts for a couple years and we've chatted back-and-forth on Instagram. On my way through Colorado with my Ghia TC I stopped at Sam's and he lent me a huge hand to get my car back on the road. He's got a great VW story and this hobby is in his blood, he's a solid as they get and a guy that I consider a friend. If you're ever in Denver cruise over the Nuvintage and say hi to Sam you won't be sorry. He has attended almost every bug in Colorado drag racing his cars as well as one that's a show/drag car. His love for the hobby is obvious for the people he surrounds himself at his shop. Rhea, Conrad, Charles add Bill all fantastic people that you can find at the shop.
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| Ep 226 Drag Racer John Shuerger | 14 Jul 2023 | 01:08:36 | |
John Schuerger is a staple in the VW drag racing scene you can find him in any of the drag races on the West Coast. This episode we sit down with him at The Volks Group inaugural summer showdown one in Medford Oregon. A car he sold to his brother that he later blew up the engine he took it back and took it to the next level. We talk to John about his drag bug how long he's had it and its racing history. This may be one of the longest running sportsman cars out there, 5 time PRA champ. BRS Champ, and many more series. His help from the Bergs & the support of his wife makes all of this possible.
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| Ep 225 Bill Goes racing with Johnny Osmondson Medford Showdown 1 Report | 07 Jul 2023 | 01:03:54 | |
Bill, Brandon and Johnny head to Medford Oregon for The Volks Group summer showdown 1. This is the first event put on by The Volks group and man what an event this was. Of course it was what the Medford (nor cal) group normally does which is much love and aloha thanks to Tom Kinny and the Kinny kitchen. The whole group up there is fantastic and I can't say enough about them. We bring the gray car Johnny's 62 up for the first time he hits the track a boy do things happened. We had an exciting fun filled three days. Plus Bill brings out his drag car that has been sitting for the past 10 years that he purchased one year ago and put it on the track. Hear all about it. No PRep racing at its finest. LOL To see the gray car run check the links below and go watch Johnny Ron in Irwindale, Tucson, or Casa Grande. | |||
| Ep 224 Let's race! & Empi Product update | 30 Jun 2023 | 00:37:11 | |
Oh week Bill heads to Medford Oregon with Johnny and the gray bug. Heading up there to go drag race. Will have full updates from the vox group with respect to the racing this weekend possibly some extra Contant over the long weekend. We also talked to Rob Bolmer vice president of sales with Empy and discuss a lot of the new things that they come out with from response as they received at Sema full episode a little short but will get you next time. | |||
| Ep 223 Georg Otto Automotive journalist & DFL founding member | 23 Jun 2023 | 01:58:32 | |
George auto is an automotive journalist publisher and author. He's also involved in the founding of the DFL Vw club in Germany. George's passion started one night at a party when he saw a rare vehicle that grabbed his interest which turned out to be a type 34 razor edge gea. From that point he was hooked in the VW world. He pursued his passion in publishing writing for different magazines, he even wrote his own book Tuning Luftgekuhlte Volkswagen. if you can find them they sell now for about $120.00. On this podcast we talk about car shows in Germany as well as the VW seen there. German look cars and also his love for Cal look style Vw's. It's a great podcast and he's a good guy check it out. Photo credit: Stephen Szantai https://www.letstalkdubs.com/showtime.html Register for one crazy weekend here. Support our sponsors
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| Ep 222 Lyndon Creamer | 16 Jun 2023 | 01:25:18 | |
The Ultimate Home built Show stopper!! FUBAR if you don't know what that stands for Google it. But that's the story and the name behind Lyndon Creamers 1964 bug. He's owned this bug twice in the first time it was featured in Volksworld was around 2003 he sold. tichanged hands several times. It was wreckled and changed up from when he owned it. He later and re-purchased the car back in 2013. He decided to put it back in the show circuit but this time No holds barred. It was going to be an all out assult on the show circuit. He infact made quite the splash when it re-surfaced. Debuting it at Volks World show and requesting a indoor spot based on a single picture. Lyndon did it. He blew away the spectators with th finish of this 4 year (this time) labor of love. Lyndons also been working on a driver 56' Beetle. Look for more of Lyndon this year at a few shows.
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| Ep 221 Bill & George Talk Id Buzz & Octo weekend | 09 Jun 2023 | 01:20:20 | |
ROUNDTABLE!!! We discuss the ID Buzz debut, OCTO weekend & the ISP west. Some of the cool cars we saw plus the barndoor gathering. Type 3's visiters from Belgium Future Shock. Whos going to Medford?????
https://vegasvolks.podbean.com/
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| Ep 220 Lind Bjornsen Schulwagen debut | 02 Jun 2023 | 01:16:48 | |
Call Lind Bjornsen is our resident bus expert on this episode we start talking about Logoed buses as well as rare accessories. What makes different Loged buses more desirable than others. Also what accessory's add to the value or are highly sought after or really rare. We also get advanced peek at the bus Lind is debuting here at OCTO June 2023. He stumbled across the Schulwagen a bus that was purchased by Volkswagen of America before they were even Inc. here in the USA. This rare barn door has deluxe features/options and was outfitted with hundreds of tools to teach dealership service technicians how to work on Volkswagens. There were approximately 13 of these buses known to exist none are around today. This could possibly be one of the rarest barn door buses out there as well as most unique with ambulance features as well as a deluxe dash in a standard bus. This Bus was never meant for public consumtion. | |||
| Ep 219 Life After Cal-look Greg Aronson | 26 May 2023 | 01:47:26 | |
The name Greg Aronson is a familiar name in the VW world. Most people know his name for the famous Aronson/Holmes 63 Cal-Look car. Gregs story is so much more. From the humble beginings of buiding his model A as his first driver, to learning transaxle rebuilding at Gene Berg Enterprises. At 20 years old He and Ron Flemming started F&A Performance. Which evolved into one of the formost recognized names in Off-road racing FAT Perfromance. One of their first guys out the is Marty Letner, Malcom Smith, Larry Raglen 5 Time baja winner. The exposion of the off-roading history has them busyier than they imagined. The evolution of how Toyota TRD starts to support off-roading vs VW. Alos the history of how the Type 4 (Tuna Boat) engines come into the off-road racing world. The Type 4 upright fan conversion kits ans so much more in this podcast. In 1986 43 engines in the parker 400 24 of them were type 4's. So much history that starts in the streets & ends in the dirt. http://www.kussmaulchronicles.com/ https://www.letstalkdubs.com/store.html
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| Ep 218 DKP History, Auto Haus with John Lazenby | 19 May 2023 | 02:28:42 | |
John Lazenby is one of those people that has been around the scene since the early 60s. His love and passion for Volkswagens still continues to this day. As one of the founding members of Der Kliner Panzers Volkswagen club, he gives us some insight to the early history of the club and how things came together. You may have heard of his club car named "Butternut". Having a passion for Volkswagens lead him to working in the automotive industry getting a job at Autohaus in 1971-1981 working there until just before they closed. In this podcast John recounts the history from back in the early days. His memory is impeccable with dates and people and places that critical things in the VW seen as it happened. It's long because it's filled with lots of good detailed information. If you love early Vw history of the southern California VW seen this is the podcast for you. P.S. remeber those little rubber band engine re-build kits. youll hear where they started in this podcast. | |||
| EP 326 4 shows, 5 projects & electric AC with Bill & George | 25 Jul 2025 | 01:08:07 | |
On this episode, Bill and George discuss last several videos that George put out as well as the four shows that Bill went to little bit. Americna Cal-LOOK caravan, DKP reunion & EMPI History Tour with Dena Kirsten. Plus some projects in the work and a little bit of talk about electric AC on a Volkswagen. Another round table for you guys to enjoy. Enjoy.
www.russwulf.com use LTD10 for 10% off your order
https://www.youtube.com/@the_Wagen https://www.youtube.com/@letstalkdubspodcast | |||
| Ep 217 The race shop's own Dave Andrews | 12 May 2023 | 01:22:05 | |
The 1972 EMPI was sold to filter dynamics. Just before that happened Darrell Vittone started the race shop which was a separate entity from the VW dealership. One day some kid from the East Coast is peering through the window and Darrel sees him. Darrel opens the door and meets Dave Andrews these two for the next few years campaign the inch pincher plus the race shop cars. Everywhere the race shop went there was Dave Andrews campaigning his own 1967 beetle that he purchased brand new. Hear his story about his move out west and also the evolution of his personal car that eventually turned into a straight race car. Good story about a great chapter in our VW hobby.
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| Ep 216 Early type 3 details with Lee Hedges | 05 May 2023 | 01:18:20 | |
The type three Variant & Sedan (Squareback & Notchback) was the car that was debuted at the 1961 Frankfurt auto show in order to develop a new upgrade level vehicle for people that wanted to upgrade from the Beetle. In the early years of the type three there were a lot of one year only and earlier only design attributes. In this podcast we break down all of the early details that are known to be on 63 & earlier type three's. Today on the registry only 75 early pre-1963 & earlier type threes are registered. Maybe the type three is the hidden gem of rarity that not a lot of people know about. We once again turn to our type three resident expert Lee Hedges for an in-depth review of specific to early type three details. This is very informative and lots of information even if you're not into type threes you'll enjoy this podcast.
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| Ep 215 Cross Country Road trip with Bryce & Kathy | 28 Apr 2023 | 01:38:30 | |
Bryce Allemann and Kathy Hicks are a road tripping power couple that first hit the road in 2017. The first journey across the United States northern half consisted of 8,754 miles. That article can be seen in August 2018 Hot VWs magazine. They scheduled a month off of work to accomplish this feat in the 1967 SO42 Westy. Since then, they've had a desire to do it again which we were lucky enough to catch them on the return home from the latest southern US trip in their 67 VW bus. We discuss what it's like to be on the road for 30 days. Some of the mechanical challenges that they faced during this particular road trip. A lot of the cool things that you see when you're traveling the country by road. This VW bus a 1967 SO42 westfailia camper is more than just a bus. It was purchased brand new by Bryce's grandfather then give it to his father and gave it to Bryce. He's lawn more miles on this bus that his grandfather and father combined. Kathy is an equal partner and sharing all of the driving duties as well as planning some of the stops and making sure they get to squeeze in whatever is on their bucket list. It's a great story about a dedication to exploring this wonderful country we live in and doing it in your favorite VW. So sit back and let the story get you motivated to turn some wrenches to get your VW dialed in and hit the road with that person you love and make a lifetime memories.
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| Ep 214 Round table | 21 Apr 2023 | 01:36:37 | |
we discuss who would be the top builders non-Volkswagen that we would like to see build a VW platform vehicle. Bill takes a trip to Volksworld show 2023 we talk about some of those details. We also discussed some of the people bills tried to get on the podcast. Some new episodes that will be coming out and some insight on a few of those upcoming podcasts. We get a project update and much more. | |||
| Ep 213 Lime Bug Craig Shaw | 14 Apr 2023 | 01:12:18 | |
I'm sure you've heard the name Limebug. Limebug out of the UK makes air suspension and much more for Classic aircooled Volkswagens. Craig Shaw and his partner Leeann. Her purchase of a lime green beetle is the cause for Craig to start working on suspension in the Air-cooled world which then developed into trying to bring something to the market that didn't exist. With a background in machining and engineering he put to use what he new, to try to develop some new suspension for Volkswagens. It doesn't just stop with suspension now they manufacture wheels brake kits and plenty of other VW accessories. As a homegrown business committed to manufacturing all their parts in the UK they ship worldwide and their prices are fairly affordable. Lineburg make some pretty cool parts in there constantly pushing the envelope with new products hitting their website all the time check them out if you want something different for your Volkswagen. Check out his website with the link below.
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| Ep 212 Frederic Peeters EBI & Freddie Files | 07 Apr 2023 | 00:54:55 | |
Frederick Peeters is a man who wears a lot of hats, as the managing Director of European bug-in, he also puts on the Freddy files, and now does the Ardennen Rennen. From Nenovine Belgium he's been a VW enthusiast since he was a child. With a passion for type three's he loves his notch back. His commitment to the hobby means that he puts it all in the line to put on one of the largest VW vents in Europe. The European Bug-in known as EBI is unparalleled in VW shows. Being hosted in the city of Chimay Belgium where cars from all over Europe travel to with a gigantic Swap Meet a huge camp out and a weekend long party. If you've never been you must go. We also discuss a little known bug called the mach one that came out in 1965 built by a VW dealer in Belgium we get all of the details on the specialty vehicle that was built.
https://www.europeanbugin.com/
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| Ep 211 Gavin Jones Trailer Queen Restorations | 31 Mar 2023 | 01:06:23 | |
On our continued British invasion from Volksworld 2023 show. Trailer queen restorations Gavin Jones on this episode. Starting out with his first VW in the late 80s he cruised around in a pretty cool convertible super beetle. Later moving up to some of the early year VW's with his Bahama Blue 64. He tells a legendary story of how he left his last job for sake of family and trailer queen reostorations is born. Trailer queen Reostorations is Just He and his Wife doing a family business. Gavin does some of the top paint work in the UK. He's painted some of the cars that you would know. Hes painted The Cal-look 63 rag top, The Pepto Squareback T3 Detectives all black sqaureback, Barnoor 23 widows. If you've had any issues of volksworld you have seen his work. We talk about some splitwindow details. Hes OCD whenit come to paint and detail. Check out his work on his FB page links below. https://www.facebook.com/trailerQueen https://trailerqueenrestos.com/ | |||
| Ep 210 Rikki James & The fast barndoor | 24 Mar 2023 | 01:00:09 | |
In the early 2000s while trying to figure out what to do with my bus and surfing the Internet I ran across a website called vintagebus.com. On that website was a gallery for people to upload pictures. I ran across Rikki James from England & his 1954 Right Hand drive barn door bus. This bus was sporting big power type 4 with a 2600cc 48 IDA's and Porsche five speed. This bus would serve as a template for me to build my first bus. Rikki's been ahead of the curve for a long time, an avid VW enthusiast and hard-core bus owner. You can sometimes catch him on the autobahn or the M25 in his right hand drive barn door hauling the mail. This bus is no joke and has been on the road since the early 90s! Listen to what it was like in the early days before there was disc brake conversions or narrowed beams and all the other parts and pieces that hes had custom-made for this barn door bus. Did I mention Rikki was doing patina before patina was a thing? He's a trailblazer at all things cool. Rikki James is a great guy.
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| Ep 209 Pandraggers Levi Weir | 18 Mar 2023 | 01:11:24 | |
Levi Weir is from Phoenix Arizona and runs a company called Pandragger parts. Since about 14 years old he's been working on Volkswagens. Taking up a trade in welding and fabrication with a raceshop he learn the skills that his friends utilize to help them work on their VW's he eventually turns that into a business fabricating and building air suspensions as well as paint and bodywork through his business pandragger parts. There's also a car club named Pandraggers out of Arizona that they started when he and his friends were younger. On this Podcast we discuss air suspension on Beetles. He also discuss his relationship with Randy from Randar wheels who he met fabricating racecars. He currently owns seven sets of different varieties of RNDAR wheels. He loves oval window rag tops and he like some low! take a listen to check out what Levi is up to and what is history is all about. https://www.instagram.com/pandragger_products/ https://www.letstalkdubs.com/showtime.html
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| Ep 208 Resto Johnny & rare EMPI collectibles | 10 Mar 2023 | 02:02:20 | |
Resto Johnny as he's known on the samba, has been in the VW collecting since the early days of Pomona. One of the original Pomona swap meet vultures he's been on the lookout for super rare parts since the early days of the hobby. Finishing his first car when he was just 14 and selling it at the Pomona swap meet. How do you get home from that situation? You buy another car at the Pomona swap meet. That started his lifelong passion for buying collecting and trading rare VW parts and pieces. From his 47 split, to his 67 bug he loves the bolt on the rare stuff. We talk about Empi collectibles and some of the rarest parts available from Empi back in the good all days. He had a relationship with Lee Leighton and would help him at his shop and of course buy rare parts from him.
Pics of the parts we talk about
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| Ep 325 Discipline Child – A 1955 Oval Window Like No Other | 18 Jul 2025 | 00:49:37 | |
In this episode, we dive into the story behind Discipline Child — a wildly custom 1955 Volkswagen Beetle owned by Cali Springer, originally from the Virgin Islands. What began as a simple inquiry about fuel injection turned into a one-of-a-kind build by Alvin Lawrence of Auto Fanatic, also hailing from the islands. This isn't your typical classic VW Beetle. Discipline Child features a Subaru engine swap, full air suspension, electric air conditioning sourced from a Tesla, and a top-tier custom sound system. The level of craftsmanship and attention to detail reflects the dedication and discipline it took to see this project through to the end. From the island roots to the custom Budnik wheels, this car blends old-school air-cooled Volkswagen soul with cutting-edge modern tech — and it's all done in true island style. If you're passionate about vintage VWs, air-cooled culture, and radical custom builds, this is an episode you don't want to miss. Cali Springer is also the promoter for the VI bug out. We also take some time to discuss the VI bug out! An insane Vw show that takes place in St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. Happening this year 2025 December 28 through January 1. We'll bring you more information soon.
https://www.instagram.com/autofanatik/ www.letstalkdubs.com www.rosswulf.com use code LTD10 to get 10% off your puchase | |||
| Ep 207 Richard Guraino Empi of New york | 03 Mar 2023 | 00:43:03 | |
Richard Garaino owned competition foreign car parts in New York. After seeing the interest in Volkswagen beetles aftermarket parts he reached out to Joe Vittone and became an authorized EMPI distributor in New York. He didn't just sell parts and bring to the people of New York the high-quality aftermarket performance parts of Empi of days gone by. He also raced the inch pincher three a really cool 1952 beetle that set plenty records and upset lots of people in the dragstrip. | |||
| Ep 206 El Burro owner Jamie Wiseman | 24 Feb 2023 | 01:40:51 | |
Is this The ultimate overlanding bug? Thats what Jamie Wiseman set out to build. After listening to this podcast you may agree Jaime is a certified master tech for Honda after working for dealerships decided to open his own garage. Buying a bug for his wife back in 2015 spurred his interest and Air-cooled VW's. His commitment to reliability and uniqueness led him to eventually stumble across the 67 that you hear about on this podcast. From custom making his own a-arm suspension to modifying bus shifter to work the rebuilding this entire beetle purely to make it a purpose built long haul traveler that can trail with the best of them. Listen as it goes back to the drawing board for version 3.0 the new Drive train set up is a late model bus box ,IRS trailing arms, fuel injected, electronic engine management and turbo charged with a lot of engineering designed into the build. You'll agree that this is one awesome beetle that makes us all want to take 8000 mile adventures. This VW has Aor conditioning, power assit steering, diesel heater and much more. By the time your done listing to this you'll remeber Jamie Wiesman and El Burro the overlanding beetle!
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| Ep 205 Best Magazine Cover of 2022 | 17 Feb 2023 | 01:27:07 | |
https://www.youtube.com/@the_Wagen https://www.youtube.com/@letstalkdubspodcast9361 On this episode of Bill and George break down the magazine covers of 2022 and pick their favorite covers from Volksworld, Hot VW's VW trends and Volksmania magazine. We also discussed some customer service issues with the new weld through primer metal. Project updates for Bill. How happy I am with what I have so far for the hydraulic suspension.? Also update on what George is working on. Zorba the Ghia, which car should i sell? | |||
| Ep 204 Life of a VW salesman Don Weir | 10 Feb 2023 | 01:06:36 | |
Don where was the first salesman hired at Steuben motors in York PA. On this podcast we get an inside look at what it was like to be a salesman for Volkswagen in the 60s. How much the commission rates were. How the car was received in a state of union ironworkers. Don has a great collection of brand new literature that he saved from the trashcan while he worked at the dealership. He also runs a really cool Brewster site an American car that was built for Rolls-Royce originally. I picked up some of the nicest original literature available for late 60s early 70s Vw's from him. His name on the samba is Seller: DEW - Lit
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| Ep 203 RAD Designs Rodney Adams | 04 Feb 2023 | 01:19:49 | |
Rodney Adams with RAD designs out of Turlock California has been enthusiast for many years starting off with his first bug when he was 15 converting that to a water cooled 2.3 L Ford Pinto motor. He's had years of experience in different lines of work learning to TIG welder young age working in food processing plants repairing and machining equipment. He took that skill set and developed one of the coolest turbo set ups that's out there to date. He has a 1600 cc car that runs 12's in the quarter mile with a turbo set up on it parentheses. On this episode we discuss turbo charging cars fuel injection versus carburetion the advantages of E 85 fuel and what makes his turbo kits different. Great detailed conversation for those looking for a little more power in there VW.... Enjoy
https://www.radesignsperformance.com get some sweet NOS brochures here Don Weir Lit
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| Ep 202 The most expensive 1977 Beetle | 27 Jan 2023 | 01:24:23 | |
Lately we've been going down the rabbit hole of the late model Beetles. Late model Beetles were the most technologically advanced type 1 Volkswagens of the air-cooled brand. As they got later into production sales numbers dropped considerably for multiple reasons we talk about that on this podcast. We also discussed Mike Goode and his collection of Volkswagens that he's had over the years and his passion for the hobby. He has an affinity for late model Volkswagens growing up in Chicago not a lot of the early ones were around. Building a collection over the years. Only to find himself in a bidding war that ends on bring a trailer for the most expensive 1977 beetle sold to date. He like us has a passion for this hobby and he's got a varied collection from a 67 beetle 73 super beetle that was recently featured in hot VW's magazine and he loves those turtle backs. And the crown jewel of his collection is the 130 mile original 1977 beetle great listen. | |||
| Ep 201 Import & restore a VW From Brazil with Brien Hamrick | 20 Jan 2023 | 01:14:16 | |
3 years ago we had Brien Hamrick on the podcast. He owns USA KombI Connection and imports may cars from Brazil. On this podcast we discuss starting a buisness of passion. How the process goes and the callenges in between. Since just before the pandemic we started to see a rise in shipping cost. How have the shipping challenges have effected the cost of importing theses cars and the recent change in the shipping costs. Its not jsut Volkswagens he can get you either. There are Chevy C-10's Toyotas and much more. Brien also discusses cars he has in inventory right now. Great Deals. to get a hold of Brien click the link below. | |||
| Ep 200 Joe Cali Type 4 upright conversion | 13 Jan 2023 | 01:32:52 | |
The Type 4 engine known as the VW big Block. VWs 2nd gen aircooled engine. Its a touqe monster. The was always an issue with getting it into a VW. Well Thanks to Joe Cali the average VW enthusiest can convert the pankace type 4 engine into an upright engine. He was lucky enough to score a 2.0L type 4 914 engine. Joe literly wrote the book. Back in 1993 Joe an engineer by trade decided he would make a manual for the conversion that he did. Joe has an impressive story and some great luck as a VW enthusiast. We talk about the performance of a type four and what he had to go through for the first conversion not to mention owning a VW in the Bronx. Joe's a great guy who's contributed a lot to the VW scene especially to the average backyard guy who wants to put a big block in his VW! Enjoy
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| Ep 199 Red E Motorsports Eric Allred | 06 Jan 2023 | 01:09:10 | |
Salt Lake City in the house this week on the podcast! Eric Allred is the owner of Red E Motorsports in Salt Lake City. Eric's been a long time drag racer and has been in the VW scene in Salt Lake for 20+ years. His commitment to the hobby was so great he decided to open up his own shop a few years back. Putting it all online to see if he could make his passion work as a hobby. From Dino tuning, engine building, and general work on your VW. Eric loves the Volkswagen hobby and you can tell his attention to detail is as meticulous as his shop. From 356s to turbo kits to anything and everything he does all of this in his small shop with one other guy. On this podcast we go into a bit of a deep dive on the holly sniper EFI set up for your VW. What Eric does to make those work and some of the details behind it. We also discuss racing at the salt flats turbo cars and other fun VW stuff. Great episode enjoy… Check out his youtube channel.https://www.youtube.com/@red-emotorsports1212 https://www.facebook.com/RedEMotorsports Support our sponsors
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| EP 198 Distributor talk with Josh Honel | 30 Dec 2022 | 01:09:37 | |
The VW Distributor is a critical part of any VW engine. On this episode, we discuss the differences with the VW style distibutors avaiable. On the points side of things. Josh Honel is a VW enthusiest who has gotten into the VW distributor to the point where he owns a Sun distributor tester. Like most of us, we take this passion to another level. He's been rebuilding VW distributors & carburetors. He also Dyno tunes engiines. He's locates in Midlothan Texas. We discuss if your 34 pict 3 is not running right, will a vacuum advance distributor make it run better? Is a 009 the go to? How the advance works with vacuum to adjust advance for best drivablility. Maybe the vacuum advance is more important to you after you hear what we discuss. Great listen and if your looking to have your distributor rebuilt, hit him up here. https://www.facebook.com/aircooleddynowerks | |||
| EP 324 Built to Last – Rick Wright of The Wright Gearbox | 10 Jul 2025 | 01:25:24 | |
In this episode, we sit down with Rick Wright, owner of The Wright Gearbox, a name synonymous with precision-built transmissions in the off-road and high-performance VW world. Growing up wrenching in his family's VW shop, Rick turned childhood passion into a powerhouse business dedicated to building and rebuilding transmissions for street, strip, sand, and race. Rick shares his journey in the VW industry , and how years of hands-on experience and customer-first philosophy help him deliver bulletproof gearboxes that stand up to serious abuse. We get into everything from working with major manufacturers on product development to testing gear sets with top race teams. Plus, Rick breaks down what sets The Wright Gearbox apart—whether it's magnafluxing every part, custom finishes, or dialing in the perfect gear ratio. And if you've been to a Southern California VW show lately, chances are you've seen one of Rick's personal builds—a world-class VW Crew Cab pickup. Sitting on air suspension and powered by a fuel-injected 2332cc engine, it's built for both style and speed—thanks to a custom transaxle engineered for top-end performance. This head-turning build has already taken home multiple Best of Show awards and is a rolling showcase of the craftsmanship Rick and his team bring to every project. If you're into Volkswagens, sand rails, or off-road competition, this one's for you.
www.rosswulf.com use code LTD 10 For 10%off your order
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| Ep 197 2022 Year end wrap up | 23 Dec 2022 | 01:21:20 | |
Bill ,George & Tory Alonzo review 2022. We walk through the year of podcasts & events that happend this year. From the GNRS, to the SEMA and much more. The poeple we interviewd some of our favorite podcasts. Which cars made an impression on the scene. We talk about some people we lost. Some crazy events that happend. A lot of good VW talk . | |||
| Ep 196 Superbeetles with Wayne Dean | 16 Dec 2022 | 01:15:03 | |
The superbeetle is the last generation of the VW Beetle 1971 -1975. Produced as an evolution to the beam front end the Mcphearson strut front suspension, larger front cargo area & curved windshield were some of the major differences in the model. We go over the histoy of the Superbeetle with Wayne Dean who runs the website https://superbeetles.com Wayne has a history as a contributing writer to VW Trends magazine. His La Grand edition VW Superbeetle is all original 1975. The first year for a fuel injected Super Beetle. we breakdown the year by year production numbers all the way to the end. Check out his other site https://allaircooled.com Support our sponsors get your own gear made here https://www.ulogoup.com | |||
| Ep 195 Chuck Beck builder of the Beck 550 Spyder | 09 Dec 2022 | 01:42:19 | |
Chuck Beck loved racing, he was building tube frame cars while in the SE Pacific testing Atom bombs. When he got out of the air force he built a one good VW out of a 46' & 53 wrecked beetle. He would build whatever he could. He liked racing so he bought a Devon kit car and started that build. He made a chevy powered racecar. His first car he started making a mold from was a Porsche 910 before he could build one he came across a 550 car that his customer let him make a mold from. That began the legend known today as the Beck 550 Spyder. While he was building the first one, a magazine photographer comes to his shop and takes pictures of his 550 replica. From there the rest is history. His current 904 Porsche is quite a legend itself at 1500lbs and 450hp . Its a great story of a man who went from Air Force to building cars in his garage to working for Shelby as a fabricator. Leaving Shelby to founding partner in FUNCO the company that builds sand cars. Hes done it all. | |||