Christmas means getting muddy at Pick your Part

I got off work a little early today - so i headed off to Pick your Part / Pick N' Pull. Found the enclosed. Coolest find ever: Vintage car polish in tin can - a little rusty but cool anyways. Lots of super beetles and a 64 baja - sad but true. Finding more manuals all the time.

Winter project - bike rat

Winter has me putting together a winter bike rat. Life started for this bike as my grand daddy's old Wards 60's 26" cruiser. I rolled this same bike as a 12 year old. I took off the fenders and rode the heck out of it. Fast Forward 30 years the bike had been sitting in moms rafters for years. The tires were best discribed as "bread like" - lots of crumbs. I found some pre-war style red rubber on ebay replaced the tubes and rim liners - of course the fenders all rubbed due to the abuse they had received during it's rough life. I turned the handles bars upside down for the pre-war style and added an actual tractor reflector (all rusty) for that night ride safety. Also added a wicker basket from the old green Schwinn that never got under way.

I'm thinking a 60's worn leather racing saddle would really make the bike?

This is not Photoshop

This is an actual image of Fresno - that one day a year that we really do understand that we live in a valley - and hey no air restrictions on top of that.

The poster

Hey look I just built my own car

Clovis Volkswagen - Toys for Tots - Toy Drive 12-05-2009

Last Saturday was the first ever Toys for Tots toy drive at Clovis VW in Clovis CA. We had about 40 vehicles all together show up. Hot Rods and VWs together as one big happy family - for a great cause.

Pick - A - part new winter hours

Pick your part has new winter hours which means - only one junk yard after work per day. Last Friday was an amazing find with only 10 minutes to spare before they closed. I believe Fresno has lost interest in Volkswagens all together - judging on the finds out there.

Found a 72 square-back that came down from Yosemite - looked to be in really good shape. Located the tool roll, wheel breaker bar and socket, original owners manual in amazing condition along with the dealer (Santa Monica) vinyl folder - all in amazing condition. Also took the past 30 years of insuarance records and every receipt of service and repair to the car.


Also scored a Volvo 142-144 manual with dealer binder - I find things in 2's out there all the time - what's up with that.

Where do I put my lady friend?

Very Last Bentley's Car Show 10-2009

Pic your part day - Madera 10-27-09

Pic your part day - Post rain

Las Vegas 09

DHK Images of the 56

Las Vegas Bugorama

Las Vegas Bugorama

Made the trek to Las Vegas this past weekend for the Bugorama weekend. I think I'm getting old. Didn't even consider driving the car - trucked it all the way thanks to U-haul auto transport. The Town Square was the best meet some really neat people from all over the country (amazed at how many folks are from out of state. Managed to win top 20 out of 220? cars. The get together at THE Wagen in Las Vegas was a blast we had all the Fresno Cars grouped together. Got up at the crack of dawn on Sunday to 40 mph winds - got a little lost getting out to the race track and to wind the show being blasted with the same 40 mph winds. Couldn't set the car up all the way - but still mangaged to take home a 3rd place - considering the amount of cars there and the quality - I was VERY happy, best part was being handed the trophy by a show girl with the full head piece and all - GOOD TIMES!!!

Pic your part day

Score at Pic a part - after fretting about not trying to grab the Volkswagen of America thresh hold panels for weeks - thinking I might find some at Bugorama - with no luck. I seriously had no plan on going out there and finding them still out there. someone did try to get them - 2 screws were gone - I decided I would not go home until i gave it my best shot - and guess what - there in the photo. Also scored 2 mercedes first aid kits - no cost. water cooled pry-guards for the doors - 16 valve GTI rear badge. A volvo tool kit bag - assorted BMW/mercedes tools, Porsche crest from 944 just set out - Phone dials wheels were gone.

Bugorama September 2009 Sacramento Cal

Headed up to Sacramento on Sunday, rolled solo at 3:30 AM - the old highway is mighty quiet that time of day. Other than my headlights acting like they were on dance fever with full stobe lights - all was good.

Won first place in the 1957 and older custom type 1's - how sweet is that?

Now you know - the rest of the story

Did you know, were the charateristic shape of the front bonnet was stolen from? Now you know.

My first - first place on the 56 Bakersfield Cal

Angels Camp 2009

3 AM came around really early Saturday - but not early enough - I managed to miss my VW peeps and drove all the way to Angel's Camp solo. 6 trophies in all from Fresno including 1st place for Karl.

2009 VW Classic - Irvine California

June 13 Richard and I headed down to So-Cal for the VW Classic weekend. The weather was oddly/happily very cool for this time of the year. We made it over the grapevine without a hitch and right into the hotel. The parking lot was filled with crazy rare VW's and trailors full of hidden VW's. I stayed up late hanging out in the parking lot chatting with all kinds of interesting out of towner VW folks. including 2 crazy guys who cut the bottom off a boat and bolted it to a VW chassis and drove it from Florida - you can't make this shit up. "Boating across America.com.

Sunday morning was wet and the rag was wide open. After sitting in stop and go traffic for 1.5 hours we got into the grounds. The lot was already pretty much full.

Check out the pre-show set up of the car in my driveway and the awesome hotel shot.

-Das

Bugorama May 2009 Sacramento Cal

Madera

Skunk Guts

What a big weekend, first off Sebring West VW VIP night here in Fresno Cal.
Great turn out amazing VW¹s. Some very strange questions especially
later in the night. Someone asked me if some of the cars had been stretched
as in the passenger compartment The guy honest to god thought somebody
made the cars longer as in most of the cars thereŠ

My old friend Stew showed up- he always has his share of interesting
questions as well anyways. Saturday was rest up and work on the house day
or clean up after the painters had made a huge mess.

Sunday morning 0245 rise and shine crazy bird. It's off to Kelly Park in San
Jose Cal. Richard Bowman and myself made the trek. A few mishaps, on the 152
Richard and I both managed to hit a skunk road kill victim fresh road
kill. I managed to collect a few skunk chunks on the old mudflap the
wonderful odors traveled with me for several miles and either I got used to
the smell or it faded away while getting gas Richard and I both compared
notes on the skunk.

0615 we arrive at Kelly Park VW¹s as far as the eye could see good thing
we were 2 hours early. We pull up in line and meet Gary from the San
Francisco area with his 56 beetle very OG and driven daily. I was a bit
chilly so much in fact Gray made me wear his sweatshirt just so I could
talk to him. A quick wipe down of the car except for the skunk chunks I
left those on the mudflap and a quick breakfast burrito and it was 0750
time to roll we were in the gate in less than 10 minutes. Found the spot
Ovals Only Richard was really torn between Splits and Ovals just glad he
registered.

Swap meet find were limited although later in the hot afternoon it seemed
folks were giving the stuff away. I got a nice stock jack for 7 bucks from
the 4444 oval guy in Sacramento. A box of 62-67 taillights for 25¢. A bag of
W-decklid wing nuts for the license plate for $3. I wish I needed or could
carry sheet metal decklids and fenders were almost free.

We traveled on the very long hot trip home with Bruce and Gary stopped to
Los Banos for a couple of hours to help out some fellow club members I
guess they were seeing how fast they could get home and pushed a tad bit to
much blew a valve cover gasket and starting losing oil. Finally got Karl
to bed after 8 and the sun was of course already down.

Next Weekend, Clovis Rodeo Parade- Good times at Chubby's drive in and the
BIG show at Madera let¹s hope the weather calms a bit

Inspection Time – CHP Style

Inspection Time – CHP Style

Okay so yesterday I was a complete stress out VW owner. I’m driving my slammed VW down to the CHP. Not to mention there is a huge black cloud looming over head. I get down to the CHP as I pass that odd silver with blue flamed race bug – we almost missed each other – kind of odd.

As I’m standing in line I listen to the 2 young men ahead of me in line. They received a fix-it-ticket for being too low on the lowered Acura. The officer gives them a bad time – asking “so are you going to lower the car back down as soon as you leave here?” “How did you raise it” – “Explain to me how you raised it” These guys know all the tricks – why would you try to trick the officers? Unless you were 17 and driving a lowered Honda/Acura.

The officer on watch who inspected the Acura starts asking me questions about my car – the fog lamp in particular.

3:30 on the nose and I am greeted by Officer Clay – a very nice guy. I expected more a military by the book – you are wasting my time kind of experience – it was so not that.

We go out to the car show Officer Clay what was happening. A quick inspection leads him to do research on line – or email his wife to ask her what was for dinner?

Officer clay comes back out seeming very concerned about the situation and explained that the car is really 2 cars in one. A 63 pan with a 56 body – This by the way Guy explained. Dumb me thought all the DMVs had the same rules and it was registered in Idaho as a 56 so I just guessed I could do the same – not so much.

Clay offers for me to get my money back from Guy in Idaho… that would really go over like lead balloons. The fact that he seemed concerned that I had been ripped off made me feel good. Especially because I was sure by this point in time they would have my body stripped off the pan and have it on a truck half way back to Idaho for being illegal of some sorts. I explain to Clay that I want to procede and get back on track.

Clay offers to locate the new vin number any place I like – he tries to talk me out of placing under the back seat – because I would have stuff sitting there and if pulled over I would need to unload the whole car. We both try to outdo each other with how long it has been since we were last pulled over – of course that was a tie. Officer Clay looking up at the sky mentioned the rain which was very much on my mind as well. He wants to get me out of there as fast as possible so I don't get caught in the rain – where am I? This place is cool.

I go back to the waiting area and the front desk officer who was asking about my fog light goes outside and is totally checking me my car… odd


Clay adds my new vin number and I’m out of there and have the car back into the garage before 4:15 and the huge rain storm that starts up at 5:00 – now it’s off to the DMV for another inspection.

Inspection Time – CHP Style