Name 10 guys that influenced you personally in VW's

[SOB/RFH]

Here are a few that have meant alot to me:

Mark Herbert....opened a lot of insight not possible to get where I live, allways taking hes time shaing knowledge on heads, cams and Cal-look apperence

Dean Lowrey......that guy invented the race engine and made us all haul ass

Gene Berg............Put the race engine on the street and wrote the info on how to do it

Bill Fisher..........gave us the HP book

Christer Lindström.....Our swedish HP inventer that led me right with lots of patiance answering the questions....how importent is he: He supplied the bergs with the crank cores

Keith Seume........A man that recogniced and made Cal-look popular again

Jere Alhadef............he is the guy who took photos that no one else did.......race or cal-look, he is the man

Dean Kirsten........all around nice and knowledgeable...............and the blue car rocks and I am sure the new one will too

Greg Aronson........Developing the type 4 engine, the cal-look and patiantly answering me questions over the years.........hope to see him in a cal-look car once again

[Bill Schwimmer]

Its amazing that a goof like me could have influence over anyone other than my children... Thanks for including me in your lists of heavy hitters. I am honored .  (honoured?  just for Keith).
   Here is my list in no particular order.
 Mark Voegtly
  With out him I would'nt have a clue. He has always helped me out & gave me the ear to make them run like they should.
 Gary Berg
   He set the standard for a fast street car & brought me back to the fold when I strayed.
 Mark Herbert
  Told me I was a wuss if I did'nt put 94's on it. He showed the world that 2300cc street motors would live.
 Glenn Gaskey
 We have been friends forever. We built a lot of cars & had some very hectic times together.
 Jim Edmiston
 To me he is the spirit of the OC Look. it is awesome to have his influence around.
 Keith Seume
 He romanticized & brought to the world what a small handfull of enthusists were still  doing in OC.
 Rick Meredith & the members of DKK
 My 1st taste of the VW club scene.It was a total blast to have been a part of it.
 Greg Booras
 He had the Hot Tub turbo dune buggy, he towed my oval window to the races with his convertable Cadillac w/ horns on the front.We always managed to entertain ourselves no matter what the situation.
Dave Mason
 Another long time friend. Always willing to help. His car is scary fast...
Greg Brinton
 Yet another friend forever. One of the biggest smart alecks I know.
  There are many many others .It has been awesome to have been a part of this hobby & to have grown up in the midst of it.
     Bill

   

[Fastbrit]

After my slightly flippant posting earlier, I'd better set to and give you my 'proper' list!

Geoff Thomas – founder of Autocavan, the UK's first true VW performance shop
My brother David – he was a VW owner way before i could drive and showed me how cool air-cooled VWs are
Dave & Judy Kawell – never before have two such knowledgeable people answered so many dumb questions...
Dean Lowry – the Godfather of our scene and such a nice guy. I am proud to have known him
Dean Kirsten – helped introduce me to so many influential people (and a very cool friend, too)
Bill Schwimmer – my friend and one of life's good guys. He is the spirit of Cal Look today
Jim Edmiston – the missing link! Bridging the gap between the 1960s and the 2000s. And a wine lover!
Jere Alhadeff – the man who first brought Cal Look to the public eye. Thanks Jere.
Ron Fleming – Da man! He sure knows how to have fun (even when you're old! ha! ha!).
Darrell Vittone – a legendary figure for a kid brought up 5000 miles across the world

[quickkafer]

Well, I'm sure there are a ton of people that have had an influence on me and my addiction to VW's.  But here's just a few by chronological order as to when I met them.

1.)  My dad.  Like most young boys, "My Dad was my super hero growing up."  He could fix just about anything.  We didn't have a whole lot money when I was young, so I'd go with him to get parts at the local junk yard.  I'd change oil, and plugs & wires on our family car.  I learned the basics from him.  He also showed me what an education can do for you and your family.    He was/is a self made man and has gone through the ranks to eventually become the CEO of mid-sized medical company!  Go Dad!

2.)  Bond Way.  Aka "Old Man Way"...  Old Bondy lived in central Pennsylvania on a obscure farm 40 minutes outside of town.  He had collected almost 75-100 VWs for parts cars and future restoration canidates.  I found out about him through the "good-ole-boy" network.  The first time I met him he was 78 years old and was walking with crutches and an oxygen bottle.  I was 18 years old and he sold me the parts I needed to fix my 74 Super Beetle that had been rear ended.  I've always been a kid that respected my elders, and he took a shine to me.  He invited me to come back and rebuild my 1600 with him.  I JUMPED AT THE CHANCE!
      Half of the time I spent with him, he'd show me how to rebuild my motor.  The other half was him showing me all these rare NOS parts he had stashed away.  Eventually he showed me some of his Hi Po items and I asked him about it.  He took me out back of the barn and showed me a 74 Super of his that was mangled really bad.  The story came out that he was hot rodding down a back country road where he had this car with its dual carbed 1835 maxed out.  He flipped it on it's lid twice and then stopped with driver's side pan slamming into the concrete guard rail on a bridge!  He was pinned and now he had to walk with the crutches.  We was lucky to be alive.
      Time went buy and he recovered from the accident, but age caught up to him.  He couldn't kick the oxygen bottle due to the years of smoking had taken it's toll on his lungs.  I really felt the man reaching out to me to "pass on" what he could.  He wanted to sell me a 56 Oval Rag Top that needed to be painted and put back together for the incredible price of $1000, INCLUDING to 36 HP motors, 1 NOS W decklid, 1 used W decklid, 2 NOS running boards, 2 NOS moulding kits, and all the original parts to put back in.  I REALLY WANTED THAT CAR, but my Dad said I had to sell my 74 first.  I couldn't afford to do that, so I had to pass the lead on to another guy I knew would do that car justice.

3.) Mark Herbert - I saw Mark's word famous "Quiafe Test" video and I was hooked!  I needed to build something bigger! (I was planning on building a 1915.)  After gathering all the parts, I was working in my office in New York and found Mark on an instant messenger 3,000 miles away.  As I was assembling the engine short block, I was a bit confused setting up the timing on the distributor drive shaft.  He'd tell me to do something, I'd literally run to the back of the shop, do what he said, and then run back up to the front of the office and report back.  We did that for about 45 minutes as I got it right.  I didn't really get to know him other than his posts on Keith's CLF, but I did get to thank him in person at one of the Hot VW Drag Day events.  He is a tragic loss to our community.

4.) Steve Richardson - Aka "VegasSteve"... Steve helped me from 2500 miles away, as I made a life changing decision.  I decided to move from Rochester, New York to Las Vegas, Nevada.  When I came out to Vegas for my interview, Steve had me to his home, we went out to dinner, and for a cruise in the "Pink Panzer".  He helped us choose a location to live, and introduced me to the local VW fans, as well as, a lot of his So Cal friends of which some were DKP members!  As a kid growing up on the East Coast, I was in my glory to see their cars in person!

5.) _ _ _ _ _   _ _ _ _ _ _  - Aka "Wilson" ...  Wilson really loves his annonymity.  Which I will respect here in this post.  I met Steve through Keith Seume's Cal-Look forum and he agreed to mentor me through some autobody projects as he had been working in the trade for as long as I've been alive!  I've been a good friend to him, and we get together on a regular basis to tackle jobs or just to socialize.  My cars would not look any where near as good if it weren't for his supervision and guidance.

I'm sure there will be more!

Scott Faivre

[Oldschool]

1. Gene Berg & family,

2. Keith Seume

3. Dave Rhoads

4. Hector Bonilla

5. Art Gutierrez

6. Frenchy Dehoux

7. Bernard Newbury

8. Ian Clark

9. Dean Kirsten

10. Jacky Morel

[Sander/DVK]

Keith Seume wrote a artikel from this topic in Ultra Vw. Cool huh?!

[nicolas]

I've been inspired by many and have been helped by many (in many ways), but these are the names that have had a "root" effect on me:

4. Frank Fabozzi - Still driving the rasberry oval that he won Bug-In with in the early 80's.

i couldn't resist... while i was taking pictures. i believe this rasberry bug is his. correct me if i am wrong.

[Sarge]

Keith Seume wrote a artikel from this topic in Ultra Vw. Cool huh?!

Yeah, but who's those two old goats in the picture??   

[larry mck]

Wow Ratto's topic made the press! He always has good ones that make us, remember, dream and think

[Sander/DVK]

Keith Seume wrote a artikel from this topic in Ultra Vw. Cool huh?!

Yeah, but who's those two old goats in the picture??   

Yeah, you're an old man dude, I didn't expect that

[Sarge]

  ...still a teenager at heart!!

[deano]

I am most humble to see my name mentioned above, thank you. This means a lot to me.

My List:

1. Sarge; if he wasn't selling life insurance via a 13-second VW, I doubt if I would have ever traveled the road I did, or went to work for HVWs. And that was 35 years ago.
2. Ron Fleming; took the time to show me how to work on Hi-Po VWs when I was a total dump-ass geek. Still am, but he continues to talks to me....
3. Dave and Judy Kawell; for being open to all kinds of crazy ideas, and some of them actually work! For spending more time dynoing bolt-on crap for the magazine, when no one else in the business would take the time (without be paid).
4. Darrell Vittone; for setting the bar for all of us to reach.
5. Dean Lowry; for being someone who would listen and be happy to answer dump questions, and not affraid to share some of his seemingly unlimited knowledge.
6. Jere Alhadeff; for teaching me that taking a photo of a VW is much more than merely pushing the shutter button down. It is a moment in time that never will return again...
7. Frenchy; setting the detail bar higher, just to show it can be done better! And for keeping the spirit of the California Look alive all these years.
8. Jim Wright; for having the insight to purchase, and then continue to publish Hot VWs, from Bond Parkhurst (1971), when they, and no one else, saw the future in a monthly magazine about nothing else but VWs! Not a bad investment for $2500.
9. A motorcycle photographer named Phil Beckman, who (unknowingly), showed me how to flash-fill action photos.
10. My dad; for backing my decision to quit the printing business, and go to work for a publishing company (1977).

Dean Kirsten

[Sarge]

I am most humble to see my name mentioned above, thank you. This means a lot to me.

My List:

1. Sarge; if he wasn't selling life insurance via a 13-second VW, I doubt if I would have ever traveled the road I did, or went to work for HVWs. And that was 35 years ago.
2. Ron Fleming; took the time to show me how to work on Hi-Po VWs when I was a total dump-ass geek. Still am, but he continues to talks to me....
3. Dave and Judy Kawell; for being open to all kinds of crazy ideas, and some of them actually work! For spending more time dynoing bolt-on crap for the magazine, when no one else in the business would take the time (without be paid).
4. Darrell Vittone; for setting the bar for all of us to reach.
5. Dean Lowry; for being someone who would listen and be happy to answer dump questions, and not affraid to share some of his seemingly unlimited knowledge.
6. Jere Alhadeff; for teaching me that taking a photo of a VW is much more than merely pushing the shutter button down. It is a moment in time that never will return again...
7. Frenchy; setting the detail bar higher, just to show it can be done better! And for keeping the spirit of the California Look alive all these years.
8. Jim Wright; for having the insight to purchase, and then continue to publish Hot VWs, from Bond Parkhurst (1971), when they, and no one else, saw the future in a monthly magazine about nothing else but VWs! Not a bad investment for $2500.
9. A motorcycle photographer named Phil Beckman, who (unknowingly), showed me how to flash-fill action photos.
10. My dad; for backing my decission to quit the printing business, and go to work for a publishing company (1977).

Dean Kirsten

I'm honored and flattered to be at the top of your list, Dean.  Who'd have thought where life would take us.  All I can say is it's been one hell of a trip and it just seems to get better the further we go!  Thanks for the recognition. 

[spennyp]

1.) Lee Norman, a lad i used to work with, went to newquay with him in about 92 and spotted load of vw's crusing around hooked after seeing a low squareback in the train station car park with a 10ft longboard on the roof,

2.) Lids_2001, after a chance meting at his sisters wedding, talked about Beetles whilst drunk, gave me the volkszone web address and lots of advise before I bought my first air cooled.

3.) Jick, for inspiration and remembering spotting Jick back in around 93/94 in a cool green resto cal 66

4.) Ian Gillies, bought my 64 from Ian a topbloke always cool for a chat

5.) Andy Ham, For pointing out on numerous occasions how consuming this hobby will really be, and for being a straight talking no nonsense dude,  even though he's a resto cal freak.

6.) Dave Plummer, awesome welder fabricator and all round top bloke who just kept my spirits up whilst sorting out the 64


Thats about it no big names, but i would point out that around 30 people in my local VW club have been the most supportive, even those not really into the whole cal look thing.......THE LOCAL SCENE IS WHERE ITS AT FOR ME....after all there cant be many clubs where you have a club meet one minute and then help a mate with a roof chop can there 

[Rick Meredith]

Ya know... this topic is way to good to let it drop off the radar.

I'm bringing it back to give you guys another chance at it! 

[team97]

Lets see......

1. Bill Demoss, John Leslie (had DKP VWs at my high school, drooled before I could drive)
2. Jay Wasserman (worked at Auto Haus Orange)
3. Eric Geisert
4. Bill Schwimmer, always buds, always will be.
5. Dave Greiner (my boss at Auto Haus, later Proformance)
6. Kawells
7. Bergs (all of them)
8. Dave Mason
9. Danny Gabbard
10. DKP III

[Donny B.]

My list isn't very long, that said here they are.

1. Gene Berg (those who know me would not be surprised)
2. Rick Mortensen a great friend and fellow Berg Cruiser...
3. Gary Berg.  When he helped me fix my engine in Wisconsin that was great!
4. Clyde Berg.  I was fortunate enough to become friends with all of the Bergs and they have been great to me and influenced me greatly
5. Steve Hollingsworth.  He is an incredible VW machinest and a good friend.
6. Sil Modesti probably the best fabricator I have had the pleasure to know.

[Cornpanzer]

This is a nice topic.

1) My dad for buying a black 63 sedan for my oldest sister and a black 67 sedan for my next oldest sister.  He then bought and rebuilt my Burgandy 69 for me from when I was 13 to 17.  As if that wasnt enough, he let me use his garage and helped me with the bodywork on my current 67.

2) My good buddy John Plow who gave me the chance to help out with Cal-Look.com which led to all the freelance work.  Too bad he will never see this 

3) Dave Cormack for convincing the powers that be to let me do some writing for VW Trends - my first magazine work.

4)Keith Seume.  Obviously for his book which sparked a forest fire of enthusiasm, but also for approaching me to work for Ultra VW.  I am still honored by this.  (Although it pains me to admit this publically where KS can read it) 

5) Dean Kirsten for going out of his way to encourage me to keep writing and for being free and open with photography advice.  (Oh and for putting my car in "The Book")

6) Mark Herbert - Mark always took time to help me when I had problems and would surprise me with random late night calls just to chat about the old days.  ("Dude, I forgot you are three hours ahead of me")

7) Bill Schwimmer- Within 15 minutes of meeting Bill, he handed me the keys to his car and let me drive it.  That car (and Sarge's)taught me that a Cal-Look car could drive, handle and stop like a new car and made me go home and go back through the mechanicals of mine.  I was never so proud as when he took my car for a drive a few years later and complimented it.  In fact, probably my favorite autograph in my California Look book, is from Bill - "Thanks for not crashing my car!"

Troy Palmer for coining the Cornpanzer name and keeping me motivated to be quicker than him (which I still am..HAHAHAHAHA!)

9) Stephan Szantai for all the encouragement over the years both with the car and the freelance work.

10)  Steve Beecher for building a great trans, letting me crash at his place and just being a Bud!

11)  Jason Lauffer for keeping me from throwing in the towel with my engines on more than one occasion.  He is also responsible for the hairdryer (that dirty no-good son-of-a -b.........)

[Stephan S]

9) Stephan Szantai for all the encouragement over the years both with the car and the freelance work.

Wow Dave... Thanks!

   1) Jacky Morel - he created Super VW Magazine and had a huge influence on the French VW scene. Gave me my first freelance job (1987). I learned a lot from him, including some photography tricks. Helped me get my first job in California in '88.
   2) Bill Schwimmer - a friend who always has a good advice or two.
   3) Jim Edmiston - another friend. When he talks, everybody listens. We wouldn't have the Lounge without him and his DKP buddies.
   4) Keith Seume - think The California Look Bible... What else can I say? A great friend, too, of course.
   5) Gary Berg - gave me a ride in his '67 back in '91. And what a ride!
   6) Colin Burnham or more specifically his "Air-Cooled Volkswagens" book. I read that book a thousand times. The format of his book inspired me when working on Demon Bugs.
   7) the current generation of DKP

I'm sure I'm forgetting some people...

[Bewitched666]

1: My cousin who got me into vw beetles
2: My dad who got me into cars
3: Keith Seume
4: Kris Klingaman
5: Chacho Leyba(local antillian dragracer)
6: Dave Kawell
7: Cory Mac
8: Chris Bubetz
9: Jack Sacchette
10: Me

[Frenchy Dehoux]

        # 1         My wife Judy and my son Marc for the support all these years to put up with my hobby.
                      and to allow my car in the living room.

        # 2         Shaky Jakes for all of the help while I was building my show cars giving me advice.

        # 3         Rich Kimball for giving me the chance to be part of his team all these years Bug - In, Drag Days,VW Classics etc.

        # 4         Steve Tims for hiring me back in the early 70's and teaching me all about the VW world.

        # 5         Dean Kirsten / RK Smith for all of the great comments and great article in the magazine all around great people.

        # 6         Dyno Don / Ron Fleming good all around friends to be with and always very professional  in everything they do.

        # 7         Keith Seume recognizing the old timer in his Cal Look book and great person to talk to.

        # 8         Berg family  always there to support my needs and always very professional.

        # 9         All my friends who supported me over the years with my hobby too many name to remember.
                      Wayne Elam , Mike Fischer , Dan Lawson , Buddy Hale , Matt Howard, Bill Taylor, Hole family ,
                      Stephan Szantai, Rick Mortensen and many others but not enough room to write there name down.

        # 10       All of the businesses and promoters who supported my needs. And all VW clubs from back in the days.  

                     Thanks
                      Frenchy   ( Doctor Detail )               
  
      
                              
  

[jamiep_jamiep]

Hey guys, my list of the big influences... no especially well known folks, but they're the big names to me none the less. In no particular order:

No.1) My Dad, took me to the VW Action UK shows in the early 80's when I was knee high to a grass hopper... some of my best childhood memories are of riding in the back of his 1970 Beetle in the luggage area behind the back seat and falling asleep to the steady thrum of a flat four. Yeah, we didn't really have many toys hehe...

No.2) Lee, my big bro. We mispent most of our youth together messing with old wrecks, and seem to be trying to ruin the rest of our lives doing more of the same!

No.3) Mark, my other big bro who let me help him build his first brit-come-cal looker in the late eighties. I say help, what I actually mean is he didn't get too mad when I sprayed his wheels black and managed to get over spray all over his new paint job on the bug itself...

No.4) Would be my cuz, Paul B, some of you may know him as poe... the time we spent at school together reading Volksworld instead of studying truly makes a mockery of the british education system Then the trips out more recently (school days are LONG gone) in his 2332cc 12 second street bug finally got me into SPEED.

No.5) John Walklett - a local guy who is a bit of a performace guru, knows his onions and is good company to boot. He also enjoys scaring the diddly out of me in his bug regularly.

No.6) Not one person - but two! The Brothers Lovatt - Chris & John, for always making my sides ache at any show or get together we have. Congrats on the birth of your little boy John!

No.7) KS - Cal Look book, just awesome and as far as I'm concerned steered the UK's scene in the direction to where it is today, turning out some awesome cars.

No. Brian Burrows, the man behind most of the shows we enjoy in the UK today.

No.9) Would be all the people in my local VW club - SAS VW's - we all get on so well and have so much fun, I look forward to another year of fun with you all!

No.10) My loving wife & kids for putting up with me & my VW obsession!!!

Cheers guys, great thread!

[lofty1971]

In no particular order just what comes off the top of my head and probably no well known people as such.

1. Ben Sedgewick.  He's the guy who first got me into VWs seeing his cool late 70's beetle (suppose it would be classed as resto cal these days) on my way to work every day in the very early 90s.

2. My mum and dad for putting up with all the old cars I then bought and for the multiple emergency calls and even helping me bump start my splittie most mornings.

3. Glen Dalton (49-Rag).  Just for all the good times hanging out in the 90s at shows and stuff.  Oh and also driving me to Newquay and back for Run to The Sun when I inadvertantly put too much oil in the splittie......

4. Jon Devereaux  .  For draining my wallet of hard earned cash during the early 90's.

5. Alex Taylor (Defcon3).  For taking me for a ride in the Black Bitch and finally making me realise what owning a Cal Looker is all about. He's also one of the nicest and most honest guys around in the UK scence and his work is exemplary.

6. Pete Roberts (Funkenblitz/JG54).  He gets a lot of s**t thrown at him (okay he also throws a lot around as well!), but his dedication to the JG54 and UK Cal Look scene is inspirational.  He also likes to do things the right way which may take longer, but is worth it in the long run.

7. James Dore (JG54).  For being mad enough to drive my 58 Standard back from Germany (with Alex Taylor) to the UK on cross plys and cable brakes - fookin nutter!

8. Paul Medhurst (T3D and T2D).  For being THE Type 3 expert and one of the coolest guys to deal with as a paying customer.  His attention to his customers is top notch and if I ever buy another Type 3 (one day!) it will be from him again.

9. Brian Burrows.  For the commitment he shows to keeping the VW Show scene alive in the UK

10. My wife.  For being relatively supportive of my hobby and coming to shows and all the s**t that comes with it.  If only she knew how much my 58 was costing 

Thats it for today I think.  Great subject.

[Wayne]

Mitch Elher

Doug Perry

Beaver

Dan Lawson

Frenchy Dehoux

Buddy Hale and his mom "Mona"

Matt Howard

DKP

Tony "the guru" Simon

VW Classic

I'll never stop building!

[Lemonade]

All of the founding members of DKK, not in any order of significance:

Paul Harris
Dee Phillips
Joe Larson
Mike Tucker
Tom Tucker
Bob Wargo
Mark Ramirez
Boyd Hauer
Roy Maple


DKP, you guys were awe inspiring with your quality cars.

I may have to update later. Sorry if I missed your name, it wasn't intentional; getting old is the shits.

Kevan

[Jason Foster]

  1. My Dad brought me home from the hospital in a splitty bus (yes my mom made the curtains) had a killer '63 rag and '66 Baja while I was growing up and for awhile ran a shop in Bellflower with my uncles called diversified V.W. firmly planting the "bug" in me.
  2.My uncle Lonnie  alwasy took the time to answer my questions at the shop.
  3. My uncle Floyd built the first 2180 I ever heard or felt and had an awesome baja.
  4.Daniel Kurtzman like a brother to me known him since he was 2 ha ha  he rekindled my VW spark by relying on me to help him with his super gas car, and was constantly pushing  me to finish mine. He is truly always there for me whatever I need.
  5. Bob Sagar I met Bob when I was about 13 or so racing R.C. cars he took a liking to me and used to talk V.W.s all the time. One of my fondest memories was going with him to Firebird raceway it must of been around 86 or 87 or so he ran pro turbo had a green bug with polka dots. I remember him taking me to Ron Lummus shop and I met Chris Bubetz Dave Perkins Dominic Lupino and others I was just some kid to them but I still remember being on the line during the burn outs and launches.
  6. Bill Tatti I've only known Bill a few years but I really admire and respect his integrity and knowledge.
  7. Clyde Berg  what a great guiy. Only known Clyde a few years also but he is an honest to goodness real guy much respect for him and his talents.
  8. The Berg Family for all they have done for the V.W. high performance community.
  9. Frenchy inspired me with his coral car with the plaid interior and his overall style of build.
 10. Hot V.W.'s magazine ya gotta have yer Hot V.W.'s

[Dick Mitchell]

1.  Jim Ratto.  Met Jim early on when he was working at BH.  I remember going into BH and mentioned that I was having problems with my old 40-IDF's, Jim told me to bring my car to his house later that night and he'd try to sort them out.  I thought that was cool that he'd take the time to help out some punk kid who he barly knew    Over the years, Jim became my GO TO man, if I had a engine related question I always knew that he'd give me the correct advise.  I remeber talking with him at Kelley Park and he told me to come to him when I was ready to build a REAL motor, and 8 months later I did.  He again, went out of his way to help.  And even recently with my new 2165, Jim was the guy that came up with the combo.  Besides all the help he's given me over the years, the stories are what I appreciate the most.  Hearing him talk about VW's or any car for that matter gets you motivated and enthused!  Thanks JIM!

2.  My Dad, He wasn't really a direct influence for chosing VW's, but he was always there to lend a hand when it came to pulling the motor or holding a flash light.  He helped talk my mom into the idea that me dropping 2K to by my Oval at age 16 was a good idea.  There were plenty of times in highschool where he was there to lend me a couple bucks for parts when thing went bad.

3.  Gilbert Perez.  My buddy from Livermore who I met shortly after getting my car.  He drive a 67' and he was always there to help out and vise versa.  We got into plenty of trouble cruising around (even getting arrested by Livermore's finest)

4.  Zenjoe Green.  A Buddy that I met at the same time whom I havn't spoken with in over 4 years.  He was a cool guy and was always keeping up on everything knew and shared any new knowlede with Gilber t and I.  He had a 65' with a nicely built 1776 and later converted to car to run a 12A Mazda Rotery. 

5.  Mark Herbert.  While I never knew him personally, He was a big influence!  He was usually the first person to answer questions when I would post on the old CLF, and his SSB was just so cool.  And of corse, the burn out video in the Black Bug was watched at least 5-times a day!

There's more, but I'm outta time 

[ApeLatex]

1. Caleb Kenney ( wouldn't have had my first VW without him)
2. Walter Stark (my mentor at German Auto Salvage- R.I.P. Walt)
3. Deb Dixon (customer of mine with a great 71 Bug that she loved. R.I.P. Deb)
4. Ian McCarthy (learned patience and love for the Karmann Ghia)
5. Jim Ratto (most of the stuff on my car was ordered from him)
6.Terry Griffin (my old boss- helped me out with the car)
7. My mom (buying a German car is rebellious in my household)
8. Cat Spediacci (She has the VW I'm trying to make, but can't fund)
9. Todd Crum (my friend, the guy I call when I'm in a VW jam. The master)
10. Me. What would my little VW be without me. It gives me as much personality and I give it.

[Sam K]

Great topic! Allright, here we go:

1. My Dad - Even though he's into British cars. From a very young age, he took me to tons of car shows, swapmeets, junkyards and bought me car magazines. He taught me the fundamentals of wrenching. I remember helping him bleed the brakes in one his Morris Minors when I was about six years old. I had to sit on the floor to reach the pedals!

2. My uncle Dan-He sold me first car (the 67 Bug I still have) for $50 when I was 12 years old. It was also his first car. It had 199,603 miles when I got it and it ran. Sort of.

3.Eddie Radillo - One of my oldest friends. We met when we both worked at K-Mart in 1992. He is the most hardcore Bug hot-rodder that I know. He's the guy who will tear his car apart over and over again, changing one little thing to get that extra 10th of a second out of it. He helps me build my engines and amswers all my dumb questions. He's the guy who will drive an 11 second Bug to work and back every day, even in the snow.

4. Dayton Painter - Owns our local VW machine shop, Painter's Grinding. He always let me hang around watching everything, asking dumb questions and let me have parts on credit when I was short on funds.

5. Keith Seume - For giving us the California Look book

6. John Farrara - Owned a VW parts store called Smokin' Small Car Parts a long time ago. I worked for him for a few months. I think I spent more than I made. 


That's all I can thing of for now...

[Prowagen]

1. Herbie -  I loved that little 53 as a kid!
2. Uncle Pat - My first bug ride in a 67, I was so small i couldn't see out of the window!
3. Keith Seume - for THE BOOK
4. Volksworld magazine - Whilst other guys at school were looking at Playboy.
5. Dad - For helping me buy and modify my first bug at the 'I know diddly squat age of 15!
6. Mum - For encouraging me to work on Bugs, Because she said Quote: ' At least it keeps you off the streets and stops you sniffing glue!'.
7. James Wotton - Vee Dub, Welling for working on my bug, being a decent guy and not ripping me off like other so called VW specialists in Kent.
8. Jon Rathbone - For letting me crew for him at the drags.
9. Richie Webb - For being so helpful and informative at the old LDD meets, for cups of tea at his place and bringing outlaw flat four to my attention.
10. The boys from Kent - For the best shows, inspiration, Chimay drinking and bratwurst eating competitions and giving me stick to get off my arse!

At first I thought it would be hard to think of 10, now i can think of so many, tried to put it into order, theres so many more people, I am still meeting people every year who I would add to the list, you got to love this hobby of ours!

Rob