EARLIEST MEMORIES OF A VOLKSWAGEN

[johnl]

Over the weekend I spent time on cleaning up the finsih of our '63.  For a black car that was painted some 28 years ago and his pretty much lived outside most of that time it looks good.  In the future I will paint the car again, but many other issues to be dealt with first.

Currently I have a good sized order of parts to pick up from Wolfsburg West later this week and that list is growing.  Also I'm in the process of deciding on a motor build and may start on that very soon.  I'd like to have the car back in operation this summer so I can start to enjoy it again.

While working on the car and with Sunday being Father's Day I thought of my Dad and my first encounter with a VW.  Back in late 1955 and early 1956 we were living in Santa Ana.  Dad did a good amount of travling in the family Chrysler (what else would it be??) and even way back then gas prices were an issue.

I remember on a rather cool night we visited a rather makeshif dealership on S. Main St. in Santa Ana and looked a this funny little black car.  The building was right at the sidewalk with no parking other than curbside.  there was a short drive enterance to the building with a couple of barn doors that opened to move the cars in and out of the one car showroom.

Dad went over the car quite thourghly and was impressed with the build quality and the fuel economy that was advertised.   At the time I couldn't figure why he would want to sell the Chrysler New Yorker and buy this tiny strange car.  After leaving and a few days of thought he opted not to buy, but some ten years later he did purchase for my Mom a Black '66 sedan with red interior which they drove for many years.

That dealership was Commonwealth Motors I believe in it's first location.  Later I think it relocated to a much large location on Bristol St. in Santa Ana.  I do remember going there with my folks when I was looking for my first VW.  We drove a white sedan with air conditioning which blew very cold, but the car was very slow..

Moving forward to about late 1962 when I had my learner's permit.  My Dad traded at Bill King's Chevron then on the corner of Harbor Blvd. and La Palma Ave. in Anaheim.  This was next to where I went to elementry school, so I grew up around the place.  I use to go there with Dad a lot as he would go down and talk shop with Bill and his brother Cecil.

A side note on this, for you oldtimers in the Orange County area that remember a Standard or Chevron station on the southwest corner of Harbor Blvd. and Katella Ave. just below Disneyland you should also remember a hugh statue of a man that moved from side to side and saluted with his right arm.  The thing must have been 20 feet tall and it was modeled after Bill King himslef as he was the tall handsome guy that could have done movies.  I always thought he looked a lot like Clint Walker of the Cheyenne TV series that started about 1955.

I went to school with a guy named Robert Allen who was a bit older than me and was already 16 and driving.  One day he came into Bill King's station while I was there.  I talked him into letting me drive his family's white VW around in the parking lot.  This was my very first time behing the wheel of a moving VW and it felt like driving a toy.  Little did I know back those many years ago where it would all take me in my life's path.

Today Bill King's station is gone and so is my old school and I heard that my old school buddy Robert and Bill King have passed away.  The statue has also long gone away, but the memories will always be there...........

[cal-look 56]

It's awesome how you remember so many details after all this time.  Keep the stories coming.

[Gary Justus]

My earliest come from around '60. We lived in Anaheim near Wilken Way and Harbor (not too far from Belisles, sp). My grandparents lived in Corona Del Mar. We'd take the 5 South and get off at what was then Newport Blvd. From there we'd drive the 2 lane road and turn left at MacArthur (by the Paulo drive-in movies) and go through what my Dad called "the foothills" to get to PCH. He said then "these hills will be covered with houses in a few years". Well, we know what happened there. Anyway, on our little drive to the grandparents house, every time he saw a VW he would say "there goes a doodle-bug". It would always wake me up!

[johnl]

It's awesome how you remember so many details after all this time.  Keep the stories coming.

It is just the early stages of "Mental Illness" !!!!!!

[johnl]

My earliest come from around '60. We lived in Anaheim near Wilken Way and Harbor (not too far from Belisles, sp). My grandparents lived in Corona Del Mar. We'd take the 5 South and get off at what was then Newport Blvd. From there we'd drive the 2 lane road and turn left at MacArthur (by the Paulo drive-in movies) and go through what my Dad called "the foothills" to get to PCH. He said then "these hills will be covered with houses in a few years". Well, we know what happened there. Anyway, on our little drive to the grandparents house, every time he saw a VW he would say "there goes a doodle-bug". It would always wake me up!

Belisles !!!!   Now there is a story in itself.  My parents took me there when I was young and I remember standing in front of the pie displays which were about as big as a Volkswagen.   

Years later Christie and I had a full day at Disneyland planned.  We decided to go to breakfast there prior to the park.  Now this would have been back in the late '70's and at that time they had a $25.00 breakfast which is about what it cost for both of our meals there, BURP.    To make matters worse we went back the same day for dinner, double BURP.    Can't remember what she had, but I had the "Turkey Dinner" which was about the size of a Type II .   Don't think either of us at anything the next day.

We turned that into an annual event for breakfast, usually around Thanksgiving.  Sad to see the old place be torn down and modern stuff, replace it.  Drive by there a bunch and always think of the mass quantities of food.  One last thought on Belisles was the family purchased a new 6.9 Mercedes in about '74.  At that time those cars were about 50K.   

Regarding your drive to Coronal Del Mar, I can well remember traveling up and down what is now the (55) Costa Mesa Freeway.  There was a good part of it that was three lanes.  That center passing lane was known as the suiside lane.  Back then Costa Mesa was also known as "Goat Hill".

[deano]

Belisles..... wow, great food and lots of it. That ugly pink building on the corner of Chapman and Harbor. Always a post Disneyland feedbag (or Chris & Pitts). Massive pies, mungo portions, huge money for the time...

[johnl]

Belisles..... wow, great food and lots of it. That ugly pink building on the corner of Chapman and Harbor. Always a post Disneyland feedbag (or Chris & Pitts). Massive pies, mungo portions, huge money for the time...

Typical deal.  We take to much for granted and don't appreciate it until it is no longer available.  If there is one thing I've learned over the years I've just stated it.  Everyone, enjoy what you have now because tomorrow it may not be there for you.

[Zach Gomulka]

I remember being in the back of my fathers '72 Beetle. He didn't have the backrest on the rear seat, and I would lay on the parcel shelf with my head touching one wheel tub and my feet on the other tub. I would look up at the trees through the rear window and count the turns to our house. When I got bigger I moved down to the seat cushion
I also remember driving our '71 Westy through the twisty mountain roads to Jerome, me flopping about the interior at every turn

[Rennsurfer]

After we sold our '60 Corvair that we bought new, my parents decided to get one of the first '68 Beetles in late '67. So, we drove to Van Nuys to some dealer that had Porsches and Volkswagens on the lot. We bought a Savannah Beige one. I still have a great picture of my younger sister, my Dad, and me waxing it on our front lawn. After my Dad got rear-ended in the Beetle almost two years later, we bought another beige VW, but it was a Type 3 Fastback. Drove that car all over the western states. Sadly, we sold it in 1972. That was the last VW we bought until '79 when I bought my first '66. The next year, my Mom and I found another beige '68 because we had another lame "gas crisis". That was a bunch of crap. Two years later, I found a really nice all original '69 Fastback for my sister. I loved that car. I still have the Orange/Renfree four bolt license plate frames from that. Rayburn remembers when we got that vehicle. HAHA!! Later that year, I bought a really cool all original Java Green '66 Beetle imported from Berlin. Loved all of those VWs that we had. At one time, there were always five of 'em parked in front of our house. The fifth one belonged to my friend and fellow DEEK Joe Aiken. He a gorgeous Indian Red '60 ragtop Beetle. After he and I took apart that entire car and detailed it to death, he took 11 trophies from various car shows. Mostly 1st Place ones and a few 2nd Place.

But my very earliest memory of a VW would have to be my Mom's best friend, Jean. She lived on the street behind us during the mid '60s. When they'd go on drives in the middle of the day, while the husbands were at work, we'd all pile into her early '60s (forgot which year it was) Karmann Ghia. It was whatever factory dark blue that VW was making at the time. The car was like new. Many fond memories of driving all over So Cal in those great old cars.

Another old good time was my uncle Hank's 1962 Type 2 camper Bus. It was that off white color. We drove that thing everywhere and had many fun camping/fishing trips in it. I was like 2 or 3 when he had that. I have a picture of me as an infant, my family, and his family... all camping out at some lake, with the Bus and top popped up in the background, next to the shore. Lake Piru in Sierra Madre, California, if I remember correctly.

[deano]

Back to your post.... My neighbor back in 1961, was a German language teacher and loved VWs. He drove a Oval-Window to school. I still recall him showing my brother and I a movie about how they make VWs, and it was all in German. He translated it, so we would know what they said. I saw this movie again, this time at the VW Museum in 1986. Great images that still remain with me today.

Flash forward to Pomona Fairgrounds in 1966, and seeing the Inch Pincher at the KFWB Drags.

Flash forward to 1968 when my brother bought his first VW, a 1962 ragtop.

Then, Sarge giving me a ride in his 1835cc 40P11 killer around 1972.

[Rennsurfer]

Flash forward to Pomona Fairgrounds in 1966, and seeing the Inch Pincher at the KFWB Drags.

Flash forward to 1968 when my brother bought his first VW, a 1962 ragtop.

Then, Sarge giving me a ride in his 1835cc 40P11 killer around 1972.

Wow... all of those, very cool. Especially the 40P11 engine. Most of my friends hated those things. I, for one, like 'em.

[Dave Rosique]

Great topic...

My first memory of a VW came from Mr. Reynolds "The Bubblegum Man" and his Porsche powered VW (see "Bubblegum Day"  http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php?topic=8091.0 )
I met him in the mid 60's... I was only seven or so. Some years later my Brother bought his first VW, a '65 Beetle that he gave the full fiberglass and wide tire treatment... Shortly after that the same Brother bought a red Meyers Manx... By then I was completely hooked!!

OK, where was I... Oh yeah, the first VW I ever drove was my Brothers Manx... I was twelve or thirteen when my Brother and his Wife took a three week vacation and left both VW's at my Mom's house with me in charge of starting the cars once a week to keep the 6v batteries up............... what was he thinking??  As soon as I could, I promptly snuck the Manx out for some joyrides around the block... Yes, I got caught--but not by the cops... a neighbor told my Mom... good times...

As they say, "the rest is history" 

~DR.

[stealth67vw]

My earliest VW mammary is going to the local Kragen Auto Parts with my Dad in 79 or 80. He needed exhaust gaskets for his "Nor" Cal Look 66 Notchback. The clerk kept insisting he needed the usually metal crush gasket but after the third trip they determined my Dad's car was equipped with a 1.8 liter type 4 engine with a Solex/Mikuni 44mm 2 barrel sidedraft. My Dad bought it at a used car lot in Oakland in 1975 for $500 and had no idea what it had for an engine, he just knew it would walk away from Datsun 280Zs and small block Chevelles and Camaros up to 110mph.

He gave the car way in 1986 after my parents divorced and 2 years later he bought a 68 bus for $150 with a blown up 1835. I was 13 by now and he had me rebuild a junk 1600(not one new part.....seriously). It lasted 6 months before it ate it's self and I was hooked from then on. I still have the ex 1835, now 1776 sitting under my work bench waiting

[Fastbrit]

Oooh, a ‘73-only low-profile dog-house Thing fanshroud...

My first recollection was seeing a split-window Bug parked in a driveway on the way to primary school (what Yanks call 'elementary', I think?) back in about 1962 or ‘63. It was black. Then, the guy sold it and replaced it with another Split, this time in red. Years later I found the car in a wrecking yard, the motor sat on the back seat. It had already been sold – probably to make into a Buggy. Saw the Doug Church (later the EMPI) dragster run at Blackbushe airstrip in ‘64 or ‘65. Then my brother went off to university in 1968 and came back after the first term enthusing about a friend's Beetle. The guy was a farmer's son and used to use the Bug (a ‘65 in Ruby Red) as a Land Rover, driving round the farm in Yorkshire. My brother bought a 1959 Bug in Garnet Red (one year only colour) which we used to take it 'green laning' – driving down farm tracks, old rural dirt roads etc – and I was hooked. My brother's friend (Glenn Scott) came to stay and one time he let me drive his Beetle off road – I was 14 and the rest is history...

[vwcab]

Hey guys,these are great stories,it's nice to read them.For me it began in the early '70's.
At that time,we had no car but a friend(who used to work at the local vw dealership) of my parents,drove
a beige late model (I believe it was a 68).So wen we went on holidays??(daytrips to the sea  ),there were 4 adults
and me and my brother.I remember me sitting behind the backseat(parcel shelf?)and listening to the sound of the engine....that was fun.
And so it all began.Great memories. 

Peter 

[deano]

Oooh, a ‘73-only low-profile dog-house Thing fanshroud...

You sure about that mate? Isn't that flathead from a Puma?

I found this photo of Belisles from way back...

[Zach Gomulka]

Oooh, a ‘73-only low-profile dog-house Thing fanshroud...

You sure about that mate? Isn't that flathead from a Puma?

That's what I thought... Things were the same as a Beelte shroud, minus the heater ducts.

[johnl]

Oooh, a ‘73-only low-profile dog-house Thing fanshroud...

You sure about that mate? Isn't that flathead from a Puma?

I found this photo of Belisles from way back...

I'm hungry, lets eat      Wow, that intersection sure looks different today. 

[Donny B.]

My earliest memory of a VW goes back to the mid 50s (yes I’m old).  My parents had moved us across town and my mom decide to go visit our friends in the old neighborhood.  We stopped by to spend some time with my old Den mother from the cub scouts.  She was really cool.  They always drove old junkers, but they had just purchase a VW station wagon.  That is what they called them around 1955.  It was a red and white deluxe bus.  I didn’t get to ride in it but my mom thought it looked so cute…

Years later after I got out of the service I bought my first car a ’66 Mustang.  I was working nights and used to drive down town to hook up with friends that worked nights in the computer room of a local bank.  This would be about 1:30 in the morning.  One of the guys had just traded in his ’61 Impala on a brand new ’66 Bug.  He got a deal because the ‘67s were now out.  I got to drive that ’66 around the parking lot of the bank a few times.  Little did I know that years later I would buy the one owner ’66 for $800 that I still own today.

[cal-look 56]

My parents bought an oval window in 1972 (just about a year prior to my birth) from the original owner, a woman who attended church with my grandmother.  I drove around occassionally in that car as a child as it was an extra car and my parents normally drove newer cars. My older sister, as well as myself and my younger brother all learned to drive in that car but  even though we all wanted that car my parents never did let that car be driven be any of us on a regular basis in fear of it bieng stolen or destroyed.  When my father retired in 1999 and my parents sold their home to by something smaller, I finally got the call to come and get it.   I blew the car apart wanting to restore it and give it back to the old man as a thank you but he found out about my plans from my mother and called me and said he didnt want it anymore and I should keep and enjoy his old friend but never sell it or he'd pull my feet from the grave in my sleep.  So now I have all the drivetrain back together and powdercoated,  new Rancho trans and wheels and tires for my tired old friend.  It's getting the cal-look treatment now baby.

[Fastbrit]

Oooh, a ‘73-only low-profile dog-house Thing fanshroud...

You sure about that mate? Isn't that flathead from a Puma?

That's what I thought... Things were the same as a Beelte shroud, minus the heater ducts.

You're right about the Puma bit (not familiar with the details of them over here)... but that shroud was indeed used on Things, too, presumably using up left-over parts!

[ESH]

I'm not entirely sure but I think the first one I was aware of was our neighbours orange estate car (Type III) probably circa '74/'76. The guy used to fly to the States a lot and was still playing around with VW's well into the 90's. There were many others since obviously but I think that's the first.

[Jeff68]

This is a great thread.  I can remember my Dad's first bug clearly - He bought it new, a Ruby Red 62 with steel foxcraft fender skirts painted to match.  Six years after '62 I also remember laying down behind the back seat of it when I was very little (4 yrs old I think) looking up as our family (my two sisters, Mom and Dad) drove everywhere in this car.  I remember just listening to the engine rev up and down as we drove through town.  I also remember being behind the seat when my Dad would be washing it and he would spray water on the rear window trying to scare me.  When ever i got bored I would go sit in that car and read my ghost rider comic books or look at Hot Rod magazines.  We had that car until 1972.

Then my dad bought a light blue Super beetle brand new in 1972.  I remember him telling me he paid around 3K for it. He thought the super would be better as it was a little bigger than the standard beetle.  I remember being at the VW dealership when he was picking it out, and I would play with the displays of the Sapphire radios that were options for the cars at that time.  My Dad put a lot of accessories on that car - Fuchs hub caps, that check strip kit that went over the roof and accross the doors, sun visor, repainted the fender skirts from the '62, dual Phoenix header exhaust, wood dash insert kit, formula vee shifter.  When I was 15 (1980) my Dad let me drive the Super on the Highway when he and I were in the car coming home from a trip.  It was the first car I ever drove.  I remember thinking how great it was to drive that car, I was hooked....  The family went everywhere in that car too.  He finally sold the super in 1987.  I don't remember how many miles were on it.  He had it repainted the factory color in 1983, never needed an engine overhaul, or valve job! Just a clutch, brakes, fuel pump, tires - the typical expendable items.  I wish that I had the '62 and '72....

[deano]

Here's another one, but it actually was for my older brother. He owned this stock '63 Bug, 40hp on a good day, and for years, that was his idea of how a VW ran. Well, years later, when I had my '67 full blown with IDAs, big heads, cam, this and that, I threw my keys to my brother and told him to take it for a spin. Now, he had never went for a ride in it, let alone drove it without me in the car (he had never been around a VW with IDAs!). So, with little delay, he and his then-wife fired it up, and away they went. About 1/2 hour later, he comes back down the driveway, grinning from ear to ear. He scared the crap out of his wife (served her right!), and about killed them both. He was able to "VDO it", somewhere on Imperial Highway, which is when you go fast enough to take the needle to the bottom center of the speedo (VDO land). I think he was shaking when he got out of the car. I asked him what rpm did he shift at? Say what? I didn't have time to notice. Oh, great.

[johnl]

Here's another one, but it actually was for my older brother. He owned this stock '63 Bug, 40hp on a good day, and for years, that was his idea of how a VW ran. Well, years later, when I had my '67 full blown with IDAs, big heads, cam, this and that, I threw my keys to my brother and told him to take it for a spin. Now, he had never went for a ride in it, let alone drove it without me in the car (he had never been around a VW with IDAs!). So, with little delay, he and his then-wife fired it up, and away they went. About 1/2 hour later, he comes back down the driveway, grinning from ear to ear. He scared the crap out of his wife (served her right!), and about killed them both. He was able to "VDO it", somewhere on Imperial Highway, which is when you go fast enough to take the needle to the bottom center of the speedo (VDO land). I think he was shaking when he got out of the car. I asked him what rpm did he shift at? Say what? I didn't have time to notice. Oh, great.

Over the years I had a Judson Supercharge, big bore kits, etc., but until I had my first ride in a "fast VW for the day" I had no idea.  I'd been exposed to big American Muscle and knew they were fast, but a VW was always in a different universer until that "first ride". 

That happened to be with Ron Fleming (Big Al Taming) in his black Oval.  It was only an 1835 and I don't even remember if it had dual carbs.  I was fresh out of the Navy and just getting back into it.  We were all at Seclect Auto Sales on Harbor across the street from the big Carls Jr. in Anaheim.

Ron drove me around a bit and other than exhaust noise I didn't notice much.  He then turned off of La Palma and headed south on Citron St. which was only a block away from my parents house.  He stopped, loaded it up and away we went.  I thought Moses had parted the seas again!! 

Shortly after than Ron built my first 1700 (68x88) Holly Bug Spray with a 110 engle and S & S Headers.  This was done when he and Aronson were still working at Gene Berg's on Lemon St. in Orange.  Ron always refered to that engine as the "Teats Two Barrell".  At that point I could roll with the "big boys" (no Deano not burgers) of the day.  From there the dease continued to grow...........

And that is why my signature on this states, "You've never been for a ride in a fast car until you've been in a fast VW"

[Dominick Luppino]

I was hooked by the neighbor across the street he had just purchased a new 67 Bug with all the trimmings, chrome wheels, flared tail pipe tips the complete wood knob kit and the Shakey Jake pin striping. A couple of week later he joined a VW club, if I can remember it was called DMW,  I just remember the initials. One Saturday night they had a meeting or it might had been a route for one of the many rallies that came right in front of my house, I thought it was one of the coolest things I’ve seen. About one week later he seen me walking home from school and gave me a ride home; all I can say is the rest is history!

[RhoadsVW]

My first encounter with the Volkswagen was 1962.  My neighbor Larry Brankov, Brother of Ron and Russ Brankov that would be in DKP later had purchased a brand new 1962 bug from Cotton Goff Volkswagen in Buena Park.  It was loaded with all the accessoriesyou could have on one at that time.  Flaired exhaust, chrome rear grill cover, chrome wheels and lots more.  Used to love driving around in it.  Their Mom used to take Russ and I to school in it when it would rain.  When I passed my drivers test and being around DKP members back then that was the only car I wanted to have.. All my friends wanted chevys and such.  I only wanted a Volkswagen and then to go out and kick their butts.  That was the fun part and I must say they were a little dissapointed in their Detroit iron.     Thanks                       Dave Rhoads   DRF

[Sam K]

I literally grew up surrounded by VW's. My dad had an L33 Vw Blue '67 sunroof bug for when I was four or five years old. I used to ride in the luggage area behind the rear seat.  My uncle Ed had a light green small window bug that I want to say it was a '64 but I'm not positive, followed by a biege '68 and my grandfather had a red '68 squareback for a while as well. I think my favorite early memories are of my Uncle Dan's VW blue '67, though. The paint was faded through to the primer in most areas and had a grey left front fender. There were t-shirts covering the torn front seats too, but I thought it was the coolest car! I remember "helping" my Dad and my uncle replace the clutch in it a couple times too. They hooked a come-along to the rafters in our carport and yanked the back of the bug up by the bumper to get the engine out. My uncle eventaully parked the car due clutch problems and bought a red '70 bus to drive instead. Whenever we went over to my uncles house, I would go sit the bug and pretend to drive. When I was 12 years old, uncle sold me the bug for $50 and it's the same bug I have today. When he sold me he car, my dad and I put a battery in it and right away the radio and headlights came on because I had been playing with the buttons! 

[Sarge]

My neighbor Larry Brankov, Brother of Ron and Russ Brankov that would be in DKP later had purchased a brand new 1962 bug from Cotton Goff Volkswagen in Buena Park. When I passed my drivers test and being around DKP members back then that was the only car I wanted to have..  Dave Rhoads   DRF

"Being around those DKP members...."

As most all of you know, Dave is our resident DRF member residing in DKP.  Dave, I gotta ask; what possessed you to join DRF in the first place?  Was it the schwag clubhouse, the wild Thumper matches, caravaning to remote locations for um, "camping" .... 

[iowa mark]

Back in the early 60's there was an article in the newspaper about the amount of VW bugs around. The columnist proposed a game about spotting different colored bugs and keeping score as to who saw them first. Green ones were the highest score, as I remember. Since my little brother and I never sat still in the back of the families 55' Chevy wagon on trips, Mom got us playing this game. After a couple of years of spotting anything with a rounded roof and screaming out the color and location to be varified, I started noticing that all the people in those cars had a smile on their face as they met us hanging out the window, pointing. In the back of my mind was the idea that somehow that car had something to do with that smile. No one has been able to convince me otherwise to this day. As a side note, that early training still causes me to spot a Bug hidden in the trees of a farm grove from miles off the highway. My wife is always so thrilled by the little side trips to make sure of their authenticity.