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Fri Apr 18, 2008 10:06 am

My name is Brad and I drive a Bay.

I know this thread has been run in the ground and brought back from the dead several times in as many years but I have to say my piece.

If a splitty owner or club thumbs their nose at you for driving a Bay, you probably don't wanna hang out with them anyway. Driving the same kind of car doesn't mean everyone will love each other. I'm sure with the number of members on this forum there's bound to be some assholes in the mix :shock:

I was in a scooter club once for Stella scooters. I loved my Stella and I wanted to hang out with others and go for group rides. There was another club in town for scooters but wouldn't allow Stellas - only Vespas and Lambrettas. We were invited to their rallys and such each year but they were ginormous douchebags and I didn't like a single one of them.

Furthermore, within my own Stella club there were a lot of idiots and drunks and I grew disinterested very quickly. I realized that I didn't need to be around other Stella owners to love my own. After my wife and I stopped going to club events we really enjoyed our scooters more because driving them wasn't entangled with trying to stay away from this guy or that guy.

The point is - screw the split window clubs. If you really want to be in a club that allows Bays start your own. You've seen from the number of posts in the split forum and this forum that we're pretty much equal in numbers. There must be others like you who will join your club.

Just don't expect it to be a paradise. There's bound to one of us who ogles your wife and drinks your last beer and mocks your type IV engine cause they have a type I.

As far as Bay features in magazines - Hot VWs can suck my nut. Even the features on splits suck when they have them. It's 75% ads, 23% beetles, and 2% other. I can find better articles and pictures by perusing our beloved Samba and it's cheaper.

Fri Apr 18, 2008 10:19 am

Quote: The point is - screw the split window clubs... You've seen from the number of posts in the split forum and this forum that we're pretty much equal in numbers. There must be others like you who will join your club.

Why must there be such division? Why can't we all get along? It's not about "us vs. them" This is not like choosing a sports team.

Quote: If you really want to be in a club that allows Bays start your own.

I already did that!

Fri Apr 18, 2008 10:30 am

i was actually excited about getting a bay.....right away my buddy called it a gay window....he's just messing. but i wanted to be different, at first i wanted a bullet signal bus like them ,but then it seemed so boring. im gonna drive mine for a while and see, but they do talk a lot of smack about bays. maybe start a thread why we drive bays?

Fri Apr 18, 2008 10:53 am

static wrote: Quote: The point is - screw the split window clubs... You've seen from the number of posts in the split forum and this forum that we're pretty much equal in numbers. There must be others like you who will join your club.

Why must there be such division? Why can't we all get along? It's not about "us vs. them" This is not like choosing a sports team.

Quote: If you really want to be in a club that allows Bays start your own.

I already did that!

I think I was misunderstood. I meant "screw 'em if they don't accept you" not "KILL ALL SPLITS"

Personally, unlike a lot of people on this forum, I swear no VW allegiance and ONLY like Bays and Squarebacks. So division or separation is all the same to me. I'm not claiming membership in either.

Fri Apr 18, 2008 11:57 am

here in the UK bays are big news

check out

http://forum.earlybay.com/index.php

and some of prefer them to splits i know i do, its just a personal preference.

Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:11 pm

Being from a place where spotting any year air cooled VW is a rarity, I don't really see a problem with bays being outcast.
Take last years Transporter fest, down in Boston, for example. Up until last year the majority of buses showing up were splits. The lack of diversity had the show goers calling for more bays to show. in '06 there were 13 splits and 6 bays. In '07 there was 15 splits, and 26 bays.

Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:46 pm

4Doora wrote: in '06 there were 13 splits and 6 bays.

Those over there? Those are Split window buses. See how many there are? They are a dime a dozen. Now this here....this...is rare! :)

Fri Apr 18, 2008 1:10 pm

bradgsanford wrote:
I was in a scooter club once for Stella scooters. I loved my Stella and I wanted to hang out with others and go for group rides. There was another club in town for scooters but wouldn't allow Stellas - only Vespas and Lambrettas.

I've played that game before. I loved my Stella.

Fri Apr 18, 2008 2:50 pm

Sweet, maybe they have a "best in crap" award

Fri Apr 18, 2008 4:37 pm

Personally I don't care what others think about my bus. Call it what you want I put all my blood,sweat,and tears into it and it is mine. Sure I'd like to own a Splitty but the way prices are shooting towards the sky I don't think I'll ever have the money to own one. The Bay is a nice driver.I love looking out the big windshield as you cruise down the road in no hurry to get anywhere. Let people say what they want. All I have to say is if they don't like it don't buy one. That just means more for the rest of us Bay nuts. :D

Fri Apr 18, 2008 4:42 pm

I fish a lot and joined a fishing club thinking it would be fun and I might win a trophy or 2 which I did, but I came to realize that all of the crap that went along with the club actually took away my time to actually fish.

so... no clubs for me. fishing or Vw's.. This site has all I need to sooth my vw soul..

Fri Apr 18, 2008 6:20 pm

You already have the well known Save the Bays site

http://home.ca.rr.com/savethebays/

In Australia we have a number of sites that enjoy both Splitty and Bays- a recent run had approx equal numbers

http://www.thekombikonnection.com

Fri Apr 18, 2008 6:44 pm

Now the Split-windowed Sneetches had windows with splits.
The Bay-Windowed Sneetches went into much fits.
The differences weren't so big; they were really quite small.
You would think such a thing wouldn't matter at all.
But because they had splits, all the Split-Windowed Sneetches
would brag, "We're the best kind of Sneetch on the beaches.
With their spleefs in the air, they would sniff and they'd snort,
"We'll have nothing to do with the Bay-Windowed sort."
That they didn't agree, was just half the fun,
and they both turned their nose up to a "new" Vanagon!

Sat Apr 19, 2008 7:41 am

That was freakin sweet Static. I dig it!

Josh

Sat Apr 19, 2008 3:54 pm

I have had my westy for 9 years when I bought it

I started going to vw events & was pushed to the side
Either because it was a type4 eng or a bay as the years passed
Most mechanics rejected me because of fuel inj

I learned the t4eng was bigger stock & more reliable than a modified t1
I learned that my76 had much more useable room than any split
I now hear people at the shows tell me that they are ready to trade in their type1 split for the faster more reliable bay with a smother ride because they want something that they can drive to more than just a car show (at more than 55mph)& feel accepted

As I reflect on how my 76 was treated 10 years ago when it was in 20's
I look at how a vanogon that is in 20's today is treated
People reject them the way we were rejected 10 years ago over the same shit...........
A different body & different eng
Ironic isn’t it
Then... type 1 eng vs. type 4 fi...........now...type 4 fi vs. water-cooled
Every 10 years you’ll see the same argument with a new bus
50's barndoor vs. a 60's 23window deluxe vs. 70's champagne camper vs. 80's sncro4x4

The next time you feel left out for having a bay think of how we treated that water cooler
i know that the splitty wishes he can go 75
the same way i wish i can take mine offroading

Sun Apr 20, 2008 3:35 pm

I prefer bays, always have. I owned a '59 for a while, and just didn't enjoy it as much as my bay. You don't have to like Splits better because someone tells you they are cooler. You like what you like.

Sun Apr 20, 2008 4:21 pm

static wrote:

Now the Split-windowed Sneetches had windows with splits.
The Bay-Windowed Sneetches went into much fits.
The differences weren't so big; they were really quite small.
You would think such a thing wouldn't matter at all.
But because they had splits, all the Split-Windowed Sneetches
would brag, "We're the best kind of Sneetch on the beaches.
With their spleefs in the air, they would sniff and they'd snort,
"We'll have nothing to do with the Bay-Windowed sort."
That they didn't agree, was just half the fun,
and they both turned their nose up to a "new" Vanagon!
Sheer brilliance!!

Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:17 pm

the other thing to remember is that a lot of mags publish articles that are submitted by readers. i've published lots of mag articles but never tried a bay window article in a vw magazine, and since my truck is done and unfortunately poorly documented, you'll likely never see one from me.
how about the rest of you? anyone ever write an article and submit it?

one of the differnces might be that split window owners might take more pride and be more willing to show off, so they write good articles with lots of hi res pics and showcase their 30 grand resto.

some of us backyard restorers/mechanics might just be taking what we do for granted and not thinking of documenting and submitting our projects for publication.

having said that, an article showing a resto on a $60,000.00 bus (regardless of splitty or bay) will always have greater demand by editors than a $10,000.00 one. some guy just slamming a bug or a bus is an article that will never sell because it's so commonplace.

but if you have something interesting, or different, or even just extremely well done, you will likely find an interested editor. Even if it's just a garden-variety bay window. editors know their demographic very well, and they will know that there are a hell of a lot more bay window owners out there than those poor, sad splittie fools, and a huge potential market. BUT you guys have to send in the articles.

Sun Apr 20, 2008 7:38 pm

:lol: IF YOU LET YOU IN, THEN WE GOT TO LET IN THE f fRIDOLINS where does it stop. :P Pick your battles. Bay Windows are the new collectibles. Start your own club or link up with brother club.

Thing that ticked me off at a Vw meet in Manassas, Va. (Bugout?) was that some anal corporate guy had a olive drab Military type two Bay Window.. My youngest boy about 12 at the time walked up and pressed his face at the window to get a look. Guy told me to keep my kid from touching his car. I told him to f**k off.

Later that day after the show at the hotel my wife wants to introduce me to winner in the New Beetle class. Turns out some guy bought a new fully loaded Beetle that he trailered to the meet. He's telling me how much time he has put into his New Beetle. Told him to F**k off, too. I have no respect for the buy a trophy show and shine guys.

Sun Apr 20, 2008 7:59 pm

donemoto wrote: :lol: IF YOU LET YOU IN, THEN WE GOT TO LET IN THE f fRIDOLINS where does it stop. :P Pick your battles. Bay Windows are the new collectibles. Start your own club or link up with brother club.

Thing that ticked me off at a Vw meet in Manassas, Va. (Bugout?) was that some anal corporate guy had a olive drab Military type two Bay Window.. My youngest boy about 12 at the time walked up and pressed his face at the window to get a look. Guy told me to keep my kid from touching his car. I told him to f**k off.

Later that day after the show at the hotel my wife wants to introduce me to winner in the New Beetle class. Turns out some guy bought a new fully loaded Beetle that he trailered to the meet. He's telling me how much time he has put into his New Beetle. Told him to F**k off, too. I have no respect for the buy a trophy show and shine guys.

You should keep your kid from touching peoples cars.

I love my daily driver bay window, love my daily driver early buses too. I do not own a new car though. I think some of these people that bash on bay windows own some SUV POS, Caravan or some other car payment hell.