TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:45 pm

In September of 1963 I took a leave of absence from the architectural where I was working and took a flight from Houston to New York City. I played tourist for a couple of days then took a flight on Icelandic Airways to Luxembourg. It was the cheapest flight on the oldest prop driven airplanes. The first layover was in Gander, Newfoundland. The next stop was Reykjavik, Iceland. The plane we were supposed to transfer wasn't ready to fly, so the airline company offered a bus trip around the city while we waited. It was interesting to see that undergound natural steam under pressure was captured and supplied as a public utility for heating. It was also used to generate electricity. There was a $5 bus ride offered from the Luxembourg airport to Frankfurt. I lined up for it, but we couldn't board until the smallish German driver got all the luggage stowed. It seemed that support workers hadn't showed up. When the luggage was taken care of the driver let us find our seats. Then he came around and sold semi-cold drinks and snacks. No help again and the driver was really ticked. We were at least 15 minutes past scheduled departure time and he wanted to keep the arrival time. We had one hell of a ride, with tires wailing on the curves and overhead packages tumbling down, kids screaming and women crying. We made it OK, but the driver had to unload the luggage. We all gave him room while he sweated and cussed. It was dark so I found a cab drib=ver and asked where I might find a room. He said there was conference for surgeons in town and everything was full. But he took me to a tavern that had rooms upstairs. I took one and came downstairs for a good beer. Some GIs on leave started talking to me and found out I wanted to shop for a VW to buy and drive around. My return plane ticket was 105 days away. A couple of them showed me around town while car shopping. I remember test driving a very early 50s bug that had a non-sychromesh transmission. I tried it out, double clutching for shifts, and decided against it. At the end of the day I hadn't foud anything, so one of the GIs suggested that I take the train with them in the morning to Heidelberg, where they were stationed. I did that and one of the guys took me to a tiny dealership where I bought a 1953 with new paint, upholstery, carpet and tires. It had a rebuilt '58 engine too. It cost me $320 plus $30 for insurance. It needed service twice. I had a muffler (ausfuf) installed at a VW dealership. The mechanic that took it was dressed in a spotless white smock. Before he touched the engine he had it steam cleaned. When it was done the bill was $36. Somewhere in Italy the accelerator bagan sticking. A mechanic fixed it for nothing (but a tip). When it was almost time to go hame I had one more city to visit, Paris. I had already driven through quite a bit of France and didn't need or want a car in Paris. So I found a retired GI in Hamburg who had a used car lot that specialized in selling cars to GIs. He found me a buyer immediately for $400 less the
10% commission. So I drove it 16,000 km (10,000 miles) for almost 100 days at almost no cost. That's a once in a lifetime car deal. I took the Orient Express train to Paris then flew to Luxembourg to connect with my flight to NYC. I came home with lots of new friends, 1200 color slides and a million memories. I could write a book about that trip. I just wish I had that sweet little bug today. I have had 3 since then and would like to find a pre-65 one today.

Wed Jul 23, 2008 7:38 pm

wolfbear wrote: Cliff Notes:

In 1963 i went to Luxemburg and met some GIs. they started talking to me and found out I wanted to shop for a VW to buy and drive around. with my return ticket 105 days away, i decided to go test out some vws.

I remember test driving a very early 50s bug that had a non-sychromesh transmission. I tried it out, double clutching for shifts, and decided against it.

next morning we went to a small dealership in Heidelberg where i bought a 53. with new paint, upholstery, carpet and tires. It had a rebuilt '58 engine too. It cost me $320 plus $30 for insurance. It needed service twice. I had a muffler (ausfuf) installed at a VW dealership.

When it was almost time to go home I went to Paris. I had already driven through quite a bit of France and didn't need or want a car in Paris. So I found a retired GI in Hamburg who specialized in selling cars to GIs. He found me a buyer immediately for $400. So I drove it 16,000 km (10,000 miles) for almost 100 days at almost no cost.

I just wish I had that sweet little bug today. I have had 3 since then and would like to find a pre-65 one today.

cool story. Check out the classifieds here on thesamba. theres many VW's out there.

Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:49 am

I don't have much to say except I really enjoyed reading that. Maybe a book with some of those slides wouldn't be a bad idea.

Thu Aug 28, 2008 8:46 pm

That's awesome. I hope I can do something like that someday.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 9:07 pm

great story, ive always wanted to do something like that, but its hard to do today..

i work at a place that transfers peoples movies and slides and stuff onto dvds and hard drives, so i see peoples old movies and slides all day and think "i wonder what the story behind this is.. probably something really cool"

sometimes people include a short letter about whats on their order, and i actually like reading them. it just one of those things. i like hearding stories like this.

thanks :)

Sun Nov 02, 2008 5:02 pm

In 1967 I bought a brand new Zenith Blue sunroof model at my local VW dealer in Maywood, NJ (Taylor Motors - no longer there). It came with ww tires and I added a then cutting edge 8 track tape player. The total was $2040.00.
At the time VW had a no haggle policy. I went to several dealerships in the area and not one budged from the list price. Anyway it was my first new car
(my friends were into GTOs, SS Chevys and thought I was crazy), the car my wife and I dated in, and our first family car. As the family grew we had to sell it. About 3 years ago I started looking for a duplicate ( as original as possible) and this past August :D found one in Colorado. I had it transported home and it puts a big smile on my face as memories are stirred up. I have the same motorola VIII track/radio to install and my Beatles "Magical Mystery Tour" tape to complete the trip.

Sat Nov 15, 2008 11:05 am

Back in the 1960's one of my Grandpa's neighbor's (Using my Grandpa's recommendation) baught a Bus amd complianed the whole time that it was to cold, noisy, etc. well one day they were driving on an iced over dirt road by a river in the winter time and skidded off into the river. Luckily the river was iced over and supported the bus but they couldn't find a way back onto the road! In a final act of desparation they drove it down the iced-overed river for a 1/2 mile, right by our house until they could get back on the road. After the accident they promptley got rid of the VW.

Sat Nov 15, 2008 11:10 am

My dad was staitioned in Germany during the cold war, he and his buddies use to race a baja (they traded a bottle of rum for) and he said someone offered him a Split with a (Porsche) 356 engine for cheap he could have shipped home :-({|= but he didn't buy it