Any members in Hamilton, Canada

3nero · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 7:20 pm Post subject: Any members in Hamilton, Canada

I'm thinking of abandoning ship and moving to Hamilton. Ireland is sinking fast and any hopes of a job in the future are over very soon.
I have friends in Hamilton and maybe a job(in Toronto), but i'd like to know what the VW scene is like over there. I've searched the classifieds and there is a bay for sale in town(can't live without one).
I don't want to own the only bay in the village Shocked

Collie · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:44 pm Post subject:

Hey,

I used to live near Toronto and there is a surprising large VW scene in the Toronto area, but they mostly come out of hiding in the spring. There are a few really good bus related camping weekends and there is a great place for parts if needed in downtown Toronto.

I have been to Hamilton a bunch of times, its kinda a neat city, not a village though Smile

, you should like it if you like long cold winters, perfect summers and traffic up the ying-yang.....

There are a few members on this board from the Toronto area..I am sure they will pipe in.....

1975 Kombi · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:51 pm Post subject:

Hamilton is the armpit of Ontario. lol.
_________________
Brett

"I do not see things as black and white, but everything as very colourful!"

'75 Kombi/Westy (2.0L CV, H-Lifters, '75-'79FI mix, XR700, 003 Auto) project.
03 Jetta TDI, 04 Honda civic, 71 super beetle
Licensed pilot (single engine land VFR)
--
Rust In Peace: 72 Bug, 73 Bug, 81 Rabbit LS D 2D, 83 Rabbit D 2D, 84 Jetta TD GL, 85 Jetta D, 68 Z28 RS 302, 91 Passat 16v

Collie · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:58 pm Post subject:

No, thats Oshawa!!! Very Happy

giller · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:32 pm Post subject:

You've got German Supply in Toronto, so you're already ahead of the the game.

morgoon · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 10:21 pm Post subject:

canuck_bus · Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 4:37 am Post subject:

Hamilton is better than it used to be. Lots of artsy type people that can't afford to live in Toronto anymore have been taking over Hamilton for the last few years. Used to be all blue-collar over there but it's got a nice mix of people now. You'll like it. Lots of old buses around here once the snow melts and they clean all the salt off the roads.

I guess someone should warn you that the commute from Hamilton to Toronto is in fact one of the 7 circles of Hell. If you have to work regular hours in T.O. you're better off to find a place to live in the big city than to wrestle with that rush-hour traffic everyday.

Depends where you're going to and from, but I don't think you'd be using the 401 for that commute (see that post above). Most likely commuting route is 403/QEW/Gardiner expressway into Toronto downtown.

Colonel_Mustard · Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:08 am Post subject:

a-marshal · Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:39 am Post subject:

It was said years ago that if a person travelled from Oakville (between Hamilton and Toronto) to Toronto as a daily commute they were statistically assured of having an accident every three years. Traffic is worse now.
Hamilton itself is a much nicer town than it once was, some of the suburbs and bedroom communities are really quite nice. I know a few people who make the commute, even if I think it is insane.

There are a number of Bays around, but you only really see them May through October, the road salt that gets thrown down around here is viscious.

3nero · Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 9:12 am Post subject:

Cool, so i'm sorted VW wise. I'd hate to move to a bay free zone and a good parts shop nearby is a major bonus. It's nice to know I will be surrounded by air-heads like myself Cool

At the moment everything is just in the maybe stages. I don't fancy a long commute every day, the only reason Hamilton is on the cards is because of an offer of bed and board for a while in a friends place. My line of work is a bit specialist and usually only located in the larger cities, my online searchs have come up with 14 companies in Toronto but none so far in Hamilton, but the search continues.
The comment about all the artsy people moving in sounds good I'm a model maker and a bit artsy so no i'm hoping there will be at least one model making company in town.
Thanks for all the advice so far, it's sounds like my kinda town even with the worst traffic, but i wouldn't mind it so much as long as i'm in something that's sucking air and not water Laughing

1975 Kombi · Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 9:34 am Post subject:

Say hi to Bono and the boys for me before you move over here. lol. Ireland is so small that they must be next door.
_________________
Brett

"I do not see things as black and white, but everything as very colourful!"

'75 Kombi/Westy (2.0L CV, H-Lifters, '75-'79FI mix, XR700, 003 Auto) project.
03 Jetta TDI, 04 Honda civic, 71 super beetle
Licensed pilot (single engine land VFR)
--
Rust In Peace: 72 Bug, 73 Bug, 81 Rabbit LS D 2D, 83 Rabbit D 2D, 84 Jetta TD GL, 85 Jetta D, 68 Z28 RS 302, 91 Passat 16v

Collie · Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 9:39 am Post subject:

Colonel_Mustard · Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:01 am Post subject:

Cool, I am here at UOIT, doing Automotive Engineering. My bus is still home in Newfoundland, Im heading back there for the summer in a few weeks.
The first bus, which Im pretty sure is a Riveria, was purchased by a guy from down in the States, I forget where. My landlord knows him and introduced me.
The second bus I saw here:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

And the tin top I spotted:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

_________________
1984 VW Rabbit GTI
1977 VW Type 2 Westfalia
1972 VW Super Beetle

1975 Kombi · Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:19 am Post subject:

Boy you mention something about Canada and all the Canadians come out of the wood work. lol. That's after tapping it for maple syrup.
_________________
Brett

"I do not see things as black and white, but everything as very colourful!"

'75 Kombi/Westy (2.0L CV, H-Lifters, '75-'79FI mix, XR700, 003 Auto) project.
03 Jetta TDI, 04 Honda civic, 71 super beetle
Licensed pilot (single engine land VFR)
--
Rust In Peace: 72 Bug, 73 Bug, 81 Rabbit LS D 2D, 83 Rabbit D 2D, 84 Jetta TD GL, 85 Jetta D, 68 Z28 RS 302, 91 Passat 16v

Colonel_Mustard · Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:34 am Post subject:

Damn Canadians....lets get em, eh?
Laughing

_________________
1984 VW Rabbit GTI
1977 VW Type 2 Westfalia
1972 VW Super Beetle

Collie · Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:55 am Post subject:

skid · Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 12:55 pm Post subject:

So you mention model maker and artsy. Why not Vancouver? Depending on what kind of model making you mean. Like puppets? Stop motion?
_________________
'71 Westfalia

3nero · Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 2:04 pm Post subject:

3nero · Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 2:11 pm Post subject:

canuck_bus · Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2011 2:20 pm Post subject:

Toronto is sometimes called Hollywood North cause of all the movie studios here. You should have some luck finding work here.
_________________
'72 Canadian Westy. "That ain't rust, that's patina!"

No no, my bad ... that's rust after all.

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