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jkidd152 Samba Member
Joined: June 09, 2009 Posts: 408 Location: Portland, OR
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Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 8:27 pm Post subject: Vanagon versus the Muscle Cars |
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For Enterainment purposes only:
Last year, the top dogs at work felt that in light of recent wage freezes, demotions, and layoffs, morale is kind of low. Ya think? I imagine the meeting went like this. "Hmm...looks like more layoffs this summer. What we need is an event to bring us all together! Aren't the quarterly meetings enough? No, something fun. Hey, how about a car show? I just bought a brand new Vette. I'm sure my employees would like to see it"
The Show n Shine was born. Lots of nice cars showed up. Corvettes, Camaroes, Mustangs, all serious muscle cars but there are some jokers in our bunch so there was also a low rider bicycle, a riding lawnmover, I think there was even a skateboard. Problem was, no one wanted to stick around after work. Hey, we have beers to go drink. This year they wised up and served some food. That is better, but it'd be a lot cooler if there was a keg. And we're still pissed about the layoffs.
I've gone crazy with my van lately. Body work and paint, new carpet and wood floor, new stereo, CLKs and tires, new canvas and lots of little things too. My buddies insist that I participate in this circus, and I've never resisted peer pressure before so why start now?
I show up and the guy directing participants where to park tells me it is Chevy's on the left, Fords on the right, and everything else down there. Yeah? So it's like that, huh?
Alright, whatever. So I put it down on the end and pop the top. So many people came up with stories about some family member that used to have one of these and what good memories they have. It was really cool to find out that one the big bosses used to have a 87' Westy!
So of course, this is a competition. Guys had their hoods up and we revving their engines. Everybody voted. Best car went to the 66 Chevelle (sweet ride). Best truck went to the 65 Bronco. Best motorcycle went to one of the Harleys. Not sure which one. And committee choice went to...(drumroll)...the 85 VW Van!
Pretty funny, huh? I don't take this stuff very serious, but I think some of the others guys do. Oh well! _________________ '85 Syncro Westy |
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ddonnell Samba Member
Joined: September 04, 2007 Posts: 373 Location: Sunset Beach
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Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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Congrats! That's awesome! Chalk one up for the Vanagons! _________________ 1990 Vanagon Carat-SOLD
1995 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 V10
1966 Baja "The Beast"
instagram #bajabugproject |
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kombijon Samba Member
Joined: June 22, 2007 Posts: 175 Location: perth australia
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Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 9:15 pm Post subject: |
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schweet!!! i guess you cant make a cuppa in a camaroe.
just hope your boss doesnt say those with prizes collect your cards next week! |
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kamzcab86 Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008 Posts: 7893 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 10:14 pm Post subject: |
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Congrats, and great story! _________________ ~Kamz
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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funagon Samba Member
Joined: March 09, 2006 Posts: 1308 Location: SLC, UT
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Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 10:17 pm Post subject: |
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Looks like the vanagon is slowly inching toward "classic" status. But that fuel cap is not original! _________________ 1990 GL 7-passenger
2.2 liter WBX |
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syncrodoka Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005 Posts: 11998 Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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+1 for the home team. |
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carterzest Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2008 Posts: 3842 Location: Eagle, ID/Sun Valley, ID
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Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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Awesome story jkidd152. That is what I am talking about. When are you doing the Sub Swap and who is doing it for you?
Van is looking great! _________________ Happiness=Portland, Oregon in the rearview mirror! |
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msinabottle Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2005 Posts: 3492 Location: Denver Area, Colorado
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Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2010 11:52 pm Post subject: People just LIKE Them |
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Congratulations on your win! I took Big Dodge, my '70 Dodge Dart Swinger, out to Denver's Colfax Cruise last Saturday. The pictures, BTW, are HERE:
http://cid-110c89cd09710c61.photos.live.com/browse.aspx/Colfax%20Cruise%202010
It's a very informal event, people get the old iron out of the garages and take it running. I've thought about taking Winston, just so people can see what a Vanagon Westy's all about--but Big Dodge deserves her day in the sun. Very glad that they recognized the worth and beauty of your van, though.
Best! _________________ 'Winston,' '84 1.9 WBX Westy
Vanagon Poet Laureate: "I have suffered in
many ways, but never, never, never in silence." |
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pioneer1 Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2008 Posts: 2068 Location: Ontario Canada
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Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 4:02 am Post subject: car show |
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Hi: Initially I wondered why you didn't back into the parking spot like everyone else and then realized "duh!" to show the engine of course _________________ "Always waiting for tomorrow ruined everything"
'85 Porsche 911 Targa
'76 Westfalia project |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50257
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Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 4:27 am Post subject: Re: car show |
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pioneer1 wrote: |
Hi: Initially I wondered why you didn't back into the parking spot like everyone else and then realized "duh!" to show the engine of course |
Maybe he hasn't figured out how to find reverse yet?
I have always had a lot of fun with the car show crowd. When I have driven across county I will stop at car shows and enter my old Bus just for heck and the fact that they will often give you a dog and some free beer for doing so. Have gotten some awards and a lot of positive comments on the paint job over the years, though the crowd will thin out pretty quickly when I tell them that it just took 13 cans of Rustoleum to do it. |
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DAIZEE Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2010 Posts: 7552 Location: Greater Toronto Area Ontario West Side
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Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 5:50 am Post subject: |
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a ray of sunshine. Kool _________________ '09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold) |
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dhaavers Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2010 Posts: 7733 Location: NE MN (tinyurl.com/dhaaverslocation)
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Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 6:17 am Post subject: |
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Congrats! I've always wanted to pull in to the local car show and pop the top...maybe this is my motivation for next year!?
PS - like your wheels: what are they? _________________ 86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS> |
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Williamtaylor33 Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2007 Posts: 1545 Location: Arkansas
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Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 6:25 am Post subject: |
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Don't see to many vanagons in shows. I was at the eureka springs show last month and there were only 4 vanagons out of hundreds of vw's. 3 aircooled and one really nice silver watercooled. _________________ 89 Bostig powered syncro westy |
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1621 Samba Member
Joined: May 15, 2006 Posts: 2174
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Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 8:15 am Post subject: |
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Great story John! And it's good to know your boss understands why you really need that raise. _________________ '85 Westy |
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Tom Powell Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2005 Posts: 4855 Location: Kaneohe
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Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 8:36 am Post subject: Vanagons at greyhound rock |
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A somewhat similar experience for me.
I tried the concours d'elegance on Rodeo Drive last year, but didn't get the entry papers on time. Maybe they'll have a spot for me next year.
Aloha
tp |
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jkidd152 Samba Member
Joined: June 09, 2009 Posts: 408 Location: Portland, OR
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Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 9:45 am Post subject: Re: car show |
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Thanks everybody!
pioneer1 wrote: |
Hi: Initially I wondered why you didn't back into the parking spot like everyone else and then realized "duh!" to show the engine of course |
I was directed to park on that side, and I wanted my slider open towards the show so that meant nose in. Had I been permitted to park on the Chevy side, I would have attempted to find reverse
daahvers wrote: |
like your wheels: what are they? |
Thanks! They are Mercedes CLKs. Very popular choice amongst us. _________________ '85 Syncro Westy |
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Tristar Eric Samba Member
Joined: July 25, 2004 Posts: 1241 Location: Portland, Or
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Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 5:52 pm Post subject: |
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You'll have a sweet 2.5 Subie in there for next year! |
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climberjohn Samba Member
Joined: January 11, 2005 Posts: 1840 Location: Portland Orygun
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Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2010 6:07 pm Post subject: |
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John,
Great story, thanks for the post.
And . . . with the Tristar Eric deluxe 2.5 Suby engine coming soon, you'll be going for another class of trophy next year.
-CJ _________________ '86 Westy, 2.5 Subaru power
Know your limits. Exceed them often. |
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crukab Samba Chef
Joined: December 13, 2002 Posts: 6114 Location: Vermont
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Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 5:14 am Post subject: |
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Thats a new twist on peer pressure at work !!
I've entered my Doka in local Lion's Club or Kiawanis Club shows, the trucks gets good comments from most of the folks, a few snears from the Rednecks, the funny cracks are from the die hard ACVW ONLY guys, saying it's not a real VW as it is a "Water pumper" 9 out 10 would love to own a Vanagon Doka, but maybe not say it out load...... _________________ Tom
My Pops:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=604100&highlight=
I know you will always be with me, rest in peace with no more pain. 8/13/14.....
In the yard right now:
'51 Dodge 5 window truck
'65 Bug
'66 Singlecab
'82 Rabbit Truck Diesel from CALI
'86 Doublecab W/T
'91 Vanagon carat/wolfsbrg.Tiico
'88 Dodge Ram pickup
'11 Jetta Wagon |
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syncrodoka Samba Member
Joined: December 27, 2005 Posts: 11998 Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2010 7:36 am Post subject: |
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It isn't a real VW to them because it has heat and can keep up with traffic for hours on end. |
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