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KAmes
Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2014
Posts: 877
Location: Illinois
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 Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 7:56 pm Post subject: Snow! |
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I drove my beetle to work in the snow! Ok maybe that's not very interesting, but it's a HUGE nostalgia hit for me. I don't think I've done that for maybe thirty years or more, so I'm reliving my youth here. My wife just looked over my shoulder and declared she remembers freezing her ass off. Yeah, there was that, the new wabasto heater is turning out to be a great thing.
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Tim Donahoe
Samba Member
Joined: December 08, 2012
Posts: 11740
Location: Redding, CA
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| Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 9:44 pm Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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I’ve lived in California for close to fifty years now, and I’ve only had to drive in the snow twice. Both times, I was driving front-wheel drive vehicles, and neither did well when I came upon steep hills.
Back when I lived in Indiana, things were different in winter. I owned a new Karmann Ghia, and no matter how much snow we got, the car got me to work. In fact, on the way to California, it got me over a place (I believe it was in Colorado) called Rabbit Ears Pass. Lots of snow, and chains were required (but I had no chains), yet, I made it in the Ghia—no slipping or sliding, either.
Tim
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Let's do the Time Warp again!
Richard O'Brien |
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mikewilkinson007
Samba Member
Joined: October 26, 2016
Posts: 554
Location: Nebraska
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| Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 11:46 pm Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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Great snow cars!
_________________
72 Super - Marina Blue
1641 AH Dual Port
Dual Weber ICT 34's
Bosch 034
Long Gone: 70 Vert, 66, 68, 73SB, 70, 72, 61 Rag and a 64 with a cinder block in the spare tire well. |
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wetminkey
Samba Member
Joined: June 29, 2017
Posts: 142
Location: Ault, Colorado
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 12:36 am Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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Yuk, about your snow.
Glad you had fun driving the bug in it,...again!
I understand perfectly,...I've had that kind of joy before, with a couple of old vehicles and/or machines.
Besides lots of snow driving, here in Colorado, I recall some minor 4x4 in our SB, way back when. They'll do it,...I'd not recommend it.
Happy Motoring!
Todd. |
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KAmes
Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2014
Posts: 877
Location: Illinois
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 6:40 am Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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| Tim Donahoe wrote: |
I’ve lived in California for close to fifty years now, and I’ve only had to drive in the snow twice. Both times, I was driving front-wheel drive vehicles, and neither did well when I came upon steep hills.
Back when I lived in Indiana, things were different in winter. I owned a new Karmann Ghia, and no matter how much snow we got, the car got me to work. In fact, on the way to California, it got me over a place (I believe it was in Colorado) called Rabbit Ears Pass. Lots of snow, and chains were required (but I had no chains), yet, I made it in the Ghia—no slipping or sliding, either.
Tim |
That's cool! I also had a Karmann Ghia, not new, that would have been around 1985 ?. I was on my way to look at it after seeing it in a newspaper classified, when my 63 beetle I was driving was rear ended by a dump truck. It spun the car sideways, I was just starting to make a right turn, and really mashed the passenger side. I bent the fenders back out and drove it to where the Ghia was and bought it. I put the little 1200cc engine from the beetle in the Ghia and drove it for years that way. Wish I could find a picture.
Edit: That car had a Stewart Warner gas heater with an exhaust pipe made from a brass sink drain pipe. We sold that car to the priest that married us.
Last edited by KAmes on Sat Nov 17, 2018 6:58 am; edited 1 time in total |
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KAmes
Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2014
Posts: 877
Location: Illinois
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 6:50 am Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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| On the snow car hierarchy I'll say I think the Ghia was better than the beetle, but the Vanagon was better than both, due to weight I imagine. The best snow car I ever had was a little Suzuki Samurai. The manually shifted transfer case was synchronized so you could flick it in and out of four wheel drive at any speed. |
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KAmes
Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2014
Posts: 877
Location: Illinois
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 7:04 am Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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| mikewilkinson007 wrote: |
Great snow cars!
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I'm digging the color matched wheels with the trim rings. Excellent! |
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cbeck
Samba Member
Joined: January 14, 2014
Posts: 2495
Location: high ridge, mo
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 7:08 am Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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Drove a snow plow in the late 80's. Never failed me. Except for this time when I was rear ended. No heat, carried a scraper for the inside of the windshield. Too soft for that crap now.
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My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779 |
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anthax
Samba Member
Joined: October 21, 2016
Posts: 283
Location: Hälsingland, Sweden
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 7:08 am Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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Check out the swedish event "Cold balls".
Haven't been to it my self, but it looks like fun.  |
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KAmes
Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2014
Posts: 877
Location: Illinois
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 7:21 am Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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| cbeck wrote: |
Drove a snow plow in the late 80's. Never failed me. Except for this time when I was rear ended. No heat, carried a scraper for the inside of the windshield. Too soft for that crap now.
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Ha! I remember the scraper for the inside business. You would scrape and it would "snow" in your lap. |
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Dwayne1m
Samba Member
Joined: December 31, 2011
Posts: 3538
Location: Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 10:50 am Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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| Tim Donahoe wrote: |
I’ve lived in California for close to fifty years now, and I’ve only had to drive in the snow twice. Both times, I was driving front-wheel drive vehicles, and neither did well when I came upon steep hills.
Tim |
I feel a lot has to due with the weight of the vehicle. I had an Escort and Toyota Tercel and both were light cars & horrible in the snow. Now I have an 06 Bug convertible that goes quite well in the snow. The Bug is roughly 600 & 900 lbs heavier then those 2 cars.
I remember playing in the snow with my Bugs as a kid. Just got 6" of snow Thursday. I'd love to go out and play but I have to much time & $$$ invested in them to chance it. Signs of getting old I guess.  |
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KAmes
Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2014
Posts: 877
Location: Illinois
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 2:26 pm Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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| anthax wrote: |
Check out the swedish event "Cold balls".
Haven't been to it my self, but it looks like fun. |
I just took a look at that, that does look like fun! |
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Starbucket
Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2007
Posts: 4026
Location: WA
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 3:29 pm Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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| Put some Blizacks on it and their great in snow and ice. |
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73SlowBug
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2017
Posts: 439
Location: PENNSYLVANIA
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 3:54 pm Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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My bug loves the snow. But not as much as my Subaru.
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Daily driven....Slowly. |
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hitest
Samba Member
Joined: September 30, 2008
Posts: 10296
Location: Prime Meridian, ID
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 7:15 pm Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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Driving my Volvos or Toyotas in the snow- big woop. But there's something so quiet and peaceful just breaking the snow in the beetles- one of my favorite rites of every winter.
(Then of course, going ape shit snow drifting in the high school parking lot)
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| EverettB wrote: |
I wonder what the nut looks like.
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'62 L390 151, '62 L469 117, '63 L380 113, '64 L87 311, '65 L512 265, '65 L31 SO-42, '66 L360 251, '68 L30k 141, '71 L12 113, '74 ORG 181
FU#5 |
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docdanracy
Samba Member
Joined: June 26, 2012
Posts: 1118
Location: Auburn, CA
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 7:47 pm Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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My ‘74 in the snow a few years back
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Doc
1970 Sunroof Bug Yukon Yellow (L19K)
Custom 6.5x15” 914 Sport Wheels wrapped in 185x65x15 Contis
Empi shifter, full compliment of gauges, 1679 with mild cam, stock induction
SOLD: 1974 Marina Blue Standard Beetle undergoing restoration/preservation
1679 with Kadrons and header/QP
914 sport wheels 5.5" ET40 wrapped in 195x65x15 Kumhos |
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Epilog79
Samba Member
Joined: June 04, 2009
Posts: 218
Location: Tigard,Oregon
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 9:55 pm Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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This is from 2 winters ago. My kids didn’t believe that a bug is a good snow car. So I took it out for a trip up the hill from our house. Of course I had to put the top down.
People don’t realize that rear engined cars like our VW and Porsches make really good snow cars. When I was growing up here in Portland my dad had a 1974 911S as a daily driver. He had a set of studded tires for it and we always took that car up to the mountains to go skiing. That thing was a beast in the snow. Too bad I don’t have any pics of that car in the snow. Just great memories. |
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73SlowBug
Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2017
Posts: 439
Location: PENNSYLVANIA
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| Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2018 1:37 am Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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| Epilog79 wrote: |
This is from 2 winters ago. My kids didn’t believe that a bug is a good snow car. So I took it out for a trip up the hill from our house. Of course I had to put the top down.
People don’t realize that rear engined cars like our VW and Porsches make really good snow cars. When I was growing up here in Portland my dad had a 1974 911S as a daily driver. He had a set of studded tires for it and we always took that car up to the mountains to go skiing. That thing was a beast in the snow. Too bad I don’t have any pics of that car in the snow. Just great memories. |
I hear it a lot. Everytime it snows, people at work are amazed i drove the bug in the snow.and didn't get stuck.
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Daily driven....Slowly. |
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KAmes
Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2014
Posts: 877
Location: Illinois
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| Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2018 6:43 am Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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| Epilog79 wrote: |
| Of course I had to put the top down. |
Oddly, this makes sense to me. That is a great looking car! |
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KAmes
Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2014
Posts: 877
Location: Illinois
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| Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2018 7:12 am Post subject: Re: Snow! |
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| Dwayne1m wrote: |
I remember playing in the snow with my Bugs as a kid. Just got 6" of snow Thursday. I'd love to go out and play but I have to much time & $$$ invested in them to chance it. Signs of getting old I guess. |
This is always the problem, but it's why I'm having so much fun with this particular car. I have other "good" toy cars but can't justify another one, or have the garage space. I bought this one on a whim for cheap, couldn't pass it up kind of thing. It has the right combination of being generally presentable, while at the same time having many hidden problems that keep it from ever being a great car. Now that getting old thing, that's a different problem.  |
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