Trip Report: Wisconsin to California and back in a 40hp Beetle

[supercub]

Yes it is. I am amazed at how well the Krylon has held up. I do wax the car about 3 times a year and polish it once a year. It sits outside spring, summer, and fall. Though the pictures don't show it, the paint is getting thin in quite a few places but for the $100 or so I spent back in 2010, I can't complain.

[John P]

Tim,

I rarely post, but feel compelled to do so here due to the quality of your work. I thoroughly enjoyed your original California trip story, and am delighted to see a follow-up.

Your descriptive story telling and excellent photography is a rare treat, especially in our Insta-everything, social media world, where people don't have the "time" (attention span) to digest engrossing, long-form narrative.

Please continue to share your road trips in the '66. Few people take their VWs on journeys anymore, and the romance of the open road in an old car in your stories might inspire more to do so.

Bravo!

John
(Fellow vintage VW road trip and paper map fan)

[supercub]

Thank you very much. Your reply means a lot, as writing and posting all this up was a big commitment, and its nice to hear people enjoy it. In May 2020 I will most likely be driving the VW out to Kansas and will try to document the trip.

[pondoras box]

Most definitely keep posting about your trips, they are very fun to read and very much appreciated. I retire in three years and hope to contributing in the same manner. Right now I have to live vicariously through people like you.
_________________
Looking for anything from Hal Casey Motors out of Hamburg New York, from license plate surrounds to matchbooks.

1961 23 Window (Bobo)
1965 11 Window (Zelda)
1965 13 Window (Lucas)
1957 Oval ragtop
1988 Cabriolet VR6 conversion
Plus a lot of other rusty junk

[supercub]

Thanks for the compliment. I hope you will write about your future adventures as well. My favorite threads on The Samba are the ones about people getting out and driving their VW's.

[j buijs]

Tim, even in the Netherlands I have read your story with much pleasure. What a trip did you make and such a nice stories of what happened on and off the roads
The amount of miles you have made this trip are unbelievable, here in Europa you should have visited most countries..
Owning a 1966 beetle myself; It is a dream for us to make a trip like that
across the U.S.A. (Arizona, Nevada, California) but for now we must keep on dreaming and be happy with our camper trips through France, Italy and Spain.
I have enjoyed your story, it is very inspiring, thank you and I wish you many safe trips in the future.
Best regards from the Netherlands

[supercub]

I'm glad you liked the story. Yes the US is huge, and even with the amount of miles I covered, I didn't even cross two-thirds of its width. I can still remember a road trip we took to Arizona from our home in northeast Texas when I was about 10 years old. I was so frustrated that we had driven almost all day and were still in Texas. Safe travels to you in Europe as well.

[petrol punk]

[supercub]

Sprayed. I think it took about 20 cans of color and around 10 cans of primer. At the time they were only like $2.something per can at Walmart. Personally I think Rustoleum is a better paint, but Krylon has those nice spray tips with the fan pattern. Including the sandpaper, scuff pads and other prep materials there is probably between $150-$200 in that paint job.

[wcfvw69]

Tim,

I remember your other trip report a few years back. Thanks for sharing the story and pictures. It should make many owners realize that these (old) VW's can be reliable enough for a cross country road trip if they are repaired and serviced correctly.

I do have to say, you went big in crossing those mountains with that 40 HP motor! Not many hardcore VW folks would have taken on that challenge, including me!

For fun, the next cross country trip, you should take a "modern" early 70's VW with a dual port engine, 34-3 carb, etc..
_________________
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Decades of VW and VW parts restoration experience.
The Samba member since 2004.

**Now rebuilding throttle bodies for VW's and Porsche's**
**Restored German Bosch distributors for sale or I can restore yours**
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**Restored Porsche distributors or I can restore yours**

[supercub]

Glad you liked it. That last trip back in 2013 was the first big trip I took in the VW and felt like much more of an adventure since I wasn't totally positive the car would make it. For a former junker pulled from a field and rebuilt, this VW has proven to be an amazing car. It's had a few minor breakdowns and hiccups over the years but overall I couldn't ask for a better old car. I do religiously keep up with all the maintenance so the car stays in solid mechanical shape. Part of the reason I posted these trip reports is to hopefully show fellow VW owners that it is still possible to drive these cars long distance. It always makes me happy when I see another old car, VW or not, out on the highway. I don't know if I'd feel right in a more powerful later bug. I like my pitiful little car.

[Zundfolge1432]

[supercub]

I've actually read through your Route 66 thread a few times. It's good. Back when I lived in Kansas, I enjoyed searching out old bypassed sections of highway for fun. There were a lot of them out there. Yeah not having a family depending on me does open up a lot possibilities for trips and such.
I wont deny that I can be a distracted driver on the back roads. I usually do a decent amount of rubber-necking while scoping an abandoned building, an interesting tree, a hawk flying overhead or just a nice landscape as I bumble along.