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58euro
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2011
Posts: 193
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 Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 11:47 pm Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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Picture taken 1954 of Lahmeyer’s in Ketchikan before it became a vw dealer it appears.
Taken in Ketchikan in 1965. Pretty cool looking 13 window.
Taken in Juneau.
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58euro
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2011
Posts: 193
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| Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2022 9:07 am Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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Here’s a few more I’ve found doing some research, quite interesting to see how many early VWs were up there when new. Majority of these are in Anchorage as far as I know.
Ketchikan 1965
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KTPhil 
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2006
Posts: 34013
Location: Conejo Valley, CA
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| Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2022 9:29 am Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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Really nice set of photos!
I am guessing this one has a stove fitted inside and the window is the flue. Wood, coal, or oil?
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makin_vw
Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2011
Posts: 62
Location: san martin CA
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| Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2022 10:40 am Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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| 58euro wrote: |
Here’s a few more I’ve found doing some research, quite interesting to see how many early VWs were up there when new. Majority of these are in Anchorage as far as I know.
Ketchikan 1965
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You found some killer photos buddy! Thanks. I’ll add them to my archives |
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cdennisg
Samba Member
Joined: November 02, 2004
Posts: 20278
Location: Sandpoint, ID
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| Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2022 1:32 pm Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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This thread is so fun. My wife and I both have family connections to AK. I just sent this thread to my dad, who was based at Fort Richardson from about 1959 to 1962. My folks moved away from AK in October of 63, six months before the big quake. Mom's school collapsed into the creek.
Dad never drove a VW while in AK, but had several later on in Minnesota.
_________________
nothing |
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Hakka
Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2004
Posts: 620
Location: PNW or Norway
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| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 5:26 pm Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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Got to be Unalakleet. Pretty wild a Volkswagen found its way all the way out there. These cars always amaze me.
Homer, AK.
Here is a link to the website I found that image from Homer. Few other neat VWs from their past fleet.
https://taylorbasecamp.com/2014/10/14/meet-the-cabose/
I feel this situation to my bones. Soaked and muddy and just getting it done 
Last edited by Hakka on Sun Feb 27, 2022 12:56 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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makin_vw
Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2011
Posts: 62
Location: san martin CA
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| Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 5:30 pm Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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| Hakka wrote: |
Got to be Unalakleet. Pretty wild a Volkswagen found its way all the way out there. These cars always amaze me.
Homer, AK.
Here is a link to the website I found that image from Homer. Few other neat VWs from their past fleet.
https://taylorbasecamp.com/2014/10/14/meet-the-cabose/ |
Funny I was zooming in on the building of that one trying to narrow down the location.
It’s crazy how far some of these cars made it! |
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Big Bill
Samba Member
Joined: June 21, 2005
Posts: 1782
Location: Santa Rosa, Ca
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| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 7:28 am Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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| This has quickly become my favorite thread to follow. |
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finster
Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2012
Posts: 7951
Location: north o' the border
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| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 10:02 am Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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_________________
"we're here on Earth to fart around" kurt vonnegut
nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect... |
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makin_vw
Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2011
Posts: 62
Location: san martin CA
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| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 7:41 pm Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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Still on the quest to find the dealership… from my research I found some photos of Captain Hook hotel being built, and what would appear to be the back lot to nu-kar dealership.
I’ll confirm this when I find a 66-68 dealer book with addresses..
Another photo shows a Baja bug going down a main road, photo was taken in 73 or 75 |
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EverettB
Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000
Posts: 69824
Location: Phoenix Metro
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makin_vw
Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2011
Posts: 62
Location: san martin CA
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| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2022 10:43 pm Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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| EverettB wrote: |
Nov. 1, 1966 and Feb. 15, 1967 booklets:
Alaska
Anchorage
Nu-Kar Sales, Inc.
430 "I" Street
Tel. 272-7455
6-64 Booklet:
Alaska
Anchorage
Sunset Motor Co.
5 & 1 St.
Box 1559
Tel BR 2-6531 |
Thank you Everett I could not find a booklet around, I know I have one somewhere…
This information will help me dig deeper!
So the photos behind captain cook I posted are of what would be nu-kar.
Most were from late 64 early 65,
Maybe it’s the beginning of the dealership!
Locations spot on with the photos we have of nu-Kar |
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Hakka
Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2004
Posts: 620
Location: PNW or Norway
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| Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2022 10:44 pm Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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Found online.
Sort of a fun read.
| Quote: |
It was December, 1972 when I was 22 and traveling out of Alaska on the Alaskan Highway in a Volkswagen bus.
I was being discharged from the US Army and had orders to report to Ft. Lewis Washington in 8 days, on Dec 11.
I had received approval to drive my vehicle to the discharge station in Washington state.
Since it was the middle of winter, icy, windy and snowy conditions existed during the route.
Typically, there was no shoulder on the road and snow would be built up 3 to 4 feet in some places along the Alaskan Highway, especially in the Yukon and northern British Columbia provinces.
I left Fairbanks on Monday, December 4th at 6 am and traveled the Richardson Highway south-east towards the Canadian border.
1 got as far as 35 miles from Haines Junction (200 miles from the Alaskan border) when the bus quit working - no apparent reason. I spent the cold night near Kluane Lake, off the side of the road.
The next day I tried to get the engine to start, but was not successful.
A truck driver stopped and towed me to a gas station in Haines Junction.
The mechanic got the bus running and I drove 100 miles to Whitehorse, Yukon, where I had another gas station mechanic work on the bus.
The next day, Thursday, with the bus working again, I traveled along Route 97 - now in British Columbia - 400 miles to Liard Hot Springs where I planned to spend the night after 7 1/2 hours of driving.
It was then that I heard an unusual noise coming from generator. This was very disturbing news.
On Friday morning, without any road services in the area, I began to very carefully drive the bus from the Hot Springs and got as far as milepost 462 at the town of Toad River.
At the gas station there, a mechanic gave me the grim news: the generator had blown and the fan belt which cooled the engine burned off. He knew a mechanic at Summit Lake, 35 miles south of Toad River, who had a Volkswagen generator and arranged for it to be delivered the following day.
On Saturday the generator was installed but an oil leak subsequently developed. Nothing further could be done at Toad River so I got a tow to Summit Lake (elevation 4,250 ft. and the highest point on the Alaska Highway.) where the engine could be pulled out for examination.
On Sunday, the owner/mechanic at the Summit Motel, Cafe, and Esso gas station - Albert Genier - reported that there was a crack in the engine block and there was nothing else to do except replace the engine (a 40 horsepower, 1200 series). Very bad news; I was stranded.
So, by Monday, Dec. 11th - one week after leaving Fairbanks - I waited at the Summit Motel for a ride to Fort Nelson, the next town south where there was a jet airport. A driver was available later in the day and I rode out with him.
The next day, Tuesday, I flew from the jet airport at Ft. Nelson to Seattle and made it to my Ft Lewis discharge appointment; 2 days late (I notified the Army discharge office that I was going to be reporting late).
In summary, I had to abandon my VW bus behind the gas station at milepost 400 of the Alaskan Highway at the Summit Motel and Café, British Columbia.
It was still there the following summer when I drove back with another van to retrieve engine and other belongings.
I wonder today (August 2020) if the engine-less VW bus is still there, at milepost 400, Summit Lake, 48 years later. |
Alright folks. Road trip time 
Story found at: https://www.anchoragememories.com/breakdown-on-the-alaskan-highway.html |
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makin_vw
Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2011
Posts: 62
Location: san martin CA
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| Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2022 10:46 pm Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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| Hakka wrote: |
Found online.
Sort of a fun read.
| Quote: |
It was December, 1972 when I was 22 and traveling out of Alaska on the Alaskan Highway in a Volkswagen bus.
I was being discharged from the US Army and had orders to report to Ft. Lewis Washington in 8 days, on Dec 11.
I had received approval to drive my vehicle to the discharge station in Washington state.
Since it was the middle of winter, icy, windy and snowy conditions existed during the route.
Typically, there was no shoulder on the road and snow would be built up 3 to 4 feet in some places along the Alaskan Highway, especially in the Yukon and northern British Columbia provinces.
I left Fairbanks on Monday, December 4th at 6 am and traveled the Richardson Highway south-east towards the Canadian border.
1 got as far as 35 miles from Haines Junction (200 miles from the Alaskan border) when the bus quit working - no apparent reason. I spent the cold night near Kluane Lake, off the side of the road.
The next day I tried to get the engine to start, but was not successful.
A truck driver stopped and towed me to a gas station in Haines Junction.
The mechanic got the bus running and I drove 100 miles to Whitehorse, Yukon, where I had another gas station mechanic work on the bus.
The next day, Thursday, with the bus working again, I traveled along Route 97 - now in British Columbia - 400 miles to Liard Hot Springs where I planned to spend the night after 7 1/2 hours of driving.
It was then that I heard an unusual noise coming from generator. This was very disturbing news.
On Friday morning, without any road services in the area, I began to very carefully drive the bus from the Hot Springs and got as far as milepost 462 at the town of Toad River.
At the gas station there, a mechanic gave me the grim news: the generator had blown and the fan belt which cooled the engine burned off. He knew a mechanic at Summit Lake, 35 miles south of Toad River, who had a Volkswagen generator and arranged for it to be delivered the following day.
On Saturday the generator was installed but an oil leak subsequently developed. Nothing further could be done at Toad River so I got a tow to Summit Lake (elevation 4,250 ft. and the highest point on the Alaska Highway.) where the engine could be pulled out for examination.
On Sunday, the owner/mechanic at the Summit Motel, Cafe, and Esso gas station - Albert Genier - reported that there was a crack in the engine block and there was nothing else to do except replace the engine (a 40 horsepower, 1200 series). Very bad news; I was stranded.
So, by Monday, Dec. 11th - one week after leaving Fairbanks - I waited at the Summit Motel for a ride to Fort Nelson, the next town south where there was a jet airport. A driver was available later in the day and I rode out with him.
The next day, Tuesday, I flew from the jet airport at Ft. Nelson to Seattle and made it to my Ft Lewis discharge appointment; 2 days late (I notified the Army discharge office that I was going to be reporting late).
In summary, I had to abandon my VW bus behind the gas station at milepost 400 of the Alaskan Highway at the Summit Motel and Café, British Columbia.
It was still there the following summer when I drove back with another van to retrieve engine and other belongings.
I wonder today (August 2020) if the engine-less VW bus is still there, at milepost 400, Summit Lake, 48 years later. |
Alright folks. Road trip time
Story found at: https://www.anchoragememories.com/breakdown-on-the-alaskan-highway.html |
I’m game, it sounds nicer than the drive down to octo this weekend 🤣 |
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makin_vw
Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2011
Posts: 62
Location: san martin CA
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| Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2022 8:08 pm Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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Hakka
Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2004
Posts: 620
Location: PNW or Norway
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| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2022 2:35 pm Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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4th Ave looking east in the Spring. Note Late bay.
Mid 70s to early 80s. Downtown.
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goober
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2003
Posts: 1183
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| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2022 3:25 pm Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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Pic's of a Bug in Alaska. These were taken June of 2001 along the Dalton Hwy, Alaska.
Top pic we're at Marion Creek campground north of Coldfoot. Next we're at the top of Atigun Pass. Last is a pic of caribou blocking the road south of Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay.
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makin_vw
Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2011
Posts: 62
Location: san martin CA
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| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2022 8:57 pm Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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| goober wrote: |
Pic's of a Bug in Alaska. These were taken June of 2001 along the Dalton Hwy, Alaska.
Top pic we're at Marion Creek campground north of Coldfoot. Next we're at the top of Atigun Pass. Last is a pic of caribou blocking the road south of Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay.
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Looks like a awesome trip!!! |
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makin_vw
Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2011
Posts: 62
Location: san martin CA
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| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2022 8:59 pm Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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Recently added these two Alaska post cards,
The dove blue press bumper single cab, and then a camper with the logo of the corner store on the rear panel…. |
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Hakka
Samba Member
Joined: November 21, 2004
Posts: 620
Location: PNW or Norway
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| Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2022 12:40 pm Post subject: Re: Vws in Alaska, vintage photos |
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Some imagery out of the State Archives:
Anchorage.
After the quake in 64
Dillingham, AK. Loading a 63 onto an F-27. Kind of crazy. An F-27 is not that large...
Perhaps the same car? Barging the car out of Dillingham.
Up in Bethel. That is top of AK folks...these cars are incredible.
Denali National Park. 12 June 1960
This dealer was mentioned previously in the thread. Nu-Kar Sales, Inc.
Horses and a 73 up in Bethel.
Nome in 1974
Image taken in 1964 in Bethel. The continued imagery of these cars up on the slope only continues the theme of a required piece of technology that would not freeze out due to coolant problems with so many other vehicles. Consider Antarctic 1 from 1963.
Bank erosion. Bethel.
The old Federal Building in Nome. Taken 1958-1960.
Seward Highway on the Turnagain Arm. July 1965. This looks the same today.
| Quote: |
| Bunny McNutt (left) with others at camp site in Alaska. |
Taken April of 1964. My wife lived just up the other side of this mountain while she was in High School.
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