German Air Sucker Society (GASS)

WM971252 · Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:56 am Post subject:

Inch Pincher and Small Wonder are two different cars. Small Wonder was built in the Boston area at the same time as the first CA Empi car.

skills@eurocarsplus · Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 6:30 pm Post subject:

Herbie3Rivers · Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:41 pm Post subject:

Troy and his dad did all of the work on the magazines. I can't remember exactly when, but his dad passed away in the late 90s I think. Maybe around 98 or 99. As a tribute to him, Troy donated a tree at Schenley Park Golf Course where the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix vintage races and car shows are held. He also painted "For Pops and Deano on the rear fender of Small Wonder as a tribute.

I'll see if I can track down an email and phone # for Troy. And see if I can get him to come visit. I have a project that's in need of his artistic skills.
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SixVolt · Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 4:23 pm Post subject:

As I've said before, it would be great if you could get Troy, or some of the other early "GASS" members, to post comments on the "GASS" experience. A little is starting to come out, but more detail would be great!

Any insight into events, participants, vehicles and the whole pre-internet experience? What was it like? How did you find that rare part? How did people stay in touch?

Like I said earlier, many pre-internet VW groups did a great deal to promote the preservation and ongoing interest in ACVW's. "GASS", like others, should not be forgotten. The samba gives us an opportunity to memorialize groups like "GASS", and others, that nurtured this hobby between the end of air-cooled era and the arrival of the internet.

There are probably countless other groups like "GASS" that were around 'back in the day', but many of us never heard of them. Will they be lost to history? Probably. That's unfortunate.

Anyway, I first came in contact with "GASS" at one of the German Jubilee's at Jim's VW in Canfield, Ohio. Proobably '94 or '95. I bought that black t-shirt shown in a post above at that show. I was standing next to a pristine '56 silver oval bug. Really nice. That was 15 years ago. I wonder where that bug is today?

At that show "GASS" had a 'tent like booth' set up and they had copies of the newsletter and their t-shirts. They were selling memberships. I think they had window stickers, but if I got one it's lost to history. The people at the table were really cool.

That was an interesting time because you couldn't go "on-line" and gaze at cool pictures of rare VW's. The only time you really saw them was when they showed up "live". Things just seemed a lot "rarer" then.

Anyway, this thread is great. Who has some pictures of some early GASS shows in the east that they can scan in? Anyone?

skills@eurocarsplus · Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 7:27 am Post subject:

WM971252 also has (or had) the 'GASS' trailer that was used at shows to haul set up stuff to events/ shows. if i'm not mistaken, troy also built a 1776 for his 65 panel. its been a while, so don't take what i say as gospel. i was pretty young at the time, and met WM971252 when i was about 11. for a long time i was the youngest member of NEATO, and met a ton of people thru WM971252, who ultimately took me under their wing which was about 20 years ago Shocked

dam, i'm getting old Crying or Very sad

WM971252 · Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 4:27 pm Post subject:

Yes I have a lot of GASS stuff. The GASS trailer is probably on the move to Mr Limbo. The motor went into our 58 Bug that has changed hands a few times so far.

Troy used to travel a lot trying to get to all the east coast shows. The main purpose of GASS was to be a magazine for the east coast VW people. Not a club so there was none of the club BS. Was a great thing back then. As far as parts, there was a classified section that you had to wait till the mail came. Shows was the place to find the stuff you wanted or know the guy with all the parts in the yard...

jensend · Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 4:17 pm Post subject: Gass Magazines link

Hesitated to post this previously as this is my ad, but figured that someone from this thread might have missed the ad and might be interested.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=552435

studio2 · Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 1:20 am Post subject: GASS / German Air Sucker Society

OK, you guys can stop talking about me now... LOL I'm still alive and working my craft on a new type of canvas. Check out www.studio2custompaint.com I spent a few years as a Volkswagen Sales Manager, and then Porsche at Kempthorn Motors in Canton, Ohio. The past few years I have been running my studio doing custom motorcycle paint. True, it would be nice to start GASS up again, who knows... I enjoyed the crap out of it! Most of all, I enjoyed the people! Never met more wonderful, unique people than I did when I traveled and covered events. Pretty much, GASS caused the end of my first marriage due to the fact I was never home. LOL The EMPI Small Wonder car is in France last time I checked. I kept a great detail of history, and would have to thank mostly Clay and Mary as well as others for helping to make it come together... A story on IT as well as the GASS history could be in order I guess... When ever the studio lets me take the time. Troy Smile

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rgdedge · Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 9:28 am Post subject:

Good to hear from you Troy. Dont know if you remember me, I bought the Valvoline/Hooters drag bug from Mike Taylor in Knoxville Tn in 1994 or 95. I really liked Gass, still have all my issues. It would be nice to see it out again.
Tim Elliott

hazetguy · Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 9:58 am Post subject:

studio2 · Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 5:37 pm Post subject: GASS / German Air Sucker Society

Granted I miss the events, and oh yes, the antics at the Woodstock Woods as well as the KOA's in Florida, the cajun peanuts and waffles in Georgia, GoJo showers in Cherokee, and who could ever forget the crazy pre event campouts and parties from Gatlinburg to Roanoake, and then there is the inability to remember how many VW cases got tossed on various bonfires across the East Coast... Perhaps I should write a book. I hope that everyone is well, and that you all still have a spot in your hearts (as well as memories) from those days. I know we've lost a few friends over the past years (our friend Big Ray Betz recently), but I would enjoy hearing from you all, and perhaps pass the word to our fellow "air-suckers" and we could all meet back here on the Samba... Perhaps a German Air Sucker Memory forum? Just a thought. Smile

Troy
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bill may · Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2009 7:06 pm Post subject:

glad to see that you came here Troy. my hometown Alliance.
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dan0 · Posted: Sat Mar 28, 2009 6:41 am Post subject:

I was a member of GASS. I saw them at a Spring Show and Go in Englishtown NJ when I was 15 1/2 y/o. I had just purchased my first car a 71 Super. I got my membership, two stickers, and a green GASS shirt.

Sadly I only have one copy of Voice of the Enthusiast left.

If anyone that has a good collection can make a copy of an article for me. One of the issues had a profile/history of New Milford VW. My local dealer which I used to work for. Got fired on Tuesday, long story.

Herbie3Rivers · Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 8:56 pm Post subject:

Glad you signed up Troy. We'll have to get together sometime.
_________________
Yeah I like Herbie AND New Beetles. Got a problem with it? Tough.

2010 New Beetle Final Edition
2009 Ford Mustang Bullitt
1999 New Beetle GLS
1983 Mercedes 300D
1974 Karmann Ghia
1972 Super Beetle
1970 Beetle Sunroof
1959 Original Herbie #6
1956 Oval

Three Rvers VW Club

Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix

Visit Herbie the Love Bug at LoveBugFans.com

Mr. Unpopular · Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 10:24 am Post subject:

A friend (and fellow air cooled owner) and I were at a McDonalds here in Tampa the other day and saw a homeless guy wearing a GASS shirt. It was different than the one posted though, it was black, but the logo on the back had a side view silhouette of a bug and the name was around it in a circle. I asked the guy if he had a VW (before I realized he was homeless) and he said he used to, but then couldn't tell me about the club or the shirt, so not sure.

It's a great name for a club.
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Typ3nut · Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:36 am Post subject: GASS Window Sticker

This VW Society is Missed !

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

Here's a GASS... Voice of the Enthusiast "United Thru Air" "Rare" German Air Wear Backpack, loaded with Issue #1 Jan-Feb 1993 complete thru Issue #42 Jan-Feb 1999.
First Issue has Troy's GASS - Director, Business Card & Autographed.
These are some Great Reading Material from back in the day.

Herbie3Rivers · Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 5:06 pm Post subject:

I've got every issue too. Along with some awesome one off Troy artwork that he did for my vw club. You look close in a couple of those later issues and you'll find me in there a few times.
_________________
Yeah I like Herbie AND New Beetles. Got a problem with it? Tough.

2010 New Beetle Final Edition
2009 Ford Mustang Bullitt
1999 New Beetle GLS
1983 Mercedes 300D
1974 Karmann Ghia
1972 Super Beetle
1970 Beetle Sunroof
1959 Original Herbie #6
1956 Oval

Three Rvers VW Club

Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix

Visit Herbie the Love Bug at LoveBugFans.com

Tram · Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 10:19 pm Post subject:

Just happened to see this thread at the top, and wondered why I'd never heard of GASS, having lived in the Akron/ Canton/ Cleveland/ Youngstown areas for years. But I left Ohio in September, 1991. It looks like GASS started up shortly after. Cool stuff! Very Happy

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I will always have a fond memory of my first VW show. It was a GASS show in 96 or 97 up near Akron I believe. There was some kind of antique train show going on also behind the camping/show area which was in a field behind a VW shop. (Maybe if Troy sees this he can shed some light for me.)
My girlfriend(wife now) and I were admiring a '58 23-window. A guy heard us talking about it and he said "I got one of those too. But it's a '57." Shocked

Of course, at some point I asked if he would ever sell it. He said maybe. I called him for awhile and the rest is history. Brought it home in fall of '97.
At this point in my VW life, I had only ever owned a couple bay windows and like many people dreamed of a 23 window! My one and only splitty so far.
I got this book at the show for a few bucks and it has a ton of information that was very helpful in the days before all the VW info was on the net.

It's got every year of every Type broken down into chassis, body, engine, etc. as you can see from the pictures. Lots of Porsche info also. (not pictured)

WOB729 · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 6:14 am Post subject:

I think i still have some pictures of Troy's old drag car. I was going through a black and white photo phase. I'll try and dig them up and post some scans.


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