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MDKG
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2008
Posts: 1088
Location: The Netherlands
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 Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 1:44 am Post subject: What happened to World-Wide Volkswagen Corp. NY? |
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Does anyone know what has happened to the distributor World-Wide Volkswagen Corp. of New York?
I already did some research and found the following:
The company was founded under the name World-Wide Volkswagen Corp. by Arthur Stanton in 1954. In 1965 the company moved to Orangeburg, NY according to this article found here on The Samba:
I checked the location on Google maps and took this quite depressing shot
Besides some trucks or containers it looks pretty empty during daytime nowadays. 
When Stanton died in 1987 WWVW was still located in Orangeburg. The last thing I can find is that the company was taken over by Volkswagen in 1993. When searching Google I find thousands of pages on some law suits the company was involved with. 
I have a 1959 Karmann convertible and I have a fair assumption my car was originally shipped to WWVW in New York. I am trying to trace the history of my car (check here http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=380467) so I would be very interested to know what happened to WWVW after 1993? Specifically to any archives or files that were kept! 
Any information would be much appreciated.
Thanks for reading.
Marcel |
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hazetguy
Samba Member
Joined: April 06, 2001
Posts: 10773
Location: iT StiNgeD iTseLf tO dEAd
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| Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:51 am Post subject: |
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they used to have a VW show in their parking lot. i went there a couple times in the late 80's.
i always thought their demise was due to VWoA consolidating their warehousing and headquarters. i don't know any real specifics, sorry.
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73sports
Samba Member
Joined: September 26, 2004
Posts: 2107
Location: Warrington, PA
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| Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, I remember there being shows at that place into the early 90's. I think VW closed that location down when they started using Auburn Hills, MI as their US headquaters. Now that they are moving it to Herndon, VA, I wonder what will become of the MI location.
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David
Samba Member
Joined: June 29, 2004
Posts: 2027
Location: Raleigh, NC
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| Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 1:55 am Post subject: |
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| 73sports wrote: |
| Yeah, I remember there being shows at that place into the early 90's. I think VW closed that location down when they started using Auburn Hills, MI as their US headquaters. Now that they moved it to Herndon, VA, I wonder what will become of the MI location. |
Fixed.
Supposedly 600 jobs were going to stay in MI - dunno if it happened.
I do know it's cool to be able to drive 5 minutes down the road and see Bugatti Veyrons and the latest and greatest VWs & Audis 
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Cheers,
Dave
*October '54 Ragtop
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MDKG
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2008
Posts: 1088
Location: The Netherlands
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| Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 2:14 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the replies guys.
I guess if there were any files or archives at WWVW they were either destroyed or they were moved to the new location.
Does anyone know who to contact at VWoA to get any info on this?
I emailed a request via the US VW website but all I got was this lousy response by Wanda saying that I should contact my local Volkswagen representative:
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Welcome to our Volkswagen web site. We are located in North America and are only able to accommodate US and Canadian inquiries or concerns. For further information and guidance within a specific region, please contact that local website or Volkswagen representative. To find the appropriate web site, please click on the following link to visit Volkswagen's worldwide website listings.http://www.vw.com/companyinfo/worldwide.html. We hope you enjoyed your visit to vw.com!
Wanda
Volktalk |
I am looking for information on a car that was sold in the US! How can they help me in The Netherlands? Duh!  |
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WM971252
Samba Member
Joined: September 10, 2004
Posts: 1781
Location: Franklin CT
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| Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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I would expect any record that was there is destroyed now. They had roll off containers with escorts going to the dump from there, too hard to move good stuff so they destroyed them (many containers too....).
I talked to a guy that worked there, he could not even get anything out or convince them to have a "tag sale". |
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MDKG
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2008
Posts: 1088
Location: The Netherlands
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| Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 1:47 am Post subject: |
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| WM971252 wrote: |
I would expect any record that was there is destroyed now. They had roll off containers with escorts going to the dump from there, too hard to move good stuff so they destroyed them (many containers too....).
I talked to a guy that worked there, he could not even get anything out or convince them to have a "tag sale". |
That's really sad  They should have digitalized it. People pay 35 euros for a birth certificate (including myself  ) so why not make some money or even better keep it at hand to please your loyal customers. Now that is a new concept! |
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Glenn 
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 76902
Location: Sneaking up behind you
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| Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 5:11 am Post subject: |
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| hazetguy wrote: |
| i always thought their demise was due to VWoA consolidating their warehousing and headquarters. i don't know any real specifics, sorry. |
World Wide was one of a number of independent dealers that were started before VWoA was formed. They had their own territory and VWoA was not the distributor. In the 80's VWoA started buying out these distributors and World Wide was the last of them.
VWoA forced them out of business.
It was the start of the evil empire and the dark days.
As it turns out i'll be in Orangeburg, NY today... about a mile from the old World Wide location.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
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Russ Wolfe
Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2004
Posts: 25187
Location: Central Iowa
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| Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 9:08 am Post subject: |
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Import Motors Chicago/VW North Central was the distributor I worked out of back in the 60-70s. Where their building stood, is now a housing development.
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MDKG
Samba Member
Joined: October 16, 2008
Posts: 1088
Location: The Netherlands
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| Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 11:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Russ Wolfe wrote: |
| Import Motors Chicago/VW North Central was the distributor I worked out of back in the 60-70s. Where their building stood, is now a housing development. |
Must have been cool to see new Beetles (not New Beetles) arrive their back in the 60s. Do you know what happened to any records on clients or cars when they closed or moved?
Thanks
Marcel |
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