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Standard Split
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Joined: November 14, 2006
Posts: 29
Location: London, England
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 Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 10:23 am Post subject: Albert Klein's record Beetle |
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Does anyone have pictures or info of Albert Klein's claimed 'record mileage' Beetle.
Pasadena is the town where the man and car live(d). The car is catalogued as being the 'highest mileage Beetle in the world' after my 1950 Beetle Rattletrap which lives with me in London UK, yet I can't find much about it 
Rattletrap / Klein Beetle debate at
http://forums.pre67vw.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=16378&p=28
(You will need to be able to log in to view all images.) |
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hazetguy
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Joined: April 06, 2001
Posts: 10773
Location: iT StiNgeD iTseLf tO dEAd
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| Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 10:42 am Post subject: |
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i used to work for the company that did the printing of Automobile Quarterly. every once in a while there would be a feature on VW or VW related stories. this was on the last page of one issue. this is from a press sheet and i don't know which issue it was in, sorry. it would have been from somewhere between 1987 and 1991.
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Patty B.
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Joined: July 14, 2005
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Location: Brampton, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 4:34 pm Post subject: |
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VW gave him "a new Fox to honor him for his feat..."--thanks for nothing VW.   |
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Russ Wolfe
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Joined: October 08, 2004
Posts: 25187
Location: Central Iowa
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| Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 9:30 pm Post subject: |
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Someone probably has it slammed on earlies.
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83_WabbitGTI
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Joined: December 01, 2006
Posts: 1335
Location: Eagle Point, Oregon
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| Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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Or it just fell apart from exhaustion. Wow... That's a lot of miles.
BTW... How can you put that many miles on in London??? Isn't it like 50 feet across? 
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2013-2014 Vice President of SOVW www.sovw.org
"No matter how a VW breaks down.... You can always make it home on Zipties, Ducktape, and JB Weld...."
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83 Rabbit GTI - 83 Rabbit LS Custom - 63 Westy - 65 Bug - 64 Baja (Herbie's Studly Cousin) - 91 Audi 90 Quattro 20v - 85 Vw Cabby - 84 VW Scirocco - 69 Beetle (Phantasm Bug) - 78 Cabriolet
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Russ Wolfe
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Joined: October 08, 2004
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Location: Central Iowa
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| Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Patty B. wrote: |
| VW gave him "a new Fox to honor him for his feat..."--thanks for nothing VW. |
Don't knock the Fox.
Had one given to me about a year ago. Had someone bad mouth it, and say it wouldn't make it to the east coast. So I drove it there 3 times. 12,000 highway miles in 1 year on a free car. It is a daily driver here.
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Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up, you end up with a lot of scum on the top!--Edward Abbey
Gary: OK. Ima poop. |
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83_WabbitGTI
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Joined: December 01, 2006
Posts: 1335
Location: Eagle Point, Oregon
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| Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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I like the VW fox, but the Audi Fox is where it's at.
_________________
2013-2014 Vice President of SOVW www.sovw.org
"No matter how a VW breaks down.... You can always make it home on Zipties, Ducktape, and JB Weld...."
-Doug Christen, VW Owner
83 Rabbit GTI - 83 Rabbit LS Custom - 63 Westy - 65 Bug - 64 Baja (Herbie's Studly Cousin) - 91 Audi 90 Quattro 20v - 85 Vw Cabby - 84 VW Scirocco - 69 Beetle (Phantasm Bug) - 78 Cabriolet
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Russ Wolfe
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Joined: October 08, 2004
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Location: Central Iowa
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| Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 9:38 pm Post subject: |
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Mean while, back on track.
Does anyone know where that beetle ended up?
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Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up, you end up with a lot of scum on the top!--Edward Abbey
Gary: OK. Ima poop. |
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VWAdam
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Location: Birmingham, Alabama
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| Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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I want to say I heard somewhere it was wrecked beyond repair a few years back? But I'm not sure.
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Bruce
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Joined: May 16, 2003
Posts: 17290
Location: Left coast, Canada
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| Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 12:07 am Post subject: Re: Albert Klein's record Beetle |
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| Standard Split wrote: |
...
The car is catalogued as being the 'highest mileage Beetle in the world' after my 1950 Beetle Rattletrap which lives with me in London UK, ... |
Albert Klein's car isn't "after" Rattletrap in total miles, it's WAAAAYYY ahead. After crossing the 1 million mile mark, he set his sights on the 2 million km target.
VW gave him the Fox in exchange for the Bug, but Albert wasn't done with it. He achieved the 2 million km title, then AFAIK, handed the keys to VWoA for their museum.
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| overheard at the portland Swap Meet... wrote: |
| ..... a steering wheel made from a mastadon tusk..... |
Last edited by Bruce on Tue Jun 29, 2010 11:32 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Patty B.
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Joined: July 14, 2005
Posts: 2181
Location: Brampton, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 6:41 am Post subject: |
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A Golf or Jetta would have been a classier gift!
Not so much knocking the Fox--I thought of getting one once myself.
| Russ Wolfe wrote: |
| Patty B. wrote: |
| VW gave him "a new Fox to honor him for his feat..."--thanks for nothing VW. |
Don't knock the Fox.
Had one given to me about a year ago. Had someone bad mouth it, and say it wouldn't make it to the east coast. So I drove it there 3 times. 12,000 highway miles in 1 year on a free car. It is a daily driver here. |
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Standard Split
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Joined: November 14, 2006
Posts: 29
Location: London, England
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| Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 2:14 am Post subject: |
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| 83_WabbitGTI wrote: |
Or it just fell apart from exhaustion. Wow... That's a lot of miles.
BTW... How can you put that many miles on in London??? Isn't it like 50 feet across? |
| Bruce wrote: |
Ralph Klein's car isn't "after" Rattletrap in total miles, it's WAAAAYYY ahead. After crossing the 1 million mile mark, he set his sights on the 2 million km target.
VW gave him the Fox in exchange for the Bug, but Ralph wasn't done with it. He achieved the 2 million km title, then AFAIK, handed the keys to VWoA for their museum. |
The difference is that Rattletrap is alive and well living in that quaint little ol' London 
Sadly though, Klein's car no longer exists – it was written off  |
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83_WabbitGTI
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Joined: December 01, 2006
Posts: 1335
Location: Eagle Point, Oregon
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| Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 5:54 am Post subject: |
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I bet there's still parts of it floating around.... Didn't someone say it was in the VW museum?
_________________
2013-2014 Vice President of SOVW www.sovw.org
"No matter how a VW breaks down.... You can always make it home on Zipties, Ducktape, and JB Weld...."
-Doug Christen, VW Owner
83 Rabbit GTI - 83 Rabbit LS Custom - 63 Westy - 65 Bug - 64 Baja (Herbie's Studly Cousin) - 91 Audi 90 Quattro 20v - 85 Vw Cabby - 84 VW Scirocco - 69 Beetle (Phantasm Bug) - 78 Cabriolet
Need a VW website built? PM me. |
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Standard Split
Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2006
Posts: 29
Location: London, England
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| Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 10:57 am Post subject: Re: Albert Klein's record Beetle |
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| Bruce wrote: |
| Standard Split wrote: |
...
The car is catalogued as being the 'highest mileage Beetle in the world' after my 1950 Beetle Rattletrap which lives with me in London UK, ... |
Ralph Klein's car isn't "after" Rattletrap in total miles, it's WAAAAYYY ahead. After crossing the 1 million mile mark, he set his sights on the 2 million km target.
VW gave him the Fox in exchange for the Bug, but Ralph wasn't done with it. He achieved the 2 million km title, then AFAIK, handed the keys to VWoA for their museum. |
All as maybe, BUT Rattletrap still exists – it seems that Klein's car may still be running around – recycled as various other cars, buses and trains |
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Bruce
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Joined: May 16, 2003
Posts: 17290
Location: Left coast, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 11:31 pm Post subject: Re: Albert Klein's record Beetle |
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| Standard Split wrote: |
| Bruce wrote: |
| Standard Split wrote: |
...
The car is catalogued as being the 'highest mileage Beetle in the world' after my 1950 Beetle Rattletrap which lives with me in London UK, ... |
Albert Klein's car isn't "after" Rattletrap in total miles, it's WAAAAYYY ahead. After crossing the 1 million mile mark, he set his sights on the 2 million km target.
VW gave him the Fox in exchange for the Bug, but Albert wasn't done with it. He achieved the 2 million km title, then AFAIK, handed the keys to VWoA for their museum. |
All as maybe, BUT Rattletrap still exists – it seems that Klein's car may still be running around – recycled as various other cars, buses and trains |
It's true your car is still around. Get back to us when you surpass Albert Klein's record.
_________________
| overheard at the portland Swap Meet... wrote: |
| ..... a steering wheel made from a mastadon tusk..... |
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malachai
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Joined: August 02, 2004
Posts: 645
Location: Großbritannien
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| Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 8:54 am Post subject: |
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| 83_WabbitGTI wrote: |
Or it just fell apart from exhaustion. Wow... That's a lot of miles.
BTW... How can you put that many miles on in London??? Isn't it like 50 feet across? |
I'm thinking, maybe, just maybe, he has not done all those miles in London? They let you in and out for free after 6pm
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Standard Split
Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2006
Posts: 29
Location: London, England
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| Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 11:30 am Post subject: Re: Albert Klein's record Beetle |
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| Bruce wrote: |
It's true your car is still around. Get back to us when you surpass Albert Klein's record. |
I guess I could drive round and round the London orbital (M25) every evening like Mr Kleine confessed to doing round his local ring road just to add the miles  |
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Bruce
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Joined: May 16, 2003
Posts: 17290
Location: Left coast, Canada
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| Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 11:38 am Post subject: Re: Albert Klein's record Beetle |
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| Standard Split wrote: |
| Bruce wrote: |
It's true your car is still around. Get back to us when you surpass Albert Klein's record. |
I guess I could drive round and round the London orbital (M25) every evening like Mr Kleine confessed to doing round his local ring road just to add the miles |
Miles are miles. Your suggestion that he "cheated" doesn't wash.
Admit it, your car is SECOND. And it will likely NEVER be first.
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| overheard at the portland Swap Meet... wrote: |
| ..... a steering wheel made from a mastadon tusk..... |
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Standard Split
Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2006
Posts: 29
Location: London, England
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| Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 11:42 am Post subject: |
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| malachai wrote: |
| 83_WabbitGTI wrote: |
Or it just fell apart from exhaustion. Wow... That's a lot of miles.
BTW... How can you put that many miles on in London??? Isn't it like 50 feet across? |
I'm thinking, maybe, just maybe, he has not done all those miles in London? They let you in and out for free after 6pm |
Rattletrap's toured the USA you know, Tennessee was where he had the big smash with the MAC truck 
He's become a London Knight Rider, can't afford all those London day time charges
Last edited by Standard Split on Thu Jul 01, 2010 12:00 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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Standard Split
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Joined: November 14, 2006
Posts: 29
Location: London, England
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| Posted: Thu Jul 01, 2010 11:46 am Post subject: |
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| hazetguy wrote: |
| i used to work for the company that did the printing of Automobile Quarterly. every once in a while there would be a feature on VW or VW related stories. this was on the last page of one issue. this is from a press sheet and i don't know which issue it was in, sorry. it would have been from somewhere between 1987 and 1991. |
Hey thanks for the great picture of Albert Klein's car, it seems there's no other pictures of it around (odd for such a 'record' car) |
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