Split Window Beetle Section of the Volkswagen Owners Club (GB)..

[RichOakley]

Back in 1975, a trio of Volkswagen enthusiasts here in the UK founded the Split Window Beetle section of the VWOC (GB). Rod Sleigh (who is currently finishing off the restoration of his '46 Beetle), Brian Screaton (from whom I obtained this information and is a long-time VW enthusiast) and Bill Foottit (sadly no longer with us), organised the inaugural meeting of the Split Window Beetle chapter at a Volkswagen dealership called Federated Garages in Market Harborough, Leicestershire.
Five Split Window Beetles attended this meeting on 17th May 1975. I wasn't able to attend this meeting, nor was I particularly interested in doing so, as I was only four weeks old at the time.

Here is a picture from that first meeting:

From left to right: Bill Foottit's Pastel Green '51 (42 BXA), Derek Smith's Black '51 (SLH 16), Maurice Goldsmith's Black RHD '52 (MRT 308), Rod Sleigh's '49 (TJJ 62) and Jaques Merten's Pastel Green '51 (Jaques travelled from Belgium to attend the meeting!)

This afternoon, I just happened to be driving past the site of Federated Garages in my '47. The building is still there and very much looks the same, but is no longer a VW dealership:

Hope somebody finds this information of interest!
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1947 Beetle
1956 RHD Karmann Cabrio
1956 RHD Beetle
1957 RHD Pitt-Moto Type 2 Camper
1959 RHD Beetle
1966 RHD Type 3 Fastback
1976 RHD Sun Beetle

[Jeliz]

Hey Rich,

Technically you could have made that first meeting

Thanks again for your time when i was over there in July.

Jim

[RichOakley]

[RichOakley]

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1947 Beetle
1956 RHD Karmann Cabrio
1956 RHD Beetle
1957 RHD Pitt-Moto Type 2 Camper
1959 RHD Beetle
1966 RHD Type 3 Fastback
1976 RHD Sun Beetle

[rod_vw]

Great picture Rich, I bet it wasn't as cold and wet when you were there recently as when we met for that first meeting.

I believe the red Oval seen in the background of the top picture would have belonged to Paul Smith, Derek's Son. I seem to remember its fate was being written off in an road traffic accident. Paul is still in the VW business in the West Midlands I think.
_________________
Rod,
Please visit http://www.historicvws.org.uk
https://www.facebook.com/historicvwclub/

1946 Beetle (Back on the road after over 50 years! Last major outing - Hessisch Oldendorf 2022)
2016 T6 Selfbuild Camper and a LWB MAN TGE in build.

[Martin Southwell]

Nice picture. A hairy, young Rod Sleigh can be seen 2nd from the right. Not that he's devoid of hair these days, and I'm sure could get it back to this length without trouble. Two of these cars are no longer in the UK. SLH went to the USA many years ago, and TJJ went to Hawaii not long after, where I believe they both remain.

Federated Garages were good to me back in the late 70's/early 80's, as Richard Cotton told me that they were selling off their stock, which in retrospect might be a prelude to them closing down, and so I went and had a look at what was for sale. I ended up coming home with a pair of NOS doors for a pre Oct 52 split window beetle, which I still have today, unused! The stuff of dreams even then.

[Grant Reiling]

[Martin Southwell]

I've just tried ringing Richard to verify things, but he's out! If I remember correctly, 70 FYF was a the car Richard took to Stanford Hall for a Practical Classics magazine comparison with a Morris Minor, for which I was also present. I have some pictures of the car, including one where Richard had been towed back in it, because something had caused the engine to stop. He's wasn't happy at me taking the picture, and I still have it somewhere, and will dig it out.

Nice to see in the picture that the windscreen (US=Windshield) is still held in place with an original window rubber, with the 45 degree join.

It seemed that every car Richard had for a while was light blue, and I was sure he had a 40 gallon drum of light blue paint hidden somewhere. I always said that he's cars were painted in Cotton Blue!

[RichOakley]

[Martin Southwell]

Here is one of the pictures I was talking about above, at Stanford Hall in the early 80's. Note the tool box! I do have a better photo somewhere, clearly showing Richard with very long hair, which I'll dig out when back from holiday in a couple of weeks time.

[Grant Reiling]

[Martin Southwell]

Grant - I found that other photo I was talking about earlier, showing Richard Cotton & 70 FYF at Stanford Hall in the early 1980's. In it you can clearly see the car on the end of a rope (or should that be on top of it?) having been towed by an early Audi, which was 'the business' in those days, and which I think belonged to Brian Screaton, who always had more 'up market' cars than we did for our everyday transport!

You can see Richard looking like someone we all know well from Biblical times, and as I said previously, not very happy at me taking pictures of his dilema.

How far is the car from being roadworthy today? Surely it can't be that bad if it's been sitting in garages for the past 40 years? Any pictures available?

[Grant Reiling]

[kevsplitty]

Love this Rich, i was there but only 8 at the time
This is dad when he first brought MRT home he paid £90 for it & his dad my grandad said what the hell is that !! He was a true british leyland man so when dad went German he wasn't too pleased lol

Me & my brother

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UK 62 RHD 15 Window Deluxe
UK 65 RHD single cab
UK 56 RHD Oval bug