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General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Stig / Major Tom on September 03, 2025, 01:06:09 AM

Title: One for Randyo
Post by: Stig / Major Tom on September 03, 2025, 01:06:09 AM
This Vanagon in Yellow Springs was pristine....and I wasn't the only person looking at it!
(https://i.postimg.cc/y8yzYgKx/20250831-133641.jpg)
We took the pup for a little socializing after a good walk in the park. She doesn't get to town often.

Everything fascinated her! Y.S. was packed as usual.
(https://i.postimg.cc/XNBSBDWT/20250831-134107.jpg)

It was a gorgeous day.
(https://i.postimg.cc/zfG4zxp2/20250831-145109.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/pVF4LhYv/20250831-144932.jpg)

I had a Shot-in-the-Dark from Dino's, with a xtra shot of expresso. (=3) Ladies had something brown....
(https://i.postimg.cc/7hkV66wP/20250831-133711.jpg)

that same street....at 6AM.
(https://i.postimg.cc/9QMBzs59/20250825-062658.jpg)

Stig

Title: Re: One for Randyo
Post by: Neil955i on September 03, 2025, 09:19:48 AM
Lovely photos as ever Stig.  Thanks.
Title: Re: One for Randyo
Post by: randyo on September 03, 2025, 07:10:01 PM
how do you know what gear yer in, my son said to me

and I told him just to push the floor shifter in that general direction, it'll find it's way
Title: Re: One for Randyo
Post by: Stig / Major Tom on September 04, 2025, 01:55:50 PM
how do you know what gear yer in, my son said to me

and I told him just to push the floor shifter in that general direction, it'll find it's way
I had my local German/auto shop (BUG HUT) put Red Line in - made the shifting a lot smoother - especially in the winter!
I sold our Vanagon GL because the owner of the Bug Hut retired. It had been so nice to have an old VW mechanic doing the work - rather than the kids at the dealer. I could drop it off and walk to work - was ready at quitting time. Two quirky things - At replacement time - discovered that Micheline did not sell in the USA the tires it came with. And, it was made in Austria.

Here I am getting it cleaned up for sale, after 20 yrs. Similar color wife's Jetta GL just in the pic. Both were great cars! Kept the 91 Vanagon (bought new @ $18,500*) for 20 yrs, the 89 Jetta a little longer. Always thought the Vanagon color was pretty classy - but it was like waxing a 3 bedroom house! (used a stepladder) Brother managed a Porsche/Audi dealership and got me a nice Blaupunkt at cost! Slid right in.

Removed the head-rests, unclipped that back seat , it slid forward and then laid back. With that mattress over the engine compartment - it made a comfy bed. Some discussion that daughter #4 was created there! ("a VW baby")

(https://i.postimg.cc/fbHSgLZR/VW.jpg)

Stig
*bought my first cream-over-orange Vanagon the first year they came out. Was it 1980?, air-cooled. At that time the Vanagon was the most expensive VW ever sold in the USA - baby was $10,000 !! Horrible MPG's! Slow off the line and thirsty - wonderful combination!
Early magazine ads called the new Vanagon "the Porsche of vans!" Its handling compared ot US barges.
Title: Re: One for Randyo
Post by: Stig / Major Tom on September 06, 2025, 02:46:48 AM
Lovely photos as ever Stig.  Thanks.
That's amazing!
Never seen anything like that.
Thanks Neil.
Stig
Title: Re: One for Randyo
Post by: randyo on September 18, 2025, 11:48:10 PM
I've been in a sports car frame of mind, looking at Ghia's

the pretty ones are big $ and ones that still cost 4x new need big work

(https://classicautoloc.com/articles_photos/volkswagen-karman-ghia-1967-rouge_1.jpg)
Title: Re: One for Randyo
Post by: Iahawk on September 19, 2025, 12:49:55 PM
I can't tell you the last time I saw a Karmann Ghia around here! I knew 2 girls who drove them in high school back in the 80's and a hippie art teacher in elementary school drove one in the 70's. Here in Iowa we salt the roads too much for old cars to survive.

Mustie1 is a youtuber from somewhere in the NE US..he works on lots of old VWs and has done a number of vids on refreshing old Karmann Ghias.

Good looking cars but as you said, getting very expensive to find a nice one.
Title: Re: One for Randyo
Post by: randyo on September 19, 2025, 06:06:58 PM
I can't tell you the last time I saw a Karmann Ghia around here! I knew 2 girls who drove them in high school back in the 80's and a hippie art teacher in elementary school drove one in the 70's. Here in Iowa we salt the roads too much for old cars to survive.

Mustie1 is a youtuber from somewhere in the NE US..he works on lots of old VWs and has done a number of vids on refreshing old Karmann Ghias.

Good looking cars but as you said, getting very expensive to find a nice one.

even empty stripped bodies w no engine are going for $15k, restored examples going for $50k, for a car that cost $1,800 new in '67  Engine no big deal, easy enough to build one, the one I posted the pic is a '67, first year 12volt but still old style bumpers, would be the ideal year

Salt eats cars here in NH too
Title: Re: One for Randyo
Post by: Stig / Major Tom on September 19, 2025, 11:35:19 PM
even empty stripped bodies w no engine are going for $15k, restored examples going for $50k, for a car that cost $1,800 new in '67  Engine no big deal, easy enough to build one, the one I posted the pic is a '67, first year 12volt but still old style bumpers, would be the ideal year

Salt eats cars here in NH too
I paid $2120.00 OTD for my new '71 Beetle. Ghias were @ $700 more....but repairing that nose always worried me.
(https://i.postimg.cc/4yRHLw08/VWbeetle.jpg)

All my buds in the Army had to keep putting $ into their American cars - So I was determined to buy a VW, or a Rolls Royce.
2 year warranty~!.

Stig
Title: Re: One for Randyo
Post by: wymple on September 20, 2025, 02:01:33 AM
My cousin bought a new red Ghia fresh out of the military way back when. It was cool, neat little car, but sure was a dog.
Title: Re: One for Randyo
Post by: randyo on September 20, 2025, 02:47:08 AM
I paid $2120.00 OTD for my new '71 Beetle. Ghias were @ $700 more....but repairing that nose always worried me.
(https://i.postimg.cc/4yRHLw08/VWbeetle.jpg)

All my buds in the Army had to keep putting $ into their American cars - So I was determined to buy a VW, or a Rolls Royce.
2 year warranty~!.

Stig

2120 otd with an 1840 sticker, ? my first car was a '68 Beetle. I bought it used, but remember a $1,7xx sticker still in the glove box

wish I kept it, I thought I was stepping up in the world when I sold the Bug and bought a '72 Vega
Title: Re: One for Randyo
Post by: Viper254 on September 20, 2025, 07:59:34 AM
I walk past a VW van most days (will do in the next hour with the dog) that's been hand painted orange from top to bottom - still going though, and somebody must love it I guess!
Title: Re: One for Randyo
Post by: Neil955i on September 20, 2025, 10:57:25 AM
I walk past a VW van most days (will do in the next hour with the dog) that's been hand painted orange from top to bottom - still going though, and somebody must love it I guess!

Yeah, we got an old VW Campervan in the village which I see occasionally.
Title: Re: One for Randyo
Post by: randyo on September 22, 2025, 05:30:24 PM
I sold our Vanagon GL because the owner of the Bug Hut retired. It had been so nice to have an old VW mechanic doing the work - rather than the kids at the dealer.


used to be a guy like that here, Skip's Bug Barn. He won a lottery and retired,
I wouldn't trust the local dealer with anything air cooled, they didn't become a VW dealer till after VW stopped making em. Before that, they were a Yamaha motorcycle dealer

I was still a DIY guy when I had  VW's