Really nice event and words are too few for the perfect organisation. Has a hell of a weekend. Over 1500 Tupe2’s and 1 plattenwagen. Hihi. The entire horizon filled with lovely Type2's. Went really to fast or the weekends are to short. Especially thanks for the lovely evening at chat with the unforgettable Dr. Wolfrace. Guess why he is called Dr. Wolfrace?? The only splitbus I know on these nice wheels with an incredible jeans interior! ;-)

 

 

 

 

 

Die Volks Freunde wish to invite you on what was supposed to be an Easter run, complete with chocolate eggs and all. Due to a meltdown (literally) you'll have to bring your own sweets on April 25. As usual we meet at the Park&Ride in Gentbrugge at seven in the evening en we start driving at eight.

BE THERE or be as square as a librarian!

And don't forget, if you can't come send a friend, if you do come bring company.

 

I hope the family is safe at home now. To cheer you up guys, luckily you didn't meet this quartet!! ;-) Take care and CU soon.

Perhaps closest to the Hebmüller in design and refinement, and easily mistaken for one at first glance, the Swiss coachbuilder Werner Maier was commissioned to make three convertibles in 1952 after the closure of the Hebmüller factory. The coachworks of Werner Maier of Switzerland, were mainly concerned with conversions of such marques as Lancias and Morrises, but decided to undertake a Beetle based 2 seater conversion, with vehicles supplied by a VW dealership in Basel.

Designed and commissioned by the Maier concern, the Beetles were transported to the Karosserie Karl Rusterholz near Zurich - where the work was carried out.

Each vehicle took 6 weeks of fine coachwork and craftsmanship to build. The results were excellent, but the cost meant the models were double the price of a contemporary Beetle Deluxe, and half the price again of the Karmann cabriolet. The expense meant that only three models were built, which is a pity since they could have inherited the Hebmüller crown, given time and some support from Wolfsburg.

Both the semaphore indicators and the short decklid give the car away, the Hebmüller is always noted for its long, bonnet size rear cover. Only one Maier survives to this day.

The sole survivor was first purchased by a Herr Geisberger in 1952 and was well maintained and even raced in 1956 until he parted with it in 1958. The second owner undertook some modernisation, notably the bumpers, engine and headlights. Herr Werner may have used the car for nefarious purposes since a smuggling compartment was found underneath where the folding roof is stored.

In 1967 the car has sold to Fraülein Rutener, who ironically became the secretary of the original owner, Herr Geisberger. The car disappeared until 1979 when an enthusiast started tracing the history of this Hebmüller like model. Funny how beetle owners run into each other.

The Italians are no strangers to designing Volkswagens, look at the Karmann Ghia and Golf. The now defunct concern of Moto-Torino of Turin, undertook an unknown number of conversion in the late 1950s, only one of which still lives on.

The Moto-Torino is not unlike a Wizard roadster in shape, but was a well built steel coachbuilt conversion rather that a fibreglass built kit. Again, it had a modified Beetle decklid, unlike the long Hebmüller cover, but the Moto-Torino used many cabriolet parts, but an original Beetle 30hp engine.

The surviving example was built in 1959 on a 1957 chassis. This survivor has spent its life in the USA, having been built in Turin, serviced in Germany and shipped straight to Florida in 1959.

A trip round Le Mans with Mike Hawthorn in a Jaguar D-Type. Look at the normal traffic back these days. ;-)

Of course, if you had the cash then the Porsche was new on the market in 1948, but that didn't stop many coach-building firms doing their own models; and what better basis than an easily adaptable and relatively cheap car like the Beetle to use as a base. To compare: a Porsche 356/1100 or a Mercedes-Benz 170S were back in the days as expensive.

The firm of Drews, based in Wuppertal in the Ruhr was one of the most notable firms to start VW based sports cars, (except the most famous; Karmann; but they require whole book to themselves). The firm had concentrated on repairing whatever was at hand in the post war period; including an ex military Kafer; converted to the firm's pick-up truck. But by 1948 the firm began production of what is one of the most attractive VWs ever produced.

Only 150 hand built Drews cabriolets (only cabs) were produced between 1948 and 1951. Drews did not share the advantage that Karmann and Hebmüller enjoyed; receiving Beetle chassis direct from Volkswagen. They had to buy complete cars new and second hand as a basis for its cars.

The Drews cabriolet was longer and squarer that the bug, but sat on an unmodified beetle chassis. The body was aluminium over a steel frame, totally hand built; but retained some details like the beetle glove box. It came with Beetle seats, and a lot of heavy aluminium trim.

Note the kidney steering wheel inside the Drews .The steering wheel was a custom item and the drivers view was somewhat obscured by a heavy central pillar in the front windscreen. The car sat four, but room in the back was a bit tight.

Some cars were custom built; a Swedish customer demanded less trim a and a one piece windscreen, while another opted for both a one piece windscreen and Porsche engine. The firm of Drews is still in existence; but no longer builds sports cars; only one Drews cabriolet survives today, on the continent.

 

The Bugatti Veyron is currently the fastest, most powerful, and most expensive street-legal production car in the world. Top Gear tested Bugatti's claims that the Veyron can go 253 mph (407 kmh). Even without the show's dramatic touches, that's pretty impressive. Now, when they say it's an 850,000 pound car, they aren't talking about the weight! The car will set you back about a 1.5 million American dollars.

A '64 Porsche 356 has been stolen Sunday during the Belcarrace in Zolder. Please contact the local police of Heusden-Zolder on 0032(0)11-45.01.11 if someone would have seen something suspicious or has more information concerning this theft.