VW Sage

This is the story about chasing a dream. Not some perfect dream, more like a short sighted dream. In June of 1993 I bought my first VW Bus. In January 2006 I bought my second. One year later, I have owned over 20 VW’s and I am wondering what went wrong.

This is a story dedicated to any fool who was willing to work hard for something that was so stupid, the people you tell about it don’t just laugh at you, they looked worried and stop sending their kids over to play with yours.

Welcome and enjoy,

The Sage

I first became aware of Brian when I received an e-mail from him a few years ago.

Hey Sage, I noticed that you aren’t to far away from me, are you going to the Lansing show? Let me know, my phone number is (616) XXX-XXXX.

I get to Lansing, the show is lame, but I give him a call. He’s at the show. Brian M is pretty chatty, and I don’t know what to think of him the first time we meet. He has a collection of barndoor parts that he bought and he is pleased.

A Barndoor bus is is the original design. Buses are broken down in this way: 1950- Mid 1955 are “Barndoor”

1956 - 1967 are “Split Window”

1968 - 1979 are “Bay Window”

1980 - 1984 are “Vanagons”

All VW’s after this are not consider as part of the vintage community because they have watercooled engines.

Barndoor owners are unique. They tend to have an ultimate respect for VW buses, because these vehicles are finicky, hard to find parts for and usually 3 - 5 times more expensive to purchase, even if they aren’t in good condition. To own one, you make a statement: “I am insane and have a lot of extra time”

Brian owns some of the oldest VW buses in the world. He loves the community very much, and knows more about Barndoors than just about anyone I have met (except the owner of TheSamba.com). I have been giving lip service to visiting him for a while now. On the way home from a recent road trip, I took the time to stop by.

Brian is single, and has a smaller well kept house in Holland Michigan. He greets me with a high energy smile. He’s about 6′2, and lanky, he talks fast. The first thing I notice is the Barndoor Ambulance in the driveway. He is working on it. At first glance, it is worse than my 23 project. The front has a lot of rust, the interior is stripped, there are dents and other things that often plague buses.

“This is the second oldest Ambulance that has been uncovered in the world” he says with a tone of pride. “I am getting it ready to drive to The Classic.”

The Classic is in Orange County California. That’s 2145 miles one way, if you take the direct route. This bus is hammered. I can’t imagine driving it 100 miles. Needless to say; Brian is hardcore.

He gives me the tour, talking about the over priced rear door he purchased in Japan, and some of the other parts he has to complete it. He will rebuild the engine and transmission for the trip.

When he is done showing me the ambulance, he opens the doors to his simple single bay garage. This is when he gets really excited.

“This is the oldest known truck”

Single cabs were not part of the original bus plan for VW. The VW bus was designed as a simple to operate vehicle to carry cargo. It’s design is genius, because these small trucks can carry more cargo than many full sized vans or station wagons. It was the brain child of a Dutch VW Dealer who drew the original design on a napkin. With the engine in the rear, and you sitting up front, it creates a large area in the middle, and a well balanced ride. In 1948 an 1948 VW experimented with the Type 2 design, and they went into production in 1950.

The single cab pick up is something they started to dabble with in 1952, and Brian’s is likely the second oldest survivor. He shows me all the parts he has been pain painstakingly collecting over years that will go into rebuilding this truck. A “B” pillar, and floor pan, the pick bed. All of it original, all of it not cheap.

We get done looking at his collection of stuff here, then he adds that the rest of his collection is at his storage unit. It’s raining hard, and I am done with looking at the two buses he has here, I suggest that we go to the storage unit. It’s a 15 minute drive, and when we arrive, it looks a lot like my barn; filled with parts and unusual stuff that he plans to use for trading or to help out other owners in the future. He also is paying a decent price for the space.

In here, he has a 52 logoed panel that he hopes to also put back together, plus one barndoor too wasted to restore, but it will be donated to getting the other three on the road.

It’s been a few good hours looking at the collection that many would covet, but few people in Michigan would understand. We have dinner and talk about Holland and how he managed to get to Holland Michigan. That’s another story for another blog.

I have been around vintage car collectors for a while. It is not unusual to see hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on a vintage car that is desirable. These are just like that. What makes the VW hobby so unique is that it is accessible to regular folks. Brian, one of the best collectors, is a machiner. He isn’t very wealthy, but he can be a major player. Most of the VW guys I have met are like this.

I don’t really want a Barndoor myself. To me my next project is all I really want…

TedFest was the brain child of a late night Chat room discussion. Teddy Bear is an old school cat who lives in Cincinnati Ohio, and has been around for a long time in the VW community. He’s been in the online community since the Type 2 List was all there was.

Online communities have taken on a different shape with Facebook, and blogs like this one. Time was that everyone would email each other questions about things, and 10 people would reply. This was how Type 2 List started, and Ted was a part of it. He still has a stack of email’s he printed out with good advice.

I met Ted on The Samba. Ted could always be found in the chat room, and he made idle time go faster. When I “Met” him at Everybus, we hit it off and hung out all weekend. Ted was selling Goldie, his mint 71 Westy, and was fairly somber about it. I had a good time having him show me around Everybus.

Last fall, I am on Samba Chat, and Ted starts tell me about the series of health problems he has coming. Heart surgery, possibly cancer, none of it good. He had also purchased a bug, and all these issues were complicating his hobby. Time passes…

Back to Chat in January, post surgery, Ted mentions he has a car load of old VW magazines he wants to get rid of. I have no interest, but one of the other online guys does. A weekend is established to drive from his home in Missouri to Cinci to get the magazines, and a moment of brilliance occurs.

“I need to come down too Ted”

“OK, everyone’s welcome” I don’t know if he really meant it or not, but it only takes one offer for most of us to drive hundreds of miles to sit on some guys couch for a weekend, so TedFest is born. I’d like to take credit for the name.

So my first road trip for 2009 is on…

The route includes one stop; Ed. Ed is a guy just about my age, who I met at Type 3 Invasion 2008. He is a career bachelor, and has an impressive collection of OG metal.

The plan for our trip is to take his newly acquired Porsche 911 Targa from Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Cincinnati.

This car is sweet in so many ways. I’m like Ferris Buhler in the passenger seat, except I am much older. 1973 Porsche’s were built for the sole purpose of creating money for Porsche’s racing operation. Way over built, they have a unique blend heavy quality construction, but light weight fast sports car feel to them. Everything about Porsche is logical. I am glad that Porsche logic can be found in VW’s.

I get to Ed’s place at about 2pm on Friday April 16. We had planned to get to Cinci by 4, so we are a little late. We take no time transferring my pack and tools to the small bonnet and we are off. Ed decides to take US 27 through the countryside of Indiana.  On a day that breaks 80, it was a fabulous idea. The drive takes us through a series of innocent small towns in Mid-West America. A bank, a grocery store, an auto parts store, and an occasional Wal Mart.  People milling about in each.

When we get into Ohio we are practically into Cincinnati. We call Ted at his office and he directs us in. The group of Fest attendees is really a collection of fringe type malcontents. Ted is a Jeweler, Russ is a retired engineer from Des Moines, Rob works on Point of Sale machines on Long Island, Dave is a Federal Employee in Missouri, then there is Ed (who makes drug test kits) and myself. After a tour of Ted’s shop we are all ready for dinner. Traveling long distances often become cause for a meal, and Ted suggests a buffet.

I am not a fan of the buffet concept. Your goal is to cram as much food in so that you feel you are getting your money’s worth. The restaurants goal is to keep you filled up with bread and cheap filler foods. Some where in the middle, you are done eating. It was a straight forward blue collar place. I had roast beef and water.

We head to Ted’s house. It’s a really nice place, in a quiet part of town. Ed and I are staying at a hotel, while the rest are shacking in various locations around the house (lord help his wife).

Friday night is a time for what we call “Live Chat”. See, every one of us talk numerous times a week. It’s like sitting at a bar without the alcohol or the tab. Tonight it is real time face to face, and pure bullshit. Ed’s pouring Jack and Cokes, Russ, Dave, Ted, and Rob no longer drink.  I feel that I must keep Ed company to be polite.

I don’t recall getting to the hotel on Friday night, but the staff is less pleasant to me on Saturday morning, and Ed is wondering where the Porsche is. By 9:30, the Porsche arrives, followed by Dave in his Jetta arrive.

I, as a rule, eat healthy. I travel a lot, and don’t enjoy being fat, so I eat Oatmeal for breakfast as a general rule. The rest of this crew sees a road trip as a means to go “crazy”… This means one thing to them Cracker Barrel . Here is a chain that makes the portly feel right at home. All those filler foods I avoided at the buffet? That’s all they serve here. Pigs are contorted in so many ways in this place, I don’t think they can be called meat any longer. We wander through the gift shop of crap (who puts a gift shop in a comfort food restaurant?) to our table. Any time a career waitress sees 5 nit wits like us be seated in her section, experience tells her a couple of things; this isn’t a simple turn, and I will probably not enjoy myself. She proceeds with delivering a marginal experience. The disappointment comes when I go to order my staple at this place, and they are out of it. How can a restaurant with this much hick in it be out of oatmeal?! I get french toast, without fruit, or whipped cream or cheese or bacon or other unnecessary things. We mail a signed menu to our friend Jon as always, this time certified mail.

I enjoy taking advantage of hospitality as much as the next guy, but Ted has been recently sick. Unbeknownounced to him, the rest of us planned to help him get his project back on track. He needed his engine pulled, and some light body work completed. The one thing everyone there knows is VW’s. We push the bug out of the garage. The engine is out in 22 minutes and stripped down in another 15. The fenders, nerf bars and other things that need addressing come out in a matter of 45 minutes.

All and all a rather productive Saturday. The rest of the day was excellent. Ted pulls out steaks, I manage to find some Bell’s Brown Ale at a beer store and we sit around and shoot the bull some more and look at all of Ted’s stuff. Dave loads all his magazines (the real reason for this endeavor least we forget). Ed and I leave at 11pm with Russ asleep in a chair, Dave already in bed, and Rob playing with his laptop.

Sunday finds us in a nice Omelette Shop, and on to the road home to Fort Wayne and finally Traverse City (with a visit at Brian’s place, but that is another story).

This hobby is something I have enjoyed growing into. 4 years ago I knew how to change oil and fill the gas tank. Now I can do almost anything (not always perfectly). The people who own VW’s are a breed apart I am learning. There is a common glue. I like hanging out with the old guys like Russ and Ted. There is a mutual respect for a common passion. I know if these people lived in my town, I probably would have the privilege to get to know them like I do. As I journey on the death side of 40, this has become a pleasant escape for me away from the social politics and daily reminders and confinement that a small town offers. I can wait until I am on the road again, and next time I will be in my completed Westy

This winter has been a tough one. The snow flew early and that curtails the time I can spend working on VW’s.

We had more snow in December than ever before. January hasn’t been any better. My kids are enjoying the snow days. The picture here show only what hit by mid December, double the height today.

I have focused on other things; work and getting my plans together for next year. 2009 will be the year of the great reduction.

I expect to be cleaned out of most of my non project VW stuff by July. The rest will go to anyone who wants it. I have started listing several things, but in some cases, they won’t be able to be delivered because every thing is snowed in.I have listed a 1963 Squareback for sale at The Samba. This car is once again a mess, and once again pretty rare. I don’t know why we have so many first model year cars up here, but we do.

I need to list a bunch of small parts too. They begin next week.

I have decided that what I really want is to restore the 23 window. The double Cab, and the other splits are cool, but it is time to follow my heart on this one.

It has been interesting to watch the effects of the economic melt down on the VW hobby. I am getting my finances more organized, but in general, my financial strata is unchanged. If anything, my phone is ringing off the hook more than last year. This will mean less time to work on VW’s. It does mean more money for the budget. If I cut it down to just the 23, I might figure out a way to save on rent, but the barn is still a deal and a half.

All this stems from a new interest I have; I want to hike across Michigan. It will be a 235 mile hike in all, using nothing but trails and forest roads. With the loss of Polar, it might be set back a while. I still miss him.

Last year I was glued to the VW forums, this year, not so much. I find myself posting garbage in the “Off Topic” on the Samba, much of which gets deleted.

Maybe this is the end of the chaos portion of some mid life crisis. Now all I have left is the work to get things done. I look at guys like Lou and think how cool it would be to spend the rest of my life just cruising around in a bus with Mrs. Sage. She won’t go for that, but it never hurts to ask.

It was a few weeks after Polar passed that I got an email from Bruce Whiteside. Bruce runs the rescue where we adopted Oscar.

I know this is most likely very poor timing with Polar’s passing, But that is why I am writing this. Some people need to wait for the pain to heal and some heal the pain with by choosing to share their love with another needy soul.
You have probably read about Ripley the pup that was found about 3 or 4 months ago and has been staying with us. She has had a couple of homes she was going to go to, but of the 3, 2 were like you, they had a recent loss and just not ready yet, the other wants her but they never respond to us when we ask a question or return calls. We think the wife wants her, but the husband does not and deletes the messages. So we decided if that is even a possibility, we will not place her there.

Of course Mrs. Sage and I are suckers, so I agreed to take a look on the way back from a visit to my parents. She was very friendly, and came right toward me when she ran through the door from the back yard. Bruce has about 10 dogs at times, so his place is a little “Berner” ranch. All the dogs were checking us out.

We made an agreement to “Sleep on it” and although it was hard to leave after our two hour visit, we manged to escape. By this time we hit a Taco Bell for lunch, Lynda and Martha were starting to push hard to get her, but the conversation was tabled.

On New Year’s eve we had a family meeting and decided to move forward. Arrangements were made, and Lynda and Martha went down to get her January 3rd.

She is hands down the most well behaved pup I have been around. Friendly, but then she calms down and just hangs out. Oscar is adapting, but a little taken back. They do get along.

I am still struggling with Polar, and she has a number of characteristics that he had that remind me of Polar, but beyond those moments, she is an excellent sassy little girl and we are welcoming into our house.

Daughter Sage mentioned “Cycle of Life” and it really is something to think about.

On December 8th I had to make the decision to have Polar put to sleep. He was our family’s six year old Bernese Mountain Dog, and my traveling companion.  I don’t normally talk about non VW stuff here, but he was a part of this world of mine.

I don’t get sad very often but I am now.  All I can do is tell you the details…

We started seeing a drop in energy with Polar two weeks before Thanksgiving, and he developed a hot spot. Xrays produced no evidence, and blood tests were normal. After the Thanksgiving weekend his appetite dropped, and we didn’t notice that Oscar (our other Berner) was stealing his food. By mid week last week, he stopped eating, lost 6 pounds, and by Saturday we were forcing fluids with a baster waiting for our Monday appointment in GR Vet with Randy Carpenter.

Monday was an exhausting day. 7:45 we went to our vet for a liter of fluid, Noon we were in Grand Rapids getting Xrays and Ultra sounds, 3:30 we were at a Cardiologist, and by 5:30 Polar and I were on our way to MSU.

When we arrived, he had developed spontaneous pneumothorax, and
couldn’t breath, then when they found bleeding, the decision became
clear. He went with that staunch dignified look that held back the
obvious pain. I sat there balling and comforting him.
Polar with with us almost exactly 6 years, he was my dog, going to work with me most days and traveling to 21 states and Canada. We were preparing to do the Shore to Shore trail next summer; Empire to Oscoda. We had worked up to 20 miles a day. We hiked in Colorado to the continental divide, and most of the Sleeping Bear Dunes. He was the best trail dog I have ever had, staying out 20 feet and coming back to “check in” every so often.

We also lost Mrs Sage’s 19 year old cat in August, it’s been a tough year. We are lucky to have our  rescue Oscar, but it’s sad to see him look out the window for Polar. Eventually we will start wanting the activity level in our house back to normal, but it will be a while for me to be ready.

MSU has not yet determined the cause, prelim results showed unusual activity in the lungs, but no conclusions. I will post here when I get results.

EDIT It was determined to be Carcinoma in the Lung and Adrenal Gland. Polar had a highly malignant epithelial neoplasm, first on the Adrenal Gland then into the Lungs.  There was no more specific diagnosis at this time, but they could pursue this if necessary.

He also suffered Pneomothorax when the staff punctured his lung while attempting to drain the chest of air build up.

Thank you for all the kind words, reality is settling in, every time I speak to him and he’s not there. It’s just a sad time for us, but all my VW friends have made it more comforting.

The clouds above the barn, and the brisk wind coming off the lake are telling us that winter is fiercely coming toward home.  In the last few weeks, I have been moving things around.  One day I had the a Ghia, and 4 of the split windows out in front of the barn as I cleaned out all the junk inside.

If the lessons of last year’s freeze in have taught me, it’s to be prepared.  This winter I am going to work on the 65 Camper interior and engine, the squareback engine, and I am going to clean out the 63 deluxe.  In order to do all of this, I needed things placed in the proper places.    I also decided that the best way to stay focused on my real projects, was to clear away everything else.  So last weekend, Matt and I moved 6 engines from upstairs to the cellar.  All the “extra” parts are also in the basement.   Now there will be nothing stopping me from the work I expect to get completed.

Sunday Night: Rain and snow showers. Some thunder is also possible. Low around 35. Breezy, with a west wind between 20 and 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Monday: Rain and snow showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 40. Breezy, with a west wind between 20 and 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Monday Night: Rain and snow showers likely, becoming all snow after 2am. Cloudy, with a low around 32. Northwest wind between 10 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Tuesday: A chance of snow showers, mixing with rain after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 39. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Tuesday Night: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Wednesday: A chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 45.

I am getting a little frustrated, or depressed, or just plain hazy lately… It’s fall in my pinky of the world. October has been an amazing month. The weather has been quite cooperative for those of us who don’t want to see the summer be chased by the pending snows of winter. The temperatures have been holding and we had what many agree was the most perfect weekend of the year. Indian summer is a magic time. Unlike the Dog Days of August or the still crisp June days filled with mosquitoes, Indian Summer has an air of excitement with pending changes of weather and no bugs. The leaves are turning, grapes are in their crush and the autumn harvest is winding down. It’s a stealing moment, a final hurrah.

My lovely wife had to travel to her childhood home to tend to a sick father, and I had a date with a campground. My children have an annual fall festival at school, and we were asked to join a elite group of people who camp out the day prior to the event. This was yet another perfect chance to show off the Westy. We loaded, chopped the firewood, and headed across town to the campground.

Since we are a Midwestern destination for recreation, going to a commercial campground no matter how nice, is a synthetic experience. But with it’s proximity to our prized Vasa trail, this one was acceptable.

We arrived, and opened up the bus. I escape for an hour on my bike, and return just in time for the first growlers opening. Handcrafted beer solves so many of life’s problems. I am sitting in my easy chair, with my beer; Heavenly.

As the evening progresses, the kids worn down from the endless games and tags, and rides, and runs… They head for bed. Quiet and calm (and more beer).

It is at this moment with it’s blend of euphoria and intoxication, that we are joined by the evening’s buzz kill. SHE (it’s always a she) and her happy go lucky hubby join us at our fireside. We continue on with conversation and my life’s work comes up in conversation. I begin rattling off my crop of OG metal when, as if subconsciously, SHE utters the words… “But how many run?”  Those words, so sweetly uttered, hit like a bullet through my heart. An uncomfortable silence sucks the air out of our little circle. Quickly (recognizing my complete moral devastation), one of the more socially skilled in the group makes a conversational right turn. The subject never resurfaces.

What is it? Why does my hobby scare them? I didn’t suspect her of being that way. SHE doesn’t drive an over inflated SUV. SHE has sweet kids, and a great husband. But in one moment, like bad news from a cop, my weekend is soiled. Fortunately, I was well oiled. I was able to let the comment slide down my back.

It’s not the first time, sadly; these people with the lack of insight, lack of imagination, lack of adventure. What is wrong with rust and dirt? Are we so septic a society these days that such beauty as a VW is worthy of mocking. This has me looking at the Hoodride movement in a whole new way, (but not for very long).

May was filled with decisions this year. The first full weekend was the Michigan show, the second weekend was either Litchfield or the Grand Daddy of them all; the VW Classic in California. The 2006 classic was quite a show with numerous people whom I have met online in attendance. 2008 was again to be a good show, but as the show time approached, I again needed to make a choice.

Litchfield “Bug In” is comprised largely of people from the Atlantic Coast; Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. 80% of the vehicles were bugs, hence the name. There were 4 Type 3’s and a some neat buses, but all and all, it was the rain that seemed to be the main attraction. We arrived about two in the afternoon. Like before, I am driving a Toyota to a VW show. Luckily, Glenn Ring had driven a Honda to the show, and given his level of knowledge within the community, I figured I would simply be ignored.

Glenn is a pretty neat guy. He knows quite a bit about performance engines, and owns a 1974 bug he has had since new. After Martha fell asleep, he and I sat up and talked about things for a while.

RAIN killed this show for me. Despite having a chance to meet numerous people I had conversed with online, the rain prevented us from actually spending any time sitting around talking; which is a big part of many shows. Jon and Lindsay were busy selling parts, Rob wandered around looking at things, as Martha and I did.

My favorite car was this 1958 Karman Ghia convertible. This was owned by a guy named Rob whom I had a chance to speak with. He purchased it restored, but he has a vast knowledge of the older VW”s (pre 1960). It took about a dozen photos, in hopes it might inspire me to do something about my Ghia’s. I hasn’t yet.

There are certain times of the year when the weather can be predictably good or bad. It seems, talking to many of the regulars to this show, that you can depend on rain. I can honestly say after looking at rows of near mint condition bugs, that they just don’t do anything for me. They are great cars, but they don’t deliver a punch for me like buses do. Speaking of buses, I did find a few with Hurst bumpers. I know that an SO Westy camper is out of my reach, both for practical reasons and in terms of cost/benefit, but they are so cool. Maybe it’s the gadgets, maybe it’s the practical nature of them, but it is why I am doing all of this.

My trip was just getting started, for when I left Litchfield on Sunday afternoon, my daughter and I headed for Manhattan. We stay at the Pod when we are there.. Lots to see and do. I had a chance to get a really good camera, and Martha visited American Girl Place.

After a few days in NYC, we headed to Princeton PA to see Steve Hamliton. Steve married My wife and I in Vail. He has been a good friend since 1983. He now works at Princeton Seminary, and it was nice spending the evening meal with him and getting a tour of the campus. Martha is really interested in campus life, and it wouldn’t break my heart if she wanted to go to Princeton. While there, we spend about 3 hours at “The Princeton Record Exchange”. This is perhaps the best used CD store in the US, and I have had the pleasure to go to dozens across the country. What makes this place so good? You can find titles here used, that I couldn’t find new just about anywhere else.

Once we left Princeton, we headed home. It was a long haul, and The Penn Turnpike is really boring, but we got there in about 15 hours.