Tagged: DubFreeze

British Standard

IMG_7697_666x999Photo of the week #66 – A rare standard model sunroof oval VW pictured at DubFreeze. These basic, no-frills beetles have little, if any chrome work, cable-brakes, a minimal headlining and the front seats are bolted to the floor and can be adjusted by loosening two wing-nuts below each seat! They also have a three-spoke steering wheel similar to the early standard split window models.

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DubFreeze Exposure

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Sunday 17th February was my first opportunity this year to visit a Volkswagen show. Still a little cold, but nowhere as bad as it’s been in recent weeks, I made the 90 mile drive up to Stafford for DubFreeze, a mainly indoor show at Stafford showground. I’ve been going to this show for many years. In the past, I’ve driven a beetle in convoy with other members of the Milton Keynes VW Club – in sub-zero conditions at a steady 60 mph, stopping regularly to scrape ice from the windscreen. This trip soon lost it’s appeal after leaving Stafford in freezing fog one year and breaking down less than 5 miles from the show. We got recovered eventually and had a nice warn ride home in the cab of the recovery truck! I think that was the last time I went in an aircooled VW, now preferring the warmth and comfort of a modern car in the winter!

After a two hour drive, I arrived at the show ground at 10am, no usual traffic queue, it was straight into the car park and then a short walk to the show. I had arranged to meet up with a guy who wanted to buy a 60s VW jack from me so I rang him and we met up at the doors to the hall. I had a quick chat with Barclay from Status VW Parts who always has a stand there selling parts. This year he only had two tables rather than his usual large stand. He explained that he makes more sales over the phone and online on the Monday morning after the show so will just be visiting shows with his barndoor bus this year to promote his business but not trading. I guess it’s a sign of the times when you can buy just about anything online for your VW. If I wasn’t taking photos, I doubt I would go again either.

There were definitely less VWs in the show-hall than last year but, still lots of people looking around them. Rat-look still still heavily represented and very popular but also a few restored aircooled VWs and a hand full of water pumpers too. It’s always difficult to get photos as you seem to become invisible when you stop and point a camera at a car. People will look at you, then walk in front of you and stop with their back to you, totally oblivious. You definitely need a lot of patience to photograph at car shows!

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DubFreeze

I went along to DubFreeze on Sunday afternoon at the Stafordshire showground and, even though I was only there for a couple of hours and as it was the first UK VW show of 2012 I thought it only right to use the opportunity to take a few Photographs.

It was very busy even at 1.30 when we got there. We passed lots of people heading back to their cars carrying bags of goodies and many with large roles of carpet over their shoulders. The indoor show and shine is always a mixed bag of around 30 VWs including watercooled, rat-look, resto-cal and a few stock VWs too. There were still some nice VWs still parked outside when we left at 3pm as well.