So, What Happened to the Old Superstars?

After attending the 2011 VW Nationals, I started to reminisce about the cars that made an impact on me in back in the day: 1992 – 1994. And, I started thinking...

So, what happened to the old superstars?

The hot, the fantastic, the sensational cars, that filled the Australian VW magazines, the VW shows and my camera, back when I was still on the good side of 25, Kurt Cobain was still playing live music, and the first Star Wars movie was still called Star Wars.

Upon arriving home, I commenced the search for an old treasure chest ... well, an old taped up cardboard box titled VW Mags – 1990’s. Thankfully, no shovel was required. X marked the spot, the treasure chest (the old taped up box) was where I left it... under the house.

With beer in hand, I opened the old box of printed treasure from the 1990’s. Ignoring, Hot VW and Dune Buggies, VW Trends, VolksWorld, and Rolling Stone magazine, starring Nirvana on the cover. I grabbed the Australian VW mags from the early to mid 1990’s.

You know, classics, like: Best Volkswagens No.1 and Fast Fours and Rotaries – Hottest VW No.2.

All I could think of was the cool looking cars, painted UFO green, eye scorching blue, bright yellow, powder blue, red, dove blue and arctic white. They weren’t quite Cal-Look, and they certainly weren’t standard. These cars just rocked - great colours, cool wheels, and hypo engines!

I studied the images of each car, read the stories, and thought...

So, what happened to the old superstars?

Below are the cars that were superstars of my youth. Does anyone know what happened to these hot VWs? Perhaps you built and drove one these cars?!

So, what happened to the old superstars?

Zayus

Images copyright:
Federal Publishing Company owned by General Newspapers Pty Ltd
Express Publications Pty Ltd

And these 3...

The white '69, with Vintage VW decals, was my favourite.

Most of them are probably jam tins at your local supermarket

I loved the yellow chop top, back in the day...... Man I feel old, cos l have all those mags, and bought them new at the newsagents.....

Holy shit I was just looking at the mag with the yellow chop a couple of weeks ago. Nice post

The green oval is now "Yellow"

The first pic is of John's Ghia. He still has it, and it still looks like new. A stunning car, Blue Vision

Wow those cars are from when I was still a kid ,seems a lot of the show cars are around for a few years and then vanish, while others hang around like a bad smell.

ha.....often wonder about these cars too. good thread!

keith hausler would be able to tell us of the blue ovals fate.......and yeah i often wonder about the white oval as it would be easily recognised from some of the paint detailing. oh and the ALL black coloured wiring

I think this is my ride, in all its former stellar glory.

The red superbeetle with the prosche fan motor is still the same owner, its also for sale, Call Dean at Volkspower 03 9808 6777.

Hi

The yellow chop top is a around the shire in Sydney, I think the owner of Bunnies appliances owns it, the white oval with Simmons was owned by a guy I worked with, he's into rods now.

Keith sold his oval to a guy in flat 4, he sold to guy on the Northern beaches.

Steve

i was told few yrs ago ,the yellow chop top is still around the sutherland area (syd) bit worse for ware, it was built by me ,Pete Muhn in early nintys for a customer Graham Muir

Almost like the Back To 89 threads in the UK ! always good to see images and history of the cars from back in the day. Especially as I was still in the Old UK at the time these were hitting the scene over here.

Cool i have alll of those early mags in the garage might have to dig them out and revisit them. The white oval was a fav of mine back in the day, a while ago i saw it on EBAY for a very reasonable price but it had a bit of rust coming out in it,shame still a geat car for its time. Great post enjoy seeing all the old VW's maybe someone might have some photos from VW nats at valantine park. I have some might have to dig them out.

Glad to hear that Ghia's still around, it's absolutely gorgeous

I remember when I moved here in 02. I was at the servo and an guy wondered over saying he had seen me before with my bug and thought i'd like a couple of old vw mag's. So I have a couple of the old ones, will have to dig them out and see which ones they are. Always good to see how the scene has developed and how rides have changed.

The white Oval was restored by a guy I went to school with and he did it when he was 16, I would like to see some 16 year olds pulling out this quality these days!

I know it has changed owners at least 2 times and was still in Sydney? But all may have changed now, it was Nissan Classic white with a mulitcoloured tunnel from the underside and custom "Cobra" seat trims and one of the neatest wiring harnesses I ever saw.

Brilliant car ahead of its time!

Zayus I'm happy to say that the Ghia, Blue Vizion (also known as the drought breaker) is still very much alive and as Matt said looking as good as ever (thanks Matt), I can't believe that it is coming up to 17-years old!! The car itself turned 50 last August.

I haven't taken her to a VW event for awhile. I have been to the occasional street machine or rod show.

I do enjoy attending the street machine shows and parking among the musle cars. They take no notice of the car until it takes out car of the day, best engine bay, or the like then they come around. Mind you their wives and girl friends had already taken notice!

The rod owners are very accepting, they appreciate the age and work that has gone into it.

I hope to get to a few VW events next year.
Cheers
John

That white 70 with Vintage veedub supplies down the side is still around and belongs to someone on here, david someone comes to mind got different rims but pretty much unchanged.

Alot of the cars have had make overs since those magazines and so much changed you wouldnt recognize them.

Rohans red devil Golf off the cover of red hot VWs and one of the VW powers is still getting around Lismore here, its had a new body kit and respray since.

I think it was Steve Carter telling me Firebug is sitting under a tarp in someones carport completely derelict these days.
That was one of the most highly detailed bugs in the country back in its day.
I remember trying not to drool over it at Valla in the mid 90s.

Oh yeah, heres another one people may remember from way back.

My ex from the late 90s lived a few doors down from it and it was far from this condition
Was running on about 2 and a half cylinders the paint had a nice talcom powder effect and the interior was looking shabby.

It turned up on ebay a few years ago restored and painted blue this time.