Hi Everyone,

Earlier this month my wife and I were on a honeymoon road trip on the west coast of USA when the Navman just happened to lead us to Veedub Parts Unlimited in Huntington Beach. Then by coincidence they said the Pamona Swapmeet was on on Sunday, the day before we left. I got up early and went out for a look. Here are some shots. Enjoy.


It's just like a swapmeet in Australia, only massive. There could have been 10 to 15 thousand people there.


There weren't many aircooled VWs on the roads around LA. I probably saw 2 a day. Mostly superbugs. Perhaps unremarkable models are worth rescuing because they're becoming rare?


This 60 something was one of the nicer cars. I like the ride height.


How many Karman Ghias went into the making of this picture? There were more fronts in the other 2 trailers!!!


They must have cut up dozens of Ghia's : (


Splitty's were the most common vws at the event. I overheard one guy saying he had a rust-free Samba as his uni car back in the 80s and he sold it for $500. Now he kicks himself about selling it daily.


Aaaahhhhhhgggrrrr.


The owner of this oval wanted $13,500 for it. It was a bit tatty and I think it only had a 1600 in it.


It was cool seeing this ratty oval rag top drive in.


There was much more than VWs at this meet. You'd be lucky to walk around the whole thing between 6am and 3pm that it's on.


Meep, meep.


Nice cabrio with splittys in the background. This is what I came to see.


Rat bus, old school signage and 15 inch porsche fuchs. 9/10 on the cool-o-meter.


I want it. Drool.


More drool.


Check out the speed holes in the sills. How is that registered?


I wasn't a big fan of Bajas. I am now. This was for sale without engine.


I'm guessing this rat oval with drag slicks was the quickest beetle there; but I don't know the specs.


What's lurking under this cab's popped decklid?


Steel sliding roof, narrowed beam, fuchs... not bad. It was one of the nicer cars believe it or not.


A stocker oval. Is this Strato Silver or Polar Silver?


It looks like Strato Silver from the rear and Polar Silver from the front. I think its the more blue Strato Silver. Oh there's a red single cab there too.


This is cool. I bet it doesn't like bumps. The LA roads are much better than the aussie ones.


This cab has spats, fuchs and green tinted glass. And yes, there is snow in them there hills behind LA, yet it was about 22 degrees C.


The majority of swappers and veedub owners were mexicans. I like this matt painted low slung 60 something.


A cool splity that I'd love to own. Yawn.


A Clean Late Karmann.


Nice bullets.


$2500 obo for this late cabrio project.


Looooww cars were popular. They look so cool.


How nice is this?


Nice butt too.


I'm captioned out.


Snow on the mountains, a crystal clear day and lots of veedubs. Not your stereotypical honeymoon detour.


This wasn't bad either.

I only bought a new bonnet badge from Richard Kimball at his Ovals Only stand. I bought a Ovals Only shirt too. I did 2 laps of the swapmeet looking for rare items or IDA manifolds. The stuff was junk. Either new cheap empi or crap made in china or used junk from mexican sellers. There were lots of IDF carbs. I only saw one dirty set of IDAs. Porsche wheels were easy to come by.

I've been wanting to go to the Pamona Swapmeet for ages. I think the veedub staff is well past it's best. What a shame. I returned home really appreciating my car and how good the VW scene in Australia is thanks to Craig Hughes VWMA and the Warwick drags.

I hope you enjoyed the pictures.

CYA CT

Hi CT

Nice photos. I didn't know you got married, congratulations. Taking the new wife to swap meet, now that's cool.

Steve

Thanks for the pics and captions CT, and congrats from me too.

Hi Steve,

I'm intending to stay married. I went to Pamona by myself while Barbara had breakfast in Santa Monica : )

Getting some token wedding photos in the oval was enough for 2011. Wedding dresses and rollbars make for challenging poses.

Regards CT

Thanks for the pics CT- also a refreshing change with the captions, love your work! Congrats on the marriage!

wow great pics
congrats and I would love to see the wedding pics

Okay, okay here are some wedding shots. I cave in to peer group pressure. There had to be a vw one as well.


Married for 3 minutes.


Married for 5 minutes.


The vw corner with Paul, Jak, Col and Uncle Gordon. Why the black guys? What are you mourning?


The mandatory veedub shot. Our honeymoon vehicle was a 747; much quieter than the oval.

Regards

CT

congrats CT, marriage is great, it means you can take half her money and spend it on cool stuff too! however she gets half yours! good luck and have fun with your new bride!

Congrats CT on your wedding.
Thanks for sharing all the pics.
Cheers
D

Congratulations. Just randomly happened to pass through SoCal when the event you have wanted to visit for ages coincidently happened to be on. Wow what are the chances! Puirely blessed with luck. I believe ya.

All that matt brown bus needs is one set of big ass SLR torana style flairs to cover up that feckin massive hole and it would be fully sik. What the hell!

A mint early cabrio would be my top of the wishlist of vw metal. Dont know why we dont see more of them over here. Why do people only import the supers?

Thanks Deano and Chris.

I wouldn't mind doing another road trip in the states. This time starting at the Pamona Swap Meet, buying a cabrio and doing the road trip in that. Optimistic? Dream on.

Congratulations on tying the knot CT - looks like you are a lucky man with such a lovely bride.

The VW detour is all good.....our honeymoon falls on the Warwick weekend every year and my wife is happy (well tolerant) of me to spend the weekend with VW blokes and postpone our anniversary for one weekend

Hope you caught up with Marty whilst there! We are heading back May/June next year.
Cheers
Al

congrats CT. great photos. and yea, I believe you, sure it just happened to be THAT weekend.......

Thanks for the congrats.

I didn't catch up with Marty. He was in Florida for the Performance Industry show for Turbosmart.

I did however have dinner with a friend from Yokohama USA at a Southern Style restaurant called Jonny Rebs in Long Beachthat serves corn bread, keylime pie, cat fish, massive beef ribs and big cold beers. We ate all of the above. They also have peanuts on the table; you crack the open and drop the shells on the floor with thousands of others. There's even barnyard noises (chooks and pigs) playing in the bathroom. I highly recommend it.

CYA CT

Oh hell, since this is a photo thread I might as well add some more.


In 2009 I went to LA on a work trip (cough, cough) and Brenden Mosher who works with Marty Staggs at Turbosmart took me for a ride in his Ghia.


With a 2275cc engine (I think) and a turbo bolted to it the thing flys. It's actually pretty frightening to go that fast in an old car on a public road.


I'm sure this V8 bug would be quick too. This was located near the registration hall at the 2009 Sema show.


Jail bait outside Sema.


I liked this mustang so I applied a little bit of Photoshop. Now I like it even more.


There was so much to see outside SEMA as the sun was setting I went nuts with the camera.


A ratty dodge pickup with a serious V8 engine. What a weapon that would be.


This thing drove to the show somehow.


Twin V8s. Show only? No. I actually saw this thing driving down the street in Vegas. He gave it a bit at the lights too.

I hope you enjoyed the shots.

Hi

Nice photos. The V8 cabrio was built for Paul Newman http://www.oldbug.com/newmanvw.htm 

Steve

well done and congrats mate...keep it true mate

Thanks JVL.

I forgot to mention. Brenden Mosher has vw drag racing in his genes.

His dad or uncle raced the Little Giant Killer vw engined fiat.

Does anyone remember this?

Lloyd Mosher I believe.

Thanks again CT.