Login Register
pre67vw
15 years ago



They were great days! Living in Bedfordshire we had a US Air Base close by at Chicksands, the Americans used often to import their cars for use in the UK during their postings and perhaps unsurprisingly, many of them landed up in breakers yards. My mates were always interested in the classic big American lumps but I was always on the look out for American spec Beetles and they did show up from time to time, the earliest being a late fifties jobby. For the most part they were '02s and '03s which were far less exciting.

clambering over cars in a scrap yard clutching a bag of tools and stripping off the odd bits you thought you could use before doing a deal at the gate on the way out, was a great way to spend a Saturday!

Mike

Mike Peckham wrote:



Indeed, great fun! I know Chicksands, my dad was stationed there before I was born - and I grew up not too far from it - we used to go to the July 4th open days. There was a legend that there was a scrapyard near the Molesworth base that had a split in it, I went a few times but couldn't find it :cry:
Rob Amos
Happiness is a stock VW
Mike Peckham
15 years ago



Indeed, great fun! I know Chicksands, my dad was stationed there before I was born - and I grew up not too far from it - we used to go to the July 4th open days. There was a legend that there was a scrapyard near the Molesworth base that had a split in it, I went a few times but couldn't find it :cry:

pre67vw wrote:



We used to go to the July 4th celebrations as well, we might well have been there at the same time! My Dad was OIC at the 217 MU at Cardington, I lived at Cardington until 1984. There were some great scrap yards around Bedfordshire in the '70s and '80s, all gone now I think or at least turned into a sterile version of their former selves.

Did you ever go to the one in a field near the railway at Hitchin? I found acomplete '53 in there which was a great source of parts, but it was completely rotten so there was no shame in stripping it.

Mike
July 1957 UK supplied RHD Oval. 1972 World Champion Beetle. 1978 UK supplied RHD 1303LS Cabriolet. 1973 UK supplied RHD 1303s.
pre67vw
15 years ago



We used to go to the July 4th celebrations as well, we might well have been there at the same time! My Dad was OIC at the 217 MU at Cardington, I lived at Cardington until 1984. There were some great scrap yards around Bedfordshire in the '70s and '80s, all gone now I think or at least turned into a sterile version of their former selves.

Did you ever go to the one in a field near the railway at Hitchin? I found acomplete '53 in there which was a great source of parts, but it was completely rotten so there was no shame in stripping it.

Mike

Mike Peckham wrote:



I lived up the road in a village called Upper Caldecote, didn't get down to Hitchin much. I think I got my first Beetle around '84, it was a '66 model - seemed really old at the time, but it was only 18 years old :d the equivalent of buying a '91 car today :lol:

When I went off to college around '86-'87, we used to regularly tour the scrap yards of Birmingham. Don't really recall seeing anything old, but loads and loads of '60s bugs. Ah the sweet smell of gearbox oil that used to stick to your shoes and follow you around all day... :lol:
Rob Amos
Happiness is a stock VW
stu
  • stu
  • pre67vw Junkie
15 years ago
i dont have to many of these storys to tell as im a bit younger than you guys, but i did find a rhd 66 splitscreen van in a abandoned scrapyard in approx 88, & another 67 rhd splitscreen van in someones back garden in 89 that i ended up buying for £50, still in original paint, but quite rusty, but the best one is the rhd 57 oval that i bought from the original owners son in essex, his father had it from new, but i unfortunately sold it on, its the car that mike peckham now has, got it for a steal too.
Mike Peckham
15 years ago

i dont have to many of these storys to tell as im a bit younger than you guys, but i did find a rhd 66 splitscreen van in a abandoned scrapyard in approx 88, & another 67 rhd splitscreen van in someones back garden in 89 that i ended up buying for £50, still in original paint, but quite rusty, but the best one is the rhd 57 oval that i bought from the original owners son in essex, his father had it from new, but i unfortunately sold it on, its the car that mike peckham now has, got it for a steal too.

stu wrote:



Stu

Can you tell me any more about the history of my car? where you bought it and did it have any paper history with it when you had it? Did it still have its original engine at that point?

I'm in the process of renovating (not restoring) it and it would be great to know more about its past. Any tidbits you have would be warmly appreciated! :wink:

Mike
July 1957 UK supplied RHD Oval. 1972 World Champion Beetle. 1978 UK supplied RHD 1303LS Cabriolet. 1973 UK supplied RHD 1303s.
55Kab
15 years ago
Here's a few more from my travels. Remember well the smell of the gearbox oil on the shoes Rob! :lol: I suppose good old EU H&S rules have cleared most of these types of yard.

Always interesting when cars were piled 3 high as with the rounded roof the Beetle's were always on the top and upon climbing up in inside used to rock quite alarmingly!

UserPostedImage

UserPostedImage

UserPostedImage

This 66 had a fully working sliding sunroof! And look at the condition of the bottom of the quarters and doors, not too bad really.

UserPostedImage

UserPostedImage

I recall that I took the bumper and overriders of that 65 above.

Got a load more somewhere but with them all being pre digital they'll need pulling out and scanning.
Sunroof53
15 years ago
Great pictures !I have got some more scans from the old register with some photos .I remember some scary moments sat in the boot of a 66 removing the speedo two cars up in the air.it was actually quite handy for some jobs .It made removing suspension components a doddle:d
Sunroof53
15 years ago
Just a few more :

UserPostedImage



UserPostedImage

UserPostedImage

UserPostedImage
Sunroof53
15 years ago

More in this old show feature.Looks like a forerunner of VW action .Some foxy ladys too:d
UserPostedImage

UserPostedImage
54 Gertie
15 years ago
First list, No. 50


TJJ 62 - 49 bug! 😎

Photo taken at Stanford hall 75 so that is no guarantee it is still around!:wink: :roll: :cry:

Second black bug in!


UserPostedImage
William
Rich Oakley
15 years ago

First list, No. 50


TJJ 62 - 49 bug! 😎

Photo taken at Stanford hall 75 so that is no guarantee it is still around!:wink: :roll: :cry:

Second black bug in!


54 Gertie wrote:



It's still well and truly alive 😉
47 Beetle, 56 UK Karmann Cabriolet, 56 UK Beetle, 57 UK Type 2, 59 UK Beetle, 66 UK Fastback.
GKL 7
15 years ago


When I went off to college around '86-'87

pre67vw wrote:



How old were you when you went to college Rob,16:?:
Gosh! you're just a puppy,yet you look so old:lol:

I feel a ban coming on:roll:



GKL 7
15 years ago


It's still well and truly alive ;)

Rich Oakley wrote:



Rod Sleigh reckons TJJ was crashed and written off in Hawaii
Is it still on the go Rich?
stu
  • stu
  • pre67vw Junkie
15 years ago



Stu

Can you tell me any more about the history of my car? where you bought it and did it have any paper history with it when you had it? Did it still have its original engine at that point?

I'm in the process of renovating (not restoring) it and it would be great to know more about its past. Any tidbits you have would be warmly appreciated! :wink:

Mike

Mike Peckham wrote:



i dont really have any more of its history, but its original registration now resides on owen warlows van, ask mrsherbie lol, i think its: 8023 F. i still kick myself that i sold that car...
Sunroof53
15 years ago
Getting bored scanning so this may be the last post.

UserPostedImage

UserPostedImage

UserPostedImage
Sunroof53
15 years ago
Sunroof53
15 years ago
One last interesting photo of a Vw powered Donkey:d

UserPostedImage
mrsherbie
15 years ago



i dont really have any more of its history, but its original registration now resides on owen warlows van, ask mrsherbie lol, i think its: 8023 F. i still kick myself that i sold that car...

stu wrote:



:oops:

Yes it has always been on Owens daily vehicle. I have always thought it was a funny, odd plate!

UserPostedImage

I recognise a few from the lists but it gives me a headache looking through them! :lol: , and really I am far too young for this game! :d and also I know little about uk rhd's ( other than they are usually rusty! :lol: )

Great news about the website 55Kab! That will be excellent! :beer:

Sunroof53, you are not alone my first vw was a gold 1303, and also 50Karmann's too! Its an elite private members club, so have a cigar! :beer: UserPostedImage
"it'll wreck the patina you haven't worked so hard to create" - 50Karmann
Mike Peckham
15 years ago
It was great to see Graham Tansleys car XXL 34 featured above in “Peoples Cars”. I remember this car quite well as Graham and I were in contact quite a bit during the cars rebuild, in fact I still have a letter from Graham reminding me that I had promised to send him a spare horn push for the car. Much to my enduring shame I don’t think I ever got round to it… :oops:

The Beetle was affectionately known as Rolo.

Last time I saw Graham I think was at Action in about 1982, he was then driving a very nice early model 1600 Variant with a steel sliding sunroof.

Does anyone know where Graham and Rolo are now?

Mike


July 1957 UK supplied RHD Oval. 1972 World Champion Beetle. 1978 UK supplied RHD 1303LS Cabriolet. 1973 UK supplied RHD 1303s.
Mike Peckham
15 years ago



:oops:

Yes it has always been on Owens daily vehicle. I have always thought it was a funny, odd plate!

UserPostedImage

mrsherbie wrote:



Anna

If Owen ever wants to sell the number back to me and see it reunited with the car, let me know! :wink:

Mike
July 1957 UK supplied RHD Oval. 1972 World Champion Beetle. 1978 UK supplied RHD 1303LS Cabriolet. 1973 UK supplied RHD 1303s.
Similar Topics
Users browsing this topic