What If?
What about a 1979 Volkswagen 4-door 1303S with a full length sliding ragtop? What if in the late 70s a couple of VW engineers decided to build the Ultimate Super Beetle. Based on the Rommetsch Taxi of the early 50s, this 80s interpretation is bigger, faster, and safer. Taking a box-stock Euro-spec 1303S, they custom engineered the four doors exclusively using original parts. They intentionally updated the engine to add more muscle for the extra weight. Unfortunately, the time was nearly over for factory air-cooled cars, so the idea was never considered.
The story might not be true but you can start on your own RagRod4 with a sad and neglected Volkswagen 1303. While still plentiful, the recent interest in them have been driving up prices on solid examples. The four-door conversion itself takes careful planning but only require another set of doors and a skilled bodyman.
Unconstrained with factory directives, this new millenium example goes to the extreme. Only the VW body was used. Thoroughly disassembled from top to bottom, the body shell was reinforced with racing strut braces. A full-length sliding sunroof was custom-engineered to complement the additional doors. Paying homage to the rollback KDF cars, this sliding ragtop extends to below the rear glass area giving the open air atmosphere of a genuine convertible while offering additional structural rigidity required by the planned drivetrain.
A parade of Porsche parts come next. Porsche 911 Carrera Struts and ceramic disk brakes tie the front end together. Reworked rear torsion bars, Porsche 944 rear disk brakes, control arms, and koni shocks lower the rear end. 17" front and 19" Gas Burner rear with Michelin radials provide extreme grip and traction with a little sacrifice in ride comfort.
The twin turbocharged 3-liter Type4 is kept quiet by custom built, and very Porsche-like stainless, dual-tipped exhausts. Dual CB Performance 52mm fuel injection system provide more than adequate fuel to the big 103mm pistons.
GunMetal Grey RagRod4 is roomy and comfortable. . . AND wickedly fast! The recovered Recaros replace the original VW seats. Matching cappuccino custom door panels follow the original VW style. Everything else, even the steering wheel , gauges and switches were sourced from a contemporary Porsche.
What If?
The VWCP Air-Cooled Search and Rescue (VASR) is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of old Air-Cooled Volkswagens. We are a small group of rescue buddies who came to know one another through one common interest - the devoted efforts to seek out, find, and drag home old Air-Cooled VWs, and bring them back to life.
Ol’260 is an example of the vehicles used in our search and rescue missions. Using a dilapidated late-model VW, the chassis was freshened up with new components. Instead of using dropped spindles, Ol’260 used 2 inch raised spindles, commonly used by Baja Bugs, to increase ground clearance. Beam adjusters and long travel adjustable shocks increase clearance by another 2 inches. A custom frame adds an additional 3 inch body lift, a full 6-point rollcage protects the occupants and massive 18 inch off road tires and rims from a Mistubishi Montero defines the ground-poundin’stance. The extra 12 inch ground clearance comes in handy when forging through lahar country. Extra toughness comes with the custom skid plate and side bars. Powered by an ever-reliable 1600CC dual-port, the engine compartment was "weatherized" to protect the powerplant from seasonal monsoon typhoons.
Rescue me, take me in your arms.
Rescue me, I want your tender charms.
‘Cause I’m lonely and I’m blue.
I need you and your love too.
Come on and rescue me.
The VWCP Air-Cooled Search and Rescue (VASR) is an operation mounted by the Volkswagen Club of the Philippines (VWCP) emergency services. Often well-trained volunteers are sent to find old Beetles, Ghias, Kombis or Type3s believed to be in distress, lost, sick, or injured in remote or inaccessible areas. These areas include mountains, rice fields, forests, even at sea. VASR is an independent agency of the Volkswagen Club, reporting to the President.The VASR was established in 2008 to support and promote the activities of the Volkswagen Club of the Philippines, Manila Chapter, as a means to achieve highly effective and economically responsible VW search and rescue programs throughout the Philippines.
VASR enhances the provision of search and rescue services in the provinces by accessing funding for training, providing occupational health and safety support, educating the general public on responsible VW ownership and acting as a common link to information and resources for VW Search and Rescue volunteers across the Philippines.
What If??
Fun Truckin’
Like cruizin’ above the crowd? Even lowered trucks are taller than regular Hot Volkswagens. Trucks are also tough; they have uh . . . pluck! Wazzat? Trucks are fun without all the fuss. They’re cozy, courageous and confident. And they’re cheap - cheaper than most other body styles.
If your a trucker, truckette, truckee, or truck-on type of volksrodder, you’ll want to get to see what’s already obvious: How much fun truckin’ can be.
Emmy needed something more spacious for her deliveries. Her dresses and couture gowns hardly fit in a regular VW, so this Trajes Manila Sedan Delivery concept is a perfect marriage between a vintage air-cooled and something a little more imaginative. Not wanting to settle for any run-of-the-mill transporter, we grafted the rear of a cast away kombi to a front end of a regular bug.
Two VW Golf MkIII front seats offer comfy seating for two while the rear seats were tossed and a flat floor and sufficient cubby holes built-in the rear. VW Toaureg 17 and 18 inch rims add more chutzpah to the unique profile. Fresh coats of Bali Green cover straight bodywork with minimal chrome trim.
A Hot Volks panel truck created from a late-model Volkswagen and left-over van panels, this Sedan Delivery is dedicated to fun truckin’. It’s another way to get your kicks on Route 66 . . . . or Rodeo Drive, if you prefer.
The term Hot Rod was sometimes used in the 1950s as a derogatory term for any car that did not fit into the mainstream. Hot Rods seems first to have appeared in the late 1930s, when kids, returning from the war would take a vehicle that’s cheap and readily available, cut it up to remove some weight, lower it and fit some fat tires, soup up or swap out the engine, open up the exhaust and would race their modified cars on the vast, empty dry lake beds northeast of Los Angeles. There wasn’t a prescribed set of rules. In fact, rules were meant to be broken. By using some good ol’ Yankee ingenuity, you were able to modify an inexpensive vehicle into one that performed better and looked cool. Hot Rods were about self-expression and doing something unconventional. At least the hot rod started out as a simple idea. How come that simple formula has become so rigid and difficult today… not to mention expensive? Hot rodding started out as kinda fun and easy going, why can’t it still be? Well, it can…
The Volksrod HiBoy. An ingeniously simple idea re-born.
Take a readily available and inexpensive used Volkswagen 1303 SuperBeetle, cut it up to remove some weight, lower it, tune the engine to give more power, fit some fat wheels and even fatter tires for traction, and paint it to make it stand out. Sound familiar?
With the Hiboy conversion you throw away the bumpers and fenders to remove close to 500 lbs., then fit Wide Whitewalls to rare, newly chromed Lemmertz sportsrims to give it a retro look. Add chrome 3-spoke centercaps to complete the look and your off cruisin’ EZ. It makes it so you can enjoy the easy-going fun and cruisin’ attitude of the ol’ hot rods and roadsters that many of us promised ourselves we’d have someday. When you factor in “cruiseability” (Volkswagen parts are cheap and easy to find) and total cost (build-ups can be under P100,000), the Volksrod HiBoy is one unbeatable combination.
Simply Heaven. It starts off with the raspberry tang followed with a slight prickling of the tongue then a delicious warmth fills your mouth. I quickly noticed the maple syrup in it and having a major sweet tooth, I was a little overwhelmed, but not for long.
Our Raspberry Maple Woodride, created here by our Volkschef, is great to use with a salad topped with lobster or chicken. It can also be used for cooking and for dipping, perfect for a day at the beach. This termite delight contains red raspberry syrup, pure light maple wood, wide whitewalls, hubcaps on raspberry and white rims, 1600cc dual-port Type1 engine, cream leather upholstery, and parsley but with no added suger.
Here’s an interesting concept using a late model Beetle. South Americans will undoubtedly recognize this interpretation of a Fusca Taxi. But instead of using the familiar green and white Brazilian Taxi color scheme, I based this concept on the more recognizable yellow colors of the New York City Checker Cabs. This uptown cab will always turn heads while waiting for passengers.
Updated with humungous Audi A8 rims, big brakes, sticky tires, and powered by a purpose-built 2180cc fire-breathing VW engine, this VW Cab is a guaranteed hell ride with the devil.
The driver is not required to carry change for bills over $20 so please have the fare ready when reaching your destination. Have a nice day 
For those that have little ankle-biters to bring to school, how about a super cool s’CoolBug? Based on a 1302 SuperBeetle, the school bus/bug features seating for 7. Eye-searing chrome yellow paint that can be seen miles away. Big Diameter Euro rims and Pirelli rubber keep the rug rats firmly planted in their seats.
There is a new breed of Volksrods coming out of the Philippines to the delight of those who saw one in the last Guinness - Volkswagen bug run. One of my favorite Volksrod concept is the Orange Crate! Built on the cowl and windshield from a severely damaged bug, this volksrod features a custom frame with a cut and twisted VW front suspension. The top is chopped, the sides are contructed from real wood, and a removable german canvass top that permits sour weather cruising. Essential in typhoon season. Big inch (17s) BRMs with wide rubber provides the “juice” and the 1915, dual Dellorto powered woodie gives all day cruising, top up or down.
Featured a while back, here’s a reprise of a VW Concept that is sure to raise a few eyebrows
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