At what age...

[jackdub]

did you really start getting into VWs? I was about 24 when we bought our first one. I never even really thought about them until my wife and I got one in Germany. Once I started driving it, I was hooked instantly. We drove that thing into the ground for the 8 years that we owned it. Now I want to just collect one of each. :D

[Vert_Heaven]

68 autostick Bug was my 1st car when i was 16 :) been owning and driving ACVWs ever since (i'm 32 now)

[ggggarret]

i bought my blue bus at like 23 - i always liked old VWs and one day decided i needed one.

[rooney2oons]

I got into vw's at 15. My best friend had one, my dad owned a few, my uncle use to race them in Orange county, Ca. It was my destiny. I havent driven it since 1999, but I still love it. I doesnt cost me any money to sit in the garage and collect dust and shower walls, and wood, and other misc house repair items.

[jrctx]

38 - I wanted to make sure I was mature enough to handle the speed and power.

The cool thing is that I started my boys early. From the age of 2 they get into herbie and the passion for aircooled grows. By 6 they know each of the models and which is their favorite. By 9 they know all the customization possibilities. My goal is to build up each car with them beginning at the age of 14. Some day there will be at least 6 vw's in my driveway unless one goes astray.

So how many parts cars will I need? :D

[Kirk]

18. That is when I totalled my Jeep and my mom wanted me to have a "slow safe car". I sure resented that Super Beetle, but apparently not enough since I still have it.

[mk-Zero]

My dad got his first one, a 67 ghia, when I was about 10, and I've loved them ever since. I got my first one, a 59 rag top beetle, at about 13 years old and started working on it...

[Bala]

I got my first VW, before my drivers license, at 15. It was a '71 super. It didn't run, didn't stop and had several electrical issues. My dad and I did most of the work to get it back on the road and I've never looked back. I just turned 28.

[1971SB]

i first got into beetles when i was 13, cause i was looking for a car to restore, found the bug and never looked back.

[jackdub]

Hey "Crusty", how do you like that LS1? I had a '99 Z28 until early last year, when I sold it. I loved that car. I bought it brand new in '00. I am gonna get the new one when it comes out though- already got the approval from the spouse! ;)

[Robottsuperbug]

16

I had a 76 Camaro but it barely ran and over heated. So I got a 76 super beetle and still have it now.

[fdf]

16, got a leaky 71 Baha. Drove her into the ground....

[BLASTER]

38-ish, after getting the itch every ten years or so.

The Mopar disease took a long time to get over.

[BigWigRaceCars]

I got my first VW, before my drivers license, at 15. It was a '71 super. It didn't run, didn't stop and had several electrical issues. My dad and I did most of the work to get it back on the road and I've never looked back. I just turned 28.

Hey, that's me too! '71 Super even. Except, I'm about to turn 38 in a bit over a week. My problem is, ever since I got into working on other peoples' VWs, I don't have time for my own. I'm ashamed to admit I haven't driven an aircooled VW in about 14 years. That's all changing this year though! The '64 crew cab is coming to life!

[Bala]

That's all changing this year though! The '64 crew cab is coming to life!

Can't wait to see it at a meeting!

[conradk]

My mom bought my sister a bus to haul her art around in. I was 15. I tried to hot wire it once - ended up down the street, out of gas.

I tried to teach my sister how to drive it - she couldn't push down the clutch. Some schmuck put in a Kennedy 1700 lb. in there and she is 5' tall.

I drove it until she signed over the title. Until 91 when I tried to inspect it and it started smoking in the Exxon station. The guy kicked me out.

To me its sort of like the old family dog that never dies. THIS is the year knock on wood that I get to terrorize the neighborhood again. Driving around in the dark with no headlights on is where its at.

[Danlboi72sbug]

When I was 6...my dad bought a '64 Camper that we took on a vacation trip to Michigan. I loved that bus and when it went to the shop on occassion, the dealership would let my dad bring home a beetle. I'd sit in the garage for hours pretending to drive that bug all over the place. :D

Always have loved the "fweem" sound coming out of the twin pea-shooter tailpipes. And when the opportunity came up to acquire mine almost 3 years ago, I jumped at the chance and haven't looked back since!!



:cool:

[exzonie]

I've always had VW's for most of my life. I remember 3 of us riding behind the back seat in what we call the "speaker area", I was only 4ish then. I think that was a 66' Bug, tan color. My dad still remembers not liking the roof rack on it, he took it off just after he got it he said.:rolleyes: I still remember my mom learning how to drive a standard in that thing. He also had a lime green diesel Rabbit that he got painted tan. My Mom found a clean 71' Super back in 87' that she ended up giving to me. I had it for about 6 years until I got a few car payments, Chevy Z24 Cavalier and a Dodge Avenger. I had my 67' for about 4 years now.....:)

[pokey1168]

I was 15, she was a '67 with a GREAT baja job. Man, I miss that car. I sold her when I went active duty Navy in '87. since then... '70 cal-look,70 baja,65 cal-look,67 sedan,73 squareback,51 pan with manx clone,72 baywindow,914 porsche/vw,72 superbeetle....NONE as good as my first!!!!!!

[welshj]

When I was a little rugrat running around, dunno how old...

There was an orange bug running around town with black spots, a line running down the roof, a black nose, and radiator hoses cut into eyelashes around the headlights, with a set of lips for a bumper made out of tube steel.

The "lady bug"... I thought it was goofy and dumb looking, but I like it for the fact that it was a car that had personality. (at least I know now thats what I was feeling.) I thought it would be cool to personalize my own. I alway wanted one, and found lump in hawaii while stationed there twenty some years later.

She's been mine ever since.

[volksnuts]

One of friends in High School got a 69 cal-look bug that I got to drive around.... loved the feeling and the look... planned on buying one but spent the money on a system for my 81 Civic....
Didn't actually buy one until the family started and we needed a second car (well that was my excuse) I was 21 with a newborn when I got my car.... still have the kid and the car, one turns 12 this month, the other turns 45 (SAME WEEK too)

[jackdub]

Good story Brian (Volksnuts)!

[TxDevil]

My dad had his 69 Ghia before I was even born. I wasn't much into them during my childhood years. I mean, I'd see em on the street and always stare - but I was never INTO them. Until I was about 18 - My dad bought his 75 Std. Beetle and I started dating a guy who drove one. So, I guess for the past 12 years I've been into them.

[The Bus Driver]

Got stationed in Heidelberg in 1989 (2 months before the Berlin wall fell) I was 19 and never owned a vehicle. I saw a custom 1972 camper at the PX in the parking lot with a for sale sign on it. I got a loan from the bank and then got my first Bus!
Then got my first driver's license - on the autobahn!
I have had one ever since. I also had to rebuild the engine while I was there. The Army had an auto repair facility where you could rent tools and a bay to work in for $2 an hour. That's when a friend of mine, who was driving a Beetle at the time, turned me on to the idiot manual. He helped me rebuild my first engine. Put alot of miles on that Bus on the autobahn before I had to leave him behind. Good times:)

[suicidedoordavid]

17

as for my kids...well, as soon as they could come home from the hospital after birth. both of them.

wish my parents had a vw. now i'm just trying to make up for lost time by being over obsessive.

[jackdub]

Got stationed in Heidelberg in 1989 (2 months before the Berlin wall fell) I was 19 and never owned a vehicle. I saw a custom 1972 camper at the PX in the parking lot with a for sale sign on it. I got a loan from the bank and then got my first Bus!
Then got my first driver's license - on the autobahn!
I have had one ever since. I also had to rebuild the engine while I was there. The Army had an auto repair facility where you could rent tools and a bay to work in for $2 an hour. That's when a friend of mine, who was driving a Beetle at the time, turned me on to the idiot manual. He helped me rebuild my first engine. Put alot of miles on that Bus on the autobahn before I had to leave him behind. Good times:)

I love Heidelberg! My wife and I went there at least once a year.

I used to spend tons of time at the auto craft shop, either working on my Z28 or my Mexican Beetle. ;)

[Wildside]

68 autostick Bug was my 1st car when i was 16 :) been owning and driving ACVWs ever since (i'm 32 now)

this sounds almost familiar...
i was 16 when i got my first car... a 69 Autostick, and have owned MANY different ACVW's since, but only in the last couple years realized the beauty of the Type III
....Im 37 now.

[The Bus Driver]

I love Heidelberg! My wife and I went there at least once a year.

I used to spend tons of time at the auto craft shop, either working on my Z28 or my Mexican Beetle. ;)

Ya Ich habe mein hertz im Heidelberg verloren!

I visited last September and man has it changed! Still awesome though;)

[73SBLucy RIP]

I cant remember when I was into anything else, My grandmother took us to elementary school in a 1972 Standard, she bought it before I was born, drove the crap out of it, my uncle was always tinkerin with it, and since he never had a boy, her taught me a think or 2 about her "guts" Finally in highschool, we found one in San Antonio, running....barly....and turned her into a regular daily driver. Yea VW's are just, damn good cars

[Big Bug]

I had (and still have) vw toys since I can remember. I purchased my first bug (74 Super) when I was 17 and have owned many since. I am currently 33.

[eyounger]

I first got into VW's heavilly when my old job included setting up sponsorships
for local car clubs and events in Houston.
My position took me to various car clubs that ranged from Posche to HotRod
and from the oldest to the newest.
When I got to the North Houston VW Club, I got to know a lot of the then
members. People like Kathy & Gil B., Phil & Karen plus their sons, Glen Hunter
& his wife (R.I.P. Glen), Mike Kern, Gary Kaufman, Alan & Carrie P., etc., etc.
Alan and I became good friends and he eventually sold me his 71 Square. So I
have him to thank for really getting me into the hobby.
That 71 Square has been my pride for close to 15 years now. I turned the 71
into NoMercy Ambulance and never looked back.
Over the years I have bought and sold a few VWs. We are back down to only
two now. My Square and the wifes 68 Ghia.

[vwracing65]

Well lets see. I'm 35 yrs old and I've been around VW's for well...... 35 yrs. :D My dad has worked at a couple VW dealerships back in the early 70's and then in '73 opened his own VW repair shop which he still owns today ( different location of course). I've owned alot of VW from 66 deluxe bus, 66 street/drag bug ( 1st car and a daily driver), 68 bug, 69 bug, 70 bug, 57 cal look oval ragtop (polar silver, BRM's, ida's and etc...), 56 oval dragbug, '67 bug, '67 squareback (slammed), and now another '56 oval dragbug (2332cc, 52 ida's, Super Flo heads and the works). Now I'm looking at getting another street bug one day.:cool:

[Capn Skully]

I was fifteen 1970, my Dad gave me a white '62 bug with a blown out spark plug. Two weeks later the body was off and I was driving the pan around with just seats and string for the throttle.

I owned a few since then and quit until about six years ago when I bought my Thing.

"G"

[h2ovwlover]

When I was two my dad bought a new '73 Super Beetle. I rode all over Atlanta and then Europe in the back behind the back seat. When I was old enough to drive I wanted an old Porsche 911 but got an old bay window ('71) instead. That was 20 years ago and I still don't have an old 911 but I do have five VWs. All are waterpumpers except for my '60 beetle that I have owned for the last 15 years.(fixing it up for my stepdaughter now) I would love to get another aircooled VW, Maybe a basketcase that I could go crazy with.........