the road to "le Bug Show" Spa 2012...

My trip to Spa nearly didn't happen! In an attempt to make sure everything's fine with the Volksback, I jacked it up on Friday night. As soon as it was off the ground I heared a dripping noise...
The axle boot started loosing the oil from the gear box! It was always 100% dry until then!

after a minute or so it was already a small puddle

Ahhh - not now! I tried to fix this by tightening the hose clamp - but I overtightened it:

 

As it was already pass 20:00h when almost all shops are closed - I expected to visit Spa with my daily driver... But then I remembered that the nearby DIY store "TOOM" always opens until 22:00h - on fridays only!
Good luck this time, I found a replacement hose clamp and continued the final check...

Early next morning Ralf and Ute showed up, then we met with Timo and Thorsten on the Autobahn:

 Off we went, towards Spa, in beautyful sunshine...

 Empty streets - almost like a pic' from the 60'ies! Ralf and Ute made the pace ...

"Pommes" and Timo were following...

On the way we had a little pit stop:

once more the old saying: "EVERYTHING can be fixed with zip ties" prooved to be true once more...

After a nice trip through the Ardennes and a little visit to the city of Spa ( Sorry, Ralf...) we finally arrived:

this squareback was on sale for 9990 €uro incl. the 17" Fuchs copies -  a bargain!

ultra rare panel van square

I love those wheels - note the painted number plate!

patina'ed bug with detailed Fuchs and a very short axle - but definately not the shortest of the meeting, more on that topic later ...

the show'n shine area was packed with über-detailed superb show cars - including some trailer queens

this bug is SICK!

Mario's super nice square!

one of a LOT of razor edges around!

exaggerated - for my taste this is too much of everything: too much patina, too much camber, too low, too short axle - actually, the front wheels apeared  to be attached to each other -with no front beam at all...

... there were quite some of these panscrapers around:

... as well as another overdose of Fuchs wheels - it really seems like every bug since 1946 got them from the factory

a few of so many really great buses..

The highlight is the Type 3 and 34 meeting in the meeting:

most of the cars on display were really nice - but not all of them...

 the rocker panel and most of the S-shape panels were gone - in the truest sense of the meaning!

 "air cooled" passenger foot well - and the same for the driver's side:

.. but it was one of the biggest attention grabbers!

type 34's aplenty..

cool bumperettes - as well as the rest

the place was packed:

Thank's to Ute; Ralf; Thorsten; Timo; Ulli and everybody we met on a perfect day in Spa!
Special greetings to the 3 Schuler's - it was nice meeting you!