“Rusted” means metal got corroded over time, often from road salt. That can make bolts and exhaust parts stick so hard that they snap when you try to take them off.
“Freshly rebuilt” means someone repaired the part and put it back together correctly. “Zero miles” here means it hasn’t been driven since that rebuild.
“Early cars” refers to older model years where interior trim, badges, and fitment details may differ from later production. Enthusiasts often seek period-correct or era-appropriate pieces because the original parts can be rare or expensive.
Sun visors are the little flaps above the windshield that you flip down to block glare. People sometimes make custom ones for older cars so they look right inside.
The Volkswagen Rabbit is a compact car model name from Volkswagen. In the podcast, someone is talking about a badge on the car that helps identify it as a Rabbit. It’s basically a way to tell which version/model you’re looking at.
A “supercharged” badge is a label that means the car’s engine has a forced-induction system (a supercharger). It’s basically a visual way to show the car has extra boost.
“media inc.” is the Instagram handle/name the speaker uses to point listeners to the enthusiast’s custom interior/badge work. It functions here as a creator brand rather than an automotive manufacturer.
Term
big bumper mark too
“Big bumper” is a nickname for a later-looking version of the Golf Mk2 with larger bumpers. People use it to tell which version of the same generation they’re looking at.
GTI is Volkswagen’s sporty version of the Golf. “Eight-valve” means the engine is an older, simpler design compared with later versions, and that’s part of why people like these cars.
That phrase is just slang for performance upgrades—parts that help the car feel quicker or handle better. It doesn’t name a specific part, but it means the car has been modified for driving.
“Period correct” means the car has parts that fit the time period it came from. Enthusiasts use it to mean the car looks like it could have been built back then.
“Beatle” here means the Volkswagen Beetle, a famous old Volkswagen. It’s known for having an air-cooled engine and a very recognizable shape. The host is saying they checked one out and it drove really well.
“Air cooled” means the engine is cooled by air flowing over it, not by coolant in a radiator. That’s a different design than most modern cars, and it can affect how you maintain the engine.
“cc” is a way to describe how big the engine is. Bigger displacement often means the engine can make more power, though it depends on the exact design.
Term
tension of brackets
They’re referring to special metal mounting pieces (brackets) that hold something in the right position. They needed the right brackets so the car could be finished and assembled correctly.
A crank sensor is a sensor that tells the car’s computer where the engine is in its cycle. If it’s not working, the computer can’t time things correctly, and the engine may stall or not run right.
Term
standalone stuff
“Standalone” here means using an aftermarket computer to control the engine instead of the factory one. It’s often used when the car has been modified and needs custom tuning.
The crank trigger wheel is a marked ring on the crankshaft that the crank sensor “reads” to know exactly where the engine is. If that wheel has play or is worn, the car can get confused about timing and may run poorly or stall.
Term
no star crank issues
They’re talking about a “won’t start” problem where the engine turns over but doesn’t fire. A common cause is the car not getting the right engine timing information from sensors.
A bodykit is a set of add-on parts that change the outside of a car. People use them to make the car look more aggressive and sometimes to help it handle better by shaping airflow.
“Carbs” are carburetors, which are devices that mix fuel and air for the engine. If the carb setup is wrong, the car can run poorly until it’s tuned correctly.
To “tune” the car here means adjusting settings so the engine gets the right fuel/air mix. They’re saying even a short tuning session made the car feel much better.
“Main drag” just means the main road in town where people cruise around. They’re describing driving the car on a familiar route to see how it actually performs.
A show car is a car that’s built to look impressive for car shows and judging. In this segment, they’re talking about what people think a “proper” show car should look like, and why this one’s details stand out.
The intake manifold is the engine part that channels air to the cylinders. They’re saying the manifold was modified to look smoother and more custom—less like a stock casting and more like a clean, one-piece design.
Vacuum is a kind of suction created by the engine. Some engine parts use that suction to control things, and they’re saying this manifold was changed so the usual vacuum mounting points aren’t there anymore.
Term
power cables
Power cables are the thick wires that move electricity from the battery to the car’s electrical parts. How they’re connected and routed can affect whether everything works reliably and safely.
Term
quick little connects
Quick connects are plug-together electrical connectors that make wiring easier to install and easier to fix later. They still have to be connected correctly so they don’t loosen or cause electrical problems.
A “registry” is basically a database of certain cars. The idea is to track which ones still exist and who owns them, so you can follow their history over time.
“Dry climate” means the car lived somewhere with less moisture in the air. That usually helps prevent rust compared to places that are wet or use lots of salt on roads.
A manual is a stick shift where you choose the gears yourself, usually using a clutch pedal. The hosts are saying fewer cars are being sold with that option.
GoFundMe is a website where people ask for donations to help with expenses. In this story, it’s set up to help pay for a family member’s medical needs.
Brand
Croda windshields
Croda is the name being used for the windshield product Travis has available. The host is saying these parts are limited, so once they’re gone, they may be hard to replace.
Trim pieces are the moldings around the windshield that make it look finished and help keep water out. The host is warning that these specific pieces are limited and may not be restocked.
Car and Driver is a well-known U.S. automotive publication. In the segment, the business owner scaled the operation by running an ad in the magazine, showing how print advertising could drive leads for parts sourcing and sales.
“Parted out” means they take a whole car apart and sell the usable pieces separately. Even if the car can’t be fixed, parts like body panels, lights, or mechanical components can still be worth money.
West Shokan is a place in New York. They’re saying the Audi parts operation was located there, so it gives you a real-world sense of where the inventory and warehouse were.
Olive Bridge is a nearby area in New York. They mention it to help listeners understand the location relative to where the speaker lives and hosts events.
A junkyard is where old cars are taken apart for usable parts. The speaker is saying that having a junkyard nearby helped them learn how to build and fix cars.
This describes a parts-built car, where the vehicle is assembled using components sourced from multiple donor vehicles. Enthusiasts often do this to save money, chase a specific setup, or learn mechanical skills—especially when parts are plentiful in a junkyard.
Diagnosing a car problem means figuring out what’s actually wrong, not just guessing. You look at the symptoms and test things until you find the cause.
This is about a group of car fans getting more popular and forming a community. The speaker says that as more people got into Volkswagens, they started meeting up regularly.
Term
engine options
“Engine options” just means there were different engine versions you could choose when buying the same car model. That lets people end up with very different driving experiences even if the car looks similar.
Here, “chassis” means the car’s main foundation—the part everything else is built on. When people say a chassis is good or bad, they usually mean how that whole platform is set up.
An “upgraded parts car” is basically a car that someone already modified. Instead of buying it to drive stock, people buy it because it has useful parts they can reuse or swap into other builds.
H2O is a big car meet/show that’s especially associated with Volkswagen enthusiasts. The speaker is saying it was one of the biggest events people looked forward to.
Ocean Boulevard is the street/route the speaker is talking about where car people would cruise. They’re describing it like a regular hangout spot for Volkswagen fans.
An Audi S4 is a sportier, faster version of the Audi A4. It typically has a turbo engine and all-wheel drive, and here the guest is talking about his modified S4.
Quattro is Audi’s all-wheel-drive system. It helps the car grip the road better, so power gets to the ground more effectively.
Term
GT thirty seventy one
That “GT 37-71” is a specific turbocharger. A turbo is a forced-induction part that helps the engine make more power by pushing extra air in.
Term
Vem's management
“Vem’s management” is a brand of aftermarket engine computer/tuning system. It helps the turbo car run correctly and make the power the builder is targeting.
Horsepower is a number that tells you how strong the engine is. Higher horsepower usually means the car can accelerate harder, and here they’re comparing older power levels to today’s much higher ones.
They’re talking about electrical issues—things like the car’s wiring or computer-controlled systems. When those fail, features such as power windows and door locks can stop working.
The Audi quattro is an Audi car setup that uses all-wheel drive, meaning power goes to more than just the rear or front wheels. In the podcast, the speaker talks about having a quattro coupe for years, which suggests they liked how it drove. All-wheel drive can help the car grip the road better.
“VR6” is a special type of V6 engine used by Volkswagen Group. It’s designed to fit in a smaller engine bay than a typical V6, and it’s one of the reasons these cars have a unique character.
All-wheel drive means the car can send power to more than two wheels. That helps it grip better on snow, rain, and bad roads—so it was a big deal when it wasn’t common.
The AMC Eagle is an older American car that’s famous for being one of the early mainstream AWD vehicles. The point here is that AWD wasn’t common back then—so the AMC Eagle stood out.
The Toyota Camry is a common family-sized sedan meant for everyday driving. The podcast mentions that some Camry versions can have all-wheel drive, which helps the car grip the road better in certain conditions. It’s brought up because it’s a popular, practical car people choose for normal commuting.
“Modestly modified daily drivers” refers to cars that are used regularly for everyday commuting, but have only light aftermarket changes. The idea is to keep the car street-usable and not turn it into an extreme track-only build.
Mercedes is a luxury car brand. In this conversation, they’re saying Mercedes and BMW cars usually aren’t the kind of entries they want unless the car is really special.
A clutch is what lets you smoothly connect and disconnect the engine’s power to the rest of the drivetrain—usually in a manual car. If it’s worn out, the car can feel like it won’t shift right or it won’t move smoothly.
The Volkswagen Caddy is a small van that’s designed to carry cargo or people, depending on how it’s set up. In the podcast, it’s mentioned because someone had Caddy pickup-style trucks that needed to be sold or removed. It’s the kind of vehicle people use for practical, work-related needs.
Term
one six diesel
They’re talking about a diesel engine size, but the wording is unclear in the transcript. They also say it’s “non-turbo,” meaning it doesn’t use a turbocharger to make extra boost.
“Non turbo” means there’s no turbocharger. So the engine relies on normal airflow rather than using a forced-air system to make more power.
Term
tank renewde
They’re describing a process to refresh/clean the fuel tank. For a truck that’s been sitting since the 1990s, that helps remove old, bad fuel so it can start reliably.
They’re describing the inside color as “peanut butter,” meaning a warm tan/brown. It’s basically a nickname for the interior upholstery color.
Concept
giveaway car
A “giveaway car” is usually a car being raffled or given away as a prize. It’s not just something for sale—it’s the featured winner-type vehicle. The host is saying they realized the truck was probably the one people could win.
A “walk around” means circling the vehicle and looking it over closely. People do this to check how clean it really is and spot any obvious problems. They’re saying they didn’t get a thorough look at that truck.
They’re talking about a time when VW fans were really active and excited. The idea is that the enthusiasm can fade and then come back, depending on who’s sharing and building cars.
They’re saying their shop mostly does normal, day-to-day car service—things like keeping cars running—rather than only special projects.
Term
diesel stuff
They’re saying most of their work is on diesel cars. Diesel engines can need different kinds of repairs than gas engines, so it shapes what they do day to day.
TDI is a type of diesel engine used by Volkswagen and Audi. It uses a turbo and injects fuel directly into the engine, and the speaker is saying they’ll be doing an engine replacement on one soon.
They’re talking about a 2002 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. “TDI” means it’s a diesel, and diesel cars are often known for getting great gas mileage and pulling strongly at lower speeds. They also mention customizing it with different lights and wheels.
“Straight pipes” means the exhaust has less muffling than stock, so it can sound louder and flow better. In this case, the speaker says it doesn’t end up being too loud anyway.
Concept
Mark four podcast
“Mark four” is shorthand for the Volkswagen Jetta “Mk4” generation, which is often discussed by enthusiasts for balancing a somewhat upscale feel with sporty driving manners and everyday practicality. The hosts are framing the episode as repeatedly circling back to that generation’s appeal.
LIVE
Speaker 1: Yo, everybody, what is up? Welcome to the People's Car Podcast.
My name is Ryan Bielman, and sitting right next to me.
Speaker 2: Is Dane Murcatta. What's going on, dude?
Speaker 1: What's up?
Speaker 3: Dude?
Speaker 1: We have a great episode for you guys today. We
have Aaron Smith from Forties in a Bag. Yeah, and uh,
super nice guy, very humble guy. He's got a lot
of cool stuff. He's got a lot of cool cars
that he probably doesn't like talking about that much. And
he puts on a great show that you know, just a great attitude and a great show and I think everyone should probably check that out this year. So, uh,
Forties in a Bag. There's some rules. You have to
listen to the whole episode. There's a process in which
to fill out forms, so you want to get in that show. But yeah, check that out. And uh, before
we get into the episode, we're just gonna bullshit a little bit.
Speaker 4: Yeah, man, Like we haven't seen each other and since Helen, Yeah, so we were it was about two weeks now out. Yeah, yeah,
it's been a minute since we've been on the podcast.
So it's nice to get back on here and bullshit. Yeah, dude,
So we it's crazy it's like a whirlwind. Like Helen
like came and went. It was like just so fast.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it just snap your finger. It's done and over with.
Speaker 4: And I was trying to get my pickup truck ready for Helen, and you know what, I was like kind of rushing some stuff, and I took a step back and I was like, you know what, dude, I'm not going to rush this thing, right because it's like if I keep trying to just get it ready just for this, I'm gonna wind up just blowing shit apart and wanting to redo.
Speaker 2: It anyway lout and down the road.
Speaker 4: So it's like, let me take my time a little more on it and just kind of, you know, let it be done when it's done, when it's when it's ready to be on the road.
Speaker 2: So it's almost there.
Speaker 4: Like I had like little things that were fighting me and nickel and diming, and it's like all right, case in point, I had exhaustment unfold stocks. Like almost every
single one broke off on the head because you know it's coming from my Sincral sedan that was a Canadian car, so everything's just rusted on that car. So I'm like
trying to fight with these things. Or I go to
like my shed area and I've got a head that's got zero miles on it, that's like freshly rebuilt, that was on my syncro wagon, that was on the twin Charge car to e CS and Black Forest that never got it running, So it's a fresh head.
Speaker 2: Like what am I doing?
Speaker 3: Yeah?
Speaker 1: Yeah? Why if you take your time and kind of
like come up with a slow, more methodical gain plan. Yeah,
it makes sense. And I understand why you're rushing too,
Like you're trying to get it going and then trying to get it down there. And you know, sometimes like
Helen does that to be Oh absolutely, it's coming up and you're like I want to I want to rock the car down there, and you know, sometimes it just doesn't make sense, but sometimes.
Speaker 4: It does, yeah, because it would have been cool to have it there for you know, a year after I got it and everything, and it's like kind of procrastinated on it. You know what the thing was, I'm trying
to get the one seven running right for a while, and instead of doing that, I should have just fucking from the beginning just dumped it. But I was like,
you know, I'm going to rock this one. Out for
the year and everything, and I just kept on having issues and issues and issues.
Speaker 2: I was like, I should have did this in the beginning.
Speaker 1: So it's funny they say it because I think a lot of times it's hard for people to buy a project car, and if they do have a plan, sometimes just to buy it and like you said, rip it like tear it down first. Yeah, which is one of
the hardest things because you just got it. It's like
telling somebody at Christmas, here's a toy, but you can't play with it, right, you know what I mean. It's like,
well that that doesn't work for kids, and it doesn't work for growing.
Speaker 2: Any you know, especially ones in ADHD And yeah.
Speaker 1: I mean, hey, I think everyone could relate to that.
So yeah, no, it's cool. That will be I can't
wait for that truck to be done because what that truck has is originality to it. It's got some patina
to it, it's got some great it's got some great side.
Uh what can I think of the graphic I guess yeah, the graphics, but the graphics, the the year, the color, like it all makes sense. And then with that, like swap,
I think it will be like a cool rowdy little car.
Oh yeah, and uh, that's gonna be that's gonna be a cool truck. That's gonna be a lot of fun.
Speaker 2: It's gonna be allowed truck with the lice on in it.
Speaker 1: Yeah, And I mean that's kind of like now people really think it's a little like fire truck or something.
bad yet, thanks mane. I appreciate it for sure. It
was like so yeah, while I'm not taking that, you know, obviously it wasn't right. He wasn't finished. So now I'm
just taking my time on it. And it's kind of
cool because I'm getting like other little pieces for it.
Speaker 2: You know.
Speaker 4: It's like I'm putting together a little bit nicer of a truck where I was just throwing together and like hoped it ran kind of deal.
Speaker 1: So what kind of pieces might you be getting for?
Speaker 4: So, speaking of which, I have someone right here. Actually
I've gotten the mail and.
Speaker 1: See I see a box with a rabbit on it.
Speaker 4: Yes, it's a rabbit symbol on the box. So we're
gonna open this box up here, and this is from r D Media and he has made a bunch of cool stuff. So I'm looking at this box here he has, uh,
let's here some emblems that he threw in here, which is awesome.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, he actually made.
Speaker 4: The shift boot for the truck in brown. Nice they
put on his Instagram. Anyone's interested in the shift boot Brown?
Speaker 2: He offered called a couple of colors. I said, I'll
definitely take the brown one. And dude, it looks so sick.
Speaker 4: Yeah, man, and it's got the rabbit embroidered on it.
Speaker 2: Dude, that is so cool.
Speaker 1: Yeah, nice clean stitching.
Speaker 2: Yeah, Like it is a nice piece.
Speaker 4: It's really cool that he's putting together these uh different little interior bits for these early cars because like we already have like the sun visors that he started doing.
Speaker 2: Now he's doing formats.
Speaker 4: I did not, but like he put him you know, he started doing those and a lot of people have already been jumping on those.
Speaker 1: They look great, they're coming out awesome.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 4: And then he's got the albums he's been working on, which is awesome.
Speaker 2: He's got a cool a refreshmer with the rabbit on there.
Speaker 4: This badge here is I believe the Supercharged badge for truck.
So he gave me like a prototype supercharge badge and then he made one that is going to be able to clip into the grill of the egg West grill. Dude,
this is such awesome stuff. So, like, if you haven't
checked his stuff out, definitely get onto his instagram check it out, and if you have request for things, he'll take requests. Looking at Like I said, he's doing formats now,
which is awesome because like where can you get a set of mark on formats from unless it's like, you know, five hundred dollars plastic color ones or whatever.
Speaker 2: And it's like it's kind of cool seeing fresh stuff come out, Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4: Yeah, especially for early cars that you know, like stuff that you wouldn't even think about, you know, like, oh, where want to hear this from?
Speaker 1: And it certainly seems like there's some craftsmanship behind it, which is awesome you know.
Speaker 4: Oh yeah, definitely he's super passionate about it, which is great.
You could see like what he's trying to do. So
like if you want to go on his Instagram already media inc. He's you know, he's an enthusiasts like us,
and he's doing this thing and he's got a lot of cool stuff that's coming out. So just looking at
his like Instagram, like he's just you know, tinking around with cool shit.
Speaker 1: Nice cool man.
Speaker 2: Definitely.
Speaker 1: Yeah. So I right before we went down to Helen,
I was almost gonna do something that. It was an
impulse by. It came up, I think I should tell
the story.
Speaker 2: Real quick, let's do it.
Speaker 1: I did not get it. But so a car comes
up for sale, sure, and I was like, ah, I haven't bought a car in a while' fuck it. So,
you know, I show my wife and I'm like, look at this, I'm thinking of picking this up. It's a
Montana Green Mark two. Okay, so it's I've never had
a big bumper mark too. Yeah, it is an eight
valve GTI okay, So this thing shows up and it is clean. It is super clean, and it's got like
a bunch of period correct like go fast goodies on it.
And you could tell the interior as well, taken care of.
The guy owned it for like eighteen or nineteen years.
Speaker 2: Wow.
Speaker 1: So this is a car. Now, I'm gonna tell you
a little story that kind of pissed me off too, But I'm not gonna get into names. I'm not gonna
get into whatever. I'm just gonna say what happened. So
this car comes out, and uh, I'm talking back and forth to the guy and we're texting each other. Sure,
And this has been going on for like two weeks.
And somebody had messaged me earlier saying, hey, oh, actually I saw a picture and I said, is that car for sale? And the person I talked to on the
internet was like, yeah, it is, actually, and here's the number.
So I've been texting this guy for like two weeks at this time. Yeah, We're going back and forth and
he's I'll just straight up say like he was like, I said, how about eighty five hundred for that car?
Now it's on like clean RMS and everything. I mean,
the car is like ice. And he goes, you know
what cars really nice have had it for eighteen nineteen years.
Ten thousand dollars My bottom line? Uh so what does
that mean when someone says that to you ten thousand dollars is.
Speaker 4: The bottom line is like, that's where you're gonna go with.
That's not going anything less than that, right.
Speaker 1: Yeah, so you would assume that ten thousand dollars is now the set price because they said I'm not gonna budge from ten thousands.
Speaker 2: Right, And you can say, well, this is where I'm at.
It should change your mind.
Speaker 1: Hey, that's where I'm one hundred percent. That is one
way you could go about that situation. Or another way
is you could talk to him back and forth for the next couple of days and ask for more photos and then ask for more videos and almost to the point where not that you're badgering him, but you're asking for the stuff and he's he's obliging and he's saying, yeah, sure, here they are. So the last time we talked, he said,
I went to work that day and he said, so basically, just so reel here. Ten thousand dollars is like the
bottom line. I said, I will be showing up tomorrow
at your house with a truck and a trailer. I
understand where you're coming from. I'm going to the bank
today from work to get the money.
Speaker 2: Okay.
Speaker 1: So I go to the bank, I get the money, I bring it home. I'm ready. I take off the
next day work. I am literally with my wife driving
the truck because I was like, yay, you want to go for a ride. She's like yeah, sure, I'll She
even took off a couple hours and wasn't It was like two hours away out two two and a half hours away, not too far. So I'm getting all excited.
I'm like, I might be bringing this fucking car down to Helen and I just show up and you guys are like, what the fuck? So I am driving down
there and he basically texts me saying or I text him saying, hey, could you please give me your exact address?
And he says to me, oh, I didn't think you were coming. And I said, what what makes you think that?
And I literally said the last text that I sent you was I will be leaving at seven thirty tomorrow morning with a truck and a trailer and the money.
And then he says, oh, I thought that. I thought
you didn't want to come here anymore because the price is now thirteen What And dude, that's my reaction. I said,
what are you talking about? Now? Keep in mind I
had gone to the bag, I took off a day or I got a truck in a trailer. I'm ready
to go. And he said, yeah, I went about I looked,
and again, I'm not talking shit on anyone's name. I'm
just telling you, like, where's the fucking integrity. That's kind
of my point. Where is it where people like say, hey,
this is the price. I told you, So if someone's
willing to come for that price, even if someone this is how I work, Even if someone calls you later and says, hey, I'll give you one thousand more, two thousand more, know what I already said yes to one guy.
Price is what it is. I made a deal.
Speaker 2: Yeah, the price is the price. This is what we made.
This is the deal.
Speaker 1: So he says, I was looking last night at bring a trailer, Oh, here we go, and I saw a car that also went. It was a Montana that was
an eight valve and a very very clean one that went and say, I think he was like maybe twenty twenty two, at the height of all the craziness, like literally the peak, and said it went for twenty grand.
So I'm saying that, you know, thirteen is good.
Speaker 2: I was low.
Speaker 1: I was living right. I was like, so you're telling
me literally on the way, that's three thousand dollars more, right, And unfortunately the anger got the best of me. I
told him to go fuck himself, and I hung up the phone, and then I drove home because now I had wasted a day, had wasted a bunch of time, and so just a PSA got And I don't have to tell most people, but if you agree on a price, you agreed on the price.
Speaker 4: Yeah, if you said ten grand is my bottom line? Cool,
I'm gonna be there tomorrow. And it's talking to trailer.
Speaker 2: We're good.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's it. That that is it. And that's all
I thought, was it? Yeah, until you're not. Yeah, and
I learned that Jesus, I haven't been burned in a long time. That's something like that. But it was one
of those things where I was like, oh.
Speaker 2: Yeah, no, no, no, no, fuck me right.
Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, I'll just go fuck myself. Then.
Speaker 2: So I thought you were going to say the Beatle that you're talking you're talking about.
Speaker 1: Oh, and I did go. I did go check out
a Beatle. Met an awesome so I am like totally
in the mood for an air cool car again. Yeah,
I met this awesome guy, older gentleman. He I went
to go see a Beatle who was basically a nineteen fifteen cc nineteen fourteen cc engine and the thing was a ripper and it was kind of like a cow look bug. It wasn't quite as good as it presented
in the pictures as far as the body goes. It
was a solid car, but I thought the paint was even nicer. I did go. I met a really cool guy.
He has rebuilt a bunch of air cooled engines in his little shop down under his house and it's in it's like right over the border, Shola, right over the bridge.
So that was really cool. We did take it for
a rip. The car rip dude, I was like, this
is fucking awesome, which almost made me like feel sad that it wasn't exactly the car that I thought I was looking at.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: Yeah, but also man, I'm like, damn, I really need another one of these. But uh so, yeah those are
my stories. Really, I have nothing new.
Speaker 4: Well, I mean, that would have been cool to shopping hell with the Montana Greens Mark two.
Speaker 2: But we still had a great time.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, Paul, thank you very much. Cue thanks everybody
that puts everything together. Once again, you guys did an excellent,
excellent job. What was amazing this year was the weather
wasn't humid as it was perfect and it was just beautiful and like breezy and even chili at night.
Speaker 2: Right nice.
Speaker 4: It was very comfortable, especially for like a show and for like you know, to get togethers for all week leading up to this show.
Speaker 2: Even for our get together.
Speaker 4: It was a nicer setup for ours too because we had like a nicer set up compared to what it was last year, same parking lot with a little further back, and it worked out really well.
Speaker 1: Yeah, there's one more like parking lot area that we never even looked at even the last like two years that we had it there. We have two years whatever
it was. Yeah, then we had it there and I
didn't even realize that there was a whole nother space.
I know, it was just enough where there was some trees and there was a little bit of elevation change back there. So it just gives it like a nicer
perspective when everyone's kind of hanging out looking at cars.
And again it wasn't hot as shit. It was just
such a beautiful time.
Speaker 4: And shout out to our Irish friends for coming over and helping.
Speaker 2: Us with the get together.
Speaker 4: As everyone that helped Ritchie Yeah, and actually Richie and I Pat Pat helped us out. I helped us out too.
He was there nice and early. Richie and I uh
actually swap parts. So there's a supplier in the UK
that makes tension of brackets for g sixties and they're not especially like forty bucks. You know, someone can easily,
you know, make one here, no big deal. I'm like,
you know what for Because that my mindset was still like get this truck done, let me get this part.
So I'm like, I'll just order on eBay, get a shipped.
And I ordered too, and the guy messages me back and like starts saying stuff about like shipping and terraces and whatever, and it's like, I'm not gonna be to ship it to you. I was like, you're fucking kidding me.
So I'm I'm like, well, you know what, I'll just have him ship to Ireland since they're coming over here.
Speaker 2: So Richie did me a solid. He got the parts
and then brought him over to Helen and I wound up.
Speaker 4: Swapping him some B five and a half rob strips for a pasad because he happens to have a silver pasad. Yeah,
and like that's a cool thing to do over there.
So sure it worked out and it's like it's cool to have people and friends that you're able to do that with, and sometimes it's timing works out, you know. Yeah,
So but no, it's cool that the whole weekend itself, like everything like everything went really well. There was like,
knock on wood, no hiccups that I could speak about with anything.
Speaker 1: No, I think it went very well.
Speaker 4: Yeah, Like my I brought my wagon down and I was having a little bit of an issue with it, so like I wasn't able to run it for when I first got down there. I had to get a crank
sensor for it. And it was so funny because day
Autotune is forty minutes south of we're staying, and that's where like a lot of the standalone stuff comes from, and so it's like.
Speaker 2: I'm just gonna run down there and get one.
Speaker 4: So I went round getting one from the Oral Tune and throw it in just for the time being so I can get the car going until because I I want up buying a kid from Audobon and Auto Works shout out to Travis, and I'm gonna swap that in later on because it's it'll be a different, little bit better set up than what's on right now. Currently. I
think I have a little run out with my crank trigger wheel and it's kind of just doing a little play so.
Speaker 2: We'll get sweared away.
Speaker 4: But it was cool to actually be able to drive the car around and running around and actually not have to worry about it like stalling out and giving me like, you know, stupid uh no star crank issues. Yeah yeah, yeah,
I mean at least now looking forward, like it was cool like to look at that sort but now back into like I'm back onto truck mentality and working on the truck and.
Speaker 2: Nice and that's what I want to get on Nice.
Speaker 1: That's awesome. I don't know, I only listened to half
of the Reload podcast so far. When they when they
were talking about Helen, I think I only listened to half of it, so I don't know if they talked much about Heather and Errol's cars. Yeah, okay, if they did,
I don't want to, like, you know, I mean, it is what it is. But Heather's car came out fantastic.
It was so good. I did bust their nuts when
we first got there because I was like, yo, your cars have the wrong sets of wheels on each of them, like the RS should be on Luis and you know, the uh what do they call the sea brings should be on the Mark too, which is sixty two exactly.
So when they and then Errol put them on and he messaged me, he's like, holy shit, I can't believe how good this looks.
Speaker 2: They look fantastic.
Speaker 1: Dude, Dude, I think that's the wheel for that they I think they look amazing.
Speaker 2: And it goes with the car because of the team of being the G sixty.
Speaker 1: And something about those wheels and like the bodykit of a Mark two, even when they're on rallies and stuff like that, something about the bodykit. It's just the wheels
are so perfect, yeah, for like a chunky Mark too, right, you know what I mean. I don't know how else
to say that. But so it was cool Aero. Let me,
uh drive that car a little bit.
Speaker 4: Louise, right, yeah, so that was only known as Lewis I think.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, Louis yeah, so uh yeah, and he ripped off that sticker, which was great and uh it gave it like a new life yeaheah for sure, you know.
Speaker 2: And we're talking.
Speaker 4: About this down there and it's like you've had this like mentality of what this car was and like, you know, it was almost great at one time.
Speaker 2: It's almost like it's a sad fucking life.
Speaker 1: It has lived a satellite. Yes, it's been sitting. It's
spent a very sad life. And what's great and just
kind of how I think Aero it this way. It
was like it's when he first said, like, do you want to drive? I was like I don't care? And
then I was like yeah, you know what, like why wouldn't I yeah, yeah, And then he's like yeah, it kind of just like puts a bookend on the end of this, you know, So I he you know, he so he had problems with the carbs set up, and then he got new carbs cars and then he threw them on literally tuned him for like five or ten minutes.
I mean, and I'm sure if he really took some time, like the car would have been like a good ripper.
I'm so it was like before that and it was run and fine. Yeah, but he said later on a
few days after he got home, he fucked with it and he's like, it's so much different. It's awesome. So
it is what it is. But we were we were
ripping it up and down the main drag and stuff, and that was really cool. It was cool to get
in the car and actually see it move. It is
moving on car has been sold. Yeah, people will see
it out again.
Speaker 2: Yep. And no it's not me. I don't.
Speaker 1: I do not own the car, but I can say one of our good friends does and I'm excited about that.
So yeah. So that was that. And then again, Heather's
car looked fucking awesome. It came out so much better
than I even expected. I think it was a total
step up in like classiness and it's hard.
Speaker 4: To very classy car and the way it looked in the show field and I and I I think I said this down there.
Speaker 2: I don't. I don't know if I said to Heather
or who I said too.
Speaker 4: It was like a glass of champagne around a bunch of beer.
Speaker 1: Right right, It really was.
Speaker 4: That's that's how it just looked like very elegant and classy.
Speaker 1: Yeah it was. It's really well done.
Speaker 4: The attention to detail on it is really what I think sets it apart. And I don't know, I mean,
everyone has their opinions on what show car should be in every case is blah blah blah. But when you
look at like, all right, so on a G sixty on the intake found.
Speaker 2: Fold, all the bosses are shaved off, so.
Speaker 4: There's no like screw holes the vacuum, but like there's like like the things that were like would be on a regular G sixty manifold are all gone. It's just
one smooth piece across. And it's funny because like Eron
was talking about the story about that, you know, like Heather want of these removed. He's like, all right, well
go ahead, here's drum ball, here's the tools, and you know, don't if you go. You know, so she's the one.
She's shaved it off and made it look amazing. You know,
it's a great looking piece, and it just goes with the simplicity of everything else in the engine bay. It
looks so simple, I so much details that makes anything.
Speaker 1: No, it totally does. And if people check it out
over the next couple of years, like theyn't know what we're saying. I thought it was super ballsy to color
match some of the things she color matched and they came out kind of flawless, Like, yeah, looks really good.
Speaker 4: The interior smell is amazing. It's like a brand new
baseball glove. It smells like fresh leather. It's I love
that smell. It's such a great interior.
Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure, So great job on those two cars.
Speaker 2: Were even Like with.
Speaker 4: Lewis, that car really presented well at the show.
Speaker 2: And and and.
Speaker 4: I'm not gonna get into any controversies or anything or whatever, but that car definitely was a top ten car. I
feel personally, there's no way that car is not a top ten car. And I get it because you have
so many different kinds of cars there and it's not everyone's.
Speaker 2: Cup of tis, so to speak. But like when you had.
Speaker 4: The door open and you have this polished panel shining into the interior and you can see the interior on the door panel, is so fucking sick.
Speaker 1: I know, it's crazy. You know, it's funny about that
because I saw that at H two many many years and literally it sat in my driveway for five years and a trailer and every time i'd open up the trailer and make sure or you know, just make sure everything was dry and everything else, and I just look at those door cards and I'd be like, that is so fucking insane. And not that I would have done it.
I would have never done it, but the fact that it was done is so crazy. And then when I
saw it on the not only on the field because someone did take a really cool picture of that angle, yeah yeah, but even seeing it sit under our rental house and I was like, damn, like, this is pretty fucking awesome.
Speaker 2: It is what it's supposed to be a show car.
Speaker 1: Oh no, and it's not perfect because it's been sitting.
And that's the other thing that's so impressive about it because the owner before me and me we kept it like it wasn't in a rusty spot, in a shitty spot.
It's not like you know, eroding, right, it's been fifteen or twenty years or whatever it's been yeah wait longer well yeah, well nine yeah, so like it's been a lot almost years, twenty years. Yeah, and the car definitely
presents very well. And of course all the bits that
Errol did like it looks great too, which took it in a different direction.
Speaker 4: It was so many one off parts on the car. Yeah,
that like if it was like damn, like you keep looking at things and looking and looking and looking and like look, it was just so many like one off things on the car.
Speaker 2: Like what I thought was really cool.
Speaker 4: Was like the power cables and how they're like both into the bullhead and had like the It was just like really cool little things like that, just like the in the in the back to where the battery was and had the power cable bullheads like there were just like these quick little connects.
Speaker 2: It was a really cool setup. It was. It's there's
so I mean that car.
Speaker 4: Obviously for him to get that car going took a lot of money in time, and it really really presented well.
It presented better than I thought it was going to present if that makes any sense, because like thinking about the car, it was like a least of I saw it was in a trailer, you know, and dusty trailer that car was, you know, hasn't been washing years and whatever.
Speaker 2: So it really presented well for what it was.
Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure, Yeah, and I agree with you top ten car for sure, absolutely, But it is what it is.
The fuck knows and what else is there any other cars there? Like I said later in the episode, that's
weird thing to say. But when we were talking to Aaron,
I talked a little bit about those u RS fours driving around, like those are wild to hear. There is
no five cymilar that sounds like that. I don't care
like the O seven K gangs.
Speaker 2: It's good, but it's not like it's not it's.
Speaker 1: Not that it's not it is not that it is a different sound. But man, like, can you hear those
You're like, oh, seven K's have their own cool sound.
But I'm trying to think of other cars that were like, you know, stand out cars. There was that, and we
don't have to go over the whole show, but yeah, there was that. There was that pickup truck that everybody
was talking about. The Portion machine.
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, which not everyone cup, not everybody's cup of tea, but at least it had a theme that went with everything I had.
Speaker 1: Yeah, there was certainly some like clean mark fours down there.
There was you know, there was your your average Like it's funny how you get down there and you just don't see some of the cars that are up here, and it I guess it's not that funny because you don't have to travel fifteen hundred miles in one weekend just to go to a show. Sometimes like people people,
you know, we do that and then sometimes we're like, oh, we've never seen this car. It's like well, yeah, that
makes sense. We're in Georgia, right right, you know not
everyone always goes with the circus everywhere.
Speaker 4: True, this is that's a good point. No, it was
cool like actually shout out to you for help and put us together, but getting the three pistats together.
Speaker 2: So there were three B three wagons down there.
Speaker 4: There was Ian Rubbish, Mine and self Cheetahs, and it was cool that we were able to do a little photo shoot with it. They just came out fantastic and
it's like they were the only B threes that are down there. Yeah, oh yeah, it's so happened to be
that they were all wagons.
Speaker 1: Are you sure they were the only be three?
Speaker 2: I didn't see any I didn't either.
Speaker 1: I think they were the only B threes it could have been, but the ones I hope there wasn't another one that we missed out on coun.
Speaker 4: There definitely wasn't another one in the show, that's for sure. Yeah, yeah,
and I didn't see any of any other get togethers it could have been.
Speaker 1: But yeah, uh have you seen the new PVW before on the cover?
Speaker 2: Yes? Yes, which is cool.
Speaker 4: It is cool and it's funny because there hasn't been many or I mean there's like next to no B three's that are.
Speaker 2: Going to PVW cover, you know what I mean, it just doesn't happen.
Speaker 4: It's cool to see it before because B fours are like it's like you won't see a B three You sure shit won't see it B four on the cover.
Speaker 1: And it's so strange. Like I honestly feel like when
I saw that on the cover, I was like, whoa this is Are we in like nineteen ninety eight?
Speaker 2: Yeah, Yeah, it's cool.
Speaker 1: It is cool. It's a cool car. There's a couple
of cool, really cool cars in that in that magazine.
Speaker 4: No, and speaking of which I was gonna say, yes, so happy birthday to PVW, so shout out to them for thirtieth anniversary.
Speaker 1: Yep, that's pretty awesome.
Speaker 4: It's cool that this is still current, it's still relevant.
People are still subscribing and purchasing in and it's print, you know media. It's like it's something that is it's
funny that it is still around because of how many other mags.
Speaker 2: Have died off.
Speaker 4: Yeah, and it's great to see because of you know a lot of the enthusiasts keeping it going. And that's
what it is, all of us just keeping it going.
Speaker 2: Yep.
Speaker 1: And all these people have been posting in the last few days kind of like if if they had their cars at one point put in there too, yeah, you know, saying like thanks for what you guys do, right, you know, this was my car and two thousand and three and right, which is awesome. It is cool. Sometimes you don't realize
later on now that we have certain kinds of social media, I guess and stuff, the connection you're like, oh, that was.
Speaker 4: Your car, right, you know, forget about or don't realize the didn't know about it.
Speaker 1: Yeah, like you knew the car, right, and then you eventually know somebody from social media, but you don't put it together that that was them twenty years ago.
Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 4: Wild and looking at like PBW, what they've always done well is like the catchy cover Yeah you know Ogan sure, and like one of the slogans that like I was I was thinking about this and like, you know, what are ones that I kind of think about, And one of them was like, I don't know, it was like two thousand and five. I want to say it was
a Corodo v R six on the under cover and it was the slogan was the Shining Okay, And it's like those like little nuances to capture like your attention.
And it's like, you know, at the time, it was supposed to be like you know, one of the best Bill Crado's at that time period, and it was a really nice car. And it's like just that's that's what
gets you. It's like those kind of catchy slogans and
like those totally you know, the front cover pictures and and it's just like all these cars that have come and go over to seeing all these years, like there's just so many good cars. It's like you can't like
necessarily pick favorites. I mean, it's cool that like Mark
James was able to pick up the Jeta Coop Michael McCoy's old Coop, which is great because like that's one of my favorite cars that was either PVW or a show or whatever the case was. So it's cool, like
those cars are those cars are still around? Yeah, And
there's a lot I'm sure they are still around that we haven't even seen.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, yeah for sure. And I still talk
about all the time. If you could just have this,
like you know, you could put on some kind of foiled hat or something, and you could get all these different messages right to your mind. It's like, wait, where
are these cars? Who has them?
Speaker 2: Now?
Speaker 1: Well, this one's in you know, this part of western England or something. This one's just right here in upstate
New York. It's like that car should be in California.
Why is it in New York? Right that that stuff
has to happen all over the place where it's not even probably in the same parts of like the country that you know them from. Someone else bought them and
it went to somebody else, and some of them exist somewhere, you know what, I'm not always rotted to hell.
Speaker 4: And like thinking about how you just said that, you know how like the twenties have a registry, the crodo's, you know, the Crado had the cradle forms I mean obviously yeah, more, but like different car Douctor to twos have, like the different models have a registry. It would be
cool to go through and make like a PVW feature car registry of like oh ship of like all like the feature you know, the ones out on the front cover.
Speaker 2: That'd be very cool, and then like try to backtrack of who owned them, who still owns them? Are they
still around? What happened to them?
Speaker 1: Yeah? I mean a lot of work.
Speaker 2: It would be a ton of massive undertaking.
Speaker 1: It would be it. It would be Yeah, just aware
are they now?
Speaker 2: And we've always talked about that.
Speaker 4: We've always talked and it's cool to like that would be the ship of like putting these cars together.
Speaker 2: Where are they now? Yeah?
Speaker 4: I mean I mean you can start at the beginning, or you can start like, you know, ten years ago, it's fifteen years ago.
Speaker 2: Whatever, you know, you could or you could just do all of them.
Speaker 1: Who knows? I mean idea for dollars, Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4: Speaking of cars, there was this guy that I saw online that he picked up one on over seventy seven Chiroco out of Connecticut. It's been sitting there since eighty
seven with eighty four thousand ohs on it. Like really
nice Draco, clean car, dry climate, you know, just overall really nice car.
Speaker 2: I saw that and like it was.
Speaker 4: Like, damn, these things are still out there, Like there are still cool cars out there.
Speaker 1: So it's like players made. Yeah, Like it's not like
there was only four hundred of each car mane, you know what I mean? There they are out there.
Speaker 4: It's just right place at the right time. Yep, that's
pretty much what it is. You know, it's you just
you never know. You just never know. So like even
like stuffing, you think it's dead, whether it be Vortex or Craigslist. Still, yeah, go on there and some dude
just fucking pops up something on it. It's like because
he might have been into something twenty years ago, and like that's.
Speaker 2: What he knows.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's it.
Speaker 4: Yeah, he doesn't know about marketplace or anything else or whatever.
But yeah, you just never know what's out there. Unfortunately,
what's not going to be out there may transmissions and volkswagons.
Oh yeah, they're killing the manual in the Jli Jatta and that's not gonna be a thing anymore.
Speaker 1: So let me ask you this is that it for manual altogether?
Speaker 2: Sounds like it were they the.
Speaker 1: Last ones that have manual.
Speaker 2: For GLI was the last one in the US.
Speaker 1: So the GLI was still keeping it going, but the gt I and the R were gone.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so lame. Yeah, it sucks.
Speaker 1: Now are you talking can you get a mark eight and a half in a manual like a golfer or you are we talking like Mark nine's coming up. It's
even so weird.
Speaker 4: To say, yeah, I don't even know, like whatever next year twenty twenty seven is gonna be.
Speaker 2: So this is the last.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't even know if, like that's how far I don't even know anymore. Yeah, I don't even know
if next year is a Mark nine.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I have no idea and I really don't care.
And that's what sucks about it. And like you say,
there was a girl down in Helen, nice girl. So
she was taking pictures of all these Volkswagens. She worked
for Volkswagen, and you can tell she was like one of these people that, like, you know, we'll put the stuff on their social media stussure to gain the feels and vibe and everything.
Speaker 2: And it's like, that's great. Why aren't you doing like
that in real life with what do you have? The dealership?
So it's it's it sucks, it's unfortunately it is what it is.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm gonna go to a little somber story here.
Speaker 2: Oh geez.
Speaker 4: There was a guy that posted on the golf R thirty two of Facebook group page that he was selling his deep blue pearl Mark four thirty to he r thirty two daughter had cancer, doesn't have the time and money to finish the car, and like started going through the car and the maas and everything. His name is
Jeremy Rodgers. There's actually a GoFundMe now for him for
his daughter. So if you are interested in the car, great,
you know, if it's something that you can make a deal on, that's fantastic, or if you can just donate to help him out help his daughter that has cancer.
It was just like a you know, punching a gut kind of moment.
Speaker 2: Reading that. I was like, oh man, that sucks.
Speaker 4: Yeah, So definitely just a shout out and check it out if you can go to his GoFundMe page.
Speaker 2: I'm gonna do.
Speaker 4: Another shout out to Travis all about Auto Works because he's got Croda windshields now in stock. Also has a
limited supply coming of trim pieces for the windshield as well, and once they're gone or gone, they're not gonna he's not gonna have any more trim pieces. But he has
windshields and stock and he has like about twenty five if they're not already all sold outcha. So it's it's
kind of sucks that you're seeing things like out there that might come to an end, like hey, once he's are gone or gone, you know, it's like we're getting to that point now. It's ours, especially with the Crodo
or Chiroco or anything that was more of a niche kind of vehicle. So stay on a G sixty thing
because I feel like we've been talking about G sixty this whole podcast. B Star Wheels back to the eighties
theme with the sixteen inch steealies.
Speaker 1: They look great.
Speaker 2: Yeah, the aluminum steel is with the polish slip.
Speaker 4: Dude, I'm probably gonna pull trigger and just buy a set of these because why not it right, Yeah, because they're awesome. I fucking love these things. And it's great
that they have these sixteens on a Mark one. Yeah,
it looks fantastic. Yeah, that is great, So mark sixteen
inch wheels on a Mark one.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, cool man. Anything else before we get into
the I.
Speaker 2: Think that's pretty much it. Yeah, that's all I got.
Cool all right?
Speaker 1: Well, uh, everybody, like we always say, uh, share the podcast with friends, and we really appreciated Aaron Smith coming on and he is here to talk about forties in the bag and other stuff. So it was a good one,
and we hope you guys enjoy it and we will catch you on the next one. Hello, Hey, Aaron, what's
up man? How are you?
Speaker 3: How's it going? Ryan?
Speaker 1: Hey, it's just me and Danny here. We are, you know,
looking forward to talking to you, and we just wanted to say welcome to the people here.
Speaker 2: What's all right?
Speaker 3: Sounds great?
Speaker 1: Yeah, So Aaron, let's start like we always do, before we get into any of the stuff that people may know you for, you know nowadays, Let's start from the beginning at how did you get into Volkswagens or cars in general.
Speaker 3: Well, was a shade tree body guy, yeah, right at the house. Uh, and he he liked to fix beetles,
and so my mom drove beetles all through my you know, young child, you know, from zero to ten. And so yeah,
he had a body shop going and and honestly, what happened there was really interesting. He decided to fix an
outy five thousand one day, yeah, and realized quickly there was no way to get parts, yep, exactly, and so he went back to the auction and bought another one.
Speaker 1: That's how it.
Speaker 3: Yeah. So then he had a couple sitting there because
he fixed two of them or three of them, and the next thing, you know, people started coming over and asking for parts, and it dawned on him right then and there he ought to start a business parts. That's great,
and he did. And so where my history lies is
with SHO can OUTI Parts O the biggest, Yeah, the big like the biggest Audi supplier of used parks, kind of like in the world.
Speaker 2: Crazy wow, that's wow.
Speaker 1: So how can you explain like how he scaled that before?
You know, like, of course you did a little bit.
But he gets one car, he realizes he needs parts, he gets another car, and then of course so many of us can relate to that, but they never take it to the next level. You know what I'm saying.
How How did how big did this actually get her?
Do you remember when this was happening, was just before your time?
Speaker 3: Yeah? No, I remember. He he just kept buying more
and then he had this wild idea to put an ad in Car and Driver magazine and it just said Audi Parks show can call here, you know whatever, And it was just a you know, an actual magazine add and things like that worked back then.
Speaker 4: Sure, that's true, You're right, Yeah, it's crazy that like just from an ad like that, and how it just takes off.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and he exploded just from that, and and the rest is history. And it exploded into a thing where
we parted out over seventy five hundred outies. Yeah in
the thirty Yeah, in the thirty years there was sixty thousand square foot of warehouse parts and it just went on and on and then and then the internet sort of tore them down.
Speaker 4: But oh man, So it was like your mom was kind of like, okay, honey, this is getting out of hand.
Speaker 2: You got to do something with all these oudies in the yard.
Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, there was. There was routinely fifteen hundred to
two thousand on site.
Speaker 2: Wow.
Speaker 3: Crazy, why Yeah, it's big operation.
Speaker 1: So where was this in? Yeah, where exactly was this located?
Speaker 3: So this was in West show Can, New York, which is five miles from Olive Bridge, which is where we hold where I live and where I hold forties.
Speaker 1: Right, Okay, And most people will probably that are listening this will probably know you from forties and where that is.
But so did that kind of spark an interest in you early on? Where you wanted to get into cars
or get into Audis or did you know any different?
Did you know about American cars? Did you know about
anything else?
Speaker 3: I did not know a saying about an American car, and I legit literally almost don't know anymore. Now, that's great.
This just was never in my wheelhouse. You know. I
was sort of, you know, leaned on Audis really and volkswagons, but mostly Audis because that was what the junkyard was.
Speaker 1: It's funny that you say that, because if you were literally born like twenty years prior to that, that you probably would have never gone down that path at all.
I most certainly wouldn't have gone down that path because they just you know, Audis weren't here, and you know, people just didn't even know what they were. You know,
people that grew up in any kind of car family was doing just American automotive stuff.
Speaker 3: Yeah. He basically my dad started it in nineteen eighty four,
so you know the first seventy nine to eighty three, five thousands had just started breaking.
Speaker 2: Yeah, just starting popular.
Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, and you know, they just needed pairs and the dealer was crazy then, just like it is now. Right,
there was no other option except Carl Schokan. They had it.
Speaker 4: It's crazy, like to grow up in a like atmosphere like that with a junk yard and you know it's parts applying and worked on these cars because like as a kid, like it's literally a kid in a candy store, like you're you could do like whatever you wanted to do.
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's and that's that's what I did. I mean,
I built cool cars as a kid. You know, it
was wild rolling into the high school parking lot with like some eighty six four thousand Wuatro that was like totally meant that I put all together from other parts.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's cool. Was that your first bar?
Speaker 3: Yeah? I read eighty six four thousand Q nice?
Speaker 2: Nice yea.
Speaker 1: I feel like a lot of people nowadays are kind of including myself. I mean I I basically know what
cars these cars are and what was available and everything else, but like as far as their options, you know, what what models were, what what was for all wheel drive, what wasn't you know stuff like that. Like I think
this is kind of like hazy for a lot of people nowadays, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3: Yeah, the earlier, the earlier eighties models weren't popular enough for a large population, and people would know much about.
Speaker 1: Them, Yeah, for sure. And for you guys to have
all that stuff, that's just that's just wild. So your
first car, you had your first car and were when you kind of put that car together from from different parts of other cars? Was that you and your dad help? Like,
did you guys have kind of a garage space with a lift or something or is it just all you know, I'm Jack stand somewhere. Yeah, yeah, it was.
Speaker 3: It was always nights and weekends and and you know, just him and I and I learned from him, you know, I mean we all learn a lot from our fathers.
That's that's key, you know, It's it's one thing the kids these days are kind of missing out on the phones in their face, but but you know we I learned everything from him and you know his his just wild way and diagnosing things and figuring stuff out. But
you know, learned a little more as I divulged into mechanics work here on my own. But yeah, it was.
It was great working with dad.
Speaker 1: Yeah that's awesome.
Speaker 4: Until it wasn't you Oh yeah, you always yeah, I always have had a little.
Speaker 3: Point I became an adult, it was much harder.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, sure. Uh so when you were in high school.
Did you have other like minded kids that you started finding, you know, did you find Volkswagen slash OUTI kids or was it just kind of like you were the ugly duckling coming to school and everyone's like, what the hell beat.
Speaker 2: Up trucks or rusted ducking.
Speaker 3: Well, that's that's an excellent question, because I was the ugly duck and no one else cared about Audi's at all.
There were a few Volkswagen, but they were kind of, I don't know how to say it, you know, kind of nicely like kind of like the redneck kind of guys that showed up with the old mark one and thought it was like the fastest thing in the lot.
And they were funny. They were really funny. But you know,
but everybody made fun of me for like an houris all the radiators on the side, What kind of stupid car is that?
Speaker 2: Right?
Speaker 3: You know? You know, it was always like it was
always like that, and then you know, kind of like I went through college and didn't really there was no car or anything. When I went to college, I came
back worked Ford, and then this whole like around the mid two thousand, like two thousand to two thousand and six, this whole like Volkswagen culture took off, and I found a whole bunch of people around here that were like me, you know, and we started doing Thursday night get togethers.
And I mean by the time two thousand and eight came along, if you had a Volkswagon and you lived in the Hudson Valley, we all knew each other. Yeah,
And and you know, that was kind of why I established forties was a home for all of those guys to come to. And that's that's kind of how Lane.
It was beautiful to find all these other people.
Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure. And like you said, like that two
thousand and eight era. I think Dan and I have
talked about that a number of times on the show, where it's like, to me, that was really like peak in my mind, like peak just awesomeness because you're coming out with like not I guess in a way you already had Mark fives, but right before that was like the Mark four's and everything was so exciting with that whole like era, which to me was like a that was like a pinnacle moment because you had the old stuff, which was awesome, the new stuff, which was awesome. Yeah,
it wasn't lame yet, you know what I mean. It
wasn't boring, It was exciting.
Speaker 2: It was new.
Speaker 1: There were so many different options, engine options, interior options, cooler options, body kit options, all that stuff, and like that was just just a crazy time. I think I'm
a former sorry.
Speaker 2: Go ahead.
Speaker 3: Mark fives were never really my favorite chassis, but but around that only a few select guys had them anyway, because they were basically two or three years old. You
had to kind of have a banknote on that, right, Yeah, yeah, you're right, you know, but but you know, the Mark four's were, you know, among some of the uniquest, most unique cars the Volkswagen ever made. When you think about
the variations, the engine sizes, the interior options, the trim level packages, you know, just went on and on, and those guys were all coming out because you know, the cars got cheap quick, right, and you know, it was it was just the time. It was just a different time.
Everybody had access to a cool Volkswagon and and you know that really showed.
Speaker 2: Yeah, especially I'm the chief too.
Speaker 4: It wasn't like now, you know, the pricing you get nowadays with stuff that's like you would have gone for five hundred bucks before. Now you're like spending two three
thousand dollars for and it's kind of like an upgraded parts car.
Speaker 2: Looking at the forms, Like at that.
Speaker 4: Time period with the nine ten, the forms were going strong, like you had a tri state forms with like get together as that are going on, and people were getting together and doing these small little shows, whether it be like once a week or once a month, like that was a great time.
Speaker 3: And you know that was also the time when you know, the mac Daddy of all shows, H two O was still pure. Yeah, you know exactly. You know you would
you would enjoy just amazing. You know, six lanes of
traffic each way of mark ones through fours, just ripping up and down Ocean Boulevard.
Speaker 1: It sounds like a dream, right, It.
Speaker 2: Sounds like never even happened for real. Yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 3: It really is a dream.
Speaker 2: What was your first year of Reach two?
Speaker 3: Oh? I think it was two thousand and four over five,
it was. It was not real early, but not laid either.
Speaker 2: Yeah, same thing, yep, yep.
Speaker 1: We were right around there too. So the so when
you found these people and you were going to that the night get togethers and everything else, were you still the Audi guy or did you start buying? So okay, yeah,
so what we what we were talking about around then?
Speaker 3: Well, by then I had a ninety two S four that I had repainted real fresh with all euro everything, and I had I had a ninety Coop Quatro as well that I had put an AA N in from from an S four. Yeah, and those were those were
kind of like my two cars back then.
Speaker 1: Was that a straight swap or were you doing like big turbo stuff back then already?
Speaker 3: I never I'm really not a speed demon myself, so like it'll you know, Like so those both of those cars have So the Coop has a GT thirty seventy one on it, you know, and it's got and I did stand alone. It's got Vem's management in it now,
you know, and it's it's probably like three hundred and fifty horse or something. It's nothing like crazy crazy like
some of these guys do. But you know, it's good
for me. I'm happy with it.
Speaker 1: So I don't know what your take is on like the or U R S four like we were down in hell in this past this past two two weeks ago. No, yeah,
and uh man, they were like three or four of them that were rocking around with you know, you could just hear them spooling from like two blocks away, and like, these cars just seem nasty to me, Like they're one of the they're one of the unsung heroes of like the kind of under the radar cars that could just really spank so many things on the road, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3: Yeah, they they really were underrated. And uh and one
thing people forget is how rugged they were. I mean
it's rare to find one under two hundred thousand miles.
Speaker 1: Dude, it's like two twenty five every single cary.
Speaker 3: Say, every one of them. Yep, it's crazy. They just
they just lasted. They were rugged, they were they handled well,
they were just an all around green vehicle.
Speaker 4: And you guys are getting you probably have some auction coming through and stuff too, right.
Speaker 3: Yeah, well yeah we used to. Yeah yeah, that's that's
how I got. Mine came in with no hood on it,
no front end, no radiation.
Speaker 4: It's crazy to be able to see those cars coming through at that point and saying, man, this thing is awesome.
Where you know, insurance doesn't give a shit about it.
They don't care about that kind of car. It's like whatever,
it's right off.
Speaker 3: Yeah, they're they're all going now, I mean, and they're in hands of people that don't let them go. Sure, right,
that's right, or even if they wreck them, you know that's true, or.
Speaker 1: If they do, it's like some serious money now, you know, mm hmm to me, Like I guess, I guess admittedly, I I don't follow like the early Audi stuff as much as sometimes I even I want to. I just
never really kind of pay as much of attention to what people are doing or what because you know, there's sometimes like one of these cars will come up for sale, like these cars I'm talking about, it's just like, damn, that would be so much fun. Yeah, But I'm kind
of with you in the in the same aspect, where like things can get too fast for the chassis. Even
Like sometimes I'm just kinda the three fifty four hundred horsepower range. Everyone forgets how good that range was because
now everyone's here in twelve hundred on everything, and it's just like it's just ridiculous. But four hundred horsepower and
something that was built in nineteen ninety five, you know, is like pretty wild man.
Speaker 3: Yeah, out of a two point two you know, yeah.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, because I always remember like the anyone had a B five S for and I know we're not talking about them, but four hundred was the mark like that when everyone hit four hundred, Like not that they were happy, but that was kind of like, yeah, I did it, you know what I mean, we're there four hundred and uh, I don't know. It's kind of it's kind of crazy
how everything has changed so much.
Speaker 4: It's funny like how you you know, we're kind of like the outlier with the Audi or theality guy and where everyone else had other things. I had a buddy
that was part of the car club I was a part of down in like the Northeast PA area, and his name was Brian Hofft, and he had a black S four and he was like the only guy I knew at the time that hadn't at anything that was Audi at all, let alone like you know, a Turbos four like that, and I think it was like a ninety four ninety five also, and it's it's just like you see like these cars and at that time it was like, oh man, that's really cool, you know, but
you didn't really know anything about it.
Speaker 2: And now it's like.
Speaker 4: Fuck, how cool that car really was looking back on it, and do you even like, you know, I had the appreciation for it back then because you know, again, like I wasn't really into Audi, So we had an eighty six five thousand s growing up for a short period of time. But like my dad was an American car guy,
so like at once the electronic problems start happening, he just like got rid of it. He's like, the windows
don't open, the doors won't lock, and you know all these crazy things. So yep, but no, it's the appreciation
for the cars now is is Definitely it was a long time coming for him because there were great cars that he said to begin with.
Speaker 3: There's there's also some interesting dynamics too about the older Audis seemed to carry a different interest level with just regular type joes. You know, I don't know what changed
over the years, but like now, you know, like a newer five year old RS whatever you know is you know, it's not just some regular guy. It's it's somebody who
doesn't do work on the car. You know, they kind
of take it to a dealer. They you know, they're
they're kind of like, you know, a little wealthier maybe you know, I'm trying to be PC here, but sure, sure, you know, but you know, it's I don't know what changed over the years, but like you know, older Audis were actually owned by regular jos that had, you know, a shop and could fix their own stuff and you know, and it was it was just a different culture and I don't really know what changed with that. But to
your point too, with you know, you've been mostly a Volkswagen guy, and you know, it's the Volkswagen is so much easier to deal with. You know, you start getting
into some of these older Audis and it's just the parts are unobtainable, and you're just it's not any fun, you know, you're just looking for stuff for the rest of your life, like you know. So it's well, when
I started getting the volkswagons, I was like, man, this is so much easier. If I needed a pair of
trophy or carros, I just look online. There's always a
bit of self.
Speaker 2: Right, you're right now, Yeah, it's true.
Speaker 3: You know, and that's rare, you know, but it's there, you know.
Speaker 1: In that same aspect though, it's almost like when you do find these unobtaining parts, it's like, oh, like you you did it, you know what I mean, And it makes it even cooler in a way, you know.
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, But at the same time, you know, I showed up to twoo with that ninety coup quattro year after year, and I felt like nobody cared.
Speaker 1: Yeah, because you're you're right, nobody did, right, And it's really it wasn't, you know, it wasn't. There were five
guys that cared so much, but they were mixed between thousands of people that just wanted to hear VR six go by.
Speaker 3: And you know what's bizarre too, is so mine is Lago Blue. So it's the same one as like Brian
Scotto has been building for a while.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 3: So once once you started making that pretty famous, you know, it was like all of a sudden, everybody sees mine and they're like, oh my god, look at that coop.
You know.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you need some people just open their eyes.
Speaker 3: You know what's funny.
Speaker 1: You made an interesting point about the early the people that were into the earlier audis as opposed to now, And I almost feel like because of quirkiness like that to me kind of pops in my head were like Audis aren't quirky anymore. They were like this, this kind
of like fun, little weird off color car that if people didn't know about them, they didn't know. And it's
kind of that hidden gem, you know what I mean, where when once you knew, you knew, and only a couple other people did as well. And I know exactly
what you mean. Even people that back in the day
were kind of around like our towns and stuff. If
someone had an old Audi, they were just like a quirky kind of just like off collar but like, you know, cool dude, Like that's just how I remember some of the guys.
Speaker 3: Yeah, just more down to earth type people. Yeah, you know,
just the real ones.
Speaker 4: You're right exactly, Yeah, because like these cars were very utilitarian, like you could, you know, if you had a quatcho, you can pretty much go anywhere with this thing. And
they were like built like tanks, so you can. They're
indestructible for the most part.
Speaker 1: I mean, it's almost in a certain way. And I'm
not saying they were the same kind of people, and I'm not saying that certainly they're the same kind of cars, but almost in a way that like subarus were with certain people back in the day before they got popular.
It's like you know, yep, they just that. Yeah, there
was just a certain kind of person that, especially us living in the Northeast. Yeah, like yo, all wheel drive,
you know what I mean, which, uh, which was really unique because.
Speaker 2: What was your option back an AMC Eagle.
Speaker 4: I mean it was really like for cars, there wasn't all we'll drive cars like they are now, like everything's all well drive now.
Speaker 2: Back then, it.
Speaker 3: Honestly, it blew my mind. How long it took the
regular car makers to catch up was mind blowing, you know, like it was the year two thousand before all wheel drive was even sort of mainstream.
Speaker 2: Yeah, isn't that what a good point?
Speaker 1: You're right, I mean we look at it now like it's kind of yeah, we almost forget that it just happened like twenty some years ago, and cars have been around for one hundred and twenty years, one hundred and thirty years, you know, right.
Speaker 3: Yeah, now a Camry is all wheel drive standard, I believe.
Speaker 1: Yeah, this is.
Speaker 2: Right, It's just crazy.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's pretty wild. So so you I'm just trying
to think at what point we touched on. So you're
you're coming out of high school, you going to college, you're coming out of college. You're doing your thing, You're
kind of meeting up with some some people. You have
some Volkswagen friends. Where where did things start going at
this point? Is it kind of a lot of the
same or.
Speaker 3: H well around around that That year two thousand and seven is when I had a different place with only an acre or two, but there was some lawns there and so I would trim it nice and we'd have this get together and my friend Tete Jackson called it a forties in a bag on a green lawn because he liked forties, you know, they were cheap, and he would bring him in a bag, you know, and it was kind of funny. It was like a joke, and
you know, everybody else said, oh, I'll do that too.
And we cooked some steaks and we had about thirty cars the first time, and we had like sixty the next time. And then in two thousand and nine, I
moved to this location here with ninety two acres, and that's when I had the field and all the ability to have a real show. But I skipped on nine
because the house. I got the place for a steal
because the house was a mess, and so I took that year to fix the house up. And then in
twenty ten we actually had our first forties actually here, and I want to say maybe seventy seventy bars came, not even Yeah, it's very small. And then twenty eleven
was like twice that, and then twenty twelve it exploded because one of my buddies had an idea to bring this postcard that he made to Gubs under Frost and we just handed him out to everybody.
Speaker 5: Yeah sure, old school man y, yeah yeah, And I swear it exploded to like four or five hundred cars that year.
Speaker 3: And from there it was just everybody told everybody and game was on it's.
Speaker 2: Crazy and that that was organic too.
Speaker 4: It wasn't like you know how it is now with everything being on social media and stuff.
Speaker 2: That's like just doing it the old school way, right.
Speaker 1: Flyers man, flyers is what it's what was all about back then. I think that's kind of when I realized
what forty is in a bag was I'm thinking it was probably about twenty twelve yea, to be.
Speaker 3: Honest, Yeah, that was the first well known year.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and then I'm trying to think now things are getting flayed. Was was vortex still kind of like or
was that none still going? Yeah, a little bit, and
it's starting to phase out because then it was like twenty thirteen fourteen, that was when Instagram came and everything else, and that kind of crushed it. But yeah, I do,
I do remember that. So was that this field is
actually your field?
Speaker 2: Yes? It is?
Speaker 1: Okay, nice, that's awesome, man. So what that was, just
like you said, you got it first steal? Was this
like an old farm or something? It?
Speaker 3: Uh, I guess it was just a property some electrician guy owned and he was an old guy and he died, and then a real estate company purchased it to sort of speculate gotch and they held on to it for a while. But you know, eight nine was a terrible
track market.
Speaker 2: Oh right. Yeah.
Speaker 3: In fact, I think it's one of the only times real estate was even went down in Hudson Alley because this place is crazy, but the New York City in flux.
But but yeah, so, like I saw it online for a little more than I wanted to pay. I just
I up to the you know, the parameters of my search that day, and I'm sitting there and I looked and I said, oh my gosh, I go look at this goat, like, we got to get in the car and go look at this right, So it was only it was only five miles away from from his shop.
So we drove over and as soon as I rolled in the driveway, I looked over to the left, I saw the mountains in the giant field, and I said to him, this would be one hell of a place to hold the car show. That's great, exactly. It was
the first thing I ever said on this property.
Speaker 2: That's fantastic.
Speaker 1: That's so funny. Not not like I could see having
a wife or dog dog, or it's like I can see a bunch of cars.
Speaker 2: Was your dad all about it that at that point or he well, no, he.
Speaker 3: Wasn't at that point. I don't think he realized the
potential of what it was.
Speaker 2: Sure.
Speaker 3: I mean he's totally supportive of it now, you know. Yeah,
you got to do that again. That's that was like
one of the best things you ever did.
Speaker 1: And I'm like, yeah, so okay, so it exploded at that point. And then that year, did you ever think that, like,
oh shit, I didn't realize you know, what were some of the what were some of the problems that you ran into right away? When all these people started showing up,
It's like Woodstock.
Speaker 2: It's like.
Speaker 3: Great, great question, Yeah, great question. It never got like Woodstock,
you know, where it was completely crazy. But we we
did have a lot of issues, you know, refining how we deal with who comms. You know, we were already
you know, we were already starting to see H two basically fall apart, right right. Yeah, so our first and
foremost concern was, you know, how do we keep forties from turn into an absolute shit show? Yeah, you know,
And and it's still it's still a challenge. I mean,
I've got people down the road that have no affiliation with a Volkswagen or an Audi, and they're just dying to come, you know, and I just have to explain them.
You know. It's everybody wants to come, but you have
to have some sort of reason, you know, you have to be part of the family.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 3: Makes you know, it's like everybody smells a burger cooking in a backyard, but we don't all go running into the guy's backyard to see what the food dastes like because we like food.
Speaker 1: Dude. It's a great it's a great analogy. It's a
great it's a great point you know, being that we've we've always been doing like the pre two K thing with either get togethers or when we had involvement with Roots and everything else. And it was just like, it's
tough because people want to come, they want to experience it, and sometimes it's just not like you're curating something for a reason, and it's because we all love the same thing.
So just like that, I mean, yeah, you can you can smell that, but like you might not be into the same burger I'm making, you know what I mean?
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, I mean it's like, you know, in The Fast and the Furious, you know, they didn't just roll in the backyard and I started hanging out with him diesel and having his food.
Speaker 2: Right drinking Corona. It's like, yo, Corona. You had to
be part of the family, Rocky exactly. That's a great point,
it really is, you know.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and it is a family, you know, and we quickly realized that that family connection is actually what made forty so much better than you ever show. Yeah, we
weren't selling out, you know for a ticket price. We
weren't you know, we weren't trying to sell as many tickets or sell as much as we could. It wasn't
about that. It was more about keeping it the way
we wanted it, keep the vision intact. Sure, and and
you know, have it and it worked out. I mean,
just you know, for me, for me, it was always you know, it's a lot of work, loot effort. But
when I'm standing around that bonfire at night and someone comes over and says, man, this was the best time I've ever had, you know, it's like, Okay, I'll do it next year.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, right, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1: That's awesome. So what happened? So you had it in
like twenty twelve, started growing twenty thirteen, I'm sure, and then it kind of I'm not going to say plateaued, but it was probably somewhat similar for a few years, right.
Speaker 3: It kept growing, Okay, but let's say I guess like a hundred cars or so each year without really without really much effort, without any you know, trying or anything. Yeah,
and then I think in eighteen and nineteen it was it was really booming. I mean, we could have fit more,
but you know, we didn't need to, you know. And
then of course COVID happened and it would ruined the whole thing, and twenty twenty one was furloughed from twenty twenty and you know it was only like three hundred cars because everybody was still scared. Sure it was the
whole thing, So it was it was weird.
Speaker 1: What was your peak? What do you think? Did you
count all the cars at your biggest show?
Speaker 3: So I don't usually count cars, but you know, we the town tries to limit me to a thousand people, and we definitely had thirteen hundred submissions in twenty nineteen.
Why and you know, I may or may not have accepted more than I was supposed to.
Speaker 1: But there you know now that you know, it's like it's like a wedding, twenty percent doesn't show up.
Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly, they weren't there all it was right of course, right, you know stuff like that.
Speaker 2: Wow.
Speaker 1: So and then when when you I'm just trying to for anyone that may have not been able to go or may have not they always wanted to go and they never got to go, and now they maybe are thinking about it because I know we will get in a second to talking about you know, the whole resurgence and everything. But what is it like what people are
supposed to expect when when at that time when they were going there. I mean, you there was things that
you probably had to do that you know, people don't think of, Like how do you take a bunch of grass and get it short for you know, forty or fifty acres or something. I mean, I don't know how
I am cars, Yeah exactly. I mean you got to
worry about fires. You gotta worry about fire safety, You
have to worry about emergencies, you have to worry about food.
You gotta worry about people taking a shit and piss and everything else. I mean, it's just you know, all
that people don't think. They just think, oh sweet, we're
gonna park in a field and hang out and get drunk, you know, right, right.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm sure there's a good amount of people that think it's that simple. And you know, it's no disrespect,
but give it a shot. Yeah yeah, right, you'll see
how fast it turns into like your whole life. Yeah right, yeah,
you know it's it really is a lot. And it's
like right now, I'm pretty much working two jobs with forties and you know, my repair shop here, I had zero times or anything, and it's because of forties. Every
night I'm dealing with stuff with it, you know.
Speaker 1: So forty is always used to be What time of year did it used to be?
Speaker 3: It was always the first Saturday of May because of the weather. The weather was nice and south facing field,
so I like to do it when it's not so hot.
Speaker 2: Nice.
Speaker 1: And now we're moving into uh, do you want to talk about your ideas for the upcoming show?
Speaker 3: Yeah? Sure, not a whole lot in twenty six will
be different from let's say, the way it was in the twenty nineteen, not really much at all, So I mean that's what people want, they want that format. Yeah,
but you know the specifics, you know you can expect to roll in. It will be a full show field.
You know, we're going to have all the same things we usually do with the trailer with the couches on it, so you can relax and sip your beer and ride around, look at all the cars out even having a walk.
Speaker 1: That's awesome, that's cool.
Speaker 3: You know. Just the simple thing too about forties two
is that we don't we don't really give out tons of trophies and worry about who's a winner and you know who you know, who's the top dog or any of that, you know, And I think honestly, the people like that because you know, we're not just worried about you know, one percent of the crowd. We're actually everybody's
the same. We're all on the same page for a day. Yeah,
you know, we all just came out to stand in the sun and you know, have some have some beer, discussed all sorts of crazy things with each other. We're
all on the same page. There's no you know, political
nonsense or argumentation of any kind. It's all just it's
all just love for what's going on. And you just
feel like you're in heaven because it's it's just people barbecuing and relaxing and you know, playing music and I don't know, it just goes on and on the bonfire at night there's a Rave Rave party and Ronnie Rave is actually on small Fy now, so she's she's getting pretty popular.
Speaker 1: Nice.
Speaker 2: That's cool.
Speaker 1: Yeah, So I'm going to kind of ask you some questions that maybe other people might you know, want to know about the show. So, who's who's able to come?
Speaker 3: Well, it's it's uh, it's twenty one and over, So there's that, okay, and that's because of the drinking component.
But who is able to come are people with Audi and Volkswagen models mostly and that does include you know, modestly modified daily drivers. Sure, you know you're gonna get
let in. It's just going to be a little later
in the process because we want to try to make it a show. Also other European marks, so but they
have to be spectacular though, like no, no, no, m M D D Mercedes or BMW's. You have to have
a really like well put together car, something that's not common or something that's classic. Uh, and that'll get accepted.
Cool yep.
Speaker 1: What about when people you say, people are grilling? What
what can people do? People are going there? How many
days is it?
Speaker 2: What?
Speaker 1: How long is it? You know, just because some people
haven't seen any any information, haven't gone your website or anything yet. So we just kind of run through some
of that stuff.
Speaker 3: So it it starts Friday at three or four pm.
I can't remember when I posted for that, but Friday, Friday afternoon late and you know, you can set up your tent, you can bring barbecue grills. I mean one
of my friends has one of those trailer deck things that sticks out of your trailer. Oh yeah, puts a
full size grill right on it. That's cool, straps it
down and brings it. You know, you got tenting. You know,
if you're coming Friday, you're obviously tenting. That's across the
street where there's no car, so you're safe. Nobody's gonna
run over you. And so that's you get that all
set up, and you know, you kind of relax and stuff.
And this year we've got Friday night at a kind of a new event that you asked. I forgot, but yes,
a new event down at the local marketplace. They have
beer and pizza and wings and stuff like that, and they have an old repair shop there, so I'm gonna see if we can, you know, open that up a little, maybe put some cool cars in and around the shop and kind of make it a scene for for a couple hours. Nice and yeah, and then that's about it
for Friday Night. There isn't a lot like you settle in.
I'm sure guys will be up on my hand.
Speaker 1: I mean, it's it's all about chilling, right, So everyone's just hanging out and then literally just just chilling. So
that's that's awesome. It doesn't always have to be jam
pack full of all kinds of events. I mean sometimes
people want it just to be nice and nice and relaxed.
Speaker 3: So yeah, yeah, and there are events, you know on Saturday, but you don't have to be a part of it.
You can just keep sitting under your easy up or whatever you're doing and not be a part of it at all.
Speaker 1: So what happens on Saturday.
Speaker 3: So on Saturday, around nine, everybody he starts rolling in and then you know, we have a we just have a relaxed day. But we have some events that start
around noon. We have one that's really popular that we
have to figure out how to keep the numbers down.
But the sound off event where we see who's got the loudest exhaust, which is cool because it's actually sanctioned by the town. Nice that's it's part of the permit
that that for that half an hour we can be as loud as we want. And then there's a Since
I'm a pretty big td I guy, I always have the coal rollers contest to see who can who can roll the most coal.
Speaker 1: That's fun. You know we've got coming in in a
six b T or anything. Just everybody way, Okay.
Speaker 3: We we have had like like Garret Dawson brought like some pickup truck once with uh with a td I engine of some kind of it, and he did win.
Speaker 1: Did you have a td I in his in his toil I think.
Speaker 2: Before on it.
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, he did. He did win that. So we've
got that, and then we've got we've got this really neat thing. Actually, the Women of Wolfsburg is gonna host it.
I believe I was. I was talking to Chay about it,
where we have shorties at forties. So we try to
spotlight a couple of ladies that are, you know, a part of the game because it's kind of unique. It's
kind of cool. As we move into this new world
and everything, it's a lot of women are actually building things cooler than the guys are. Yeah, and you know,
and this is a fact. So we'd like to showcase
that since they're the rarer breed and so they come up, talk about their bills, we vote, and somebody wins that, okay, so that's pretty cool. Yeah, and uh, you know, there's
a couple other things that we do and you know, just laid back. Then we you know, we figure out
who wins the raffle truck.
Speaker 1: Oh, which is and let's talk about that. I have
to actually talk about that. So you always when did
that start? When did the Raffle vehicle start?
Speaker 3: That started? I think in twelve if I have it right,
And yeah, every single.
Speaker 1: Time that what was the first vehicle?
Speaker 6: It was an eighty five Gulf Westie Okay, that I picked up at the auction quick, like two weeks before before the event, and I just I actually been on it by mistake.
Speaker 3: And Dad was like, what are you buying that for?
Speaker 2: You know?
Speaker 3: Yeah, And I'm like, you know, I really don't know, Dad, but it's here now, so I'll pay it for it.
And you know, it was cool and needed a clutch, so I put a clutch in it real quick, and and and then I'm sitting there and I'm like, you know, forties, like, yeah, we try to sell shirts, we try to sell stickers and all this stuff. You try to you know, cover
the costs and everything. And then by twenty twelve, costs
were starting to really really go through the roof. We
had to get rid of the old pig roast bring your own food thing and all that because we just there just wasn't any way to handle it with the crowd that big. Sure, So so I'm like, we really
got to think of something else to fund this, you know, like, how do we get you know, without making the tickets cost too much? You know, how do we get this
money back? Well? Raffle car was the way.
Speaker 1: It's a great idea and it worked.
Speaker 3: It worked every year. It paid for everything, and you
know we were always you know, we were all whole at the end. Yeah, and you know that was that
was what it was about. So we raffled every year.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's awesome. And I remember a bunch of them.
So what what So this year, let's talk about the Raffle Car. Where did it come from? What's done to it?
Speaker 2: Uh?
Speaker 1: You know it's been out a little bit now. You
guys like you understand that, you know, you get the word out earlier, so people really know about the vehicle and what they stand to possibly win. Let's hear a
little bit about that.
Speaker 3: So, uh, this was a wild thing. How I came
across this. I'm just sitting in town one night waiting
for my daughter to come out of Barnes and Noble, and a guy texts me and says, I have these two Caddy pickup trucks my boss needs to get rid of.
And he sends me two shitty pictures, one you know, this way and one the other way the other one, and I'm just like, all right, well there's two Caddy pickups.
Can't really tell anything. And I'm like, okay, well, uh,
I'll talk. He says, just call my boss, you know,
gives me the number. So it was late, so I called.
So I'm sitting in the morning and I'm looking at my wife and I'm like, see these two, Like should I ask? She's like, we don't have money for that
right now, don't you know, don't do that. And I'm like, well,
don't you think I should at least ask how much?
You know? I'm like, I'm like, there's two good tailgates.
I'm like, you know, and so she goes, okay, all right, So I'm not going to say how much. But it
was bizarrely cheap and they could bring them up that morning.
Speaker 1: Wow.
Speaker 3: Wow, So I got two Caddy pickup trucks sitting here, and so that was the nicer looking one, and unbelievable.
It's hasn't moved since nineteen ninety five. It was originally
from originally from Alabama. Oh wow, that's crazy, you know,
it still says Bubba Hodges Volkswagon right on the tailgate.
I mean, really cool, really cool. And actually to get
a title for it, because it had no title, I went through Alabama. A guy in Alabama helped me do
that and he kind of bought it and resold it to me, and however that works, so actually you get an Alabama brand new plate with the truck.
Speaker 2: That's cool, that's awesome.
Speaker 3: Yeah, so it's pretty cool.
Speaker 1: What's the power plant?
Speaker 3: So it was it's a one six diesel, non turbo, just just completely stock. Yeah, you know, it hadn't hadn't
moved or done anything since ninety five. It was like
an old guy that died and this toe company was cleaning out all the so called junk around his house.
But these must have been inside because you know, they were in great shape. And I the diesel was the
stinkiest diesel I've ever seen in my life. Reined it out,
put some fresh in tank, started leagueing. So I got
the tank renewde that's the process reknew that they do.
And I got a tank in there, and you wouldn't believe it started right up crazy first try, Like I didn't even hear the starter just started right out. Yep, yep,
so it's it's actually really nice shape. You know, there's
like there's no rust on it. Yeah.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: Interior color Is it peanut butter interior?
Speaker 3: No, yep, peanut butter. And except for one little cut
in the passenger's seat, it's like the nicest interior I've ever seen. Like I should just keep it right, Like
the gold rug is still gold, it's not faded. You know.
It was inside, sitting inside.
Speaker 1: And I don't was it was this that bears? Did
you bring that? Yeah? And I you know what, I
didn't even take Like I was in and out of there.
I was talking to uh. I think Tony Grimmle was
just kind of sitting in bullshitting for a little bit.
And then I had to go because I had a family thing that I had to get to. And I
saw it sitting there right in the middle. I'm like, damn,
that looks clean. But it was like one of those things.
I literally walked past it. Is it does it have?
Does it have like wheels and suspension or is it just stock? I can't remember.
Speaker 3: It's stock, but it has some kind of like later Mark one maybe a GTI wheel or something.
Speaker 1: Okay, Okay, I'm not familiar.
Speaker 3: With what wheel it is. I wish I was more knowledgeable.
Speaker 1: On that, okay, because I remember the color and I remember seeing it just be like damn, like that's a nice truck, and I realized it was the giveaway car.
Speaker 2: That's cool.
Speaker 1: But yeah, I didn't I didn't get a good walk around.
But uh, dude, that's something. You know, Danny recently picked
up a truck and I've I've gotten rid of two of them and I probably shouldn't have. And it's like
one of those things where well, I'll definitely be trying to get this one, but not only that, but uh, it's it's like they've they've come into popularity over the past like ten years so much where you know, I'm just trying to think of different things, like Mark one mannis one year head like if I remember correctly, it was like twenty seven pickups. Yeah it all together, yeah,
and you're it. And then last year when it was
Rabbits on the rocks, they had you know how many.
There's probably ten or fifteen trucks there, and it's just it's just such a fun kind of go back to that like whole quirky thing, like you know, people look at that and they think it's just like a goofy little vehicle and it's just such a cool little toy for us grown men, you know.
Speaker 3: No, yeah, and it's and you're and you're right about the quirky part, because you know, I've got all these cars and sometimes I'm like, man, I gotta get rid of something, make some space. This is ridiculous. I can't
drive and chick all these when I get older, sure, and I always go back to the Caddy pickup and I'm like, never, yeah, because I have I have a really nice beige one too that's like lowered down and yeah, you know it's it's it's gorgeous, but like, you know, it's just me. When I get in it, I feel
at home.
Speaker 1: Uh huh.
Speaker 3: I feel like it's like my person. It's like the
right set of clothes, absolutely exactly.
Speaker 2: What.
Speaker 3: It's really funny.
Speaker 1: It's it's so true, and I think so many of us can relate just by hearing that. I mean, it
really is like.
Speaker 2: Those warm pair of sneakers like don't want to get rid of yep.
Speaker 3: Yep, yeah, or like a pair of jeans that fits the way you like or whatever.
Speaker 1: Exactly, because what are you going to replace it with exactly something new and uncomfortable?
Speaker 5: Yeah, yeah, so just ugly looking to exactly yeah sixty grand yeah yeah so I don't know if we ever said what was what is.
Speaker 1: The date of the show?
Speaker 3: It is, uh, September twenty sixth is the main show day. Okay,
that's for for those that are just going to get day passes and want to come for the main event. Okay,
but Friday the twenty fifth and actually does start for the for the more hardcore folks. You know, obviously there's
no way to take a shower Saturday, so yeah, right right, you know, but but yeah, you know camping out Friday and Saturday as well is the festival, and you know that gets you to stay. So there's a little key
component about it. The day pass and the festival past
differs because if you're leaving, you really should not drink alcohol.
So the day pass is an agreement. So when you
purchase the day pass, you're agreeing in good faith that you will not drink because you do plan to leave.
Nice great idea, and you know security will kind of be looking for that, like, hey, what are you doing with the day pass? Wristband you're drinking a beer. Sure,
knock that off. Come on, you're gonna you're putting it
putting a show in jeopardy.
Speaker 1: Ye, man, Yeah, it's no joking. I think that's a
great idea. I'm sure when we do close this, uh
close this out, and then you get off the phone with us, you're gonna be like, ship, I should have said this or that. So I'm just trying to, you know,
bring that all to the surface, just in case you wanted to get anything else. I have never gone to
the show. I always have been told that I should.
I never got around to it there. I think two
years where I really wanted to, and then you know, life happens. But I'm really going to try to get
there this year.
Speaker 2: It's not even that.
Speaker 1: Far from Yeah, it's not far from me.
Speaker 2: I work over a Noticeville, so like, it's not even that far from my job.
Speaker 3: No, I mean it's I mean, I'm not sure where you guys are exactly, but I know Scrayton is only an hour and handle.
Speaker 1: Yeah, we're Lake wan Pallpack if you know where that's at.
But uh, it's yeah, we're yeah, a little bit east of Scranton really, but yeah, we're not far away from you.
And yeah, it's just something to look forward to. It's
a great time of year. It's it's it's an opportunity
not to burn and die outside in ninety eight degree weather with the sun beaten down in it the whole time.
Speaker 3: It's an experience to come to the gas Kills too.
I mean, I have a video on the website, you know, of an aerial that Scott Boy Scott Boys took. The
Hooky Day guy you know, is he's a drone guy.
But he made this amazing, like panel moving fifty mile an hour drone shot of the mountains and everything, and that's basically where I live. He went above the house
and headed towards the reservoir that feeds New York City water. Yeah,
and that's that's what you see, you know, when you come across the reservoir to come in that lane. That's
that's the senior you're going to see on the way here.
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 4: It's a pretty wild road. Actually, that's a beautiful road
coming in.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, it's it's just amazing. I mean, you
said there was a couple of things if I wanted to touch on here, just I got a quick couple here. Absolutely,
just for everybody listening. The the invite system is a
little a little cumbersome, and you know, we do apologize for that, but you know, we touched on it earlier.
How h two O kind of came crumbling down because there was literally no limitations, right, So you know when you're filling out the form and you're taking that ten minutes and you're checking off all the rules and you're doing all that's just keep in mind that it's it's that effort that keeps it real. If you if we
were having a free for all, that already would have been done in twenty twelve. Yeah, it's true.
Speaker 1: Well when you say, when you say filling out the form, what form? Tell them what what you're even talking about?
Speaker 3: So yeah, when you when you go on to the uh the forties in a bag dot com, there's there's a place to apply for an invite, So unlike some other shows and whatnot, even spectators have to be invited.
So you'll apply for an invite there, you'll put in your ID, You'll have to take a picture of your ID so we know you're over twenty one. You know,
just stuff like that that they made me do you fill out all the stuff about your car or if you're not bringing a car, whose car you're riding in, that'll help link you to them so when they get accepted, you will too. But yeah, it's a big form, a
lot of stuff to answer, a lot of things do agree to. And that's that's all just to keep it real.
So you know, if you're if you're kind of getting pissed about it when you let it out, just keep in mind that without that it's really not possible.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that makes sense, you know, And only people that you know put on shows realize how much of a pain in the ascid can be. So like, if you
want to go and hang out and have a good time, just a simple form figuring it out, you know, and filling that out isn't a big deal.
Speaker 2: Right exactly, especially in.
Speaker 3: This day age. And then the only other thing that
there's two other things. But one of the unique things
about forties is is when you're here, your cell phone will likely not work, and if it does, it'll be barely working.
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 3: That creates a really good time. Yeah, absolutely, yeah, you
you don't be distracted by the rest of the world.
You actually soak up every second of what's going on around you, and it's just something that you don't get to experience very much anymore. So the location is key,
like I don't I don't know how I got so lucky right up. So that's so that's the one thing.
And then just a just a little side thing I had johnned down earlier. It's a kind of amazing what's
going on right now with people that are contacting me.
They're like scrambling to find volkswagons. Again, that's cool, so
they can come.
Speaker 2: That's cool, love that, that's great.
Speaker 3: Yep, it's a true story. Man.
Speaker 1: Oh we believe it. We we get caught or we
get text too, and they say, like, dude, we listen to your podcasts, like I'm literally building a car because it's like we're hanging out with people that I used to hang out with but I've I've lost connection or you know, people grow up or whatever. So they just
put us on in the you know, in their garage and they're literally buying cars or whatever. And you know,
we get that and we appreciate that so much so we understand the sentiment. It's an amazing thing. I think
that like that passion kind of is like stuck down in everyone's gut and sometimes it just it rises up again and give.
Speaker 3: Them a reason. Yeah, yeah, absolutely reason exactly. And you guys,
you guys are giving them a good reason too. I
wanted to commend you on that I've listened to the last like the most recent eight. I want to say, yeah,
you know, I didn't. I didn't listen before. I apologize,
but but I but that said, I didn't listen to any podcasts, so.
Speaker 2: Especially starting to like it.
Speaker 3: But but your your conversation is key, and I wanted to touch on that a second, because you're you're coming, both of you guys are coming from a perspective I think when Volkswagen culture was at its peak because it was done right. And I'm hoping that you know, with
your influence, because influence matters that maybe you know, one listener at a time, it starts to turn back around, you know, and that's you're you're leading the way.
Speaker 2: So very appreciate.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, we we absolutely appreciate that, just as much as we appreciate your show.
Speaker 3: Dude, I absolutely Before we.
Speaker 1: Wrap up, I don't know if you want to touch because you said, like you have a shop now, like and you have a if you go on your Instagram and you kind of look through lurk through some of the photos, like you have a bunch of cool shit laying around too, And we didn't really talk on any of that. I don't know, do you want to talk
about any certain cars that you have or hit on some of the some of the cars that you're totally in love with right now, or some of the stuff that you're working on, or anything any kind of projects or.
Speaker 3: The shop itself of kind of crafted into just an everyday maintenance shop.
Speaker 1: Sure.
Speaker 3: I kind of run it by myself with limited help.
It's called Little Dusty Euroworks, and seventy five percent of my work is diesel stuff. I don't know how that happened,
but it's it's fine. I like it. Yeah, but yeah,
that shop is crazy when there's fifteen to twenty cars here in a week and it's all me. So I've
kind of just transitioned into more just general maintenance repair.
I do have a TDI have to put an engine in this next week, so that's going to cramp my style, right, you know, But you know it's it's it's not really swaps or anything fun that I do there. It's more
than just you know, baking a living and yeah and stuff like that. But I do have a whole building
filled with stuff I've collected over the years, a lot of really really you know, I don't know, I hate the brag, so.
Speaker 1: It's not bragging. I was just asking. I mean, like,
is there you know maybe a top two or three or four cars that you're really you're really into, or ones like just like you said, you keep coming back to, say, like the base truck. You know what I mean, It's
just one of those things that you can't you come back to and just puts a smile on your face because these these are some of the things. You know,
I understand how you might it might sound like bragging, but sometimes people hear this stuff and that also really gets their passion going or they it gets them motivated to to get that car that was down the street that they've passed the last four hundred days. You know.
Speaker 3: Well, it's it's it's complicated when it comes to choosing a favorite, because I always automatically put the nicest stuff to the back because I honestly just don't enjoy driving it as much. So I have an eighty three out
of ear Quatro that I finally had enough money five years ago to have like repainted and everything. I mean,
it's gorgeous, but it's like a sixty five dollars car yea, yeah, and you know this paint job was twenty K. And
when I get in it, I'm just like, I don't even want to walk away from it because it's like something might happen. I need to make sure, you know, right,
you know, And when I drive it, it's like my ass is puckered and I'm just like, yeah, you know, you know, and so so yeah, I mean that's probably my best car, but it's not my favorite car.
Speaker 1: Isn't it amazing too?
Speaker 3: Though?
Speaker 1: When like there are certain cars that they have that and maybe you don't even recognize it when you're looking for a car to buy. But sometimes if you have
that car that it's just nice enough for everyone to be like, wow, look at this thing, or but it's it's it's not it's not too nice that you can fucking enjoy it and you can get out and beat on it. And if you if you stand up and
you have a drink in your hand and you saw something, you could put the drink on the roof of the car and you're not freaking out about something stupid like that exactly.
Speaker 3: You know what I mean, I can get in it.
I can get in it with my work clothes and move it around about you am I gonna get grease on this or you know?
Speaker 2: Yeah?
Speaker 3: Yeah, and and so you know again, I've got that R thirty two that's like mint mint mint like same thing.
I drove it the other day. I felt weird the
whole time. So so answer your question. My my my
favorite car is this blue lagoon oh two Jetta Sidan TDI dude, that is that's great. I mean, and I
just I've got like, you know, the the B sixteen bill stings in it. Yeah, it's got it's got some
cool like copper colored wheels I put on it, and you know, it's got the Jemy Mod headlights and you know, ye eyed taigh lights and you know, like you know, it's just it's got to set up blue riccardos in that my buddy Chris Corwin imported when he used to have Core works. Yeah, and you know, they match the
blue and they're like weird, so nobody knows what they are and ye know, and it just drives. It's perfect.
It gets forty five miles per gallon. It isn't slow.
I got it like you know, straight pipes, but it's not loud. And I can just go everywhere I want
and be economical. But if I want to pass somebody,
I can do that. Yeah, And this is my favorite.
And my wife is the same way. She's got a
couple of cool cars, but her favorite is her O three candy white Jetta TDI Wagon.
Speaker 1: That's so funny. That's great, that's so funny. We've we've
seen to the last couple episodes turn into a Mark four podcast, right, It's like we keep going around it, but everyone, you know, they were just they were really just like you touched on earlier, and I'm not going to keep harping on it, but like they were really great, well built cars that that were so much fun and they kind of like had that that weird space between like luxury but yet fun and sporty but yet super practical.
And I feel like, you know, a lot of cars just haven't hit that mark ever since. Really.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and and for me too, I mean this might be different for others, but for me, there isn't really much on a mark four. It takes more than two
hours of six Yeah, so like you know, Sunday, Saturday, whatever comes and I got to quickly do something on it.
Like it's it's easy, you know, I'm not. I'm not
over there like wow the whole day and I still don't have this controller. I'm off.
Speaker 2: Like out.
Speaker 3: These oudis can get like mind boggling to especially people who don't work on them every day.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you know.
Speaker 3: It's it's just not as easy, and that kind of takes a little bit of the fun out of it.
Speaker 1: Yeah for sure. Well, dude, I'm glad you came on.
I'm glad we finally got to talk. I'm glad you uh,
you know educated some of the people that might be wanting to come up this year and go go to your show. I think they understand more so what they're
getting themselves into sounds like a great time. I'd like
to go for the first time this year. So hopefully,
I mean hopefully.
Speaker 3: If anybody has any questions about it, just ask somebody that went. They'll they'll they'll preach it. Yeah, they just
they'll tell them exactly where it's at.
Speaker 4: Oh yeah, anybody talk to about it. They just have
nothing but great things to say about it.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's for sure. So Aaron, thanks thanks for coming on.
We liked, uh, you know, the conversation. It was awesome
and we appreciate you coming on.
Speaker 2: Man, Thanks appreciate it.
Speaker 3: Thanks, thank you, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity.
Speaker 1: Guys, all right, dude, we will talk to you later or when we get.
Speaker 2: Up there soon.
Speaker 3: All right, we'll hope to see you here man. Alrighty
had cat had Speaker 2: Cati
About this episode
Aaron Smith (Forties in a Bag) and the hosts swap stories about keeping older Volkswagens and Audis alive—everything from slow, careful prep work to rust-snapped exhaust parts and reusing a freshly rebuilt cylinder head. The conversation also covers used-car deal drama, show-car details (badges, stitching, shaved intake manifolds), and community event logistics: invite-only entry, limited phone reception, and how the meet grew from small lawn gatherings to hundreds of cars. Along the way, they discuss manual-transmission changes and why parts availability shapes ownership.
