A heartfelt discussion unfolds as Guinevere shares her deep-rooted connection to Volkswagen through her family's 102-year-old business. She reminisces about her first car, a 1973 Karmann Ghia, and the lessons learned while growing up in a garage. The episode highlights the nostalgia surrounding air-cooled VWs, the joys of restoration, and the vibrant car culture that keeps these classics alive. Guinevere's passion shines as she talks about her daily drivers and her dreams of owning a 914, making this episode a rich tapestry of automotive history and personal stories.
Guinevere, co-owner of Freccia Brothers Garage, invites us into a world of vintage Volkswagen magic and the family memories made along the way. She starts by introducing “Lily,” her cherished 1963 VW Beetle, and “Gadget,” a 1987 Cabriolet – both members of her family in their own right. As she recounts her first car (a Tropicana Orange Karmann Ghia handed down from her dad), listeners are treated to a warm story of how classic cars can bond generations. Guinevere shares practical restoration stories from her Greenwich, CT shop: reviving a flood-damaged dune buggy, sourcing parts for a rare VW Type 3, and even doing a father-daughter project replacing a Beetle’s convertible top.
Each tale highlights craftsmanship and a touch of old-school ingenuity, like using century-old techniques to straighten a frame or preserving carbon-copy service records from the ’60s. Beyond the technical, this episode shines with heart – Guinevere speaks on hosting community “VW days” where enthusiasts swap stories and kids learn to wrench on air-cooled engines, keeping automotive culture alive.
"Air-Cooled and Carefree” will leave you smiling and maybe a bit misty-eyed, as it captures the simple joys of classic car life – the smell of an old vinyl interior warming in the sun, the shared laughter over a stubborn bolt, and the way these beloved cars connect us to our past and to each other.
*** Your Favorite Automotive Podcast - Now Arriving Weekly!!! ***
Listen on your favorite platform and visit https://carsloved.com for full episodes, our automotive blog, Guest Road Trip Playlist and our new CAR-ousel of Memories photo archive.
Don't Forget to Rate & Review to keep the engines of automotive storytelling—and personal restoration—running strong.
"... 180 in the parking lot and reverse in our rented Mustang, which yeah, seemed to be entertaining to you, I ..."
The Ford Mustang is a classic sports car that many people love for its speed and cool design. It's been around for a long time and is often seen as a symbol of American cars, making it a fun choice for driving.
The Ford Mustang is an iconic American muscle car that has been in production since 1964. Known for its powerful performance and distinctive styling, it represents freedom and the open road, making it a popular choice among car enthusiasts and casual drivers alike.
"Was it a Honda? Was it a Datsun? What kind of car was it that you brought up there?"
Honda is another car company from Japan, famous for making reliable cars like the Civic and Accord.
Honda is a well-known Japanese automaker recognized for its motorcycles and cars, including the Civic and Accord, which are known for their reliability and performance.
"Was it a Datsun? What kind of car was it that you brought up there? It was a Volkswagen."
Datsun is a former car brand that was part of Nissan, known for making budget-friendly cars in the past.
Datsun was a brand used by Nissan for its vehicles in the international market, known for producing affordable and practical cars, especially in the 1970s and 1980s.
"That day it was actually a water cooled Volkswagen because it was raining..."
Water cooled means the engine uses water to keep cool while it runs, preventing it from overheating.
Water cooled refers to an engine cooling system that uses water to absorb and dissipate heat, which helps maintain optimal engine temperatures during operation.
"So I did bring the water cooled car that day. So it was a 1987 triple white cabriolet with snowflake rims."
The 1987 Cabriolet is a convertible version of the Porsche 911, a famous sports car. It has a soft top that can be lowered for open-air driving.
The 1987 Cabriolet refers to the convertible version of the Porsche 911, a classic sports car known for its distinctive design and performance. This model is part of the G-Series of the 911, which was produced from 1974 to 1989.
"So it was a 1987 triple white cabriolet with snowflake rims. Snowflake. What does that mean? What does snowflake rims mean?"
Snowflake rims are a type of wheel design that looks like a snowflake, usually with five spokes. They were popular on certain cars, especially in the past.
Snowflake rims refer to a specific style of alloy wheels that have a unique design resembling a snowflake, typically characterized by five spokes. This design is often associated with certain models of cars, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s.
"...just this beautiful white paint job and just buffed to this high gloss. And when he drove away, your jaw hit the ground."
High gloss means the paint on the car is very shiny and smooth. It makes the car look more attractive and shows off its design well.
High gloss refers to a shiny, reflective finish on a car's paint. This type of finish enhances the car's appearance and highlights its design features.
"...it's got a little Carmen Gia there with a couple of beetles off to the side and it looks like some jacked up dune buggy thing."
The Karmann Ghia is a vintage car made by Volkswagen that looks sporty and stylish. It was made between 1955 and 1974 and is based on the same platform as the Volkswagen Beetle, which is a very famous car.
The Karmann Ghia is a classic car produced by Volkswagen from 1955 to 1974, known for its stylish design that combines elements of a sports car with the practicality of a coupe. It was built on the chassis of the Volkswagen Beetle, making it a popular choice among car enthusiasts.
"...with a couple of beetles off to the side and it looks like some jacked up dune buggy thing."
The Volkswagen Beetle is a classic car that has a very unique round shape. It was first made in the 1930s and became very popular, known for being simple and reliable. It was produced until 2019.
The Volkswagen Beetle is one of the most iconic cars in automotive history, originally designed in the 1930s and produced in various forms until 2019. Known for its distinctive rounded shape and rear-engine layout, it has a cult following and is celebrated for its simplicity and reliability.
"...focused on Volkswagen's, I believe, some Porsches and Chevrolet Corvair's, right?"
The Chevrolet Corvair is a car that was made by Chevrolet in the 1960s. It had a different design compared to most cars, with the engine in the back instead of the front.
The Chevrolet Corvair was a compact car produced by Chevrolet from 1960 to 1969. It is notable for its unique rear-engine layout and was one of the few American cars to feature a flat-six engine.
Air cooled means that the engine uses air to stay cool instead of water. This is how some older cars, like certain Volkswagens and Porsches, were designed.
Air cooled refers to an engine cooling system that uses air to dissipate heat instead of liquid coolant. This design is commonly found in older Volkswagen and Porsche models, contributing to their unique characteristics.
"...maybe a Miami show this year, Amelia. And then eventually I get out to Pebble Beach."
Pebble Beach is a well-known car show in California where people display and judge classic cars. It's a big event for car lovers and collectors.
Pebble Beach is famous for its annual Concours d'Elegance, where classic and vintage cars are showcased and judged. It's a prestigious event in the automotive world, attracting collectors and enthusiasts.
Lime Rock Park is a racetrack in Connecticut where car races and events take place. It's a fun place for car enthusiasts to watch races and see cool cars.
Lime Rock Park is a road course and motorsports facility in Connecticut, known for hosting various racing events and car shows. It's a popular venue for both amateur and professional motorsport activities.
"...your second car is a 1989 Cabrio, but your daily driver is an 87 Cabrio..."
The Volkswagen Cabrio is a small convertible car that many people enjoy driving because it has a roof that can be opened. The models from 1987 to 1989 are known for their classic look and fun driving style.
The Volkswagen Cabrio is a convertible version of the Golf, popular for its compact size and fun driving experience. The 1987-1989 models are part of the first generation of this model, known for their classic design and open-top driving.
"...and Doug has a little BW story to tell before. Gwinnivere, we'd like to hear about your nine 14 dreams. And then we'll we'll head to show gently toward 914 dreams."
The Porsche 914 is a sporty car made by Porsche that has its engine in the middle, which helps it handle well on the road. It was made a long time ago, from 1969 to 1976, and is popular among car enthusiasts.
The Porsche 914 is a mid-engine sports car produced by Porsche from 1969 to 1976. It is known for its unique design and is often appreciated for its handling and driving experience.
"feels so good. I was dehydrated in the fresh air, made me feel so good. And that that story just s..."
The Lucid Air is a fancy electric car that runs on batteries instead of gas. It's designed to be really comfortable and high-tech, making it a great option for people looking for a stylish and eco-friendly ride.
The Lucid Air is a luxury electric sedan that aims to compete with high-end electric vehicles like the Tesla Model S. It features impressive performance, a spacious interior, and advanced technology, making it a significant player in the growing electric vehicle market.
"...my stories. And Listener Land knows all about my 1984 VW Rabbit GTI."
The Volkswagen Rabbit GTI is a small car that is fun to drive and was made in 1984. It's known for being sporty and practical, making it a favorite among car enthusiasts.
The Volkswagen Rabbit GTI is a sporty hatchback that was popular in the 1980s, known for its fun driving experience and practical design. It is considered one of the original hot hatches, combining performance with everyday usability.
"...probably on Bring a Trailer that sold recently for like thirty five thousand dollars. And it's just this pristine."
Bring a Trailer is a website where people can buy and sell special cars, especially older or unique ones. It's popular among car lovers who want to find something special or sell their own cars.
Bring a Trailer is an online auction platform specializing in classic and enthusiast vehicles. It allows users to buy and sell unique cars, often featuring detailed listings and community discussions.
"...it had white with the air dam with a little red GTI in the front. And then the blue cloth with the red in the middle. And like it was my car to a tee."
The Volkswagen GTI is a popular small car that is fun to drive and has a sporty look. Many people love it for its speed and handling, making it a favorite among car enthusiasts.
The Volkswagen GTI is a sporty hatchback known for its performance and practicality. It's part of the Golf family and has a strong enthusiast following due to its fun driving dynamics and iconic design.
Fuel injection is how modern cars send fuel to the engine. It helps the car run better and use fuel more efficiently than older cars that used carburetors.
Fuel injection is a system that delivers fuel to an engine in a precise manner, improving efficiency and performance compared to older carburetor systems. It's a standard feature in modern vehicles.
"...semi-automatic experts, all mechanicals, including, right, all the way around the car,..."
A semi-automatic transmission lets you change gears manually without needing to use a clutch pedal. It's a mix of automatic and manual driving, making it easier to control the car.
A semi-automatic transmission allows drivers to manually shift gears without a clutch pedal, combining elements of both automatic and manual transmissions for a more engaging driving experience.
"...it says, other services, rust repair and floor replacement."
Rust repair is fixing parts of a car that have gotten rusty, which can happen when the car is exposed to water and salt. It's important to keep the car safe and looking good.
Rust repair involves fixing areas of a vehicle that have corroded due to exposure to moisture and salt. This is crucial for maintaining the structural integrity and appearance of classic cars.
"It's a Volkswagen Slash Porsche collaboration, right? Yeah, and the engine's right in the middle."
Mid-engine means the engine is placed in the middle of the car, which helps it handle better when driving. It's a popular design for sports cars.
A mid-engine layout means that the engine is located near the center of the vehicle, which improves weight distribution and handling. This design is common in sports cars for better performance.
"I'm sorry, I was going to say took the place of the 356 because it was cheaper. But that was the 912."
The Porsche 356 is an early sports car made by Porsche, famous for its sleek design and good handling. It was one of the first cars made by the company after World War II.
The Porsche 356 was the first production automobile from Porsche, introduced in 1948. It is known for its lightweight design and sporty performance, making it a classic among car enthusiasts.
"...he one in Volkswagen we didn't talk about was the Volkswagen bus. And I don't know if you're a bus person."
The Volkswagen Bus is a big, boxy van that many people love for its fun look and roomy space. It's famous for being used on road trips and has a lot of fans who enjoy its retro style.
The Volkswagen Bus, also known as the VW Type 2, is a classic vehicle that became a symbol of the counterculture movement in the 1960s. Its spacious interior and unique design made it popular for road trips and camping, and it remains a beloved icon among vintage car enthusiasts.
Select text to request an explanation
Welcome back, Planet Earth, United States, Northeast, Southeast, to all the cars I've loved.
Before your podcast where every car tells a story in, we talk about life lessons through
cars because guess what?
We are where automotive history and American history meet your history, your family's
history.
We're going to get into, with our very special guest today, a situation where automobiles
are her family's business, her bloodline, going back over a century.
And before we get into that, let's, let's, a little bit of housekeeping, how you doing
over there, partner?
How's the audio?
Audio sounds good.
Audio sounds good.
Sound good.
Yeah, we had to, yup.
No, I was going to say the network plumber, aka me, was having network problems for
once.
Yeah.
For once it wasn't you.
So.
You never, that's true.
Thank goodness.
We're going to hear about the guys on smart lists or Mark Marin having any of these technical
difficulties, but you know what, Listenerland?
They do.
They have them.
They do.
You got to figure it out.
We have this product to put on the air.
We work hard for you to come up with great guests, great stories, et cetera, et cetera.
So we're just going to kind of roll with it.
I'll let you know if you're glitching or having any problems.
But like Doug said, for once, hey, so what is that background?
That's the Golden Gate Bridge, correct?
It is.
It is.
Zoom selected it for me, but I think you and I walked across it, didn't we?
Or at least three quarters of it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So.
In 2017.
It was a while ago.
Yeah.
Doug and I have known each other for quite a while and he used to be one of these.
Would you call yourself a road warrior in prior jobs?
You would just kind of crisscross the nation for his jet set glitzy high tech gig.
And he'd always say to me, Hey, man, I'm going to be here for a weekend.
You want to come here?
You want to be here there?
That was a great trip, though.
I do remember that trip because I flew into San Jose, rented the car first.
This was in, I'm going to say April, April or May of 2017.
I got into San Jose.
I think it was actually February.
Oh, you might be right.
You might be right.
We were out there.
San Jose, by the way, is beautiful.
I had never been there before.
You come out of the San Jose airport and it's just, you know, most airports you come out
of and you're in some industrial warehouse district.
Absolutely no fun to be in San Jose.
You look one way and the mountains are right there and I said, Oh, I want to be a mouse.
I just drove up into the mountains and just drove around in circles until your flight
came in a few hours later.
What happened after that?
We went to like the Intel Museum out there.
We did.
We went to the Intel Museum.
We went to the Jelly Belly Museum.
Jelly Belly Museum was great, except the weather was terrible.
The traffic was terrible and it closed.
And it closed.
It was, it was raining and I was so angry at you because you made us late.
We missed the last tour by five minutes.
So you know, all we got to do was experience the gift shop.
Well, and I was angry at you for being angry at me.
So I did a 180 in the parking lot and reverse in our rented Mustang, which yeah, seemed to
be entertaining to you, I think.
Yeah.
Maybe we're terrible travel partners.
Have you ever thought of that?
Could be.
Could be.
It's possible.
Yeah.
Here we are to tell the tale.
Do you remember the car that we rented?
Of course.
Probably a 2016, 2017 Mustang V6 had some had some guts.
It was red and we got that awesome picture in the hills of San Francisco where the that
house from, God, they call it the pain in ladies, I think the pain in ladies.
Yeah.
And it's these beautiful town homes, $10 million town homes, you know, 1300 square
feet right behind us.
That was a great picture at we did a lot of walking.
We went to the not to go too far.
We went to the what was it?
We went to Alcatraz, which was awesome.
That was still amazing.
Yeah.
Tom, our guest, let's see.
We interviewed Tom recently for an episode and he just went there with Jamie.
And so we were talking about Alcatraz and I told him.
I told I told him about the funny stunt where we went on the last tour
that I and I tried to lock you in one of the in one of the cells.
But yeah, unfortunately, I had a hole in the wall and I got out.
Yeah. Yeah.
Just like Shawshank Redemption.
Not too.
You got it.
Not to.
And I will say that Mustang, though, do not handle well in the rain.
Do not handle well in the rain.
Be very careful.
Real World Pontiacs also the same.
Don't ask me how I know what I would.
I was I would also say, thank God, that car was automatic
because I could not imagine driving stick shift in San Francisco.
Oh, my God.
Twenty. I could barely see over the hood.
What if he'd stop?
Yeah, brutal, brutal.
Talk about rolling back.
But enough about me.
Let's talk about you.
What do you think about me?
No, we have a great guest to get to today.
Yeah.
And so excited to do the show.
A friend of the show.
We cannot get enough of these wonderful people we meet.
And who's going to introduce her?
Are we going to fight over ourselves
to introduce this wonderful guest or what?
Well, are you freezing or am I freezing?
No, no, I'm here.
All right.
So I'm going to I'm going to hand over.
Yeah.
Well, Guinevere came to us by way of James,
who has really been a master social
networker for us for the show with bringing us.
Interesting, James McCrae.
And I don't know how he knows so many
wonderful, giving people, but that is how Guinevere
has been brought to our doorstep.
How are you going to bear?
Hi, guys.
Thanks for having me tonight.
They're doing well.
Fantastic.
And we are reaching you from the Wilds of Connecticut.
The Wilds of Greenwich.
Yeah. Yeah. Right.
Now, how did you let me ask if I may,
how you came to know James and then
how did he approach you to be on our show?
I met James a few months ago this spring.
I actually went to school to become
a fine art photographer, photographer
and the Malcolm Prey Achievement Center,
which is a car collection in.
Bedford, New York, they're right on the line.
So they bring kids down from tech classes
and they do everything from, you know,
how a car runs to how to winterize a car
to just basic car facts.
Me and my dad have gone up to Newburg before
to do history of cars and they had cars
throughout the decade.
So this time it just happened to be a photography class.
So James and I were both there as mentors.
I happened to bring a car and teach one of the groups.
Wonderful. OK. OK.
And then and then he just started
to tell me about that car.
Nice. Nice.
Nice. Sorry.
And I I interrupted, but I had to ask.
And this will this will maybe be a good lead in.
Was that car a bull?
I sorry. Was that car a Toyota?
Was it a Honda? Was it a Datsun?
What kind of car was it that you brought up there?
It was a Volkswagen.
That day it was actually a water cooled Volkswagen
because it was raining and Lily doesn't come out in the rain.
And it was pretty it was a pretty crappy day.
But photography is better when it's cloudy.
So I did bring the water cooled car that day.
So it was a 1987 triple white cabriolet with snowflake rims.
Snowflake. What does that mean?
What does snowflake rims mean?
Oh, oh, that has like the five spokes.
That's you. Yeah. Never.
That's pretty neat.
That is very neat.
And so and so he mentioned to you that he'd been on this podcast
or or he mentioned that there was a podcast.
He mentioned there was a podcast.
I can't remember if he said he'd been on it,
but he said it was super cool.
It was about people that people that love their cars
and have great stories.
And he said, I can just tell you
you can talk about all your cars, you name all your cars.
So he said, I think you'll be a good fit.
We owe that guy a cookie.
We really do.
All the great people that that that traverse
our virtual conference room here.
So I have to tell you that, OK, we're going to see
that a theme will persist through this discussion on VWs.
And I have to tell you, I think your first car
is just the neatest first car.
I've never owned one, but I would love to hear about your first car.
My first car I got before I was even 16.
My dad, my dad. So jealous.
My dad and my grandfather got me a 1973 Volkswagen car
Mangea and it was propaganda orange.
And my parents both tried to teach me to drive.
I remember being in an office park down the street from my house.
And there's like there's all these duck ponds in the middle
and there's beautiful flowers and my mom's teaching me to drive
and my little sisters in the back seat.
And I just remember stalling so bad
and my sister hitting the back of my seat.
So stressed out and like I was just like, oh, my God, I can't do this.
I can't drive stick.
And I I don't think I drove that car once I turned 16.
They they kept trying to teach me.
But eventually I sold it, which I forever regret now.
I mean, I even love, love, love that it was tropical orange now.
But yeah, I think I'm going to have to hold a second hand grudge
with you and against you.
Think if you had that now.
I was when we were when we were prepping
and reading these show notes, Doug and I were chatting about you
before even met you on the show.
You the last Carmen guy I saw was in a in a Walmart parking lot.
I'm going to say a couple of years or so ago and the feelings of nostalgia,
the waves of it is such a beautiful machine.
And this one was I'm just going to say
white, I mean, it just is beautiful.
I don't think it was pearl asset or anything,
but just this beautiful white paint job and just buffed to this high gloss.
And when he drove away, your jaw hit the ground.
They just make the need of sound when when revving and pulling away.
So you said you called it tropical orange.
And did you make that up or was I made that up at 15 years old?
That was I don't know.
I don't know.
Actually, I've never investigated what Volkswagen color it was.
But in my, you know, teenage self, it was tropical orange.
Yeah, I like that.
Yeah, the Germans, the no nonsense Germans probably had,
you know, didn't have the the clever, cute, quirky,
nickname, color nicknames that all we Americans are fond of.
But OK, so you sold it.
What what happened to that car?
It just you put cash in your hand or your folks hand.
And it just kind of that car just kind of walked away.
Yeah, that one didn't didn't stay around.
Then I got a 1989 Cabriolet dark blue.
I think it had a gray top at the beginning.
And I came home from high school one day
and there was like a big pink bow on it, like you see in a car
commercial and my dad had gotten a big car bow and put it on this car.
And I guess I could like kind of drive at that point.
I think I had my license.
I didn't get my license until I was 18.
I have a bunch of younger siblings.
So and I wasn't really looking forward to driving.
But eventually I got it.
I got the Cabriolet and it's been in someone's garage forever.
So I put the top down.
I'm like cruising around Greenwich Avenue, going out with my friends.
And I finally go to put the top up.
I'm at home. My dad is standing right there.
And this was there's no electronics.
So you have to like right on clip the buttons and then, you know,
wiggle it and make sure they're loose and you go up behind it.
You know, like do the squat and then the full body press.
And I just hear the biggest rip as it comes laying down
because the top was so dry rotted.
It just, yeah.
So she got a new top and I went to school in Boston.
So for the next two years, I was on the T
and then, yeah, my final two years, I had the car up there a lot.
And it was it was nice to have a little car
because I could find parking or I remember. Oh, in Boston.
One year I just parked on my friend's lawn and no one said anything.
So now let's talk about the top for a minute.
Do you remember?
Do you where did you source the replacement top?
Or did you just bring it to a dealership or did your dad just say,
I have ten of these shoved in the back of my closet?
How did you source the top for that car?
At that time, I mean, we still don't have a computer to this day.
So at that time, it was my dad probably making a lot of phone calls.
We had we have an upholsterer we work with.
But my dad did the top on my most recent cabriolet.
So it's always good old dad.
That, yeah, good old dad.
When it comes to the old, OK, and I guess we'll get into the family
business here is so much to chat about.
We'll get into the family business here and we can actually start chatting about that now.
So it you do restoration work in the family business,
I guess, would be a secondary question.
But primarily, let's back into what sort of what sort of business
is your family known for and what business did you grow up around?
We're known for Volkswagen's.
We're known as the air-cooled specialists kind of of the tri-state area and beyond.
I grew up in the garage.
I grew up there after school, sweeping floors, picking up nails.
So tamp tires, when it get damaged, you know, shoveling snow.
So it's been my whole life.
The shop is 102 years old.
Yeah, I grew up with the knowing the original
Grisha Brothers, it was started by them and their parents,
but they were around for a little bit of my early life and my great-great-aunt
who also ran the business.
She was around.
Gotcha. May I share the website here?
Is that OK? Yeah. Yeah.
OK, I know Doug is itching to get in here, partner.
See something that's not quite right? Our annotations are AI-generated and can sometimes miss the mark.
Click the flag icon on any annotation to suggest a correction.
Report incorrect info
Suggest better explanations
Flag missing cars
More from To All The Cars I've Loved Before: Classic Car Restoration, JDM, and Automotive History
