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Mile High & The Rise of 303 Dubs Josh Williams Ep66

Mile High & The Rise of 303 Dubs Josh Williams Ep66

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About this episode

A backyard get-together turns into the fast-growing 303 Dubs VW community, rooted in classic air-cooled culture and a “no drama” mindset. Josh Williams shares how the club’s identity formed—from an original Maltese cross logo to early influences in the Volkswagen scene—and why stickers, events, and shared stories matter. The conversation also covers cruise-day growth, Mile High Dubfest plans, and how Denver’s air-cooled community builds together without ego or cliques.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Term

stitching

"The fucking stitching in the seats, all right, on the perimeter of the seats, the stitching is the VW logo."

Stitching is the visible thread lines on the seat covering. It helps hold the upholstery together, and sometimes it’s also used to make a logo or design stand out.

Brand

VW

"The fucking stitching in the seats, all right, on the perimeter of the seats, the stitching is the VW logo."

VW is short for Volkswagen. Here, the seat stitching is being used to show the VW logo on the upholstery.

Car

fiat spider

"I mean, it was, you know, I got two older brothers and, you know, I remember having a fiat spider broken down on the side of my house that never did run, but it was always the thing that, you know, my brothers like, hey, we're going to get this thing up and run..."

The Fiat Spider is a classic open-top sports car from Fiat. Here, it’s mentioned because it was a real car the family tried to get running, even though it never did.

Car

Volkswagen quantum

"...one of my first cars was a Volkswagen quantum most people are like what what is a quantum and you know it's just basically to me it was like a luxury jet a man and when I pimped that thing out..."

The Volkswagen Quantum is a VW sedan that was sold in certain countries. In the story, it’s the speaker’s early car that they customized and turned into something special.

Brand

303 Dubs

"Let's talk about 303 Dubs for a second then. Yeah, it didn't really start like a typical car club starts right... our original og... logo was the maltese cross... and it had the vw in the middle and that's had three or three dubs"

“303 Dubs” is the name of their VW group. “Dubs” is a common nickname for Volkswagen cars, and the “303” is part of what makes the club feel local and specific.

Term

Volkswagen scene

"I got this dope 71 Volkswagen. I've got friends in the Volkswagen scene. We've always been around the Volkswagen scene since we were in high school."

“Volkswagen scene” means the group of people who are into VW cars. It’s the community—car meets, clubs, and shared interests.

Term

maltese cross

"so i was like okay so our original og uh... logo was the maltese cross uh... and it and it had the vw in the middle and that's had three or three dubs"

The “Maltese cross” is a distinctive cross shape used as a logo element. In this story, it’s part of the original 303 Dubs identity, showing how car clubs often borrow recognizable symbols and adapt them into their own branding.

Person

Troy Breeze

"So, well, let's talk about Troy Breeze because that's my guy right there, man. ... Troy, Breeze. freaking stunt man. That's my go to."

Troy Breeze is a person the host credits as a big part of getting their VW community/club going. They describe him as someone who brings ideas and energy to make things happen.

Car

Volkswagen I

"[SPEAKER_00]: So, well, let's talk about Troy Breeze because that's my guy right there, man. [SPEAKER_00]: I tried to buy a Volkswagen, I think it was a 67 or 66 from Troy, like probably eight years previous to that. [SPEAKER_00]: That freaking dude sold that shit at a garage sale, and I was so pissed that he did not sell that to me."

The Volkswagen ID. Buzz is an electric van, meaning it runs on electricity instead of gasoline. It’s built to carry people and gear, with a design inspired by the classic Bus. It’s often talked about because it combines the van style with modern electric driving.

Topic

car's in coffee

"And then we went to a car's in coffee of all places. I met this guy named Brandon Oki."

“Cars and Coffee” is a common kind of car meet where people show up, hang out, and talk about their cars. Here, it’s where the host meets a friend.

Person

Brandon Oki

"And then we went to a car's in coffee of all places. I met this guy named Brandon Oki."

Brandon Oki is someone the host met at a Cars and Coffee. They became close friends, and the host says they’re even recording the podcast in Brandon’s office.

Term

air cooled club

"[1235.2s] [SPEAKER_00]: We want to make, I mean, we're just an air cooled club, right? [1238.1s] [SPEAKER_00]: So we don't, we don't have the water cooled, we don't have other stuff or a Volkswagen air cooled club."

“Air cooled” means the engine is cooled by air flowing over it, not by coolant in a radiator. When someone says they’re an “air-cooled club,” they usually mean they focus on classic VW cars with that style of engine.

Term

water cooled

"[1235.2s] [SPEAKER_00]: We want to make, I mean, we're just an air cooled club, right? [1238.1s] [SPEAKER_00]: So we don't, we don't have the water cooled, we don't have other stuff or a Volkswagen air cooled club."

“Water cooled” means the engine uses liquid coolant to carry heat away, usually through a radiator. The speaker is basically saying their group is focused on the opposite approach—air-cooled VWs.

Place

Skyline Drive

"Yeah, bro, I would do anything to take my Volkswagen and run it up skyline drive, run it over the Royal Gorge Bridge."

Skyline Drive is a scenic road the host references as a place to drive a Volkswagen and cross major landmarks. In car culture, routes like this are often part of “core memories” and meet-and-drive traditions.

Place

Royal Gorge Bridge

"Yeah, bro, I would do anything to take my Volkswagen and run it up skyline drive, run it over the Royal Gorge Bridge."

The Royal Gorge Bridge is a famous Colorado landmark. The host is saying they’d love to drive over it in their Volkswagen.

Car

Mazda 323

"Like I did my mom's Mazda 323 when I was 16 years old."

The Mazda 323 is a small, older Mazda model. The host says they learned to drive in their mom’s Mazda 323 when they were 16.

Place

Pikes Peak Aircool

"PPAC, which is Pikes Peak Aircool, that's their show or one of the things that they do."

Pikes Peak Aircool sounds like a car event for air-cooled Volkswagen fans near Pikes Peak. The host wants to reach out to the organizers to come on the podcast.

Car

Fiat Freemont

"... in, uh, highway 50 in that whole area, you know, Freemont County bro. [SPEAKER_01]: My mom, my mom basicall..."

The Fiat Freemont is a larger family car, kind of like an SUV. It’s made to carry people and luggage comfortably, especially for longer trips. People bring it up when talking about what cars are practical for everyday driving.

Term

stick shift

"I was 16 and learned how to drive a stick shift."

A “stick shift” is a manual transmission. You use a clutch pedal and a gear lever to change gears yourself.

Term

bumper rails

"But no, no bumper rails. You're, you know, yeah, man."

“Bumper rails” are the metal supports that sit behind the bumper. People may remove them to change the front-end look on older cars.

Car

1971 Volkswagen Beetle

"One car that I would, one car would never sell as my 1971 Volkswagen Beetle that I currently have. And that's because it was my first one that I had."

A 1971 Volkswagen Beetle is a classic VW with a long history and a huge fan base. The host is saying this specific Beetle is special to him and he wouldn’t sell it.

Term

23 window

"Well, 23 window, freaking split. slam that shit, airbags, freaking, I mean, even though everybody does..."

“23 window” is a nickname for a classic VW van with a lot of windows along the side. People love it because it looks unique and is strongly tied to the split-window VW style.

Term

split

"Well, 23 window, freaking split. slam that shit, airbags, freaking, I mean, even though everybody does..."

“Split” here means the classic VW van’s windshield is split into two pieces. That look is part of what makes the split-window vans so famous and desirable.

Term

slam

"I mean, split, slam that shit, airbags, freaking, I mean, even though everybody does, yeah..."

“Slam” means lowering the vehicle so it sits really low. It’s a style choice that’s common in the VW customization world.

Term

airbags

"split, slam that shit, airbags, freaking, I mean, even though everybody does, yeah..."

“Airbags” means the suspension uses air pressure instead of fixed springs. That lets you raise or lower the vehicle to get the look you want.

Car

Volkswagen Bus

"... [SPEAKER_01]: I knew you weren't gonna say split bus and that's honestly my most common answer because..."

The Volkswagen Bus is a classic van with lots of space for passengers and cargo. It’s famous for its shape and for being used for road trips and group travel. It comes up a lot because it’s an instantly recognizable vehicle.

Topic

Denver Dubfest

"Next event, Denver, Dubfest, August 1st at Mile High all air cooled. Joe is going to be an epic freaking show in Colorado."

Denver Dubfest is a car meet in Denver. It’s centered on the air-cooled Volkswagen community, with a bunch of cars and vendors showing up.

Place

Mile High

"Next event, Denver, Dubfest, August 1st at Mile High all air cooled. Joe is going to be an epic freaking show in Colorado."

“Mile High” is the Denver event location. Denver is famous for being about a mile above sea level, so it’s a common way people refer to the city and its events.

Brand

VWC

"You know, grant VWC, I'm a fair 303 dubs, but we do it's so important that we have these different clubs and the things that we're doing"

“VWC” here seems to be a shorthand for a Volkswagen club/group. The speaker mentions it alongside other clubs to explain how they coordinate events.

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