Lets Talk Dubs Classic The Classic VW podcast

What an incredible weekend! This week on Let's Talk Dubs, I'm joined by Joey Giordano from Werkstat Restorations and Andy Finch from Spike's Vintage Restoration to recap One Crazy Weekend 2026 in Las Vegas.

We talk Baja builds, preparations for a 600-mile road trip to the show, and the Wednesday-night Baja cruise down the Las Vegas Strip. Then we dig into the Baja trail run—how it went, what stood out, and the stories that came out of it—before reliving the rest of an unforgettable VW weekend. There's also the poker tournament, the strip cruise, the car show and poker run. Oh, I almost forgot the pool party as well so much to talk about.

From getting the cars ready to bringing everyone together, this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into One Crazy Weekend and what makes it so much fun. Whether you joined us in Vegas or want to know what you missed, pull up a chair and enjoy the recap.

A huge thank-you to everyone who showed up, volunteered, sponsored, and supported the event. You're the reason this weekend keeps growing, and we can't wait to do it all again in 2027!

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www.vwtrendsmagazine.com

Finding the right vintage Volkswagen or that one hard-to-find part should be part of the fun. For longtime VW enthusiast and collector Chris Picco, searching classifieds on a phone often felt harder than it needed to be. From his home in Ontario, Canada, he decided to build the kind of marketplace he wanted to use. Chris created **VWTraders.com**, a free Volkswagen classifieds site designed to be easy to browse and open to buyers and sellers around the world. It's his way of giving back to the hobby and helping VW people connect over the cars and parts they love. In Episode 374, Chris joins me to talk about how he first got into Volkswagens, the cars and experiences that shaped his passion, and what it took to turn an idea into a site for the VW community. We also get into the challenges of buying and selling in today's classifieds market and what Chris hopes VWTraders.com can offer enthusiasts worldwide. Whether you're hunting for your next project, looking for parts, or just enjoy hearing how VW people turn a passion into something useful for the scene, check out this conversation with Chris Picco. Enjoy the episode!

Danny Foerster has spent years working in the automotive industry, specializing in fuel injection, tuning, and programming. As an air-cooled Volkswagen enthusiast, he saw the need for an EFI system that was reliable, easy to install, and truly designed for the everyday VW owner. The result is the Forster Performance plug-and-play fuel-injection system.

In this episode, Danny explains how he developed one of the most comprehensive EFI conversions available for a stock Volkswagen engine. The goal was simple: create a true "set it and forget it" system that works right out of the box. No more fighting with a 34 PICT-3 carburetor, changing jets for different elevations, dealing with cold-start problems, or constantly adjusting the engine as driving conditions change.

We dig into how electronic fuel injection works, the programming and testing behind Danny's system, and the decisions he made to keep the installation as straightforward as possible. This kit gives your stock Beetle modern drivability while preserving the character and simplicity that make air-cooled Volkswagens so much fun. Also who would complain about an 8hp gain & 11lbft of torque

The Foerster Performance EFI kit is available through Red-E Motorsports and Washburn's Metal. Dam Volks in Boulder City, Nevada, also has a kit available. enjoy

Buy EFI here or Red E Motorsports

Follow Foerster Performance HERE

Danny's Facebook

Back in June at the Luft Zeigen show I had an opportunity to sit down with Danny a a.k.a. Danny Alvarez one of the old-school lettering guys that let a lot of cars back in the 80s cars like red alert, bad temper, bad temper too and many more. We sit down with Danny talk about what it took to get into the business with lettering and how that all started and some of his history short interview it's pretty good. Also, William Nera fresh out of death row, and now on the path to make things better he's got a new book out where he works with trying to help solve murder cases. Good to see him trying to turn things around his life and be a positive influence. A good lesson short podcast but good see you at one weekend 2026.

On this weeks episode I discussed where we're at with the car show. We stopped selling spaces cause we wanna make sure everybody's got plenty of room if you're planning on coming and you don't have a room still come to the show there's plenty to catch up with and plenty to do. From the poker tournament Thursday night at 6 PM in the poker room. Then on Friday early morning at 7 AM the Baja rally to Goode Springs. Friday at 3 PM, the Ross Wolf bowling tournament. Friday night strip cruise. Saturday morning the car show from 8 to 2 PM. And then at 5:30 the world famous let's talk dub poker run your chance to win your share of over $3000 in cash money. So check it out. Don't miss out no matter where you're coming from if you're planning on coming and you didn't book a car Space you're still gonna be OK come on down there's plenty of parking at the hotel. You just won't be in the show area, but check it out and will update you guys later this week.

This week we put one more piece together with the bakersfield crew V-Dubs LTD. October 1987 was the month the "Chamange Notch" graced the cover of VW Trends Magazine. It was a really cool notchback sitting on some cookie cutters with a 1904cc engine. Dave showed that car for a while until the fatal run with California Highway Patrol changed the future for that car. Some say the car ended up in Japan some say the car is here who really knows but it's a wild story. We talk about starting from the bottom as an employee at Barth parts. Being overlooked in the succession plan and as fate would have it, he finally ends up as the owner of Barth. It's a crazy story that could only be tied to the Volkswagen world. Barth parts are still the number one foreign auto parts place in all of Bakersfield. And the last one left as the economy changes and so much is gone on around the automotive parts business. Barth parts is still the place to go in Baker and Dave has got stories for days. This one's a great one.

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ICON Pistons

First came the "Bug Eye" Baja kit, pioneered by Miller-Havens and helping launch a whole new look for off-road Volkswagens. But the evolution of the Baja Bug was just getting started.

After finding success with the Sandwinder dune buggy, Don Rountree and R&H Fiberglass turned their attention to fiberglass bodywork for the Volkswagen Beetle. Around 1972, Sandwinder introduced what would become one of the most recognizable Baja Bug designs of the era—the "Wide Eye" Baja kit. Instead of mounting the headlights close together in the nose like the earlier Bug Eye kits, the Wide Eye moved them outward into the fenders, creating the classic Baja look that would influence countless builds for decades.

But there's a lot more to the story.

On this episode of Let's Talk Dubs, we dig into the history behind Sandwinder and the people responsible for developing these early fiberglass kits. We hear how a sponsorship helped open the door, how the success of the Sandwinder buggy led to new opportunities, and how Burly became involved in designing everything from a '32 Ford-inspired kit to the now-iconic Wide Eye Baja kit.

It's a fascinating piece of early Volkswagen off-road, dune buggy, and Baja Bug history, from the days when builders were experimenting with fiberglass and creating designs that would permanently change the look of the VW Beetle.

If you're into vintage Baja Bugs, Sandwinder buggies, early fiberglass VW kits, desert racing, off-road Volkswagens, or the history of the Southern California VW scene, this episode fills in an important chapter of how the Baja Bug evolved from the original Bug Eye into the Wide Eye design we still recognize today.

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Air-cooling a Volkswagen engine has always been as much science as it is art. For decades, enthusiasts have debated which fan shroud cools the best, what compression ratio is ideal, which cylinder heads run the coolest, and how today's fuels affect engine temperatures. This week on Let's Talk Dubs, we're joined by one of the most respected names in air-cooled Volkswagen engine development—Jake Raby.

Jake shares the incredible story behind the extensive cooling research that changed the way many enthusiasts think about building reliable, high-performance air-cooled engines. Beginning in 2006, Jake embarked on an ambitious cross-country journey in his famous blue "BluebonicPlague" Beetle, outfitted with more than 20 sensors strategically placed throughout the engine. Every mile of the trip generated an enormous amount of real-world data, with over two gigabytes of information recorded to analyze everything from cylinder head temperatures and oil temperatures to airflow characteristics and cooling efficiency under actual driving conditions.

Rather than relying on opinions or bench racing, Jake set out to answer the questions that Volkswagen enthusiasts have argued about for generations—with data.

In this episode, we take a look into:

• The evolution of VW cooling system design.

• The strengths and weaknesses of the various fan shrouds and cooling kits available today.

• Why some cooling systems outperform others in real-world driving.

• The relationship between engine displacement, compression ratio, ignition timing, and operating temperatures.

• How cylinder head design dramatically affects engine longevity and cooling.

• The impact of modern ethanol-blended fuels on air-cooled engines.

• Common misconceptions about engine temperature and reliability.

• The testing methods Jake developed to remove guesswork from engine building.

Whether you're assembling a mild street engine, building a powerful Type 4, or simply trying to keep your classic Volkswagen running cooler and more reliably, this episode is packed with decades of hard-earned knowledge backed by real-world testing and engineering.

If you've ever wondered what really keeps an air-cooled Volkswagen alive—and what actually works versus what has simply become accepted folklore—this is an episode you won't want to miss.

DTM Shrouds

912 Engine Teardown link

Jake's Road Trip data

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ICON Pistons Here

From the day he was brought home from the hospital in his father's split-window Beetle, it seemed Danny Allan was destined for a life surrounded by Volkswagens. As they say, he was born with the "VW Bug."

For decades, Danny has been a familiar and highly respected name in the UK Volkswagen community. Many enthusiasts first discovered him more than 35 years ago when the Mk1 GTI he built himself earned magazine cover status, establishing his reputation as a talented builder with an incredible eye for detail. Since then, he's become one of Britain's most recognized air-cooled Volkswagen enthusiasts, creating an impressive collection of beautifully crafted Beetles, Buses, and Cal-Look inspired cars. Whether he's building award-winning show cars or dependable drivers for close friends, Danny's work is known for its exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail.

Beyond the garage, Danny has spent years sharing his passion through the pages of VolksWorld magazine as a contributing writer, producing feature stories, technical articles, and in-depth coverage of some of the UK's finest Volkswagens. His influence on the British VW scene extends far beyond his own builds, helping preserve and celebrate the rich history of the hobby.

In this episode, we get into Danny's lifelong journey with Volkswagens, the evolution of the UK VW scene, the stories behind some of his most memorable builds, and what it takes to create cars that continue to inspire enthusiasts around the world. We also discuss his work with VolksWorld magazine, the people who shaped the hobby in Britain, and why the Volkswagen community remains as strong as ever.

If you're a fan of vintage Volkswagens, Essex UK culture, air-cooled performance, or simply love hearing stories from someone who's lived through decades of VW history, this is an episode you won't want to miss.