Fresh Wheels Day

A couple of weeks before it was snowing, not a good sign. Wheels Day is very exposed at Rushmoor, but the organisers are a hardy bunch and a few days before Good Friday the sun was shining and the snow had gone. We set off with our friend Steve, chilly but with the blue skies, rolling into the arena they had shifted the event round by 90°and fenced off the boggy areas. Parking up behind a super Mk1 Transit race van we fired up the bacon roll machine. Everyone tucked in!







With full tummies we set off, Wheels Day is famed for the massive variety of rides on show, and the vast numbers too. This year may have been down on previous, but there must still have been a few thousand vehicles to see.



This huge Thunderbird had a great interior, including an old 8-track.


Hotrods form a large percentage of the cars on show, this was just perfect to me.


I'm quite partial to a nice bike as well, this was in amongst the traders.


Heres a bit more of the variety.

















With Lily getting tired and hungry we headed back to the camper for a natter and to let her munch away, soon she was tucked up asleep in the buggy and we were free to wander again. We weren't the only Dubbers there. As well as a couple of Restowagen cars there was this random Bay/Split custom, chopped and narrowed and with a single seat up front it had a crowd round it all day. I thought it was brilliant.









With Lily still snoring away, we stopped for pizza, welcome heat in an otherwise chilly day. Then it was back out again.







They really do let anything in to the show!






When my time comes, this would be a cool way to go!












We decided that it was time to start making a move home, so carried out a last sweep around the field while heading back towards the Camper.







Then we saddled up and my co-pilot drove us home.


The sun kept appearing to warm things up a little, the ground was soft in places, but it didn't rain and we had a superb time. There are loads more photos here.

Steve.

Snowy Volksworld Show

I've been to the Volksworld Show in all kinds of weather. Monsoon rain that flooded the stand, hurricane winds that threatened to blow us into Central London and baking sunshine that left us all in t-shirts supping cold beer. Today it was the turn of the white stuff to take over the show. Heading up the A3 in a blizzard it was clear it wasn't going to be fun. Parking up and getting a hot drink inside we ventured out side. The first thing we saw was perfect for the conditions. A flat four powered Snow Trac.



Something else that caught my eye and that wasn't a VW was this very cool ratty and slammed DKW van. An unusual base for a ride.



We joined the throng of people crammed into the lobby of the building, waiting for 10am and the chance to surge in, soon enough with wristbands in place we headed up the steps to be greeted by one of the original film Herbies, Lily is obsessive about all things Herbie related, she watches the films every week and we had told her she might see him there. She stood and gasped and was amazed, after a donation to charity she was even more amazed to be allowed to sit inside for a photo (though she looks a bit overawed in the shot!)



With that out the way we headed into the show proper, with our friend Steve in tow we emerged into the main hall, it was a sea of Beetles, Camper and other air-cooled rarities.









The show was celebrating the 60th anniversary of VW sales in the UK, they had set up a showroom with a selection of early Beetles and coachbuilts in, there were some stunners including the Dannenhauer & Stauss Roadster and the Beutler pickup.







At the end they handed out reproductions of the 1953 Beetle brochure, a cool memento. More shiny metal greeted us as we stopped for a Lily snack.





Heading back to the car for lunch we spotted a Bosozoku inspired T4, built by a chap from Retro Rides it confused most people. But it covered all the bases and was a refreshing change.



Refreshed and ready for the off we headed back in, with the snow easing we decided the outdoor areas would be best. Campers were lined up round the ring, snow slowly melting away.









After a brief wander inside to warm up and check out the traders we once again made for the snowy section, the club stands again filled the grandstand area, once again a badly placed music tent made talking difficult, so we moved on quickly.









Another icy blast sent us inside, the Esher Hall downstairs the final place we hadn't been. In an attempt to warm things up they had built a beach for some buggies!





A final scoot around and Lily was able to choose a present, she was so good all day, not running off or getting too bored as we wandered, chatted and snapped away. She picked a bright red Beetle to play with.We headed back outside, the snow now rain and the temperature barely above zero. It was an ominous start to the show season, heres hoping the weather improves!





Steve.