IT’S HOLIDAY TIME VOLKS …

The annual VW Camper & Bus Show takes place at Eastnor Castle Deer Park, Ledbury, July 29-31.

One of the must-attend events of the Volkswagen calendar is set to take place on the last weekend of July, with fun and entertainment promised for VW Camper and Bus enthusiasts of all ages.

The Volksworld VW Camper & Bus show, sponsored by VW parts suppliers Custom & Commercial and specialist insurers Carole Nash, takes place from 29th – 31st July 2016 at Eastnor Castle Deer Park in Ledbury, Herefordshire and is a family and dog friendly event.

Among the weekend’s attractions will be one of the show’s traditional highlights, the Soapbox Challenge, with teams of up to four entering their home-made gravity-propelled four-wheelers in a downhill run against the clock. Entries are still open and anyone wishing to participate should email camper.show@kelsey.co.uk if they fancy a laugh-a-minute budget motorsport challenge.

In addition, the show promises live music all the way, with a mix of bands performing on stage throughout the weekend and a bar on site. The Friday night will be a Sixties themed event, with Sixties tribute band the Del Sharrons and Elvis tribute act Gordon Davis, plus a live DJ, while on Saturday the daytime will be taken care of with an Oompah band and fire performers, followed by an Eighties-themed tribute band and live DJ.

There will be prizes on offer for enthusiasts exhibiting their vehicles, be them Beetles, split-window campers, early and late bay-window vans, Type 25’s, T4’s, T5’s and other VWs. On Saturday, the awards will be in the Rust-and-Prime category for the not-so-shiny examples that are loved among the vee-dub scene, while on the Sunday there will be a more traditional Show’n’Shine.

Dogs are more than welcome at the Camper & Bus Show – indeed, they will be invited to participate in competitions of their own! Events will include dog agility, best looking pooch, doggy fancy dress and dog/ owner look-a-like competitions.

Meanwhile, family fun will be taken care of by the VW Bouncy Bus – a large inflatable ‘bouncy castle’ in the shape of the iconic van. Along with dedicated kids’ rides and entertainment, including the magical entertainer Van Man, the children’s attractions will all be free of charge.

There will be other family-themed events throughout the weekend, along with a thriving retail village offering all sorts of VW and camper themed goodies.

There’s still time to take advantage of Early Bird ticket offers, including a weekend adult ticket for just £39* to include an entire weekend’s camping (Under 16’s go free). More info.

Click image to browse books.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BULLI! PRODUCTION OF CULT VOLKSWAGEN VEHICLE BEGAN 65 YEARS AGO

It all began in 1947 with a pencil sketch: the Dutch car importer Ben Pon saw a simple flat-bed vehicle at the Volkswagen plant and, taking it as a basic idea, he sketched the outlines of a Transporter with Beetle DNA in his notebook.

Two years later, Volkswagen Plant Manager, Heinrich Nordhoff, presented four prototypes: two panel vans, a kombi and a small bus. Nordhoff promised that the Transporter would be as uncompromising and robust as the Beetle: ‘These vehicles won't be handled with kid gloves, rather they will be treated roughly.’

Designers used the engine and axles of the Beetle. Instead of a central tubular frame of the popular family car, the bus had a unitized body that was mounted on a ladder frame. The 1.1-litre engine produced 18 kW (24.5PS) at 3300 rpm. The bus could transport up to eight people and the two rear seat rows could be removed easily to free up load space for around 750 kg of payload.

Alfred Haesner, Head of Technical Development of Volkswagen GmbH from 1948 to 1952, said: ‘Accordingly, this type of commercial delivery vehicle can be used for all branches of business, for rush deliveries and freight, e.g. as a small bus, a special-purpose vehicle, postal vehicle, ambulance or mobile station.’

Production began on 8 March 1950, in Hall 1 of the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg, and ten vehicles were manufactured per day.

By the end of 1950, 8001 Transporters had already been built. Demand was enormous, especially since its affordable price made it an attractive option to tradesmen and retail businesses. The unique vehicle quickly became an export hit as well. Volkswagen buses could simply transport anything and everything: rubble and debris, mortar and building stones, breakfast rolls and bees wax, cigars and newspapers.

A Volkswagen bus with a camping box made its appearance in 1951 at the automobile exhibition in Berlin. The delivery van with a rear engine suddenly held the promise of an entirely different type of travel. For the first time, it travelled over the Alps. Later, it was driven to India when hippies discovered the ‘Bulli’ for themselves.

Four years after its production launch, the 100,000th Volkswagen Transporter came off the assembly line in Wolfsburg in 1954. By this point, there were 30 different models of the vehicle. Daily production in Wolfsburg was at 80 vehicles but it couldn’t produce more because the plant was already filled to capacity with Beetle production. It became clear that the Transporter needed its own plant.

Construction work began in early March 1955 in Hannover-Stöcken, and the plant was built from the ground up in just one year. In March 1956, the first "Made in Stöcken" Transporters come off the assembly line. This was the beginning of a future symbol of the ‘economic wonder years’. Today, a total of 11 million T-series vehicles spanning five generations have been produced worldwide.

Dr. Eckhard Scholz, Chairman of the Brand Board of Management of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: ‘The production launch of the T1 represented the beginning of a long success story that has lasted right up to today. In the past, as well as the present, there is market demand for extremely reliable, versatile and individual vehicles. We deliver them in top quality and precisely tailored to every need – whether the vehicle is for trades work, a retail or service business, family or recreation.’

Production of the new generation model, the T6, launches this year. Along with the T-series, the Hannover-Stöcken plant also produces the Amarok pick up. The successful California recreational vehicle is built not far away in Limmer. Around 12,200 people are employed at the Hannover business site of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

The Poznan plant in Poland (5,700 employees) produces the Transporter and the Caddy, and another plant is being built in nearby, Wrzesnia for the new Crafter. Today, a total of around 19,500 employees work for the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand.

Click here to browse VW Bus books from Veloce.

AUTHOR PROFILE No. 4: MARK PAXTON

This month we welcome Mark Paxton, author of 8 Veloce books, into the author profile spotlight ...

According to my well-thumbed dictionary, an obsession is “an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person's mind,” which pretty much sums up my lifelong relationship with the internal combustion engine and the vehicles it powers. My second birthday was apparently spent playing with a Dinky bubble car whilst more expensive and eye-catching presents lay ignored, much to the annoyance of my parents. By the age of 5, I was able to name virtually every car on the road, and with the newly acquired ability to read I began voraciously consuming anything and everything about motorised transport.

At 16, with a crisp, new provisional licence in my hand, I wobbled forth onto the Queen's highway astride the must-have two wheeler of the time, a Yamaha FS1E. That first love was intense, but short-lived, as the passing of another year opened up the possibility of bigger and faster machines, and a large number passed through my hands in a very short period.

The acquisition of a car licence merely increased my options when it came to spending all my disposable income on vehicles, and I started with a Citroën Ami 8 – a more comfortable and quicker relation of the 2CV. A huge mileage was promptly racked up forging a respect and admiration for these little cars, which has stayed with me to this day. It also gave me the opportunity to learn about mechanics, as money spent on garage bills was clearly a waste when it could be poured into the tank and burnt instead. Soon I was twirling the spanners not only on my car, but on those of other local enthusiasts as well.

My Suzuki GT500 loaded up ready for a trip to Italy in 1982.

Outside my garage, a 4 light Dyane and Diesel H van rub shoulders uneasily with a Fiesta (it wasn't all exotic) circa 1999.
The obsession well and truly had a grip by then, and I clocked up tens of thousands of miles criss-crossing Europe visiting far flung rallies and events, before deciding to leave a well-paid job for the insecurity of self employment fixing cars. The plus side, though, was being able to get behind the wheel of a huge variety of makes and models thus far denied to me. I initially concentrated on Citroëns, with the spartan pleasures of 2CV vans and saloons regularly interspersed by the swish luxury of a DS, and, on one occasion, an SM. My addiction became common knowledge, and soon other classic cars were arriving at the door – I have fond memories of MGCs, Costello V8 Bs, Spitfires, V6 Capris, VW Beetles and Vans, a PL17 Panhard, Peugeot 304s and 504s, and many more, including classics in the making such as the 205 and Golf GTis. Fleet contracts ensured that I had regular time working on Transits, Mercs and Ford Cargos as well, just to ensure diversity. Away from work I kept a small but ever-changing fleet of motorcycles, which fed my continuing need for two-wheeled action.

All things must pass, though, and after 15 years of such privileged pleasure a combination of factors spelt the end of my days on the tools. But every change in life comes with its own opportunities, and I decided to test the water and see if my accumulated experiences would be of interest to the classic car press. Fortunately they were, and I wrote articles and restored cars and motorcycles for Classic Car Mart, Practical Classics, Classic Motorcycle Mechanics, and many others. Buoyed by this, I approached Rod Grainger at Veloce to see if he would be interested in a buyer’s guide for my all-time favourite, the 2CV. He was, and the rest, as they say, is history. More guides followed, along with restoration manuals, some of which I have had the pleasure of seeing in other languages sitting on foreign bookshelves.

The 2CV I restored for Practical Classics.
I would like to say that age has tempered my passion, but sadly nothing could be further from the truth. I calculated recently that my lifetime’s association with vehicles has seen me clock up nearly a million miles, with around 200,000 of those covered on the Continent. Enough for any man, you might think, but the fire still burns strong: purely on a whim, I recently bought an old 2CV and hauled it around the back roads of the Balkans for eight weeks.

Bosnia about 6 weeks ago.
Is there no cure, or must I wait for the petrol to run out to finally release me from this affliction?
Mark Paxton

Click here to view all books by Mark Paxton.

NEW WINDOWS PHONE APP - VW BUS EBG

VW Bus - The Essential Buyer's guide, our bestselling iPhone app has now been converted into a Windows Phone app!



NEW Features for Windows Phone!
- Checklist to keep track on what you should look for when viewing a Bus
- Vehicle Notes to add seller and Bus info to the app with an image. Contact the seller direct from the app instead of clogging up your phone's contacts.
- Recorded notes to take down voice memos when viewing a Bus.
- Consistent and familiar design which Windows Phone users love!

Many colour photographs taken especially for this guide
Informative text written by enthusiastic experts with the novice in mind
In-App videos which feature helpful voice-overs by your marque expert, Richard Copping
Three generations of VW Bus covered
Invaluable guide to avoiding pitfalls and getting real value for money
All aspects of buying a VW Bus covered

A unique App dedicated to three generations of VW’s legendary Transporter (almost universally known as the 'VW Bus', whether in Bus, Camper, Van or Pick-up form). Meticulously researched with many model-specific photographs reproduced to illustrate a genuinely informative text.

Covering all the collectable Buses produced by Volkswagen between 1950 and 1990, this App is unique in providing the full story of the high points and pitfalls of buying such models. Written by enthusiasts, the easily readable text is informative to the novice, while still being of considerable value to those who have already owned a Bus. More info

ME AND MY CAR/MOTORCYCLE #4

This month's winner of the Essential Buyer's Guide of her choice is Fiona Easterby from Southampton, UK. Fiona won a copy of VW Bus - The Essential Buyer's Guide for sending us these pictures of 'Pedro' the 1969 Baja Beetle. Please keep your entries coming in to prize@veloce.co.uk, and you never know, it could be YOU in this space next month!

Pedro is a 1969 Baja Beetle. I bought him in San Francisco at the beginning of 2009, shipped him home to the UK and, after months of preparation, and modifications, set out to drive overland to Australia.

My journey took me across Europe to an explosive minefield visit in Kosovo. Into Turkey where the biggest hazzard was avoiding amorous men, through Iran during the volitile period following the disputed elections. I wound up in hospital in Quetta, Pakistan – a stone's throw from the Afghan border and infamous Helmand province. We outwitted corrupt police in India, struggled over the Himalayas to Everest base camp in Tibet, suffered altitude sickness, happened upon a brothel in Lhasa, and wound up drinking beer with the prostitutes, helped amputees in Laos, visited floating markets in Thailand, drove through a major earthquake in Malayasia, and limped into Singapore, topping up the oil every 20 minutes.

I kept a diary of my travels and am currently writing a book of my journey. Next year I plan to drive the same car from Alaska to Argentina on the Pan-American highway. In the meantime Pedro continues as my daily driver ferrying me to work and shopping, as well as regularly being invited to supercar events and shows where he is a common sight amongst the Ferraris and Lamborghinis.

Fiona Easterby
www.worldrallies.com

Fiona selected VW Bus – The Essential Buyer’s Guide by Ken Cservenka & Richard Copping as her prize!

A unique volume dedicated to three generations of VW’s legendary Transporter. Meticulously researched with many model specific photographs reproduced to illustrate a genuinely informative text.

More info.


Do you have an unusual car/motorcycle with a story to tell?
We want to see it! Send photos & description to prize@veloce.co.uk
We will pick one a month, and any we feature will win an Essential Buyer's Guide (worth £9.99 / $19.95) of your choice.
Click below to browse the whole series.
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VW BUS CAMPING TENT - THE BEST TENT EVER?

This unique camping tent is a full-sized replica of the iconic 1965 VW camper van. Comes in red, blue or yellow and will accommodate four.

Anyone looking to buy a real VW Bus should check out Veloce's Essential Buyer's Guide iPhone app. Available now on the iTunes App Store!

"RE-VAMPED EDITION IS A MUST HAVE GUIDE"

Thanks to Volkswagen Camper & Commercial magazine for this review of How to Modify Volkswagen Bus Suspension, Brakes & Chassis for High Performance – Updated & Enlarged New Edition by James Hale.

Click image to view full size

Click here for more info about the book.

CANSTRUCTION VW PEAS BUS

How awesome is this Canstruction VW Bus? Encompassing more than 8,500 grocery items, including peas, beans, applesauce, evaporated milk, bottled water, noodles and jello. Better still, the creation of these sculptures built of food, are later disassembled to feed the hungry! More information on canstruction.org

Anyone looking to buy a real VW Bus should check out Veloce's Essential Buyer's Guide iPhone app. Available now on the iTunes App Store!

VW BUS APP RECEIVES 5-STAR REVIEWS

VW Bus – The Essential Buyer's Guide iPhone App is reviewed in the App store.

Well-researched and well-written - ★★★★★

by HerbieSyufy - Version 1.0 - 10 April 2010 (US App store)

Someone obviously put a lot of care and thought into this app. My wife and I used it before buying our first VW bus. Now we have TWO buses!

Great app and a must for all potential VW camper owners - ★★★★★

by LardElvis - Version 1.0 - 25 March 2010 (UK App store)

If you are in the market for a VW van or just have a general interest in these vehicles then this is the app for you. I bought it as I am intending on buying a camper (yearning back to my youth before the kids arrived!) and I must say that Ken and Richard really know their stuff. The app is packed with lots of really useful information -everything from how much it is likely to cost and run a bus through to things to look out for when buying. If only i had this first time around and i wouldn't have had to replace the engine! There are several videos (actually still pictures with commentaries) but these too are packed full of information and great photographs and are delivered with both humour and authority. Okay, it does not contain as much information as the book, but as something you can just pick up and read through on a long train journey or just to look at the pictures and dream, it is good value for money. Well done guys. Now do you know where i can get a really cheap VW camper.....?

PHOTOS FROM DUBS AT THE BAY WEYMOUTH

The weather was kind on the first ever Dubs at the Bay held at Lodmoor Country Park in Weymouth, Dorset, yesterday. It made for a fantastic location with a turn out of some 2,500 people. Watch it grow over the coming years!

A total of £1029.75 was raised for the RNLI (Weymouth branch).

VELOCE AT DUBS AT THE BAY WEYMOUTH

Veloce Publishing is providing no less than 7 winner prizes at the Dubs at the Bay- Weymouth event on 11th April.

The event is being organised by VW Spririt Of Air Dorset, and will also be raising funds for Weymouth life boats (R.N.L.I). Weymouth council are giving their full support and have allowed the organiser's access to a fantastic area in Lodmoor Country Park. Access to the site is gained via the Weymouth Sea Life Centre car park.

VW Show & Shine
Class 1 - Beetle
Prize donated by Veloce: "How to restore a VW Beetle"
Class 2 - Splitty
Prize donated by Veloce: "VW Bus – 40 years of Splitties, Bays and Wedges"
Class 3 - Bay Van
Prize donated by Veloce: "How to restore a VW Bus"
Class 4 - Any other air cooled
Prize donated by Veloce: "Volkswagen, the Air Cooled era"
Class 5 - Type 25
Prize donated by Veloce: "VW Camper 40yrs of conversions"
Class 6 - Any other VAG
Class 7 - Golf
Prize donated by Veloce: "VW Golf – Five Generations of Fun"
Class 8 - Type 4
Class 9 - Type 5
Prize donated by Veloce: "VW T5 Van - How to Convert to Camper"

Veloce will be trading at the event from a VW Camper van selling specially discounted books. So if you're in the area, come on down!
More info.

HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY TO THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR VAN

Production of the Volkswagen Transporter van officially started in March 1950 and during the 60 years since then it has become one of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ best-selling models globally, the number one imported van in the UK as well as one of the most iconic and popular vans in the world.

With over 10 million produced, the Volkswagen Transporter has evolved through five generations of functional and practical bodystyles, each representing the ultimate multi-purpose vehicle of its time and loved by business and private users alike for transporting goods or people for work or leisure. This unique heritage is the focus of the current ‘Evolution of Van’ advertising campaign for the new Transporter which was launched in the UK in January.

The first T1 ‘split-screen’ model was powered by a four-cylinder, air-cooled, 1.1-litre petrol engine mounted at the back of the vehicle. It produced 25 PS of power and had a top speed of about 60 mph. By comparison, the new Transporter enjoys the refinement of Volkswagen’s latest 2.0-litre, common rail, turbocharged diesel engine, available with power outputs ranging from 84 PS to 180 PS and a top speed of up to 119 mph, plus the latest stability control systems and braking technology that would have sounded like something from a science fiction novel 60 years ago.

Although the design has evolved over the years, the first and the latest Transporter share the same badge on the front and the same design principles of a generous loadspace and an enviable reputation for quality and durability.

Similarly, comparing the latest Volkswagen California with a T1 campervan shows that both make efficient use of the space available to create a vehicle equally suitable for daily trips to work or the shops, as for weekend escapes or continental capers.

Over the years, Volkswagen Transporters have endured challenging round the world trips by enthusiastic travellers, been used as the preferred choice of travel for rock bands since the 1960s to the present day, and been relied upon by many businesses needing a fleet of delivery or passenger carrying vehicles.

The first Transporter was imported into the UK in 1955, and the latest version of the van as well as today’s people-carrying and campervan versions, the Caravelle and California, arrived in the UK this January, 55 years later.
Source: Volkswagen.

Looking to buy a VW Bus? check out Veloce's new iPhone app!

VW BUS APP REVIEWED!

Thanks to VW Camper Van Blog for reviewing VW Bus - The Essential Buyer's Guide iPhone app.


"for ‘newbies’ the information is clear and concise and will definitely help when taking the plunge on your first van." - VW Camper Van Blog.

Click here to read the review in full.

We would love to hear what other people think about the app. Maybe you are in a position to publish a review? If so, get in touch!

SUNDAY TIMES INGEAR APPROVES THE APP

As featured in The Sunday Times, ingear (24/1/2010).

Click here for more info about the app or head straight to the app store!

A VOLKSWAGEN EXPERT ON YOUR IPHONE!

Veloce Publishing Goes Interactive With The Release Of Its First iPhone App


Veloce Publishing has released its first iPhone App -
VW Bus - The Essential Buyer's Guide.
Available now from the App Store.
Priced at £2.49 UK / $3.99 USA.
Compatible with iPhone and iPod touch. Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.





Veloce Publishing has been providing books of the highest quality in terms of content, accuracy, presentation, subject range and reader satisfaction to discerning automotive enthusiasts around the world for nearly twenty years. Now, the same level of quality can be found in the form of an App on your iPhone or iPod.

This new VW Bus App gives author Richard Copping the unique opportunity to share his VW Bus expertise directly with you on your iPhone or iPod.
It includes 18 sections, ranging from cost considerations to common problems. Included are three videos – model range, 15 minute evaluation, and paint problems – each featuring an informative voice-over by the author.

Each book in The Essential Buyer's Guide series provides an illustrated, expert guide to an individual model of classic car or motorcycle written by a real expert on that particular model. When you've read the book or the App you'll have the inside track on exactly what to look for to ensure that you get the very best vehicle for your money.

Veloce publisher and co-founder Rod Grainger says, "This first App represents a bold step into a new form of media with a great future. In App form, sound and video have allowed us to add new dimensions to our core product – excellent practical advice. I am particularly proud that this first App was developed entirely in-house, meaning we have the ability to roll out more Apps in quick succession, starting with a series of Essential Buyer's Guides."


Features
- Great value for money!
- Unique buyer’s guide covering VW Transporter based campers, vans and buses produced between 1950 and 1990
- Many colour photographs taken especially for this guide
-Informative text written by enthusiastic experts with the novice in mind
- In-App videos which feature helpful voice-overs by your marque expert, Richard Copping
- Three generations of VW Bus covered
- Invaluable guide to avoiding pitfalls and getting real value for money
- All aspects of buying a VW Bus covered

Description
A unique App dedicated to three generations of VW’s legendary Transporter (almost universally known as the 'VW Bus', whether in Bus, Camper, Van or Pick-up form). Meticulously researched with many model-specific photographs reproduced to illustrate a genuinely informative text.

Covering all the collectable Buses produced by Volkswagen between 1950 and 1990, this App is unique in providing the full story of the high points and pitfalls of buying such models. Written by enthusiasts, the easily readable text is informative to the novice, while still being of considerable value to those who have already owned a Bus.

Use "VW Bus" to find the App in the App store.


Demonstration video

SLEEPING BEAUTIES COMPETITION

Do you have any photos of old, abandoned cars, motorcycles, trucks, vans or buses? Well, we'd love to see them! Inspired by one of our forthcoming books, The Fate of The Sleeping Beauties by Ard op de Weegh, Kay Hottendorff and Arnoud op de Weegh, we've begun a fun, free-to-enter photo competition to help bring all those undercover beauties out into the light.

Get your entry to us now and we'll display it on our dedicated blog: velocesleepingbeauties.blogspot.com

Please send your entry photos to jk@veloce.co.uk, or by post to:
Sleeping Beauties, Veloce Publishing, Veloce House, Parkway Farm Business Park, Middle Farm Way, Poundbury, Dorchester, DT1 3AR ...

The winning entry will receive a free copy of The Fate of The Sleeping Beauties (worth £30) as soon as it is published in September 2010, and (assuming we get enough interesting and usable images) the best 12 entries will receive free copies of the Veloce Sleeping Beauties 2011 calendar, featuring their own entry as sleeping beauty of the month – and the overall winning entry will also feature on the calendar cover.

Please note, 'sleeping beauties' can take the form of anything automotive; cars, motorcycles, trucks, vans, buses ...

Good luck!