VW Action 2012, Santa Pod Raceway.

VW Action claims to be the longest running VW show in the world, and probably one of the best on the UK VW scene. I hadn't planned to go to this weekend show, but late on Friday evening my friend James called to see if I was going, and well he talked me into going for the day on Saturday. So then I talked him into all of us (James, Helen and myself) going up in my bay. Check out the VW Action website to find more info on the show.

http://vwaction.com/vwaction/

 

Lovely split screen with 'distressed look; paint.
This isn't what I call 'patina' but it still looked
good to me.

 

I think the low stance and narrowed front beam
 helped the rust coloured paint scheme work.
 

This is one you will either love or hate. A
homemade beetle pick-up. This was quite
trick with some nice details, like the beetle
engine lid grill in the rear valance.

Personally I love it, it has been very well
fabricated,and gives you the best of both
worlds.

This is a regular at various shows but I do like
it. Maybe it's the whole colour scheme or the
retro stripe, with the logo in the middle..
I'm not sure why I like it but I do. 

How's this for retro, a mid / late 1940's Chevy
truck with caravan that must be early 1960's?

A very nice looking beetle, not flash or fancy,
just straight and clean with nice decal on the
side. You don't have to spend mega amounts
of money to have a nice looking car.

Some of the beetles in the beetle line up in the
show and shine arena.

A very nice razor edge in rust!

How deep is the gloss black paint on this
split screen crew cab pick up...?

I loved the stance of this early resto beetle.



Very low, narrowed front beam, straight body
and gorgeous colour.  

  

A pair of high top split screens. I do like these.

In one of the marquees was this sweet 1932
roadster, with 21 stud Flathead V8, I beam
and four bar set up in baby blue with red steel
wheels, pure hot rod.

For those of you who read my blog regularly,
you will remember this beetle from the posts
in March and April from the Volksworld show.
It was the overall winner at the show and here
you can see why.

Such a stunning car, with so much detail.

Love the exhausts, looking like machine guns.

A closer look at the front end shows just how
much time and effort have gone into the bug.

From one extreme to the other, this was a
bit mad, but kind of cool at the same time.

Rear end looks like something straight out
of the 'Mad Max' films.

I know it's not a VW, but I always have got
time to admire a 1957 Chevrolet.

This rat look beetle, caught my eye and also
James and Helen who seem to be discussing
it.

Lovely split screen pick up in Dutch Esso
livery. This was so clean.

We visited the 'trade area' to try to find some
bargains.. one of the sellers have a good
array of period accessories.

I have said it before, and I'll say it again..
I do like a nice retro cycle.

This cycle was very nice, loved the chunky
tyre's in white and the design of the frame.

A very clean, very bright 181 Trekker.

Never seen a Trekker built to a 'show car'
standard before.

Later in the day the owner put the roof down
and I'm not one to miss a photo opportunity.

Yes, still the basic interior but how clean is it?

This lovely olive green and white split with
the cyclopes light really got my attention.

Just a few of the split screens in the show and
shine arena.

This split screen had something special, I'm
not really sure what it was, but it had it and I
liked it.

Oops, how did this get in here..! My bay in the
'day visitor' parking area. The Marshall wanted
us to park right at the bottom of the field, so I
told him I had a bad hip and couldn't walk so
he let us park up close to trade area and drag
strip. After he turned his back, Helen, James
and I made a quick get away... just don't
tell that Marshall.!

On route to the drag strip this guy came down
the road on an armchair. Steering via a joystick
and some form of electric motor.

Two beetles line up on the strip, place your
bets on who wins...

The left hand lane bug wins with a respectable
time of 13.343 secs with a speed of
102.87mph.

Early split screen against a Mini Cooper.

1/4 way down the track it's close, but the Mini
is just starting to pull out a lead.

The split screen runs a time of 15.503 but it
wasn't enough to beat the Mini's time of
14.076 @ 95.64mph

A beetle against a modern saloon car.

Off the line the bug just sits down and powers
away, not even 1/4 distance and the lead is
already impressive.

The beetle crosses the line with a very
impressive time of 9.873 seconds with a
speed of 134.55 mph.

Two beetles line up.... take your pick!

 

Although the left hand lane posted a time of
12.839 at 101 mph, it wasn't enough to beat
the right hand lane who posted a time of
10.671 @ 129.92mph.

Beetle against a dragster... don't even think
about it Mr. dragster.! The lead is apparent
as the cars leave the line, the gap just got
bigger and bigger and the bug had an easy
win.

Back in the show and shine arena, this lovely
single cab split screen was so clean it could
have been brand new.

I spotted this Karmann Ghia, OK not a show
winner, but isn't it just right? I liked the
louvred bonnet and narrowed front beam.

Another 'rat' Karmann, looking so good, the
only thing I wasn't sure about was the US
style bumpers were too shiny.!

Crew cab early bay, very low stance and with
a 'ratty' body, very nice.

Super clean early bug, with rear fender skirts,
and very, very low ride and very narrow beam..
this must have had hydraulic suspension.?

A pair of beetles, again goes to show you
don't have to spend thousands of your ride
to make it look this good.

On the way back to my bus I spotted this early
bay with patina paint.

Split screen crew cab, nothing flash just clean
and straight. Perfect.


So that was VW Action 2012 seen from a day
visitor. We (Helen, James and I) all enjoyed
ourselves for the short time we were there,
as I'm sure did everyone who stayed
all weekend.