Brighton Breeze 2016 (part 3 of 3)

This weeks blog review is part 3 of 3 about the annual Brighton Breeze VW show, which this year was held on Saturday 1st October 2016 on Maderia Drive in town of Brighton. The Brighton Breeze show is organised by the S.S.V.C. (The Split Screen Van Club) which founded in 1983 by a group of guy's who loved the split screen buses. The main purpose of the club was to preserve the pre '67 Volkswagen split screen and all the expertise needed to maintain and restore them and keep them on the road. The S.S.V.C. attend many shows throughout the year, and each year they put on their own show, called The Brighton Breeze. The show is held in the same location every year, along Maderia Drive in Brighton, West Sussex on the south coast of England. Maderia Drive runs East / West from Brighton Pier to Black Rock and is only a stones throw from Brighton's infamous South facing pebble beach. Brighton Breeze is always held on the first Saturday of October, and this is a show I have attended for many years. Being a south facing beach, if the weather is good, it is really good, however if the weather is bad, then you really are in trouble. Over the years I have experienced 70 degree heat with blazing sunshine (including getting sun burnt) to storm conditions with high winds and almost horizontal rain with freezing temperatures and as it's held in October this shows success really is in the hands of the weather. This year's forecast wasn't good with rain forecast all day but that didn't put me off, I mean how bad could it be!? So early on the Saturday morning I set off for the South coast. The review continues as I carry on wandering around the show trying to avoid the heavy downpours of rain.
To see all my other blog entries, go to ‘My Blog Archive’ to the left of this page. Simply click on an arrow for a particular year, then click on an arrow for a particular month, this will then give you a drop down menu for all the blog entries for that month.

To start this weeks blog review we have a trio
of buses that belong to friends of mine who are 
all members of Dunstable Dubbers VW Club. 
The first is this all white 1965 split screen 
owned by Darren. Darren is a serious dubber
who also owns a bay window, and a Trekker.!

The second bus is this 1983 T25 that belongs
to Robert (AKA Burt). Darren and Burt seem
to be at all the VW shows throughout the year,
as everywhere I go I seem to bump into them.

The final bus of the trio is this RAT looking bay
belonging to Simon. I think I'm right is saying
that this is Simon's first year of shows since
the completion of building his bus. Darren,
Burt and Simon had all volunteered to help
out by being Marshall's at the the show.

This cool looking 1986 LT28 camper parked up
caught my eye. I don't remember ever seeing one 
of these before and I'm not sure if it's a factory 
built unit or homemade, but whatever it was it did 
look very nice and practical. 

Another LT28, a 1991 in Army green with a neat
top hinged side door that came in very handy on
the sea front in Brighton to shelter from the rain.

The Army green LT28 had some trick looking
aftermarket wheels. I'm not sure what make they
are but they did look good.

This stunning early beetle really was immaculate.
The body was perfectly straight and the lovely
white paint was flawless. The chrome nerf bars
that replace the standard bumpers give this bug
a really cool Cal Look.

You can see just how clean this old bug was in
this photo. The only notable colour on this car
was the all red U.S. style rear light lenses.

This lovely old split screen had some awesome
patina that was real. This bus has obviously been
imported from a hotter climate than the U.K.

Bugs and buses. Both shiny and RAT looking,
stock height and lowered whatever style you
prefer, you'll find it at the Brighton Breeze.

This RAT looking 1967 split screen had an
unusual pop top that I didn't recognise, but I did
like. The chequered front bumper with matching
head light surrounds looked cool as did those
wheels with the bullet center caps.

This 1987 T25 panel van looked tough with it's
high riding stance and those chunky off road 
tyres. I could quite happily drive around in 
something like this, I loved it.

You can see just how tough this van looked from
this angle. This lovely van was a syncro so it not
only looks good, but it will look good going over 
almost any terrain it should come across.

This old RAT looking 1965 split screen looked
great with it's mis-matched paint and all the
accessories that adorned this old bus.

I did like all the old signs and decals on this bus,
most of which were humorous or risqué.

The front of this RAT looking split had so much
going on with all the accessories. I did like the
twin spot lights and the skull on the roof rack.

This lovely white and blue 1979 late bay panel
van looked fantastic with its two tone paint scheme.
The 3 bow roof rack, the clear front indicator lenses
and the Fuchs wheels all helped to make this
old panel van stand out.

This stunning split stood out in the line up with
it's traditional black and white colour scheme
with the red painted steel wheels and white
wall tyres. This really was a lovey old bus.

From a traditional colour scheme to a very
modern bright painted bus. This 1967 split
screen really did stand out. The two tone colours
may not be to everyone's taste, but I think it
worked really well.

I think this gorgeous old bus was a U.S. import
(although I could be wrong!) I liked the colour
of this lowered bus. It had a very narrow front 
beam and those front wheels are tucked right
under the cab. The full length roof rack and head
light grilles are cool accessories that suited the look.

This super cool late bay single cab pick up
slowly cruised past me as I walked along. I did
like the paint effect and the lowered stance of
this pick up. The 2 bow rack over the cab was
a neat accessory that suited this bus.

This super bright 1969 beetle was painted in
the brightest pink / purple pearlescent paint.
This isn't the best photo as you can't really
make out the pearl effect, but it was really
noticeable and looked so cool.

This lovely 1966 deluxe split screen looked
so nice in it's brown over cream paint. This
super straight bus looked so fresh with that
cream colour on the lower half of the body.

3 red and white late split screens, but each
one different from the other. It's fantastic to
see how each owner has modified their ride
to how they think it looks best. There isn't a
right or wrong way, it's all down to personal
preference which makes for a great variety.

This was the lovely 1967 panel van I passed
on the way down. I do like this old van with
it's narrow front beam and the lowered stance.

By mid morning the rain came so I headed back
to my bus for a cup of tea. This is looking out of
my rear side window. Despite the lousy weather
forecast buses continued to enter the show.

You can see just how heavy the rain was in
this photo. This was my view from the back of
 my bus as I waited for the kettle to boil.

After an hour or so the sun came out and it
was fantastic to see the hundreds upon
hundreds of both air cooled and water cooled
Volkswagen's parked up along the entire length
of Maderia Drive in the sunshine, it really
 is a sight worth seeing.

A trio of lovely old split screens parked up
under the Victorian terrace that is the promenade.

A couple of lovely Westfalia early bays that 
came over from either France or Belgium. This
show really does attract many visitors from
Europe, which can only be good for the VW
scene.

This late bay had a crazy paint scheme, or
maybe it was a body wrap? whatever it was
once the sun came out, this bus really stood out.

It does look to be hand painted but it could still
be a body wrap.. you decide.

Two white over yellow late bays parked up
under the Victorian terrace, but that is where
the similarity stops. You will never see two
identical buses.

A random photo of just a handful of buses
that attended this great one day show on the
sea front in Brighton.

This 1969 type 3 Variant (square back) looked 
like a nice clean and solid car. I do like the
type 3's, but the square back has to be my
favourite body style.

I did like the fact that it looked pretty much
original. The roof rack was a neat accessory
that suited this car perfectly.

By late morning the sun had come out and
the visitors were still entering Maderia Drive.
This lovely 1965 split slowly cruised past as
I wandered along the drive taking photos.

This lovely stock 1973 RHD bay with twin sliding 
doors caught my eye.  It was found by the present 
owner in a barn back in 2011, and unlike most 
other barn finds, it has not been restored.

 This bus was converted to an 8/9 seater minibus 
by Devon conversions in 1973 and the bus 
spent most of it's life on a fruit farm transporting 
farm workers to and from the fields.

So that was my 3 part review of the Brighton
Breeze VW show 2016. As regular readers
will know I post my blog reviews each Saturday,
but as next Saturday is Christmas Eve this
 will be the last review for this year. The next 
post will be on Saturday 7th January 2017!
I would like to wish all my readers around the
world a very merry Christmas and a very happy
new year and thanks for reading my blog. The
next review is actually a bonus blog review on
the Brighton Breeze as I took more photo's than
I thought I had, so be sure to come back next year. 

Brighton Breeze 2016 (part 2 of 3)

This weeks blog review is part 2 of 3 about the annual Brighton Breeze VW show, which this year was held on Saturday 1st October 2016 on Maderia Drive in town of Brighton. The Brighton Breeze show is organised by the S.S.V.C. (The Split Screen Van Club) which founded in 1983 by a group of guy's who loved the split screen buses. The main purpose of the club was to preserve the pre '67 Volkswagen split screen and all the expertise needed to maintain and restore them and keep them on the road. The S.S.V.C. attend many shows throughout the year, and each year they put on their own show, called The Brighton Breeze. The show is held in the same location every year, along Maderia Drive in Brighton, West Sussex on the south coast of England. Maderia Drive runs East / West from Brighton Pier to Black Rock and is only a stones throw from Brighton's infamous South facing pebble beach. Brighton Breeze is always held on the first Saturday of October, and this is a show I have attended for many years. Being a south facing beach, if the weather is good, it is really good, however if the weather is bad, then you really are in trouble. Over the years I have experienced 70 degree heat with blazing sunshine (including getting sun burnt) to storm conditions with high winds and almost horizontal rain with freezing temperatures and as it's held in October this shows success really is in the hands of the weather. This year's forecast wasn't good with rain forecast all day but that didn't put me off, I mean how bad could it be!? So early on the Saturday morning I set off for the South coast. The review continues as I carry on wandering around the show trying to avoid the heavy downpours of rain.
To see all my other blog entries, go to ‘My Blog Archive’ to the left of this page. Simply click on an arrow for a particular year, then click on an arrow for a particular month, this will then give you a drop down menu for all the blog entries for that month.

Even though this years Breeze has showers
on and off all day, it was still awesome to so
many buses (and other VW's) all lined up along
Maderia Drive.

The Brighton Breeze always attracts visitors
from Europe and this RAT looking high top T25
came over from Belgium.

This cool looking RAT bus may not be to every-
ones taste but I think it looks cool.

The Breeze always has hundreds upon hundreds
of vehicles on display. Maderia Drive is 1.5 miles
long and had Volkswagen's of all descriptions
parked along both sides, often doubled up for
the whole length from the Pier right down to
Brighton Marina.

Another couple of buses that ventured across
the English Channel from Belgium were the
following early bay window pick ups. The first was
this lovely single cab that looked as if it not only
been lowered but had also a narrow beam fitted.

The second pick up was this double cab that
was painted in a similar colour to my bay. Again
it had been lowered and by the look of it, it also
had a narrowed front beam. Both these pick ups
looked really clean and solid.

This lovely 1966 white over blue split screen had
an unusual colour blue paint, but it really suited 
the bus. I did like the Fuchs replica wheels that
matched the chrome front and rear bumpers.

This old '66 really was a nice clean and straight
bus. The contrasting all red rear light lenses and
the chrome bumpers both helped to make this
split screen stand out.

Bay window buses all lined up. Whatever style
bay you like, you'll be sure to see many varieties
of it at the Breeze.

This gorgeous 1969 early bay panel van really
did look nice with it's sign written sides. I'm sure
this lovely old panel van belongs to 'Midland Early
Bay' who import buses and also offer servicing etc.

This stunning pastel blue type 34 Karmann Ghia 
1500 came over from the Netherlands for the 
weekend show. This really was a gorgeous car 
that looked so clean. 

The type 34 was only produced from 1962 -
1969 and due to the high cost of this car (almost
the same price as two beetle's) demand was
very low and only around 43,000 were made.

This super low pre 63 single cab split screen
pick up had the RAT look with it's patina paint
and looked so good for it.

It was nice to see a pick up with the hoops over
the bed, you don't see many pick ups with these
hoops which is a shame as I love the look of them.

Lowered buses are nice in their own right, so
are RAT looking buses, but you can't really beat
a stock height bus with chunky off road tyres as
this gold split screen proves. 

I liked the look of this bus so much I took two
photos! The chunky tyres, the high riding stance
and the unusual gold colour were all about perfect.

The guy's from 'Cool Flo' were once again
trading at the Brighton Breeze and they brought
along this gorgeous early split screen panel van.
I did like the low stance with the narrowed front
beam, and that logo looks so cool.

This lovely high top split screen was another 
European bus that had ventured across the
Channel to join in the fun. I do like these high top
buses as they just look so cool.

This nice solid bus had numerous accessories
on the full length roof rack which added to the
overall cool look. 

Just a couple of early split screens parked up
on Maderia Drive at the Brighton Breeze.

The event is organised by the split screen van
club and as you would expect there is always
hundreds upon hundreds of split screen buses
that attend the event which is an awesome
sight.

This super low beige double cab split screen
pick up looked fantastic with its super straight
body panels and almost perfect paint.

Whatever style of bus your into, whether you
like the restored look with nice paint or whether
you like the RAT look, you'll be sure to find it
at this great one day show.

This RAT looking panel van caught my eye with
its aged sign writing on the sides. This looks to
be another European bus that came over to
spend the weekend in Brighton.

This 1967 split looked kinda cool with its patina
paint and what was left of the 1970's style
flames on the doors.

From one extreme to another was this two tone
 pink early split. This colour scheme really did 
suit the bus, and all the chrome on this bus just 
complimented the paint colours so well. I did 
like the Porsche style chrome headlight grilles 
and chrome bumpers.

You can see just how straight this was is from
this photo. The attention to detail was amazing.
I did like the upper body colour in the engine
bay, that was a nice touch.

Inside the engine bay there was an amazingly
clean twin carb motor which was just as clean
as the exterior of this lovely bus.

This early bug caught my eye as it wasn't
flash or fancy it was just a very clean and
straight bug with a lovely coat of grey paint.
I did like the roof rack and the BRM (I think)
wheels.

This orange panel van was another European 
bus. This show always attracts lots of visitors
from the continent.

This grey sign written split screen was ultra low
and that full length roof rack and those 'Roo'
bars suited this RAT looking bus perfectly.

This immaculate single cab pick up was simply
stunning. I loved the two tone colour combination
with matching steel wheels. This really was a nice
clean sub.

I think the owner of this gorgeous pick up was
hoping for some winter sunshine as he had the
multi coloured beach blanket and deck chair on 
the bed. 

Another immaculate bus was this 1966 two
tone blue samba. This really was a nice colour 
combination that suited the so well.

Another blue bus, not as shiny as the one above
but just as nice in its own right. I loved the stock
ride height, the patina paint and the aged sign
writing and best of all, it was a panel van.

If you like your buses down in the weeds, then
you should love this bus. This van must have
air suspension to sit that low. The narrowed
front beam just adds to the ultra low look.

A better look at this lovely low panel van. I did
like the rusty truck style door mirrors and the
Cyclopes light.

This single cab was a similar colour to the panel
above but looked so different. This gorgeous
pick up was another bus that ventured over from
 Belgium to be at the show. This really was an
immaculate bus.

Lowered or stock height? whatever you like
you'll be sure see it at the Brighton Breeze.

Hundreds of buses line both sides of the 1.5
miles of Maderia Drive. Here 2 similar colour
buses are parked up together, but the styles
are so different. You will never see 2 identical
buses as each owner puts their own mark on
their bus. 

No Volkswagen show would be complete with
out a Fire bus, and the Brighton Breeze was
no exception. This lovely old Fire bus looked
fantastic with its sign writing and decals.

This really was an authentic looking bus that
was so straight and clean. I'm not sure if the
full length roof rack was original or not, but
it did suit the bus.

The super bright yellow and black split screen
looked amazing. Even with the overcast sky we
had this paint gave off a yellow glow it was that
bright. The two tone paint scheme really gives
the bus a mean menacing look.

This bus had some neat modern head lights,
I'm not sure what they are off or maybe they
are aftermarket items but they did look good..
its all about the small details!

Bugs and buses parked up side by side on the
very wet and dark Maderia drive at Brighton
Breeze. It was a shame about the weather
because the foot traffic for the show was definitely
down on previous years.

The row of buses parked up in the rain on
Maderia Drive just went on and on. It was great
to see so many different styles of buses all in
one place.

This 1966 all white split looked super clean. It
just goes to prove that you don't need a flashy
bus with a custom paint job to stand out. This 
cool looking bus was all white and super straight.
I did like the chrome towel rail bumpers that
matched the chrome Fuchs wheels perfectly.

The rows of bugs and buses seemed to never
end, but it was great to see what owners have
done to personalise their own rides.

This 1978 late bay caught my eye with its trim
below the belt line and the cool 2 bow roof rack
at the rear of the bus. The polished Empi 5 spoke
wheels and lowered stance also helped this bus
stand out in the long line of buses parked up.

It's not all split screen buses at the Breeze, as
this photo shows. A lovely stock looking 1970 
notch back, and a gorgeous Cal Look 1967 
beetle.

This panel van looked spot on. The beige paint
with contrasting red steel wheels gave this old
van a cool look with a hint of hot rod.

I liked this bus so much I just had to get another
photo. I don't know why I like panel vans so much
but looking at this side profile I'm sure you can
see the attraction!

So that was part two of three on the Brighton Breeze.
If you missed part one you can find it at the top left
of this page in 'My blog Archive'. Next Saturday will
 be the third and final instalment where you can see 
plenty more bugs, buses, and so much more including 
a couple of Jurgen Autovilla's so be sure 
to come back next Saturday.