Endless Summer VW Show 2017 (part 1 of 4)

This weeks blog review is about the 'Endless Summer' VW Show that was held on Sunday 13th August at The War Memorial Park in Basingstoke, Hampshire. The location of the show was only about 54 miles from my hometown, so as it wasn't too far and as the forecast was good I decided to jump in the bus and go and check out this great little show show. The show which was billed as " a great one day family VW event in Hampshire" and was organised by Allan Shepherd who has been part of the VW scene for over 15 years. Allan decided the show could raise money for 2 local charities: Naomi House & Jacks Place and this year they raised a huge £3491.33 Entry to this show was a modest £5.00 ($8 approx) and the money went to the named charities. The location was ideal with easy access and plenty of well kept grass in the park to park all the VW's on. There were numerous clean portable toilets to use, and enough traders selling everything to suit everyone. The shows Marshal's were numerous and unlike some shows I have attended, actually knew what they were doing and when to do it, which made a nice change! and it also helped the shows to run smoothly.
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My 1969 VW Microbus parked up at the Endless
Summer VW show. Compared to a lot of VW
shows this is quite small by comparison, but the
quality is equal to that of any of the big shows.

A better look at my old bus, I was just making a
cup of tea so while the kettle was boiling I took
the opportunity to take this photo.

The rows of vehicles were spaced far enough
apart to allow plenty of room, which makes a
nice change. 

Just a few of the bay window buses at this years
show. There were makes and models from
numerous years which made for a good display.

The same goes for all the beetle's that attended
this great one day show, the variety and quality
was amazing.

Once I had had my tea, I decided to start at one
end and make my way down to the other end,
taking photos as I did so. I started at the Beetle
line up. The venue is fantastic with plenty of
room for all the vehicles.

As I mentioned earlier this show isn't the biggest
on the VW show calendar (although it's getting
bigger year by year) but the quality of vehicles
that attend this show is second to none as you
can see from the beetle line up.

This really was a lovely looking slammed bug.
The narrowed front beam, Fuchs style wheels, with
the Koch style horn grilles and the super straight
body all helped to make this '67 stand out. Just
check out that reflection in the door / rear quarter
panel. (if you click on the photo it will enlarge it)

The '67 had some subtle pinstriping on the front
wings. It's subtle details like this that help to make
a vehicle stand out.

Talking of good reflections, look at the reflection
in the door of the beige oval window beetle. The
two cars must have been 20 feet apart and the
reflection is like a mirror.

A better look at this gorgeous oval window. It
looked to be pretty much stock, which is how, in
my humble opinion any oval should be.

This was another immaculate car that looked
great in the summer sunshine.

From a stock looking oval window bug to a
custom looking one. This bug looked great from
the front with those yellow head light lenses and
the nerf bars.

This bug had been lowered and had those highly
polished centreline style wheels that suited the
car perfectly.

The bigger rear wheels / tyres filled the arches
nicely. The big exhaust and the propped open
engine lid indicated this old bug may have a
larger than standard engine?.

Another oval window beetle of both similar age
and colour as the one above. This one had a
narrowed front beam which tucked the front
wheels right under the front wings. This bug had
also been seriously lowered as I'm guessing was
riding on some sort of air ride suspension.

This really was a super clean bug that was totally
immaculate. They way those rear tyres fill the
arches looked great.

The engine bay was as you would expect also
immaculate. This just goes to show you don't
always need lots of chrome bolt on bits to make
an engine look good.

Although the windows were closed which caused
problems with the reflection, I just had to try to get
a photo of the totally stock interior. I did like the
small tray clipped onto the steering wheel.

The bug line up seemed to go on and on... and
yet every car was different from the last which
made for a fantastic display.

This RAT look 1973 bug looked cool in it's two
tone rusty paint. The stock front and banded
rear wheels looked good.

This old RAT had been lowered and those huge
banded rear wheels looked great from this angle.

The banded steel wheels and the lowered stance
doesn't leave much clearance on the rear tyres.

This gorgeous light blue early sixties bug looked
fantastic. This was another immaculate car that
was so straight. I did like the highly polished
centreline style wheels which give the car a race
look.

You can see just how clean and straight this old
bug really was from this photo. Even the underside
of the engine lid had been painted and gave off
a fantastic reflection.

This slammed 1967 looked cool with its narrowed
front beam and the chrome wheels with domed
hubcaps.The chrome headlight peaks and the
chrome nerf bars helped to the coolness of this
old bug. The 'Jack Daniels' logo'd doors add to
the cars cool appearance.

The shiny hub cap of the Jack Daniels bug gave
off a lovely reflection.

You can see just ow slammed this old '67 really is
from this photo. I did like those banded chrome
wheels.

I must have taken this photo by mistake.. but it
has some classic bugs in it so I've included it.!

This 1969 deep burgundy beetle was really nice,
It had red wing piping and matching flame outline
design across the front end.

A better look at the flame outline on the bonnet.
I'm not sure if this was a decal or painted but it
looked pretty cool whatever it was.

The old '69 really was clean and straight as you
can see from the reflection in the door and quarter
panel.

A neat touch was the drilled door handles, as I
said earlier it's all about the small details that can
make a car stand out.

Moving onto the buses, the split screens were
there in force and again the quality was very high.

A lovely interior on this blue and white split screen.
I'm not sure what interior this is, but I did like it.

One detail that caught my eye was this old but
cool looking gas heater. I'm not sure how effective
these are, or how safe but it did look cool.

This stock (ish) looking white over green 1967
splitty looked gorgeous. The twin yellow spotlights
on the bumper were the only addition that I could 
see.

This sixties dark green split screen looked great
with it's sign written body. 

The interior of the 'Junction Tavern' split screen
looked just as nice as the outside.

A better look at this gorgeous panel van. I did
like the white painted wheels with the green hub
caps. Just look at the almost perfect reflection
down the side of this lovely panel van.

This coral red and white 1963 split screen bus
looked cool with it's narrowed front beam and
lowered stance. I did like the small awning that
fixes over the doors.

So that was the first of 4 reviews all about the
Endless Summer VW show. Next week will be
the second instalment where you can see more
bugs, splits and bays and not to mention a few
buggies and some Karmann Ghia's so be sure
to come back next Saturday.