As of 2003, I've owned three Volkswagens. Ski, Fred and SunnyBus.
Ski was my first V-dub. I got him in 1980. He was your basic 4spd. 1963 beater Bug. I named him "Ski" in honour of Sikorsky's CH 53 Echo's, work horse helicpoters fo the USMC in the 1980's. With a little bargaining, I managed to get my hands on a case of Green helicopter primer!! I figured that if it was good enough for choppers, it would be great in the bug. I noticed Ski's head liner was ripped during a midnite run in with a surfboard fin.. I had an idea. When the choppers were retrofitted or ungraded, they scrapped the lining inside. Well, a tear in a 50ft piece of noise dampening material isn't good for a chopper, but I salvaged a perfect piece for my bugs roof and interior. Ski looked great with all the *chopper* markings and abbrev's printed on the fabric. He even had an old ejector seat button mounted on the dash..(now don't I wish that was functional sometimes!! LOL) You know the old addadge *Offer you can't refuse*. One of the pilots saw Ski and wanted him to run *missions?* with.. Well, at the sign of $$..I folded, gave up the Keys.. Which brought me to my next bug ..*Fred*.
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Fred was a crazy bug. I first caught a glimpse of him in Jacksonville, NC around 1984. He was parked in a back lot under a fence rusting happily with all the other car rejects on the dealer lot. I turned my roommates car around and we went to see what was up with the little blue bug. The lounge lizard of a saleman sauntered out from the trailer and tried to point us to the obnoxious *bargains* in the front lot.. I ignored his praticed slurr, and started to inspect Fred. He had a pretty badly rusted floor on the passanger side...and some grass growing on the back seat. (No not that type of grass..the mow once a week stuff). I opened the deck lid and it came off in my hand. "Well, that makes the engine easier to get too.." I smirked at the cheesy dealer.."You got a key for this thing?" He said.."You're not serious?" I pulled the dead serious chick face on him and the glare seemed to reiterate my resolve. He wandered back to the trailer and came out with keys for the little car. He climbed in after wiping the dirt off the seat and tried to turn him over. Fred wasn't paticipatory!! Not even a groan. "Well little lady, guess that's that. Now about the car in the front.." and he started to walk off. I wasn't giving up. I snatched the keys and sat in Fred, pumped the gas..prayed and turned the key.. A GROAN!! "Tonia!!!It's alive!!" I yelled..She looked at me with a reassuring *you're crazy woman..* look. and the fun began. I went to the engine and messed about with some bits.. tried again, and Fred turned over..very gingerly but we had ignition Hueston! The dealer looked very bewildered, not believing the car was running. I took Fred for a drive about the lot. It was my first experience with an Auto-stick. I thought it went well as I didn't hit anything..lol. I asked to take him on the highway and the dealer said ok upon me surrendering my ID to him. I ran Fred softly for 5 minutes along the road. Then brought him back. "How much?" I asked. "1200" I looked at the dealer. "I'll give you $500 and I will fix the engine cover." "$900 and you can drive it away now." He retorted. "$700 and thats cash. Final offer." I said, trying to not seem to interested. "$800 cash." "Nope!!" and I got out of Fred and tossed him the keys. "Ok, $700.00 but you take it today." he whined. I smiled broadly and patted the little bug on the bonnet. It's ok you're coming home with me little guy I thought to myself. With Cash and keys/title exchanged, I now was the proud owner of a 1973 Super Beetle. Driving off the lot in him, I tried the radio and the only station that came in was WXQR, a heavy metal tunes station, but for some reason they were playing..*I'm to sexy for my shirt, to sexy for my car..by farrr..* I laughed and blurted out, *Right said Fred*. For all of you Colonists(Americans) that don't know the relavance to that, in the UK the phrase *Right said Fred* is a term used to agree with something and get off your Butt and do it now.. I thought *Fred*, great name for you little bug and Fred it was. I had a job travelling up and down the eastern seaboard working with a promotions team. Fred handled like a champ, until one day outside of Charleston, SC.. My roommate Tonia and I smelt buring.. We were coming back from the beach, heading up to Jacksonville, NC on 95. Guys were honking and we just thought it was men being men, lol. I looked over my shoulder and there was smoke in the back seat!! I pulled over to the side of the road and started to rip the luggage onto the grass. Then the back seat was removed and Fred's battery was on the road with the cables still attached and sparking!! Dude!! Well, I gingerly put it on the floor baord and examined the rusted floor with the new window in it. We made it the 13 miles up the road to a little "Pit-N-Git" truckers/fishing stop. I went into the store and by the bait was just what I needed..A marine battery box for $13.00!! Lucky day. I fitted the battery into the box and nursed Fred the 96 miles home. I had a weekend job at dry cleaners/laundry working in their bar in the back of the store. Beer and washing clothes was a very popular concept!! The place was nice with a jumbo tv and VCR to play movies while the clothes were washing..Anyway, lol. The guys in the laundry were sheet metal experts with a beer fetish !! So for 3 cases of Coors light, they were gently persuaded to repair Fred's passenger Floor.(Never underestimate a mans ability to underestimate a woman..) I play nieve..and Fred had a brand new diamond plate floor!! ($70.00 for materials..) After about 6 months, I left for Hawaii..Fred arrived about 6 weeks after on the island of Oahu and felt right at home!! He lived there with me for 4 years before I had to return to the mainland,
and I decided to retire the little car in Hawaii to a nice man on the Marine base who looked at him the same way I did at VW's. (You can always tell an addict!!) I sold Fred reluctanly and headed back North
Carolina carless..but happy knowing Fred was well loved with his new owner, Bill.
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Fred's last day on the island with me :) 1989.
Kai and Fred, Sept 1984
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