SWDubs January Meet

It's that time of year again where we freeze to death by the sea and go home with sniffling noses, all in aid of the annual SWDubs January meet. Temperatures were pretty low, but as expected, attendance was strong - much like the wind! The standard format applied, with cars initially gathering at Exeter services before convoying down to Budleigh to keep things fresh.. quite literally. Did I mention it was cold?

What makes the January meet extra special, is that it plays host to the annual SWDubs Awards. Cars and their respective owners are nominated for various awards on the forums, before the voting polls are created allowing the forum members to decide the worthy winners. This system reflects the community that keeps this club and forum thriving, as it is very much about the opinions of the majority instead of the dictation of a minority which can often be the downfall of many other car forums/clubs.

Tradition was broken for 2013, and the awards were announced early in the morning at the services. Some bloke with a megaphone climbed on top of a Mitsubushi Pajero and started gathering everyone around to watch and receive the specially made trophies.

Without this guy, the SWDubs forum would not be running. He is the man responsible for keeping everything running, paying out of his own pocket for website hosting and giving up his time to moderate and ensure everything runs smoothly. He's a pretty integral part of the whole community that people probably take for granted. But that's enough of that, he'll start getting big headed..

Categories started being read out and people began accepting their awards, along with some unexpected prizes thrown in on top. Although only small things like stickers and valve caps, it shows the extra lengths that  are gone to in order to give that bit extra.

Somehow I managed to bag 'Best Saloon' even though I don't feel worthy in the slightest, but thanks to those who voted for me, I was over the moon! My brother's S4, also managed to win 'Best Audi' which was thoroughly deserved in my opinion.

The remaining awards were given out which included Chris Godfrey winning 'Best Mk1,' James Moore winning 'Best Mk4,' and the coveted 'Car of the Year' being won by Mk2Biggy's Immaculate 20vt Mk2 Golf on RS's. Sadly I didn't manage to get a snap of this, but it was a very worthy winner.

The award giving concluded, and people started to make their way back to their cars to head on down to Budleigh.

A number of cars either got lost along the way or just didn't plan on coming down, so numbers were a little lower for the second part of the day but the atmosphere became more relaxed as people strolled around taking photographs, talking to new and old faces and looking at the cars.

Being a Bora owner myself, I can't help being drawn to every one I see and having a good look around. I think there's something about knowing a car inside out that makes you want to see other peoples take on it.
Joe's Bora on 9.5" wide Rota Grids was probably my favourite car there. He really has nailed the fitment on this car, something that hasn't been done much before on 9.5's all round.

Camber adjustable top mounts up front and a healthy dose of camber out back result in a perfectly flush fitment. Couple that with its US styling, retrimmed interior and some other subtle touches and the end result to me is nigh on perfect. I can't get enough of this car.

Not enough pictures were taken at all due to how cold it was, and soon people started fleeing from the brisk sea breeze that swept across the car park. I did however manage to catch Woody's immaculate BMW E21 as he was leaving. Definitely a car worth getting cold fingers for.

All in all it was a really great day with a good turnout, an unexpected trophy win and a chance to actually enjoy my car again on its shiny wheels. Roll on the spring where I can have them back on permanently!
Thanks to Dave Tapp and everyone else that organised the meet and the awards. If you're in the SouthWest and into this kind of culture (if you're not why have you even read this far?) then sign up to the forum and say hello by clicking here!

Edition38 2012

Renowned as the 'Crème de la Crème' of the VAG show season, Overstone Park played host to the eleventh Edition38 weekend, attracting the best show cars in Europe. Attendance was high, and the level of car quality was even higher! Coming to a show like this really makes you re-evaluate your own car, and often leaves you returning home with a mental to-do list that will see most of next years wages allocated for.

This year was my fourth show (oh how time flies!) and as usual, we set off in a 20+ strong convoy early on Friday morning. Of course, this didn't go without its mishaps. A burst radiator on Adam Wyatt's Supercharged VR6 was promptly attended to with chewing gum, exhaust putty and a trusty bottle of Radweld! Surprisingly this quick fix lasted the 200 miles each way and all was going well until just a few miles from the showground, the wheel on Matt Wright's B3 Passat decided to fall out with the rest of the car and make a break for freedom. Fortunately it stayed in the arch and he was able to drag it into a layby conveniently placed a few hundred yards further on.

Saturday morning and day one of the show and shine commenced. Fortunately the sun was shining from time to time and although a bit windy, it was dry all weekend so I don't think anyone could complain! The cars came rolling in and the chilled beats from the DJ on stage filled the air, producing a really relaxed vibe throughout the show ground. A perfect atmosphere for catching up with old friendly faces or meeting new ones.

With cars from every marque filling the show field, there was something for everyone to drool over. From pristine vintage standard examples to modern day modified show stoppers, every car had the attention to detail that really defines the VAG community. 

Mk2 Polo Saloon

Jack Smith's US Spec Mk1 Golf

One thing that I noticed was just how popular air suspension setups had become. It seemed to me that there were more cars with air than cars on coilovers, with static setups being outnumbered by at least 2 to 1. But this is hardly surprising as more and more companies are popping up or expanding into offering and installing air setups, not to mention the practicality and now the affordability of kits. As time goes on and air setups start to fill the second hand market like they're starting to now, I can see the ratio of air setups to coilover setups becoming even greater.

Patina'd Karmann Ghia low on a static suspension setup.

Muhammed Hamidi's GLI Bora on 18" Carline's showing why air suspension is so popular.

The increasing popularity of air setups meant that more and more thought was going into making an air install stand out from the crowd as a show piece. Hard lines coupled with slick clean installs were often seen on the more modern cars, where as the older metal were often opting for a more period looking install. I particularly liked the install in this old Audi 80 pictured below.

An interesting air install in this old Audi 80.

A slightly more discreet install, with a coverable window for protection during daily use.

As well as the well balanced mix of old and new, Edition38 also promises a mix of cars that are built for both aesthetic purposes and those that are performance orientated. Many 'supercar killers' graced the show ground over the weekend, offering a chance to get close and personal with the engine bays and chat to their owners.

SWB Audi Quattro

R32 Engined Vento on ITB's

Possibly the stand out car of the show for me was the R32 engined Mk1 Golf pictured below. It caught my eye before I saw underneath the bonnet and I love the colour combined with the splits. But it wasn't until I saw it drive off that I realised the true monster that lied within. It was very bizarre at first, I kept looking around for a Mk4 before it dawned on me that the noise was in fact coming from this little Mk1. I just had to keep on coming back to it. The R32 engine looked suprisingly at home in the Mk1's smooth and clean bay, and was colour co-ordinated with the rest of the car. 100% my car of the show.

One of the great things about the show is the stage, which lets you take a break from walking around looking at cars in order to listen to some interviews with the cars and their owners to find out a bit more about them. You get to hear some pretty crazy stories, often about the amount of work that gets done at the last minute on the run up to the show. It also gives you some insight into just how much work goes on behind the scenes, and the dedication it takes to produce a show winning car.

Mark Rodway's 1.8T Mk4 Golf on 19" Tiguan Wheels. Truly OEM+

Lhasa Green Mk1 Jetta on ATS Classics. A timeless wheel for the Mk1s.

Sunday proved to be even busier than Saturday as usual, most likely due to the cheaper one day entry price and spirits stayed on a high throughout the day where the main show and shine took place. Unfortunately this meant it was much harder to try and get any decent pictures.

The judges worked hard throughout the day judging the classes they were most knowledgeable on, to help ensure a fair and worthy winner was chosen in each marque.

As well as the main show and shine field, there are clubstands for the local clubs whose cars are often used as their daily but still loved and cherished and modified to their taste. I always enjoy looking around the clubstands and the camp site to look at the cars built on a smaller budget and that are used everyday, as these are often the ones I most enjoy looking at and talking to the owners about. These cars, for me, have more character and that's what I love most about the VW community.

This Mk2 Jetta on BBS splits was simple but very effective.

Adam Wyatt's Supercharged VR6 Mk3

At the end of the day on Sunday, everyone gathers around the stage to watch the winning cars be announced and receive their trophies. Living 200 miles away meant that I've yet to actually see this take place, as I have opted to miss the leaving traffic for the last four years but maybe next year I'll stick around and watch.

                                                                        My Bora sat in the show field soaking up the sun.

A brilliant weekend, at a brilliant show with brilliant people and brilliant cars. Did I mention it was brilliant? Will I be back again for a 5th year running. No doubt!

SWDubs Summer-ish Meet

So my prediction of a rubbish summer this year became truer than I ever expected. Typical. Maybe if I predict a scorching September that will come true too! I can dream right?

This weekend saw the annual SWDubs Summer meet take place, bringing together all of the members and cars from across the South West. Luckily despite the woeful attempt at summer this year, the day started off bright and sunny and the cars started to roll into Exeter services right on time, slowly filling up the top end of the car park much to the dismay of the bank holiday tourists stopping off for their toilet breaks and coffee refills.

The meet offered a chance for friends to catch up, see 'that car from that build thread' and meet some new faces in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. That's the great thing about the SWDubs community. Everyone is always willing to chat about their car, your car or any other car for that matter. It really is a great way to make friends with like-minded people.

Chris Godfrey's Lhasa green Mk1 was looking summer fresh sat on a polished set of RSs, and the R32 below had exceptional attention to detail as shown by its immaculate engine bay.

Although the forum is ultimately based around VAG ownership, members who have gone on to different projects are always more than welcome, showing how car enthusiasts from all areas can come together and appreciate each other's pride and joy.

Unfortunately numbers seemed a bit down on this years summer meet. Probably due to scares of rain being forecast which would naturally put off the members that had to travel further. Nevertheless, there was a strong turnout and after a little bit of time at the services, everyone headed off to Exmouth to continue the meet in a much bigger area coupled with a seaside view.

The cloud came over pretty quickly as soon as everyone got to Exmouth, and I think a number of cars were lost on the way so numbers dwindled even more so, but there was still a good variety of cars when we arrived.

Lewis Hall's static Vento sat ridiculously well on a set of 16" Borbet T's and showcased his full DIY respray in white, while Tom Spoor's A3 showed everyone why air suspension is becoming increasingly popular in the VAG scene.

As the afternoon went on and people began to head their separate ways, a pretty unique contraption turned up that grabbed the attention of everyone..

The owner had completely fabricated this buggy himself out of a variety of VAG parts, opting for rear wheel drive Audi powered setup. It was definitely something very rare and refreshing to see and the owner ended up giving his own lecture on it due to the amount of questions that were fired his way!

A great meet, with great people and a large Big Mac meal to finish it off. Perfect way to spend an August sunday I reckon.

Keep your eyes peeled for my report on the January SWDubs annual winter meet!

GTI International 2012: Show Report

GTI International is a show that is highly anticipated by me and my brother, and this year was no different. Even with the weather forecast looking a little bleak, our spirits weren't dampened and we got ourselves ready for the four hour trek that laid ahead of us. Fortunately for us my girlfriend lives in Northampton, the capital of everything VAG related, and with it only being 40 minutes from Bruntingthorpe, the free accommodation and fried breakfast always trumps camping in a field!

The drive up was pretty uneventful and we made good progress, stopping off on the A420 to stretch our legs and moan about only being halfway there, as we do every single time. There were some black clouds looming above us the whole way up, but we managed to avoid any rain which I was more than happy about. 

As much as I moan about the length of time driving, there's something special about convoying up to a show. The feeling of driving your pride and joy with a like-minded person, full of excitement and butterflies, is something that I've never lost over the years. Strangely, it's arguably one of my favourite things about a show weekend. 

Sunday comes and it's an early start. Rain had fallen in the night and the streets were looking wet and miserable. However, stomachs full with Mrs Carvell's finest breakfast, we head up the M1 to bruntingthorpe in good spirits looking forward to the show. 

We spend the first hour or so cleaning the cars in the strong winds that were blowing across the airfield, and trying to dodge the rain showers before putting the microfibres away and collecting our judging forms for the Show and Shine.

One thing I've always liked about Inters is the judging format, where the entrants judge the other cars in their class. For me it seems to make the prize giving later on in the day much more exciting, as it really opens up the competition based on personal tastes and opinions.

One of the first cars I wanted to see was this stunning 6n2 Polo. Parked just across from mine, I couldn't take my eyes away from the polished RSs and the immaculate paintwork before looking back at my own with embarrassment. This car was clean in all senses of the word. Subtly smoothed bump strips were kept stylish but OEM+ due to the presence of the badged grill and standard mirrors. Everything tied together perfectly and nothing felt out of place. As someone who wasn't much of a Polo fan, this thing really hit me hard!

Another car that I was really anticipating was Arun Bhardwaj's TDI Bora. 

Me and Arun had been bouncing ideas off of each other in the months leading up to Inters, but a lot of things were also kept secret, with the show to act as the grand unveiling of the bigger picture that he aimed to create. To say he pulled it off would be an understatement..

The Autostrada Monzas that Arun spent months refurbishing looked immaculate and still managed to produce an impressive shine considering the amount of cloud cover. The stance was dare I say perfect, and coupled with lots of interesting, yet subtle touches such as the 'twindicator' modification and US front rubstrip that really set the car apart from those around it.

This car pulled a big crowd throughout the day and ended up winning a very deserved runner up in the 'Booted VW' class.

Lunchtime came and the sun came along with it, really lifting the general atmosphere and getting more people out from hiding in their cars and tents. The music was turned up and a real feel good vibe began spreading around the showground, as well as more and more cars queuing up for the drag strip. The sound of such a variety of VAG engines bouncing around the showground always made you stop and listen wherever you may be, and made a nice ambience for viewing the cars on the showfield.

The show area consisted of old classics and new fabrications to keep everyone entertained. This Mk3 Pickup was fabricated from a Mk3 Variant, and has been done to an incredibly high standard that would almost make you think it came from the factory. A set of 16" BBS wheels and a healthy drop was all it needed to stand out.

This Rallye was also hugely popular throughout the day, and you can really see why. Tastefully styled and keeping with its OEM roots, it was a recipe for success in winning the hearts of the older and younger generation collectively. There really was a car for everybody.

One of the great things about GTI International is the additional events and displays should you wish to take a break from marvelling at the cars. A BMX display was set up for people to watch at intervals throughout the day, offering people something new. With the sun shining, it offered a perfect way to eat a burger and rest your legs.

Unfortunately the late afternoon was overshadowed by an incident on the drag strip involving a highly tuned Seat Leon's steering wheel coming off, sending the car ploughing through the barriers and into the crowd injuring a number of spectators. The air ambulance was called in and one person was taken to hospital. This promptly resulted in the strip being out of action for the rest of the afternoon which meant I was unable to get any pictures. My thoughts go out to those involved, but thankfully it has been updated that all spectators who were harmed are in a stable condition.

Awards time came and everyone gathered around the Meguiar's stand with sunburnt faces to watch the trophy's being handed out. It seemed the overcast weather caught a lot of people out who didn't put suncream on!

A very enjoyable day that was sadly tainted with an unfortunate ending that could result in big changes for the show next year. Either way, I'll be attending next year's show for definite!