Wilson the VW bus

If you've ever driven a vintage Volkswagen at night, well then you know how dim the headlights can be. Come with me as I tell you about my new LED headlight upgrade.

I have been building VW buses lately… a lot of them… and they are all tiny. Stick around to see if you can get your hands on one.

One bus to rule them all, one bus to find them, one bus to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. No, I haven't slipped into a narcissistic delusion about Wilson, I simply made a connection between my VW bus and my favorite literary work.

Wilson came home from Flanders making a strange noise, and that started my week-long pulley dilemma. Stay tuned.

Wilson smashes into a speed bump at full speed, and thus the pitfalls of a lowered VW bus are once again brought to my attention.

Summer vacation, new work projects, car shows and the Flanders all air cooled gathering camping trip… I’ve been so busy with Wilson that I forgot to record a podcast about it. I’ve got some catching up to do with you.

You know, one of the unknown difficulties of driving a vintage VW bus is trying to row through the gears while simultaneously holding a beverage. That’s because there is no cup holder in a split window VW bus… unless you make one.

The podcast takes a turn today, as we shift gears from VW bus life to VW bugs... and I have a special guest.

On this episode of Wilson the VW bus, I’ll let you in on my recent obsession with my vintage garage decor, we’ll talk about some magnetic Wilson attractions, and discuss Wilson’s new Sundial spice rack.

A lot has changed in my life. I’d like to make some big changes with the show for this season, so stick around and let's talk about it.

Have we survived the Flanders breakdown? Am I able to repair Wilson, or is this a catastrophic failure? Stay tuned to find out.

Wilson and I make the trip to the CJVWS All Air-Cooled Gathering in Flanders for 2024. The event is fantastic, but the trip home does not go so well.

Wilson has got the summer squeaks when it gets warm outside, and I think I know how to cure it.

What does a summer heat wave, rainouts, new spark plugs and a custom horn button have in common? Wilson and the summer of 2024.

Volkswagens, German food, and did I mention a biergarten? The June 7 Deutscher Club VW event was the place to be on a beautiful Friday evening.

Remember those 1,800 holiday lights that I put on Wilson back in December? Well, I never thought that taping them to the bus would cause me to have to do a bunch of paint repair on Wilson’s patina. Don’t worry, we still are not rocking a new paint job.

A controversial Volkswagen accessory on many ruined VWs is added to Wilson. Do you hate it? Do you love it? Do you have any idea what I’m talking about? Let’s hash it out on this episode of Wilson the VW bus.

I wanted to upgrade the wooden interior door panels of Wilson with some Westy blue-plaid inserts, and in this episode, I’ll tell you how I did it… and how I messed up.

On this episode of Wilson the VW bus, I come THIS close to getting my hands on a sweet 1962 VW beetle, and although I do not personally own it, it is still in the family.

Back by popular demand, we are kicking off season #4 of Wilson the VW bus with a brand new year… 2024. I’ve got a new addition to the family, and of course a few upgrades with Wilson.

On this final episode of season 3 for Wilson the VW bus podcast…we wrap up the 2023 year with a bit of holiday cheer, and wrap up Wilson with 1,800 LED holiday lights.

On this episode of Wilson the VW bus, I revisit the Circuit in Asbury Park, go to church, and suffer my first breakdown. Did I make it home? Tune in to find out.

It’s autumn here in NJ, and the cruise nights and car shows are wrapping up for the season, but there is still time for a few last minute gatherings… and a little appreciation.

The Flanders camping weekend was complete, now we move on to the car show, and I run into my old pal Dave once again. This time, I remember to save the recorded interview.

Three days of camping in the woods surrounded by Volkswagens… have I died and gone to heaven? Nope, I'm in Flanders.

Wilson is forced to stay at home for a while, but not before a good week of hanging out at some new places and meeting some new faces.

Well I’m back from the Bermuda triangle, no I’m not kidding you, and from what I was told there is only one VW bus on the island nation of Bermuda, and it is a working single cab.

It has been nearly a month since I last talked to you guys, and I’d like to apologize for that. You see, my home required some attention, and I have spent nearly every waking moment over the past few weeks attending to some long overdue repairs.

If I told you that I purchased a new VW engine block, you might think that something catastrophic has happened to Wilson’s engine, but maybe not. Stick around to hear what I did.

Season 3 of Wilson the VW bus begins with a vehicle being sold, and I am finally able to talk to you about it.

My long anticipated Dubs in the Shrubs campout wasn’t in the cards for me this year, but I still managed to get to the show on Sunday, and also squeeze in some overdue maintenance and repairs this week.

The 20th annual Hot Rods and Harleys event was an absolute blast, and it just also happens to be on the anniversary of the date that I acquired Wilson two years ago! Join me as we listen to some of the VW bus stories that people shared with me that day.

I got gas. No, it’s not what you think. I finally put some new fuel in Wilson, but there is an issue with my air filter that is a unique challenge that I have never encountered before.

If your car club’s name is HAVOC, well then you might just be doing it right. It’s time to visit VolksFest 2023!

I recently found a book called “How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive, a manual of step by step procedures for the complete idiot”. Sounds perfect, so you know that I had to grab a copy for the bus.

Winter is over, and I need one last project to prepare for this bus season. A longboard should do the trick, or how about a drone…maybe both!

Who did I go to when I needed an artistic rendering of my VW bus this past December? Jesus of course.

I add an electrical wiring circuit for the new front amber fog lights, and install a cargo door table from a vendor that specializes in no longer available VW parts.

Today on Wilson the VW bus, the big reveal on why the sewing machine was actually purchased, and a tiny little replica of Wilson is created. Don’t go away.

On this first episode of season 2 of Wilson the VW bus, I finally have had enough of the VW drum brakes and get Wilson a front disc conversion… but I nearly lost my elbow at the start of the summer fun-bus season. Stay tuned to hear my story.

On this episode of Wilson the VW bus, I go to my very first car show in the bus on a pivotal anniversary date, and what happens on the ride home almost makes it my last car show.

If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me about how low the bus is, I'd be able to buy a new sewing machine. If that doesn’t make any sense, then keep listening as I address some of the issues of a lowered VW bus, and I discuss what plans I have for a new sewing machine... on this episode of Wilson the VW bus.

On this episode of Wilson the VW bus, I battle it out in round one with a 55 year old German bus… I’m talking about Wilson, and his vintage drum brakes.

On this episode of Wilson the VW bus, I get connected with a former owner of Wilson… and the blue plaid seats are custom made and get installed. Don’t go away.

On this episode of Wilson the VW bus, I rebuild and install screen windows, jalousie window frames and new glass… not for the garage, but for the camper bus.

I’m breaking through the fourth wall in this episode #5, and I bust out the table saw to start the wood repairs, wood stain and polyurethane. No, this isn't an episode of "This Old House"… it's Wilson the VW bus. Stay with us.

On our 4th episode of Wilson the VW bus, I tackle the rest of the sheet metal rust repair on the bus, and try to master the art of painting my repairs without making them look like they have been painted…Can it be done? Should it be done? Don’t go away!

Today I start tearing into Wilson’s rust, and learn that you should not leave certain items close to the plasma cutter unless you have a fire extinguisher close at hand… I’ll tell you how I know. All this and more on this episode of Wilson the VW bus…stay tuned!

On this episode, we find out some of the details of Wilson’s past, like how many owners Wilson has had, and what about the years Wilson lived south of the border in Mexico. All this and more on this episode of Wilson the VW bus…stay tuned!

On this debut episode, I’ll talk about who I am, why I’m making this podcast, and most importantly… who Wilson is. All this and more on this episode of Wilson the VW bus…stay tuned!