Collective Feature: Einfach Deutsch VW Club (Part 2)

Posted on May 18 2018

Einfach Deutsch VW Club / Cool Flo / Superfly

We get car crazy once again in the city of sin with German club Einfach Deutsch VW. In the final part of this Las Vegas Collective Feature, we meet more members of this super cool collective community based in Las Vegas. We explore the stories of the cars and the people behind them, to reveal the features that make each one so unique. Take a seat, enjoy... it's all about the ride.

Shannon Aikau - Volkswagen combi
Shannon’s fascination with VWs started younger than most. He was hands on by the 8th grade, when he first started working on a 71 super Beetle. He had it all ready to roll by high school, but totalled it in an accident. Since then, he’s owned and built a number of bugs, and has even raced them.

“Black Magic, my 59 rag, was a wheel standing 11sec bad ass in the 1/4 mile. All that aside, you can see and feel the love I have for VWs - and this is my first bus.”

Shannon wasn’t looking for a bus at the time. They were too expensive. On a whim, Shannon dropped a low bid on a bus he found on eBay. Having almost completely forgotten about his random bid, Shannon was surprised by a reply telling him that he secured the bus for just $1,300! The fact that it had been sitting in a container for 15 years, had no engine, flat tyres, plus a few rusty patches with dents, didn’t put Shannon off. A lot of elbow grease later we have the beautiful result of his hard work here.

Einfach Deutsch VW Club / Cool Flo / Superfly

Einfach Deutsch VW Club / Cool Flo / Superfly

It’s a huge attraction and a crucial part of the VW journey for many: to have a hand in building your own dream ride.

Carlo Fudolig - Meyers Manx dune buggy
The Meyers Manx… the car that sparked a revolution. Designed initially by Californian engineer, artist, boat builder, and surfer Bruce Meyers. His company B.F. Meyers & Co produced these between 1964 and 1971 in the form of car kits applied to a shortened Beetle chassis.

Carlo’s brother inherited the family Beetle when Carlo was young, and so has always been into Beetles and VWs. Seeing his brother restore the family Beetle fueled Carlo’s passion of owning his own Manx buggy. The sunny beaches surrounding Carlo’s home in Hawaii inspired him to build his own buggy, and so he got to work. His journeys took him from the island o the streets of Las Vegas, where he worked late into the nights, searching for the parts he needed, with the help of his brother Nolito and daughter Tyra.

Carlo wanted a custom style that was more like a pro street sedan, with the power to match. The result is one cool buggy!

Einfach Deutsch VW Club / Cool Flo / Superfly

Einfach Deutsch VW Club / Cool Flo / Superfly

Einfach Deutsch VW Club / Cool Flo / Superfly

“Lots of off road, sand dunes, and great weather - that’s how I love driving!"

Jason Nataorgi - 1963 Manx Buggy
This jaw-dropping beast sounds as cool as it looks. The roar of that engine! Jason has always been around VWs, but with time his favourite ride became the buggy.

“It’s a completely different driving experience,” he said. “I just love the fact that you can drive with no roof, and how light the cars are in their standard form.”

His goal was to have one built with a Hawaiian look, and so he added a tribal design race strip. But there’s more: Jason and his good friend Telly spent a year building the car up to the condition you see here. The pan has been shortened to fit the body, the front end is narrowed, and the transmission is geared from 1st through to 4th, beefed up for quick acceleration. The gutsy engine we mentioned earlier is a 2332cc turbo with a total bhp boosted to 550hp, with a car weight of 1200lbs. What’s more, the interior has custom carpet made to fit. The Superfly team took it for a spin on their way to the shoot, and man does it fly!

Einfach Deutsch VW Club / Cool Flo / Superfly

Einfach Deutsch VW Club / Cool Flo / Superfly

Einfach Deutsch VW Club / Cool Flo / Superfly

Abe Torres - Volkswagen Camper
Abe is a father first, and a car-head second. Originally, he wanted to get into American muscle, but a growing family meant Abe needed to adjust, and find a ride that satisfied him and accommodated his dearest… In rolls the Camper. It’s the perfect combination of cool and considerate - a family ride that everyone can be a part of.

“A modern family minivan wasn’t something I envisioned myself driving. I was able to get my wife onboard with this project,” he says, “and off it went!”

One thing that always comes back when we look at VW culture, is how important family and friends are. And Abe was no exception.

"With no regrets, I love it!" Abe continues. "And so does my family, with the exception of my wife Sharon, in those occasions that we roll into places like Las Vegas. Sometimes the temperature soars to 100 degrees plus. It’s a harsh reminder that the Camper has no A/C.”

We hear you Sharon, some of those desert days are roasting. But to roll along in this beauty... sometimes it’s a price worth paying!

Einfach Deutsch VW Club / Cool Flo / Superfly

Einfach Deutsch VW Club / Cool Flo / Superfly


Steve Mazzagatti – Custom Sand Buggy
Steve’s young dream of building his own sand buggy came true after a long but ultimately rewarding 25 years of waiting. Steve always wanted to build it himself, mostly so that he could prove he could really do it. Like we all know, it’s a huge attraction and a crucial part of the VW journey for many: to have a hand in building your own dream ride.

After many a late night, and a few empty beer cans later, Steve had succeeded - and the result is pretty damn sweet!

“Lots of off road, sand dunes, and great weather - that’s how I love driving! Racing around the desert every day, now that’s a great stress buster”.

Las Vegas is definitely the place to be for Steve then! It’s a pleasure to see these rides in their element.

Einfach Deutsch VW Club / Cool Flo / Superfly

Einfach Deutsch VW Club / Cool Flo / Superfly

Einfach Deutsch VW Club / Cool Flo / Superfly

Dimitrius Duncan – Volkswagen Notchback
“This is definitely one of those cars that gets non-Volkswagen owners’ tongues talking and heads nodding,” starts proud owner Dimitrius.

We can understand why, as this is one of those rare VWs that are such a treat to come across.

Dimitrius’ father had owned a Beetle, and was always in to VWs. As soon as young Dimitrius was able to drive, he took his father’s Beetle all the way from Los Angeles to Indianapolis. A few years have passed, and the Bug stayed with him. For his Notch, he wanted a different style of customisation to the rest out there, and so added some subtle touches. The engine has been dropped, and part-painted BRM wheels set the cruise in motion, backed up by the car’s new sound system. The dark blue finishes off this show car.

Einfach Deutsch VW Club / Cool Flo / Superfly

Einfach Deutsch VW Club / Cool Flo / Superfly


Missed Part 1 of this feature? Read it here.
Find out more about the club via the Einfach Deutsche VW Facebook page.

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