Volkswagen In Der Capital

The second annual Parrotdog Volkswagen show at the brewery/ bar/eatery in Lyall Bay, near Wellington airport, attracted a decent bunch of dedicated classic car enthusiasts on Saturday, 7 December 2019.

Wellington’s Kombined Volkswagen Club and Gazely Motors, the local VW dealership, teamed up with the brewery in staging the event.

Pre-show publicity said the organizers expected up to 100 cars in the show’s second year display. Wellington’s infamous wind, gusting to 60mph, and the forecasted showers, may have contributed to the number of 30. There were also a handful of ‘unofficial attendees’ that were parked outside.

A 1973 Volkswagen Type 181 fourdoor cabriolet was the first car inside the grounds. The Type 181 was originally developed for the West German Army and was later produced for civilian use, where it was known as the kurierwagen or courier car.

Another classic from 1973, a Porsche 914 in metallic olive green, was arguably the sportiest looking car in the display. The 914 was a collaboration between Porsche and Volkswagen, aka the Porsche-vw 914, manufactured between 1969 and 1976.

Among those on display was a 1963 1300 saloon. It was first seen at DAS Reboot, the VW nationals held at Lower Hutt in 2017. Parked alongside was one of the more colourful participants, a 1965 Beetle 1200, tastefully decked out with white door and body panels, and the roof, bonnet, boot, and mudguards in turquoise.

Those who came to the show found interesting and tasty cars to enjoy. There was a steady stream of visitors — and just about everyone had a happy VW memory to relate.

People’s Choice in the Show ’n’ Shine went to No. 7, a green-and-white 1967 Devon Camper.

The Parrotdog looks forward to hosting its third “biggest little VW show in Wellington” in 2020. A complimentary nod to all involved with number two for bringing together some of the best kept classics seen in the region recently.