THE BEETLE

ALMOST ON THE ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST

The 1300 was bought with its suspension already lowered, along with a rear-suspension camber change to help alleviate the dreaded VW swing-axle tuck-under during hard cornering.

Typical of VWS, the engine leaks a little oil. At the VW Nationals in Christchurch last Easter, Jason was part of a team running around placing plastic drip sheets under all the Beetles. “They all do it,” he says. “I can send mine in for service and to get the leaks fixed, and in a short time they can leak again.”

Expanding the collection

Jason and Jo are off overseas soon for 10 days of VW craziness in Los Angeles, in the US.

A future plan is to get one of the iconic VW Kombis.

“Business commitments are a priority at the moment, but I would like to get a good Kombi locally,” Jason explains. “My plan would be to cut the roof off and bring in a strengthening kit from England to change it to one of the 23-window Microbuses. That would be nice.”

“Just call me ‘Ruby’. That’s its name. It won Best in Show at the VW Nationals in Cambridge in 2018, and this year it won the People’s Choice award at the Christchurch VW Nationals. I’m very happy with it”