The unmistakable sound of boxer engines rang out across the Messeparkplatz East car park in Hannover. In glorious early-summer temperatures, a good 3,000 vintage Volkswagens flocked to the capital of Lower Saxony from all over Germany and Europe. The staging was once again a major attraction.
First of May with birthday celebrations
It is probably the biggest event of its kind in the world. For European vin-tage car fans, it has been top of the list for first of May for over three dec-ades: the May Bug Meet in Hannover. Volkswagen Classic and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Oldtimer attended the 36th staging.
As well as classic Beetle models from across the years, the one-day meeting for Volkswagen enthusiasts also offered a huge selection of air-cooled specialities to discover: rear-engine vans, Type 3 and 4, as well as Karmann models and special chassis in virtually every conceivable variant were there to be admired.
This year, over 10,000 Volkswagen fans made the pilgrimage to the exhibition site to experience the mix of perfect originals, patinated everyday heroes and creatively assembled show cars, live and in full colour. The community spirit was clear for all to see: as well as entertaining vehicle displays on the main stage, many visitors took the opportunity to talk shop with like-minded Volkswagen enthusiasts, and to browse the special accessories and rare spare parts along the ‘Parts Mile’ – with over 120 exhibitors.
Internally, the angular utility vehicle with the characteristic sliding doors was never actually intended to be a collector’s item. However, of the 6,400 vehicles built between 1964 and 1974 at Westfalia, only 30 to 40 still exist in Germany. Globally, that figure stands at around 200.
Congratulations, Fridolin: Dieter Landenberger, Head of Volkswagen Heritage, introduced the loveable van on the show stage at the 2019 May Bug Meet.
Fridolin fan Rainer Waibel had originally planned to enrich the May Bug Meet with a newly-restored, lead-tin-yellow model – until a fire in his garage in February scotched those plans. Despite this, the man from Neuss refused to give up on his rare vehicle and instead presented it as it was.
For Waibel, it goes without saying that his fire-ravaged Fridolin will rise like a phoenix from the ashes: “Of course it will be an extremely time-consuming project. However, it is important to me that this type of car is preserved. Back in the day, big customers like the Swiss postal service made it an everyday sight on the roads. Since then, however, it has become a rarity!”
Creative modifications, contemporary accessories, rat look, lowered chassis and exquisite aluminium wheels are an inherent part of the event, particularly at the younger end of the air-cooled scene. Many vehicles at the extensive site were evidence that non-original vehicles can also be the subject of extremely attractive designs.
People like Daniel Szyra are living proof that, even 16 years after production ended, the complete reconstruction of Beetles is more alive than ever. The “Mexico Beetle”, recently converted to a V8 stockcar by the man from Hambühren, was one of this year’s favourites with the crowds. Szyra viewed the project to assemble his car all on his own as a real challenge: “I prefer to drive rear-wheel drive cars and particularly appreciate something that nobody else has.” His complete reconstruction with high-performance Audi V8 technology weighs 1,600 kilograms and took him one year. The only original Beetle parts on the unique, 218-centimetre-wide car are the roof, doors and steering gear.
In the midst of the diverse rows of exhibits were a few real surprises, even for seasoned connoisseurs of Volkswagen history. Lars Lueder from Hannover had made the trip with his flat wedge, a Martaré GT: precisely three examples of the exotic rear-engine sports car, with its idiosyncratic flip front, still exist in Germany. A total of eight were built in Amstel in the Netherlands. Designer Martaré assembled just one car per year, until production fell victim to a fire and the company went bankrupt.
A glance at the front windscreen of his Volkswagen Bulli T2 immediately reveals that Michael Steiner is a May Bug pro: the circular stickers, in different colours, have been issued to visitors for years. Steiner and his friends were attending this year’s event in an Agate Brown Volkswagen T2b, the luxury Champaign Edition. His US special edition, which was delivered on the American east coast in 1977, is fully equipped – apart from a missing automatic gearbox – and looks as good as new. Steiner placed great importance on getting every little detail correct during the restoration: “The varnisher painted the car with nitrocellulose lacquer in the original colour. This way we could get the same aesthetic of the varnish as when it left the factory. Otherwise, the overall impression would not be so consistent today.”