Paperwork!

So I get home, and dig through the paperwork. One word.

Wow.

This is some of the coolest sh*t I've ever seen. First:

Original Sales reciept:

Mr. Oppenhiem filled out a "Tourista program" form, which I have and dont have a pic of. He then wrote a letter to VW in Germany requesting his car, and to be told what factory he should pick it up at. He also requested information on how to have it shipped home.

From his family:
Apparently Mr. Oppenhiem, after leaving Germany for America never quite lost his love for the little German car. Once his family started to grow, he decided he wanted one. But not just any beetle would do. Mr. Oppenhiem and his wife Elizabeth toured all the local VW dealerships (kids in tow) driving beetles, super beetles, the "improved" 71 Bus and fell in love with the Type3 for its room and "refinements". That night, the plan was laid. The couple would return to Germany, their home, where they hadnt been in 20 years. Instead of renting a car, they would get their car from the factory, tour Germany in it, and ship it home at the end. It was a perfect plan. They went back to the local dealership, and using the standard accessory packet:

chose his accessories (roof rack, over riders, bed extenders, AC, Emden Radio and yellow) and filled out the form, mailed the letter off, with a $100 check (which I have a copy of) detailing how they wanted their squareback to be. Yellow, his wife Elizabeths favorite color, black interior, roof rack for all the luggage, over riders, AC and sleep extenders on the bed since they planned to sleep in the car and save money. Frugal was Mr. Oppenhiems middle name.

Volkswagen responded with approval, and the Tourist packet, in a plastic case. Oh wait, THIS plastic case.

                                   

Anyway, all went as planned. Henry and Elizabeth proceeded to Germany, picked up their Squareback and spent the next month touring Europe. I hope that the family lets me scan in their pictures like they promised. I'll post them when I get them, of the couple and their car various places.

Tomorrows post will be Squareback: The journey home and life there after. Hope you've enjoyed my tale thus far.

Getting loaded....

So, car loaded, he heads into the house and comes back with a, you guessed it, large stack of paperwork and the title. I reach for it, and he pulls it back. "Promise me you'll take care of it." I promise him that I will. He hands over the paperwork which I will dig into later. I ask him off handedly, why the wheels were burgandy. He broke into a grin, and told me how Mr. Oppenhiem drove the car to his house once long ago and was fretting over the wheels being plain. He said "Henry kept running back and forth to the paint store. This color. That color. Never seen the likes of it. Finally he picked burgandy after about three weeks of frettin. Dunno why he chose burgandy tho. Might have been his wife. He hung the moon on her." So we bullsh*t around a while more, and before we leave, he says to me: "Guess you're an alright fella. Heres my email address. Send me a picture every now and then. So I know its okay. Henry meant alot to me. And he loved his car." I told him I would. I asked him why it was outside if it meant so much. He said that he bought it six years ago, and for the first four it sat in his garage, never moving. Finally his wife got tired of it being in the way and asked him to move it. He then parked it next to the garage, but again, she wasnt happy. So he moved it out to the pasture behind his cattle trailers, where it sat until I stumbled on it, about three weeks shy of two years. We say our goodbyes, and head to the car wash. Soap and Water makes it allllllllllll better. I always start out by washing a project before I get it home.

Cool huh?

Squareback Found!

Here is my tale. Heading back from a conference with my boss last week, I noticed a flash of what appeared to be a VW Squareback in a field. I mentioned it to my boss, who immediately told me to go back. I didnt want to, but he insisted.

We went back, and when I pulled in, an older man came out to meet us. "Hep ya?" Just about that friendly. I told him that I was wondering who owned the squareback in the field behind his barns, and spitting terbacky juice, he indicated it was his, and asked why I wanted to know. Just about that friendly. I told him that I was a VW guy and was interested in taking a look at it if he didnt mind. <Insert long pause here, two more terbacky spits worth>. "Aiight."

So we walk out back to it, he starts telling me the story. He says, that one of his life long friends owned it, and "had it shipped over from Germany special like."

Sure he did. Porsche motor and all, right?

So two barbed wire fences and a cattle gate later:

 He went on to say that his friend Henry owned it since it was new, and when Henry fell ill, he asked his friend to take care of the car for him so "some punk kid didnt get it." This is the point in the story where I get asked if I am "a punk kid". I advise him quickly that I am not a punk kid, and that I have strong opinions on punk kids owning special ordered squarebacks. Apparently, I am not the comedic genius I thought I was, as my joke falls flat, met not by a chuckle, but by a <SPIT>. Fine. Lets look at the car. Its in amazing shape for being in a field. The pans are perfect, the interior is perfect, and the headliner is perfect. I. SHIT. YOU. NOT. I snapped some cell pics that day.

 We make a deal on the spot, my non punk kid status previously proven, and I tell him I'll be back for it tomorrow. As we walk back, he off handedly mentions that he also has " a large stack of paperwork with it". Okee Doke. I'm a sucker for records, so I am most definately in. Fast forward to tomorrow. Funyuns are bought, and I head out, buddy in tow. I show back up with my trailer and head out with him to the field. He's completely different to me today. Friendly, and quite chatty. He tells me more about Henry Oppenhiem, how he was from Germany, grew up around VWs, but after WWII, was disgruntled with Germany and brought his young wife to America to start a family. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

 Back out there, the car has had its tires aired up and it looks like its ready to go. I ask him what happened to the door trim and why the hood has odd swirl marks on it. His response, in direct quote form:

"The cows et the trim. And licked it. Had to make sure it wasnt salt. It aint."

And looked at me. Like I would dare challenge that story? Its HI-LARRY-OUS.

So he brings his 4 wheeler out so we can drag it up to the waiting trailer of freedom. I lay under there a second before I realize, oh yeah. He ordered it with AC, and the radiator/fan are in the way. Whoops.

 Hooked up to the bumper mounts, we are ready to go. I slide in and marvel at the wonder of well kept type 3 ness. See me? This is me marvelling. Marvelous.

We then begin to move the squareback from its home and potentially final resting place. See me? Still marveling. Marvelous.

More to come. :)