Visiting East London

[vw59beetle]

Hey guys
I'll be in East London tomorrow for the day. Is there anything air cooled I should see or forum members I should meet. I will be pressed for time and planning on seeing the racing circuit, but would hate to miss out on something.
Advice would be appreciated.

Wernher
082 825 4875

[VW-rules]

Not much for the petrol heads other the the circuit and Mercedes Benz.

Who are you seeing/what are you in town for?

Midge who built the green beetle woody station wagon and I normally go for sundowners at Buckaneers on a Friday. You welcome to join us.

Christian.
0829712612

[vw59beetle]

Christian
Thanks for the invitation. I'm actually at the airport right now after my quick visit.Time flies when you having fun. I did get to meet Midge and saw pictures of his beetle woody stationwagen. He unfortunately sold it, but apparently it's in Jo'burg now, so maybe I will get to see it in real life. I also got to see his new project for Africa Burn. He seems to be very passionate about his work.
We bought a 1972 Porsche 911 this week and I came down to enjoy it for the day. We will be back in a week or so to pick it up, so maybe we can hook up then.



I had an absolutely crazy and unique experience this morning. I had just set foot off the plane and 5 minutes later I was doing my first lap on the oldest track in SA. Not only that, but other cars were sharing the track later in the day, driving in any direction that pleased them. Only in South Africa or should I say East London. At one point there was a dog laying next to the track watching me , just making sure that I took the correct lines. Simply a day to remember.



Wernher

[VW-rules]

You lucky baa... you've manage to buy a piece of East London's motoring history. John Small lived (possibly still does) down the road from me and I always envied his Porsche when I saw it drive by. He's been involved with motor racing for ever and I'm blown away that he's actually sold his Porsche. I though it was in his will that he should be buried in it?

BTW the cars going in all directions at high speeds on the race track and the animals. We use that for conditioning drivers from out of town who are about the take the gauntlet and drive through the Transkei for the first time.

[Ron&Gill]

Ha, that's good. A training facility like that is needed on the other side too. I drove southwards through the Transkei a couple of years ago, getting to Umtata made me think I had arrived in Lagos. Idutiwa was worse... more like Port Harcourt...

[vw59beetle]

BTW the cars going in all directions at high speeds on the race track and the animals. We use that for conditioning drivers from out of town who are about the take the gauntlet and drive through the Transkei for the first time.

Lucky I stayed for 3 months in the Transkei before, so I was somewhat prepared for it. Traffic in Gauteng will prepare you for cars driving at high speeds in any direction and Transkei would prepare you for the animals crossing or sleeping in the road.

I was just amazed that you could go on the track without paying or signing an indemnity form. It is a pretty fast track to say the least and no I did not have the balls for potters. I had to lift off the pedal.

[Terry Phillips]

I was just speaking to the new owner of the Green Woody not knowing it was the one in question and made by hand and not a kit car,as I am sure most of you know my knowledge on vw's is very limited, but hay we live and learn.