Lets Talk Dubs Classic The Classic VW podcast

Bill Tsagrinos

The classic Volkswagen podcast committed to the history of the hobby. The people that made it what it is today. Uncovering history from the early days of the aftermarket Volkswagen hobby

  1. EP 342 Found & rebuilt his first car after 30 years Nov 25 Volksworld Cover car Dave Lawlor

    DEC 12

    EP 342 Found & rebuilt his first car after 30 years Nov 25 Volksworld Cover car Dave Lawlor

    What if the Volkswagen you built as a teenager never really left you? In this episode, we get into the incredible full-circle story of David Lawler and his 1971 Volkswagen Beetle from Southeast England. David bought his very first VW at just 14 years old, poured years into building it, and saw that dream rewarded when the car landed in a Volkswagen magazine in 1995. But life changes. Priorities shift. The unthinkable happens—and the car is sold. Watching your first show-winning Volkswagen drive away is a regret that never fully fades. For decades, the Beetle would resurface in David's life, always just out of reach. Nearly 30 years later, he finally gets the chance to buy it back—only to discover it's far worse than he imagined. Rather than restore what was lost, David makes a bold decision: start over and build something entirely new. The result is a radically re-imagined 1971 VW Beetle—a modern, hot-rod-inspired machine that stands completely apart from anything else in the Volkswagen world. From extensive paint and bodywork, to chop-top modifications, a full roof conversion, and a cartoon-style window treatment, this build rewrites the rulebook. The hot-rod-meets-custom interior seals the deal as a true one-off. That risk paid off in a big way. The car was selected Top Five at the VolksWorld Show and went on to land the cover of the November 2025 Volkswagen magazine. This episode covers the emotional journey, the design decisions, the fabrication challenges, and what it means to let go of the past—only to build something even better. If you love custom Volkswagen Beetles, VW show cars, chop-top VWs, and real stories from the global air-cooled scene, this one is a must-listen.   www.letstalkdubs.com www.vwtrendsmagazine.com www.rosswulf.com use code LTD10 for 10% off of your order www.ssaircooled.com ICON pistons here

    1h 28m
  2. Ep 341 VW Collector Terry Gaudet

    DEC 5

    Ep 341 VW Collector Terry Gaudet

    The East Coast of Canada is cold, and the car season is short — usually May through October. New Brunswick isn't known as a hotbed for the air-cooled Volkswagen scene, but when the VW bug bites you out there, you're all in. Terry grew up in a drag-racing family, and everything changed the day his father gifted him a convertible Karmann Ghia. That single car sparked a lifelong obsession with all things air-cooled VW. From flat-towing a '67 Beetle over 2,000 miles from Alabama, to drag-racing a Herbie-themed bug, to eventually owning the legendary Save-A-Bugcampaigned by Jack Shacettie — Terry's passion has taken him across the continent. His vacations? They weren't for relaxing — they were spent in Southern California, wrenching in work clothes at Jack's shop just to be part of the action. Now retired from a career in insurance, Terry finally opened a small but official shop in New Brunswick. Not for business — but to help keep his cars and his friends' cars on the road. Terry's collection tells the story of a life dedicated to Volkswagens: "Cinco," his all-original 1955 Beetle, bought with just 25,000 miles. A 1955 Kombi running an SO-42 interior setup. And his driver — a 1950 split window, restored by Dr. Dick Christiansen, which he puts real miles on. So many cars, so many stories, and a lifetime of air-cooled passion from one of Canada's most dedicated VW enthusiasts. This is a great listen — tune in. www.letstalkdubs.com/store www.vwtrendsmagazine.com www.rosswulf.com BUY ICON Pistons https://www.ssaircooled.com

    1h 50m
  3. Ep 339 Chris Davern Driven VW

    NOV 14

    Ep 339 Chris Davern Driven VW

    Social media has become a powerhouse in today's Volkswagen hobby, and if you've spent any time online, you've definitely seen the rise of content creators shaping the air-cooled VW scene. One of the biggest names pushing the culture forward is Chris Davern, better known as @Driven60VW on Instagram. Based in Arizona, Chris has built a massive following of over 100,000 VW enthusiasts by consistently posting high-quality content centered around classic Volkswagens, restoration insights, and the day-to-day life inside the air-cooled community. In many ways, social media has become the new VW magazine, delivering fresh Volkswagen content straight to your phone in real time. This week on the show, we sit down with Chris to talk about his journey into the VW world, what sparked his passion, and how his online presence has evolved over the past five years. Chris brings a ton of positivity to the hobby, and his enthusiasm for vintage Volkswagens truly comes through in his posts, videos, and behind-the-scenes stories. If you're into the air-cooled VW lifestyle—or you want to learn how to grow your own social media following within a niche automotive community—this episode is a must-listen. Tune in for a deep dive into building community, creating consistent content, and keeping the VW hobby fun and thriving.   Follo his social https://www.instagram.com/driven60vw/ www.letstalkdubs.com www.vwtrendsmagazine.com www.rosswulf.com use cupom code LTD10 for 10% off BUY ICON PISTONS HERE

    1h 19m
  4. Ep 336 Scott Hopkins Laydout splitwindow

    OCT 24

    Ep 336 Scott Hopkins Laydout splitwindow

    Scott Hopkins hails from Hyrum Gerogia his 1956 oval window is quite unique. What happens when you build a Volkswagen that doesn't follow the norms of your typical fue wheels and original paint colors and no customization. Well, in this case it will get you noticed at the triple Crown of hot rodding car show. And receiving a top 30 award that's example of modern Volkswagen builds that blend some hot rod flavor with traditional Volkswagen enthusiast styling. Over the past few years, we've seen influx of Volkswagens starting to show up at some of the hot rod shows and picking off some of the top awards. It's a trend. I enjoy seeing because it continues to push the hobby further into a new crowd that can expand their ideas into other car builds not just hot rods. this is a unique build that has a really good balance of hot rod and Vw creativity. One of the great things is that other than Paint Scott has done a lot of this work himself out of his garage over the past few years. A true labor of love while trying to be different and unique. Keeping true to his roots and dipping over to the Mini Truck side, this split window/oval window is bagged to where it will lay the pan on the ground 17 inch Budnick wheels stuffed into some mini tubs and hot rod inspired leather interior. Check out the pictures below and enjoy.    Click here for Pictures of the build !!!!!! www.letstalkdubs.com www.rosswulf.com www.vwtrendsmagazine.com buy ICON Pistons

    57 min
4.9
out of 5
315 Ratings

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The classic Volkswagen podcast committed to the history of the hobby. The people that made it what it is today. Uncovering history from the early days of the aftermarket Volkswagen hobby

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