Air-Cooled Volkswagen Club – Represents At Ontario VW Auto Show

Air-Cooled Volkswagen Club

Classic Air-Cooled Volkswagens are some of the most identifiable vehicles on the road – any road.  Whether you happen to… be celebrating Oktoberfest in Germany, visiting another European country or find yourself anywhere in the world – especially right here in Southern California.

As part of Ontario Volkswagen’s Second Annual Oktoberfest Car Show, two ‘Best of Show’ awards were given out… because you can’t give just one.  You have Air-Cooled and you have Water-Cooled – the division among V-Dub Lovers.

Even though it’s a fun-loving division amongst Volkswagen fans the division is there nonetheless.  There are even Volkswagen car clubs dedicated to one or the other.  In this iDriveSoCal Podcast, I’m joined by the leader of one of the Air-Cooled Clubs, who also happened to take home some Best of Show hardware, from Ontario VW,  himself.

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***Transcription***

Recorded – October 28, 2018, in Ontario, CA

Air-Cooled Volkswagen Club @ Ontario VW’s Oktoberfest 2018

Danny: I have a 1965 Volkswagen 13 Window Deluxe. Just going crazy on it trying to do as much as possible. Have as much fun as I can in that thing.

One of the first things when I got that bus, I said, “I can’t have the school-bus-look-thing here. I got to… ” Me and my son got together, we put our heads together, we did that.

Tom: Ontario Volkswagen Second Annual Oktoberfest. Were you here last year?

Danny: No, I wasn’t. I just heard about it this year, and I said, “Oh man, we got to do this.”

Tom: Hi, and I can hear you, smile. Welcome to iDriveSoCal the Podcast, all about mobility from the automotive capital of the United States, Southern California. Tom Smith here, and we are out at Ontario Volkswagen in the Los Angeles suburb of Ontario, California.

Outside the dealership, quite literally, during the Second Annual Ontario Volkswagen Oktoberfest. Joining me is one of the, not only participants of Oktoberfest Auto Show but also a leader of a car club that was out here in force. Danny, can you please pronounce your last name for me?

Danny: Aceves.

Tom: Aceves. Danny Aceves of the Old Skool Auto Club. Thank you for joining me, and also, Danny, congratulations on your win today.

Danny: Thank you very much.

Tom: By the way, I did not know that you were going to win, although I did select you guys, you and your colleague. What’s his name?

Danny:  Rafael.

Tom: Rafael. Because of your very nice vehicles, very well maintained. Literally, they’re old school, right?

Danny: Right.

The Air-Cooled & Water-Cooled Volkswagen Divide

Tom: iDriveSoCal is all about automotive news and the future of mobility and whatnot, and as you can hear some of the tuner Volkswagen’s are pulling away. One of the things that I’ve realized diving into the world of Volkswagen, is that there is a divide in that air-cooled and water-cooled.

Danny: Yes.

Tom: I’m assuming that the Old Skool moniker of your car club is indicative of the air-cool.

Danny: Strictly air-cool.

Tom: Strictly air-cool. If I have a water-cool Volkswagen, you guys don’t want to see me.

Danny: No. No, you’re welcome. You’re welcome.

Tom: I’m kidding. I’m kidding. Thank you. Tell me about the Old Skool Club.

Danny: Yeah, we were put together early 2015. I was in a club before, and I always wanted to do my own thing, so broke off, started my own club, got a couple friends together, and we slowly grew from there.

Tom: Okay. You literally … I didn’t realize, you’re the founder of the club?

Danny: Yes.

Tom: Okay. How organized are you guys? Do you have dues, do you have weekly meetings, annual meetings, monthly meetings, anything like that? Or is it just we get together when we get together?

Danny: No. We have Monthly Cruise Nights, where we all get together and other clubs come out and join us, and we just hang out. That’s monthly, and we don’t have any dues. I don’t really care for the money thing, but just a bunch of guys having fun.

Tom: Right. Sure. Sure. Okay. Now, I mentioned that you won an award, obviously, it was for the air-cooled, but I already took a bunch of pictures of your van.

Danny: Awesome.

Air-Cooled Volkswagen Best of Show

Tom: Tell me about your winning vehicle. Is that your only Volkswagen, by the way?

Danny: That is my only Volkswagen…

Tom: Okay. Tell me about your vehicle.

Danny: I have a 1965 Volkswagen 13 Window Deluxe. Purchased that roughly five years ago, and just going crazy on it trying to do as much as possible. Have as much fun as I can in that thing.

Tom: It is a beautiful ride, it is very well done. The interior passenger area looks like a stretch limousine-kind-of-thing. More so than the … What was in there before? Benches?

Danny: Yes, there was two bench seats there, and that was one of the first things when I got that bus, I said, “I can’t have the school-bus-look-thing here. I got to … ” Me and my son got together, we put our heads together, we did that. We framed it all in and then took it down and had it all upholstered, but, yeah, I just couldn’t do the bus, school-bus-type-thing.

Tom: That’s one of the things that with cars and the car hobby, as Barry McGuire would say. You know Barry McGuire, who I’m talking about?

Danny: No, I don’t, actually.

Tom: McGuire car crazy TV show used to be on whatever … McGuire’s Car Care Products.

Danny: Okay.

Tom: He’s really big on the “car hobby,” but how it just brings everybody together, there’s no gender, there’s no … There’s a religion, the religion is like oil and gas, right? I guess the religion could even be electricity now, right?

Danny: Yes, you’re right. You’re right.

Volkswagen Love – A Family Affair

Tom: If it’s got wheels and you can control it, steer it or whatnot, there you go, but you mentioned your son. Obviously, it’s something that you and your son have worked on, I’m assuming some pretty special times that you’ve…

Danny: Yes. Yes. That was some great bonding times right there. There was some rough times if my son wasn’t moving fast enough, of course. I’d like to hear what he’d have to say about it, but okay. Well, hey.

Tom: Nevertheless, it created the opportunity. Glad to hear that. Your club, if somebody wants to participate or somebody wants to join in, are you guys open to that kind of thing?

Danny: Yes. Yes. Anybody that approaches us to actually show interest to possibly join the club, I tell them, “You know what, come to a couple of Cruise Nights, come to a couple of our functions, make sure this is something you would like to do.”

We’re real family-oriented. I’ve always said this club is more than just a car club, it’s a family. If this is something you like, and you like what you see hanging out with us, welcome aboard.

Tom: Keep coming.

Danny: Yes.

Tom: What does a Cruise Night look like? Where does it happen?

Danny: It’s in Covina, California at In and Out Burger, Arrow Highway and Grand, if you’re familiar with that area.

Tom: Okay. I’m sure if anybody out there listening is … Easy enough to Google, right?

Danny: Yes.

Tom: I personally don’t exactly know. Southern California’s a really big place. You could be here your entire life and not know the specifics of various pockets. What about online?

All Air-Cooled VW Lovers Welcomed!

Do you guys have Facebook, do you have Instagram, a website, what if somebody wants to look you up?

Danny: Yes. Yes. We are Facebook and Instagram, as well.

Tom: Okay.

Danny: Yes.

Tom: What’s the name or how do you find it?

Danny: Actually, on Facebook, it’s Old Skool Obsessionz. You can go on there and look on that, and Facebook, the same thing.

Tom: Okay.

Danny: Same thing on Facebook.

Tom: How do you spell that? I think it’s a funky spelling.

Danny: Yes. The Obsessions is O-B-S-E-S-S-I-O-N-Z, it ends with a Z.

Tom: And Old Skool is O-L-D-S-K-O-O-L.

Danny: Yes, sir.

Tom: Then Obsessionz again is …?

Danny: O-B-S-E-S-S-I-O-N-Z, end it with a Z.

Tom: Okay. It’s both Facebook and Instagram?

Danny: Yes, sir.

Tom: Okay. Excellent. Your Cruise Night’s are typically what nights of the week?

Danny: Typically, it’s the first Saturday of the month, six pm.

Tom: First Saturday of the month, six pm. You can just show up?

Danny: Yep.

Tom: Show up at the In and Out … Where is it again?

Danny: I believe it’s Covina. It’s in Covina, California, I believe it’s 1371 Grand Avenue. I believe that’s the address.

Tom: The cross street again?

Danny: It’s Arrow Highway and Grand.

Tom: All right. That’s good.

Danny: Okay.

Tom: That’s good enough.

Danny: All right.

Tom: How many strong are you right now?

Danny: Right now we’re about 15 strong, but… I’m sorry. We are 15 strong, and we have about 20 cars. We have a few members that have a couple of cars.

Tom: Okay.

Danny: A couple Volkswagen’s.

Associate Volkswagen Fan Clubs

Tom: People show up there and you hang out or do you do cruise? Do you actually go for a cruise somewhere and go and grab dinner or what is it … What does the night look like?

Danny: No. Everyone just comes together, we’ll eat some In and Out, everyone just gathers, hanging out, just talking to different members from different clubs, and just enjoying the evening.

Tom: All right. Excellent. Any of the other clubs names you want to drop in this podcast and then you can share it with them if you so choose?

Danny:  Rollin VW’s, great guys, man.

Tom: Rolling VW?

Danny: Yeah, Johnny out there is a great dude.

Tom: All right. How do you spell Rolling VW?

Danny: R-O-L-L-I-N.

Tom: Rollin VW, okay.

Danny: V-dubs. Rollin V-dubs.

Tom: Okay. Got it. Got it.

Danny: The Oil Drippers, Diego, another great guy out there. He’s the president of that club. Great guys. There’s several, those are the first two that just popped in the top of my head.

Tom: Nevertheless.

Danny: Yes. Great guys, man. Great.

Tom: All right. All right. We got Old Skool, which is going to be air-cooled. You got Rollin V-dubs, are they specific to…

Danny: Air-cooled Volkswagen Club, as well.

Tom: Air-cooled, as well. Then Oil Drippers.

Danny: Yes.

Tom: Are they air-cooled, water …

Danny: All air-cooled.

Tom: Okay. Hey, you guys are all air-cooled.

Danny: All air-cooled, yes.

Tom: All right. All right. Not that you dislike water-cool.

Danny: No, no, no. Not at all. Not at all.

It’s All V-Dub Love – Air-Cooled & Water-Cooled

Tom: I’m just kidding you. All right. Hey, Danny, your last name for me again, please?

Danny: Aceves.

Tom: Danny Aceves.

Danny: Uh-huh.

Tom: Thank you so much for joining me. Thank you for coming out to the Ontario Volkswagen Second Annual Oktoberfest. Were you here last year?

Danny: No, I wasn’t. I just heard about it this year, and I said, “Oh man, we got to do this.”

Tom: Excellent. We’re glad you came out.

Danny: Perfect.

Tom: Ontario Volkswagen’s a great partner of iDriveSoCal, we appreciate these guys out here.

Mr. Earl Reed, the General Manager, Randy Halcomb, the Internet Guru, Shant Bashian, who is the General Sales Manager, Jim Straley, the Service Director, Jimmy Willhide, the Service Advisor, who helped point this entire shindig and we look forward to future Oktoberfests, as well.

Danny: Yes, sir. Me, too. I had a great time.

Tom: All right. Danny, thanks, again, much appreciated. Thank you for joining me for the iDriveSoCal Podcast. Anything else you’d like to add before we wrap it up?

Danny: No. That’s it.

Tom: All right.

Danny: That’ll do it.

Tom: Awesome. Danny, thank you, again.

Danny: Awesome. Thank you very much.

Tom: For iDriveSoCal, I’m Tom Smith. Thank you, as always, for tuning in.