Guzzis and VW Hippies: John Muir's VW Book

[SmithSwede]

So, I was in Berkeley this weekend, went to a used bookstore, and purchased a copy of John Muir's classic "How to Keep Your VW Alive."

I think it's truly a classic for its genre.  Original, creative, opinionated, lucid, and entertaining.   Artwork is beautiful.  Heck, it's filled with philosophy.

Seems to me that this Hippie VW beetle subculture is similar to the Guzzi motorcycle subculture.  Anyone else see the parallels?

I could be biased and nostalgic.  My first ever car was a '71 Beetle my Dad passed down to me.

[rodekyll]

The original idiot book.  My bible for aircooled VWs.  I have a tattered first edition around someplace.

[blackcat]

It was the bible for those cars and I had one through the 8 VW's that past through my hands.

[britman]

Started three out of my four kids in a Bug as a first car, oldest wanted a Pinto that turned out be a very sickly pony.  I have changed an engine or two in the driveway with a floor jack many years back.  Prices are on the rise, even for the Super Beetle which I always thought was the worst of the Bugs.  Simple and dependable transportation from a by gone era. 

[troyhamilton]

theres 5 or 6 beetles on this place i live! someone i used to trust borrowed mine!

[sib]

Seems to me that this Hippie VW beetle subculture is similar to the Guzzi motorcycle subculture.  Anyone else see the parallels?

Perhaps in the sense that opposites attract.

[twowings]

Still have my copy!

I certainly see the parallels: simple-to-maintain, reliable design, distinctive look and sound, and inspiraton of pride in ownership that regards the vehicle as a member of the family rather than just mere transportation...

Miss my '61, '64, and '73 Beetles for sure!

[kirby1923]

Yes absolutely! Came across a dead bus while traveling on my CX and helped the guy get it going with some of the tools I had.
They (he and friend were on the way to a bus rally? and invited me to join them.

Camped out in the sierra foothills with 6 or 7 busses and a couple of bugs.

You know what, we(me &CX) fit right in...go figure!

[PJPR01]

Old Bugs and Old Volvos (122S) were very popular when we lived in Berkeley...and still are 40 years later!

[davedel44]

So, I was in Berkeley this weekend, went to a used bookstore, and purchased a copy of John Muir's classic "How to Keep Your VW Alive."

I think it's truly a classic for its genre.  Original, creative, opinionated, lucid, and entertaining.   Artwork is beautiful.  Heck, it's filled with philosophy.

Seems to me that this Hippie VW beetle subculture is similar to the Guzzi motorcycle subculture.  Anyone else see the parallels?

I could be biased and nostalgic.  My first ever car was a '71 Beetle my Dad passed down to me.

Let your freak flag fly at Cedar Vale!


Prepping my modern day Hippy Van.








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Dave
Galveston

[oldbike54]

 Despite what Chuckie will say , airhead beemers fit neatly into this zeitgeist also .

 Dusty

[Jim Rich]

Nice rig Dave.

[oldbike54]

Nice rig Dave.

 Dave is an old hippie 

 Dusty

[davedel44]

Dave is an old hippie 

 Dusty

Not so!





Dave
Galveston

[twowings]

"I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked,
dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix,
angelheaded hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection to the starry dynamo in the machinery of night,
who poverty and tatters and hollow-eyed and high sat up smoking in the supernatural darkness of cold-water flats floating across the tops of cities contemplating jazz,
who bared their brains to Heaven under the El and saw Mohammedan angels staggering on tenement roofs illuminated,
who passed through universities with radiant cool eyes hallucinating Arkansas and Blake-light tragedy among the scholars of war,
who were expelled from the academies for crazy & publishing obscene odes on the windows of the skull,
who cowered in unshaven rooms in underwear, burning their money in wastebaskets and listening to the Terror through the wall,
who got busted in their pubic beards returning through Laredo with a belt of marijuana for New York..."  - Alan Ginsburg 

[oldbike54]

Not so!





Dave
Galveston

  Am so 

 Dusty

[Sheepdog]

I have a fair '63 Type I on deck. I'm really looking forward to this one...

[cleatusj]

It goes well with the 'Vert and Calli.

[eldoroddo]

I just bought this book back on President's Day.
19th edition, 16th printing, from what I can tell.
I remember this book from back in the day. I think the older ones had more drawings than the one I just bought. Don't know for sure.
At 52 years old, I was figuring about finally getting into air-cooled VW's.
I really dig classic American iron, though.

[Shorty]

 I have a coworker who is a  VW fanatic. He has busses, trucks, and bugs. Plus the liquid cooled stuff. He runs with a nation wide pack of 'Dubbers who do a passable job channelling the Merry Pranksters in many respects. This guy runs his diesel 'dubs on vegetable oil from restaraunts. Tie die and pachouli galore, and Dead Concerts, Rocklahoma .  Nation wide travel in microbusses. He's having a ball.