Volkswagen Concepts HardHeb and the Widowmaker

The fastest autocross cars are purpose-built "specials" ("A Modified" in SCCA Solo) with small lightweight bodies, sticky tires, powerful engines, and short gears.

Here are 2 sides to the same coin. Both concepts are extreme lightweights, featuring intense lightening, chopped roof, windshield, and doors, no fenders, and hebmeuller style rear ends. Same idea, different execution. While their top speeds are typically limited by the VW gearing, their transient cornering capabilities far exceed those of other vehicles not expressly designed for this.

Autocross, also known as "Solo," or by simply "Slalom", are races around a closed track that features numerous turns. These VW Concepts were designed to compete in extreme Autocross races, specifically, in the gymkhanas. Gymkhanas are an even tighter slalom track than autocross, with numerous turns around cones. It loops back upon itself and looks like a mix between autocross and drifting. Fast times require a lot of sliding and the lightweight racers intend to dominate.
For the slaloms, the Widowmaker uses the age old Beetle platform although trained by years of track racing experience. It comes complete with beam adjusters and lowered spindles for the front end and re-tweaked rear torsion bars, koni shocks all around. Widowmaker has Large-diameter (205/40X18 front and 235/40x18 rear) BRM rims with Pirelli P-Zero "Trofeo" rubber.

HardHeb uses modified 5th-generation Volkswagen Golf Mcpherson strut suspension, front and rear. A custom-engineered space-frame tube chassis and rollbar ties them together. HardHeb wears Large-diameter (235/40X18 front and 255/35×20 rear) Porsche "Gas Burner" style rims with Yokohama Advan AO48 tires.


Both racers feature identical full-flow 2332cc Type 1 engines with dual CB Performance 48mm Fuel injectors. HardHeb displays a custom aluminum twin free-flow headers and exhaust systems while the Widowmaker uses a bright red tuned freeflow exaust and a stinger.

In each racer, a close ratio Volkswagen Type 1 Pro Street IRS transmission is rebuilt. The HardHeb mid-mounted design neccessitated that the ring and pinion be flipped.

Volkswagen Concept: Black Widow

Volkswagen Concept Black Widow is based on an early Hebmeuller found in the proverbial barn. Features large diameter BRM style rims, narrowed and lowered front torsion suspension, disc brakes front and rear, and a fully-massaged 2180cc Type1 engine. The interior remains largely stock

Volkswagen Concept: MadManx

I always wanted a dune buggy. Ever since the 1st issue of Dune Buggies and Hot VW, the Fun Car Journal came out, I imagined building one. Sure seems like a ton of fun, for not a lot of money.


Designed by the legendary Bruce Meyers, the iconic Meyers Manx dune buggy set a worldwide whirlwind for small, inexpensive, fun cars. An engineer by profession, Bruce was also an artist and surfer and he used his experience in boat building, fueled by his passion for the Californian lifestyle to produce the Manx and other Volkswagen-based fiberglass cars between 1964 and 1971.

A small car, the Manx leveraged on the use of the Volkswagen Beetle frame and engine. The car featured a fiberglass bodyshell coupled with a shortened (14 1/4 inches or 36.2 cm) wheelbase for lightness and better maneuverability. Even a stock VW-engined Manx is capable of very quick acceleration and good off-road performance.

This particular buggy, the Volkswagen Concept: MadManx, was found near an old warehouse along an old railroad. The faded and cracked orange fiberglass gel-coat has seen better times but the buggy was fairly complete. Unused since the mid 70s because of a leaky oil pump, the discovery that this dune buggy was indeed an original Meyers Manx set off plans for a serious slalom race buggy project.

With a solid, proven platform, MadManx adds big tires and an even bigger engine to challenge slalom racers.

18 inch Porsche Twists with 235/40X18 front and 255/45×18 rear Yokohama Advan AO48, single block with a race-ready compound provide enormous grip. coupled with Bilstein shocks and a 1 3/4 ” front rollbar, the front end features a CB Performance dropped spindle. The rear torsion bar was adjusted 2 notches to bring the ride height down to race-ready levels.

A close ratio Volkswagen Type 1 Pro Street IRS transmission, features a Super Diff, Aluminum side covers, Welded 3-4 hubs, and hardened keys.

A 200HP monster Type 1 Volkswagen engine built by Pat Downs of CB Performance pushes this lightweight cat to the maximum. It has full-flow oiling with a Maxi30 pump. 94mm Mahle pistons with A Race Pro 84mm crankshaft with Chevy journals and forged 1.4:1 rockers bump the stocker to 2332cc.
Other goodies include a lightened flywheel, wedge-port heads with 44×37 valves, Dual 48mm Weber IDA carbs and a 1 3/4″ merged ceramic coated exhaust.

To complete the transformation, aerodynamic side pods and gullwing-style doors were designed, reminiscent of the Manx SR. The body was sprayed with Porsche L-Y7Y Zermatt Silver and the lightweight Speedster bucket seats and door panels were covered in red Alcantara fabric. A ghost-style Manx-logo grace the gullwing doors.

MadManx is dead serious.

Herbie is ALIVE!!

After Ondoy, ( http://manilaghia.i.ph/blogs/herbieinmanila/2009/10/02/herbie-not-spared-by-typhoon-ondoy/ ) Herbie is finally roaming Manilas streets.

While mechanically, Herbie is back, there are still a lot of small details that need to be ironed out. I lost my sounds, need new carpets, need to align the headlights, need to grease minor squeaks and rattles, and I need to get some more hubcap clips.

This was taken the day we got Herbie out of the APC basement parking



Taken this afternoon



Let the goodtimes roll!

Volkswgen Concept: Terracotta Slamma

If given the opportunity, this is what I would have done.

Don’t get me wrong, I love what Thomas did with the bug. It’s just, if it were me, I would have taken this truck to another level.

Volkswagen Concept: Teracotta Slamma builds on the great foundation of the Terracotta Truck and applies my own design cues to interpret the design into something my own.

First off, the things gotta be slammed! Stock is good but this VW’s attitude is a lot meaner, more purposeful. Another big change is the meatier meats on body colored Gas Burner rims to replace the wide 5 rims and ‘caps.

For me, the big change is in the body itself, We start off with a little off the top. A 3 inch top chop and matching “shorty” ragtop makes for a prettier profile. Instead of using flat sheet metal to define the pickup portion of the truck, I opted to use, pieces from another VW icon, the Type2, particluarly the corner windows, jail bars and the side intake vents. The re-design makes the truck look that much more in the 60’s VW design language.

A strong 1835, dual Weber fed, bullet-proof Type 1 handles the load quite well. A Narrowed KP/LP front end tucks the front wheels nicely into the early fenders, while a couple o clicks in the rear make the stance simply tasty.

Volkswagen Concept: LOWNSLO

Got Camber?

LoWNSLO is a rusty, lowered 1962 Volkswagen Beetle. Rat-look, slammed vintage Volkswagen.



A Rat-look Vdub is an old vintage Volkswagen that's been lowered and has original faded or worn paint. In the best case, the car will also have rust and patina. Mismatched panels, dents and missing parts enhance the look because they add more character and originality. Driving a Rat-looker is about making use of a car everyone else would avoid because it's "ugly" or "beyond repair" and being able to love it for what it is. It's enjoying your car because you built it the way you want, and not how everyone else thinks it should look.

LoWNSLO is a little 1962 VW thats crusty and slammed to the asphalt. Sitting outside some old boys house, uncovered for 27years, you can imagine the tin worm has got in and well and truly had a field day. But luckily the floor and heater channel bottoms completely rotted out so all the rain water just ran out and kept it pretty dry.

The build began by taking the fenders off, dropping the body off the chassis to the ground, new floorpans and heater channels welded in, Cut, turned and narrowed beam, dropped spindles for the front and three clicks at the rear drop the chassis low enough to scrape the pavement with even just a hint of a dip.

We may as well have a tasty little stock 1200 motor up for it and a set of well-worn 5.60x15 Denman Elegantes on rotten 5 bolt rims sans 'caps. Completely worked over braking and steering systems and a new set of Bugpac shocks finish off the rolling stock.

A bargain roofrack with a vintage cooler, a hat box and period suitcases, flanked with a thermador vintage "swamp-cooler" adds the distinctive style popular with many ratty rides. LOWNSLO is smothered with crusty surface rust that just adds icing to the cake.

Well it boils my kettle i tell ya!

Hotrod Festival & Car Restoration Expo

This will be held on March 15, 2009, Sunday, at the Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. The different car clubs will meet in different areas and then meet up in a long motorcade along a route to be announced later.

Each car club will have a Miss Hotrod candidate who will be their representative in the beauty and talent competition.

Expect “Lindsay” and “Herbie” to make an appearance on that day.

Each car club by the way will be given 20 parking slots. We will try our best to have all VW cars in attendance to be group altogether reminiscent of the parking we did during the last Guinness attempt. Traditionally, in all car club meets in the recent past, the VW contingent has always been the largest in attendance. Let us not break that tradition…let’s all bring out our VWs and ROAR!

Stay tuned for further announcements

The 23rd VWCP All VW Classic and Custom Car Show

The 2008 Volkswagen Club of the Philippines (VWCP) All VW Classic and Custom Car Show will officially be at the parade grounds of the Bonifacio Naval Station on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2008 , Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, Metro Manila. This is the 23rd edition of the annual event that features the countries top VWs. The registration/entry fees for the car competition proper are:
Php 1,200.00 for early registrants (from now till 10:00 am of Nov. 30)

Php 1,500.00 for those registering between 10:01 am till 2:00 pm (Nov 30)

Php 2,000.00 last entry 2:01 pm

For those who might be interested to sell food, parts, wares or what have yous, please get in touch with Mr. Oscar Dizon, member in-charge of concessionaires at cell no. 0917-3977931

Venue: Google Maps