Date:         Mon, 17 Jun 1996 19:04:56 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Ellis <jim@atcweb.atc.1dc.com>
Subject:      SOTO/Classic Weekend (Part 2~Saturday-2L)

OK, it's after work hours so I can blather on...

Saturday, The SOTO 13th Anniversary Meet, Garden Grove, California

Traditionally, My wife and I have camped either in the lot across the street
from the Deer Creek Winery or in the parking lot of the Irvine Holiday Inn
depending on the SOTO meets location. Both of the passed two years we would
hear noises of engines revving and and talking starting at 05:00. That's
Five (freekin) OH Clock in the morning!!! Shoot, these bus folks be all
serious about being the first to slobber over the buses. Most folks find it
wise not to camp in Garden Grove if they can help it. The point is that I
have dragged "Cherry VanBondo" into the waiting line much too early and for
no reason.
My Brother in law is not the hurry up type. As promised, we stopped for gas.
Busses were flying by as we fueled up. We got ice and appropriate liquids
for the day. More buses flew by. We went to breakfast and had a slow
waitress. The bro went to the men's room at the restaurant and didn't return
for twenty minutes. I was expecting that he fell in or something! I was
afraid that my story would end up on "Unsolved Mysteries." It so happened
that a group of "gentleman" arrived just before he was about to wash his
hands. The "gentlemen" had arrived from their job of handling and
transporting chickens. *Live* chickens and all that go with them. Each of
these folks proceded to embark on a complete sink bath mixed with extended
conversations. Buses were flying by as I sat and waited patiently. We had to
have "just one more" cup of coffee. Buses flew by. My impatient mind was
like a rat in a cage!!!! I wanted to GO! The bro-in-law was not to be hurried.
Then we had to locate an ATM so the bro could get cash "just in case."
~DANG! More buses flew by.
We (finally) arrived at the Garden Grove Boy's and Girl's Club and were
immediately flagged around the long line of splitty buses. Our '83 Westy was
not to be admitted inside the show area. For once it was a blessing! =) We
parked right up front and walked in. =) The bro in law gave me the "I told
you so" rap. Un-huh, right. That teaches me to be a hyperboy...
Inside the swaps were pretty good and the buses were plentiful. I finally am
at the point in this "resto" process where I really wasn't looking for much.
One of the first folks that I encountered was Charlie Hamill. As I
approached his singlecab he greeted me with "RUSTY (******ing) VANBONDO!"
Laughing, he stuck out his hand for me to shake! Wow, Mr. Busgod, Inc.
recognised me and even had two words to say to me. I was shocked! I had met
him only once at a Phoenix show and had zero to say to me as he sat there
with Rich Kimball. OK, whatever, cool...
I negotiated a set of NOS "mystery" tail lights for the '57 single cab at a
screamingly cheap price. Similar to the early bubble tail lights they were
correct for the Euro '57 and some barndoors. I sawthem for twice the price
at the Classic on Sunday. The antennae dillema was solved when I asked about
the spring based config on one of the nicest buses at the show. The bus
owner had a spare and sold it to me for $15.00. The Bro-in-law videotaped
every inch of the "1HIPBUS" '67 Westy for detail reference during assembly
of the "Hell" bus.
Three buses stood out.  
1. A '65 doublecab and with a 2.0 vanagon engine and 4-wheel disks, '74 181
tranny, and a '79 front beam. It was featured in March 89 HVWs. The kid
didn't know what it was and said it was watercooled. It was fullflowed,
filtered, and cooled with a Honda motorcycle cooler which was mounted in
front of the rear axle tube. Dad had sunk $25,000. in it back in '89! DOH!!!
2. A nicely done 23 deluxe.
3. A lowered '59 panel with a massive stereo in it. This bus reflected a
noticable trend to avoid chrome and high polish via dull black powder
coating on all bumpers, safari window frames, top half of the fnt doors,
doorhandles etc. Interior was tastefully upholsterd everywhere with a mixed
grey/black industrial low pile burber carpeting. Vanagon alloys to match the
black. Paint was similar to a 356 Porsche blue. Kinda like Dove with more
black and a faint touch of teal in it.
General Observations:
Dramatic drop in attendance and quality of participant buses. Most buses
were really beat. A good handful of the really rare collector buses. No
records for the barndoors from what I saw. Even the inventory of the
regulars who sell mondo expensive parts under chicken wire cages looked
picked over and sparse. A couple of usual "unofficial" vendors were missing.
Most folks had a great time. =)
(Part three = Saturday PM with Box on Wheels)
-ellis\