news

This true story is from back in 1960 when royalties still had their private lives.

Johan Berens was working in the institution for the deaf in Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe. During the week he slept in the institution but at the week-ends he went home to Antwerp. It was at an Saturday afternoon somewhere in 1960 when Johan (75) was hitchhiking at the Van Praet bridge just behind the royal palace in Brussels. That day a little VW beetle stopped about 30 metres further from where he stood and when Johan opened the door he couldn’t believe his eyes. To ensure himself he wasn’t dreaming he asked the driver if he was Boudewijn, the King from Belgium. The King answered; “I didn’t expect you to recognize me so fast with my new car and hat”. Johan told him he needed to go to Antwerp. King Boudewijn said, “I’ll already put you on the road to Antwerp”.

While talking about their jobs they approached Antwerp but, as the royal driver didn’t yet had his meal he asked Johan to buy him some sandwiches and gave him a brand new paper money of 1000 Belgian francs. The King asked Johan not to tell who needed these sandwiches. Johan even helped King Boudewijn to spread a towell on his legs so he could eat the sandwiches in a clean way.
The journey end destination was Oud-Turnhout, North of Antwerp.

In those days stories like these came to the peoples ears through the milkman or postman so Johan had a lot of interviews after that. Can you image how fast it will go now with the technologies that we now have in our pocket?

The story has been picked up by Marian Michielsen from Gazet Van Antwerpen.

Click here to discover the original Dutch story.

After all car things, all shows, party’s, open houses and the like, Yesterday (Sunday) was D day, with Bug In #39… very nice VW show, little different like the rest, but nice size… and cool cars, and loads of VW people… always nice to hang out…

hereby I like to try to give some impressions…

You can load  about everything on a beetle, even a big wheel bicycle…:)

ok, no vw, but this is a very cool trailer!

the front of a samba roof some one? Baby where is the rest of the bus?

Porsche 911 very old electric children car… real steel! This will come to Belgium, any interest please let me know, as i’m not a real 911 guy….

shiny bugs and palm trees, California don’t come any better!

Steve having the time of his life…. again…:)

Slightly lowered? Or Baja raised, your choice…:)

We “snapped” the 1969 Karmann Ghia from a very nice Gentleman, including the “transaction” picture… Ghia’s getting difficult, but this is a pretty good car, very well build, and nice driving… in case of interest or for all further information You can always contact me on Bob@BBT4Vw.com this baby will be in Belgium by end of June, more then likely…

ok, one more picture from our new acquisition…. Nice car huh? I like it, I like the stance, I like the look, its a decent paint, and the hubcaps are my absolute favorite part of the whole car! Handpainted, nice!

a nice line up of crazy fast VW’s….

Perfect food for our License plate fetish!

Mildly customized or bone stock, nice to choose from… unfortunately not for sale….:(

I do have access however to the DDS bus, a 1965 panel van, that’s been made with authorization of Dean Lowry… its a cool bus, needs finishing and maybe some repair, cab floor need welding, but all in all absolutely not bad… in case of any interest, just email me on Bob@BBT4VW.com

and finally a nice impression of the always nice DKP line up, these are all extreme fast VW’s… the last one in this line up, the yellow one, is my friends Rick car….

I was not able to take pictures this time from the races, and I’m real sorry for that, next time You got a “double” size of shots, promised!….:)

I’m packing now, while you reading this, changes are big I’m in the airplane heading home… bye bye California, until next time!