Billo - the 1960 truck-art beetle from Pakistan

[nmshaikh]

NY Times organized the 2010 Collectible Car of the Year contest.

Classic and Collectible Cars Photo Search - New York Times Collectible Cars Share & View Photo Gallery

The contest was open for ALL vintage cars not just Volkswagens and there were some really 'to-die-for' entries expected. This did not deter me from entering Billo.

Classic and Collectible Cars Photo Search - New York Times Collectible Cars Share & View Photo Gallery

I believe there were about 2500+ cars that entered the contest and of those….drum roll please………

BILLO made it to the finals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Billo was one of the 30 finalists that people had to vote for online to select the 2010 Collectible Car of the Year

Classic and Collectible Cars Photo Search - New York Times Collectible Cars Share & View Photo Gallery

We did not win the contest but the mere fact that we made it to the finals, makes all the hours and dollars spent on her restoration worth it.

[reezvaan]

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[nmshaikh]

Lovely!

But they put the mileage on her wrong: 554687kms? Lovely naration too regarding Billo, to add up the spice to the taste.

I don't miss a chance to talk about the Pakistan truck art...really, it was a great opportunity to introduce this amazing art and the soft image of Pakistan to the NY Times readership so I did.

[nmshaikh]

Like a few other things that I could not get in Pakistan as no one would bring them from the US due to their size, weight or just plain…funny looking shape they didn’t want to risk being stopped at the customs was the window channels. When I was putting together the windows I literally joined pieces / sections of the original window channel to have a half decent set-up to keep the window glass from rattling. Rattle it didn’t but there were gaps where one piece of channel ended and the other started and whenever I washed the car some water would trickle on the inside of the window glass. Very annoying, I am sure you agree especially keeping in view that the other bits on the car were in top shape. I looked on the Samba and found original German window channels….at $65 for a pair it was pricy but I did not want to spend somewhat less and buy the one made in Brazil that looked that moulded out of tar paper.

Here are a few pictures of the installation that required taking off the handles, window winders and door panels. I took the opportunity to clean the insides of the doors and ensure the drain holes were open. While I do not have any pictures I did replace the door seals at the same time with OEM German ones. The doors are hard to close unless the windows are a crack open but isn’t that how a ‘real’ VW beetle door should behave?

The old channels that had worked so far

The blue plastic sheet to save the original door panels from moisture

The new window channel

Done!

[reezvaan]

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[nmshaikh]

Top Job.

While all these pictures remind me to thanks once again for the same German Window Channels you sent for Patina along with the Inner Brushes, this one picture above reminds me that the vent wing felt channels are smaller/narrower in size and Patina is missing one altogether while the other is nothing different than a mere channel of steel instead of rubber (as rubber packing is all worn out over the years. For now, until the German ones go on, I am using the aftermarket rubber brushes to save from rattling.

Thank you for being the person who was not afraid to send in this sizeable item across unlike when you wanted it for Billo and no one was there to send.

I have sent the narrow ones as well. Grab a complete set when you are in Islamabad. (if there are any left)

[reezvaan]

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[nmshaikh]

When was that? Coz at my last trip (June 06) I didnt see any. Or may be they were all gone before I was there?

I sent some in July. When did you go to Romano's last

[reezvaan]

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[nmshaikh]

June 06, 2011. Will call him up and ask him to keep one for me if a pair is still there.

absolutely..call the custodian of 'crown jewels' and register your humble request

[reezvaan]

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[nmshaikh]

A non-scheduled call might be irritating. Just inboxed him.

follow it up with a call when you see him online on Skype. I don't know if I'll be able to send more or even find the same.

[reezvaan]

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[reezvaan]

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[schehxad]

nice collection

[nmshaikh]

We just have had a word. Channels still there but boxes are closed until you arrive as he putted. Nonetheless, I have asked him to set aside a pair in any case.

Maybe you can sweet talk him into opening the treasure chests when you go to Islamabad

[nmshaikh]

nice collection

are you referring to my bugs? Thank you. There is one still not mentioned in there..my Oval ragtop..

[reezvaan]

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[nmshaikh]

The highlights.

Punch Buggy for Sick Kids.

June Jitter Bug Niagara Falls.

Kitchener Waterloo Bug Out

Bug Bust Webster NY.

and the best for the last...

NYC VW Traffic Jam (Billo was voted Best of Show in the Big Apple!)

..stay tuned.

[nmshaikh]

The 2010 show season started with the Punch Buggy for Sick Kids. For the first time we were allowed to park cars at the Yonge-Dundas square. It was a full day of fun. Unfortunately I cannot find the pictures taken that day. They are in the hard disk that has stopped working and I plan to get the data recovered when I am in Pakistan.

The second major event that year was the June Jitter Bug that Billo and I have been attending regularly each year. We got the People’s choice award that year. However pictures of the event are in the same hard disk.

In July, we went to the Kitchener Waterloo Bug out…but I do have a few pictures from that event.

If you have been following this thread from the start you probably know the show grounds at Kitchener Waterloo VW club. This is the longest running Volkswagen show in Canada, now in its 30th year (29 in 2010) and is organized by the Kitchener-Waterloo & Area Bug Club in association with K-W Optimist Club. If you find the mention of the double barrel name (Kitchener Waterloo) rather odd it is because these are two adjoining cities..more like Rawalpindi and Islamabad. However the actual venue of the show is in Heidelberg which is outside Kitchener –Waterloo.

Few days prior to the show as I was driving on the busy 401 I heard a loud clang! I looked in the back view mirror and saw a single hub cap rolling away at high speed. It looked familiar. It was Billo’s hub cap with truck art on it. Those who have driven on the north American highways or any major highway in the world for that matter, would know that it is not advisable or sometimes even possible to park on the side of the road and attempt to recover anything that may have fallen off the vehicle. I waved a silent good bye to the hub cap and carried on. I hope one of the MTO crew that maintains the highways found it and is taking good care.

With the bug show less than a week away I had to find a 4th hub cap. Unfortunately you can only buy genuine hand done, truck art hub caps from one seller in the whole of USA/Canada. The price is rather expensive at $50 a piece but such is the case when you have a monopoly. Here is the link..

TheSamba.com :: VW Classifieds - Truck art Hub caps for sale.

I could not find a matching hub cap so I had to opt for a complete new set of truck art hub caps for the show. Meanwhile I contacted Romano in Islamabad who got a pair of hub caps produced and sent over in a months time for a more affordable Rs. 5000.

Here are a few pictures taken on the day.

I love the show grounds in Heidelberg...the gentle slopes and the backdrop of corn fields

Those with a keen eye may spot John and Brenda's Harley Davidson bug and their trailer.

Billo on her way back from the show.

The ramp off Highway 401 in Mississauga