Domi and Flo drove to Germany again, in order to pick up two cars – a Trabant for Friedrich and another Bug for Flo. They decided to go there in a VW pulling a special tow bar. They were just two guys driving three cars, but everything worked out!
On the way to Germany Flo and Domi met Friedrich and his “Última Edición” (right) – a Volkswagen Bug from 2003 – close to his family home in Upper Austria.
Domi and his friend Flo took Herbie for a ride to Bavaria, Germany. On their way Herbie lost all case studs of one of the cylinder heads. The wildest nightmare got reality, but the Love Bug made it back to Vienna and Friedrich’s VW shop safely.
Domi noticed a weird and loud noise in the back. He knew immediately that Herbie is loosing his right cylinder head, where cylinder one and two are operating.
It got worse and Herbie lost all case studs. Flo and Domi couldn’t hear each other talking, because it was getting so loud. Herbie sounded like a tractor!
Moreover Herbie shed a lot of motor oil on the freeway, but he eventually made it and got back to Vienna, where Domi and Friedrich will repair his Brazilian engine.
Domi is still working on a 1,200 cc carburetor engine for Herbie No. II at Friedrich’s shop in Vienna. We’re thinking about taking the Love Bug for a final ride continuing Herbie’s World Tour, after we’ve traveled more than 95,000 miles (150,000 km) so far.
A special feature is the additional oil filter including a bigger oil pump by BOCAR.
Furthermore, Herbie gets a high performance coil and an electronic ignition system.
But we’ll stick to a simple dynamo as they are more resistant than generators.
On the occasion of Zainab’s birthday, we went together for the first time to the drive-in on Monday. This is the only drive-in theater in Austria, it is called “Autokino Center Wien” and is located in Groß Enzersdorf, just outside of Vienna. We had a blast!
Christian, Georgy, Flo, Matthias and Domi visited the 4th Friday Night Cruising by “Altblech” – a community for classic cars in Austria. Every last Friday of the month vintage cars from all over meet at the parking lot of Vienna’s biggest shopping center.
We wanted to say “thank you” to our friends from Paraguay, Natalia Florentin and Jorge Ortiz (left on picture below) and of course their Classic VW Club for everything they’ve done for us while we were traveling across South America this year.
Therefore we just sent Jorge two original German made headlight lenses by BOSCH as a present from “good old” Europe. He told us back then, that he would love to have such lenses on his true to original restored Bug from 1965.
Five “DLV” air-cooled Volkswagen (including Herbie) visited the 19th VW Bug Show in Lengenfeld, Lower Austria, today. We had a good time, even though it was a bit rainy.
Yesterday, the newsmagazine “Heute” published something about Herbie’s World Tour.
The picture was taken in the Atacama Desert of Chile on our trip across South America.
We’ve already done 150,000 kilometers so far and our 34 horsepower are still running.
It is time for the 19th VW Bug Show in Lengenfeld, Lower Austria. We’ll be there on Saturday. If you are interested in following our convoy, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Domi had a glorious past when he was participating at “Gas Saving Competitions”. From 2004 to 2006 he was always one of the best drivers until he won it all in 2006.
The deal was to drive a car for about 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) as gas saving as possible. There are many tricks how to save gas, especially with a manual shift.
In 2004, when Domi attended this kind of tournament for the first time, he surprisingly finished third. At that time he didn’t know, that his lucky streak would continue.
In 2005, he came in second and was even faster than his fellow champion. Now his dream was to reach the last step. Domi was anxious to win the following year.
And he did! In 2006, Domi finally won the entire competition and got country’s “Gas Saving Champion” . He just used a bit more than three liters of gas for 100 kilometers.
The first prize was a brand new Smart ForTwo Coupé, which he sold in order to afford a car for his mom. With the remaining amount of money he could buy himself Herbie!
At present, Herbie No. II runs with a fuel injected engine made in Brazil, powered by 1,600 cc. Our plan is to change that. Herbie should get back to his original 1,200 cc.
The motor with fuel injection (above) runs really great! Domi says, it’s the best engine, he has ever driven. Its power during acceleration is truly amazing. And it was for sure a pioneer work by Domi and his friend Friedrich to install such a motor in such a Bug.
At the moment, Domi reactivates an old 1,200 cc carburetor engine he got from another Beetle, which burnt out, went for sale and Domi bought just couple days ago (see post). Therefore, Herbie will ride again “with 34 horses around the globe” very soon.
Herbie’s World Tour just got featured a second time in the so-called “Camping Revue” by the Austrian Camping Club (ÖCC). The first part was a printed version (see “Press”). But both parts are also published online. They are written by Domi in German and you can find them by following this link or clicking the picture below.
Although we were not camping across South America this time, the ÖCC was excited to tell its readers another adventure made by Herbie and his owners. And we, as we are back in Austria, are now looking forward to going on tour very soon again.
After several years of driving within Austria and touring across Europe last year, Herbie finally got new tires. Domi bought ones made by the Asian brand Hankook. But we had problems to get them on the rims. Due the storage, the tires got deformed, so it wasn’t possible to inflate them. But Friedrich had a special trick (see below).
We sprayed brake parts cleaner between rim and tire and ignited the area by using a lighter. The sudden expansion put the rubber into the right position. Sometimes you simply have to improvise, even though the idea sounds a bit weird!
Herbie No. II and Flo’s ‘66 went for a ride, with two trailers in tow, the other day. They picked up a completely disassembled VW Bug from 1984 and a moped, which they got from various auctions. Domi bought the old Beetle just because he needs its engine. We’ll have to figure out what we’ll do with all the other parts of the car.
Last weekend Domi and his good friend Flo from the air-cooled community DLV drove in his Bug from 1966 to Upper Austria to pick up Herbie No. II and the other “QEK” camper. They were stored in an old farmer’s barn. After that they visited their friend and mechanic, Friedrich Hübsch, in Waldhausen im Strudengau, where Flo’s Bug got a new gas tank and where we tried to clean out his plugged-up fuel line.
It was time to say “goodbye” for us, as we left Herbie No. I, “QEK” the camper and Ridgecrest, California. We went back home to Austria, Europe.
The Love Bug set-up will remain in the US while we are preparing Herbie No. II and ourselves for another adventure and continuing Herbie’s World Tour.
We’re flying back home to Austria! Our plan for there is to activate our Love Bug No. II in order to continue Herbie’s World Tour on the other side of the globe. Domi and his friend Michael Lee Phillips went on a last trip in Herbie No. I for this year. They visited Trona in Searles Valley, where Michael was born and raised. He also showed Domi the local cemetery and the graves of his parents, Ruth and Frank.
Domi went shopping again. At the local junk yard he found three engine lid scripts for just ten Bucks. We’ll take them back home in order put one of those on Herbie No. II.
As Herbie No. II is powered by a fuel injected engine, this script would perfectly fit.
But Domi actually bought three different Volkswagen emblems for the engine hoods.
We’ll might put an original motor (1,200 cc with carburetor) back into Herbie No. II. For that case, we could easily change the “Fuel Injection” script into the “Volkswagen” one.
Very soon we’ll have to leave Herbie No. I and his fellow camper behind. They will be waiting for us here in Southern California, while we are in Europe or somewhere else.
Today we did our last laundry. The clothes are hanging on a tree to dry, right besides our Love Bug in front of the apartment. On Friday we’ll leave Ridgecrest, California.
This is the new spot where Herbie and “QEK Junior”, the camper, are going to stay, while we are gone, preparing Herbie No. II for another adventure, exploring the world.
We received a package by mail from South America the other day. The Classic VW Club Paraguay sent us a copy of the “ABC Color” magazine featuring Herbie’s World Tour. But the package also included a gorgeous handcrafted pin. Thank you so much!
With over 21 million manufactured in an air-cooled, rear-engined, rear-wheel drive configuration, the Volkswagen Beetle is the longest-running and most-manufactured car of a single design platform anywhere in the world. Let’s celebrate!
Herbie’s World Tour got featured in the latest edition of “FUSCA & CIA”, a Brazilian magazine about the air-cooled Volkswagen Bug. The story goes over eight full pages and includes a lot of pictures from our travels around the world. The article is written in Portuguese by Luiz Guedes Jr. from Brazil.
We just rewarded Herbie with the so-called “Safety Star”. Domi found a very nice reproduction of this vintage accessory on an online auction website.
The “Safety Star” was given out as a reward to excellent drivers by their insurance companies in the past. We think, Herbie deserves that too!
Normally, people would have the “Safety Star” as a license plate topper. We’ll put it on top of Herbie’s right rear bumper guard serving as a third brake light.
The original “Safety Stars” were introduced in the 1930ies and were exclusively manufactured by “National Safety Devise” in San José, California.
Herbie's World Tour 