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Ep 344 Sausage, Local VW hoard & Murder

Let’s Talk Dubs a Classic VW Podcast

Release Date: 12/27/2025

Ep 355 Lyle Cherry pt 1 Interview by Dean Kirsten 2012 show art Ep 355 Lyle Cherry pt 1 Interview by Dean Kirsten 2012

Let’s Talk Dubs a Classic VW Podcast

One of my favorite parts of doing this podcast is preserving the history of the Volkswagen scene—and sometimes, that history shows up in ways you don’t expect. While catching up with my friend Dean Kirsten, I was blown away to learn he had a collection of long-form digital interviews he recorded back in the early 2000s for Hot VWs Magazine. These weren’t just quick quotes for print—they were deep, unfiltered conversations with some of the most influential figures in the VW world. What you’re about to hear is Part One of a two-part series from one of those interviews—originally...

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Ep 354 Super Beetles Only John List show art Ep 354 Super Beetles Only John List

Let’s Talk Dubs a Classic VW Podcast

Super Beetles have long been one of the most misunderstood—and often underappreciated—air-cooled Volkswagens here in the United States. But if you look across the pond, or even dig into certain corners of the hardcore VW scene, the story is completely different. Built from 1971 to 1977, the Super Beetle was actually Volkswagen’s most advanced evolution of the classic Beetle platform. With its MacPherson strut front suspension, improved handling, and increased comfort, it marked a major leap forward in performance and drivability. Yet despite those advancements, it never quite earned the...

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Ep 353 about time Inc. oil filler adapter inventor Kent Wallace show art Ep 353 about time Inc. oil filler adapter inventor Kent Wallace

Let’s Talk Dubs a Classic VW Podcast

He’s not dead… and neither is true VW innovation. In the world of classic Volkswagens, creativity has always been part of the DNA. From backyard builders to full-blown innovators, the VW scene thrives on people who see a problem—and build something better. That’s exactly what happened with Kent Wallace and Dave Patten. Frustrated with the messy, outdated process of filling oil in their VW engines, these two enthusiasts set out to solve a problem we’ve all dealt with. What came out of it? A simple but brilliant oil fill adapter that changed the game. Originally selling for just $19,...

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Ep 352 Rick Hunt VW Carb Rebuilding show art Ep 352 Rick Hunt VW Carb Rebuilding

Let’s Talk Dubs a Classic VW Podcast

Carburetors have long been one of the very first performance upgrades people make to their classic Volkswagens. But with so many choices out there—Weber DCNFs, IDAs, IDFs, and the various Dellorto options in 36, 40, and 45mm—it can be hard to know which setup is right for your engine. In this episode, we sit down with Rick Hunt of Rick Hunt Industries, a man who rebuilds carburetors every single day. Rick has been part of the Volkswagen scene since the mid-1980s, when he started working at a VW shop in Simi Valley. There he learned mechanical work, engine rebuilding, and eventually...

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Ep 351 Roundtable Bill Buys a Sport Bug 2026 show talk show art Ep 351 Roundtable Bill Buys a Sport Bug 2026 show talk

Let’s Talk Dubs a Classic VW Podcast

On this episode of Let’s Talk Dubs, Bill breaks down his latest Volkswagen marketplace find — a 1973 VW Sport Bug, one of the coolest factory special editions Volkswagen produced in the early ’70s. These cars were offered in just two colors, Marathon Blue Metallic or Saturn Yellow, and came from the factory with a unique package that included wider sport wheels, close-ratio steering, Recaro sport seats, a custom sport steering wheel, blacked-out trim, and the signature side racing stripe that made the Sport Bug stand out from the standard Beetle lineup. Bill talks about what makes the...

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Ep 350 KARMA: The 1955 Karmann Ghia That Won the Al Slonaker Award | Type 1 Restoration at the Grand National Roadster Show show art Ep 350 KARMA: The 1955 Karmann Ghia That Won the Al Slonaker Award | Type 1 Restoration at the Grand National Roadster Show

Let’s Talk Dubs a Classic VW Podcast

  “Karma” is the latest ground-breaking creation from Type 1 Restoration — Dennis Troggio's 1955 Lowlight Karmann Ghia that just captured the coveted Al Slonaker Award at the Grand National Roadster Show, the highest honor for non-roadster vehicles at the most prestigious indoor custom car show in the world. This wasn’t their first shot at Slonaker glory. We get into the second attempt — and how lessons learned from the legendary “Turmoil” split-window Beetle (a build that redefined what was possible in the VW and hot rod world) shaped the philosophy behind Karma....

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Ep 349 OCW 2026 Type 1 Restoration wins at the GNRS show art Ep 349 OCW 2026 Type 1 Restoration wins at the GNRS

Let’s Talk Dubs a Classic VW Podcast

On this episode, Bill dives headfirst into One Crazy Weekend 2026 and what you can expect from what’s shaping up to be the biggest, baddest weekend of the year. If you’re planning to attend, now’s the time to start saving, booking rooms, and getting mentally prepared—this one’s going to be special. Bill breaks down the latest updates, including the new Sunday Cool-Down Pool Party, presented by Spikes Restoration and Werk Restoration—a perfect way to wind down after a full throttle weekend of Volkswagens, friends, and late nights. The episode also covers Bill’s road trip to the...

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Tech talk with Fred Simpson  the “Great Engine Debate” show art Tech talk with Fred Simpson the “Great Engine Debate”

Let’s Talk Dubs a Classic VW Podcast

There’s been a lot of noise lately about engine performance, dyno numbers, and expectations—and instead of adding to the speculation, I brought in someone who actually lives this stuff. This week, I sit down with Fred Simpson for a good conversation on cylinder head technology, porting and polishing, and how all of it really translates into horsepower. Fred breaks down engine combinations, airflow calculations, and what kind of power you can realistically expect from different motor setups—while also being honest about the limitations he’s run into over the years. We also get into...

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Ep 347 I bought a new project!  and Internet engine debate With Ross Wulf & Pat Downs performance show art Ep 347 I bought a new project! and Internet engine debate With Ross Wulf & Pat Downs performance

Let’s Talk Dubs a Classic VW Podcast

I made it a whole two weeks into the new year without buying a new project… and then I blew it 😆. This episode kicks off with the story of how I ended up with “Pookie’s Dream,” the iconic VW Trends August 1991 cover car. We touch on what that car meant to the hobby back then and why it still matters today. But the real heart of this episode is The Great Engine Debate. A recent dyno session sparked a massive discussion after comments posted by Ross Wolf revealed an engine that didn’t deliver the expected results. What followed was an explosion of opinions—over 65 comments...

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Ep 346 Dino's Verts Down the baddest Ep 346 Dino's Verts Down the baddest "Kat" in the Chevy Truck world is an OG VW guy!

Let’s Talk Dubs a Classic VW Podcast

The baddest "Kat" in the Chevy truck world might surprise you—because it all started with Volkswagens. In this episode, we sit down with  “Dino Battilana, the mastermind behind the world-famous Dino Git Down Chevy truck show in Phoenix, Arizona, one of the largest and most influential classic Chevy C10 events in the country. For more than 10 years, Dino Git Down has drawn Chevy pickup trucks from all over the United States and international visitors, growing into an absolute monster of a show. With over 13,000 trucks attending last year, it has become a must-attend event for classic...

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More Episodes

San Leandro, California—an industrial Bay Area city shaped by its Portuguese community and a deep-rooted Volkswagen culture—holds a story few outside the neighborhood ever knew. Tucked away behind an unassuming fence was a Volkswagen collection unlike anything else in the region. For years, local kids would stop, peer through the slats, and take it all in: early Beetles, split windows, rare convertibles, stacks of glass, and parts that hinted at decades of careful accumulation.

It was a forgotten archive of Volkswagen history—silent, untouched, and unexplained.

Then came the revelation.

The cars belonged to Stuart Alexander, the owner of the Sausage King facility and the man later convicted in one of San Leandro’s most infamous criminal cases—the murder of health inspectors at his warehouse. A crime that shocked the community also cast a long shadow over what had once seemed like a harmless automotive mystery.

In the years that followed, the Volkswagen hoard was quietly dismantled. With the help of a volunteer assisting the family, the cars were sold off—often at fair, reasonable prices—and released back into the Volkswagen world. One by one, these forgotten cars reentered the scene, restored, driven, shown, and enjoyed, largely disconnected from the dark chapter that once surrounded them.

In this episode, we Me & John Limnios explore the intersection of true crime and Volkswagen history—how a legendary Bay Area VW stash came to be, how it disappeared, and where those cars may be today. Many of them are still out there, living new lives, their origins unknown to their current owners.

If you own one of these cars, recognize the story, or have information about the San Leandro VW hoard, we invite you to reach out. This is more than a crime story—it’s an unfinished chapter of Volkswagen history, and together, we may be able to trace it back to where it began.

 

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