Let’s Talk Dubs a Classic VW Podcast

If you like vintage Volkswagens, then this podcast is for you. In this podcast, we discuss stories from the owners and people that are involved in the Volkswagen hobby. From stock Volkswagens to custom modified and everything in between tracking down vintage rare parts and drag racing we just about every topic possible that's involved in the air cooled Volkswagen hobby

Ep 360 Bill & George Roundtable 05/22/2026

EP 359 Bill Talks summer events, Magazine & Old VW inventions. 05/15/2026

Ep 358 Rick Sadler & his Type 4 racing history. 05/01/2026

Ep 357 The Big Super charger Kit from Rababak performance 04/28/2026

Ep 356 Dino Mendoza Real Street Race Director 04/17/2026

Ep 355 Lyle Cherry pt 1 Interview by Dean Kirsten 2012 04/10/2026

Ep 354 Super Beetles Only John List 04/04/2026

Ep 353 about time Inc. oil filler adapter inventor Kent Wallace 03/20/2026

Ep 352 Rick Hunt VW Carb Rebuilding 03/14/2026

Ep 351 Roundtable Bill Buys a Sport Bug 2026 show talk 03/06/2026

Ep 350 KARMA: The 1955 Karmann Ghia That Won the Al Slonaker Award | Type 1 Restoration at the Grand National Roadster Show 02/13/2026

Ep 350 KARMA: The 1955 Karmann Ghia That Won the Al Slonaker Award | Type 1 Restoration at the Grand National Roadster Show “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. Turmoil raised the bar. Karma shattered it. The 1955 Lowlight Karmann Ghia is already one of the rarest early production Volkswagens ever built — the very first year of Ghia production. Owner Dennis Troggio was also hands on with this build. But this car goes far beyond restoration. Nearly everything on Karma has been re-engineered, re-imagined, or custom-machined from scratch. The list of untouched parts is shorter than the list of one-off components. From custom-machined brake rotors carved out of solid cast iron, to intricate mechanical detailing throughout, no surface was overlooked. The interior, crafted by the world-renowned Recovery Room, is a masterclass in craftsmanship and restraint. Power comes from a 300 horsepower, full-race engine built by Doug Gonzales of RevMaster — a monster Type 1 powerplant that proves air-cooled performance belongs on the biggest stage. Competing against multi-million-dollar customs and elite coach-built machines, Karma didn’t just show up — it changed the conversation. This win is proof that when precision engineering meets vision, a Volkswagen can stand toe-to-toe with the best custom cars in the world. We also talk about the evolution of Type 1 Restoration, the misunderstood builds, the favorites, the setbacks, and the relentless drive to keep pushing the envelope. If history has shown us anything, it’s this: the next build coming from their shop will redefine expectations all over again. This episode is about craftsmanship, competition, redemption — and changing the game for Volkswagens on the biggest stage in custom car culture. /episode/index/show/letstalkdubs/id/40101345

Ep 349 OCW 2026 Type 1 Restoration wins at the GNRS 02/07/2026

Tech talk with Fred Simpson the “Great Engine Debate” 01/24/2026

Ep 347 I bought a new project! and Internet engine debate With Ross Wulf & Pat Downs performance 01/16/2026

Ep 346 Dino's Verts Down the baddest "Kat" in the Chevy Truck world is an OG VW guy! 01/09/2026

Ep 346 Dino's Verts Down the baddest "Kat" in the Chevy Truck world is an OG VW guy! 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 truck enthusiasts, custom builders, and C10 fans worldwide. But before the C10 fame, Dino's automotive journey began in the Volkswagen world. In this episode, we dive deep into his VW roots, his passion for air-cooled Volkswagens, and how that foundation shaped his approach to building, design, and community. We also break down his latest personal build—a jaw-dropping 1960 Volkswagen that defies categories. While it looks like a convertible, the window channels have been permanently sealed, making it a true open-air cruiser with a unique custom twist. This VW features air suspension by Levi at Pan Draggers, traditional styling mixed with modern creativity, and even subtle Chevy-inspired interior details—a perfect crossover of two iconic automotive worlds. We talk shop on custom fabrication, air-ride setups, vintage Volkswagen styling, and how his love for VW culture helped influence the growth of one of the biggest classic truck shows in the country. If you’re into classic Volkswagens, Chevy C10 trucks, custom car culture, air suspension builds, automotive event history, or the evolution of car shows, this episode is a must-listen. We cover Dino's full journey—from air-cooled VW beginnings to building an automotive empire—and how Dino Git Down became the global phenomenon it is today. Enjoy /episode/index/show/letstalkdubs/id/39673385

Ep 345 Type 4 Master Jake Raby 01/02/2026

Ep 345 Type 4 Master Jake Raby Jake Raby is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading experts on the Volkswagen Type 4 engine, with more than 30 years of hands-on experience building, developing, and refining air-cooled Type 4 VW engines. Since the late 1990s, Jake has been deeply involved in Type 4 engine rebuilding, performance development, and long-term reliability testing for platforms used in VW Bus, Porsche 914, and high-performance air-cooled Volkswagen applications. Over the decades, Jake has pushed the limits of the Type 4 air-cooled engine platform, pioneering advancements in cooling systems, cylinder head porting, plenum and intake temperature control, camshaft profiles, and custom internal components. Many of the bespoke Type 4 engine parts used in his builds were designed or commissioned specifically to solve known weaknesses and extract maximum horsepower while maintaining street-driven reliability. What sets Jake apart in the air-cooled Volkswagen Type 4 engine world is his uncompromising work ethic and attention to detail. Every engine is built as a custom, customer-specific Type 4 VW engine, focused on longevity, drivability, and real-world performance—not shortcuts. His mission has always been the advancement of the Type 4 VW hobby, ensuring these engines remain viable, powerful, and dependable decades after their original production. Beyond engine building, Jake has played a major role in Type 4 engine education, offering classes, technical training, and early-2000s instructional videos covering Type 4 engine teardown, inspection, and rebuild processes—resources that helped countless Volkswagen enthusiasts understand and preserve this unique engine platform. That innovation didn’t stop with Volkswagen. Jake later applied his engineering mindset to the Porsche flat-six engine world, where he helped develop the widely known intermediate shaft (IMS) bearing solution, along with numerous other reliability upgrades for Porsche engines. This episode is packed with deep technical insight into Volkswagen Type 4 engines, air-cooled performance development, engine reliability, and decades of real-world testing. If you’re passionate about VW Type 4 engines, air-cooled Volkswagens, Porsche engineering, or engine development at the highest level, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. www.letstalkdubs..com use code LTD10 for 10% off your order /episode/index/show/letstalkdubs/id/39592575

Ep 344 Sausage, Local VW hoard & Murder 12/27/2025

Ep 344 Sausage, Local VW hoard & Murder 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. use code LTD10 for 10% off /episode/index/show/letstalkdubs/id/39540440