www.sv2s.com

So, I've been gone many years, and have finally resurfaced. Some are happy, some don't know me, some are ambivalent, I don't know any who are unhappy I'm back, but there could be some.

I was wondering if we could get an update on the condition of the Club Bus. Where it is, what it's needs are, and what the plan for it's future is.

I would like to see it used, driven, and advertising the club. I had a thought that it might be "corporate sponsored" where we find a corporation that would be willing to sponsor it (for a small yearly fee) and have the corporate logo/tagline added to the bus (maybe on the rear, so as not to get mixed up with the HUGE SV2S logo that is/was/should be on the side).

It is my feeling that it should be at most club events, campouts, and anywhere where there is a club presence. I know that (in the past) it was not in the best shape, and club members would come out of pocket for it's repairs and expenses. If we could get a corporate sponsor, for say maybe $1000/yr that should take care of it's expenses and even add some to fixing it up (maybe camperize it). Maybe we get TWO sponsors, give them each half the backside for their logo/tagline and make a little cash for the club to use throwing events? The sponsors don't have to be VW related, they could be anything, a PAINTING CONTRACTOR, or REAL ESTATE COMPANY, or anything since it would be a rolling billboard (at least the back of it).

Then there is the problem of identifying someone who would use it, if not daily, at least VERY often (in order to entice the corporations who would buy the ad space). Is there someone in the club who does not have a bus, but would like to, and if the expenses of keeping it running were paid by the advertising would take on this job?

Any comments, thoughts, flames, poo-poo's to my wacky idea?

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63 Sub Hatch Westy -- THE HATCH
66 SO42 TinTop
66 Custom Kombi -- GONE TO IRELAND
SV2s #425
"Craig from LA"
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"Three out of four voices in my head say 'Go for it'."

For some time the CB has been the topic of many conversations, keep it , sell it, can't seem to come to an agreement on this.
There are some in the club that feel the CB has run it coarse and it needs to be sold, others would like to see it up and running as a great representation of this fine bus club!!
I know there are annual expenses involved and that has been an issue in the past (registration, insurance, maintenance etc).

Russell has the CB at this time and he would know better than anyone what it needs. Maybe he will chime in and give us an update as to the overall condition of it.

I believe this is a great opportunity to discuses this topic.

Does anyone have any pics of the CB being at any past events?? If so please post.

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Slayer Out!!!
(Chris C.)

"Marine Sniper - You can run, but you'll just die tired!"

56 Kombi (The Slayer Bus)
65 Sundial Camper
68 Single Cab
61 Rag Top (went to a good home)
03 Passat (gone)
SV2s Member #231

X2! Greg, you've definitely have been under a rock for quite some time. The topic has been discussed time and again. Did you read most of the threads here in the club bus forum? Nearly all issues have been brought up and talked about until the last beer. Yet no decision has ever made one way or another.

My latest suggestion would be to take a vote of those present at whatever event (i.e. Christmas party, members appreciation, etc.) and decide right there and then on an ultimate fate for it. Could be something like 3 or 4 choices, write your choice down and toss it in a hat. Votes then get counted and settle for what it is. Or on a similar way, tossed in a hat but pick one at random and settle for what it is.

The main issue is that no one seems to be willing to make a decision while the bus just sits and deteriorates every day.

We all have great ideas but hardly anyone is willing or able to take them to fruition and/or managing and be responsible for the end result. Hate to sound so negatory here but been there and done way a lot of that, yet we're still pretty much in the same spot.

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“The difference between a philanthropist and a liberal is that a philanthropist is generous with his own money.” Jack Kelly

Pyro,

What do you think about my idea of making it income generating? I'm sure there may be a PAINTING CONTRACTOR who could use some cheap advertising, and possibly someone else who owns their own business???

We could "loan" it to a club member to use, someone who wants to be driving a bus but for one reason or another can not afford to make it happen...

What do you think?

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63 Sub Hatch Westy -- THE HATCH
66 SO42 TinTop
66 Custom Kombi -- GONE TO IRELAND
SV2s #425
"Craig from LA"
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"Three out of four voices in my head say 'Go for it'."

I understand this bus has a long history, especially before my time in the club, but I personally feel that if put back into running order and with the SV2s logo on the side, it would make for great advertisement for the club.

As for the income generating, I think depending on how it looks will determine if anyone would want to sponsor it. I wouldn't want my business name on a run down bus... but a restored bus, in a heart beat! It would be a good rolling advertisement for a local car painter...

The main issue that seems to be coming up over and over is who will get it back up and running and then maintain it. If we could overcome this obstacle, then I think things would be a lot easier to figure out what to do with it.

The last I heard it doesn't even have an engine. Who has an extra one of those laying around? That would be a good start.....

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'67 Beetle
'67 Squareback
'66 Sundial
'60 Single cab
2000 New Beetle

SV2s #202

The Club Bus, wow, this topic. Here we go….ready?……………..















Before this and any "Bright" ideas happen to the bus, the bus needs to be assessed to see what state it's in.

Once this is done, the club needs to decide if it has the $$, time and DEDICATION to invest into it to make it even drivable let alone have it be used as advertisement.



More problems exist having the club bus as a functional Club Bus with the intents that are mentioned here…...

Here's a small list of problems that we have faced just off the top of my head…….

- Who is going to store the bus on their property?
- Who's name will it be registered to?
- Who's going to pick up the tab for Insurance"
- Who will pay the registration?
- Who will pay for parking tickets, speeding tickets, toll road violations?(Yes, all of these have happened to the club bus)(it should be the responsibility of the person that drove the bus, but these "Gifts" get mailed to the registered owner and goes against them if not taken care of….ask me how I know)
- Who is going to pound the pavement and talk to ANY vendor about sponsorships and/or donations?
- Who is going to spend weekend, after weekend, after weekend, after weekend(You get my drift) working on the club bus getting it ready and maintaining it?
- Who is going to be the member responsible for taking the CB to EVERY SHOW IMAGINABLE? Because you know, if the club bus has sponsors, THE CLUB BUS SHOULD BE AT EVERY MAJOR VW SHOW UP AND DOWN CALIFORNIA.
- Once the bus is at the show, who is going to stay at the club booth representing the club, talking to prospective members, donating SV2s stuff to the raffles to get our name out there? You know, let the VW bus community know that we are still here.
- Who is going to drive the bus to EVERY MONTHLY EVENT? Campout, cruises, potlucks, member appreciations. The club events should have the Club Bus present there.

You also need someone pounding the pavement talking to vendors at shows, you know "Work" willing to invest in the club bus. Someone to talk to non-VW vendors about advertising, all the while the members tackle many weekends of "Work on the Club Bus" days to get it back in any kind of presentable shape.(WE ALWAYS HAD ISSUES GETTING ENOUGH MEMBERS TO COME OUT TO THESE)


Whew, I'm sure I missed a few points oh wait, here are a few more…...

If my memory serves me correctly…….

- The Club Bus has some MAJOR bondo issues that were "Covered Up" when we first got it, and after years of use, the bondo was beginning to crack and look AWFUL.
-The entire body needs to be completely gone through and fixed, not covered up.
- New paint is needed.
- I also heard that the engine in it is TOAST, I could be wrong as it is not in my possession.

THIS IS ALOT OF "WORK"

THIS IS THE PROBLEM. Members are TIRED of working(Examples:Bob Baker, FF shows are gone because it was loud and clear that the members were done with putting the shows on, too much work).
Just my .02

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SV2s Member #239
1963 Camper - Dormobile(Almost)
1957 Single Cab
1965 Apache Trailer - Silver Eagle

"Camping, cheaper than therapy" - Bill May

And here I thought this was going to be talk about citizens band radios...

I let my opinion about the club bus be known at the planning meeting, but in short, it's gotta go. David brings up many, many valid points. I just think we really need to focus on the health of the club, its members and their buses.

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'66 Standard Microbus [o\@/o]
SV2s Member #81
SBNB #2

WOW! I wish I would have seen this post a little sooner.................

For many reasons that were brought up by David the Club Bus has been sitting in my driveway for the last 2 years, I did some body work to it and invested time and money for a while.

I did borrow the engine out of it when my truck engine needed work, it dropped a valve and I paid for new pistons, barrels and a good used set of heads that the valve destroyed.
Several months later I used the engine again in my single cab while I had a new engine built, after a couple of weeks it spun a bearing and froze up. (about 2 months ago)

A couple of weeks ago Stan was in town and we went to dinner with him, Scott, John and his family, we are all long time members of the club, while we were talking about the direction the club has taken many things were brought up, mostly the lack of participation of the members to do the "Groundpounding" as David called it to generate new members and revenue for the club.
We gave up the Bob Baker show because we couldn't get many members to help out with the setting up to make the show happen.
If it weren't for William, P.A. and myself, (especially William) we would not have done Familienfest 17, last year we appointed 6 board members and couldn't organize 1 show? No Familienfest, No Bob Baker, No newsletter?

The club put out a substantial amount of money to keep the Bus drivable for a few years, some members spent more time working on it then they did on their own Bus to get it to a show or event.
It had been driven by several members on a daily basis and the club paid for the upkeep, (registration, tires, maitenance, upgrades etc.)

When I took over as president of the club William and I decided to stop the money going into the club Bus and use it more effectively, front money for doing shows, events, newsletter etc.

I have been approached by 1 of the members who wanted to sell it and split the profits between some of the members, I couldn't imagine how that could have been worked out fairly, I thought about fixing it up for myself as a camper but it didn't really belong to me so mostly it just sat with no offers from any of the members to come over and work on it the whole time it was here.

A couple of days after having dinner with the people mentioned Stan was at my house, He told me John was interested in the Club Bus and was willing to buy it and fix it up for him and his family to use. For those of you who were around way back when, John won the Bus at an O.C.T.O. show as the raffle prize. He also gave it up to the Club to use and he was the one who had many parts donated, trans built, seats redone and more when we first put it together.

After thinking hard about what the "Right thing" would be, to be fair to everyone involved, I gave the Club Bus back to John, the original owner who gave it to us.
I told him to use whatever money he was going to offer for it to get it painted. (I received no Money)
I gave him all the parts that were with it and I bought for it over the last couple of years.

Feel free to call me if you have any questions, complaints, or other comments.

It will be loved and back on the road soon and hopefully we'll see more of John and his family at future events.

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Member# 142

Well okay then. Never mind.

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63 Sub Hatch Westy -- THE HATCH
66 SO42 TinTop
66 Custom Kombi -- GONE TO IRELAND
SV2s #425
"Craig from LA"
_________________
"Three out of four voices in my head say 'Go for it'."

John had a good idea to use it as a "chase/club" bus!
Since the beginning it never seemed to work out though, for all the reasons already listed. I for one did very little to help the cause and would have to find a new place to live if I tried to store at "our" house.

I agree with Russell, give it back to the family that donated it in the first place where it will be loved again.


My $.02

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#223
66 21 Deluxe

Please do not take it personal! It just had turned into a sore subject. However, you know what it's said about a stupid question...

I'll add this much, though some members may/will object to what Russell just did, some times decisions need to be made!!! Specially when we talk and talk and talk and discuss and discusss ....... we get mucho talk and poco action!


Not to bitch and moan about it but just making a plain statement of fact, only "some of us" actually did some work on the bus itself as well as upkeep and make sure we or somebody else drove it to most all events. At times it DID carry all club equipment and such. Can't think of a particular show it DIDN'T attend, from our local campouts and shows to Red Barn to Yuma to Lake Havafew and even Jerome!!!

I've also had "stored it" in at least 2 of my houses (I moved a lot!). However, it has run it's course and I for one (or 2 including Russell) believe this will be a good turn of fate for it. Not to mention welcoming John Dubya back to our events and campouts!


Also please note that at least to my knowledge, any expense dished out by members on it was reimbursed or covered up front with club monies. As far as actual labor, it must be though as the same kind that any one of us offer to other members in need. After all, that right there was the true and original main intent of the club, to help others in their quest to acquire and restore their own buses.

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“The difference between a philanthropist and a liberal is that a philanthropist is generous with his own money.” Jack Kelly

I can't think of a more deserving person then John. If I have or had any say in this I could not agree more with Russell's decision.

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Prosit!

# 156
# 303

A witty saying proves nothing....... Voltaire.

Good outcome all around. And welcome back to John W.



{Ed. = FIFY!}

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'67 Beetle
'67 Squareback
'66 Sundial
'60 Single cab
2000 New Beetle

SV2s #202

I am glad that the Bus Formerly Known As The Club Bus (BFKATCB? How's that for a confusing personalized plate??) has moved in a positive direction and will hopefully be moving under its own power again soon. Congrats, John and family! And thank you, Russell, for taking stewardship for the last couple years. I had a great time taking the bus to Buses By the Bridge X, way back when. It was nice to have a place to sleep that was not on the ground or in a tent.

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"Do or do not. There is no try."-Silent Bob


Shawn
Member #420
'65 SC (now Louis's)
'68 Westy!

does this mean the club is done borrowing my cargo mat and I can have it returned????

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SV2s member #341
1 of Joe Slack's "Real Deal Help Each Other out Members"
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=453617

if it is still in the CB then maybe I can swing by and pick it up tomorrow before heading down to the meeting since John does live around the corner from me. The bus is parked outside his house. Let me know what you find out Bill.

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-- William --
Your new SV2 Club Treasurer

SV2s #436

If 4 out of 5 people SUFFER from diarrhea....does that mean that one out of five enjoys it?

in 14 years John W. was around me only 1 time. free food, and brought others with him. club paid for free food. I was vice president at that time.

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SV2s member #341
1 of Joe Slack's "Real Deal Help Each Other out Members"
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=453617