Jeff about driving fast and vintage design

Back in the ‘90s, when all his friends were driving Bay Windows, Karmann Ghias and Beetles, Heritage Sales Director and petrol head Jeff chose not to conform. His car history is dominated by Escorts, Minis and the majority of British Leyland’s back catalogue. However, with so many friends into German classics it was only a matter of time before Jeff’s own Volkswagen story began. His first aircooled experience was a Type 3 Fastback. A car that blends practicality with style, and hints at a sporty edge. In fact, Jeff really rates the Type 3 as a “jewel of a compact car” from that era. It wouldn’t be his last Volkswagen…

The Beginning

Being a real car lover and having always worked on his own cars where possible, it was no surprise that Jeff generated a genuine enthusiasm for air-cooled Volkswagens. Following his foray into Fastback ownership, a decade ago he bought himself a tin top 1966 Split Screen 11 window with Devon interior. “I loved it, but unfortunately the Split had to go to release some cash”, he recalls. Since he couldn’t live with the idea of not owning a classic anymore, the bus made way for a 1966 1300 Sea Sand Beetle, to scratch the old car itch. After an early career in the action sports industry Jeff joined Heritage in 2014 and became part of our team of enthusiasts. It was only a matter of time before we featured him and his characteristic car in the Heritage Magazine. So, one sunny autumn afternoon Jeff and I left the Heritage HQ and went for a drive, to chat over his love for this vintage German classic. Take a look yourself…

Speeding Up!

If you’re passionate about performance, driving a Beetle is not your first port of call. The 1300cc single port engine is neither punchy nor overly powerful. But Jeff raced his Beetle fast through the narrow Sussex countryside roads, clearly loving every minute behind the wheel. The steering was quick and surprisingly responsive. It took less than a minute for me to appreciate this Beetle could provide a lot of driving fun.

The Project

As with many Beetle’s, Jeff’s example hasn’t always looked like this. His has been treated to a restoration of the lower 6 inches since he signed his name on the registration document in 2012. The Chassis has benefitted from the warm end of the welder, with brand new Beetle floor pans and heater channels making things structurally sound again. The mechanicals have been rejuvenated with fresh MEYLE ball joints all round to compliment a quartet of new Sachs Boge shock absorbers. DIY-mechanic Jeff also saw fit to replace the Beetle Clutch, including release bearing and operating lever for a smooth shifting experience. A new steering box wrapped up the resto and keeps his Beetle on the racing line!

"A vintage car needs a vintage interior"

With an eye for timeless design the Beetle was an obvious choice for Jeff; but he wasn’t about to accessorise it with any old stuff “a vintage car needs a vintage interior” he told us. We couldn’t agree more, and Jeff has hit the nail on the head with his blend of technology and period style utilising the RetroSounds dash mounted speaker to play his tunes, through a cleverly adapted period radio. With a young family who also travel in his car, safety has been considered, but not at the cost of style. Classic looking seat belts ensure the kids won’t fall out, but compliment the black and white vinyl interior perfectly, not looking out of place, or competing for your attention over the carpet set from Newton Commercial, or the patina of the steering wheel, which could tell a thousand tales, if only it spoke. A fan of the sunshine, Jeff loves nothing more than slipping on ‘flip flops and shades’ should the occasion arise. The weather wasn’t in favour of his favourite footwear, but he did find the opportunity to model his OVAN sunglasses – a new US-based optic brand offering a huge range of high-quality sunglasses and snow goggles. Check out their range here… we rather like them! The last pit stop of the day was at Sussex Four Wheel Drive – The Forge Garage, where we stopped for a “cuppa tea” and some expert talk. At the end of a full day of Beetle driving fun, we both felt very lucky to work in the world of classic cars. Eva.