Having been a VW fan since childhood, John Cunningham has worked his way through more than 20 VW projects over the years, many of which being award-winning vehicles, we should add. He commented, “I think my passion began while visiting the Doncaster custom car shows in the late ’70s and early ’80s and, while my friends all seemed to love Fords or yanks, for me it was the VWs that caught my eye.” John’s first VW was actually a ’72 Fastback, which he bought back in ’88 at the tender age of 17. Before long the Fasty was lowered and the fuel injection system had been replaced with a pair of dual carburettors followed closely by the removal of the bumpers, trim and indicators, which was very much en vogue at the time. This car was eventually sold on and replaced with a Wizard Roadster that was used as daily transport for several years. From here, John built a string of ’60s Beetles, a Ghia coupe, a Bay Window, a Porsche RSK replica and a number of Golf and New Beetle projects, too (there literally are far too many to list). Oh, and if the name seems familiar, you might know John better as the face behind the successful VW Festival event, which takes place at Harewood Hall each summer. In fact, the event brings us nicely to the story behind this particular VW, which happens to be the first ‘built’ car John has ever purchased. He explained, “I’d wanted a Cabriolet for ages but, given the work involved with the show, I simply didn’t have the spare time required to build or restore a car myself. Hence, when I stumbled across this sweet Cab’ at IRV’s Resto Shop and found that it was for sale, I snapped it up and soon set about making some changes to put my stamp on an already awesome build.”
Recreation station
Continue reading your story on the app
Continue reading your story in the magazine
SITTING COMFORTABLY?
Newton Commercial has been producing automotive interior trim products for the last 40 years, though the history behind this family-run firm goes back much further. Paul Knight finds out more...
Welcome to the mag
The rapid rise in value of our air-cooled VWs over the last few years is proving both good and bad news for owners.
Bus front step replacement
It’s probably one of the most common rust spots...
WOLFSBURG IN EGGENBURG
This one-day event in Austria is so good it attracts VWs from all over Europe
NICE ONE, SHERLOCK!
It’s fun investigating a car’s past – especially if the vehicle in question dates from the early fifties. That said, the Norwegian owner of this ’52 Beetle discovered more than he bargained for when he donned his deer-stalker
SUBTLY DOES IT (FOR US!)
So often, less is more. And we reckon that’s definitely the case with this oh so subtle ’66 Ghia
The Army era
It may have escaped your notice, but it was recently the 70th anniversary of Britain giving Volkswagen back to West Germany. The years of 1945 to 1949, when the British military ran Wolfsburg, were more crucial than many enthusiasts appreciate
PUTTIN' ON THE SHOW
When it comes down to rating the most desirable air-cooled VWs, I think it’s fair to say that a ’50s Karmann Cabriolet is gonna’ be pretty close to the top of the list. Now add some accessories, Fuchs and a decent stance and you’re talking about the stuff dreams are made of…
Car of the month
Car of the month
A TASTE OF DEUTSCHLAND
Inspired by a couple of renowned German VW events, the So-Cal Vintage Treffen attracted 200 of the oldest and most rare VWs stateside
Ryzen 5000 failure rates: We reality‑check the claims
Problems with bad Ryzen chips may be overblown.
Keanu & Alexandra's - EXCELLENT DOUBLE DATE!
Whoa! Keanu Reeves’ girlfriend Alexandra Grant has a fan in his Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure costar Alex Winter.
Diana's Closest Friends TELL ALL
AS THE ROYAL FAMILY CONTINUES TO REEL IN THE WAKE OF HARRY ND MEGHAN MARKLE’S EXPLOSIVE SIT-DOWN, THOSE CLOSEST TO THE LATE PRINCESS DIANA (INCLUDING HER BUTLER OF 10 YEARS, PAUL BURRELL) SEPARATE FACT FROM FICTION.
PUBLISHING AMID A PANDEMIC: How Board Games Survived and Thrived in 2020
COVID’s lasting impacts on our health and economy are still far from being understood. It will take many of us years, perhaps even a decade, to unravel what has changed in the last year. But some patterns are emerging, at least in the board gaming hobby, that indicate many publishers were well ahead of the curve even before the threat of a pandemic affected their supply chains worldwide. As the world began locking itself down to quell the threat of COVID-19, people continued to find solace in hobbies. Soon, the business journals and magazines of the world began tracking the increase of sales across a wide swath of interests as people did anything and everything to take their minds away from the weight of a pandemic circling the globe. Turns out, everything from toys, guitars, crafts, and board games were selling well despite a deflated economy. Report Linker’s “Board Games Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2021-2026” estimates that sales in the hobby will grow by 13 percent in the next five years, even with continued lockdowns. But what about the hobby as a whole? This article examines how 2020 affected the board gaming industry through three facets — big box stores, local board gaming cafes and stores, and the digital space — and how the pandemic has shaped them in the interim as well as moving forward. Is this projected forecast of its growth still as rosy?
John F. Martin – The Early '70s Manhattan
"This series was shot around Manhattan in the early '70s. I was using a Pentax Spotmatic loaded with Tri-X film. I processed the film and printed it. These are scans from the prints and negatives".
A Wee Dram
There’s more to love about Scotland’s favorite libation once you discover the magic
VOICES IN THE SKY
PLINI — the guy Steve Vai once called “the future of exceptional guitar playing” — discusses the perils of “guitar fame,” the challenges of a modern prog-rocker and his breathtaking new album, IMPULSE VOICES
MEET DAYS'S PRECIOUS WAY
Chicago native Precious Way is thrilled to be making her soap debut as Chanel on DAYS, a show that has a special connection to her family.
SLIDING FOR ADVENTURE
For the last 25 years I’ve been riding off road on everything from a 450cc lightweight to a heavily laden 1200cc adventure motorcycle. Although I was usually able to handle anything through rough terrain at slower speeds, I struggled at higher speeds on loose surfaces. And the biggest pucker moments occurred while approaching tight turns on gravel roads at high speed—barely navigating them safely.
Here's Why Bill Gates (Still) Prefers Android to iPhone
When it comes to the great iOS-versus-Android debate, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates knows which side he’s on.