Mile 0.1 - my drive
(pun intended)
When I got my license I had no idea how intertwined cars would be with my life. In the VW community there have always been two pretty distinct groups - the Aircooled guys and the Watercooled guys. The terms refer to the types of motors in the cars. Early VW's (1945-1979) came with aircooled (no radiators or coolant) engines. Watercooled engines have modern cooling systems that most people are familiar with.
Growing up I was a watercooled guy and even though there was some overlap, the two groups sort of operated on their own. Traditionally aircooled cars were owned by older folks who didn't have any interest in "hanging out" with the younger generation. I am defintely generalizing the two groups, but it does provide some context. Over the years there has been an intermingling of the two groups and I would imagine as the older folks moved away from their car hobbies and the younger folks started to become the "old guys", the divide has been less and less.
My father was an aircooled guy and my brother and I were always watercooled guys. He never pushed for us to get a specific type of car, and even if he didn't understand our choice of styling or upgrades, we feel like he enjoyed watching us wrenching on something.
To me, modifying a car is a way of expressing your personality and showcasing your creativity. I have definitely gone through phases but the one constant is that I have been lucky to have an incredible group of friends who have all grown with me on my automotive journey. Some of us have different styles but we all respect each other and will absolutely support each other in any way possible. I have traveled all over the country attending car events and have so many memories of these trips. I plan to do a few blogs about some of the specific adventures.
What I have learned from the last 30 years of being part of the car community is that just being a part of it is what is important to me. I am very lucky to have a supportive family that understands this is more than a hobby, it's a part of me and by default it is a part of them. Being able to enjoy our cars while spending time with my friends and family is a happiness that I can't quite explain.