Well, Mardi Gras Season is upon us and what better way to start celebrating than Getting a member topless.


You and your dirty little mind was hoping it was anyone other than Briano1234, weren't you? Here's the first in a long line of featured Members and their Volkswagens. Keep those submissions coming. You can find details on submitting your story and photos in the Announcement Section.

briano1234

VWOC: What is your real first name.
Briano1234: Brian
VWOC: Where are you from?
Briano1234: All Over the U.S. currently living in the Atlanta Area.
VWOC: What's your favorite roadtrip in your area?
Briano1234: Bug-A-Paluza Vw Show Chattanooga, Tn.
VWOC: What is your favorite thing about your car?
Briano1234: It goes from 0 to topless in 2 seconds.
VWOC: What is your car's name. If it doesn't have one, what would you name it?
Briano1234: Papa Smurf.
VWOC: What VW Dealer did you buy your car from? Dealer name, City and State please.
Briano1234: I am the 3rd Owner.
VWOC: Do you service your car at that dealer or what dealer do you use if you don't?
Briano1234: I do all my own Maintenance
VWOC: What was your best McGuyver moment with your car?
Briano1234: Repairing a Broken Radiator hose @ 2:00am with Walmart Plumbing Parts.
VWOC: If you were a Volkswagen, which Volkswagen would you be and why?
Briano1234: A Cabriolet, I like driving Topless/
VWOC: What color of Volkswagen would you be?
Briano1234: Blue, no Green, wait,, I have both.
VWOC: What is your favorite food?
Briano1234: Corned Beef and Cabbage.
VWOC: What is your favorite drink?
Briano1234: Guiness
VWOC: What are your three favorite movies?
Briano1234: Any John Wayne, Patton, Quigley Down Under.
VWOC: What is the coolest thing you've seen for a car in the last year? Mods, electronics, etc.
Briano1234: Mirrors that moved when you backed up.
VWOC: If you were a VW Salesperson, what three things would you say to someone thinking about buying a car like yours?
Briano1234:

1. Ownership has it's privileges.
2. It's Fast, Fun, and Contagious
3. With Maintenance it will go 300K easily

VWOC: What 3 things do you wish you knew before you purchased your VW?
Briano1234:

1. Who the previous owners Mech was so I could castrate him.
2. It isn't a Karmann Edition.
3. It is addictive.

VWOC: If you could have a super power, what would it be and how would you use it?
Briano1234: Faster than the speed of light, get next weeks
lottery numbers.
VWOC: If you won 10 million in a lottery, what is the first 3 things you would buy?
Briano1234:

1. New paint on the Cabby,
2. New Seats,
3. New Carpet.

Then the wife would get the rest.
VWOC: What is one thing everyone should know about you?
Briano1234: American by Birth, Irish by Distraction
VWOC: Tell us a little about your car and why it's special to you?

Briano1234:




My Story
By
Briano1234





Home Coming


I was a forgotten and abused little cabby I had no one to talk to, and no one to play with. I was alone sitting in corner of a garage, ripped top, dented door, blown head gasket, and “pink” side molding. I felt horrible, and I showed it.
I really wanted a new family that would love me.

One spring day, my owners took me out and gave me a bath they even waxed me and washed out under the hood. They took pictures of me, they fixed the holes in my top with Alabama Chrome Wonder Tape (you call it duct tape). I thought that my luck had started to change, but then they covered me in a Stinky Old Tarp. There I sat.

I thought it was better to be sitting in the garage all alone dripping my oil on the floor, and crying in my gas, I wanted a Family……………..I was meant to be driven.

One afternoon, the tarp was removed, and there was a “typical long haired rednecked family” driving a worn out caravan looking at me.

He opened the hood to check my fluid levels I thought “How embarrassing a stranger looking at my fluids.” he started the engine. I sputtered at first, all alone coughing……. He pulled on my throttle cable, and I reved…….This little boy, got in the driver’s seat, and I thought that my life had turned to crap. He looked all around, and checked out my gauges….

This man exchanged some green stuff and took a couple of papers and I was driven out of oblivion….. I was tooling down the road……not for long.
He stopped at a gas station, and filled me up with the good stuff….. I was happy….

I was driven away from that place on a beautiful interstate, we drove past Talladega Raceway, and I thought that I could compete with the best of them if I felt a little better.

I had a full tank and I was stretching my tires…………..I drove…..

The Arrival:

We drove for what seemed an eternity to me, and on side streets and when I turned the corner and pulled in the driveway, I wasn’t alone any more….



He pulled me under a tree, and took some pictures.







He drove me into a garage, and started to work on me, I refused at first, causing him to smack knuckles, and cuss a bit, but he started to fix all that was wrong on me. How wrong I was on my first impression, he wasn’t a “Redneck” he was a loving owner, one that I had been waiting for…..I enjoyed all the attention… I wasn’t embarrassed at sharing my internals with him.

He replaced my broken head gasket, I wasn’t congested any more. A new timing belt, oil pump, struts, catalytic converter, muffler, water pump, plugs, wires, cap, rotor and lot’s more. I was glowing…



One afternoon he started to strip my top off, I felt a slight chill I was scared.........
He fussed and cussed, then fussed and cussed some more until finally, I thought this was the end I was being dis-assembled, as he started to remove my top frame….. I dripped a little oil on the floor of his garage.
Suddenly, a new frame appeared, and he was bolting it on….. Wait, could I be wrong? A new pad and a top skin were put on. He took my seals and replaced foam, and aligned them… I didn’t leak any more.







Along the way he replaced my door with a organ donor, he had to trim it a wee bit but he painted it to match.





I didn’t even mind getting a well deserved bath.







I don’t know who was dirtier me before or him after.



I was feeling special; really special…I was truly being loved again for the first time in a long time.
He took me to places, and drove me all over, I have visited Savannah, St. Louis, and once he took me to Chattanooga to meet other cabbies……I had a blast.



He even takes me to meet folks that stop by…..



Epilogue:
Never judge a owner by first impressions, you could be wrong.
Along the way, my new owner replaces parts that are broken, or will break, and I keep him happy by never stranding him. I enjoy my life, and I am driven daily now 50 to 60 miles a day.

briano1234

Stock 1.8L 8V engine.
010 Automatic Transmission
Strictly Stock, as I think Stock Rocks on older cars.

Appendix

Replacements:

Head gasket
All the hoses
Radiator
Reservoir jug
A/C Condenser
Calipers/rotor
All Wheel Bearings
Master Cylinder
Rear Wheel Cylinders
Brake cables
All Struts
Cap, Plugs, Wires, Rotor.
Timing Belt
Lower Control Arms
Catalytic Convertor and Muffler
Passenger seat frame for a adjustable one
Water Pump
Oil Pump for hi-flow 2.0L
Tie-Rods/Ball Joints
Ignition Switch
Both fuel Pumps
Drivers Door
Top frame
Outer skin and pad for the top
Heater Controls
Blown speaker
Foam on all the vents
All engine mounts
Both CV shafts

Additions:

External oil cooler
Cup holders
Heat soak relay
Higher rated battery
Stronger new Battery Grounds
Strut Bar (adjusted for automatic transmission)
Re-run Vacuum lines and exchange for silicone

Overhauls:

Transmission

Repairs:

Rear window defroster
Front and rear seats
Rear wheel arch
Broken Cluster gauges
Missing Dash lights
Window switches
Convert A/C to 134A
Re-condition badges
Alternator
Grille mounts
Rear trunk cardboard
Servos for a/c system.
Various electrical issues.

Future plans:
Install high flow exhaust manifold and down pipe