Unsuspecting girls - Visual Appeal

Well don't get to hung up on looks, my aircooled VW bug's gone through many phases. I don't think it would fool many unsuspecting college girls now...bummer. ;) It's OK though, I've got a good one for the moment. Any girl that will hold your deck lid and retrofit, has got to be a keeper. She also makes sock puppets.

I thought I'd post some picks of Mowgli at the height of aesthetic prowess. Then a few that show other stages of life...and yes, I realize its standard practice to name your car with a woman's name so you can say,"she" etc, etc...BUT, it was named by someone else, so not up to me. I accept this. Besides, this bug has balls, it ain't no she...and I don't Ride him, I drive him...like a mother $#@!. Also yes Mowgli, from the Jungle book. Cute but tenacious. VW heritage... the rugged terrain, it all fits pretty well I think.

Here's Mowgli, the aircooled VW bug at its best.

Shod in some of my own cosmetic enhancements, I ditched the front skinny Cal look tires it came with for these meaty AVS series Yokohama's. No more under steer in the canyons! Yea! more aggressive looking but narrow and tall enough to grab gas mileage.

Not quite as wide as the 50 series tires some like to run when going wider, I compromised using the artist eye as a tool, a best guess and a 55 series profile squeezed onto 4.5" Porsche steelies for a total of AV1-55 185/55/ZR15. If you go too fast, I presume you'd want a stiffer side wall and appropriate rim width. For the time being, I love the way it looks and the ride is smoother than it was before not to mention more grip.

The rear wheels, also in matching tread pattern run 60 series tires for a total of AV1-60 205/60/ZR15. These are wrapped on 5.5 inch Porsche steelies.

It took me a few junk yard Michelin's before I found the Yokohama's being sold on Tire Rack. I
bought them on clearance, so I don't know that Ill be able to find them again. I'll drive em till they're bald (it'll take years) then figure out the next plan.

Yes, these AVS rubbers have lower tread wear rating, but hell, the car only weighs like what, 20 Lbs?...so the wear works out roughly similar to the same tire on heavier cars. No biggie.

OK enough of that shiny BS. (It is nice though, maybe one day again...)

Here's what happens with some serious driving, a failed E brake, a really really strong bush, a tow hitch, and I'm sure I left out a few other boo boos. Sorry Mowgli, I cant keep an eye on you all the time, you need to learn how to take care of yourself! Crikey.

And here we are today, I want to rebuild him. Only using time I couldn't afford to waste in the past, (my only mode of transportation) technology, (that might not have been available back then) and to do it right, not necessarily using the cheap solution if the value of functionality is there. Areas that were problematic in the past are gonna get tossed and improved upon.