this is how we roll in Ninove…

Rollin’ into Ninove

Well, the main day of the weekend had finally arrived, and it looks like it’s going to be another bright and sunny Freddy Files, perfect weather with sunshine and 20º+ temp, good weather really helps make the weekend 🙂

rollin’ in early to Ninove… (thanks Jamie Mellish for the pic)
rollin’ in early to Ninove… (thanks Jamie Mellish for the pic)

Having got up early, we parked our buses up and went to get some breakfast goodies in one of the local cafés. They had some perfectly positioned outside seating, so we decided to sit outside and watch all the different vehicles drive into the show. Turned out to be a great way to watch most of the vehicles make their way into the centre of town.

beautiful mouse grey survivor bus
beautiful mouse grey survivor bus

Super tidy SO42

One of the buses that parked near us really caught the eye. It was a simply stunning SO42 Westfalia camper that was beautifully finished with real attention for detail. One of those cases where the pics, unfortunately, don’t really do it justice!

the attention to detail on this stunning SO42 Westy was amazing
the attention to detail on this stunning SO42 Westy was amazing

Even in the engine bay, the simplicity and level of detail was spot on.

the attention to detail equally applied to the classic flat four engine
the attention to detail equally applied to the classic flat-four engine

No trailer queen

Then, of course, were the polished highlights of the Westfalia louvre windows, just immaculate! Such a nice bus, I’m sure it could easily be a worthy show winner, but what was really nice to see was the three children that were playing in the back of the camper. To them, it was just a fun space to be in. That’s exactly how it should be. It’s a camper to be used, not a trailer queen!

amazing attention to detail with these polished SO42 Westy louvre windows
amazing attention to detail with these polished SO42 Westy louvre windows

Respect to the owner for the obvious hard work that had gone into the bus, but for also not being too precious about it and letting the kids enjoy it. Those memories will last forever!

simple elegance of the iconic early VW Beetle
the simple elegance of the iconic early VW Beetle

There were lots of beautiful examples of some classic early vintage VW’s to see alongside some other unusual exotica such as this monster big Pontiac Catalina estate! It was great to see such a range of vehicles on the streets.

monster big Pontiac Catalina estate
monster big Pontiac Catalina estate

Go anywhere

Loved this 16″ syncro, perfect adventure bus. Go anywhere, do anything kind of vehicle. Would make an awesome adventure camper to go exploring in!

awesome 16" syncro T3 panel van
awesome 16″ syncro T3 panel van

This is a pretty rare and awesome 16″ syncro T3 panel van. A real 4WD go-anywhere option that you don’t see that often. A 16″ syncro is a bit of a holy grail bus in the T3 world.

pick a colour, any colour you like…
pick a colour, any colour you like…

All the colours

Plenty of options to see in the paint department. From full-on hippy, original stock through to show winning custom finishes, there really was something for everyone to be inspired by.

rockin’ Beetle convertible enjoying the spring sunshine
rockin’ Beetle convertible enjoying the spring sunshine

Perfect weather for convertibles and ragtop bugs, buses and Karmann Ghias alike. No excuse for not getting out in the sunshine!

blasted Porsche Fuch wheels… different type of detailing to normal
blasted Porsche Fuch wheels… different type of detailing to normal

Different detailing

Plenty of polished and detailed Porsche Fuchs on display, but I thought these blasted fuch wheels stood out a bit from the normal approaches on display elsewhere. Quite subtle and would look great with fully polished nuts and centre cap?

full effect Mexican blanket style interior
full effect Mexican blanket style interior

Again the variety of interior finishes on display was as varied as the external finishes. This Mexican blanket style interior certainly brought a vibrant splash of colour to this safari windowed Beetle.

a ‘swamp cooler’ fan club of Beetles
a ‘swamp cooler’ fan club of Beetles

Certain VW ‘accessories’ seem to get their own dedicated fan clubs, or so it appeared with this group of Beetles all sporting their ‘swamp cooler’ air conditioning units on their windows!

loved the understated nature of this sliding door split screen bus
loved the understated nature of this sliding door split screen bus

Pretty in pink

This was a stand out bus I had seen before, but not taken a picture of. I loved the simplicity and understated nature of this cool looking sliding door split screen bus. Combined with its black gloss Porsche wheels and a mean sounding engine in the back, this was a tough looking bus!

pretty in pink Type 3 squareback
pretty in pink Type 3 square back

This pretty in pink Type 3 square back ‘Pepto’ certainly makes an entrance! Looks like it was straight off a vintage VW Trends front cover, not for the shy or retiring that’s for sure!

cool little Pirelli roofrack racer
cool little Pirelli roof rack racer

Herbie lives

Sometimes, not all the cool stuff had all 4 wheels on the ground. Sometimes you have to look up a little, then you get to see this cool little orange Pirelli roof rack racer – very cool!

It was nice to see an animated Herbie ‘love bug’ at the show. Someone had put a lot of effort into it, and it certainly did its bit to keep the crowds entertained 🙂

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