Nostalgia on wheels at Kowabunga Van Klan’s VW exhibit
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Thousands of people traveled back in time over the weekend when more than 50 vintage Volkswagen vans filled the Huntington Beach Pier and Pier Plaza area.
“It kind of brings us back to the nostalgia time when surfing and VW buses were so popular,” said Don Ramsey, founder and organizer of the Kowabunga Van Klan, which hosted the event Saturday. “That’s all I really remember from the ‘60s was buses and surfing. The VW bus is the iconic surf ride. VW buses and surfing are like peanut butter and jelly.”
Nineteen buses were placed on the pier while 38 were parked around the plaza.
The newest bus was a 1974 double cab, and the oldest was a 1955 23-window vehicle.
The event raised more than $3,000 for the nonprofit International Surfing Museum in the city.
Ramsey said this was his fourth bus-themed event since he began putting them together last May and possibly the first one at the pier. He said the occasion offered enthusiasts a chance to share what they remember about traveling around in the vans decades ago.
“The amount of people that came and talked were all about memories of hanging in their bus, just traveling and family times,” he said. “You don’t see that anymore.”
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Twitter: @BrittanyWoolsey
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