28th Annual Rare Air Emerald Coast Volkswagen Car Show
We all know the nostalgia of seeing an old Volkswagen (VW) driving down the road, whether fond memories of road trips or the shock from punch buggies comes to mind. In the coming weeks, you may see more VWs on the road here in Pensacola thanks to a popular VW car show coming up on October 19.
The much-anticipated car show is hosted by true VW enthusiasts from the Rare Air Emerald Coast VW club, a group of more than 300 members— all ranging in age from 13 to over 80 years old.
As a brand, VWs were initially produced by Ferdinand Porsche (yes, Porsche) in 1938. Later, all VW factories were taken over during WWII to accommodate military vehicle needs. Eight years later, England purchased VW with the hope of restoring Germany. The first VW was sold in the United States in 1949 and from there on out, the rest is history.
Emerald Coast and Rare Air initially began as two separate local VW clubs, which merged in 1991 due to declining members. Four years later, the club found its long-time president, William Tucker, affectionately known by many as “Wild Bill.” His passion for the club and the cars is contagious. “Bill eats, sleeps and probably dreams VWs. They’re his whole life,” longtime club member and tech session host Don Dorough said.
Tucker became president of the club in 1995 and thanks to his passion for VWs, has remained president since. Tucker first got into the hobby of restoring old VWs after serving in the Navy. In 1969, he bought his first VW bus for $2,000 cash and never looked back. Tucker eventually found his place in the VW Club in 1994, where he’s met many of his closest friends. Tucker can easily be recognized by his VW bus, which is boldly painted black and white with the art from Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of The Moon album.
“The club and the people are great. Being able to help somebody keep their VW on the road and seeing that same personyears later helping someone else is what it’s all about. It’s kind of like passing the torch,” Tucker explained.
The Rare Air Emerald Coast VW Club is known for its community, having someone for all types of maintenance and always having someone to help out when needed. Like any Volkswagen club, this club caters to anyone with a VW. Due to the age and mechanics of the classic air-cooled VWs, they often encounter issues while on the road. The Rare Air VW Club is there to help anyone, regardless of membership status.
Dorough has been known to bring broken-down buses and bugs back to his workshop to fix them and even let the owners camp on the site if needed. “We all have the same goal, which is to keep the VWs going and help if something goes wrong,” Tucker said.
Tech sessions are a unique part of the Rare Air Emerald Coast VW Club. Members bring their various VW vehicles to be worked on and discussed, while also learning maintenance skills and troubleshooting mechanical issues from one another. Anyone is welcome to become a member, and anyone with a VW is welcome to join in on tech sessions. Meetings are held the first Saturday of the month at 10 am at Dorough’s personal shop located at his home.
“We have a group of like-minded people who have spare parts, knowledge, and enthusiasm for keeping the air-cooled VWs on the road.” This group has the right idea, too, since the tech session, which originated with the Rare Air Emerald Coast club, is now being adopted by other VW clubs around the United States. “Tech sessions are, at their core, a community of people gathering to help each other out,” Tucker said.
Dorough is also well-known for lending a helping hand with the VW club, regardless of the time and weather, and even offering his home’s backyard for tech sessions.
Another adventure that club members take on is the annual Rare Air Emerald Coast VW Car Show, which will be held on October 19 at the Five Flags Speedway. Individuals from across the region come to Pensacola for this beloved annual event to admire hundreds of classic and newer models of VWs, including vintage buses, bugs and everything in between. VW owners are also invited to bring their prized VWs to display, trade or sell. The show will feature plenty of vendors, fun merchandise, food trucks and, of course, the featured cars for visitors to enjoy.
The 28th Annual Rare Air Emerald Coast car show will feature 24 registered classes of VWs competing for various awards, ranging from Best Paint Job to Best in Show. Each year has its unique theme, and this year, the theme is zombies, embracing the Halloween spirit. Attendees should watch for VWs decked out in undead paint and decorations.
Each year, a percentage of the proceeds from the car show support a local charity selected by the club members. Last year’s charity was Keep Pensacola Beautiful. This year, the club will donate a portion of the car show proceeds to Favor House of Northwest Florida, a domestic abuse treatment center in Pensacola.
The 28th Annual Rare Air Emerald Coast VW show will kick off at 8 am on October 19 at the Five Flags Speedway at 7451 Pine Forest Rd. in Pensacola. There is no cost to attend this family-friendly event and all ages are welcome. For event details and to learn more about the Rare Air Emerald Coast VW Club, visit rareairvw.com.