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Week of Thursday, January 2, 2003Volkswagen show By JUDY
BUSACK The Michigan Vintage Volkswagen Club is holding its 16th annual Michigan Vintage Volkswagen Festival May 17 and 18 at Riverside Park and one of the founders of the group is excited. Ernie Otter is this year’s Festival Coordinator said there is a whole weekend of activities planned for that May weekend. "We have been at the Michigan headquarters (Volkswagen of American headquarters) for the last eight years in Auburn Hills and we had gotten tired of doing the show thing in a parking lot," said Otter. "We are really thrilled in this venue and the tie-in with local businesses. We have been warmly received by local merchants and the convention bureau." Otter said that normally 250 cars attend the event, with members from Michigan and long distance travelers. "They come from California and Florida in their cars. One particular group from the east coast has the old Volkswagen called Der Kafer Fahrer. You have to drive 1,500 miles a year to belong to this club." The Michigan Vintage Volkswagen Club was founded for air cooled VW’s and was founded in 1987. One of the features that Otter is working on is to have fire trucks and ambulances, Volkswagens of course, at the Michigan Antique Fire Museum. Otter said that coming to Ypsilanti is a treat for his family because they use to live in the city and an added benefit is the history of the city. Congress authorized the Automobile National Heritage Act in November of 1998 and has six geographic corridors with US-12/Sauk Trail being one of them. Along with the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Collection and Miller Motors and RM Class Cars US Headquarters, it seemed like a nature choice said Otter. Some of the coming festival events will be a show area for 1949 to 1979 air-cooled platform Volkswagens, special displays by Volkswagen of American, a vintage Volkswagen banquet on Saturday evening, a summit for Chapter Representatives and the Der Kafer Fahrer on Saturday afternoon at the Arts Center. Another highlight of the festival will be the new Beetle Convertibles on display by Volkswagen of America. Actually the Volkswagen started out being called Type I which is the Beetle, Super Beetle, Karmann Ghia, the bus style was Type II and the fastback, squareback, notchback was Type III and the station wagon is Type IIII. "We think we will have an appeal to all people. There will be something for everybody that has or had an interest in the Volkswagen. (You) will be able to see Volkswagens that you have never seen before and those you can buy today," said Otter. For more information, you can check out the website at www.mvvc.net |
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