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V'dubber of the Month November 2003 |
Wendy C's "Swampbug"
By Bill C. -
Wendy C. has “the LUCK” this month. Drawn randomly from attendance records for June-July-August 2003, this honor comes a little over a year after joining our club. For an out-of-town member from Humboldt, she has been very active in our club these recent months; she has been to the majority of our meetings and helped with our 5th Annual VWs Over Memphis show in October.
One of her pride and joys is a metallic purple, 1972 Dune Buggy, which she has owned for 3 years. She had seen them building on the buggy, but then noticed all progress had halted (a fate worse than death!). After talking the owner into selling it, they had to dig it out from under a pile of hay, where it was being stored in a barn… like… for 2-years! Arrrggghh!
After it was towed to her house, she went to work cleaning it up and getting it running. The buggy would soon earn a new name, “Swampbug.” Wendy and her husband, Eli, decided it was time for an outing. They headed to an area at Land Between the Lakes called Turkey Bay. It is a spot known by off-roaders for its trails, hills, and MUD.
Since they had already been through several mud wallows that day, they decided to risk a high speed run through a really BIG mud “lagoon.” Oh the luck. Swampbug was doing great until it was time to ascend out of this bug eater. Just then, one of the back crash guard/bars got hung on a concrete block. So, what was THAT doing in there? Children, never dive into unknown waters. So, Eli got out to evaluate the situation and try to push it out by hand. The waste deep mud-soup was MIGHTY COLD, even for October. SLIPPPPP, PHOOOMMMM, SLUSSSSSSSSH, SMMAKKKK… Eli slipped and was baptized Mud-King. Enough; they waded to shore (this must have been a big hole!). After only a few minutes, some dirt bikers went for help and came back with a jeep club. The jeeps yanked them out and gave them a tow back to the van. Wendy hadn’t learned her lesson yet. They took Swampbug to the car wash, hosed her down, checked it out and were back at Turkey Bay playing with her friends. All good things must end, though. After a couple of hours of full contact mud slinging, they popped a brake line loose and had to retire for the afternoon. That was a proud, fun day for Wendy and Swampbug (probably looked more like “Swamp Thing”). She looks forward to sharing this tale in great detail with her grandkids someday. Yes, “how Swampbug came up out of the ooze…”.
Not long after that, they pulled the body off Swampbug, and worked things up good enough to win several show awards. Wendy says she wouldn’t sell Swampbug for the world. She loves that buggy just the way it is. The only thing considered is …. MAYBE …. a top, to give her that different look that is deserving of such a mud slugger. Eli, does all the wrenching, including a set of rings to keep that heart pumping. But I know how that goes; giving a bug a set of rings. Before you know it, you’re MARRIED to it. Ha ha!
Her other VWs include a couple she has bought from fellow club members. There is the Vanagon that Eli repaired and made his daily driver. Then there is the Super Beetle, aptly dubbed “Pearl,” that she bought from Rob. They are working on giving Pearl a new look. But she won’t tell me anything, other than it is “in primer.” Pearl gets driven often too.
Wendy has 3 children; a daughter, 20, another daughter, 18, in college who wants to be a chef (and is also a motor head like her mom) and a son, Jonathan, 4. He’s a “buggy man” who dreams of having his own Swampbug someday. Her grandson, Bradley is 19 months, going on 19 years. You see, the little tike enjoys helping his “Poppa” work on the VWs. Give him a hammer and he turns into a body and paint man. And, oh, that bearing grease is SO much fun to play in!
To pay for Wendy’s bug habit, she manages a fast food restaurant. She also does custom cakes on the side and has 5 years experience teaching others to do the same. Those were some great samples at the club’s show last month. Uh-oh, I managed to talk about a car show and food in the same sentence again!
We are glad to have Wendy and her family as a part of our club….. and, OH, Swampbug too!