[owdlvr]

Actually…before I do that, I should tell a story from the Hagerty Fall Classic.

If you’re not aware, or don’t remember, I run three-day driving events for people who own classic cars. Yup, that’s my job. Seriously. The Hagerty Fall Classic is my September event that happens in Washington and Oregon. This year we had to move the event due to Forest Fires, and instead ran in B.C.

Now, when you run classic car driving events for a living, you’re always concerned about the driving styles of everyone who attends. There have been accidents in similar events in California, and a part of me always needs to worry about people who are driving in a manner which may earn them a citation. And thus, truthfully, I haven’t really driven the Rally Bug hard in a couple of years, as I’m usually setting the example…and the Rally Bug gets out to less events per year than it used it.

So, I moved the event North due to Forest Fires, which meant a number of guests couldn’t attend. We were a smaller event, made up of friends and clients who have been doing my tours for years. Warwick, my buddy with whom I started Classic Car Adventures, was attending this year…having taken a number of years off due to the growth of his other business. We haven’t driven twisty roads in classic cars together since I think year two or three…and this was year nine for CCA.

At one point on the event we hit Warwick’s favourite road in all of British Columbia. He was leading, I was on his tail, and things got a little spirited. Not dangerous, by any stretch, but we were having fun. Officially, should any one be reading this for non-entertainment purposes, all of our driving was strictly legal. But yes, we were having a blast. Later in the day, we hit my favourite road in the province, one which Warwick had never driven before. This time I was leading, and the joy of showing a great car buddy my favourite road may have influenced my right foot a little. We started in a group of cars. My Rally Beetle, Warwick’s Mini with a 1250cc engine, a Porsche 356 replica running a 2332cc vw engine, a Lotus Super 7 with a Hyabusa motorcycle engine and a Jag E-Type. At one point we passed the two Porsche 911s on the event…and soon it was just Warwick and I. At the end of the road was a restaurant, and we stopped for coffee while we waited for everyone to join us.

It’s been far too long since I drove the Rally Bug at it’s full capabilities. Every shift, every corner, every line, every bit of the drive up our mountain road was in the zone and perfect. I got out, having throughly enjoyed myself, and realized I had awakened my love of the Rally Bug. Later, John in the 356 replica was chatting with me. “Dave,” he says, “I’ve known you for 6 years and I have never heard your car run like that. I always thought it was a bit of a heap. It never idles right, it always got coughs and sputters in weird spots…it’s because you never drive it! Opened up like you had it, it sounds incredible and runs unbelievably!”

I hear, when the story is told around campfires, the Rally Bug was seen to be just beyond the traction circle in every corner…it’s driver peering out the side windows as much as the windshield. Legend speaks of dual webers screaming at full throttle. But you know what they say about campfire stories? They’re all highly exaggerated for the benefit of law enforcement.

On that drive heading up the road, I remembered why I built the car the way that I did. All of its annoying issues are only annoying if you try and drive it like a daily driver. Drive it the way it was meant to be driven, and it all makes perfect sense.

My love for the Rally Bug was definitely rekindled.

-Dave