Ron Fleming's "Sunny" - 1960 VW Ragtop - Ride-along & Interview 

Ron's a legend really enjoyed watching could listen to him all day such interesting man.🤙

What a great gentleman he is, a charmer

That car is SICK! You talk about done right! DKP always had the best cars. Ron is an absolute Legend! Love it Man!

I can't fucking wait to get my hands on my next vw...sold my 63 in 99 and this makes me happy to see the love he has

Brilliant. Thanks Ron ❤

Wow great interview. Top bloke is Ron

Nice I painted that car a long time ago still looks great.

great video eddy! thanks for posting Ron is a great guy

Met Ron at the european bug in a few times, great guy

Class Act! I had a '70 VW bug that I inherited from my Grandparents that was in great condition. It got me back and forth to work and school. I went deep down the rabbit hole and got into Hot VW magazine and bought How to maintain your VW for the complete idiot by John Muir and was fully hooked on VW bugs. I sold it after a few years and I regret that decision to this day 😥.

To keep the blood flowing…….”mine!” 😂😂😂

Us white hair guys have to stick together.

I sold my last Bug when I was 46 years old because I thought I was too old for it. So stupid.

Growing up in Orange County in the 70s, I had no idea Cal-Look cars were a uniquely So. Cal thing. I assumed everyone modified their cars this way. It wasn’t until I moved away that I realized what a great time and place I grew up in, especially if you love VWs! ✌️

Great video! People don't understand what it costs to build a classic VW nowadays I have a 67 bug I'm restoring and I have about 17,000 in it and it's not going to have a paint job, Or a very high performance motor just a SP 1600 for now. And I just spent another $600 just on interior peaces and I still need to buy the foam padding for the seats. Enjoy the rest of your life Ron Fleming..

Whew... What a beautiful bug! I am partial to 60 bugs as I own one. Wish mine was as nice as Mr Fleming's. Fantastic story teller and a great piece of history 😊

Thank you very, very much for this interview. Ron, I hope to see you again this summer. EuroBugIn 2024 in Chimay. Your DFL Club Brother Helge .

The sound was great. Wonderful car and owner.

Ron where can the seat recliner be bought today ?😊

My 67th Birthday is April 23, and trying to help my 20 yr old Grandson with his car, my grandfather and father had the dealership in Fresno in the 50's and the 60's. And I have All the things I learned from my dad and I'm passing them to my son and grandkids.

Legend. Met him, Keith and Darrell (R.i.P), Years ago in Germany Hessisch Oldendorf and we 4 took a Photo of us all. That Year Darrell bought his Schwimmwagen.

Wow. So that's one of the guys who invented the Cal Look. It is more than 30 years ago that I saw a picture (here in Germany) of a 1960 bug with Porsche 356 rims, which led (for me) to a '57 Oval with the same wheels. In the end I had a 1300cc, brutally loud exhaust from Brazil and painted in mint green. Wonderful car, still regret that I sold it.

In 1972 at 18 I bought a White 1961 sunroof beetle in beautiful condition butt with a blown motor that looked exactly like this but stock. Using the idiot's guide I rebuilt the motor on my kitchen table. I paid $125 for the car and $100 in parts to rebuild.

What a great video, Ron is the best! Always a big pleasure to listen to him and his super cool storys and overall chilled vibe. Stay as you are Ron 😎 Thank you so much for that vid. Best Greetings from the DFL-VW-Club @ Germany. Hope to see Ron at EBI or even better on the cal-look cruise to EBI. ✌️

Wonderful interview with a legend! At 58, I’m going back into VW’s with a 69 Squareback.

is that pebble gray or pearl white? i have a 1960 ragtop same color that i also bought off of the samba with the same background story! i also won an SCCA championship in the early 90's using a FAT built type IV in a 914.

This is what it's all about right here! I grew up in SoCal restoring bugs and busses with my dad as our family hobby. Not only did I learn a ridiculous amount of mechanical knowledge at a young age I was also exposed to the great world that is the VW scene. All these years later and I still have a VW and Audi in the garage. Once we have more space I'll be adding another aircooled to the mix. The smell, the sounds, the simple nature of it all. There's nothing better 💯

What an amassing guy. So much knowledge and such a great attitude to life. Thanks for sharing 🙏

I wonder how many young ones can drive a manual shift nowadays. Few here in Australia.

12:43...1960 was the first year for the push button door handles. Pre-60 bugs previously had pull out "dagger" style doorhandles.

What a treat! This is such a nice man with such a pleasant way of telling about the old days. This Sunday ended on a high 👏😍

Love The Godfather of Cal-Look, Ron is Humble and a Great Guy Too...✌🏻

What a wonderful nice guy...was a pleasure to watch this. Thanks for sharing.

Great interview!

What an incredible story!! Crossing borders and arriving here in Brazil.

Super down to earth, for all he has accomplished! What a great Spirit he has, and you can tell, the car creates balance in his life!.. Awesome.. Keep Rockn’ Ron..

Oh yes. Wow, Ron is such a great, positive and inspiring person. Wish I also had such a beauty of a beetle. Simply enjoy and keep going!

Such a nice a great person to listen to. And what a car. I have a black 60 ragtop and the sound of his engine engine is miles away from mine, that still has is original 30 HP.

Love the VW community so many great people !!!!

10:19 : Yay, shout out to Kiki and the French VW Scene! Could the other one been Fabien? 12:45 : Yup, vertical keyhole is a '60 thing only, got the very same handle on my october 1959 beetle.

ron's words of wisdom to meet at DKP cruise night , " as long as you like it , that's all that matters ! "

Such a cool interview! Beautiful 1960 and Mr.Fleming is a gem! Is this car L87 by chance?

What a great guy with a great car❤

That was fantastic! So great to see a legend. Got my 1st 56 Oval 56 years ago, he gives me some inspiration to start my next 56 Oval project! Thanks!!!

Is pemny still working ? Brents girlfriend im jimmy i youse to work at his store iworked there for couple of month

Thank you Eddy and Ron ❤. I have a 1960 Sunroof same color I so enjoyed this video what an inspiration

My Standard also 6O the last semaphores, has cable brakes and unsymchronized gear. (see RU-vid-video) Additionally have real SunnyBug 84 😜✌️

G'day Ron, You and Sunny are both legends man. ✌️ Peace from Melbourne Australia.

And the first year for the springs on the front hood.

Paint work it looks nice the condition of the German lady immaculate. It is clean and the owner look after it

Really enjoyed that, Ron Fleming is a great guy. I'd love to meet him.

@16:37 We have one or two things in common Ron. In February of 1985, l bought a '55 in Cranbourne that had been put away by a member of 'The Buggy Association' 9 years earlier so it was a rust free all matching numbers car that had never been in an accident. Painted house paint orange, which we pressure washed off at a servo on the way home. The plan was to keep driving my black '54 daily driver and build a show car in 40 days! We created a Midnight Black and Hebmuller red two toned, chrome wheeled 'hot rod' with all stock chrome. The car was 'Johhny Bee Good' and was driven interstate to South Australia for their 'Day Of The Volkswagen' Show on the same day we finished the resto around midday....bra fitted to stop bugs and stone chips! The next day we were surprised to find the '55 had taken out the 'Car Of The Day' major prize. Total cost was $2000, including the $400 purchase price. Judges remarked on how the project execution placed it above the cars shown, particularly knowing the overall cost. The car went in to do the show circuit in that year, and in '86 appeared in a Toyota commerical and was used in the Petrov Affair movie, but cut during the 'Directors Final Cut' In '87 the car was drawn and all the features presented in the _'In Type'_ magazine, as l was a founding member of _TYPE VW CLUB_ that came out of the 'Volkswagen Custom Club Of Victoria' in that same year. In 1991, it appears that it's pure coincidence but the same details were published in VW Trends and titled 'Resto Custom' The title l had put on the 'look' was _Classic Custom_ as it carried the chrome 'Custom' badge from the '66 Aussie 1300 Beetle. That's all history now ...

Man I kick myself in the ass every time I see one for selling mine for $900.

We Love his guy!!!! Thanks Ron

It accelerates pretty well Mom had a 69 bus with the Roadrunner on the front spare beep beep. I was about four and remember going to San Francisco

had a '61 rag with a super strong 1641 man that thing pulled off the line...man he did straight steal that car, man i wished i was looking then i would've taken it in a heartbeat...awesome vids man subd

well, not a stock engine, which I think was 36hp...try pulling onto the freeway with the stock engine...the sheer lack of creature comforts wears one's soul out (I know, I had multiple early 60's VWs)

What cam is in the motor?

Grew up in the city of Orange Orange County CA in the 90’s. I was very lucky to have the hot rods, low riders, VW enthusiasts all around me. It’s so hard to pick just one car.

What an interview you did with Ron Fleming! Is he is still around? Am from away Philippines, but sure wants to get in touch with him.Thanks

LET ME JUST SAY MR. COLLINS IVE JUST SUBSCRIBED!!!!!!! AT 67 1/2 YEARS OLD… I LOVE THE OLD SCHOOL RESPECT YOU GAVE TO MR. FLEMINGS….. HES A PRINCE AMONG MEN…. SOOO SWEET & HUMBLE…. RARE GUY! THAT BUG HAD ME DROOLING!!!!! BY THE WAY FOLKS, IF YOU KNOW THE COMEDIAN CALLED “FLUFFY” ( Gabriel Iglasias); WELL, HE HAS A COLLECTION OF 18 VW BUSES !!! THERE IN MINT CONDITION IN A 80 CAR GARAGE IN LONG BEACH!! WELL HE’S RETIRING FROM COMEDY THIS YEAR……. 2024 ( August ) HES AS FAMOUS AS IT GETS.. BUT.. HE JUST WANTS TO SPEND TIME OFF THE ROAD. IF YOU GO ONLINE…. HE HAS A TOUR OF HIS BEAUTIFUL BUSES!!!! OHH I WANT A VW !!!DONT CARE WHAT COLOR….. JUST IN MINT CONDITION…… ( sunroof please )… TO DRIVE AROUND CHICAGO ON THE WEEKENDS!! THANKS AGAIN FOR THE AWESOME CONVERSATION AND CRUSE…… GENTLEMEN!! ( put me in the backseat… give us all a a bottle of ice cold Orange Crush ….. and let’s take her up lnterstate 5 and….. take it slow… we got all day …. boys!!!!!)🚎😎

Great video. I’ve just brought you up to 500 subs 🤟🏻

Wrong wheels stand out like a sore thumb.

I remember that car going to 15k on thesamba and also thinking of buying it years ago, called the seller but didnt pull trigger fast enough. It was a good deal at the time.

Watching from the State of Rhode Island-car enthusiast-have owned numerous older cars-but never a VW-but great story-& great car-peace all!

Ironically Sunny is the name of my ‘66 Beetle, painted in a 90s Corvette

I could listen to this man talk for hours and hours, what a great interview😊 absolute legend😊✌️

Story sounds familiar when I was a 15 year old. Thanks for sharing

Where can I access the podcast with Bunch ?

Beautiful bug. I especially love the bespoke motor. However, Ron mentioned in the video another VW of his, a bus with a Porsche motor that he had installed himself. This anecdote called to mind a personal memory from the very early 80's. I was an avid Hot VW's magazine subscriber, and I distinctly remember reading about Ron's VW bus with the Porsche motor, and how he would smoke 911's on his way up the pass to go skiing. During this same time, I was renovating a '72 Squareback with the "Cal Look" that he helped pioneer. My "Square" had a royal blue exterior and white vinyl interior plus Vitaloni mirrors and Empi style wheels. It was my first VW, and I loved that car dearly. Thanks Ron for evoking this memory, and for all that you have done for the VW community.

Can you tell Ron i want dibs on that car when he sells. The right of first refusal.

the perfect car

I rememberd ablack vw which had the turn sighnal on the door post

What rims are you running on the 60

Great video with some amazing stories thrown in.

Ron you spoke about your french friends Kiki des Bois and I suppose Stefan (who is a DKP member too). What a nice and humble person you are and funny too! Always a good word to put a smile on your face 😊 I share his philosophy and we have another similarity when it comes to VW and Classic Porsche but... in '85 when I was about to buy a 2.4S I finally bought my first KG because the price of a crankshaft was worth the price of a full VW engine! Today no regrets about this choice (even with the actual insane price of the Classic Porsche...) because I probably wouldn't have had the means at this period to maintain it because what I prefer is to tinker with them AND drive them! Now have no income to buy it... 😆Thks for this "sunny" interview 😎

Very cool!

Great interview. Maybe do these in the same format with the other original DKP guys like Lazenby, Bunch etc.

Excellent!

Der Kleiner Panzers logo is interesting heil?

Interior: Collins

Dang 2332!! Torque monster

Great visit and chat. I guess in the hobby we’ve all known Ron, but not the full story and conversation like this. Thanks for capturing this time capsule in 2024. Getting my ‘62 vert back on the road now after several years. Hope to see you guys out there! 🍀✨

Awesome man and story❤️✌️ beautiful bug to!

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

An absolute nice gentleman meet him at last year's Volksworld Show in the UK and they had Darrell Vittones race shop 67 on display at Sandown Park in the main foyet

Is this color lotus white?

Nice 60, thanks for sharing.

What a great guy. He fits perfectly in this wonderful car!

thanks ! eddy', and thanks for sharing ron', wow another great air cooled vw guy', good stories'! thanks and keep on sunny bugin! peace

Wow awesome episode, I’ve never heard some of those stories, living legend thanks for sharing it.

Oh yeah!!!

such a legend

NICE CAR!!!

Legend!

Hey Eddy ! good interview !

Nice Bug.

Thanks!!

In 1962 I bought a 1960 red bug with ragtop for $1500. In my 20s that car opened up a whole new world for me. When I purchased the car was spotless having been owned by a schoolteacher. I was giving driving lessons to my dad who smashed the right fender and then a few weeks later giving lessons to my wife who smashed the left fender so my beautiful car that looked like a jalopy and I didn’t have the money to do the bodywork. The service manager at the Nyc Volkswagen dealer reprimanded me for having such an ugly car. Regrettably I decided to trade it in rather than fix it.