EP 324 Built to Last – Rick Wright of The Wright Gearbox

In this episode, we sit down with Rick Wright, owner of The Wright Gearbox, a name synonymous with precision-built transmissions in the off-road and high-performance VW world. Growing up wrenching in his family’s VW shop, Rick turned childhood passion into a powerhouse business dedicated to building and rebuilding transmissions for street, strip, sand, and race. Rick shares his journey in the VW industry , and how years of hands-on experience and customer-first philosophy help him deliver bulletproof gearboxes that stand up to serious abuse. We get into everything from working with major manufacturers on product development to testing gear sets with top race teams. Plus, Rick breaks down what sets The Wright Gearbox apart—whether it's magnafluxing every part, custom finishes, or dialing in the perfect gear ratio. And if you’ve been to a Southern California VW show lately, chances are you’ve seen one of Rick’s personal builds—a world-class VW Crew Cab pickup. Sitting on air suspension and powered by a fuel-injected 2332cc engine, it’s built for both style and speed—thanks to a custom transaxle engineered for top-end performance. This head-turning build has already taken home multiple Best of Show awards and is a rolling showcase of the craftsmanship Rick and his team bring to every project. If you're into Volkswagens, sand rails, or off-road competition, this one’s for you.   www.letstalkdubs.com www.vwtrendsmagazine.com www.rosswulf.com use code LTD 10 For 10%off your order ICON PISTONS HERE    

Being a Volkswagen Bus enthusiast is a challenge—but being a classic VW Bus guy in Canada is a whole different story. With harsh winters, salted roads, and constant snow and ice, early VW Buses are rare survivors in the north. But every now and then, someone gets lucky. In this episode, we sit down with AJ Welsh, a true OG in the Canadian air-cooled VW scene and a proud member of the Four Stack Mafia. AJ shares the incredible story behind his 1967 VW Bus, which became so iconic it was featured on a Canadian postcard and postage stamp. If you've ever seen a Volkswagen Bus on Canadian mail, chances are—it was his. We also dive into the wild backstory of his latest project, a 1955 VW Kombi Bus with suicide doors and retro 1980s scallop paint. First spotted on Vancouver Island in 1987, the Bus went from a local treasure to a touring band’s rig, before AJ finally tracked it down decades later. AJ also tells us how the Four Stack Mafia got started and gives a preview of their epic Niagara Falls VW Campout, a pre-show event leading into the Niagara Falls VW Show & Social. If you're into air-cooled Volkswagens, Split-Window Buses, and vintage VW culture in Canada, this is an episode you don't want to miss.   www.letstalkdubs.com www.vwtrendsmagazine.com www.rosswulf.com use code LTD10 for 10% off https://www.youtube.com/@the_Wagen https://www.youtube.com/@letstalkdubspodcast Buy ICON Pistons here Watch Bullrun here!

What does NASA Volkswagens have in common Joe Varga. Known as Carbon Joe on Instagram Joe Vargas spent the last 16 years working on project X 37B with Boeing an unmanned working in Aerospace most of his life gave him a skill set of problem-solving up against just about anything. In the early 2000s of friends brother ask him to make some carbon fiber parts for his friends Drag bug. From then it's been on Joe's first car he still owns to thi this day. And he enjoys driving his super beetle convertible. With the goal of completing a German look ride soon he's totally into it. On this podcast, we talk about a lot about carbon fiber technology what is the difference between vacuum bagged with a clave without a clave auto clave this clave and every other type of clave. It's great to talk to someone knowledgeable about this type of process. That's also an enthusiast so there's lots of good information content if you're thinking about carbon fiber parts. Joe makes them on a specialty basis only remember, he's retired, but he can probably help you save some weight on that racing Volkswagen that you have. Enjoy.  www.letstalkdubs.com www.rosswulf.com www.vwtrendsmagazine.com buy ICON pistons here

Eric Justus grew up in Southern California, the son of a VW enthusiast Bill Justus. Bill was known for putting on some of the VW panic events in the mid 90s. Eric grew up with that as a foundation. Moving onto Street cars he obtained Type 34 ghia he decided he was going to make it a drag car. It was quite infamous in the early days as it was at Carlsbad Raceway quite a bit drag racing and he had that big type three moving pretty quick. After he sold it he took a step back for a little bit to fool around with some hot rods before jumping back into his 1955 window is incredibly detailed really fast. You can tell once you spot the kirkey seats that this thing is all business. We cover quite a few topics and it's more of a Freeform conversation in the middle but it's a great podcast. I know you'll love it. Enjoy.    www.letstalkdubs.com www.vwtrendsmagazine.com www.rosswulf.com Check out ICON Pistons here

This week is a short podcast while Im out in southern California. The DKP 60th anniversary &  Hot VWs 50th Anniversary of the Cal-Look Edition. I was able to check out the the Schley Museum. I give you a very short inrtoduction in to the Schley Brothers hsitory.  www.letstalkdubs.com www.vwtrendsmagazine.com www.rosswulf.com use code LTD10 to receive 10% off on all purchase at Ross Wulf ICON pistons HERE

In this episode, I’m joined by Lee Bushaw and Joey Girodano from Workstat Restoration to break down everything that went down during VW Revival Weekend in Southern California. After seeing the buzz all over Facebook, I knew I had to get these guys on the mic to recap the multiple Volkswagen events that made the weekend one for the books. We kick things off with the legendary DKK (Der Kleiner Kampfwagens) Cruise Night on Friday, then dive into the Saturday coin toss: do you hit OCTO Bus Meet in Long Beach, or the **Rare Vintage Air Concours d’Elegance in Huntington Beach? We talk about who went where and why, plus the vibes at the ISP West Open House on Saturday afternoon. Finally, we dig into Sunday’s debut of the VW Revival Show—an event aiming to bring back the classic VW show weekend energy. Did it live up to the hype? Was it the spark the scene needed? Tune in as we talk split-window buses, slammed Ghias, show politics, and the future of classic Volkswagen events. --- Would you like a shorter version for podcast platforms that have character limits (like Spotify or Apple Podcasts)? www.letstalkdubs.com www.vwtrendsmagazine.com www.rosswulf.com         use Code LTD10 for 10% off your order www.thewagen.com  

In the world of classic VW technology, innovation often comes from the enthusiasts—not the factory. That’s exactly the case with Andrig Miller of Andrig’s Air Cooled Technology, who took it upon himself to improve one of the most overlooked components in air-cooled Volkswagen engines: the cooling fan. In this episode of Let’s Talk Dubs, we dive deep into the development of a new **high-efficiency VW cooling fan** engineered for lower drag and increased airflow at low RPM. We cover how Andrig tackled the age-old challenge of VW fan efficiency, the science behind airflow and thermal management, and the process of prototyping and testing to meet performance goals. If you're passionate about air-cooled VW engine performance upgrades, cooling system innovation, or just love hearing how modern tech is pushing vintage VWs forward, this one’s for you.   www.letstalkdubs.com www.rosswulf.com Use Discount code LTD10 for 10% off on your purchase on Rosswulf website. www.vwtrendsmagazine.com BUY ICON PISTONS HERE  

  Mike Gleckler hails from Carmichael California. A lifelong VW enthusuest. He first got into Volkswagens at the age of 15. His Instagram handle is @vintage_volkswagens has over 3800 posts and 44.6K followers. Check out his IG for some cool vintage Volkswagne content. On this episode we talk about his bus collection. His 1967 Deluxe Bus and the story behind it. Also his 1954 Barndoor  era Single cab pick up. His 1967 HighRoof "Clinomobil". He has an afinnity for Highroofs by the way he ownes 2 of them. And his 1965 Highroof his dad cruises.  We also discuss his instagram page and how its helped him connect with other VW enthusiests around the world.    www.letstlakdubs.com www.vwtrendsmagazine.com www.rosswulf.com   use Code LTD10 for a discount Buy Icon Pistons here  

Its been a crazy few weeks in the VW scene. The celebration of life for Bob Lacost at the Canyon RV park was disrupted by a shooting. An argument turns into a person with mental health issues, he runs his truck into some people, then gets out of his truck and starts firing off 10 rounds and hits 2 people. We play the news report. The sad passing of VW family, Stanley Ford and we tell you about when the celebration of life will take place.  He will be missed. Then the Anaheim Hills Murder suicide of Marco and Allison Gurrero. Its been a crazy couple of weeks. If your troubled with mental health issues PLEASE GET SOME HELP. Life is too precious to lose. We also discuss what George is working on at the shop and much more. Enjoy www.vwtrendsmagazine.com www.rosswulf.com use LTD10 for 10% off your purchase   https://ktla.com/news/local-news/gunfire-erupts-at-park-in-orange-county-3-people-hospitalized/ https://abc7.com/post/orange-county-sheriffs-deputies-responding-reported-shooting-featherly-regional-park-yorba-linda/16323682/   https://ktla.com/news/local-news/2-found-dead-in-in-apparent-murder-suicide-in-anaheim-hills/ Jamie Benn Go Fund Me Leon Zoltzman GO Fund Me https://sewfineproducts.com https://www.westcoastmetric.com  

Gerald Klaus: From German Roots to High-Performance Innovation Born in Germany and raised in the world of Volkswagens, Gerald Klaus grew up under the influence of his father, Rolf Klaus—a respected VW performance builder and parts manufacturer. With a split-window Beetle in the garage and a legacy of tuning engines for German enthusiasts, Gerald's path was set early. Armed with a degree in metallurgy and hands-on experience in industrial foundries, Gerald combined his technical expertise with his lifelong passion for Volkswagens to take on an ambitious challenge: designing and manufacturing his own performance cylinder heads. In this episode, we dive deep into the world of Type 4 performance, exploring the science behind metallurgy, cooling, and airflow—and how Gerald's innovative designs address the shortcomings of traditional heads. Whether you're a hardcore VW builder or just love stories of passion meeting engineering, this episode is packed with insights into what makes a great performance head—and the dedication it takes to create one from scratch. www.rosswulf.com use code LTD10 for 10% off parts www.vwtrendsmagazine.com ICON pistons here. www.letstalkdubs.com Go Fund me for shooting victim Jamie Benn