Sparkie the Amazing 412

Sparkie412 · Post by **Sparkie412** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 6:57 pm

Hi All,

A friend just told me about this forum, and I just had to post and introduce myself, as I am a Type IV fanatic.

I've been driving my 74 412 wagon for 13 years daily, and I restored her a few years ago. I show her each summer all over the western states - Seattle to L.A. and over to Denver as well - and she takes first or second at every show - in the Type III class, no less, because there is naturally never a Type IV class! These little victories are a big "take this and shove it" to all those who told me my car was too ugly to restore. I'm sure you all understand!

Anyhow, Sparkie just got her biggest honor - a pic of her was chosen by VW of America for their 2002 vintage calendar that is distributed nationally to all their dealerships. She is Miss May. She is African Red with a black and white houndstooth cloth interior.

So, I may have met many of you in my travels, and I hope to participate in the forum. I'll post some pix when I take some. I sure like seeing your pix.

Julie Aleva
San Jose, CA

tuna · Post by **tuna** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 11:33 pm

Julie (and Sparkie),

Welcome to our forum. It sounds like you are most definitely a big Type 4 fan. I hope you can become a regular poster here in our forum and share your 13 years of experience with us and maybe learn somethings along the way (I know I do).

Tuna
--
Tom's Type 4 Corner http://www.tunacan.net/t4corner/

Banzai · Post by **Banzai** » Wed Feb 06, 2002 10:26 pm

Hi Sparkie! My name is Gene. I'm the former owner of a 74 412 4D sedan. Yeah it was stupid to let go of the car, but unemployment has a way of forcing your hand. Anyhoo, will you be coming up to WA this summer? We'd love to see some more T4s at area shows. Bug-In XVII will be happening on the 28th of April in Bremerton this year. Check out http://www.northwestvwclub.org/ for event details for this and other shows in the area.

Sparkie412 · Post by **Sparkie412** » Thu Feb 28, 2002 2:59 pm

Hi Gene,
Your invite is wonderful,and Sparkie and I will be passing through Seattle this summer... but not until August 15, en route to the Great Canadian VW Show. I'll be traveling with 30 or so other aircooled VW's from around the country on the annual Gene Berg Memorial Cruise. We are picking up my good friend Tom Hansen in Seattle.
Julie

ray greenwood · Post by **ray greenwood** » Fri Mar 01, 2002 8:35 am

I hope to have my baby finished by then. Maybe I'll join you. Its a 73 412 2 door w/4 speed. L-96M marathon blue metallic with a black and white houndstooth interior and black trim. It hopefully paints in may or june. Welcome! Ray

Banzai · Post by **Banzai** » Sat Mar 02, 2002 1:39 am

Julie. Hi again. Our local club, Pacific Coast Volks, will probably caravan up to the GCVW Show for that weekend. Give me a heads-up when you folks are coming through the area and we will try to rendezvous with you.

~~Gene

Banzai KG · Post by **Banzai KG** » Sun Mar 03, 2002 5:37 pm

Geez...another Banzai?
Well...all I can say there is only one Banzai KG, and that's me.

I'm just posting here to help my good friend Julie out.

Here are pics from various events that Julie has participated in with her Sparkie:

Wolfsburg Pacific KP-1 Cruise: http://63.230.74.177/newwolfpac/scrapbk ... 1/btb.html

Kelley Park 2001: http://63.230.74.177/newwolfpac/scrapbk ... 01/kp.html

Gene Berg Cruise site: http://63.230.74.177/gbcruisesite/

Berg Cruise 2000: http://63.230.74.177/cruises/BergCruise2k/page1.html

Berg Cruise 2001: http://63.230.74.177/gbcruisesite/page6.html

Gene, also if you are interested in rendezvous-ing your club with the Berg Cruise to Vancouver, BC in August.
Here is the Berg Cruise 2002 calendar planner to give you an idea when we are coming near your area: http://63.230.74.177/gbcruisesite/page10.html

Email Max Welton Max Welton ( max_welton_2k@yahoo.com ) about joining us, he is the Berg Cruise coordinator.

Hope to see ya soon on the Berg Cruise.

Jim Kikuchi
Sunnyvale (near San Jose), CA
1964 Karmann Ghia coupe
CA license plate: BNZAI KG (Banzai Karmann Ghia)
1996 Jetta GL
Wolfsburg Pacific VW Club (East Bay, CA): http://www.wolfpacvw.itgo.com
V.V.W.C.A. - Golden Gate Chapter: http://www.ggcvvwca.org/
Blitzkrieg VWs Aircooled Club: http://www.blitzkriegvws.org
Gene Berg Memorial Cruise: http://63.230.74.177/gbcruisesite\

[This message has been edited by Banzai KG (edited 03-03-2002).]

Post by **Tom Notch** » Mon Mar 11, 2002 5:40 am

Hmmmm, I'll be seeing some of you folks pretty soon at Kelly Park. And again on the GB kruz. And I'll be styling with my T4 powered Notch.

Concerning the cruz and returning to the US of A. Make sure you bring proof of citenzenship, ie birth certificate, voters registration, social security card, or Passport. One of these with your drivers liscence will be required. This info will be added to the tour site.

Later all,

------------------
Tom Notch
Tom's Old VW Home

Banzai KG · Post by **Banzai KG** » Thu Dec 12, 2002 6:55 pm

CONGRATULATIONS JULIE!!!!, both you and Sparkie have finally made your dreams come true for being featured in the February 2003 VW Trends magazine.

------------------
Jim Kikuchi
Sunnyvale (near San Jose), CA
1964 Karmann Ghia coupe
CA license plate: BNZAI KG (Banzai Karmann Ghia)
1996 Jetta GL
Wolfsburg Pacific VW Club (East Bay, CA): http://www.wolfpacvw.itgo.com
V.V.W.C.A. - Golden Gate Chapter: http://www.ggcvvwca.org/
Road Relics VW Club (SF Bay Area, CA): www.road-relics.com/
Gene Berg Memorial Cruise: http://www.gbcruise.org

[This message has been edited by Banzai KG (edited 12-20-2002).]

Llbtwin · Post by **Llbtwin** » Sun Dec 15, 2002 5:43 pm

Congrats Julie! great write up in the magazine, had the pleasure of seeing your car in Colorado at the Motorworks show. It's great to see somebody who has made their dream come true be recognized in a major publication.

Canman · Post by **Canman** » Mon Dec 16, 2002 2:58 pm

Where can I get one of those calendars?

------------------
Canman
-got ghia?

Banzai KG · Post by **Banzai KG** » Tue Dec 17, 2002 11:04 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Canman:
<B>Where can I get one of those calendars?
</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't know whether if you are able to get the 2002 Volkswagen Past, Present, and Beyond calendar from Volkswagen of America http://www.vw.com .

Earlier this year, the local dealerships throughout the states had them for sale as well as VW.COM.
I tried getting one after one of our club members went to the dealership and picked one up, but they were completely out as well as the other local dealerships.
I ordered the 2002 Volkswagen Past, Present, and Beyond from VW.COM and have it now.

In the 2002 calendar, there are a lot of VWs that was shot here locally in the San Jose/San Francisco Bay Area, and one of them happens to be Julie's 412. Another local VW is Mark Merrill's 1950 'vert Beetle, a 1967 15-window Bus, VW Trends Volkswoman Lois Grace's mothers' 1982 Rabbit P/U truck, Jan Peters 1990 Syncho Westy Vanagon. All these shots by a local professional photographer Ron Kimball http://www.ronkimballstock.com/ .
Here are other shots of Julie's 412: http://www.ronkimballstock.com/results. ... 3&Step=145 , http://www.ronkimballstock.com/results. ... 3&Step=169 .
Also here are shots of Julie's other VW, her 1992 VR6 Corrado http://www.ronkimballstock.com/results. ... 3&Step=193 , the CA license plate on Julie's Corrado says BLYIDOL which means Billy Idol like the punk rocker.

Other VWs in the 2002 calendar is: a 1966 Type 34 Karmann Ghia from Illinois, 1973 Thing from SoCal, a 1979 'vert Beetle, and VW production cars/concept cars.

------------------
Jim Kikuchi
Sunnyvale (near San Jose), CA
1964 Karmann Ghia coupe
CA license plate: BNZAI KG (Banzai Karmann Ghia)
1996 Jetta GL
Wolfsburg Pacific VW Club (East Bay, CA): http://www.wolfpacvw.itgo.com
V.V.W.C.A. - Golden Gate Chapter: http://www.ggcvvwca.org/
Road Relics VW Club (SF Bay Area, CA): www.road-relics.com/
Gene Berg Memorial Cruise: http://www.gbcruise.org

[This message has been edited by Banzai KG (edited 12-20-2002).]

raykinsella · Post by **raykinsella** » Wed Mar 06, 2013 7:50 pm

I'm just re-reading these posts from Julie of 11 years ago...so sad, still, to think of her being gone from us since 2004. I got to meet Julie in Seattle on August 13th, 2003, when the Gene Berg Memorial Cruise came through here. I showed up in my own 412, a beautiful silver-blue fastback I named Rolling Thunder. Julie and I, being the lone type-4 lovers that we were, connected immediately like brother and sister. She sat in my 412; I sat in her Sparkie. After about three hours she left, headed up to Canada with the rest of her group. I had no idea what would come to pass only a year later.

I have now owned Sparkie for almost 8 years. Rest assured she is in good hands and is always garaged and meticulously maintained. She looks and runs perfect, exactly as people here may remember her. I consider it a great honor to have such a storied car in my garage. I also have Rolling Thunder, the 412, as well as Maggie, my 1971 411, keeping Sparkie company.

raygreenwood · Post by **raygreenwood** » Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:34 pm

Sweet!

Max Welton · Post by **Max Welton** » Sun Dec 01, 2013 12:06 pm

I just stumbled on this thread. So many memories. Good to know that Sparky found a good home. That is something I've often wondered about.

http://www.bltnvw.com/julie.html

Max

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