SP Rides: A VW Survivor
PHOTOS BY JERRETTE KAMAKA
OWNER – Leopoldo and Brenda Bringas
YEAR – 1971
MAKE – Volkswagen
MODEL – Double Cab
ENGINE – Dean Sheldon engine, 1776cc, dual 40’s
DRIVETRAIN– 4-speed manual transaxle
SUSPENSION – Champagne hubcaps
ELECTRONICS – Custom installed VDO gauges
INTERIOR – Mr. & Mrs. Lee Aloha Upholstery
STEREO – Clarion, Bose speakers
EXTERIOR – Alan Yee custom paint, HID Halo headlights, LED taillights
Leo and Brenda Bringas have a lot to be thankful for these days, despite the fact that they’re still coping with the loss of their Kalihi home, which was consumed by fire last month. They’re grateful for the fire fighters and neighbors who helped in battling the blaze; they’re also thankful for the subsequent support received from the Red Cross and the Volkswagen family.
Naturally, the fire damage was extensive, and is estimated at nearly $700,000. But it was the loss of two custom VW possessions — a rare Squareback and a Bug that was given to Leo Bringas by his brother some 40 years ago — that stung the car enthusiast the most. And yet, he’s grateful the blaze did no harm to his loved ones.
“The biggest concern for me was that nobody got seriously hurt — not the firemen and not my family and not the neighbors — because I would have a hard time sleeping,” summarized Bringas. “My father taught me a long time ago that metal can be replaced. A house can be rebuilt, but you cannot replace a life.”
The rebuilding has already begun. On Sunday, May 17, the Vintage Club of Hawaii will host one of annual events from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Waimalu Elementary School. There, the VW Club of Hawaii plans to collect donations for Leo and Brenda, and their friend, VW specialist Dean Sheldon, who resides with the Bringas ohana.
“The Volkswagen family is pretty close-knit, and we always reach out to help one of our own,” said Todd Matsumoto, co-founder of the VW Club of Hawaii. “We’ve known Leo Bringas and Dean Sheldon for a long, long time and when we heard what happened we got together to help.”
Fortunately for Bringas, not all of his possessions were lost in the fire. For example, this 1971 Volkswagen Double Cab, which Bringas uses as his daily driver, is still around and one of two vehicles to have survived the fire. Ten years ago, Bringas bought this from a Canadian resident. The amount of red tape, legal documents and proof of ownership required to transfer the vehicle to the United States, however, was almost not worth the effort. To avoid Canadian red tape, the original owner drove this Double Cab to the U.S. border, where the exchange with Bringas was made. Canadian vehicles often don’t meet U.S. emission laws, but because Bringas was shipping the vehicle to Hawaii it wasn’t an issue until he tried to register it in the 50th State. After getting it registered, Bringas had Sheldon look ever the Double Cab, evaluate its condition and begin working his magic.
“When I talked to the guy I bought this from over the phone he told me that the Double Cab is in good condition, so I took his word for it,” said Bringas. “I’ve known Dean for over 20 years and he’s worked on all my cars and when he looked over the Double Cab he told about all the stuff that was wrong with it. I wish I took him with me when I went to buy this.”
The front end needed work right away, and then Sheldon focused on replacing the original engine with a high performance 1776cc engine with dual 40s. Then Alan Yee took over and gave the Double Cab its first of three custom paint jobs. The latest is this current scheme, which was done just over a year ago.
