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"I am 17 years old, and I got the bug when I was 16. I first saw the old bugger out in a consignment dealer lot in Navarre, Florida, and 15-year-old me fell in love with it, having no idea what a VW really was. When I went into the lot and found out what the dealer wanted for it, I was so upset that I couldn’t afford, I wrote a song about the car, “The VW Song” — Aiden Fleischman. My song about the Beetle won me the Frank Brown International Songwriters Competition in 2024.
Later that year, the dealership lot closed and the bug was gone, nowhere to be seen, but I still couldn’t get that Bug off my mind. One day, I was scrolling on FB Marketplace and found a listing for a 1976 Datsun 280z. And in the background there it was, the blue 1972 VW Super Beetle that I fell in love with all that time ago.
It took 5 months and a lot of hours at my part-time job at the movie theater, but I got it running. It runs so good that I daily drive it to school and all around town, everyday everywhere. I love the car to death and I’ve learned so much I named her Maggie. And now through many high school adventures, she is going to college with me, and I’m going keep making memories with her."
"After 44 years of dreaming about an air-cooled car, my dream come true. The first year was such a pleasure, every Kilometer was sooooo much fun and my head was free. I am looking forward to have the streets free of Salt and ice to have some old-school fun."
"My name is Sebastian, I’ve been into air-cooled VW’s since I was brought home from the hospital in my dad’s beetle. I’m 24 now with a growing obsession with these cars. I’ve purchased my first beetle a '60 at 21 years old and learned to restore and work on these cars from that car as well as my dad’s ‘73. In 2023 I purchased my dream car, my '51 Split Bug. Bought off my friends at HR AutoWorks in South London. I drove the car over 5200kms around Europe over 2 trips. And even a lap around the Nurburgring. Shipped home to enjoy here in Canada. I now have a ‘56 low light Ghia across the pond to enjoy, planning on several more euro trips and plenty of miles. I love travelling with these cars, gives me an idea of what it was like 50-75 years ago driving these amazing little cars. They force me to learn and take in every moment. I love these cars for all their quirks and emotions."
Cool Flo’s journey began in 1989 when the three Carter brothers attended their first VW show and instantly caught "the bug." Growing up in a close-knit family, the Carters shared a love for classic retro rides and the great outdoors, following in their father’s footsteps. It was only natural that Volkswagens and other classic vehicles became a shared family passion.
1989 also marked a pivotal moment in the rise of the dance music scene in the UK. The synergy between this vibrant music scene and VW festival culture was immediately evident.
What truly captivated the brothers wasn’t just the cars or the music, but the friendships, sense of community, and the lifestyle that flourished at these events. This intersection became the foundation of the Cool Flo brand. Recognizing an opportunity to capture and share this spirit, the Carter brothers established Cool Flo Clothing.
THANK YOU, DARRELL
It was 1972, and i was in the Air Force,at March Air Force Base, in Sunnymead, CA, right next to Riverside, home of Economotors and EMPI. At the time, I was a dyed-in-the-wool Mopar guy, and had a Hemi Roadrunner. My Air Force buddy, Steve Nickel, was also a Mopar fanatic, and had a Hemi Cuda. we had been hopping up Steve's 'Cuda, with all the usual 1970's hot rod goodies, Casler cheater slicks, ladder style traction bars that reached all the way to the transmission crossmember, Doug's headers (They weren't Doug Thorley yet) and we replaced those God-awful Carter AFB carburetors, and some Holley #3310, 780 cfm, carbs, that we were more used to, and knew how to change the jets and etc. on them.
One evening, we were at Orange County International Raceway, checking out some tire pressure and jet changes we had had to Steve's 'Cuda. As luck would have it, Steve was at the starting line, and next to him, along comes this little orange VW Bug, the "Pincher" or something. I kinda felt somebody must have had it out for the driver for the Bug, and there was no way in hell that Volkswagen was gonna beat a well tuned, nicely prepped, Hemi Cuda. Imagine my surprise when the tree came down even, and both cars left the starting line at the same time.. Well, as it turned out, that little "Pincher" Bug DID beat Steve's Cuda, fair and square. I was not only amazed, I was a little ticked, Steve and I had spent a lot of time and money building what we considered to be a potent street car, only to get beat but a doggone Volkswagen!!!!, I went into the pits, right past Steve and over to where this little Bug was parked. I asked the guy, a nice guy about my age who said his name was Darrell, what in the HELL kind of engine he had in that car..I thought he must have had a V8 in the back seat, or something.. He told me "Its a VW engine" and I replied rather testily "Bullsh*t, show me" so this Darrel guy just kind of smiled, and took the engine cover off..Other than not having that big black round shroud thing, with the generator, and a weird looking carburetor on each side, It was, by God, a Volkswagen engine...!!!!!!!!! Years later, when I finally met Darrell, I asked him if he remembered that day at OCIR...He said so, but he said he had that conversation quite a lot back then. .. He was very friendly back then, and willing to answer any questions anyone had. And that is how I ended up becoming a VW nut, which culminated in my becoming the Technical Editor for VW Trends Magazine, and later, Associate Editor for Hot VWs magazine. And to this very day, my garage has a 1969 Karmann Ghia and a 1957 Beetle Sunroof.
Most people only have photos of their first car. I still get to open the garage door and see mine. Almost 30 years later, that same 1973 Beetle is still a huge part of my life.
Long before I was old enough to drive, my dad was already shaping that future without either of us realizing it. We spent weekends wandering car shows together, stopping at every Volkswagen we could find. He'd point out little details, the headlights, the colors for specific years. Back then, Car Trader catalogs were just as exciting. We'd flip through page after page, circling cars and talking about getting me a VW of my own someday.
When it was finally time to buy my first car, there wasn't really another choice. A 1973 Beetle found me.
I learned how to drive in it. I learned how to fix things that broke. I learned that old cars don't care about your schedule, but they'll reward patience, determination, and a willingness to get your hands dirty. Over the years it's worn different engines, different parts, and collected thousands of miles worth of stories.
Today, that same Beetle has taken me farther than I ever imagined. It's introduced me to lifelong friends, countless road trips, and a community that has felt like family since I was twelve years old.
It's funny how one little Volkswagen can quietly shape the course of your life. And somehow, after all these years, it's still waiting for me every time I open the garage door.
