Featured Volkswagen Story

The Features section showcases standout air-cooled Volkswagens from across the community, highlighting unique builds, survivor cars, restorations, and the personal stories behind them. Each feature offers a closer look at the craftsmanship and passion that define vintage VW ownership. Explore the latest featured vehicles below and discover the stories that make these classics unforgettable.

The Gospel According to The Dude - Owner: Nick Jones

Volkswagens were part of the story long before Nick Jones ever owned one. With a mother born in Nürnberg, the cars were woven into family conversations from the start. “Everyone has a Volkswagen story,” Nick likes to say. A relative had one. Someone learned to drive stick in one. Maybe it was their first cheap car. One way or another, people connect to these machines, and that connection took root early in his life.

1967 VW Single Cab The Dude with Schwinn graphics parked on grass under a cloudy sky.

As a kid, Nick spent countless hours around a yellow late 1960s Beetle owned by an older friend who became a lifelong mentor. “I was just a snot nosed kid who wanted to learn,” he recalls. “He let me hang around and turn wrenches.” That Beetle became the foundation for a lifetime in car culture. Hot rods, rat rods, lifted trucks, air ride builds, mini trucks, wild paint jobs, he tried a little of everything. But it was not until twenty years after that yellow Bug that the real turning point arrived.

Vintage VW Single Cab carrying a classic Schwinn bicycle in the bed near a building

The moment came when Nick traded for a 1955 ribbed door Oval. Flat black, bright red interior, and full of attitude, it was the kind of car that announces itself. The first show he took it to was the Oldvolks Show in Oklahoma City. A couple blocks from the venue, the car started spitting, popping, and backfiring. By the time it rolled into a parking spot, several Volkswagen owners were already waiting to help. “In no time it was running like a top again,” he says. That was the day he realized Volkswagen people were not just enthusiasts. They were family.

Rear view of The Dude VW Single Cab with Schwinn plate and bicycle in the truck bed

To Nick, a Volkswagen is more than a car. “It is a lifestyle. It is an attitude. It is a family,” he explains. Another decade passed, along with ten to fifteen Volkswagens. The beloved 1955 eventually moved on, but a 1964 Beetle named Bugsly stayed behind, proudly earning the crap on the rack award at shows. Eventually, he realized the family had outgrown a Beetle. Too much gear, too many trips, and too many memories to haul. After selling a 1957 Speedster kit car, the search began for the dream ride, a Single Cab.

Custom air cooled VW engine with polished components and red MST parts in the bay

That search led Nick to Wichita, Kansas, where a 1967 Single Cab instantly felt right. The paint and body were as is, but the truck had character. Alongside his love for Volkswagens was a love for old bicycles, and the Schwinn shop truck look fit perfectly. An offer was made, the call came the next morning, and the trailer was hooked up immediately. The truck needed a little of this and a little of that, but it was a fantastic starting point. And like every Volkswagen in the family, it needed a name. When a living room rug was found in the bed, the answer was obvious. Inspired by The Big Lebowski, the truck became The Dude.

Schwinn branded VW Single Cab with safari windows open on a grassy field

Nick wasted no time making The Dude his own. The peeling black spray paint in the bed was stripped and replaced with a DIY Raptor liner. Blinkers were fixed. An air horn was added. The indoor outdoor carpet came out, replaced with bright red carpet and a matching sueded headliner. Then came the altitude adjustment. The Dude went from borderline Baja height to nearly kissing the pavement. A narrowed lowering beam with Wilwood disc brakes went in. The reduction box transmission was swapped for a freeway flyer. The underside was refinished. Damage to the driver’s door was repaired. Widened Smitty’s Smoothies were added. The engine wiring was cleaned up, and a full set of red Parts by MST components popped against the chrome tinwork. The Dude’s voice now comes through a Vintage Speed Super Tuck split bus exhaust.

Front view of cream and red VW Type 2 with roof rack parked on grass

Today, The Dude is more than a truck. It is a rolling invitation. Kids are encouraged to climb in, hit the air horn, and experience a Volkswagen up close. “If we do not get kids interested, this hobby will be gone one day,” Nick says. The Dude does not abide that. Seeing a kid smile or watching a parent jump at the air horn is worth every fingerprint. As for selling it, the answer is complicated. “Everything is for sale for the right money,” he admits, “but selling The Dude would be selling a part of me.” For now, the plan is simple. Keep cruising. Keep sharing. Keep spreading the dub love.

Schwinn themed VW Single Cab at night with red wheels and cream two tone paint

The future looks bright. The Dude is set to appear in the Parts by MST booth at SEMA, an honor Nick considers one of the highest a vehicle can receive. Alongside a few other builds, it will help showcase functional jewelry made in Oklahoma. Until then, the philosophy remains the same. Share the dub love, help someone out, give away old parts, and encourage anyone working on a project. Shiny, crusty, rusty, lifted, lowered, every Volkswagen is someone’s pride. Build them up. Never tear them down.

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How to Get Featured

Two VW Beetles parked facing each other

If you’ve got a vintage VW that’s been turning heads or gathering dust in your garage, why not let it shine on AllAirCooled.com? We’re passionate about celebrating these iconic rides, and we’d love to feature your air-cooled Volkswagen for enthusiasts everywhere to admire. Whether it’s a pristine restoration or a patina-clad survivor, your VW deserves its moment in the spotlight. Drop us an email at with a few details and photos, and let’s get your vintage beauty showcased on the site, because every air-cooled gem has a story worth sharing!

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