DubLife Diaries The VW Lifestyle Podcast

Born from a desire to do things their own way, Southsiders VW has grown from four Volkswagen enthusiasts in 2014 into a Florida community of more than 7,400 members. Twelve years later, the group is still bringing people together through a shared love of Volkswagens, Thursday night meetups, road-trip adventures, and a commitment to giving back.
On this episode 86 of DubLife Diaries, we sit down with Jay Gould, Karl Kihlander, Steven Grant, Mike Plante, John Nida, and the crew behind Southsiders VW to hear the stories that built their community and the friendships that have kept it going.
From classic buses and air-cooled Volkswagens to international connections and memorable road-trip mishaps, the conversation covers plenty of VW history. We get to know the stories behind their rides, including Jay's 1970 panel bus, Icebox; Karl's 1969 bus, High Ball Betty; John's well-traveled bus, Helga; and Mike's bus, DD.
But Southsiders VW is about more than the cars. Their weekly Thursday night gatherings bring enthusiasts together rain or shine, while their approach to keeping the group welcoming and drama-free has helped friendships thrive for more than a decade.
The crew also shares the stories behind two of their biggest charitable traditions:
🧸 Toys for Tots: An annual charity run that has collected toys, bikes, and scooters for children in need.
🐾 Winter Blitz: A Volkswagen gathering supporting a local animal shelter through fundraising and donations.
We talk about the early days, the unwritten rules that keep a large community connected, the people who make the scene special, and the dream Volkswagens they'd bring home if money were no object.
In this episode:
The origins and growth of Southsiders VW since October 2014
The people and friendships behind a 7,400-plus-member community
Weekly Volkswagen meetups on Florida's Space Coast
The stories behind the crew's buses and other VW builds
Toys for Tots and the Winter Blitz charity event
Road-trip adventures, restorations, breakdowns, and VW memories
Why the people behind the cars are what make this lifestyle special

From four friends with an idea to a thriving Volkswagen community, Southsiders VW is proof that the best part of the VW lifestyle has always been the people you meet along the way.
🎙️ Listen, subscribe, and join the DubLife Diaries community.
Have a Volkswagen story of your own? Visit the DubLife Diaries website to register as a guest and share your VW backstory.
#DubLifeDiaries #SouthsidersVW #Volkswagen #VWBus #VWCommunity #AirCooledVW #VolkswagenBus #VWLife #FloridaVW #ToysForTots

What happens when a childhood obsession turns into a lifelong passion?
On this episode of DubLife Diaries, we sit down with James Vedder, whose love for Volkswagen Beetles started at just four years old. From collecting toy Bugs and hunting for Volkswagens on his bike around Colorado Springs to buying a heavily modified 1968 Beetle at just 15, James has spent much of his life chasing the cars that captured his imagination as a kid.
That yellow ’68 is more than just a car. It has survived major modifications, engine swaps, a devastating wreck, and years of rebuilding. Eighteen years later, James still owns it.
We talk about his early days in the VW scene, the influence of the original Herbie movie, the people who helped him learn to work on air-cooled engines, and why the Volkswagen community feels more like family than a car club.
James also shares stories about his ’57 Euro Oval, his dream builds, the VW he would keep forever, and the advice he would give his younger self.
Whether you love Beetles, enjoy a good restoration story, or simply understand what it means to hold onto something that has been part of your life for decades, this episode is for you.
In this episode:
·       How a four-year-old fell in love with Volkswagen Beetles
·       Beetle hunting around Colorado Springs
·       Buying a heavily modified ’68 Bug at 15
·       Learning air-cooled VW mechanics from fellow enthusiasts
·       The heartbreak of wrecking a beloved Beetle
·       Rebuilding, backdating, and keeping a car for the long haul
·       The ’57 Euro Oval and future VW dreams
·       Why the VW community is truly family
Subscribe to DubLife Diaries for more Volkswagen stories, builds, road trips, and conversations with the people who make the VW community special.
Have a VW story of your own? We want to hear it!
#DubLifeDiaries #Volkswagen #AircooledVW #VWBeetle #VolkswagenBeetle

What do tattoos, Volkswagens, Muhammad Ali, and a historic mink farm have in common? More than you might think.
In this episode 84 of DubLife Diaries, we sit down with Scottie Morgan, tattoo artist and owner of Homebase Tattoo, for a conversation that goes far beyond cars and ink.
Scottie’s tattoo shop sits on the historic former Pollack’s Mink Farm in Deer Lake, Pennsylvania, a property with an incredible connection to boxing legend Muhammad Ali, who trained there during his rise in the sport. Today, the same property has been transformed into a tattoo studio—bringing together history, discipline, creativity, and art in a place with a story all its own.
Scottie takes us through his journey into tattooing, his approach to creating art for clients, the evolution of tattoo culture, and the business of building a successful tattoo shop in the age of Instagram, TikTok, and viral content.
Of course, we also dive deep into Volkswagen culture—from Scottie’s first VW to his modified Tiguan, the VW community, car shows, water-cooled Volkswagens, and his plans for future builds. We talk about how car culture has evolved, why the VW community is different, and how creativity connects the worlds of tattooing and automotive customization.
We also uncover some fascinating stories from the property’s past, including the surviving remnants of the mink farm and the history surrounding Muhammad Ali’s time there.
This is a conversation about cars, tattoos, history, creativity, business, social media, family, and simply showing up and doing the work.
Whether you're into Volkswagens, tattoo culture, car builds, automotive lifestyle, or just a great story, there's something here for you.
FOLLOW SCOTTIE
Instagram: @scottie__morgan
Car: @static_tiggy
www.HomeBaseTattoo.com
ABOUT DUBLIFE DIARIES
DubLife Diaries is a Volkswagen lifestyle podcast exploring the people, cars, businesses, builds, events, and stories that make the VW community unique.
Subscribe, follow, and join the conversation.
#Volkswagen #VW #DubLife #DubLifeDiaries #VolkswagenPodcast #VWTuning #CarCulture #TattooArtist #TattooCulture #HomebaseTattoo #MuhammadAli #DeerLake #CarBuilds #VWCommunity #AutomotiveLifestyle

In Episode 83 of DubLife Diaries, we sit down with Robert "VW Kidd" Velis for a deep dive into the history, people, and culture behind the LA Cal Style Volkswagen scene.
Growing up in East Los Angeles in the 1970s, Robert was surrounded by some of the most influential lowrider clubs and custom car builders in Southern California. From the Dukes and Brown Breed to the Majestics and Imperials, car culture was part of everyday life. Those early influences would eventually collide with his love of Volkswagen and help shape a style that would spread far beyond Los Angeles.
Robert takes us back to the early days of the Bugs Buddies and the Volkswagen builds that helped establish what would eventually become known as Cal Style. We talk about slammed Beetles and Karmann Ghias, polished alloy wheels, European-spec parts, extreme stances, performance engines, and the influence that traditional lowrider culture had on these early Volkswagen builds.
But this episode goes much deeper than the cars.
Robert shares stories about visiting Vintage Volkswagen Parts Inc., learning from people like Rene Redlos of the Dukes, discovering the Volkswagen scene as a teenager, and watching the culture evolve from something happening in neighborhoods around LA into a worldwide movement.
We also get into the history behind the name "Cal Style," how the term became widely used around 1985, the later "Resto Cal" label, and why Robert believes much of the original history and the people behind it have been misunderstood or forgotten.
Robert's story also takes us through his decades in the automotive industry, his career with Mercedes-Benz, his involvement with the Vintage Volkswagen Club of America, his work preserving Volkswagen history, and his commitment to giving back to the car community.
This conversation was so packed with history that we actually had to hit pause when technical issues cut our recording short. Then 2 weeks later we picked back up and continued the conversation.
Every VW has a story. These are the people behind them.
#DubLifeDiaries #Volkswagen #CalStyle #VWHistory #AirCooledVW #VolkswagenCulture #LowriderCulture #ClassicVW #CalLook #VWScene

What happens when a lifelong Volkswagen enthusiast believes the cars are great, but the people behind them are what truly matter?
In Episode 82 of DubLife Diaries, we sit down with Shawn Stapp, a Volkswagen enthusiast with 34 years in the air-cooled VW community, an incredible collection of classic Volkswagens, and a passion for giving back that goes far beyond the garage.
Shawn shares his journey from a troubled youth and his first 1971 Volkswagen Beetle to building a life centered around family, hard work, classic cars, and helping others. Today, he balances running a commercial plumbing business, managing a ranch outside Denver, and caring for an impressive collection of vintage Volkswagens.
But perhaps the most powerful part of Shawn’s story is what he’s doing to pass the hobby on to the next generation. From gifting Volkswagen Beetles to two teenage boys to encouraging young people to get their hands dirty and experience the VW lifestyle firsthand, Shawn is helping ensure the air-cooled community has a future.
We also dive into the growth of 303 Dubs, the success of Denver Dubfest at Empower Field, his 32-year marriage to Christina, and the story behind his latest Volkswagen project: a 1963 23-window bus restoration.
In this conversation, we explore what makes the Volkswagen community so special, why kindness and generosity matter, and how one person can make a lasting impact simply by showing up for others.
In this episode, we talk about:
Shawn’s 34-year journey in the Volkswagen community
His first VW, a 1971 Beetle, and the cars that followed
Giving away Beetles to inspire the next generation of VW enthusiasts
The importance of mentorship, community, and passing down the hobby
The growth and culture of 303 Dubs
Denver Dubfest and bringing the VW community together
His collection of classic buses and Beetles
Life as a plumber, rancher, husband, and Volkswagen enthusiast
Restoring and customizing a 1963 23-window bus
Why helping people is more important than the cars themselves

Shawn’s story is a reminder that Volkswagens are more than metal, paint, and engines. They’re a reason to connect, a way to build friendships, and an opportunity to make a difference in someone else’s life.
Because at the end of the day, every VW has a story. These are the people behind them.
🎙️ Welcome to DubLife Diaries — Episode 82 featuring Shawn Stapp.
If you love air-cooled Volkswagens, classic VW buses, Beetles, and the people who make this community what it is, this is an episode you won't want to miss.
Enjoy the episode? Follow DubLife Diaries, leave us a review, and share this episode with someone who lives and breathes the VW lifestyle.
#DubLifeDiaries #ShawnStapp #303Dubs #AirCooledVolkswagen #Volkswagen #VWBus #VWBeetle #DenverDubfest #VWCommunity #VolkswagenEnthusiast #ClassicVolkswagen #AirCooledVW