Greg's Diary
There's something about Waterfest that I find rejuvenating. I guess being in the company of so many enthusiasts and surrounded by a sea of incredible cars makes it a very special event. I come away thinking about new projects and cars we have to feature, and with my world at peace. It's like I've been smoking giant Golf ganja for the weekend.
This year's Kreuzerfest was well attended, but we could've done better with directions, and Elliott's ability to follow the instructions of his own nav device led to some interesting adventures. However, everybody was really friendly and fired up for the weekend.
My infatuation with the Mk3 Golf was renewed at the show. I remember building Project SixSpax years ago when people were first experimenting with the car. It was an awkward time but now everybody's so comfortable with the Mk3, it seems impossible to go wrong.
Perhaps the biggest surprise was discovering how successfully people tackled the new Rabbit - see Paul Carlon's example in this issue for proof.
It was also great to meet so many readers. Sorry If I didn't have much time to chat but it'sa huge show to try and see everything. As it is,I didn't spend one second at the drag, autocross or dyno. Next year we need a three-day event!
Greg's Favorite Car:
Possibly my favorite car was Milos Cadikovski's VR6 turbo. That color, and those color-matched BBS and a crazy turbo motor put it right up at the top. I also loved Paul Anatra's GTI VRT and Tom MacLachlan's Mk4 Jetta 1.8T - which is why you can see them on our "best of" pages.
Picking a single car from among the rows at Waterfest is almost impossible, but I guess for all-round, show-stopping ability, I'd have to go with Dave Withrow's incredible Lambo orange Mk1. My favorite aspect was that shaved engine bay; it had to be the best of Waterfest.
Don't worry, we'll have full features on all these cars very soon. I can't wait.
Justin's Diary
Being a Waterfest virgin, I didn't know what to expect. However, it was a great experience; I met tons of people, enjoyed the East Coast cars and got to visit places I'd never seen before. What more could you want: great people, nice cars and perfect weather! It's a Dubber's paradise.
While I enjoy looking at a beautiful car, I'm a gearhead; a go-fast nerd who prefers function over form any day. If that's not bad enough, I'm an old skool fanatic and a AAA guy at heart. As such, my favorite cars at Waterfest were the crew of all-motor guys running on the strip. Whether it was some of the Race Shop VR6s or the guys with the high-revving fours, they were definitely my favorites. There's something to be said for an essentially stock all-motor Dub knocking on the 12s.
Sam's Diary
As my second Waterfest experience, '07's show was just as fulfilling (if not more so) than the first. I had to coordinate several photoshoots during the weekend, and had a blast with many VW diehards including Cory Sterling (thanks for the Philly cheesesteaks!), Ken Wehry, Milos Cadikovski, Paul Anatra, Joe Saputo and more. Stay tuned for full features on these Waterfest all-stars.
Besides the photoshoots and the show itself, Kreuzerfest South was a joy. Between breaking the participation record, having a police escort and borrowing an Eos 3.2, how much more fun could I have?
Sam's Favorite Car:
I've fallen in love with Mk3s again. Canadian resident Milos Cadikovski built a '95 GTI VR6that nearly broke my neck when I first saw it. The Bronze Mist metallic paint enticed me immediately, along with the color-matched 17" BBS RS. Pulled fenders, Jetta front-end and a carbon hood made it too easy to love.
When Milos popped the hood, I was even more amazed - a VR6 24v with a gargantuan GT40R turbo. Although it doesn't hit full boost until maybe 6000rpm, it has enough power to run down a Murcielago on the quarter-mile or freeway. Much respect!
Milos ran 11s on the track at WF13, and is only hundredths from breaking into the 10s. If you haven't already seen it, flip back to his feature on p22.