DubLife Diaries The VW Lifestyle Podcast

What happens when a lifelong love of Volkswagens meets a mission that is bigger than the car itself? You get a Volkswagen Beetle with a story worth sharing.
In Episode 88 of DubLife Diaries, we sit down with Spencer Crutchley, founder of Thank Our 1st Responders, to talk about an incredible custom 1971 Volkswagen Beetle built to honor fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, and first responders.
Spencer's journey began with a passion for Volkswagens decades ago, but his current Beetle has a much deeper purpose. Built as a tribute to his brother-in-law, Lee County Deputy Scott Wheeler, who tragically lost his life in 2011, the car has grown into a rolling tribute to the men and women who serve and protect our communities.
The Beetle features custom details, including a chopped roof, suicide doors, first responder graphics, and hundreds of patches, signatures, and tributes collected from agencies and supporters across the country.
But the mission doesn't stop there.
Spencer is working to visit all 67 Florida counties, collecting signatures from every Florida sheriff, with the ultimate goal of taking his Beetle to Washington, D.C., for National Police Week in May 2027. There, he hopes to display the car and deliver a powerful tribute at the National Law Enforcement Museum.
We also talk about the nonprofit's work providing meals to first responders, the support of community partners like Chick-fil-A, the incredible generosity of the Volkswagen community, and the personal stories that keep Spencer pushing forward.
This episode is about much more than Volkswagens. It's about family, friendship, community, honoring those who serve, and using something you're passionate about to make a difference.
IN THIS EPISODE:
Spencer's decades-long Volkswagen journey and the cars that started it all.
The story behind his custom 1971 Volkswagen Beetle.
Honoring Deputy Scott Wheeler and all first responders.
The mission behind Thank Our First Responders.
Collecting patches and signatures from all 67 Florida counties.
The road to National Police Week 2027 in Washington, D.C.
How the Volkswagen community continues to show up and support one another.
Ways you can help support the mission.
GET INVOLVED & FOLLOW THE MISSION:
Follow Thank Our 1st Responders on Facebook and Instagram to see the Beetle's journey, upcoming appearances, and opportunities to support the mission.
If you're part of the VW community, a first responder, or someone who believes in recognizing the people who serve our communities, this is a story you'll want to hear.
ABOUT DUBLIFE DIARIES
DubLife Diaries is a Volkswagen lifestyle podcast celebrating the people, stories, cars, and community behind the VW culture. From classic Beetles and buses to custom builds, road trips, VW events, and the people who make this community special, we're here to share the stories behind the Dubs.
Subscribe, follow, and leave us a review. And if you know someone with a great VW story, we want to hear about it!
Don't just drive a Dub. Live the DubLife!

Some people collect cars. Others build them, modify them, break them, rebuild them, and occasionally set them on fire along the way. Jordan Reece has done a little bit of everything!
In Episode 87 of DubLife Diaries, we're sitting down with Jordan Reece, automotive enthusiast, hot rod builder, author, educator, minister, and the man behind the massive Ruined VWs – Purists Not Allowed community, now home to more than 347,000 members.
Jordan has owned more than 240 vehicles throughout his life, but his passion for Volkswagens runs deep. We talk about how that passion started, why he believes building a car should be about what makes YOU happy, and how a Facebook group built around customized VWs became one of the largest Volkswagen communities on the internet.
We also get into the technical side of things, including his book, IDF Carburetors: The DIY Guide, the art of keeping old-school mechanical knowledge alive, and why today's increasingly computerized vehicles are making it harder for people to work on their own cars.
Beyond the garage, Jordan shares the story of Hi-Revz Media, working alongside his father, his experience as a technical educator, and a more personal conversation about faith, mental health, and his journey into ministry.
This episode covers a lot of ground, from air-cooled Volkswagens and carburetors to motorcycles, family, faith, and the importance of creating a community where people can enjoy what they love without being judged for it.
Because at the end of the day, it's your car. Build it your way. And if somebody calls it ruined, you might just be doing something right!
Tune in, turn it up, and enjoy Episode 87 of DubLife Diaries!

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