It's about time we gave you some more influential cars to have a look at.

We're going to cover the whole budget range this time, starting with a couple of VW's that really turned heads when they came on the scene.

Brian Burrows Squareback

Why is it important?
I could write a lot about this car, in fact I did once, although due to various circumstances it never ended up printed, which is why I think this car isn't as famous outside of VW circles as it should be.  This is another of those uncompromising vehicles, built to one mans specific vision of what he wanted.

Take one relatively obscure end of the VW scene, a Type 3 estate, add the power unit from a Porsche 993 GT2, strip down to the bare essentials, smooth, then drop the whole lot on a custom build chassis.  In a scene that has been around for twenty or thirty years it can become difficult to cause a stir, this car did that.  Taking it initial look principles not from other cars but from the Bauhaus' design principles of making no distinction between between form and function.  From this jump off a whole series of design decisions got made outside of the scope of traditional car modfication, which made for a really fresh car.

 

Not only does this car look great, enough to win the Volksworld Show best car, but it went well and was driven on the street, no trailer queen this.

Where is it now?
The car has changed hands a few times over the past couple of years.  It has appeared in the odd auction listing recently so you may yet have the chance to own it.


Linde Bus

 

Why is it important?
Even though Bug Jam had Rust & Prime events for many years (instigated by our very own Rmad) it took a car from Germany to really set the wheels of full patina'd rat look to full speed.
When Bug Box's Linde bus first appeared in Volksworld magazine it was the first time a lot of people had seen an intentionally ratty looking car that was aimed at the street and went like stink!  It wasn't the first vehicle to be done this way, but it was one of the first to get such a high level of exposure.  Arguably it became the benchmark by which all the rat look VW vans that followed got judged by.

The bus is the very definition of rat look as well, the outside is scruffy, rusty with a lovely patina, the underneath is perfectly solid, well screwed together with power to push it along.  It caused a fair amount of internet based debate when it first came out, some loved it, other hated it.  We'll let you make your own mind up, but there is no denying its infulence on a generation of modified car builders.

There is a write up in English and German here about its history.

Where is it now?
The bus has made its way to the UK and now lives in the hands of Type2Detectives.


Rmad's Cressida

Why is it important?
If the Burrows Squareback is a car built to a vision then Rmad's Cressida is a car built to a budget.  A relatively tiny budget.  Up until a couple of months ago the car had cost a total of £700.  It may have been built with budget in mind, but it has turned heads at every show it has been to, it has caused a stir.  The base model was chosen for practicality rather than having one eye on the emerging Japanese car scene, in fact it predates the current trend by a year or so, this was always intended as a car that could drive the family to the shops if needed.  4 doors, reliable, cheap, bland?  Some would think so, but not Rmad.

This is a simple build, lowered on a cheap set of wheels and some nice details (stickers, seat covers and the like).  It is important because it shows that a diverse taste in cars and the ability to look at anything with an eye for its potential could mean your driving around in a scene defining car for as little as £700.  It just requires that you keep your eyes open at all times.  This could happily be parked along side any of the other cars here and still turn heads.  It proves your budget isn't a limit, in fact you can use it to your advantage.

The car has had an actual measurable impact, directly on the price of Lotus Eclat wheels, as well as influencing others to just get on and build rides rather than sitting around planning them.

Where is it now?
Currently undergoing a facelift and will be back out this year in a new guise.  The current build can be read here

 

There are more influential cars to come, in fact there may even be an actual theme for the next one.