EURO SUMMIT VOLKSWAGON SHOW - Keeping the Children From Crying

SUMMIT - “My kids cried in 2023 when I said we weren’t going to do this anymore,” says Jarrett Whitaker, the founder and still-organizer of Euro Summit Car Show, a Volkswagon owner’s dream. The event, featuring VW’s only, began in 2017, setting up in Tannersville before moving to Windham, last weekend, traditionally drawing hundreds of collectors and enthusiasts. “This is all about family and community,” Whitaker says, noting the show supports Toys for Tots and other charitable ventures. “I can’t explain why certain models of cars unify people, but for us it’s VW’s.” Happy he changed his mind are (left to right) Jarrett, his wife Rebecca (with daughter Eleanor in her arms) and their sons Maddax, Rowan and Radley. 

“We’re all nuts,” admits Zach Goodman, who journeyed from Westbury, Connecticut, in his vintage 1963 VF Beetle with its European-style right-hand steering wheel, Flat 4 air-cooled engine and tilted wheels. “I’ve done a lot of work on this car but I’m already planning to take it apart again, this winter. Every time I see this car it makes me smile,” Goodman says, explaining his own insanity, shared by countless other VW aficionados.

“This came together with the right combination of junk,” says Dylan Bastian of his 1969 VW Squareback which is two cut-up Squarebacks on top of a 2020 Jetta, a simple enough task for Dylan, an Automotive Collision Technology Instructor at Capital Region BOCES.

TJ Briggs of Greenville, a career military man, has travelled in carefree fashion to places like Mexico, Key West and the Canadian Border in his classic 1969 VW Transporter, melding two buses Into one. He was joined at the show by his son Brent, a 2003 Jetta owner, and pooch named Goose.

Max Vojacek grinned while telling the story of how he would up with his VW Rabbit pickup. “The wife of the previous owner said he couldn’t spend any more money on it. I felt bad for the guy but not that bad.” Max says, sinking close to $25 G’s on the truck (including a new turbo diesel engine), gladly making the 8-hour trip to Windham from Uniontown, Pennsylvania.