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Back in September 2024, Mike and Pepper—aka M&P—reached out to us about building a complete drivetrain package for their 1970 Brazilian Type 2 Bus. Over the past few years, Brazilian-built Buses have grown in popularity, likely due to their affordability compared to their German counterparts.

M&P weren’t satisfied with what they had under their Bus. They were ready for a full refresh—a drivetrain solution that would completely transform the driving experience. We even documented the original condition of their suspension in a video.

During our initial conversation, we recommended starting with an OEM German beam. This would give them a solid, reliable foundation and eliminate many of the typical headaches associated with Brazilian components. M&P wanted the full package: front and rear disc brakes, a new transaxle, all supporting suspension components, and our sleek, 3-piece PRObuilt Smoothies—designed with a clean, bolt-free look. No problem—we had them covered.

Now, this isn’t a budget build. Crafting these high-performance components to the standards that professionals expect takes serious pride and precision. But we live for that challenge. Our mission is to Wow the #AirkewldArmy—that’s you. In the end, M&P invested about $18,000 into their custom setup, which included white-glove delivery right to their garage—complete with liftgate service and a pallet jack.

? When Things Go Sideways…

At Airkewld, we take pride in delivering components that exceed expectations. But every once in a while, something happens that’s entirely beyond our control.

M&P’s shipment—which included their new Type 2 beam, transaxle, and PRObuilt Smoothies—was badly damaged during transit. And we’re not talking about a minor bump. This was full-on mishandling: cones torn off, packaging compromised, and skids treated like they weren’t clearly labeled with warnings.

This level of damage is exceptionally rare. Out of more than 4,000 shipments, this is one of the worst we’ve seen. But no matter how rare, it’s still unacceptable—for us and for our clients.

The True Test of Character

Here’s where M&P truly showed who they are. Rather than responding with anger or frustration, they met the situation with grace, understanding, and trust in our team to make things right. And that’s exactly what we did—regardless of cost or inconvenience.

The Results?

“Hey Pete, just wanted to let you know everything fit perfectly. Thanks for all the hustle in this whole process. I’ll be in touch soon for a transmission and brakes for my Beetle. Thanks.”
— Mike & Pepper

Behind the scenes, my team worked tirelessly to ensure M&P received nothing short of excellence. Because that’s our mission—not just to help our clients build better Volkswagens, but to give them back the one thing that matters most: time. Time with their families, time doing what they love.

That’s the power of the PRObuilt line. No guessing. No frustration. Just quality parts, delivered ready to install, so you can keep moving forward on your build.

We hope you enjoyed this story and seeing what’s possible with the right team and the right components. Interested in building something similar for your Type 2? Give us a call or check out the products we used below.

Thanks for being part of the journey. Have an amazing week, friend.