1303 Super Beetles, can they be Cal looked ??

[Russell]

So a 75 on 1303 with rack and pinion steering is probaly one of the best beetles ever made, has anyone ever cal looked one ? Show us your pics pls

Thx

[Zach Gomulka]

If it's got those hefty 5mph bumpers, they've gotta go. Other than that, why not?

[speedwell]

the best example  of a cal look was john dean "DUMPER"

[goose]

i have some chrome T bars to suit this model if you want them

[beatnik beetle]

I was talking to someone about Dumper the other day...Sorry but, you can keep you German Look 03's...as far as I recall - no one has built an 03 as cool as that

[speedwell]

simon there's a cool 03 in belgium

[vwcab]

Hej Fabs,if you look closely,that are German numberplates on that 1303,so it's a German (cal) looker.  
Nice car anyway.  

[Worm]

One word.......     no  "Stink" Bug, Mexican Taxi, Fat Chick....

Okay if you build one of these and it fills your heart with happiness then good on ya.  These cars were rarely if ever searched out for a hot rod build.  Generally only the ones we saw modified were handed down from Mom or Dad.  Dean's is special because it kinda worked.  AND it was innovative and radical at the time.

If you like it.  Drive it.  Love it.  But on page 397 of the Cal Look handbook I think there is a paragraph that states only link pin and ball joint suspensions need apply.  Not sure though.  
Seriously though some of these look kinda cool.  It's just that bloated balloon of a front grill that disturbs the otherwise nice lines.  Just not my "thing".  Speaking of which can Thing's be Cal Look?  Oh that gives me an idea.  ha

[Berger]

Yes 

[Donny B.]

The earlier ones with the flat windshield look much better.

[Flow]

I think this red one is a 1302 

[johnl]

The earlier ones with the flat windshield look much better.

Donny, I agree.  Years later I find this topic interesting.  Back in 1971 when the Super Beetle came to be in America my reaction is what is wrong with Volkswagen sending this crap to us. 

Now I look at them and find them "interesting".  I've never driven or even had a ride in one that I remember so maybe I'm judging to harshly.  I'm sure they are a good car and looking back I now understand where Volkswagen was trying to go.

In my senior years I even find myself looking at American Iron that I despised back when new in the '70's with a newfound appreciation.  I guess I'm mellowing with age....   

[drgouk]

This is mine...

[Berger]

I think this red one is a 1302 

It's not. 1302 has a flat front window, and this has a bay window

[Flow]

Oh sorry ! I saw the small tailights and thought it was a 1302... 

[speedwell]

[MC Dyno Don]

My old friend ( Walter Gadzinski) and room mate from back in the day when we worked in the warehouse at Auto Haus in 1972(when I was coined the name Dyno Don) had a BITCHIN'  white 1971 flat shielded  superbeetle that rocked the house. Walter actually designed the very first lowering kit for the S/B that still lives on to this day as well as being the first for using a set of custon made 944 bumper guards that looked sweet. It was powered by a dual ported Mahle 1600 with the FIRST Ray Stoddard(treuhaft) "106" cam and first set of kadrons carbs from Treuhaft. That engine would rev BEYOND the stars and NEVER nosed over..!! He used an array of VDO gages that were placed well with custom modification. It had the original "cal look " stance with a nice tucked quite pipe muffler and had original 2 piece Empi 8 spokes that were detailed to the max. These cars are incredible road machines when done right due to the Mcpherson(sp) front suspension which got a lot of bad ink due to the many worn out front ends with the dreaded "Superbeetle shimmy". That car got looks EVERYWHERE we went together. Just because they are not common and have had a fair share of negative reviews, these cars,when done right, are a ride to Heaven. Kudos to the owners of the pictured S/B's...  Peace Out/Dyno don

[Russell]

Not interested in 1302's flat windsceens, Only 1303 bay windows, cheers

Simon....... german look 1303 have there place, embrace.... lol

[MC Dyno Don]

Flat  or curved, either way,they are still the cats meow when done well. I was in DZK in the mid 70's after DGVA was going down the tubes in terms of participation and had a friend named Mario navarette who owned a late bay S/B which was Black and also Bitchin',AND... it was a convertible that ran 12:80's in street trim. He ran a "Lonnie Reed/Head Shop"  large stroked engine with a set of the ORIG. Wedgeport heads designed by Lonnie along with an FK87/48's with 40 vents/10.5 comp./gears,etc..." A cement mixer on wheels" I use to call it. It was pure delight to pick races with others thinking that this heavy pile would not bring the E.T. numbers it did. I ran into mario about 10 years ago in a local pub and he said he still had the engine complete in parts so I asked him how much and he replied..." I want $10K"..  I figured he was drunk and I said goodbye/LOL...   Hic#$%^&...burp..!!

[71CALRIPPER]

Ahh Boris's car...and I can tell you its well built and hauls asss... but what would expect from one of Porsches own engineers..

[BeetleBug]

Cal look, German look, Euro look, Resto.... whatever look. A 75 03 is to me the best beetle ever built. If it was my car I would not ruin the driving experience with narrow tires at the front and rake. I would improve the brakes, fit time correct mesh style wheels, a couple of comfy front seats, a vintage steering wheel, fit a suspension kit and a strong (torquer) type engine with a silent, hidden exhaust. Then I would DRIVE it and count smiles per miles. Heck, I might even consider taking it to track days...

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-BB-

[beatnik beetle]

Don't get me wrong 03's make great German Lookers..the white one is lovely but, too safe with side trim etc ....so question's...Dyno needs to dig out photo's and what happened to Dumper?...good thread though Russ...I bet a late 03 looker would handle so nice....

[javabug]

Cal look, German look, Euro look, Resto.... whatever look. A 75 03 is to me the best beetle ever built. If it was my car I would not ruin the driving experience with narrow tires at the front and rake. I would improve the brakes, fit time correct mesh style wheels, a couple of comfy front seats, a vintage steering wheel, fit a suspension kit and a strong (torquer) type engine with a silent, hidden exhaust. Then I would DRIVE it and count smiles per miles. Heck, I might even consider taking it to track days...

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-BB-

Best use of this car, right here! Gotta identify the strengths and put them to work.

[Jeff68]

I like superbeetles!  First car I drove at 15 was my Dad's '72 (flat windshield sorry)! Was on the highway with it and was cruising at 85 mph, drove straight and true - perfect...I was only 15!! As much as I love them I don't think they are Cal-Look as it is defined by most on this site. But who knows, think about it, try something new with the 1303 and the results could be fantastic. These cars have a lot of potential in my opinion....Do it!!

[Worm]

I do like that Vert with Alloy's.....  

[Jon]

If it's got those hefty 5mph bumpers, they've gotta go. Other than that, why not?

Thats only true in the united states of America.
It's true, you can't build a california looker out of a super, but you can apply all the custom touches to them and fit typical wheels. In the end they may  look like the kid brother of a G Porsche, not a Cal Looker, but still cool in it's own right.

Quite the opposite of how you build california look of a earlier car, skip all the mods and custom touches and fit typical wheels. It might look allmost stock, but it's still a cal-looker.

[JS]

Cal look, German look, Euro look, Resto.... whatever look. A 75 03 is to me the best beetle ever built. If it was my car I would not ruin the driving experience with narrow tires at the front and rake. I would improve the brakes, fit time correct mesh style wheels, a couple of comfy front seats, a vintage steering wheel, fit a suspension kit and a strong (torquer) type engine with a silent, hidden exhaust. Then I would DRIVE it and count smiles per miles. Heck, I might even consider taking it to track days...

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-BB-

Imagine this very car dechromed and with color coded headlight rings and bumpers... Would it be very far from cal-look while still giving smiles per mile regarding driving experience?

Must all cal-look cars have the "cartoon stance"?

[Russell]

It's quite amazing that on the samba there are more split beetles for sale than 1303s.... There's hundreds of super beetle 1302/flat screens but the curved 03 almost appears super rare especially in good condition !!!

[bugnut68]

My opinion is if it's air-cooled and a Volkswagen, it can indeed be Cal-Looked.  Same stylistic principals can be applied across the board to the cars, though some may have differing opinions.  I don't really think Buses lend themselves to true, hard-core Cal-Look as they aren't, by nature or by modification, really serious performance machines compared to the other VW sedans.  Sure, a bus can be made to go fast in a straight line with enough horsepower, but to me Cal Look is about more than simply a fast time slip.

[speedwell]

It's quite amazing that on the samba there are more split beetles for sale than 1303s.... There's hundreds of super beetle 1302/flat screens but the curved 03 almost appears super rare especially in good condition !!!

tjhey're all in germany , they  finish their lives as german  look