The Cal-look Lounge

We repair,rebuild and restore Der Express

Repair and rebuild, I understand, this car needs to be driven, even raced. But what is there to restore  ??? This is by far the nicest car I have ever seen, it deservedly received best of show on EBI 2, despite looking the way it does. Or maybe, just because of looking the way it does. I loathe fake Patina, but just love the genuine used and abused look. Watch out not to loose the coolness  :'(

If a purebred racecar was the goal all along, Holey Moley would have been a far better candidate. Also a nice car, but without too much impact on the looks and authenticity it could have been the perfect racecar.

DON'T WORRY!!!

We are just restore the chassis , gearbox and frontbeam for safety of the driver the chassis is to bad

Perfect  ;D

looks good guys :) And don't worry about the patina. It stays off course.  I want to race the car ad DDD and that wasn't possible in the way the floor pans where, the gearbox, and the front axle. so these are just some updates to keep the car going strong.

Can´t wait to see it at DDD...

I like Der Express :)

safety for everything! it will fly with that engine ;)  :o

COOL - ebi4 by any chance  ??? ;) :)

off course it goes to EBI4  :)

don't mess with that! those are 'speedholes'

 ;)

mmmmm, i agree on the gearbox and beam, but am surprised to see it off its pan, anyway im sure you guys will do the right thing (please), it is a real survivor and should be kept as close as possible to the way it was.

Good Luck and have fun racing........

it is easier for the chassi to repair with its pan off , works more easily and cleaner for us
Hey Russell don't worry Jeroen keeps the car outside as it is

I think if he change something on the body or aspect, he will be crucified  :o ;)

Seems like it's in good company over there, looking forward to seeing it out again next year. 8)

about time it got a new lick of paint! :P

the DER EXPRESS will return ready to race in May this year,We work really hard to finish it

Nice !

That looks like a dream garage!

Whow, that's wonderfull  :o :o

Cool , looks like its in good company , nice workshop  8)

So cool to see Der Express being made ready for a "new" life on the drag strip where it belongs!

Also funny that it 40 year after being built in Charleroi, Pennsylvania it ended up near Charleroi, Belgium!!!  :D

@Scarface: will you run her first run at Bitburg then 14/16th May?

work is in progress

don't now yet. because the wife is pregnant and the end date is 8 may. Bought a new house that i get on 1 june. so hope i still have some time to race the car.

Nice that the black is fresh again. This car will be safe and original again @ the track, cool!

Before and after

lots of TLC  :)

cool keep us posted guys - I was lucky enough to load this one up on the transporter for ebi2, this car has such character/truth about it - I love it  ;D

New front beam

Nice work, ultra light and super fast ;) clean but original looking again!  :o

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Yeah I kinda agree :-\

Not my ride though!

Please stop destroying history !
 >:(

I like it!  Keep up the good work.  And it can always be changed back. 

If you wanted to make a car you own then why do it to Der Express that is a car with history. Buy a car and make a replica. I agree with Richard Roth.  Now when the car is seen it will not be Der Express any more but a replica somewhat.  The History and the class of the car is gone.       Dave Rhoads

maybe it's not correct. But don't whant too update the orginal front axle. It has a select a drop system and no front brakes.
So when i whant i can put the old axle back again. and paint the alu. and also some things have to be done if else you can race any where here in europe.

Nice work, looks good! Safety first, if you keep the original parts you can allways put them back on.

Love the work you guys do dude !!!!

why not if he has al the original parts he can return it like it was if he ever want to,and put it on display.
if he now want to make it safe to drive so it still can be used what it's made for:racing.
then i have no probleme with it at al,that way we still gonna see the car on the track.

henk!!!

  30 minutes of work and the car is back in originale look

you guys say that he has to keep it how it was and not race it? ??? it's a f*cking racecar,keep it on the track! ;)

thanks for the positief words

+1 8)

Replica this, History that. You keep the car going on the track (and it's history alive), that's what counts. Thumbs up Jeroen.

Could not agree more... Wonder what the original owner would have preferred, stuffed away in a garage in it´s previous state or screaming down the dragstrip with proper brakes and rollcage?  ::) And after all, if someone wants to turn it into a museum piece sometime in the future, just bolt the old parts on...

.

.

what jeroen tried to say earlier on is that in the condition as it was he wouldn't be allowed to race der express at, say, Bitburg amongst others due to a lack of mandatory front brakes. at least that's how i understood it. since he bought it to race, i don't see a problem. especially when the original parts prove to remain a quick swap. in my opinion still being able to race that car truly keeps its glory alive n kicking. but what do i know  ::)

just another few cents.

I completely agree as i´m NOT a fan of aluminium beams, but if you replace the old beam with a "new" german one it´s still removing a piece of the original car? And there´s probably a reason no one makes that type of lowering device anymore? What do I know...

Again, hard to disagree. But if you cannot get the car classed in europe in almost any event, what are you supposed to do? That is the same reason Alien Bug sably don´t run the old mag spindle mounts in front anymore...

I don't like it either BUT: If the original parts are still there to be build in if necessary it is not a problem at all.
And I think in another 10 years this period is just another part of the cars history. Main thing is: It needs to be raced!
I think that's just the way it is ... or do you guys still wear the same pants as back in that time?!  ;)

Stop wining about destroying history etc.. This car is going to be used where it is meant for. Racing! If you want to race in Europe your car needs to be safe so a few minor improvements will be done to the car. But the look and feel of the car will still be the same.
 
Much better to race this car than to put it in a shed and only look at it..
 

Jeroen he loves it aluminium beams What can we do  or say about this  ???

Just finish the damn thing, in 10 or more years it's a pile of rust anyway. It's just a fucking racecar with a paint and sticker shell. Some of you icon guys are just pushing future rust. You want to live forever ?

all this bullshit about the beam but  >:( where are the original wheels

oh well I guess thats yet another piece of history lost  ::)

this is really getting out of proportion. all criticism just for an ali front beam? i was fortunate enough to see the car last week and the car that's been/being done should actually be praised. otto bros are carrying out some very respectful work.
and what's all this talk about history, let's get real it's not like they're hacking up the inch pincher. dare i say this car might have less history that some might say. try and find some old photographs.
lastly, never had i expected such unprofound criticism on the lounge! come on, this sounds like being on a crappy dutch forum! ;)

He leonard it looks good dude .
you are the one that let that car race again.
before i never saw it on the track,
and jeroen its your car if you want to paint it pink go ahead .
let everybody do his thing the car isnt destroyed its only getting better just as the original builder would have done it only in an other decade.
if the otto s did not post the pictures we would know that it was changed ,so let it rest and be happy for the dude thats gonna race it.

i am

gr henri

Sorry Guys, but such Cars should stay as they are.....

All i can say is that the only Part I ever replaced on Clyde Bergs 65' Race Car (when I owned it) was the first one to break and got replaced by the old "crappy" part that i removed in the first palce....would probably be still on the Car if I would not have sold it.... :'(

My 02 cents,

Frank

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i didn't speciaal have to be a alu beam. a orginale german was also good. But this was my choice. not going to race this car forever. Than i can put the orginal beam under it and the other one under mine new project. So rest the case. this is how it is now but not for ever.

Also, if the car had been raced longer in USA wouldn't they had to upgrade it during the years anyway? Thumbs up, Jeroen.

Many race cars have years of different incarnations, who's to say one is more 'historic' than the next?

Mechanically, ALL these cars were upgraded continuously through there use at the track, with track and competition conditions being the motivator for that. Its not like the thing has had a bare metal paint job.

History isn't just stored away, its MADE. It doesn't have to be what OTHER people did, years ago, its also what you/we do now.

This car should be on the strip where it belongs, and to me it looks like its getting work done to a high standard to ensure that. When the folks with rose tinted glasses get it they can put a stock beam and a dangerous cage back in it and lock it up in a museum, until that sad day it should RUN HARD!

Well said Kaferboy
the Otto bros do great quality work, it's not like some dumb kid has bought it and decided to make it his own,
these guys know what they're doing, it's nothing irreversable.
Besides which, it's just a barely known old Volkswagen race car not an Alfa 8c.
Those of you that would prefer to see it wheeled out into the fresh air occasionally like some geriatric patient
rather than blasting down the strip should re-assess their interests.
Jick.

Jeroen,
I wouldnt race the car,
you might break the gearbox in doing so...
And how will you replace that?  :o
 ;D ;D

Why is everyone crying over changes that can easily be reversed.  If you wanted to restore the car yourself then YOU should have brought it.  I think rather than crying about it people should be thankfull that the car is bieng saved and will be seen at the track again.

Wait, I have said nothing about the beam.

The original wheels had problems and i tried to get them starightened but this didnt work, they were unsafe so were swapped with others so the car could run again, i didnt have a spare set of DDS to sell with the car and the buyer was told that the wheels had been changed, I had used the old wheels for some photos but only after runing did we find out there was a problem, the car sat for years on flat tyres and was moved occasionally it appeared that the wheels had went out of shape with sitting and weight on the bare rim......

i know about the rims. and i'm still happy with the car. and is ready to race for the first time at the DFL 402 in bitburg. :)

Cool,I'll be there. 8)

This is  wath's it all about keeping the car on the track . Nobody wants to see a legend like this put away in a barn or something where nobody can see it. It was made for the track , it belongs on the track and thanks too guy's as Jeroen, the Ottobros and Russel these legends still kicking ass on the track . And to all the guys who have problems whit this STAY @ HOME 

Very well said.  My thoughts exactly.

Hei!!! need news about the car!!! i had follow the auction when it was on sale and if i had had tose bucks..........So take this tread up to date please, need Der Express pictures as daily drugs!!!

Just my point of view,

But wat is now doing with Der Express is the right thing to do,

make it safer and drive HARD !!!

Should he really keep the crpy original front beam on the sake of history, bullshit, this not a museum car, it's a race car

Keep on the good job guys!!!!!

Christofe
DAS

(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w112/fusca03/Andere%20autos/SUNP0020.jpg)

Think it's ready to race! (don't mind the wrong date ;) )

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4591418887_901cae94b5_b.jpg)

 :o :o :o

What else can I add??? Simply gorgeous :-*
Well done guys.
Xavier

Ok,......by now i could kill for it! :o

Top work guy's   8)
be interesting to see what time Kev could get out of it now after the re-build , after spending a lot of time in it a EBI2

nice article in Volksworld this month.

Jeroen did a great job this weekend in Bitburg.
He won the finale with a good time,11,687

(http://i45.tinypic.com/2lc0853.jpg)

(http://i49.tinypic.com/dpwmeu.jpg)

(http://i49.tinypic.com/dp8ntj.jpg)

Holy moly, thats moving!
Well done Jeroen!!

and First place in Heads Up! Congrats!

(http://www.cal-look.nl/gallery/albums/userpics/10006/06062010096.jpg)

(http://www.cal-look.nl/gallery/albums/userpics/10006/06062010088.jpg)

(http://www.cal-look.nl/gallery/albums/userpics/10006/06062010094.jpg)

(http://www.cal-look.nl/gallery/albums/userpics/10006/06062010091.jpg)

Movies!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCZXoY6fqHI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Bw-5z-eu-A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn3rJhpEuXc

Congrats!
Well done!!!

gr
Wout

Congrats!
very good time
maybe a run with holey moley?

Congrats to Jeroen! As mentioned, the car is featured in the latest issue of VolksWorld - so it's timed perfectly with the car coming out of The Otto's and back on the strip. I have watched with interest the thread on the work that has been carried out on this car, and having seen Jeroen run 11,68 I can only say I would rather watch him doing that in the car as it is now... Here's to Der Express and Jeroen and, of course The Otto Brothers for their sympathetic safety measures!

Its a cool car with a cool owner doing what it was built for - running hard! 8)
Congrats to Jeroen for bringing it out & a big  8) to team volksworld for the feature.
Well done all.
Cheers,
Kev

Way to go Jeroen!!
History in motion!  ;D

Well done volksworld, glad to see it in print.

Jeroen, Great time, glad to see it running, thats whats its made for, hope you enjoy plenty more miles.....

To conclude: I think that althought this initial post started out wrong the right thing has been done in the end, improvements for safetys sake.

I also think that the suggested quote that was made by the Otto Bros "we restore" was probaly a bad choice of words more than anything else follwowed by the sudden body off/Ali beam shots suggested a route that most of us would'nt want, however what actually happened was IMHO accpetable and praise to all concerned, topped with a good 11sec run.

Cant wait Team Gassser Garage to whip its ass at EBI4 with another Gasser......  ;D

hey jeroen,
it was nice to chat with you in the run-out area after your first pass and congrats for winning heads up.

cya lorenz