The Cal-look Lounge

Seems I have TOO MUCH free time on my hands and looking for any and all ways to keep car contented lately. I was raised in a 24/7 classic car family where we messed with old cars everyday restoring a wide variety of different vehicles like a 1919 American LaFrance Fire Engine (the first motorized engine from Inglewoodm, CA) along with a wide variety of Early V-8 Fords and Tri-Five Chevys. This was during the late seventies and early eighties and all I could think about was getting a Cal-Look Bug to drive when I turned 16 in 1982- that wouldn't happen and I would have to wait until I was 20 to buy my first Bug (a well worn '61). Also from an early age I was addicted to car magazines- and by the time I graduated H.S. I had a complete collection of EVERY hot rod and custom car title back to 1948.
My dad tried to steer me away from making cars my career- and it worked for a short while when I joined the Air Force when I was 17 and continued a career in commercial avionics until the industry vaporized in So-Cal in 1992. Still playing with VWs I was driving a super clean 1970 Bug when I moved over to cars working at an Early Ferrari restoration shop. I bounced around a few more car related jobs until the unexpected happened- I was asked to work for Petersen Publishing- the company I had spent so much of my life studying all their old magazines (much to my recent Ex-Wife's displeasure). Funny thing was I had tried to start a magazine career with Hot VW's a few years before- but they pretty much haven't had a staff change in the last 35 years! ;) I eventually moved on to be the Editor of the Goodguys Gazette and got to travel the country for 3 years going to great car events 26 weekends a year and writing about cars inbetween. Then the magazine I learned to read out of when I was 3 years old asked me join them- and I was Senior Editor of Rod & Custom Magazine. That lasted another 3 years and then they started "downsizing" and I was able to jump over and start my own SO-CAL Speed Shop franchise store. I got the lower half of the state of California as my territory. Any other time this would have probably been a dream job- but just a few months in the economy took a nose dive and Hot Rod parts and apparell became a "non-essential" item for most people and we struggled on for 3 years until closing this March. That event came at exactly the same time my 21 year marriage came to an ammicable end.
Now here's my dilemma- I have a TON of new found freedom, I FINALLY have an old car that RUNS (my recentlly repurchased '67 Bug) instead of a project that waits for years in the driveway as I work on ENDLESS house projects (for the wife) and I GREATLY miss the daily car interactions the magazine work and shop owning gave me.
Also- I've relocated from my familiar Redondo Beach (born & raised) to 60 miles inland to Corona, CA. What can I do to fill the void??? I've already organized all my magazines- TWICE! The Bug is RARING to take me new places! Are their Cruise Nights? Sat & Sun morning events I should know about? Any VW shops need a mascot that can write up stories for them? Will their EVER be a chance to be a contributor to Hot VWs? I've only waited like 25 years and actually went out and got some experience  ;D I didn't add that my first correspondence to HVWs was a 12-page HAND WRITTEN letter! Didn't learn how to use a computer until I got hired by Petersen!  :D So embarrasing!
Sorry for the ramble- just need to find an outlet for this car addiction!  :) Thanks Jim

P.S.- I want to add after a majority of my life in the "hot rod world" I'm totally refreshed at the pure friendliness and comradarie I've experiend back in the "VW world". Was talking to some friends about how cool it is where EVERYONE still builds thier own cars and takes pride in using them. Even though I will always have some amazing hot rod friends- too many raging egos and pro-builds in the hot rod world sometimes. My faith has been totally restored with VWs!

You've got the writing skills Jim - Start a blog, cover events, take pics.

Fix up the 67 as you drive it, and get a project to tinker with. Everyone needs at least 2 VWs!!

I agree with OgCalLook Jim, the internet is open 24/7 and we need someone in SoCal to represent the Cal-Look community.
There is plenty to do if you look at TheSamba or www.SoCalCarCulture.com, but they're not so much 'Cal-Look' events. Maybe we can meet up at the DHK events on Wed's in Anaheim. I'm sure we could lure Hecker there too, he can't get enough either!

I do want to start a completely On-Line VW magazine this hot rod magazine I started- http://www.traditionalspeedandkustom.com/ , but that takes more than just me wanting to do it.

I even tried to incorporate VWs into our message board- http://www.traditionalspeedandkustom.com/thegarage/. A few of you have participated, but there's already some great message boards out there for VWs- I just wanted to catch the VW fans that also enjoy hot rods.

But really it's the hanging out and having things to do I miss. Just need to find another job and get that second VW going!  :D Want to build a REALLY nice Black '67 Sunroof with red interior to go with my Ruby Red '67 beater.

Pretty cool site. I have been on the HAMB for about 10 years. Nice to see soemthing new. HAMB just gets tiring to deal with the people. Nice to see someone into both kustoms and VWs. I just sold my driver for 10 years and am in the middle of doing my 58 F100....Along with channels on my 67 vert...and driving my 66 notch....haha, etc, etc.

I bet you drink beer, too.... ;D  Welcome!        Jim, the Classic is a month away...  a time for some serious rejuvenation.  Hang in there!

Well, if I look a forum threads like these http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=297021&start=0 (http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=297021&start=0) or http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,8310.0.html (http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,8310.0.html) I see a good number of feature worthy cars which are not featured in (at least) European magazines.. So there is work to do  ;)

WOW!!!!! You are right! That's some AWESOME stuff!!! I got some work to do!  :D

Spring is in full bloom in SoCal and there's more and more cruise nights to go to. I'm considering going to the weekly one at Ruby's Diner in Whittier this Friday. It would  be nice to get a group of VW's there every week. If it's close enough for you, I would be glad to meet you there.

It is true. You guys in Cali have more stuff going on. On the east coast it is tough to find anyone into vws....especially doing a traditional callook car. I can count on my hand the number of people hardcore into it....

and by the way, My detailed Fuches came in from Alex Magro today!!!! awesome...

haha

That's part of the appeal out this way.   :D 

I wouldn't say that....It is cool when you actually see a tradional car or have people dropping over yours talking to you. It is almost more fun to go to a non Vw show...

I just love the west coast....