The Cal-look Lounge

to cut rear fenders or not to?

im thinkin about a new light custom project involving my 60 combi.

that is near to buses they made in seventies in cal.


that mean no lowering, big tyres on big wheels, ear vents, no bumpers, glasspack and custom plaid or diamond cut camper-van interior.

for the colour i love to choose the l-53 sealing wax red for all the body.

i already have four dune buggy steel wheels (5.5x14front  8x15 rear) to paint silver or white with chrome "nipple" type, no logo, porsche 356 hubcaps as empi supplied in late 60s for the sportster.

tyre could be firestone wide ovals or goodyear poliglas gt goin in dimension with front and rear wheels.

ear vents fiberglass type could be painted white or silver, with auto haus sticker.

rear fenders have to be cut and hammered out a little to do (a little as possible to cover wheels) a thin lip....lip has to be repeated on front fender

interior have to be all black leatherettte diamond cut or plaid and wood style....curtains all round.


engine just street goin 1,6-1,8

ansa glasspack muffler......dyno central inlet manifold dcnf carb.

conic 3 mtres or plus antenna.(with little flag

westfalia original rack?????

let me know what u think about this project and please post period pics of cut away fenders.....

tell ur thing guys......

(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t318/Photokernow/MeisnerT2.jpg)

Dont cut the fenders!!! Find a bus that has already been cut, they seem to be easy enough to find!

Never Liked that Look Type 2's Should not be cut up They look better with the Factory fenderwells To Cut a Bus just to put Wide Wheels and Big Tires is Dumb If you want a 60's early 70's Look Go By a Early Dodge Ford or Chevy Van

Don't forget the Yosemite Sam mudflaps that say Back Off. Very cheesy look in my opinion.

To cut the wheel arches on a bus is very evil!!! ....but the little red devil on you shoulder says: DO IT!!! DO IT!!!
 :D

It's only a Bus, for goodness sake...  :D

Do it do it do it do it do it do it do it do it.   8)

I can't find any pic right now, but I remember a couple of early "twinkies" that guys had stuffed 911 engines and stuff.  One that I remember most was tan (I think) and the guy added fender flares to the ass end of the bus to fit 8" fuchs on the back.  My point?  If you're going to cut up an old twinkie, do something cool.  Cutting one up is simply wrong, in my book.   ;)

cut it, but only if you put a Corvair engine in it!  ;D

Did anyone else notice the hubcaps on Rick Meisner's Bus? The ultimate collectibles... FOUR DKP hood badges. How cool is that?

Funny how people love pre-aronson look and don't like the look of that bus, they seem quite similar to me...

I love both!  Go for it Bullitt, it's a cool concept.
As for the wheel arches, you have got to cut them to get that groovy seventies look.
If I had the balls to do it, I would cut them on my own bus too.
I put one of the wheels from my oval beside the bus and performed some of my VERY limited computer skills, here's how it turned out..   ;D

Totally agree with you Rocket.....wonder if i dare to cut the wheel arches on mine '66.....who will be the first out of us with cutted wheel arches Rocket?  ;D ;D ;D
(http://foto.vg.no/show_image_stream.php?bid=45397072&dx=588&dy=443)

Cool tire, Rocket! ;)

Soddli:  I think you will be the first of us... Since I managed to mount the Sprintstars without cutting I will leave it alone for a while. At least as long as I keep the look it has now. Maybe if I get tired of the Empi bus look one day it will come back as a full on seventies custom bus like Bullitt has planned. If that happens the wheel arches will be as round as the wheels..

JS: Thanks! Kinda like 'em myself..  Mickey is on his way soon  ;)

Here's one. If anyone has more pictures of this bus, please let me know..

here's the only one i know with  yours but note that the paint scheme wasn't the same and there's some whitewall tyres  :o

ehe guys.... seeems more than one people is thinkin to that look!!!!

Looks cool as fook...do it!  8)

seems that rocket sees question just like me: cool job....but needs a lot of balls to cut fenders !!!!

look at buses i posted:in my idea the only acceptable fender is one on the white "vanpire van". and tht was in my mind. full round cut is very different from original shape of split.

the cut have to be straight in the upper part.... squared.

the vanpire rear fender is the only one to mantain somethin splitty ( the front one and the rest of the style sucks in my opinion)

full circle fender no lips is just "ONE HOUR WORK" and it shows it.
then circle pass just too close to louvres grille.

can see it is not stock walkin a kilometer distance

vanpire style fender instead conserve something splitty, matching the shape of front fender, aND HAVING THAT RACING STYLE BIG LIP.

upper side of fender line have to be square....just like that.

curiosity killed the cat: are people that don't want to cut the fender son the bus the same that think not to eliminate chrome moulding on cal loook beetles? ???

This has got to be a joke. Please tell me it is.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v26/mechriot/doit.gif)

 ;D ;D

very cool pictures of period bus I enjoy the vampire model dracula had his new ride

There is something really strange about the idea to cut it AND at the same time make it look stockish!!

Like removing the trim only on the hood!!  ::)

Stockish on '68-'73 1200s for sure  ;)

 ;)

Who said round arches look bad?? I digg it!
Pic taken at VoWoShow last year...
(http://www.v-dubs.no/jhu/project/TheArches.jpg)

Cooool!!

No no no!!! You guys are taking this too far!!!!

Not sure about that..

I understand that this is not in everyones taste, but I think it's refreshing to see some splits that are different from the crowd of buses with slammed suspension and cool wheels. Can't help loving this look.. It's a periode look that I think captures the seventies California VW scene as much as any looker.
Not saying that everyone should cut their sound arches and mount 10" rims in the back, but I think it's cool that this look gets some following in todays world of slick "internet-look" VW's

that is just like what i'm thinkin rocket: an old car enthusiast would have to study the past. old pictures...old magazines..old books.
this thing of interenet look see me agreeinjg with u.
i like those slammed bus with cool wheels and all their fenders...but same time i dislike them.

dislike them because they are an historic false. just like cal look sedan with trims.
the nice thing in being an old cars customizers is trying to recreate a project that could have been done during those years....and in those years...you can see the pictures...they cut fenders...

This is all fine but if I hear of anyone cutting their fenderwells I`m coming over there..........

LOL

whoa!
thats awesome!  8) 8) 8)

certainly different to the usual sealing wax red and chestnut brown samba's that you see in the uk now... ;)

some new ones

i tink that that red samba barndoor has a real something, in excet of glass sunroof that today we wouldn't do...

Do it !!!
Love to see more like those pictured.

This is my all time favourite.........Jalopywagen !!!

(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y178/oval56/dyn007_original_700_466_pjpeg_26183.jpg)

And a few Dave Deal models.......it just doesn´t get better  :)

(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y178/oval56/newpisos121.jpg)

(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y178/oval56/newpisos124.jpg)

(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y178/oval56/newpisos123.jpg)

cool! where did you get those models?

Correct, like I said Dave Deal, cartoonist and petrolhead, did stuff for HotVWs too I think and I aslo heard he helped on the Disney Pixar movie "Cars"
AMG - MONOGRAM plastic models and some great die cast ones........"Big Deal" and "Zingers" they made some huge versions too for shows, bugs, buggies and the busses.
Will dig out my pics  ;)

The Split Bus "Keep on truckin'"lost his licence frame and i find it  ;D

Dave Deal - Zinger bug !!!

(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y178/oval56/Zinger-show-car-VW.jpg)

70ish!!

Got to be cut out
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff84/49-rag/305385.jpg)
Shade of Dave Deal here me thinks  8)

I love these Dave Deal metal-models.

I don't believe that the Zingers were designed by Dave Deal.

looks like western high down the street from my house in buena park, ca

Yes they were, these were large scale models used to promote the models he designed, corvettes, hot rods and VWs etc. His name is attached to them. I think he even owned a similar crazy Zinger Corvette that he could acyually drive !!! insane.