The Cal-look Lounge

Since I am sure you having NOTHING else to do.... ;D

Fabs, can you search your dark cave for a few more cars from Hot VW's?

Candy red '69 (?) Karmann Ghia with BIG 2386 turbo, 8 spokes, yes street car. Came from Pasadena area, later owned by Dyno Don.

Deep green Karmann Ghia, tan interior, with alloys, big cc (2110?) motor, dual turbo mufflers tucked under car.

ok...one more, not a Ghia though.... A Puma! From 1987 or 88? SCS drag car/street car....think this one had two motors too...one for street and one for drag.

Think you can pull these from your treasure chest?  ;D

thanks Fabian,

I love Cal-look ghias, just wish I would actually fit into one.  :-\

--louis

 ??? ??? ??? :o :o :o

Jim, I somehow feel you're abusing Fabians good nature ;D

Fab, while your there, can you find me as much info on Berglar as possible please ;D

Fabs, after you have done that can you convert your entire VW literature collection to digital format, publish it to the web, and make it unsearchable by key word, year and mag edition.  ;D (You might want to have a good lawyer too.)

--louis

Fabian

Why not charge per car ?????

On the other hand my fav car was a yellow and white beetle with louvers and empi 8 spokes !!!

How about Frenchy's Ghia?

--louis

Get in line you two, first jim, then me ;D

ok guys no problem but leave me time   ;D ;D ;D
jim  :the dyno's ghia don't have this issue  she will arrive in a following week , for the green ghia have you a idea of the year??,
benssp : berglar is ok
and okokokokokokok  ;D ;D ;D ;D
cheer
fabs

you want the complete report or only the pictures ???

fabs you are a too nice person for this forum  :-*

This in some way already exists, have a looks at this: http://old-vdub-mags.skynetblogs.be (http://old-vdub-mags.skynetblogs.be)

Frank

I agree, but what do you expect from a guy that kisses BRMs?
(where's that pic fabs?  ;D)

Take your time buddy....we are in no hurry!!

don't have the march 88 issue with the green ghia sorry jim
jim for the pictures go to this links  : http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php?topic=2738.0#new (http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php?topic=2738.0#new)
fabs

here we go   ;D puma from kent dahlbergs
hot vws may 87

 ;)

this one russell ??? hot vw nov 87
 ;)

 ;)

here we go  ;) report in  hot vws dec 89

 ;)

i have started to embark upon my quest to find my pics of the scs puma as i assisted kent in the sale of that car also..went to japan in the 90's....

now berglar in july 92 vw trends
ps : this one is for sale  ::)

ok, after looking at that yellow thing...maybe the 80's were pretty bad (including mullets).

cool dyno  remember this  ??? you and me at bug in  this year  ;)

late 80's jim were bad  ;) scallops  , splash graphics and a lot of frenched light & plate  >:(

berglar in the early 80's  8) report from hot vw dec 80
a  lot of lounger would appreciate this one  ;D

Fabs, thats it, well done.

Youi wont believe this but that was the car that really got me hooked on Vw's why: I have no idea i just loved it, and still do sorry Jim ! I know it wont blend in with my collection but trust me i would have it tomorrow. (and the bird too)

Fabian, Thanks

The first time I saw that car was when Dee gave me a tour of the place.  It was sitting on stands just inside the shop with 4 BRMs in boxes sitting around it.  It was under a cover, but Dee removed it so I could see it.  It hadn't been put back together yet, but was the new Porsche Minerva Blue color.  I think that was around 1986 or so.

great picture fab...but i have since gone back to my baby face look with no facial hair...could be a russell stand in....LOL     ....ps, when you guys are ready for some more stories just pipe in and let me know...peace/dyno

Dyno is that your R&R car on the cover ?

Looks just like Jims car 8)

sorta, but not really. You look like my gramma.

you don't scare me work on it!!!!

Thanks Fab ;D

do you want another car  ??? if i've the issue  ::)
rgd
fabs

we talking about the ghia of dyno don, do you have a report on it?

and while we are at it do you have any more pics of this car?
apparently it is the ghia of a guy named Doug or Muffler at Carlsbad raceway.

i like it.

nicolas yes for the dyno ghia but in french , i know it's not a problem for you i will search after the issue
and the other karmann have you an idea about the era that the car ran??
let me know
fabs  ;)

that's a neat car, but I think that shot is from Baylands drags in Fremont (now gone).

ah yes that can be baylands. i dont see the tower in the background. i most have remembered the caption wrong.

my bad, my bad bro  ;D

here's the report of the dyno don ghia that was in the super vw N°55 march 94
here we go , when i'wil have the hot vws issue with this one i will post  ;)

That is sweet looking!

--louis

 ;)

Thanks Fabian.  Those photos were taken by R.K. when John Howe still owned the car (and is driving it down Sierra Madre, in San Marino, in that picture).  As many others have stated here before, that car was scary fast.  The paint was DEEP and the wheels looked just right.  It made me nervous just to work on and be near the car, afraid to hurt the paint!  On a side note, I was at El Monte Airport last week and ran into Jim Behrens, who built John's engine and trans.  We had a good chat about that car and others that came through his shop at the time. 
I don't want to hijack this thread, but I wish there was a way to trace where many of those cars ended up in Japan.  Just to see into the crystal ball........many a good car went there..........

dave i willpost  your 59 DC split window , and you're type 3 soon
ah and the pepco car she haunts my nights  ;D ;D ;D
rgd
fabs

Fabian, I promise you photos, if it's the last thing I do.  I will post them soon, and thanks again for all your help.

P.S.  If I can get someone to help with my children that day, I will have the Pepco running at Drag Day.  It is running very well, thanks to George Schmidt at the Butcher Shop.  I owe him a ton.
How well does it run?  Well enough to put Allen Wiess on the trailer.............. :o ;) :D 8)

to see the turbo ghia after i transformed it please go to my website @ www.dynodon.net..go to "snapshots"....and let me know if you like it better/I DID....i have  pictures but am not able to send /only   basic e mails...sorry guys..!! some day i will turn into a puter butterfly...LOL

 8) very cool dyno you change the turbo and carbs place is iti coorect???  and the engines tools , but they were nice in gold too
is it a sticker from you ??? in the report they said : john contact the boss from dyno shop , great specialist in overfeeding (turbo).
 and the guys was named dyno like you ?? is it you

dyno i remember a report in hot vws  , when you were polishing real BRM'S on an dark blue convertible , the car was yours.????
rgd
fabs

thanks fabian for loading the picture/ much more changed besides looks....i have some better pics but cant download to show you...sorry.  engine and transmission were taken out of car and everything changed after i had the ghia for a while...to include new custom hpc coated exhaust/induction changes/lines/fittings/turbo hardware/case and some internals/trans. and other things underside/hard to see in the picture but with luck i will try to send updated pics...the car was a monster for what is was and have more stories when ready to hear them ?    >> the blue convertible with the real BRM'S was first built by racer/friend ken cervone and i purchased this car for another friend of mine over here who later had me sell the car to another good friend of mine mike stickle of mikes vw repair here in anaheim years back and he has since taken the complete car apart and rebuilt and repainted (mars red)?...i am ready to post some pics on the samba for sale soon...phenominal convertible done cal look old school style..painted/powdercoated pan/chrome suspension bits/1776..engle 130..nice heads..runs VERY SWEET..!!   fabian you are truly amazing..!!

i had my friend susy...mike herberts wife.. put up a couple more shots of my red turbo 69 ghia on the"cal look ghia' post section/enjoy.....dyno

Russell, you asked if Dyno had the R&R Machine drag bug on the cover of Hot VWs. I have it and I'm in the process of restoring it. The bad part is it's kind of gotten on the back burner because of time/money and other projects. But check out my blog! http://web.mac.com/larry_mckenzie/ Photo by Brian Watts.

I knew it was you or him but was having a blond moment !

i saw her :o 
, thanks dyno  ;)

dyno & jim i 've the issue  ;D
here we go  ;)

 ;) that car rocks  8) and 8 spokes are well on the car

oh that car is so nice. even with the exhaust exiting before the backwheel. i like it how in the 80's there have been a lot of nice simple looking callooks, but upon closer inspection they have details that are seldom seen on cars of today and still would look good in my honest opinion

here's the cover nicolas

$20,000 ghia huh? Wonder what it would cost to build today.

Oh, and what is the 1835 they are building?  ;D

--louis

That's the car. I saw it at Classic 1991...pretty amazing.

larry here's the report from the R&R race car  ;D  if you want this one mail me  ;)
fabs

 ;)

new one with the berglar this report was in the super vw n°30 (special 67)

 ;)

 :o

gotta love the berglar  8)

and a 10.92??  :o
WOW

That would be Berg's black 67, not the berglar

you're right rune is  for the black sedan
do you read french ???  ;D

Haha, no Fabian. Don't understand a tiny bit french

ah.... "dans sa premiere version"

je comprends maintenant  ;)

non diederick c'est la noire qui fait 10.92 (the black one)  ;)  ;D

You know, the Bergler may have been ground breaking in its day, but today it would just be considered an average looker. The interior is fairly plain with mostly off the shelf upholstery, door panels & seats. The wiring under the hood is a bird's nest. The engine is so so. It just shows how much the target for a top of the line, mag quality Cal-looker has changed in the past couple of decades. Would this car today even make it into a magazine? It's place in Cal-look history is secure, but we sure have come a long way.  Just an observation.

--louis

cela est que j'ai dit  :P

just kidding, my bad  ;)

 ;D

I see what you're saying, but the Berglar does have a lot going for it. The unique look with full bumpers and shaved chrome, powerful engine, and of course real BRM's cant hurt. Not to mention who is responsible for its assembly!!

That wiring is a nightmare though!!! ;)

what is that thing on the drivers sunvisor of berglar?

maybe radar detector or garage door remote?

Anyway.... having worked on Berglar after it changed hands, I can tell you that this car was amazingly well finished. Maybe it didn't have all the "latest" gizmos that some of today's "show cars" have but it worked as a car, and the finish and fit of everything was top notch and "made sense." The last thing you could say about the car was that it was "over the top" or overdone. While the photos here are gorgeous, to see that car in person and see that Triplett paint job in the sun for yourself would really do it. I drove that car a bit in 1994, and while it wasn't a monster, it was a good driver. It was awfully cammy, but the gear stack helped keep the motor on the boil. A few more points of CR would have made the monster. If anything, the motor was quiet, tight, not thrashy sounding.
So while maybe the Berglar, in today's context, doesn't "take the cake" as far as the biggest, baddest, latest, greatest.... we have to remember, this car is probably the yardstick most guys are going to remember in years to come.

fabs, when you get time...can you see if you have report on Dan Gabbard's black early K Ghia with 2161cc IDA motor?

Thank you buddy,

Jim  ;D

Have you got some Berglar stories from back then?

not really. Just took it for a test drive and got temp in it before the owner picked it up.

Just curious Jim, what was he having done to the car at Buggie House?  I'm surprised because he was so secretive about everything.

Hi Don,
actually, Jerry (my boss and owner) refused to work on the car. I actually had the car at my parents' place for over a month. He brought it to me for a valve adjust and a tune and to fix a few oil leaks. Upon opening valve cover, I found a few broken springs, so the motor came out, and I sent heads to Gene. They were freshened up with new springs, valve job etc. What is too bad is that the owner refused to allow me to go into the bottom end of that motor. I pulled the strainer from the O'berg filter and it was full of cam and lifter metal.  :(  No amount of cajoling was going to earn his trust to go into his Berg motor. (He flat out questioned my talents and abilities....which didn't go over well, but since I had a soft spot for the car, I kept my trap shut, and as some of you know, that ain't the easiest thing for me  ::))
Anyway, I got car back together, sans new cam and lifters, it ran "ok" but I heard soon the cam went away completely. Rumors went around that the motor was sent to Bergs but no money with it, so it stayed at Bergs. Other rumors said the car was at the Classic with a GEX 3 cylinder 1835 one of the last times I saw it. You know, despite the fistful of iron in the filter, that car ran pretty good. I'm sure it ran a whole lot better in Gary's care. McKenzie drove the car too, shortly after it changed hands. He and the new owner exchanged seat time in it from Oakland CA to Solvang CA. He said it got up and went, especially in 4th and 5th. If that motor was ever redone with some more CR and same cam or maybe 86C it would kick some ass into orbit. The heads on that car were race ready monsters.
When are we going to party at Solvang campground again? I hear there is a new formula to figure out speed of light.... ;D

I was at the Solvang that he and Larry drove the car to.  I was actually in the hotel parking lot when they pulled in.  I got to be friends with the owner, but that went away on the '98 Berg Cruise to Seattle.

We did have a good time at Solvang dodging cow pies in the show area.  I guess many folks took exception to others having a great time in the campground.  I know that Rick Mortensen got a nasty email from someone after he got home.  He had his web address on the side of his motorhome.  That was a great weekend.  I think that was 1996.  I remember Matt Joy and his wife flew in from Nebraska and rode around with me and the wife.   Matt's wife at the time didn't like flying and worked real hard on getting drunk immediately upon arriving at the hotel.  I have this vision of her standing on the bed with a bottle of beer in one hand.  I'm not sure Matt would appreciate that, but Oh well......

Too bad so many people were turned off by the same guy. When I first met him in 1990 he was friendly, but was always bagging on the DKPIII guys and how "they stole his club"
Awfully petty if you ask me.

My group of friends got some harsh words at the campground in Solvang that year, but we deserved it. We drank so much beer that Saturday night and made so much noise laughing and screwing around, we were lucky nobody put our lights out.

Matt's old oval was a really nice car...

sure  my friend

you know why i asked? i have some magazines from 92 and in the may issue there is an advertisement of a OPTO TIMER... it looks like a small black box with some knobs on it...
anyone ever tested this? it probally doesn't work as nobody runs it these days. but there has been some nifty gadgets in the 90's that would have brought instant horsepower and better milage.

thought if the Bergs would run it, then it really worked...

;)

the best ghia ever built bar none and the guy in the blue shorts in that foto looks like he's liking it too  ;)

hahahahaha!!!! YEeeeah!!!!
or maybe he has an itch?  ;D

if he has an itch thats some unfortunate timing the has :o

jim here's the fench reprot from super vw  but the pictures are the same as hot vw i've the issue but i don't find them  ::)
enjoy  one od the most beautiful early KG ever built  8)

hope that you understand french  ;D ;D ;D

jim remember the hot vws report was in june 93 issue  8)
danny always own GAB FAB in anahein ???

time to translate that for us yanks

i will scan the hot vw report just for you darling  ;D ;D...... :-* :-*

now I am scared.  :o

 :D :D :D :D that my favoryte place too much fun  ;D

find more nice hot rod Karmann Ghias guys...

i'm waiting for  ;D ;D ;D

(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/rocketron_photos/363705.jpg)

(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/rocketron_photos/f5d109d3.jpg)

(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/rocketron_photos/bugin016.jpg)

any features on this speedwell :D :D :D :D :D

(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/rocketron_photos/1780116.jpg)

(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p82/rocketron_photos/1780117.jpg)

which magazine  featured that horrible car ??? i will look if i have better pictures and info  ::).................................... ;D ;D ;D ;D

I think it was in "Air Sickness Bag Quarterly"

i will order  one year subscription  ;D ;D ;D