The Cal-look Lounge

Hey guys as the title says - Whats your favourite dash board style for a 70's Cal Looker  ???

Stock with guages  ??? Plexiglass ??? Smooth/filled ??? Aluinuim  ??? keep the glove box or not  ???

I was thinking about a Goss style "Smooth/filled" dash for PROJECT 66

Here's a little pic I came across of a car using JET COCKPIT GUAGES  ;D

Let me know what you think guys - I will be looking forward to hear what you guys think  ;) :)

if you want a nice setup for your jetgauges, try to look up peaches and scream. that was nicely done to say the least.

still one of my favorite ones is lee gongs dash not 70's but could have been done then. and of course dave rhoads and kanase's dashes are a feast for the eye as well

i think that is my top3 of today

I agree – Dave Rhoads' dash is very cool. Imagine, instead of black vinyl, though, you had a red plaid insert to match the India Red paint. Damn, there I go again!  :-*

remeber you bought a blue car, not a red one. that is something for next month  ;D

Na he's just trying to drop SUBTLE hints AGAIN ::) :-* :)

definitely, dave rhoads's dash if you wanna go for that vinyl look!!
but who does that these days? i mean i would love to have a dash like that, and then i wouldn't not have difficulties cutting apart the stock dashboard  ;D
otherwise, i don't know... but i will post if i come across a really cool dash.  ;)

i think that the Goss dash is the coolest in that kinda style.....

the jet guages are perfect, but for me the layout of the guages in that pic are a bit too "busy" 

 just in a line looks great.

Here's what I did to the dash of my '70 bug back in the mid-80's.  It was cool at the time - I wouldn't cut up a dash today.

I ran a Porsche 914 150mph speedo and some VDO gauges with an Autometer Sport Comp tach in the center.  I made that tach mount as well.

Agreed dude  ;) that dash is FAR to busy and Goss's is my favourite too  :) great minds dude  :)


What is it they say - Anyone can restore a car but it takes a real man to chop one up  ;) :)

They can all look good. As long as there isnt any gauges sprouting from, or hanging off the dash, its all good by me ;D

Here Here! ;) :) Keep the guages in the dash cos thats what its for :)

here's the only picture I have found - does anyone have a better one  ???

i will do my best to install the scanner and put up a better one. this weekend

I'd run smooth versions of the speaker grilles with two 52mm gauges in the small one and three (one 80mm, two 52mm) in the larger one. Keep the glovebox and radio slot, or maybe cover it in perspex like the Aronson '63. That way you can swap and change without major work from perspex to aluminium to vinyl padded!

The dash on my old car. Previous owner installed an aluminum baja dash trimmed out for the glovebox and rivited in place with VDP gauges and a Pioneer Supertuner cassete deck.
(http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/397274.jpg)

here it is. peaches and scream dash

Wow cheers dude - you installed your scaner just for me  :-* ;) :)

Just one thing though is it just me or shouldn't the owner/builder have lined up the radio control kobs a bit better  ::) ;) :)

That is an easy fix, just leave out the radio. It is just dead weight anyway.  ;)

--louis

yep too right dude  ;) :)

plus you're not supposed to hear the radio with the engine you're hoping to build  ;)

Kind find pics of my old dash but i have i'll post but i filled in the complete dash and installed VDO night design meters with an Autometer monster tach,kept the glove box ;D

no problem i only need to make the scans better  ;)

(mike said something ablout it to fabs, but i can't figure it out rightaway, it is an aldi scanner...)

the knobs are a bit off, because of the flashlight and maybe the lens as it is a wideangle. i would keep the glovebox with a dash that has the same colour as the car. with a padded dash it is different as it 'fills' the dash otherwise. besides if the radio breaks or you want a different one you need to redo the dash completely.

but the layout if the two clocks in front of the steeringwheel is a nice though.

well I spent a bout 3 hours in the garage last night with lots of paper templates and a pencil and rubber and I THINK I have my dash layout sorted - Like I said "I THINK"

So lets have some more pic's guys to see if I have the Right Look  ;) :)

Just decided on my dash layout for the '70 - the radio slot has been so badly hacked and there are that many holes in it that I've had the idea of cutting it all out (leaving the glovebox) and plating it up, then fitting a full set of 5 Porsche 911 gauges. Reckon that'll work?

Well, porsche jauges is a good idea, but 911 rpm jauge won't work with a 4 cyl motor, you'd better get a 914/912 one...

This is a shitty picture of my dash (blue car on the left), don't have a better one right now...

(http://blogsimages.skynet.be/images_v2/002/505/735/20060824/dyn006_original_500_375_jpeg_2505735_edf80a0cc779b2c2a52f5906d36cc1bd.jpg)

914 jauges placed on a rhd glovebox shaped piece of metal...

Nice dash, I like it! I should have thought about the 4cyl / 6cyl thing! I thought the five gauges from the 911 would look cooler than the 3 from the 912. Looks like I'm going to have to mix and match!

awesome roland!
i've been stalking lee every day we met last summer about me going to make my dash look like that!

please send me a pic! i'm stoked to see how you made that fit on a glovebox.  ;D
i'm so gonna do this for real now  ;)

Some very very cool dash ideas there guys - Like I said I only THINK I have mine finalised  ;) :)

There might be a vw interior light sneeking it's way in there somewhere :o ;) :)

Well it's not a real glovebox lid, just a piece of metal shaped like one. Before I took the car apart, it all was held together with window putty, not that clean. So i'll have to make it cleaner then!

Most probably will weld threaded rods on the backplate to fix it to the dash, and then there's still the problem with the jauges, so maybe a pieceof threaded rod on them too and a U shaped piece of metal, like vdo jauges...

Is that clear? damn it's late...
Still i'll make pics nest week if you want.

cool!

I remember fiberglass dashes Chris Addington made in the 80's. They were cool. My brother had one in his Ghia.

Done anyone remember the anodized bezels that you would put behind your VDO gauges?

I remember those they still make them  they are used on Speed Boats

Here's mine

(http://images16.fotki.com/v351/photos/1/101912/4148888/DSCF0407-vi.jpg)

VDO Cockpit's with a speedo out of a special edition SuperBeetle.

And there is the 1st Empi GT wheel I ever owned, Bought it for $15.00 out of the Recycler in about 82 or 83.  Glad to see you are back Rick     have a good Christmas   Bill

You too pal!

how about stereos?
guys what kind of radio did you have in your dashboards? dkk rick?

what kind of radios where hot to mount in your looker back in the day?

I like that dash.

One of my biggest problems with a lot of these custom dashes is they lose some of the character of driving an old car. I want the dash of my car to look like an old car dash. Not some modern sports car dash. It loses that high neatness value the simple stock dash brings.

--louis

Stereos!
That reminds me of something funny.
Back in the day... (Late 80's)
I was at Bug O Rama 18 or something...
Everyone had big stereos with lots of BASS! I was looking at "Bus Tom". A custom 21 window deluxe Bus.
So I am at the front of the Bus checking out the Safari windows. Of course the stereo was cranked.
On my right arm I kept feeling a fly crawling on my arm. I subconsciously tried to brush it off my arm.
After two minutes of this I finally looked down and found the holes for the antenna were near my arm.
The air pressure was so intense that it was blowing on my arm. Making me think it was a fly crawling on me.
Erich

Not all 912s are three-gauge...

Lee,
Having done a Bug with a 'smoothed' dash in the late 80's - all I can say is think long and hard before you get rid of the glovebox... Especially as you're a smoker.
Not long after you plate it up and smooth over it you start to realize  the value of a glovebox. 

I agree, did that to mine, I now have a spare dash in the Shed waiting to be welded in.

Any clever solutions for the fuel gauge if keeping the dash "panels" (grilles?), but shave the trim strips?  The stock square piece has the trim extensions.  Haven't looked closely at one yet if it can be removed and reshaped?

What was the opinion on dash-plaques back then?
Could they be a part off a cal-look dash??

Very Very good point dude - I have been thinking LONG and HARD about loosing the glove box and I think I am going to KEEP IT  :)

I have mocked up a very nice layout that uses all 7 guages, my 8 track and a VW interior light - and keeps the glove box - I will post a pic SOON :)

you'd better post of pic of that very soon lee  ;)

mike, why not use a vdo fuel gauge?

and i'm curious about the dash plaques too!

specially for Diederick  ;)

awesome roland, thanks!
if only i could do the same thing, but i'm afraid the cutting will mean i need to respray my dash :(

but it looks so cool  8)

I really like the way the gauge sizes follow the shape of the dash panel.
Did you use a RHD glove box lid ?

Hmmmmm very nice dash  ;D ;D ;D

The comment's right... this is indeed one of the best dash treatment ever.
Credit to the twins (at least they got that part right).

Thanks guys!

Richard, it's just a piece of metal shaped like a RHD glovebox lid. 10 years ago, without the internet, it was not that easy to find a rhd glovebox lid in belgium.. ;)

And yvre; if i remember correctly, Pat dsigned it..

Hi Guys,

Planning to change my dash so I found this older topic...

everybody is talking about the dash of "Lee Gong" or "Dave Rhoads" but I can't see pics of it in the topic...  Anybody got pics?

+ picts maybe of aluminium or black vinyl inserts maybe?

Thx alot

Dem

here is an old skool Ali panel type a bit like Lee Gongs - well similar  ;) :)

Hmm nice seats too  ;) :)

but for me the more I look at this one the more I like it - its really 70's and mine will be even more "busy" hey Jick ;) :)

Plus I have a couple of SECRET custom ideas ;D

Here's mine


(http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/8151/hpim0897rv7.th.jpg) (http://img292.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hpim0897rv7.jpg)

here's the dashboard of  PEACH & SCREAM at bug in 33

here's the dashboard of  PEACH & SCREAM at bug in 33

in my opinion best ones are padded black ones (probably the most cal spirit ones)in black vinyl with vdo black gauges.
plexiglas ones with chrome bezels gauges are great too.

i both cases i would retain glove box. cal look is a street car. glove box is useful.....

Hmmmmmm I love that dash (apart from the wonky stero ::)) I have my dash fully planned out now guys, its gonna take some work but it will be worth it  ;) :)

do i need to keep checking my phone?  ;) ;D

I agree with Louis... less is more.  As for stereos. who needs 'em when you've got IDA's to listen to. ;)

then you won't need that trip odometer either serge... wanna sell it?  ;D

Sheeeesh ;D

Word! or you need earplugs for long trips... ;D

No cos I am keeping this idea SECRET ;) :)

Here is my favorite. Although i'm a little biased, since this is my 67 dash (mocked up of course). Still needs paint.
(http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/434106.jpg)

I'm a VDO pervert and I guess you notice that when you look at my dash.  All the gauges are old, but work fine...  the GTV was a wedding present from my wife.  I love her a lot, you see...

Now with detail picture...

what about using 356 gauges...?

is the speedo the same size as a stock vw speedo...?

in my opinion a california look car has to be different from a street volkswagen. very different.

in particular i firmly DON'T BELIEVE IN:

chrome trims    (dechroming is one of the musts of cal look at its birth)
standard colurs  (cal looking is customizing, not trying to hide among stock cars)
standard seat    (a true cal.look is a serious performer. hi performance car have to be racing seats)
standard gauges or gauges mounted in original grilles ( it must feel like something different...plexi, padded)
cabriolet hoods: looks too standard. it needs something more aggressive.

i don't believe in new parts too.  new tyres, msd, turbo mufflers.

it has to wear michelin x and something like bluestreak on the rear. but something old
it needs 010
it has to be a vintage muffler. ansa, t-bird, self made. doesn't matter but not a turbo muffler.

sorry if i offended anyone. was't in my intention. if you consider me sort of prehistoric, you are completely right. in fact, not at all i believe in "california look today" even if most important clubs evolved to this style...that i call "original bugs with big rear tyres"

some things are perfect at their birth, cal look in my opinion is one of these things.

it was born in the seventies...and in the seventied was dead. that's all.

its evolutions during nineties and 2000s is simply another story, another style, another thing.
not necessarly a bad thing...i like these perfect cars...shiny and fast...
but i prefer old ones. they had more personality. tht's all

Amen Brother  ;) :)

Your vintage VDO gauges are awesome!! I've seen a few over the years, mostly in Porsche 356's... 
I think you've helped make up my mind what I want in my Oval.
Oh yeah, nice wife you have there ;)

~DR.

The numbers on the tach don't go high enough. And how did you score a wife that new what a GTV was? LUCKY!

Calling John Rayburn!

How about a shot of your dash with that EMPI stuff we all drool over...

~DR.

                                                          Here ya go.

And.

what do you want with that old tat  ;) :)

Nice EMPI stuff guys!!
Rayburn knows I've had my fair share of EMPI accessories... wish I would have kept enough to do just one car... but no, I had to sell the stuff (picture me kicking myself :-[)

~DR.

Here's my dash. VDO Series 1s, 150mph speedo, VDO tach, OG Empi Rosewood wheel and 42 year old original paint. I've recently added a beer can pull to the glovebox button.

I actually bought that speedo new while selling parts for Cotton Goff VW in 1984.

 :o :o :o  http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=647176   :o :o :o

who wants them anyway when cal-look is about less is more, right?  ;) ;D

Yeah, why bother? ;) ;D

Nope I'm afraid you're all wrong - in the case of gauges - The MORE the BETTER ;) :)

I can't wait to see what some of you think of my dash  :-X ;) :)

told you i'll be checking my phone every hour  ;)

I might let you be one of the privlidged few - better keep checkin :-X ;) :)

that sold for $450 ?????????
now wheres that thread where i was whining about prices .......

You're right.... ;)

but at the end everybody follows his own tatse and feeling...
here's mine
(http://[attachment=1])

Not exactly "Cal-Look" but this is the dash of my original 1966 Empi GTV MKIV.
All Empi gauges including the cylinder head temp gauge and Shorrock boost gauge.
Empi radio and genuine Empi 8-track player.
It might not be to your taste, but that's how it was back then !
 :)

Nice, Richard... very nice...

~Dave

I like that 8-track player !

I even have a prototype Empi 8-track tape that never went into production.
I recieved it from Darrell Vittone himself.
 :)

H ere is my callooker from 1975 and i still have it.

Interesting layout on the gauges-- looks good!

I had the same Racemark / Raid steering wheel on my car years ago... always liked that wheel.

~DR.

I too had a Racemark wheel in my car... very nice. Compared to a Racemark, the Formuling France always seemed "cheap."

I agree... I actually had the same wheel in two or three cars over several years and it held up really well... I still have an NOS horn button like the one pictured... hmmm maybe I should check e-bay real quick for a wheel ;)

~Dave

Wow!! Thanks for showing us something new/old!  :)

Yeah lets see the rest of it!!

OK more

yummy! that looks good.

aronson decklid ??? on last pictures ???

looks good  :o

I have that same wheel hanging in my garage!   :D

Gotta jump in here guys.......Mark Thurbers engine turned Brass dash overlay on a brown DRF/DKP car, memorable. Sorry no pic's.

Here is my current favorite dash combo. It is in my 67 Chop Top.

Rick M

I’d feel like I’m the victim of a continuous car chase with that rear view mirror in my car. Imagine driving down a 4 or 5 lane motorway...

On topic, I’m hoping to upload a picture of my 70ies dash (stage one) pretty soon. ;D