The Cal-look Lounge

I loved the start of Georg's thread on WHY are you into Cal Look. It seems most people read it as "When" did you get into Cal Look, therefore this new thread..

WHY am I into Cal Look..??....is it a) The attitude of of the people, b) The "david vs Goliath"-iamge of the little bug beating the veeeights, c) the "Indiana Jones"-feeling of hunting for all the rare and wonderful parts, d) The thrill of stepping on the pedal, feeling the G-forces and listening to the "suck" of the IDAs, e) the "professor"-feeling of building the last few horsepower into this little pre-war designed flat four....or is it...d) The pleasure of looking at a looka' with the perfect stance on a nice summers day.....or...e) the lust of lviivng California living with sunny days and a hot vw?..... I don't really know... maybe the answer is all of the above...or f) or g).. or... what about you?

A related and interesting question is tumbling through my head... "Cal Look" to original VWs is sort of what "Hot Rods" are for vintage Fords. The old debate of original vs, modified and all that. Hot Rodders vs vintage guys. Over the last 15 years the hot rod community has been divided in two.. There are really two types of persons to be found in the hot rod community. There is a BIG difference on a) "being a hot rodder" and b) "owning a hot rod", and the great divide between these two types of persons is as big, or bigger than the old "vintage vs hot rod" guys. If you see what I mean. 

So - when will we see "Cal Look guys" and guys that are just "owners of a cal looker"? A rich guy that just gets attracted by the attention a Cal Look cars gets....he pays a shit load of money to a guy that builds him a great looking "all bells and whistles" Cal Looker...trailers this car around on shows and "just" owns it....he couldn't care less about the history of our religion, he doesn't know jack shit about what this is all about...he just likes the looks of one and has the wallet to pay for it. He's got the wrong attitude, but the right car. The times are coming...and it will be interesting to see how "we" react to such a change... What do you think?

A very interesting question and I would answer that it´s a.) to e.) for  me.
The other answer is even more interesting and the debate of BULIDING or just BUYING a car (whether it be a Looker or whatever) has been seen on numerous forums in the internet in recent months. Cars like Randy´s Split come to mind. Personally I have more respect for people who build up their cars themselves as in my opinion those people really know what pain it can be to build such a car.
On the other hand it´s cool that people who could afford well known super sports cars are buying "built" Lookers or something comparable which oftentimes set new standards.
The question for me is if a "real" Cal Loóker has to be absolutely perfect or if it´s just the imperfections combined with lots of power and a great attitude that makes it such a cool car?! Although I often try (!) to make my own car as perfect as possible (as far as money allows...) I do on the other hand don´t want it to be too technically perfect when it comes to induction etc. (Bosch 010 vs. MSD etc.).
I hope it´s been understandable what I´m trying to express as it´s not too easy for me in english... ;D

Tobi

What I like about the traditional cal look is that it's focused on DRIVING, whether it's on the street or on the strip. So it's the performance what it's all about and every modification is done in order to reach that goal. This leads to the timeless appearence of any cal looker, whether it was built in the early 70s or in 2006. There's no fancy stuff just for the looks that might be outdated in a few years.

When it comes to building or buying a cal look vw, I don't see a problem with high-end cars being built for their owners. They help setting new standards and I prefer seeing a perfect cal look VW over a brandnew Porsche Boxster bought "off the shelf". In addition to that, I'm no car mechanic so I'm really glad to know people that are capable of building my engine or painting my car. I love driving it and I don't need to have tightened every nut and bolt on my car for myself to appreciate the joys of owning a cal looker.

I doubt that the Cal Look will ever be so industrialized at least in Nordic, in Central Europe maybe, that you could have someone to trailer a rust bucket to local Buddy Hale and have him do all the work for you. This isn't actually very current trend, from the day one there has been shops that build customized cars for paying customers in US like for the Hollywood movie stars. As far as I can remeber all of the American magazines (both hot rod and volkswagen) have featured cars that are built by a shop.. I personally don't see anything bad in that.. And yes someone else is doing welding for my car too..

Ten years ago I learned to know a local Hotrod builder, in the little town I come from. He was a hotrod by hart ,but had realised that he could never build what he wanted with the kind of money he was making. So instead he builds the dreamcars for others, and has been doing that for many years. His workshop is kind of a social club for all those who likes to play with mean machines in my area. So I like to hang out there once in a while, listen to all the small power tricks...or the latest in chassis design, you meet them all there, the high-tech double wishbone Hotroders, the Bikers, the guys with old DTM cars, Grand Prix Road racing tuners, drag racers, circuit racers, and off roaders... and ONE cal-looker dude...  so...what does all this have to do with why I like cal lookers??

I'll tell you why, whoever different all these guys are, they all preach just one thing... FORM follows FUNCTION.
When I first visited that shop I was into the restolooker stuff... mud flaps, lowered all around and Westfalia roof racks... you know, my bus was pimped out. It didn't take long time before I felt my bus was a big "barbie" with that kind of inspiration... every part has to have a purpose, and it has to do it well. During the winter 98/99 the bus turned a bit more manly, with big Carrera disk brakes on all wheels and all the "shit" came of it... 

There's only so much you can do to a bus, so I started to look for a bug to turn into a Performance play car, capable of holding it's own against the other guys... you know, the underdog situation can result in the strangest desires... I just needed to build a fierce engine and set the suspension up right...  I knew it could be done from the magazines and the Cal-look bible... seventies style!
 
My car was built around just one desire, being able to ride around in style....cal-look style, around town once in a while...  pick up a burger and cruise along the beaches in the sunset with the IDA symphony in the background... all night, until that burgundy BMW convertible with the daddy-boys pulls up along "the ugly old car with the bad lowering job" at the read lights... RPM - GREEN - End of story

My take on the Cal-look thing is just one thing, form follows function!
And why do they look so damn nice...??  'CAUSE THEY WORK!!


I know this isn't what cal-look is about for most, and I respect that....  but this is why I like it :-)

well said!  :)

If you ask me I would probably say I`m into cal-look because of the history and purposes of the cars, and offcourse because their "bad ass" look.I would have problems with giving a car a girls name if it`s a "real" cal-looker, if you know what I mean(example: dave rhoads green 64). And I love the racing aspect, always tring to push the limits of the car(whitout destroying the overall look). For me thats also a part of the history, they where trying to run 12`s back then like I`m trying to run 12`s today.

Regarding all the rich people buying cal-lookers, It don`t bother me at all. Maybe some of them will try to build their own cars when they break down, because they will break down at some point. We all have to start somewhere.
I`m a student myself and don`t have money to pay people to build my cars, not that I wont them to. My welding skills aren`t that good....yet  :) so I always have to get help, but I`m watching and trying to learn all the tricks. I know a little bit about motors and do all the other work on the cars (except the gearbox ???)

So my goals for 2006 is to rebuild my gearbox,paint the car and build the engine from scratch.What I`m trying to say is, if you have the interest oyu will learn at some point.

Ooohhh!!! I forgot! Another reason  why I`m into cal-lookers is all the cool people you get to meet....(I SUCK!!!!....took me an hour to wright this down :D :D)

Well, with me it all started in 1986. A buddy from school and I (we both were into Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferigno, weight lifting and body building) visited California. We wanted to see Venice Beach and train our muscles at the original Gold’s Gym. I soon realized tons of cool Volkswagens and tons of super cool and super low mini trucks. One morning on a trip to Knotts Berry Farm in Anaheim we drove by “the” Johnny's Speed and Chrome store. Our Rental Car came to a screeching halt, then I saw a awesome Karmann Ghia Dragster and a couple of real cool 80ies Style Cal Lookers. As I entered the store and as I was walking around the very many go fast parts and at all the chrome, gazing at the Johnny's Speed and Chrome Catalog with a couple of big busted bikini ladies rubbing down 3 awesome looking Cal Lookers I knew I had to buy myself a Bug back home. I bought the catalog and didn’t put it away for three weeks. I bought all the Hot VW’s and VW Trends I was able to find and this hooked me up for live. Of course there is also the David versus Goliath thing I am fond of Falt 4 beating the V8, but personally I just love the Cal Look Lifestyle, the culture the people and so on. I also love anything Baja 1000. Next to my Bug I am working on a Thing (VW181), but not in the so popular lowered (Pseudo Cal Look) look, I am more after the Baja Look from back then, when Bugs where ruling the desert. Lifted and fitted with a 6 point roll cage, big tires and big motor.

Peace Dom