The Cal-look Lounge

I love both of these cars.
Thinking about both last night, I realized, after not seeing it, both of these cars run with a style both in a similar vein. Both don't exactly fit into the CAL LOOK RULEBOOK, obviously, and further, neither car can really be "classified"....how cool is that? And though Pete's car is no longer with us, if it were, I'm sure it would be widely admired in the scene, as Mike's car is.

Here are some pics I stole from old threads.

Cool cars!

Back in the 70's I helped build a '66 that had fiberglass flares on the rear, "Scoop" rear decklid and a ham can hood... what set this car apart a little, it was lowered in front, dechromed, ran buggy bars & Lucas lights. The car sat on Ansen's all around and it was about the same green as Dave Rhodes car... The car turned out really good, I always liked it... Oh yeah, then we rolled it--OOPS!--

Long live the Ham Can hood!

~DR.

I think I dig both cars because looking at them makes me feel young again. Mike's car reminds me of a toy VW I pushed around on the floor whenI was a toddler, and Pete's blue car takes me back to 1987 when I was first getting wind of what a (really) fast VW was about. (His car was the first big cc IDA car I had seen in the flesh.... at 16 yr old). Though not within the lines of "old Cal Look" or "new-old Cal Look" or "resto Cal Look" or "new old skool Cal Look", both these cars make a perfect statement. Plus they're both fast (Pete's was low 12 sec ride).

Both cool cars indeed Jim,I like Maize's car the most.It "HAS" something,it's more gasserstyle than calllook.(love the bonnets)
But who cares?
Like to see more pics of those cars.  ;)

Hey Jim, Thanks and I agree my orange car reminds me of all my 70's style toys. The style is about half looker and half gasser. Hey it should be faster this summer too! Driving in it reminds me a lot of what I always imagined a WWII fighter would be like.....I consider both of my cars to be a part of the ""scene" but neither is a true Cal-looker.....BUT I am no Californian either.... ;)  Just a Pennsylvania Skate punk.

ok... more info please.  ;D

Nice topic.   ;D

The Stock CB Wedge Ports got some chamber work new valves with some extra love ;) and LS1 springs with Ti retainers. Cam and lifters looked good and so did all the bearings etc... Plus it will have a fresh Ohio Tom tune. ;D

Hey dude - could we have a couple more pic's of that COO decklid of yours  ??? :)

nice dude...let us know how it rips....  you and java are going to be the terrors of PA.

I'm looking forward to comparing notes.  The orange car should be most definitely be faster on paper, but we're not going to be racing calculators.   ;D

So about style...I don't think it is much of a stretch that the Pete's car could have been an "updated" version of Maize's car.  Even though they were built opposite that idea.  I really like Pete's car also...while the stance and tire selection is unconventional, it makes the car look light and nimble.

I can't imagine being a 16 year old and encountering that car and its performace potential.

Pete's tire sizing does look dated today (funny how what was high tech 20+ year ago, looks dated against 60's & 70's-tech today... ::) make sense?  ;D) but looked "right on" in 1986. A lot of the cal bugs in my area in Bay Area were shod with low profiles, like Pete's.
Thing with Pete's car: it had what I refer to as "presence." Just sitting there quiet, engine off.... it oozed agression. Pictures don't convey "presence".... you had to be walking around looking at day glo painted cars with flashy chromed 1600's and then in a clearing, sat this car. Well, and you had to be that 16 year old walkign around, feeling disillusioned by the all show and no go theme of the VW shows up north in the 1980's..... I was already bored with the scene, until I saw Pete's car. And if you were around when it was running, you knew by the thrum and the wail of that motor, it was waaaaay different that what else was going on at the time. I still, to this day, nearly 20 years later, remember last time I saw that car.... pulling away from BH on a Saturday, he left parking spot like he was @ pro tree....  still gives me goosebumps.

Very nice car !!!!  :o I love the mix between Cal-look ans Gasser style

Hey dude - could we have a couple more pic's of that COO decklid of yours  ??? :)
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this "style" in my opinion does receive the attention it deserves, i think pete staat's car looks amazing! but that era of cal-look is not commonly regarded as cal-look as the 70ies and the lookers of today, if that makes sense...


i actually really like the different tyres it has! it just goes out to show this car is all business. the rear could/should've been slightly taller...
and i don't know what else, but i guess i do get the point of this car looking fast standing still.  ;)

and maize's '67 is very cool. can't wait to see some new pics of this season!

I am hoping the car has a new dash this summer.....time will tell. I'll start trying to remember to take my camera when I am out with the car.

I'm building a 67 bug in the same style as both Pete and Mikes cars. With the same hood and deck lid, T-bird glasspack, Cosmic wheels & steering wheel, EMPI dash pad, period motor. Its more of a 70s gasser theme like Mikes orange bug. I was about half way through the build when it stopped cold so I could build a 67 Fastback. Once I get back on the build I will start a "In Da Works" thread here...

Anyway I was thinking... Why not give a name to this style? Everyone says it doesn't quite fit in with Cal Look, Resto Cal, Custom, etc...... How about "STREET GASSER" ?? Just my two cents....

Personally, I like the unclassified nature of these. Ya can't label them!

I dont care what you call them,  they are cool. ;)

Indeed !!

If you label them...then I am going to build something else...... ::)

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Cool cheers dude - Looks awsome  ;D

What happened with Pete STaat's car?  ???  Anybody have a clue?

Does somebody know from what year Pete's bug is/was?

That's a good way to put it.

I remember the first time Maize had the car at the track, we were walking back to the pits from the concession stand and I looked up and the car caught my eye.  The way the car was parked made me have one of those "oh yeah" moments.  Can you imagine what the non-VW people (eveybody there) saw in that car?  Including when Maize clicked off his first 12.90 with it?

And one more thing about the tires...you think Pete did it for looks, or he liked the way the car ripped with those shorties in the back?   :o

pm send
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 ;)

 ;)

Thx Fabs  ;)

thanks for posting article, Fabian.

Two cool cars. Until this thread was posted I never noticed that the dragon had a hood with the nostrils or whatever they are. And the only thing I would change on the dragon is the rear tires to a 195/60 otherwise it is done.

@ Mike:is/was your car ever featured in a magazine?

Both cars have there own unique style to them - dont want to call them LOOKERS - I think Pete's car was a NOR CAL LOOKER - A lot of guys around here did run those 195/50/15 tires on all 4 wheels - Big Mark on his car too - I do like your car Mike - Dig the old glass fenders - As to Pete's car - Burned to the ground one day - still dont know what happened - He was going to sell me his car for 5K at one point - Man i wish i would have done it  >:(  Nice to see the photos again - It was a kick to drive his car - Still one of the fastest street cars i have driven even to this day - Of course untill Jim comes up and brings pigs & zen - then we will see  ;)

My car has not been featured, actually it isn't really a feature type of car. Thanks for liking it though, I wish I could let you all take it for a spin!

It absolutely is a feature type of car !!! KEITH, you must have some leverage  8))

I had seen it before on a pic or two, but really looking at it here and now, to be honest this is one of the nicest cars I have ever seen. It instantly has become my role model.

I still cannot believe you haven't driven my old slug...  after all these years. Just the other night Mary Ann and I were talking about me taking the '67 on a trip up to Bay Area (and beyond.... plans include a jaunt on CA highway 36 from Fortuna to Red Bluff). Just gotta find the free time... which doesn't really exist.
Gosh Tony, even Jeff Mello drove my car, back 1999.... think we went by Dan's shop at redline (like usual). You should've seen his face when the motor came into its own.

Back to topic...

PFFF! 36 from fortuna to red bluff has got to be one of the best roads in CA!! about 140 miles winding through farms, redwoods, rivers, hill people, lakes, etc. I was visiting humboldt last weekend and I took that route home because I had to stop off in sac before the bay. I was in my truck, but I am glad that I went that way.

I'm jealous.  ;D
I've done 36 a few times, in a Vanagon 1.9 (super exciting, let me tell you) and also in my old WRX. You're absolutely right, lawrence, 36 is probably THE best road in CA if you enjoy driving, forests, etc. It is epic length though... even at a good clip it's 3 hr from Fortuna to Red Bluff. Personally, I like driving it at a sedate pace and enjoy the scenery of the surrounding areas.... it's simply the best up there. Trying to talk my pops into taking the GTV6 through there this summer... if he's up for a father/son thing.

What a terrific thread, really gets the creative juices flowing.

FAbs,

can you PB me also about what happened with pete staat's car?  ???  ;D

+ in the article they say it's a 65', but it's a late looker?  ???

Thing with Pete's old car... it wasn't only beauty that was skin deep. The motor was done right around the time Bugpack started marketing the old ARPM stuff. The dragon had a 2-piece aluminum ARPM/Bugpack case (1986), ARPM Super Flow heads, Okrasa 84mm 912 journal crank, Carillo rods...etc etc etc.
I remember seeing it advertised in Auto Trader in Bay Area (cheap), opening line read "185+ reliable hp..."

It's a indeed a '65,but modified with '68 front & rear aprons,hence the" late looker"- look.  ;)
Sorry,don't know what happened with the car.  ???

BURNED TO THE GROUND  :(   Never got the full story on what realy happened.

Found this old thread while looking for pics of Mike's car. If we add in 3 '67's to this list, with pics, you'd have my Top 5 favorite VW's ever. (that would be Jim Kurlinski's green car, Sarge's Becker-red car and Don Crane's old red DKP '67).

Someday I have to see Mike's car in person.  8)

Have to agree with you Jim. After reeding the Kurlinski thread today and discovered this one now i think those cars have something really special. Sarge´s red is probably becoming a modern "callook ikon", Don Crane´s old red pictures the 60´s gasser style stands, and Pete´s remindes me of the 80´s with lowprofile tyres (like all styles hade then, I remember my old Volvo 240, lowerd, and with 185/60-14  ;D),but with some callook feeling anyhow.

Mike´s orange has something mysterious you cant really put your finger on. It has it´s own style and is soo cool. "Old and fast".

Patrik

I dug up a couple of my favorite pictures I don't think I have posted before...sorry if I have.

Keep on posting them Mike.
 ;)

Cool cars no doubt!

There's more than one way to skin a cat   ;)