Current Cal-Look trendz that you'd like to see come to an end!

[danny gabbard]

What state is shubee's 58 bug , Did it ever get painted? That would be a cool car to see finished!!

[TexasTom]

Still on his body-stand/cart ... needs a little more metal work, then off to paint.
I would so LOVE to take it home and apply the necessary and applicable touches to Finish it, Shubee's way ... hard-core Cal-Look, just like we'd agree. LOL! Maybe it's in the cards?

It is an original Coral Red car ... still has a lot of orig paint on it. Pan's done ... needs the right hands on the metal and shiny coat of color, that's all.

Back on topic ...
I agree ... it needs to RUN and RUN HARD! Drive it like you borrowed it from your Brother (who just took and drank your last YooHoo from the fridge!!!)
Simplicity  and attention to detail ... that INCLUDES proper tuning.

OK, orig "swan" mirrors are OK ... got a little worked up, sorry.
TxT

[danny gabbard]

To me, cal-look and all other cars that are cool, (less is better!)

[danny gabbard]

O-YA, Tom ! Its jack time!!!! Jack as in JD !!

[TexasTom]

LMAO!
You're the Man, Danny!

[danny gabbard]

I hear ya tom, Another brother of Jack D

[TexasTom]

Got another ...

Sorry, but the back seats HAVE TO GO.
     One caveat, you'll have to hang a picture of your kids riding when not actually present, cuz that's COOL.
     Otherwise & again, think of the clicks off your 60 foot ... !
     Hell, I just got tired of removing it at the track! Get that thing outta there; More room for spare parts!

[Rick Meredith]

When did cal-look get so many rules ? 35 years ago in so-cal all you needed were three things, 1st a vw 2nd cool wheels 3rd lowering that vw with the right stance , O-YA a fine chick and beer!!

 No Peashooters! 

[javabug]

Back seat is aft of the driver, so I think it will aid in weight transfer! 

I am in total agreement with simple and attention to detail, including tuning. Not that my car meet that, but its a goal ...


Off topic:
Aaaand for my fellow TN whiskey lovers ... if you can get George Dickel, give it a try. I found it very similar to Gentleman Jack. Been drinking a lot lately.

[Rennsurfer]

Stingers are not Cal Look and extremely annoying on the street. Leave 'em on the race track. SO glad that trend has tapered down to about nothing.

[Harry/FDK]

I don't want to see anything coming to an end, because i would like to do my own thing and get inspired of the original Cal-Look. "But The Times They Are A' Changing".

Harry

[bugnut68]

When did cal-look get so many rules ? 35 years ago in so-cal all you needed were three things, 1st a vw 2nd cool wheels 3rd lowering that vw with the right stance , O-YA a fine chick and beer!!

 No Peashooters! 

How's aboot zoom tubes?

[Bryan Nunes]

Narrowed beams and notched spring plates are not cal-look! 

[Zach Gomulka]

Where do you think, if we didn´t have copies?

We'd probably have unique cars with more imagination.





I'd like to see 205/70's go away.

[TexasTom]

I'd like to see 175 & 185sr15s available for a reasonable price too, but ...
Who wants to spend $350+ on a set of rear tires?
Unless you've got deep pockets, NO BURNOUTS! That's no fun!

[Flow]

I inform, I unfortunately did not read all the thread because I don't understand all what you say (I'm french) but something caught my attention.


Guys, I'm a cal look fan, and I think my car is cal look. And I do as I can for it, I dream for Michelin or Wide O val tires, good old parts and big engine I can see on your very cool cars. But if copies do not exist, how could I do? I'm student, no money for all these beautiful expensive parts.

I think there's some rules to have a cal look for sure but we can't all have parts like you got. Be just as cool as your cars are 

[TexasTom]

Flow,

Please don't take it all TOO seriously ... I'll try not to 
As for me, I've had my car for 18+ years, collecting parts for it all this time and there are still things I long for! Before then it was my brothers since 1971 (I was 6!); known it my whole life.
So I've watched the trends and seen them change too, like we all have.
I think copies can be a good thing, but often times they're Crap!
Everyone would like to have the Real thing, sometimes you just have to look and wait to find it, sometimes it's just not going to happen!
SO, ideas provide alternatives ... and in a round about way, that's what this is all about.

Keep It Up on your car and don't look back, at least not till you've had it too long

TxT

[Flow]

Tom, I totally agree with you 

[Ivan]

I'm more than happy with both my '67s. If the next man doesn't like 'em I won't lose a single minute of sleep. If someone likes either of them I'll say thanks for the compliment and carry on enjoying what I enjoy SO much. In my opinion I don't want any 'trendz' to come to an end - people like me should be able to do what ever the hell they want with THEIR cars and other people like me to respect the fact the THEY are happy with the end result of the passion, countless hours of their time and hard work they have invested.
To me, apart from the obvious, California Look (along with whatever other kind of 'custom' VW style) is about turning a stock car into a car that is YOUR car and is recognised as such. 'Oh that's Dave Mason's Bug' 'That's Rick Sadler's '67' and so on.
Would you be able to pick out Bill Schwimmer's car at a show? There are other Coral Red cars, but my guess is that you'd know his one straight away.
You may see a California Look car that has elements that do not fit in with what YOU feel is right (both my cars have stock mirrors and side trim - so if I was up in front of the Cal Look Court I'd be sure to be found guilty of at least two heinous style crimes) but as it's not YOUR car what does it matter?
I'm not about to hack my dash out and cover it with plexiglass as I like the way my dashes look. Why do I want to junk the comfy stock seats? I don't feel like adding gauges I'd never have time to look at - I'd rather concentrate on the car I want to whoop than know what volts my electrical system is producing. Am I interested in taking the tiny '67 trim off just to please someone with a different name to me who doesn't own my cars? Uhhh? Nope!
We all know California Look is a style but, surely it's more a case of personal interpretation encompassing elements of the style than adhering to that drawing of Greg Aronson's '63?    
I'm happy to enjoy my cars and enjoy looking at he Lookers other people have built.

Now what about the Mullholland Look?

[TexasTom]

... Not my Thing ...

I'll say it ONE more time:

Please don't take it all TOO seriously ... I'll try not to    

&

As once said, LOL.

[Black Sheep]

Style not Content !  
 I seem to remember my english teacher comenting on my work , now I get  
As for what other people think of your car ? who give a toss , you should hear the coment's I get with the 49 from the Vintage crowd when I park up at a show .
I amazed I can walk for all the knive's in my back  
I personally dont like copy parts at all and try to keep mine to a minium , hence I lost my old fuch's ( the fonts were copy's )
Centerline's are still made new and in what offset you like , not too expencive and very cal creed  

It's your ride go your own way .

[qubek]

Giant MONSTER tachs planted right in the middle of the dash ... cluttering up an otherwise clean-flowing design.
       Come on .... unless your making (at least) monthly trips to the track, WTF? Clean it up and put it somewhere less conspicuous ... We all know how fast your ride is, don't we?
       If you're going to run one, post a recent (3 weeks old, max) time slip on the rear view.

That way, you could also say that unless you are making monthly trips to the track, you don't need things like beefed up and short gearbox. Or a nose-down stance. Or 90% of other things, that make a difference between stock Bug and a cal-look (whatever that is) Bug.
I have my tach under the dash (where it is being kicked by larger then average passengers) but I don't see anything wrong in heaving it above. It's probably more functional up there, and cal-look is function over form, even it the form is clean-flowing

I agree with some other of your comments though, especially as far as tires are concerned. Still, I think we are a minority on this forum in this aspect. And there is nothing wrong with that.

I'm sick and fucking tired of every cool old part from back in the day being repopped.

And in my opinion, repoping and creating new parts are the biggest advantage of our times. As long as the quality is decent.
The difference between us is that I am more about hot-rodding my Beetle and you are more a collector. Don't get me wrong - I love your car, I like what you do and I respect your knowledge but in my opinion you belong more to vintage "scene".  Yet you seem to like to judge what is cal-look and what is not. I expect that you have a different opinion in this aspect. But which one of us is right, and which one is wrong?

[Jim Ratto]

I'm more than happy with both my '67s. If the next man doesn't like 'em I won't lose a single minute of sleep. If someone likes either of them I'll say thanks for the compliment and carry on enjoying what I enjoy SO much. In my opinion I don't want any 'trendz' to come to an end - people like me should be able to do what ever the hell they want with THEIR cars and other people like me to respect the fact the THEY are happy with the end result of the passion, countless hours of their time and hard work they have invested.
To me, apart from the obvious, California Look (along with whatever other kind of 'custom' VW style) is about turning a stock car into a car that is YOUR car and is recognised as such. 'Oh that's Dave Mason's Bug' 'That's Rick Sadler's '67' and so on.
Would you be able to pick out Bill Schwimmer's car at a show? There are other Coral Red cars, but my guess is that you'd know his one straight away.
You may see a California Look car that has elements that do not fit in with what YOU feel is right (both my cars have stock mirrors and side trim - so if I was up in front of the Cal Look Court I'd be sure to be found guilty of at least two heinous style crimes) but as it's not YOUR car what does it matter?
I'm not about to hack my dash out and cover it with plexiglass as I like the way my dashes look. Why do I want to junk the comfy stock seats? I don't feel like adding gauges I'd never have time to look at - I'd rather concentrate on the car I want to whoop than know what volts my electrical system is producing. Am I interested in taking the tiny '67 trim off just to please someone with a different name to me who doesn't own my cars? Uhhh? Nope!
We all know California Look is a style but, surely it's more a case of personal interpretation encompassing elements of the style than adhering to that drawing of Greg Aronson's '63?    
I'm happy to enjoy my cars and enjoy looking at he Lookers other people have built.

Now what about the Mullholland Look?

Good post Ivan

[Zach Gomulka]

And in my opinion, repoping and creating new parts are the biggest advantage of our times. As long as the quality is decent.
The difference between us is that I am more about hot-rodding my Beetle and you are more a collector. Don't get me wrong - I love your car, I like what you do and I respect your knowledge but in my opinion you belong more to vintage "scene".  Yet you seem to like to judge what is cal-look and what is not. I expect that you have a different opinion in this aspect. But which one of us is right, and which one is wrong?

I don't own glass cases and shelves full of parts and memorabilia that I have no intention of ever using. My shelves are loaded with books, and all of my parts are either on my car, or they will be some day. IMO, a collector does the former. And I drive the shit out of my [hotrodded] car, too! And about my car, it owns me rather than the other way 'round. It would be a disgrace to put repro parts on it, so therefore I give it what I feel it deserves (and I think everyone here would agree). I think these cars and parts were meant to be used, no matter what their current value.
I am more "vintage". I think the way the cars were built back in the day were more unique than they are now. Most all cal lookers look the same now, and I think a lot of it is to blame on the fact that they can easily get cheap repro parts, instead of using a little imagination and thinking outside of the box!

[empioval57]

I am loving this post.  I grew up with the Look.  My first ride in a fast VW was ever lasting.  NOW I have almost $40k invested in my looker and I'm not finished yet.  it's close but not done.  If I hadn't had all the pictures, on this site as well as others, and the help from some of you, I'm sure I would have given up the project.  It's in what I call traditional cal-look, with some modern twists, and power.  Mike H, knows what I 'm running.  it will be on here soon and in a awsome way.  clean, and fast! 

If I hadn't had all this exposure to the look, I am sure I would have something else, like a camaro or vette, or something.  But I always liked the underdog, and lets face it the VW is an underdog.  no one expects it to even keep up with a V8, let alone beat it.  Sometimes I think we need to ask ourselves what got us into this hobby and what is keeping us in.  $40k will buy one hell of a new car.  Instead I spent 10 years of my life and every single extra penny restoring this car and making it have the "Look"  Hopefully it will be of the same quality and standard that set the movement into being.  Just my $.02.

[Rennsurfer]

Narrowed beams and notched spring plates are not cal-look! 

No debate, there.

[Gary Justus]

egos

[Rennsurfer]

Couldn't agree more. Bring back Eggos, instead. MUCH better and less stinky.

[TexasTom]

egos

I think Gary has put a period on this thread.
 

[Rennsurfer]

Ah... NO. Going to disagree.

You brought up a good point, earlier regarding the tires, Tom. I remember back in the early eighties (Rayburn can confirm this) when I stumbled upon something that he and I thought was very cool. At one of my local tire shops, they were selling tires that looked just like Michelins. With one huge difference; they were only about $20 each. I was in Heaven! Because at that time, I was going through transmissions and rear tires like underwear. Got really good at changing both. HAHA!! I had two-piece early EMPI five spokes, so I'd pop new tires on in my front yard while the neighbors looked, shaking their heads at me. They still talk about that.

Today's tire prices and limited availability is really hindering us Cal Look people. Gone, are the days of good tire deals. At least for new ones. I can find used ones all day for fair amounts of money. It's hard, if not impossible, to locate decent priced 175 or 185 tires for our cars. Thankfully, 195 tires are still abundant. That's the widest I'll go on a six inch wheel.