After Reading Russels post.....

[peach_]

Please don't shoot me  , this is just an observation i have made that maybe totally incorrect, but i just thought it might be worth getting some other peoples points of view on it.....

As the aforementioned title suggests, after reading Russels post describing the lack of enthusiasm that we are currently seeing in our hobby, it got me thinking about what could be the reason for the the down turn of interest in creating these 13sec 1/4 - Drag racing inspired machines., could it be the cost? If so why? because as far as i'm aware, an air ride system with the latest in trend wheels and a shock-tower less beam could buy you a decent spec'd 1776/2110cc motor?

I think the problem could be to do more with age? I as a young Cal-look nerd I seem to be a rarity in my local area and to be fair i'm very lucky to live in the location i do, Stoke-on-trent in the UK must be one of, if not the most densely populated areas in the uk for cal-look beetles ( i maybe wrong so don't shoot me   ). There must be at least 20 Cal-look bugs in the area, ranging from my humble 2276cc street car to Ritche Moss's (Lil stink hound on here) 11sec N/A car, to John Rathbones full on Pro Mod'esk race car.

As youngster I was highly influenced by this but only by chance encounter, bumping into a Jamie Plamer (kaferboy on here) in the local shop car park in his 63 bug, who encouraged me to come along to a meet where i was mesmerised by John walkletts 11 sec nirto's fuel injected street car, Poe's (66racer on here) 66 12sec street car and Crazy Donges 2110 daily driver that he proceeded to power slide around the roundabout that the pub car park was situated on.

If this chance encounter had not accrued I'm not sure i would have been taken by the way of the Cal-look, as my mates were more into modern cars, classic mini's and slammed vw's, as this is what is portrayed in the main stream magazines and on social networking sites such as Facebook.

Cal-look has been described to me by my slammed vw mates, of which i have many as an "old man's hobby", this has no offence intended, but thats just the way it is seen by some. Hot Aircooled Vw's are no longer featured in magazines such as VW Performance, only watercoold 400hp daily driver golf GTi's, but this is progress. Where as slammed tatty aircooled vw's buses and bugs are everywhere!

I help organise the UK Cal-look Drag and our Local Club the Rennwagens. I'm officially the youngest member of the club (thats prospect or full member). At the Cal-look drag day event which we hold every year i can think of only 2 other guys that are around my age that race. Why is this? As i have mentioned before it can't just be a cost thing? Has the hobby acquired an unjustified stigma of the older owner, as hot vw's for daily use just aren't as practical, reliable or as fast as the watercooled generation. Should we just embrase our new found position and encourage younger people by spreading the word of the Cal-look Hot Vw on social networking sites and move with progress, the lounge will never die but maybe it can become a book of knowledge to the new younger generation to look to for guidance as it did me?

Im not saying our hobby is dead, far from it, it just maybe needs to head in a different direction.......

So just out of interest lets see how old everyone is? As this post maybe utter bull shit and i'm talking out of my arse hahaha  


Im 26 and run a 2276cc motor in a 66 bug capable of low- mid 13sec 1/4's.      

[Zach Gomulka]

I'll be 34 in two weeks. I've always felt that I am on the younger side of the Cal Look hobby, even more so as time goes by. It is what it is.

[leec]

32 
Life changes have slowed my car hobby down. A 4 year old son, my wife and I working full time manager roles means spare time is a rarity and no garage at home.

[Mabbo]

Peach, Im 31 now and have drove Cal Lookers since I was 18.

None of my VW mates were into Cal Look. A couple were into fast VWs but not necessarily Cal Look. It didn't bother me. Most my 'normal' mates didn't understand why I liked Beetles at all haha.

The age thing I think is because its cheaper to build a lowered Beetle than a 'proper' Cal Look.

When I was 18/19 I was rockin my 68 with a 1300 single port on its last legs with a single quiet pack, lowered beam and repro Rivieras. Felt like a bit of a tit driving a Beetle with a fairly 'sporty' sounding exhaust built in a style that was supposed to be fast, but it as slower than pretty much everything else on the road.

Even though I wanted a fast Cal Looker, I could see the attraction of a resto cal style Beetle - cheap to build, cheap to run, get just as much attention at the local VW club meet etc. Maybe would get more attention as thats what the others seemed to be doing too, prob for the same reasons.

So, I dont think its an age thing to be honest, I think its about the budget. To build a nice proper Cal Look is more expensive than a nice really low air ride style Beetle... they cost more to run, more work to maintain, and cost more to insure. And lets face it, big engine Cal Lookers dont make the best daily drivers, or do long journeys very well.

[Neil Davies]

Peach, you've hit the nail on the head pretty much. Cal lookers aren't featured as much - since Ivan handed over Volksworld there hasn't been a Cal Look issue. They're expensive to build and the economy hasn't helped. Then there's life getting in the way - younger folk will naturally have more time but less cash, and as your disposable income rises houses, wives and children come along or jobs simply take up more of your time (I spend every evening and weekend doing extra work for my job). BTW I'm 37 with a wife and my first child on the way. No more racing for me...
The one thing that no-one has mentioned is the expectation that people put on themselves. Back in the mid 90s when I turned 17 a late 60s/early 70s wrongun could be build easily enough, painted cheaply and have a 1776 that ran 14s and you were pretty hardcore. Stroker motors were 2007 or 2165 and may have run into the low 13s, but 12 second street cars were really rare. Nowadays the quality of cars has increased as has the speed - 10 sec street cars are achievable easily if you've got the money. Does the young kid with his first bug look at that and get put off by the commitment to building up to that point?

[RIP356]

Im 50.
I have been into aircooled for 30 years, first resto cal while living in the UK, then just under 20 years with split screen kombis.
After selling my last splittie I decided to build another beetle, its a lot cheaper than restoring a split!
So its not the cost!
I like doing things to the best of my abilities and wallet, to me it has to look nice as the main thing, that is why I do not like this trend of "patina" vehicles or to use the correct word "RUST".

I do believe the magazines are promoting this as nearly every car lately is a "patina" vehicle.
I cant imagine ten years ago a shitty split screen, with rust and dents  being on the cover of Volksworld?

I am now trying to get the "Look" right, i cant afford genuine stuff so am going with repo BRM's.
So I am 50 but new to the scene?

Divorced with two young daughters so I only get to spend every other Saturday on the beetle, its taken over two years but its now in paint, i do everything myself and its now rolling but have the interior and motor to do
I dont know how long it will take but it will get there eventually

[plasticblack]

 
I'm 54 and been in and around VW's since about 17 years old.

In my opinion Volksworld had become the most stale of publications, with a 'same old same old' feel to it. Don't get me wrong I love to see great Cal-Lookers.. but every month? Every Cover? 

There needs to be more cross-over and unity in the VW Scene and this to me is what is missing currently.

If it were possible to 'bottle' what happens at EBI and condense that into a magazine things might change for the better. All walks of VW's come together at EBI and every model and condition is accepted and enjoyed without question or division.

I've a project in my workshop currently and haven't touched it for months now. That's probably to do with age and health more than anything, but I'm certainly not buzzing to get it finished by any means.

Looking forward to Volksworld and EBI to give me back some Mojo..

 

[Lids]

45 - Wife, two children, hefty mortgage living in London.  Working full time, studying part time for a Masters degree.

Got into the scene about 1994, built my car whilst living at home and working at the local supermarket whilst at college.

Moved into my current house 10 years ago, downsized the garage and this is a real pain.  Can only really work on the car when it is sunny.

Spent the last ten years collecting parts for the engine (very expensive) and replacement parts to redo the car.

Almost all of my money has been spent on renovating the house and I even told the missus the new engine cost £1000.!!!!

I make plans to work on the car, and then this time gets eaten into, so its very slow progress.

[modnrod]

I'm 51 as of a week ago or so.

I'm fairly certain I was conceived in my Opa's (dad's side) panel Kombi workvan, and my favourite memory from when I was a little one was sitting in my Nanna's (mum's side) Karmann Ghia watching her scarf blow around as she waved to all her friends (royally I might add!  ) as she drove to church. I got a '59 Beetle when I could drive, but my first quick one of my own was a mid-14sec Squareback in the early 80s.

I have an old VW that I'm playing with very slowly. I could probably justify buying most things for it and it really should have been finished 2 years ago (I've had it 3 years now), but I prefer doing it myself, for me it's a sideline nowadays to de-stress in the workshop after my work cycle. I have 2 little boys now as well, so part of the fun is getting them into it too.



This is the stuff I enjoy most about our hobby..........





I have a runabout work car that is nearly dead, so when it finally goes I've decided to get a runner ACVW, hopefully a Squareback as they're my favourite, so I'll have the workshop toy AND a daily! 

Have fun out there.

[Bernard Newbury]

I'm 70 in a few weeks, run a  9 second car and have been into Cal Look for quite a few years.

To add to the points above, its all about rebelling and not wanting to do the same as the generation before.  Who wants to be into the same thing as their parents ? Be it music, fashion and car styling. I also think there is a lot more emphasis on life style now. You can buy an old rust bucket, whack on some Rothink stickers, buy a Cool Flo hoodie and you're instantly part of a scene for very little money.  Just my observation over the years.

[Good-Old-Ragtop60]

Do Cal-Lookers need big engines every time??
Isn`t the Look about the Styling, too? 

I like the Look but still drive with 1200ccm because at the Moment there`s no Money to spend on the engine.
(I´m 27 btw)

[bean]

45 - work and diy take my time and there's always something else that needs my cash.
Add that to selling a brilliant '67 a few years ago and price rises meaning my current bug cost the same but has less of everything means enthusiasm is low at present.

That said some of the build threads on here and other forums are inspirational so maybe I'll get my arse in gear this year.

[karl h]

i´m turning 52 tomorrow, doin the VW thing for 33 years now
(not much time with the job, the wife and three kids still at home)

[Jeff68]

I've been in to VW's since I was 19.....always loved them as growing up my Dad had two beetles- a 62 then a 72. I remember going everywhere in those cars with my mom and two sisters. I restored my first one when I was 19 (70 beetle). Got in to the American V8 stuff for a while then at 25 bought my 68 that I have restored and built a stout 2110 for. It took me 8 years to accumulate engine parts as I had gone back to school to get a second engineering degree while I was married with two small kids. Finally got the engine "done" 4 years ago and have been driving and having fun with the car since. I can say I don't have the money or time to race the car though I would love to.....

I'm 50 now and with work, two houses, two older kids and a new 8 month old I have limited time and money as well. I'm as enthusiastic as ever with Cal-Look VW's but it's not cheap to build a nice one even if you do it yourself. I live in Florida and there are not very many Cal-Look VW enthusiasts here, mostly slammed rusty beetle and buses which don't really do it for me. IMO most younger gen folks want the "latest" stuff, cars included. Hell, they can go get a used Subaru STI that already hauls ass, has air conditioning, a good stereo, is quiet, ect,ect and be part of the tuner "scene". It's way easier and instant gratification. From what I've seen young gen. don't want to spend lots of time building an old car - too much work and effort. IMO, To build a Cal-Look car you have passion for it which overtakes the work, effort, time and $$ factors.

[Shane Noone]

Hey Peach, I'm 46 my first car at 17 was a stock '72 1300 Beetle. I've always loved them stock and modified and owned a bunch of different models from Ovals to Mexi's. Most people would tell you I'm passionate about them. I've also dipped my foot in the American V8 market with a '68 Chevy Nova and had fun with that. I love classic American cars and classic cars in general. I just find them all more aesthetically appealing to look at and drive. I've also driven and owned modern cars from sporty saloons to hot hatches and sports cars. All fun in their own way. But I always missed not owning or driving a classic. I also like tinkering which I am happy to do on old cars but open the bonnet of anything modern it's buried under plastic cowling and I wouldn't know where to start ! 

When I first started driving I too was the odd one out amongst my closer friends away from the VW scene who all drove fast fords and hot hatchbacks. I could appreciate those cars and their performance too but they just didn't inspire me to follow that path.  It may also be parental influence as my dad always loved Beetles and owned a few when I was a child and he also loved classic American cars and owned them when he lived in California in the 60's 

[Fastbrit]

60 years old (plus a few months) and had a 'few' VWs in my time! For me, the journey is often better than the destination, which is why I have no interest in owning a car for 10, 15, 20 years etc. I love putting a car together, enjoying it for a while and then moving on to another. These days, due to divorces and life stuff, I now only have room in my life for one toy at a time. Loved my time with the Chop Top, rescuing it, giving it the recognition it deserves in this modern world, but felt too great a responsibility owning a piece of history that I didn't feel I had the right to change much. Loved my time with Bluey, too, adapting someone else's cast-off to create the 'Old School' (actually, it's new wave, really...) Looker, with five-speed, 2332 IDA motor, drive it with Dean Kirsten to EBI and then, to crown it all, take it across to the USA to join the rest of my DKP buddies for the club's 45th anniversary celebrations, and drive it to a Bug-In. THAT was cool. But once I came home, how could I ever match that again? I needed a new challenge, and set about building the Porsche I always wanted. What happens when that destination is finally reached, only time will tell. Until then, I get my kicks racing VWs a couple of times a year in the USA (thanks to Mike Hunsaker and Ron Fleming), as well stealing the keys to anything with wheels at EBI. 

[speedwell]

treads from 2007  
http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,960.0.html

41 soon
into vw since 94 , started with a 74  restored to oldschool (look-a-like)66
buy my 61 n 97  and restored to  cal look & oldspeed way (it depend the engine  ) 

[Donny B.]

Well age wise I've got you all beat.  I'll be 71 next month and still have my first air cooled Bug.  Bought it from the original owner in July of '84 and never looked back.  Cal-Look for me and the car doesn't get sold til I die.  The wife understands totally.  I am very lucky...!

[dive!dive!]

52 this year.....first car a Golf  , second a Passat  , third a Scirocco  , fourth a Scirocco GTI......then bought a '71 1300 T1 as an MOT failure in 1986 for £50  ....restored it, stored it, restored it again a few years back and still have it....I'll never sell it, but am lucky enough to have other cars to drive every day, so the T1 is a weekend dry weather toy that gets hours of garage time most winters.....there is ALWAYS something to improve on it and this winter its got full sequential EFI with ITB's ...... who knows what next....its a great hobby.
Steve

[j-f]

33 next month. Seems that I'm a young blood
Full of ideas and projects for a long time but I made a side step of the hobby scene. I like to work on my cars, helping friends with their projects    but doesn't do as much shows is I used to. Can't understand the rats and hoodride thing and I'm more interested in the mechanical and technical thing.
I think lots of people see cal look as an extremely narrow minded way of modifying a vw. With too much codes and and very elitist. And that's quite true. The nicest cars are high money build. But maybe most people forget that cal look is also about the fun and a way of thinking/living made by young and a bit rebel teens in the 70's. They street raced their cars,did dumb things with, make road trips that gave them memories for a long time, They simply have fun. Now,lots of cal look are more trailer queen or strip beast,seeing very few street miles.

[Russell]

46 next month..... Oh it's sore....

Been in to VWs since I was a kid, had my first one at 16, thank goodness for herbie !

Had a few air cooled Vws in my time and they still seem to follow me home, again like herbie, anyway like a bottle of wine or a good lady they all mature with age and we all change, I appreciate more as I get older and enjoy the chase of finding restoring and bringing back to life some old forgotten and neglected VW.

My son of 13 has a beetle and loves the stories and scene, but peer pressure to buy a hot hatch must be very hard for both youth and our passion.

Youth of today have different values, look at cell phones they change them as much as they change there underware, they don't want to wait save or build a car they want to buy cool and accepted.

As long as we keep injecting passion to a few, cal look will survive, however the beetle scene used to be like the bus scene now, full of specialised cowboys.... No much owner youth gets fed up or can't afford as they are being ripped off frequently.

Also patina....... What a load of shit, it's good cars being left to get worse in the name of cool .

[Bernard Newbury]

Youth of today have different values, look at cell phones they change them as much as they change there underware, they don't want to wait save or build a car they want to buy cool and accepted.
As long as we keep injecting passion to a few, cal look will survive, however the beetle scene used to be like the bus scene now, full of specialised cowboys....
Also patina....... What a load of shit, it's good cars being left to get worse in the name of cool .

I think that's about the size of it

[vwhelmot]

Having bought my bug back after eight years apart, I can confirm there are many "specialised" VW performance cowboys in the UK today. Some of modifications were shocking.  Its bad for the scene as the customers who weren't particularly mechanically minded didn't have a clue what lay beneath.

[BeetleBug]

Well age wise I've got you all beat.  I'll be 71 next month and still have my first air cooled Bug.  Bought it from the original owner in July of '84 and never looked back.  Cal-Look for me and the car doesn't get sold til I die.  The wife understands totally.  I am very lucky...!

Truly inspirational! Thanks Donny.

[Jesse/DVK]

Being 27 i'm one of the few 'young' guys with a cal-look car in the Netherlands but even the total number of cal-look cars is quite low. The patina car thing is stupid and I will never drive a beetle with a stock engine again when you can do this going to a meeting:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/cNs7Urt1s60" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/cNs7Urt1s60</a>

[dannyboy]

peach 26 ...  i thought you only passed your driving test last year 

[Flow]

Really interesting point of view !

But in my area we are doing it upside down. We have two clubs around here, one is full of slammed beetles and busses driven by ~35 to 55 year old guys and the other one (our club, the RKC) is full of cal look driven by 23 to 34 year old guys !

But when we were younger we began in the vw world as fans of slammed and hoodride beetle... It is just a question of taste, trends and what your "most influent friends" push you into ! 

[plasticblack]

Youth of today have different values, look at cell phones they change them as much as they change there underware, they don't want to wait save or build a car they want to buy cool and accepted.
As long as we keep injecting passion to a few, cal look will survive, however the beetle scene used to be like the bus scene now, full of specialised cowboys....
Also patina....... What a load of shit, it's good cars being left to get worse in the name of cool .

I think that's about the size of it

X 2 

[Eddie DVK]

I am 44, love beetles since my teens.
Read a book and was hooked on The Look.
Have the same beele since 2000 was restored and put back on the road by 2004.

I somehow like old shit.
Always had old cars as daily driver old peugots, mercedes, alfas, always 25 years + cars.

[old dub lover]

I'm 70 in a few weeks, run a  9 second car and have been into Cal Look for quite a few years.

To add to the points above, its all about rebelling and not wanting to do the same as the generation before.  Who wants to be into the same thing as their parents ? Be it music, fashion and car styling. I also think there is a lot more emphasis on life style now. You can buy an old rust bucket, whack on some Rothink stickers, buy a Cool Flo hoodie and you're instantly part of a scene for very little money.  Just my observation over the years.

Spot On!!

I'm 40 in a couple of months, jeez where did that go?

I've been in vw's and in particular fast vw's since i was 14 years old and watched Moody to a wheelie
I've tried to "grow up" and get it out of my system but it wont go. I'm currently building another racecar and cant wait to get back on the track

Meanwhile in the other side of the vw world, I've stopped buying volksworld because i hate rusty cars