Turbos and Cal-Look

[Roman]

I have often heard the argument that the guys back in the 70's would have used a Turbo if they had one. Turbos were availible for passenger cars since the 60's Corvair (1962), BMW (1974), Porsche (1975), Saab (1978).
If it was availible, why didn't they use it? Who was the first to turbocharge a Cal-looker?

[Rick Meredith]

The technology was not all there to adapt a turbo to a VW. It was developed over years.

As far as the 1st turbo Cal-Look car... well I don't know if it was the absolute first but first I remember was in one of our club member's car. Gary Grauman built a black '67 with a turbo motor in '80 or '81.

Rick

[SOB/RFH]

Mike Mabe........early 80 something Karman Ghia.....also known as The Street Sweeper..................eleven ooooo but not tens.......turbo engine and a small one!! That car was in a Cal-look issue so it has to be Cal-look??!!!

[Bad Junker]

And then back in  circa 77-78 (earlier it had a VW engine)it was Swede Olof Svenningsson aka  the Professor who had a silver 1956 beetle shaved, dechromed 13´ wheels up front and  lots of Empi stuff..
Ok the engine was a Corvair flat 6 turbocharged !  (as you know SOB I used to own it) 

http://user.tninet.se/~xnf969f/vwgalleri/HVWS_feb_79_2.jpg

By far the coolest in my opinion was Donnie Bedfords black -67, 306 hp in that 2165cc and did som 10,79  and also streetdriven .

And what about Bob Mcglure   BAE, ok not a looker but still turbo`d back in -78.79....mmmmm I know you like it.

Someone must have had a turbo Corvair engine early, although far too heavy and bulky, a bit like those big bulky bus engines.....

[Gregor/DFL]

...well, at least turbos weren´t unknown these days. For example, there´s a whole chapter in "VW Performance Tuning" by Clymer Publications-and the book was published in 1973! You´ll find "Schwitzer" Turbo system as well as the well-known "RayJay".
But there are nearly no Turbos to be found in any HotVWs on street cars...and Cal Look not at all except the cars mentioned above-but that´s race cars more or less.

[Rick Meredith]

Gary Grauman's car was definately a street car, definately a Cal-Look car and definately FAST!