new blood.

[67worshipper]

most of the owners and people interested in cal look are getting older<by looks> are there many young bloods coming through the ranks? alot of pics ive seen lately at bug in and different show pics on the net its the same faces.ive been into vdubs and lookers for the past 20 years and maybe longer and im 35 just wondered what the rest of you think? could we still be alive and kicking in another 20 years.

[Jim Ratto]

funny my mom asked me this same question yesterday. She saw pics from Bug In 33 and the channel 5 thing and wondered if most guys into Cal Look thing are "her" age (60-ish) 

Here's my take...

Younger guys (I am 37), like 20-somethings, of today are all about street-cred, and what was once cool in the 1970's and 1980's (hot rod VW) isn't the cool thing today. When I was a teenager, there were throngs of guys my age at the VW events that had little minds like sponges, soaked up the vibe, there were cars for miles and miles at the North Calif shows, I can imagine the events in South. Calif. were a million times more so... anyway, up north, the mini truck thing came and went, then the import-compact Japanese scene took off and has stayed put, and now younger "car guys" are even turned on by the BMW 3-series, 5-series, Mercedes C- and E-class, water cooled VW's, etc. These cars "get the chicks" it appears with the sat nav, xm radio, 22"+ wheels, etc. A nicely done hot-rodded VW doesn't do it for this crowd, they "don't get it".... it is obvious. There are a few "car guys" here at my work, and it is clear they don't "get it" when it comes to a big cc VW with Weber 48's and a few rare things hung on it. They just know it makes a ton of noise and that the guy that owns it (me) is weird. They are more interested in drifitng or whatever else the new thing is. I think if a 24 year old guy had his heart set on just now getting into fast VW's for the street, he'd probably feel like an outcast among his peers, imagine him taking a date out in his 2276cc 48IDA ass kicker with Holley pump, and 90/10 shocks....compared to the last dude that took her out in his BMW M3... uh...  yeah.
For guys "my" age, we still play with these and talk about these cars because it reminds us (me at least) of being 19-20-21-22....years old and caring nothing about much else besides blowing away V8's in my Bug on Friday nights. It is amazing how much energy we had when we were young, I look back at some of the stunts my friends and I pulled and we're lucky to be alive and not in the can. So keeping on with the VW thing lets me hang on to that "high" if you will....
 

[Jim Ratto]

ps: good topic....  5 gold stars...

[Rick Meredith]

We have to do like the hot rodders and bring in the youngsters. I think that handing a F&F ride it's butt with a VW will win some converts.

[team97]

I could not have said it better Mr. Ratto.

[louisb]

Visibility is the key. How often do you see a hot rodded VW rolling down the streets? The other problem is that VW people like to hang out with other VW people, and don't usually reach out to other car groups. Add to that the fact that Cal-look is such a small part of a very small car hobby sub-culture. You also have the dickheads on some of the forums that browbeat anyone who is stupid enough to ask a noobish question. Like it or not, we are all ambassadors of our hobby. It is one of the reasons I want to take my car to the open street drag nights at my local tracks when it is done.

--louis.

[Carlos De Alba]

   Ratto for President!!! 

[Rick Meredith]

  Ratto for President!!! 

NOOOOOOO He'd have to appease the the Last & Curious crowd to gain widespread public support and will lose his Cal-Look edge!!

I like my Ratto rhetoric like I like my coffee...full strength!

[Brian Silva]

I would have to agree with Jim on this one. Being 23 and into fast cal-lookers may make me a social outcast to a certain extent, but isn't that the point of our cars? The vw's have always been known as the "under dogs" in comparison to V8 muscle cars of the era. I really enjoy the guy's at work talking about their newer ss camaro's and so forth, talking about how fast they are and what they have done to them. Then, when I throw my cal-looker in the conversation, "it's just a bug" to them. Can't wait to finish the car now and show em' that "it's just a bug"   But on the other hand, I still drive my WRX daily. I can't get enough of the flat 4 power.

[lawrence]

Good topic! The VW scene will be around in 20 years but it willl probably be harder to get parts. I cannot even get a wiper motor armature right now . The diehard fans will remain in the scene and it will stay a close-knit group. I am 22, I love my 56 and all other aircooled VWs but they are not the trendy thing, so less young kids want to own them. Most girls probably do not like them because they are loud, fast, cold(no heater) and uncomfortable.

If anyone has a 6v to 12v conversion wiper motor armature or they know where to get one please let me know. Thanks!!

[Donny B.]

If anyone has a 6v to 12v conversion wiper motor armature or they know where to get one please let me know. Thanks!!

Doesn't Wolfsburg West sell them.  I remember seeing them in their catalog.

[Rick Meredith]

Good topic! The VW scene will be around in 20 years but it willl probably be harder to get parts. I cannot even get a wiper motor armature right now . The diehard fans will remain in the scene and it will stay a close-knit group. I am 22, I love my 56 and all other aircooled VWs but they are not the trendy thing, so less young kids want to own them. Most girls probably do not like them because they are loud, fast, cold(no heater) and uncomfortable.

If anyone has a 6v to 12v conversion wiper motor armature or they know where to get one please let me know. Thanks!!

One out of a '67 should work.

[67worshipper]

like i said to start this thread i got into vws before i even started work.my first sort of vws that i idolized was in a mag we used to get over here in england called street machine.the mag is now defunct but in its early days it featured lots of vws right up until the late 90s.they had a summer special mag with three or four vws in it.ritchie kings ghia with the removable hardtop in turqoise colour and centra alloys and RX exhaust running an 1835.what a car.i think that was in 1987ish.then volksworld was born.and that was it for me.like other people have said on this thread most teens dont know a thing about fast beetles.you can buy anything you want for the plastic rockets alot of these kids are buying from 4 inch exhausts to launch cabbages out of and plastic arches and bumpers that resemble fuckin wheelie bins! i just cant see how we can educate them. most new blood will come from fathers passing it down to there children i reckon.my boys only 3 and drag race beetles hes mad for

[67worshipper]

what you said jim about taking a bird out in either a 2276 ida ass kicker with holley fuel pump or the bmw m3 there aint no choice for me that bird would be walking anyway. you wont get to the finish line first carrying all that extra weight

[Jim Ratto]

what you said jim about taking a bird out in either a 2276 ida ass kicker with holley fuel pump or the bmw m3 there aint no choice for me that bird would be walking anyway. you wont get to the finish line first carrying all that extra weight

Love it.

I'd think there was somehting wrong with my car if a chick wasn't afraid to ride in it.

[Jim Ratto]

Visibility is the key. How often do you see a hot rodded VW rolling down the streets? The other problem is that VW people like to hang out with other VW people, and don't usually reach out to other car groups. Add to that the fact that Cal-look is such a small part of a very small car hobby sub-culture. You also have the dickheads on some of the forums that browbeat anyone who is stupid enough to ask a noobish question. Like it or not, we are all ambassadors of our hobby. It is one of the reasons I want to take my car to the open street drag nights at my local tracks when it is done.

--louis.

Hi louis, I agree, there are some guys that unfortunately do belittle guys that are just coming around to the scene, and I think that sucks. Nobody knows everything, and we all have to start somewhere. Even before www.iknoweverything.com was born there were guys like this too, I'd go into some VW speed shops as a kid to ask questions, only to have my had chewed off and spit out by some old crochety nimwit. I think guys that really want to do what they want to do will say say "f--k you" and carry on with their plans. Which they should.

[Sam K]

I'd think there was somehting wrong with my car if a chick wasn't afraid to ride in it.

That's hilarious!

Where I live (Denver, CO) There haven't been very many fast VW's around in the 14 years that I've been driving. There are still plenty of stock or mildly modified Bugs on the road usually driven by people at least in their 30's  but it's rare to see a fast VW at all, let alone driven by somebody in their late teens or early 20's. I think part of the problem is availability. Why would somebody want to spend a lot of time and money building/restoring an old VW or any other old car when they can just stroll into a dealership and finance a tuner like a WRX or EVO and have a pretty badass car right out of the box. Plus they only need throw a few bolt on parts at them to have an extremely fast, very streetable car. And I should know because I have a WRX too (for the snow).

I've always tried to do my part to keep the scene alive here, but it's tough. Over the years, I've hepled several younger friends and two of my younger brothers build Bugs. Both of my brothers didn't have the passion, though,them eventually ended up selling their Bugs to me and buying newer cars. My youngest brother (age 15) will be driving next year and we got him a nice little '69 Bug project. I'm trying my best to instill him with California Look values and it seems to be working. I think the children are our future.

[John Rayburn]

I think most kids today are too invoved in the "techno-crap" that prevails in society. If you can't put a chip in somewhere, they can't understand it. Show them a set of IDA's and they'll ask were to plug in the laptop to jet it.

[louisb]

I'd think there was somehting wrong with my car if a chick wasn't afraid to ride in it.

Why would somebody want to spend a lot of time and money building/restoring an old VW or any other old car when they can just stroll into a dealership and finance a tuner like a WRX or EVO and have a pretty badass car right out of the box. Plus they only need throw a few bolt on parts at them to have an extremely fast, very streetable car.

That is part of it too. Especially when you figure that there will have to be a complete mechanical and possibly physical overhaul done to the car to even get it streetable. Add to that the considerable sum needed to get a VW into the <= 13 second range. (Yeah you can do it cheap, but it won't last.) VWs are not cheap anymore. Even I catch myself sometimes thinking, when the '67 is being a PITA, how nice it would be to roll in something that has cruise, ac/heat, power everything and is fast to boot. (Porsche!)

There are also a lack of organizations like Goodguys, the NHRA & what ever the IHRA is now putting VWs into the public's eye and reaching out to the younger generation.
 
--louis

[lawrence]

I think most kids today are too invoved in the "techno-crap" that prevails in society. If you can't put a chip in somewhere, they can't understand it. Show them a set of IDA's and they'll ask were to plug in the laptop to jet it.

Good point, John. I got into old cars in general because that is what my family always had. It was a smooth transition for me. I like new cars, but old stuff is much cooler.

[louisb]

I think most kids today are too invoved in the "techno-crap" that prevails in society. If you can't put a chip in somewhere, they can't understand it. Show them a set of IDA's and they'll ask were to plug in the laptop to jet it.

Actually, that is one of the things I love about the VW. Its simplicity. I deal with "techno-crap" for a living, the last thing I want to do is deal with it in my hobby.

--louis

[John Rayburn]

As long as there's young guys that like the old stuff, the hobby will survive, thank God! I'm glad people still like the simplicity of carbs and headers. My hat's off to you !

[Zach Gomulka]

I just turned 27, and Slinger 26. We are the scene in northern Arizona, cal look or otherwise.

[ratto-jims mom]

You are not outcasts.....you are true to your passion and be proud of it.
It is so unforturnate the real VW is no longer made.

Question......Are any of the sons following in their father's footsteps?


and yes it is me....Jim Rattos Mom
I registered back in....to see the pics of the BUG IN   

[danny gabbard]

hi jim's mom, what time is dinner?

[John Rayburn]

You are not outcasts.....you are true to your passion and be proud of it.
It is so unforturnate the real VW is no longer made.

Question......Are any of the sons following in their father's footsteps?


and yes it is me....Jim Rattos Mom
I registered back in....to see the pics of the BUG IN  

                                           My Dad is the original owner of my car, but I'm actually following the scene in my brother's footprints.

[danny gabbard]

do you mean the drinkin? NO!

[DKKBRIAN]

I STARTED GETTING INTO VW'S WHEN I WAS WORKING IN THE WAREHOUSE AT TREUHAFT WHEN I WAS 14 YRS OLD.IN THE SUMMER. MY MOM WORKED IN THE OFFICE. ALL THE OLDER GUYS THAT WORKED THERE HAD FAST CARS! I WAS HOOKED.THEN I STARTED HANG OUT AT AUTO HAUS OF ORANGE. MORE FAST CARS! I WAS ONE OF THE ONLY GUYS AT MY SCHOOL INTO VW'S. MY STEP-BROTHERS HAD FAST V8 CARS AND SO DID THEIR FRIENDS. I GOT A LOT OF SHIT! FROM THEM ALL THOSE YEARS AND STILL TO THIS DAY I AM STILL HEARING IT! BUT I STILL LOVE THESE CARS. TRYING TO GET MY OLDEST SON INTO VW'S OR ANYTHING ELSE BESIDES A SMALL COMPACT CAR! WISH ME LUCK. LETS TRY TO KEEP THIS VW STUFF ALIVE. THANKS FOR READING. BP

[Sam K]

I just turned 27, and Slinger 26. We are the scene in northern Arizona, cal look or otherwise.

I know it's a little off topic, but this reminds me of Will Ferrell in the movie Blades of Glory when he says "Chas Michael Michaels is figure skating"! I laughed for about ten minutes.

[nicolas]

Show them a set of IDA's and they'll ask were to plug in the laptop to jet it.

yeah plug in the laptop and that shit still will not work! story of a modern car. who can say that a modern car has NEVER done something that they couldn't understand or did again. a car that just dies and nothing can be done about it let it stand for an hour and start it without a problem. those things worry me. technology is NOT saving us!
the good part is that people still want open the lid and see what happens. even mechanics don't do that anymore these days. just swap parts, don't fix it.

anyway if Jim is old i am middleaged...