A Cal-Look trend you'd like to see come back?

[louisb]

Don't stop, this was just getting interesting. The boards have been too quiet lately anyway. How about beams with no shocks or shock towers? Maybe we should start a thread on trends we would like to see disappear. 

For me it would be cars with big n littles but a stock 32 hp engine.  posers

--louis

[Jim Ratto]

alright, I just know, from experience from working at a VW parts/repair shop for many years, that the poor little VW has been a target for some really awful and brainless stupid mods. I don't completely know why, maybe because they "used" to be a cheap car to mess with. I think, any time I would hear some dumbass making excuses why he couldn't drive his car as anybody else would drive their "normal car" (To#¤ta Camry, Dodge van, whatever....) because it was too low or the guy refused to actually bolt down his dual carbs or he left off 85% of the engine tin (but spent his $ on a chrome shroud) or had no brakes or the engine went through a case of oil to go 25 miles....whatever the "excuse" was I would get disgusted, especially as they were buying bagfulls of stupid crap that was fixing NOTHING on their cars. So if it makes the car a "limited use" pile of crap, (and you're not pouring race fuel in the tank or running wall-climber gears) then I ask "WHY?"
But this is getting off topic. The Lounge is a happy place....I don't want to make it a bitching forum.

[Donny B.]

alright, I just know, from experience from working at a VW parts/repair shop for many years, that the poor little VW has been a target for some really awful and brainless stupid mods. I don't completely know why, maybe because they "used" to be a cheap car to mess with. I think, any time I would hear some dumbass making excuses why he couldn't drive his car as anybody else would drive their "normal car" (To#¤ta Camry, Dodge van, whatever....) because it was too low or the guy refused to actually bolt down his dual carbs or he left off 85% of the engine tin (but spent his $ on a chrome shroud) or had no brakes or the engine went through a case of oil to go 25 miles....whatever the "excuse" was I would get disgusted, especially as they were buying bagfulls of stupid crap that was fixing NOTHING on their cars. So if it makes the car a "limited use" pile of crap, (and you're not pouring race fuel in the tank or running wall-climber gears) then I ask "WHY?"
But this is getting off topic. The Lounge is a happy place....I don't want to make it a bitching forum.

My favorite (and I know you've seen this one) is the guy that drives up in a so so car with a $2000 stereo and puking oil everywhere!

This is what I call misplaced priorities...

[Jon]

Slightly lower rear suspension.

I love that to!
And I hope to see more custom interiors in the future. And more cars that breaks the molds in general... but still keeps with the "form and function" theme..

[Cheesepanzer]

A couple of more....

Original lucas turn signals mounted in the lower fenders with aluminum t-bars.

Solid dashes packed full of gauges.  I remember a guy that actually found and installed a VDO trans oil temp gauge that matched all of his oil, volt, temp and speedo gauges!

Dual "talbot" mirrors.

And finally....
A 3 3/8" tachometer; either the 270 sweep or old style 1300-9600 sweep faces.   

[Cornpanzer]

What a great post thread!

A few rambling comments based on some of the other posts.....

1) "Cal-Look" is not going to evolve.  The style is set in history.  Just like the traditional black 32 roadster with a Halibrand quickie, ET3 wheels, dirt track tires and a hood full of louvers.  Yes, its narrow minded....perhaps even a bit stale.  But Cal-Look is Cal-Look.

2) Fred said something about narrowed beams being only for looks.  I know where you were going with that bro, but the look is as goofy as the engineering.  It looks bad, handles bad, is bad!

3) The small tach!  Amen David!  I am looking for a "Berg Style" Autometer to replace the oh so 90's monster tach in my windsheild.  Anyone got one?

4) Big 2-liter engines in a car decambered two notches with a stock shifter is just dumb.  Please stop.  And take that silly roof rack off your supposed Cal-Look car!

Ok, I am done.  This rant and the various mispellings brought to you by Makers Mark bourbon.  Wanna make enemies, drink more Makers. 

[Cornpanzer]

Back on topic.....

I would like to see more buggy bumpers.  I also would like to see the dash fulla gauges. 

Bring back pinstriped windsheilds!  (just kidding) 

[Rennsurfer]

Bring back pinstriped windsheilds!  (just kidding) 

Whoa, glad that I missed that one. I've seen Cal Lookers for 30 years and, thankfully, haven't seen that.

[Bruce]

I'd like to see more mega-compression small cc'd engines in a light car, dba Mike Smith era. 1776cc with 12.0, FK89, and a short ring and pinion!

That's like Bill Schwimmer's oval with the revver motor.  A 4.86 R&P with tight gears is just fine on the freeway when the engine is capable of turning over 9k!

[Neil Davies]

I'd like to see more late models.
I'd like to see more dual quiet packs on merged headers.
I'd like to see more period gauges instead of Autometers.
I'd like to see wilder interior trim on stock seats (Frenchy mentioned Herculon - Ooh yeah! Want that for the '51!).
I'd like to see more thought and imagination going into building cars, not just a stock car with motor, gearbox, beam and wheels the same as the next one.
I'd like to see less chrome.
I'd like to see colours other than stock VW.

Thats about it for now!

[ESH]

I'm not even talking about stupid 3 cycle cars with 5 or 6 inches cut, but about normal cal-lookers having their wheels way into the fenders, just because.... just because.... it looks 'cool'?

To quote someone who ran a quick car or two many miles on both the street and the strip "it looks like a frikkin' dorkmobile".

Bearing in mind I know people who have narrowed beams (!) they're not my thing, I prefer a 'natural' stance, and in my view excessive tucked in rake makes for a caricature of the style.   

Late models? I can't see that catching on... 

[benssp]

Skateboard Wheel Roller Pedals

[nicolas]

Skateboard Wheel Roller Pedals

working on that as we post! what a great feature is that. i have a JSC roller pedal and i am tryingf to find my pink street bones from Powell Peralta.

[Neil Davies]

I'm surprised we've nearly finished 2 pages and no-ones mentioned bikini girls yet!

[nicolas]

oops sorry

bikini girls spread all over my car.

[javabug]

Are bikini girls traditional cal-look, or 80s cal-look?

[Rennsurfer]

Are bikini girls traditional cal-look, or 80s cal-look?

They are neither... merely a cheap ploy to sell magazines.

[louisb]

Are bikini girls traditional cal-look, or 80s cal-look?

They are neither... merely a cheap ploy to sell magazines.

Seems to work too.

Custom interiors. All the refurb interiors you see now are boring.

--louis

[louisb]

1) "Cal-Look" is not going to evolve.  The style is set in history.  Just like the traditional black 32 roadster with a Halibrand quickie, ET3 wheels, dirt track tires and a hood full of louvers.  Yes, its narrow minded....perhaps even a bit stale.  But Cal-Look is Cal-Look.

I disagree. The very fact that we have this thread shows that Cal-look has evolved over the decades. There is a significant difference between your black car and the cars that were being built in the 60's, 70's or 80's but they are all Cal-look cars. The 'look' is only stagnant if we let it become static and formalistic. And it is my belief that if the look does go that way, it will die out within a generation. Muscle cars reached that point in the late '80s and early 90's then you had resto-mod hit the scene. Sure the underlying theme of subtle cars with performance engines will not change, (at least I hope not) but all it takes is for the right idea to come along and take us in a new direction. I think a good example of this will e Deano's car with it's race inspired aluminum work and traditional dechroming job.



--louis

[Zach Gomulka]

Simple Cal Look cars that are driven daily.

[Rick Meredith]

Skateboard Wheel Roller Pedals

Ohh I haven't seen that... where can I get one?? 

[wolfswest]

Skateboard Wheel Roller Pedals

working on that as we post! what a great feature is that. i have a JSC roller pedal and i am tryingf to find my pink street bones from Powell Peralta.

love to see pictures of that... love it.  skateboarding rules.

[Cornpanzer]

1) "Cal-Look" is not going to evolve.  The style is set in history.  Just like the traditional black 32 roadster with a Halibrand quickie, ET3 wheels, dirt track tires and a hood full of louvers.  Yes, its narrow minded....perhaps even a bit stale.  But Cal-Look is Cal-Look.

I disagree. The very fact that we have this thread shows that Cal-look has evolved over the decades. There is a significant difference between your black car and the cars that were being built in the 60's, 70's or 80's but they are all Cal-look cars. The 'look' is only stagnant if we let it become static and formalistic. And it is my belief that if the look does go that way, it will die out within a generation. Muscle cars reached that point in the late '80s and early 90's then you had resto-mod hit the scene. Sure the underlying theme of subtle cars with performance engines will not change, (at least I hope not) but all it takes is for the right idea to come along and take us in a new direction. I think a good example of this will e Deano's car with it's race inspired aluminum work and traditional dechroming job.

--louis

I should be more specific.  You cant reinvent Cal-look.
A perfect example is the "British Cal-look" of the 90's.  Of course I am painting with a wide brush, but those cars were no more Cal-look than a Baja is.  They were lowered, and that is about the only thing they had in common with Cal-look.  (Stumbling off my soapbox now) 

[67worshipper]

i thought the idea around narrowing was to stop the front wheels fouling the fenders.the choice of how much to narrow depends on the offset of the wheels being used.genuine porsche fuchs in the 4.5 wide and an offset of vw standard 43et would fit very nearly on a standard width beam.obviously if drop spindles are used then narrowing is needed but no more than 2 inches.some wheels like wide 5 ARE mags have crap offset and need narrower beams.people def. dont need 5 or 6 inches chopped out its plain wrong 

[yvre]

I'd like to see more late models.
I'd like to see more dual quiet packs on merged headers.
I'd like to see more period gauges instead of Autometers.
I'd like to see wilder interior trim on stock seats (Frenchy mentioned Herculon - Ooh yeah! Want that for the '51!).
I'd like to see more thought and imagination going into building cars, not just a stock car with motor, gearbox, beam and wheels the same as the next one.
I'd like to see less chrome.
I'd like to see colours other than stock VW.

Thats about it for now!

Exactly what he said!

[Rennsurfer]

love to see pictures of that... love it.  skateboarding rules.

Skateboarding is a way of life. It's what keeps this old fart young.

[Cheesepanzer]

I'd like to see more dual quiet packs on merged headers.

Ah, I missed that one on my two lists!     Yes, this is something I'd like to see come back for sure. 

I want mine made in the USA.     And I'd like mine in larger tubing and high flow mufflers.  On second thought, I think I may have to make mine....

[Cheesepanzer]

3) The small tach!  Amen David!  I am looking for a "Berg Style" Autometer to replace the oh so 90's monster tach in my windsheild.  Anyone got one?

They're out there Dave, I've seen them.  eBay Motors has them every now and then, and old car swap meets. 

I recently picked up a 3 3/8" tach for the Single and I'm going to get a new one for the Ghia.  I think I'm "monstered" out.

[LuftsickTero]

1) "Cal-Look" is not going to evolve.  The style is set in history.  Just like the traditional black 32 roadster with a Halibrand quickie, ET3 wheels, dirt track tires and a hood full of louvers.  Yes, its narrow minded....perhaps even a bit stale.  But Cal-Look is Cal-Look.

I disagree. The very fact that we have this thread shows that Cal-look has evolved over the decades. There is a significant difference between your black car and the cars that were being built in the 60's, 70's or 80's but they are all Cal-look cars. The 'look' is only stagnant if we let it become static and formalistic. And it is my belief that if the look does go that way, it will die out within a generation.

I agree with Louis (but thought comes only from browsing magazines not being part of the scene). Just like Street Rods evolved and changed over the 60+ years they have been built. The 20+ years separating the two flamed Hot Rod roasters make quite difference in style. The car below isn't the worst example of the easter egg coloured billed monsters that started to fill the magazines from late 80's..