What brought about the end of D.K.K.

[Turtle001]

and i'm still pretty sure Cliff Richard has to do something with it

[Rick Meredith]

Now that I think about it, It was probably due to pink and purple painted car's of the time?

at least they ran

wow look who has an avatar. Next he'll be posting smiley faces.

And a dang nice one too!

[Worm]

Now I was definately not one of the last to hang out.  I bailed out fairly early.  My oval was vandalized, my vert was stolen and I bought a Scirocco and eventually was interested in other things by then.  However, I got out of it for a few reasons.  The "old" feel was gone with most of the 1970's members driving vans, cool old buses and bugs that were not "caliber" cars just nice cool rides (see Jeff Hickens bus, maybe my 'vert and MANY others, etc...), studebaker hawks, and various other cars not actually "in" the club.  Some got married, some moved away, but for me I had a VERY hard time convincing myself to build another car that was the number one STOLEN car in the OC.  SO many great cars were being stolen and like all the time.  As well, the Japanese were coming in to the shows that were left and buying everything that they could get their hands on.
Yes, Whittier Blvd shutting down, Larrys Pizza shutting down, finding new digs.  Moving the original meeting place was HUGE!  OCIR shutting down, you were afraid to take your car anywhere as it was stolen so friggin fast, the Japanese increasing the values of cars by spending WAY too much on local cars, and just kinda movin on to other stuff.  It became a hobby for me instead of a lifestyle.  In order to properly participate (at least for me) you needed a daily driver and THEN you built a DKK caliber car that you drove on weekends and special events only.  Like quite a few of us do now, but couldnot afford then.

It is awfully cool to be able to do it now at my age.  The resources are much easier to generate now, time and space to build are easier to come by, and the fellas that are "still" around are some great people.  All good things come to an end some time.  And if they were good enough ideas, someone will resurrect the idea for another generation.............. 

[Rick Meredith]

Just for the record, Larry's didn't shut down.

The reason why DKK left Larry's is that Larry's management decided to not guarantee us the use of their private room and often we would not know that they let another group use the room until we showed up that evening. This was unacceptable to us and after it happened a few times we told them that if they couldn't guarantee us the room, we would find some place that would.

[Rennsurfer]

Great post, Worm... you covered some good points that many of us, from that era, can relate to. After reading what you wrote, it reminds me of the storyline to the movie Big Wednesday (my personal alltime fave flick). Also the part regarding cars getting stolen. I was one of the very lucky few that got my car back in one piece. Thanks to a kill switch that I had hidden in the car. Caught the feckless bungholes that did it, too. And with the big help of Dyno Don, the father/son theft ring got shutdown. Which stopped many of the Cal Look thefts of that time.

[Bill Schwimmer]

Now that I think about it, It was probably due to pink and purple painted car's of the time?

at least they ran

wow look who has an avatar. Next he'll be posting smiley faces.

I thought I did. At my daughters urging I figured out how to do it the other day, but I tried it again and it did'nt work. So I guess I forgot already. I am a bigger computer 'tard than Danny. Hard to believe.

[Jim Ratto]

Funny I think most (VW) clubs fade when guys are all around that mid to late 20's age (?maybe I am wrong? but it seems to be a constant thread). It would be interesting to see how many late-20something guys are here on Lounge, currently, and have been going non-stop at it since they could drive. I think what we envision as "growing up" kind of happens around 28, 29 yr old? We needed a change of pace? Everybody starts looking for something new to get them excited. Happened to me a few times....around 1999 and again in 2002-3.
Our club up north folded for same reasons.... people "grew up" (hate to say it that way), found other things to do besides swill beer at a pizza parlor and then do burnouts int he parking lot. Guys moved on to get married, have kids, go bass fishing, and some just sold cars and never got new ones. Some cars were totaled in accidents. We tried a few times to get the club back on its feet, but only a few old members came back around, and it was halfhearted at best. We even tried forming a new club, but interest level was low and no focus (we even had a girl that wanted in with her stock motored car! and when we said "No"
 she bad mouthed us all over the VW world....), plus it seemed like if you weren't driving a race-spec car with 1.29:1 4th gear & 4.86RP, 13.5:1, slicks on the street, in that era,....you weren't a "cool kid" which is what burnt me out...
funny now I am older and I am more up for doing VW stuff than ever.

[EspenX]

Sorry to bring this thread a bit off topic, but the importance of having something to look forward to like the old Bug-In's and racing at OCIR can be seen in Norway these days, I believe. With the first all aircooled SCC at Gardermoen Raceway this year, there's lots of people working on their special projects in garages all over the country. People that's never been racing are getting into the sport, and with the SCC organizers welcoming even stock engine racing, I think and hope the cal look scene in Norway will experience a new hay day.  

If the SCC 08 is a success (crossing fingers), I think we will see the effects of it in the years to come. Gardermoen Raceway might be the OCIR of our generation over here

[Zach Gomulka]

It would be interesting to see how many late-20something guys are here on Lounge, currently, and have been going non-stop at it since they could drive. I think what we envision as "growing up" kind of happens around 28, 29 yr old?

I bet there are more late- 20somethings than you would guess. It does take a lot of determination to build one of these cars up today, it would be much easier to say fuck it, and buy a ricer. The late 20 somethings that are in it, are really in it deep. I am 27, been going at it since before I could drive, and I have no plans of slowing down. Sling is 26, I got him into it about 10 years ago- other than his brief hiatus with a Honda a few years back, he has been totally ACVW. He also has a 6 month old son, hasnt slowed him down a step

I think it was a different time, (and for the most part) different circumstances that brought about the end of D.K.K.

[danny gabbard]

I think the real reason, we ran out of club T shirts

[Rennsurfer]

I think the real reason, we ran out of club T shirts

+1 for the win! Danny, you're spot on. I can't believe we overlooked that. Forget about everything else that's been discussed on this thread.

[javabug]

I think the real reason, we ran out of club T shirts

gabbard:  "Hey, where's the t-shirts?"
meredith:  "In the club t-shirt box."
gabbard:  "That's where I am looking...its empty!"
meredith:  "Empty?"
gabbard:  "Yeah, like there's none in here, man!"
meredith:  "Well, forget this!"
gabbard:  "Yeah, I quit!"

 

[Sarge]

I think the real reason, we ran out of club T shirts

gabbard:  "Hey, where's the t-shirts?"
meredith:  "In the club t-shirt box."
gabbard:  "That's where I am looking...its empty!"
meredith:  "Empty?"
gabbard:  "Yeah, like there's none in here, man!"
meredith:  "Well, forget this!"
gabbard:  "Yeah, I quit!"

 

PERFECT! 

[Rick Meredith]

I think the real reason, we ran out of club T shirts

And it only took us 23 years to order some more!! 

[Rick Meredith]

I think the real reason, we ran out of club T shirts

gabbard:  "Hey, where's the t-shirts?"
meredith:  "In the club t-shirt box."
gabbard:  "That's where I am looking...its empty!"
meredith:  "Empty?"
gabbard:  "Yeah, like there's none in here, man!"
meredith:  "Well, forget this!"
gabbard:  "Yeah, I quit!"

 

ROFL!!!

[Jim Ratto]

maybe it was the McRib

[Rennsurfer]

And it only took us 23 years to order some more!! 

Word, Home Skillet... and well worth the wait.

[danny gabbard]

T shirt box, pizza box, stash box, It's all good

[Rick Meredith]

T shirt box, pizza box, stash box, It's all good

Not when they are M-T!!! 

[Speed-Randy]

danny, so you dont have to call me later M-t means empty

[57speedster]

hey Rick , nice talking to you at the classic, if you ever get more shirts and decals, I'd like to buy some (XXL)  do you need a club rep. in Vegas. I'm down. The club was great back in the day. I miss those days, but I got married and moved away had kids, only to be divorced 23yrs. later
oh well nice seeing a few of the old members at the Classic. take care
Vaughn

[Rennsurfer]

Vaughn... as in Rollings(sp?)

[Rick Meredith]

Vaughn... as in Rollings(sp?)

Nope... Vaughn as in Bachman... with the notch use to live in Corona.

[deano]

I have seen several issues that can pull a (VW) club apart; those who drag race, and those who do not. And those who smoke ____, and those who do not..

[Speed-Randy]

hey vaughn, i got some "re-pop" stickers that are pretty nice. drop me a line and i'll get a set  out to you. which notch was yours? was it the tan 67 with plaid seats?

[Rick Meredith]

I have seen several issues that can pull a (VW) club apart; those who drag race, and those who do not. And those who smoke ____, and those who do not..

I don't think any of those were really an issue for us. We all got along really well and were able work through any disagreements.

[Rennsurfer]

which notch was yours? was it the tan 67 with plaid seats?

I'm old and have a feeble memory, now... but the only '67 Notch that I remember was Bob Davis' with plaid seats. Was there another one towards the end of the club days that I'm missin'?

 

Either way, cool to see another D.K.K. member on The Lounge! Vaughn, do you have any old club pics of your car that you can post up? Hope to see you at future VW event, soon. Welcome to The Lounge.

[John Rayburn]

Actually, you had three or four Notchbacks, Mark. You just don't remember them.

[Rennsurfer]

Actually, you had three or four Notchbacks, Mark. You just don't remember them.

Wow, I owned that many Notchbacks? I feel like Abe Simpson where he consistently forgets to attend his Dealing With Senility 101 classes.

Crazy.

Thanks for, once again, filling in the gaps to my wrinkled brain cells, Sir John. You're gentleman and a scholar. I don't care what the rest of D.K.P. says. D'OH!

 

[Rick Meredith]

Off the top of my head we had the following guys own Notches;

Bob Davis
Gary Dean
Jimmy Moore
Danny Gabbard
Vaughn Bachman

There was also mine but I never ran stickers on it.