DKK - Looking for my old family.... are you still out there?

[Rennsurfer]

What ideas do you have?

I have many ideas... but I DO still have three of those tiny mini viewers that you're referring to. I'll dig 'em out and take a pic. You ROCK, girl... I thought that I was the only one that kept that old stuff.

(edit) Oh my God... just found all of 'em. Thought that I was missin' one. COOL! Anyway, here they are. Also, I'm gonna go pick up my childhood friend/photography mentor/skateboarding partner to go skate at The Block in Orange. And he's tellin' me that we can scan these positive color half frame images and convert them to .jpg files so we can enjoy 'em on the computer. STOKED!!! If it does work out, I'll post the pictures up that are inside of these viewers. One is at Small Car Specialties' car show, one of me, standing next to my car during another car club's rally... freezin' my arse off. And one more of me pullin' into a breakfast-car show event at some park. All were in the early '80s.

Ironically, the Picture This company was based in my neighborhood... Lakewood and Long Beach. Which was funny, because they'd show up to just about every So Cal VW event, back then. Great memories. So glad that I kept all of this stuff. Thanks for reminding me, Lisa. See ya this weekend!

[DKK - Lisa]

OK Mark.  I can't wait to see if it works.  I also have three of them.  They are pretty worn.  Two of them are missing the lense.  I think one is from the RG Canning show and the other two are from a Small Car Specialties Show.  Possibly the same one yours is from.  Keep me posted : )
Lisa

[Nico86]

Lisa, your car in a french magazine, July 1982. 

[low oval]

WORM!!!!!! : )

And Jim.... I was in the club while you were in.  I recall your car & you!  I didn't always have the split while in DKK.  My first bug - a beige sixty-eight with blacked out chrome, sun roof.  Pretty stock othewise.  I can't remember if I eventually did something with the motor.  My brain is still foggy from those yearsl  I'm going to dig up my old pics and learn to work our scanner.  With any luck and a quick learning curve, I'll renew my details and get some pics posted soon. 

YOU KNOW WHAT.... I think I may have even seen you down at Steve's work at the machine shop.  He had the most wonderful boss.  An older guy who was just kinder than you can imagine.  He gave me a long talk one day about going to college.  I remember him very clearly telling me that once I completed my education, even if everything else fell apart, even if all of my material things were taken from me, I would always have my degree.  He told me that was an achievement that no one could ever take from me and that it would be useful for the rest of my life.  Wise old man!!  I went on and got two of them.... probably with a little help from the direction he offered me : )


So who else is out there?

Lisa

Lisa,
forgot that old guys name, but he flew B-17's in WW2, had a bunch of photo's of his plane throughout his shop.  He also was a very good guy, he offered me alot of advice also.  get the degree, which I did, and get of the machiine shop biz, which I when I got the degree.
i was in that area for about a year, between auto craft and his machine shop.  great place to work, there was always something going on, either some hot street cars or you would see some of the midget cars come in before the races.
jim

[DKK - Lisa]

OK,  It's official.
 
I have been sucked in and I'm searching for a VW.  I didn't think it would happen, but I guess the twins and I have worn my poor husband down.  Poor guy, I'm going to make sure he gets sucked in too.  He just doesn't know it yet : ) 

A fantastic birthday surprise.  OMG, this is going to be fun!!!

[low oval]

very cool, good luck with your search.  what year you looking for?
jim

[Nico86]

That's a good new !

[Sarge]

  I was wondering what the hold up was.... Good news!!

[jhicken]

I have been sucked in and I'm searching for a VW. 

From our first talk a few weeks back, I knew it would happen. Looks like the old mans Jag is gonna have to find a new place to park!

Congrats.

-jeffrey

[DKK - Lisa]

very cool, good luck with your search.  what year you looking for?
jim

Still trying to figure that out.  I've got some ideas and my eyes are open.  May need some time to relearn all of this stuff.  There are just way to many details that I have forgotten.  I've been on the phone with Fred, Brent, Worm & Tod so far - picking their brains.  The twins really want a rag top.  They fell in love with Tod's at Bug-In.  I'll keep you posted.   

[DKK - Lisa]

I have been sucked in and I'm searching for a VW. 

Looks like the old mans Jag is gonna have to find a new place to park!

Congrats.

-jeffrey

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[jhicken]

I have been sucked in and I'm searching for a VW. 

Looks like the old mans Jag is gonna have to find a new place to park!

Congrats.

-jeffrey

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

If it becomes a problem, there is only one person to blame 

-jeffrey

[DKK - Lisa]

   WHO?   
What do you mean?
So what are you trying to say?

[DKK - Lisa]

Nico.... You are the best    I just got the package in the mail this afternoon and it was filled with great surprises.  OMG, some fun history and a little comedy.  Thank you for translating the French Article for me.  Above & Beyond Kind!!  There was quite a bit of misinformation printed in the article .... I was never a DKK President  .... I spent more than $800.00 when I purchased the car...  not important trivia, but still entertaining!!  Thanks for scanning the other magazines too.  I've got to share pics of the magazine because there are some Dear Old DKK Friends in the French Magazine too!!  Steve's Bug, Dan's Bug, Tod's Ghia, Fred's Bug.  Can't remember which event this was from but perhaps the other DEEKS will have a better memory than mine. 

Nico, You are the greatest.  Thank You So Very, Very Much!!  Can't wait to pay back the favor

[DKK - Lisa]

More Pics - Article on My Split and another article on Steve's Blue Bug

[DKK - Lisa]

Nico says that this is an article about the Rules to having a Cal Look Car. 

[DKK - Lisa]

Last One...

[Rennsurfer]

Lisa, thanks for thinkin' of me... but that reddish/orange car isn't mine. Looks like Bill Schwimmer's late model car that we voted him in the club with. I never had a passenger side mirror nor did I ever have body molding on my orange car. Cool stuff, nonetheless, though! VERY COOL!

Wait... rules? We don't need no steenking RULES, mang. The only rule to remember regarding the Cal Look lifestyle; HAVE FUN. Plain and simple.

Carry on.

[Dan Mazur]

...

[Stephan S]

Nico says that this is an article about the Rules to having a Cal Look Car. 

Talk about an "historical" article... This is where it all started for a bunch of car enthusiasts (including myself) in France, back in '82. The California Look was unknown until then.

[DKK - Lisa]

Hi Stephan.  I bet you've been busy since Bug-In!!  I would love to get the article translated.  Just curious what information is in it.  I wonder if my dear new friend Nico from France would be so kind as to help translate that article for us. 

[DKK - Lisa]

1st photo: Bottom three people ? ? ?  Then Mark, Nancy Mayeda (Henry's wife), Kathy Hill (My BFF from the time), Me, Tod, .... and then I need some help with the rest.  Anybody??

Left to Right: ME (yellow shirt), Ronnie Grenfell (58KG with alloys) & Jeff Rugerri (65 KG Vert red/rainbow paint with alloys)

Thanks Dan!  I'll go back to the original pic I posted and make the changes. 

[Nico86]

Nico.... You are the best    I just got the package in the mail this afternoon and it was filled with great surprises.  OMG, some fun history and a little comedy.  Thank you for translating the French Article for me.  Above & Beyond Kind!!  There was quite a bit of misinformation printed in the article .... I was never a DKK President  .... I spent more than $800.00 when I purchased the car...  not important trivia, but still entertaining!!  Thanks for scanning the other magazines too.  I've got to share pics of the magazine because there are some Dear Old DKK Friends in the French Magazine too!!  Steve's Bug, Dan's Bug, Tod's Ghia, Fred's Bug.  Can't remember which event this was from but perhaps the other DEEKS will have a better memory than mine. 

Nico, You are the greatest.  Thank You So Very, Very Much!!  Can't wait to pay back the favor

 
I'll translate the cal-look article as soon as I have a little time for this.

[Rick Meredith]

Cool display, I like the can of "air"

~DR.

At the RG Canning shows, you got points for your display along with your car. They specified points for have certain tools and items in your display. You would get points for have Gas, Oil and Coolant cans... therefore the VWs would have "Air" cans to get those points.

[Rick Meredith]

Here is a photo of Steve Wilkerson.  All of the other photos seemed to be of his back side.  This is at that same volley ball event.  There is a small flaw due to the scanner.  I guesss the learning curve continues. 

Hey Mark and Worm.  Are your memories are bad as mine?  I thought you would be helping me with filling in the names of these other members by now.  Any help?

The guy to the left of Steve is Dave Smith... Every Bugin we'd get a picture of him crashed out someplace 

Don't remember the name of the guy to the right but he and his best friend joined at the same time... I think they were from La Habra Heights. He later bought Keke's small window.

[Rick Meredith]

I think I still have some of those old viewers too

[Rick Meredith]

BTW Lisa... it's great to have you here... I can't tell you how much effort I and others have put into finding you and you found us!

[Rennsurfer]

Don't remember the name of the guy to the right but he and his best friend joined at the same time... I think they were from La Habra Heights. He later bought Keke's small window.

No kidding? I've always wondered what happened to Kevin's Oval. Be cool to find it.

[Nico86]

I get a little package comin' from cali  . Thanks to have come to Berg to help picking up my shifter, you are the best cali girl !

Lisa tell us about your visit at Berg's and how you met Dee !

[DKK - Lisa]

Hey Nico,
Glad you got the package you wanted.  So here's the story for the rest of you.....  Sorry for the length, but there are some pretty special details I wanted to include.

Nico tells me that he will keep this Berg Shifter 4-EVER 

As posted above, my new French BFF Nico was kind enough to GIVE me his copy of the French Magazine that my Split Window was in many years ago.  How very kind that was of him!!  So I told him, if there is ever anything I can do for you, let me know....

Nico tells me that he's looking for a BERG Shifter.  So hey, BERG is in the OC, just like me.  I can make that happen for my new friend.  So my daughter Karina and I drive down to BERG and upon walking into the office I hear a sweet wonderful voice greeting us, yes it was Dee Berg.  Now you must remember that I have been away from this scene for nearly 25 years.  Walking into their store front was like entering a museum.  There were curio cabinets filled with VW trinkets.  Dee obviously has an extreme passion for collecting VW items.  I learned that what I was seeing was only the tip of the iceberg.  She is one of those EXTREME Collectors!!  There are also autographed photos hung on the walls throughout the store front which begged for my attention...yes, I looked at them all!! 

So I begin sharing with Dee the story about my new friend Nico from France and what I needed to purchase.  Dee loves the story and she helps me find some additional goodies to fill the box up (some Berg Stickers, a t-shirt - Dee and I had to take a guess on the size).  So once I have all the goods taken care of, like Ladies do.... we begin to chat. 

We are taking a walk down memory lane and I am hearing this wonderful sweet woman share her passion and history with me.  She talks of business, of VW friends and our common VW family.  I learn that she is currently racing with Powder Puff and we discover that we both know and adore a mutual friend...Susy.  Susy is the greatest and she coordinates Powder Puff Racing in addition to racing her own white Ghia.  Susy at one time worked at BERG with Dee.  What a small world.   

And while we are talking, I look down below the glass top of the display case we are standing in front of.  I see a small yellow model of a split window VW made out of an eggshell, of all things.  It was so unique and it immediately reminded me of my 53 split window.  So I begin to share with Dee about my car and how special it was to me way back in the day.  She listens as I share how I very recently found my way back to this scene.  Some of you can guess what is about to happen .....  Dee shares with me that the car she races with Powder Puff is a split window too! 

NO WAY!!!  I beg for a photograph and she ups the anti by inviting my daughter and I into the back of the Berg Shop to SEE her car.  OMG, I got to spend time with Dee Berg and play with her car!!  Everything works on the split!!  We played with the semiphores, I had to take out my camera and shoot some pics.  I got to feel the fabrics of the interior.  This car is something else!!  So I am just in heaven with a surge of split window memories coming at me.  And even when you think it can't get any better than this.... it gets even better.  Dee tells me about the special history of her car.   You see, Rich Kimball used to own that split window, once upon a time.  As Dee tells me, he sold that car to pay for hospital bills after his child was born.  I believe there was a middle man between the purchase from Kimball to Berg, but she tells me that the Registration had his name on it.  Put a value on that one!!!  PRICELESS 

Continued Below