Is a Cal-looker in violation to the law in the country you come from?

[Jon]

In Norway I would have to say yes. The rake in it self is illegal. The Only bright side is that they accept Tüf papers on modifications.

[Georg/DFL]

In Germany? Tricky...

I would say anything is possible in Germany on regular plates except littles in the front. 155s or less with 150 hp – forget it. Also no T-bars, no original Empis, BRMs or any other not German wheel because there are no TÜV papers available.

Luckily we got some years back the red on white, so called "07-plate". The plates a for collectors and you can put them on one of up to ten cars you owen. The cars have to be older than 20 years (now moving up to 30!). A car with these plates can be used only for going to shows, test drives and drives to workshops – no cruising here. For every trip you have to fill out your logbook. Police is checking that one from time to time. Sounds all bad, so why do I mention it?

Because you don't have to go to the TÜV!  You are responsible for your car in terms of brakes, lights and rust - that's it. With our cars we are on a very thin line between legality and illegality – even with these plates. But the 07-plate made it possible that the Cal Look scene grew in Germany.

[Fastbrit]

Why don't you all just move to England? 

[Frank LUX]

Yes, it violates nearly all the Tech Rules...

In Luxembourg it is quite simple, you cannot register a car like mine....

Mine is not registered anymore since the day it got its Big Motor....and that dates back to 2000

Frank

[Dokke/DFL]

Hi everybody, I'm new here at the lounge ...

In Holland we don't have any problems as long as everything works wel and being done properly.

[Jordy/DVK]

 Guess not... but who cares when nobody ever makes any comments about it...

 The police could give you a ticket for a loud (turbo) muffler, but when they do they give it based on an observation.
 But since they didn't measure any dB's (they have to do it following STRICT guidelines) you can go to court and demand that your ticket will be dismissed because it's just based on an opinion...
 
 And regarding big engines. A vehicle should be tested for safety when you increase it's HP with 40%. But such a check costs over 500 € so no one does it really. And it's not a point they check with the annual vehicle safety test (MoT, TüV, bilprovning etc.) so those guys don't really care either...

 As long as you behave normal in traffic the police won't be your biggest enemy...
 But legal.. no I guess Cal-Look is not...

[Dokke/DFL]

You said it right Jordy, it's not the most important things that they check at the vehicle safety test and they don't care ...

So Cal-look is legal in Holland.
Guess what,  I just past my test and yes I do have t-bars and A1 muffler and IDA's, but all of things from the car is working properly.

[Luftkraft]

In Switzerland it's tricky, but (almost) possible. You got two choices:

The LEGAL way:
You can register an old beetle with up to 140hp, but it needs to have disc brakes at all four corners (ventilated in the front), a 19mm swaybar, and the rims have to be 6" wide minimum (in the front too! goodbye skinny 3.5" Ercos...) with low profile tyres and you need to have an adjustable frontbeam. Therefore the lowering is even mandatory to have a 140hp street legal bug. If you're happy with 100hp (what about an engine swap for the tech control...) you only need the adjustable front beam and disc brakes in the front. All the papers needed are available at http://www.cagero.com/newsite/Articles.asp?category_id=5 If you understand german you can read the details here.

The ILLEGAL way:
This is like most of us do it. Register your 30 year or older beetle as a "vintage car" in bone stock condition. After the successful tech control you go home, put in the big engine, lower the front end and fit those wheels with 145s and 205/70 tyres. And have fun for six years. Then you'll have to pass the tech control again, so exit with all that hi-perf stuff and back to original condition! During that six years you can only hope not to get into an accident (you'd have huge insurance problems with an illegal modified car) and to meet understanding police officers...  

Well this is how we do it.  

[Gregor/DFL]

There are basically two possibilities to run a car legal in Germany:

1. using the "red" on white lettered numberplates-already descripted by Georg
2. getting every modification checked by "TüV" and getting this check written down in your car´s documents. Everything is descripted in there.
With this, you can run your car legal without any limitations and with the black lettered German license plates.
These descriptions are then sometimes compared to the state of your car by the Police when they stop you.

This "black lettering" is divided into two general possibilities:
"Standard" registration: You have to pay massive taxes cause the old VWs don´t have a catalyst.
"Historical" registration: There´s a standard tax for every vehicle (around 190 Euros), BUT you have to prove that every modification
is "historical" correct. Sometimes the "TüV" guys even want a proof that the modification was street legal 20 years ago in Germany (nearly
impossible with almost every Cal Look related modification). This registration as a "historical vehicle" can be identified by a "H" as the
last letter on the license plate.

So you need to get checked all the modifications by a TüV engineer, sometimes you´re getting one understanding your problems
and so he accepts the modifications. When it comes to large engines, it´s nearly impossible to make it street legal because you need
to have large brakes (like in Switzerland) which are street legal (Porsche adaptions, e.g.). For wide 5 there´s nothing like that-all parts are
sold as "racing parts", so you have to find a TÜV guy accepting those parts without any matching documents.

Unfortuanetly it seems to be very complicating to get the Cal Lookers Street legal in Europe, I´d guess 90% of the "lookers" being on the
street are somehow "illegal" more or less...

[Ole]

Why don't you all just move to England?

Cause of the weather...

[speedwell]

here in Belgium nothing special there are several solutions: insurances normal  complete vehicle inspection it does not look at the engine but not T bars and some of  control station f  don't appreciate too the cars lowered ,second solution: to ensure the car in classiccar  i.e. + 15 years but always a technical control but no o restriction on the point of view of use and always noT bars ,and to finish: the insurance oldtimer(+25year)similar with the German red plate  a visit has the station of control right to check the brakes, the headlights and the suspension parts and then as in Germany, no cruising of more than 25 km of the residence, not to go working with the car, just to make test mechanic and other adjustments

[SOB/RFH]

I am the happy camper when it comes to being leagal! ! The police hate me, old women walking dogs hate me, the inspetors hate me (TUV; POT etc), the insurance company hate me, elder men with silly hats on there head hates me.....but my car is leagal due to the rather good rules we have here in Sweden. I have to limit the output of Hp from the engine by loosening the throttle linkage and put  limiting device in the collector as I could not pass the test with more then 100 hp at the tme but now it is possible to pass with circa 150-160 hp. So no need to change engines for the test!! The only trouble i have are T-bars. But they are for pussies  so I just take the bumpers of and thats it!! 

[jose del orto]

My cal-look was sold new in Switzerland in this condition back in 1955 (actually a precursor...), so everything is absolutely legal! And if the police stopps me, well I'll try to explain them what I mean!

[Rune]

As they say, where there's a will there's a way..... 
I work as a mechanic, I can control my own cars at work  Don't tell anyone....lol

[JeePee/DVK]

Why don't you all just move to England? 

Because you guys drive on the wrong site of the road.

[Pekka]

A simple answer is yes. All proper cal-lookers violate the regulations in Finland. What most people do for the yearly inspection is
1) raise the front so the headlights are 50cm above the ground
2) remove t-bars if installed
3) swap in a stock engine or tweak the engine to producel less power
4) install back seat if removed (to keep the car registered for 5 persons)
5) hang on a front license plate if removed
6) pick the inspection station carefully and hope for the best

[BABOON]

A simple answer is yes. All proper cal-lookers violate the regulations in Finland. What most people do for the yearly inspection is
1) raise the front so the headlights are 50cm above the ground
2) remove t-bars if installed
3) swap in a stock engine or tweak the engine to producel less power
4) install back seat if removed (to keep the car registered for 5 persons)
5) hang on a front license plate if removed
6) pick the inspection station carefully and hope for the best

We do the same in Norway, but we have a big problem with our insurance company`s. Our cars are often registered as original cars with f.ex. 5.60/15 tires. What if there was an accident?. Our insurance is no longer valid if something differs from the registration card.

[Frane]

Absolutely illegal in France
to keep it simple, everything regarding brakes, big wheels, engine swap, even restraints (simpson like) etc is prohibited unless you register your car as a new model, wich implies a crash-test

But cops don't care so much, i've been arrested with my 2276 cal looker and my 3 liter bay window, they found both "cool"....

[Georg/DFL]

Yea Baboon, you are right! What, if somethings happen with your Looker? An accident with someone getting badly injured? Or even worse get killed? The insurance will not pay – you will, for the rest of your life!

Try to be as save as possible! It's still the best way! And may God save the red 07-plate in Germany. That gives us the possibility to drive our cars nearly leagel!

[ESH]

When I read about the regs in some places or talk to people about them part of me is amazed anyone bothers with a car and the fact that people do says something about the hobby. We have it easy in the UK but I can't see that will last forever, that said it doesn't really matter, you can make any car a violation with proper use of the accelerator pedal and that doesn't stop anyone. 

[rebel]

In Poland it is quite easy thing...
Basically rake and the engine HP output is your bussiness as long as it brakes properly, the suspension and steering works okay, U got all the lights'n'stuff.
Nobody actually chcecks the engine's horsepower or capacity at the annual tech check.
The are reagulations like the wheels shouldn't stick out from fenders and there should be bumpers if they were installed as stock.
The exhaust should be hidden under the car's body line( should not stick out). These are the most rigid rules we face annualy during the tech check I can remember without looking to sources.
To be honest it's easy to pass over if you want. The rules are dedicated to the car's production/registration date. My friend drives a '57 sedan without seatbelts installed, cause they were not a part of stock equipment of the car when it was produced, and there was no regulations about it when the car was beeing registered in Poland. As you can see it's easier to produce a classic modified car than modyfy a new one and stay legal.
Threre are regulations 'bout exhaust gases, but they're logically for me = they're different and refers to first registration date. Logical - law does't work backwords - If somthing wasn't requred in '59 for example, you can't reqire a '59 car to obey the 2003 rules invented for modern cars - like catalyser.
the only excepion I can remember are indicators.
So, the if some of the 'cal-look factors' of your car is not legal - it is easy to pass over.

[qubek]

Ithere should be bumpers if they were installed as stock.

In a beetle – you can remove them.
Thats the biggest problem here –testers are very often incompetent and they tell you things like this with bumpers. But you can choose were you do your tests, so you just have to avoid the bad ones.
Basically Rebel is right. In Poland as long as your car turns, brakes, has all the lights in order etc, in other words – as long as it’s safe – it will pas the test. Lucky us

[Georg/DFL]

Hi Rebel and Qubek,

I really would like to know more about the polish Cal Look scene. I guess it isn't to big!   And how about the scene in general? Not very big, I imagine!? I checked you blog, Rebel, but couldn't find pictures of your ride. Could both of you post some pics with polish Cal Lookers? And will you join for example the 1. Mai Show in Hannover, Germany? If yes, visit us at our club booth in the show and shine area.
Cheers,

Georg

[qubek]

Scene in general? It’s not that bad, although it isnt what it used to be, unfortunately.
Cal-look scene? Allmost nonexistent. Until very recently, nobody regarded a beetle as a car you could race. What’s more – drag racing didnt exist. People treated  it like on of these exotic american kinds of sport, like football or baseball, strange and not really interesting
1 of may? Thanks for the invitation, but we will be at the races, here

[67Simon/JG54]

Hi everybody, I'm new here at the lounge ...

In Holland we don't have any problems as long as everything works wel and being done properly.

Hi Dokke!Simon here,the guy who cut his head open on your van tailgate at your BBQ at Vw Euro a few years ago.Your car looks super tough know with T bars and the IDA motor.

[Dirk / DFL]

Well, what i`ve learned over the years is: legalize some parts of the car and hope that the police is not so in Cal-Look than you:-)
So i drove to the Tüv and told them Storys about the 70ties with old Magazines in my Hand an the Ingenieur gave his o.k. for a lot of things llike the nose-down stance of my car, the Fuchs wheels in 4,5 and 5,5" with 145 and 205/70 Tires. Many hours i stand in this halls making "Tüv" for my own cars and helping friends like Mirko and Andi, but now i have an red 07 number.

[Ivan]

In the U.K. it will soon be a violation of the law if you don't drive a Cal Look Beetle with 48IDAs!
 

[Lee.C]

In the U.K. it will soon be a violation of the law if you don't drive a Cal Look Beetle with 48IDAs!
 

Better get the new project under way then dude 

[Mauro Cattan]

In Italy it is simpler.......we must have the cars absolutely in original status All the modifications are illegal. For example....we can't change the original 1200cc with an other new 1200cc motor. So we are outlaw...like in the far-west  

[Zach Gomulka]

Im glad I live in the US- anything goes! Although the VWs across the pond are far more Cal-Look then the ones over here