Late Models...

[Ivan]

Everyone has there favourite or ultimate year of Beetle -  which may make some owners come across as being model year focussed or Pre '68 snobs.
In my opinion it's important that people invest time and money into '68 and on VWs, otherwise before we know it they will be a very rare sight.
In the last 15 years the number you see on the street has dropped massively - especially in the U.K.
The ethos behind the California look can be used when modifying any air cooled VW Beetle really, and if done with the commitment to quality which has become the norm today - who wouldn't stop and have a good look at it?
I know I would.

[Mangokid]

Thanks for the post about my 70' beetle.Back then late model Cal Look cars were everywhere...I don't know how the mind set that they did'nt exist got started, it was probably by somebody who was'nt even born yet..At the time I got into VW's,about '80-'81 it was just fine to hot rod a late model.They were plentiful & cheap,A typical 10 year old car & you did'nt have to do as much work as an earlier car.It was still cool to have an early car,ovals were plentiful,as a matter of fact I sold a 57 sunroof to do that orange car,but the oval was a piece of crap & quite a bit more work than the orange car.That photo was taken @ Greg Brinton's parents house about '82 or '83.As for super beetles,they were here & there but not as many people did them as standard beetles.I do remember a 71 super owned by Ron Lesnick ,typical cal look mods 2l fuchs ect.It had a IDA motor w/ nitrous.It was the 1st VW I every saw driving around w/ Firestone slicks & it was about the fastest street car around & it was a SUPER BEETLE!! It kicked the crap out of a lightweight race sedan out of Gene Berg's & Roger Crawfords shops on the street one night...This is a cool forum,I hope it does'nt get overrun by the race car crowd like that other forum.    Later  Bill

So, does that mean that i wasn't all that wrong when i ran my 1970 T-1 1500 on 5,5" sprint stars, (rear) 4,5" (front), threw away the bumpers and the back seat, lowered it up front and mounted an EMPI leather rimmed steering wheel, EZR shifter, speedwell instruments, bulit a not too hot 1915 engine with a glaspack muffler and so on?

Well, i still got the "no no" from most of the crowd for running a "too new" car for the cal look style back in 1998! For the record, i was not born "back then" when the time was right, but after playing with VW's for a few years i knew what i liked, and i knew what was right for me, not everyone else. Dare peopel!

[Sander/DVK]

How about this car. First on wide-5 rims for a little Old Speed look, now on Mahle Pedrini rims. Like that car!

[speedwell]

waouwwww this late model is very nice 

[Zach Gomulka]

Hey this is my first time on this new board! Thought Id share a pic of my late model GTV... its not cal look yet, but when I find one more 4.5" sprint for the front end it will be!

[TiDi]

here is one from Italy 


Bye TD

[guillaume]

Hey, found this picture on the CLF....one of my favorite cal-look cars ever....

Anybody remember this car? I used to have the Hot Vws it was in, but since have lost it....

Tell me more if you remember...thanks guys

I think this car is from " The Volks Chancelor" vw club.

[ESH]

...Personally, to me, when a 1968 or later Bug is done in the traditional Cal Look style, nose-dropped, moldings shaved, one bright color, T-bars, they look great, and they should be accepted as any true Cal Look car should be...

Do you think the 'fat' T-bars work with the short bonnet & ass? We're in the middle of one and the trim is gone but I'm not sure what to do about bumpers. We have N.O.S. 1200 wings as well as N.O.S 1300 one's but I'm inclined to stay original though with that combo I think that would mean bumpers. I don't think those T-bars work too great though I don't actually dislike any of the cars pictured that are wearing them. 

[Zach Gomulka]

...Personally, to me, when a 1968 or later Bug is done in the traditional Cal Look style, nose-dropped, moldings shaved, one bright color, T-bars, they look great, and they should be accepted as any true Cal Look car should be...

Do you think the 'fat' T-bars work with the short bonnet & ass? We're in the middle of one and the trim is gone but I'm not sure what to do about bumpers. We have N.O.S. 1200 wings as well as N.O.S 1300 one's but I'm inclined to stay original though with that combo I think that would mean bumpers. I don't think those T-bars work too great though I don't actually dislike any of the cars pictured that are wearing them. 

Keep it original To me the fat t-bars are ok on the right car. Have you thought about buggy bumpers?

[Shubee2 (DSK)]

The Original Cal Look was not just Early Cars Geno Combs 69 VW was Genos Second VW is First Car Was a Super Bettle which is Shown On Frenchys Website also MY72VW was Owned by Martin Durham and was a Member of Der Selten Kafers It Was a Cal Look Cover car along with Bob Carmona's Oval Window both on the Cover of Hot VW's Both DSK cars My Second VW was A 69 Cal Look Full DeChromed body  Lucas Turn Signals,Original Empi 8 Spokes,one piece Dash with full VDO gauges,1776 motor with a 120 engle cam and a set of 48 Ida's also On Frenchys website was  Frenchys 74 Orange Bettle with a set of 48 Ida's, and Original EMPI 8 Spokes, I Was In DVB in 1975 along with Frenchy and Geno Combs There were Quite a Few 68 to 72 Cal Looks Most Ran Empi 8 Spokes, Sprint Stars,or 2 Liter Alloys. or 15x6 Porsche Alloys, There was not a Big Demand Back Then  for the 4 1/2 Alloys Everyone back then Did not like the 4 1/2 they all said they looked like Hubcaps LOL..  heres a Picture of my 69 Cal Look picture is from 1975 the 56 Oval Was another one of my Cal Looks

[ESH]

I may yet be convinced! 

Buggy bars? Now that's just crazy talk!   

Then again...

Cool thread and photo's, even the late models are mostly well into their thirties now. 

[Diederick/DVK]

So, does that mean that i wasn't all that wrong when i ran my 1970 T-1 1500 on 5,5" sprint stars, (rear) 4,5" (front), threw away the bumpers and the back seat, lowered it up front and mounted an EMPI leather rimmed steering wheel, EZR shifter, speedwell instruments, bulit a not too hot 1915 engine with a glaspack muffler and so on?

Well, i still got the "no no" from most of the crowd for running a "too new" car for the cal look style back in 1998! For the record, i was not born "back then" when the time was right, but after playing with VW's for a few years i knew what i liked, and i knew what was right for me, not everyone else. Dare peopel!

hear hear!

you wouldn't happen to have any pics of that '70 would you?

[rebel]

Hey, dudes I think Mr. Keith Seume read that topic
Check out the february UltraVW issue

[Diederick/DVK]

pretty cool cal-look coverage yeah, but there are no late models in that issue right? 

[John Rayburn]

I can remember several cal look super beetles ( some quite fast ). As well as more late cal look cars than you could shake a stick at. There were no big big discussions on what look a car had because there really were no catagories that people discuss today. It was more a matter of ...That looks cool .....or  ....that guy doesn't get it...   My brothers EMPI demonstrator  ( A '73 ) was A car with a big reputation of being fast ...and it was.... And was always refered to as a cal look car. It had 145s up front 185s in back and was lowered. All Empi cars I knew at the time were fast and lowered. The only ones that weren't seemed to be the ones in the Empi literature; although I do have at least one picture in an EMPI catalogue of a lowered GTV.

[Gary Justus]

Welcome, John.

[speedwell]

welcome to the lounge john ,i hope that you will  enjoy this place 

[Fastbrit]

Hi John. Long time no see! 

[Sarge]

Hey, somebody left the door un-locked...Oh, Hi John!! 

[John Rayburn]

Yeah , yeah, my pal Sarge!!!!!   Thanks everyone else.....

[Rick Meredith]

Hey John! Welcome to the lounge!

[streetvw]

The Original Cal Look was not just Early Cars Geno Combs 69 VW was Genos Second VW is First Car Was a Super Bettle which is Shown On Frenchys Website also MY72VW was Owned by Martin Durham and was a Member of Der Selten Kafers It Was a Cal Look Cover car along with Bob Carmona's Oval Window both on the Cover of Hot VW's Both DSK cars My Second VW was A 69 Cal Look Full DeChromed body  Lucas Turn Signals,Original Empi 8 Spokes,one piece Dash with full VDO gauges,1776 motor with a 120 engle cam and a set of 48 Ida's also On Frenchys website was  Frenchys 74 Orange Bettle with a set of 48 Ida's, and Original EMPI 8 Spokes, I Was In DVB in 1975 along with Frenchy and Geno Combs There were Quite a Few 68 to 72 Cal Looks Most Ran Empi 8 Spokes, Sprint Stars,or 2 Liter Alloys. or 15x6 Porsche Alloys, There was not a Big Demand Back Then  for the 4 1/2 Alloys Everyone back then Did not like the 4 1/2 they all said they looked like Hubcaps LOL..  heres a Picture of my 69 Cal Look picture is from 1975 the 56 Oval Was another one of my Cal Looks

shubee do you have any shots of Geno's 69? the only ones I've ever seen are the ones that were in hot VW's (see below) and it is one of my all time fav cars.

[ESH]

...My brothers EMPI demonstrator  ( A '73 ) was A car with a big reputation of being fast ...and it was.... And was always refered to as a cal look car. It had 145s up front 185s in back and was lowered...

Have you got any pictures of that available and if not how was it fitted out? I would would be interested to hear more about that one.

[Cheesepanzer]

When I got my first VW (a 1970 std.) the later cars were plentiful, but not as "cool" as the early cars.  Still, you work with what you have, right?  Both my brother and I owned late-model sedans (his was a '69).  We both wound up having 12 second street cars, which back then was not only FAST, but it was the ultimate Cal-Look goal.

Here are a couple of shots of the 70.  One wound up in Ultra in my buddy Dave Conklin's column about late model cars, along with his wise-crack about my 80's haircut.   There is a shot of the '70 with its primered paint following the de-chroming job.   The other shots show my pair of late model cars I owned in 1986.  The red car was my '69 daily driver with a 1776cc engine.

I've come to love the '68 through '72 cars and have often thought about finding one and making it a daily driver (or at least a Spring/Summer/Fall driver).  Make a nice 2-litre for it, add a set of fuchs, bumpers and lowback seats, and cruise down the highway!

[Lee.C]

Cool late model lookers dude - I love those dual oil filter mounts too 

[Cheesepanzer]

Cool late model lookers dude - I love those dual oil filter mounts too 

Thanks.  Many of the cars mentioned above were my inspriation.  The HeadShop car in the Hot VW's pic earlier in this post was a HUGE influence.  That car was awesome!  The Geno Combs car above was another.  "Try my 69" was painted on the decklid of Geno's car. 

Me, well, I just had a personalized California license plate that read "LITLQIK".

[John Rayburn]

There was a request for pictures and info on my brother's EMPI demonstrator...My brother and I took a number of old slides of that car in the 70's. My brother has them but can't remember where they are stashed. He promises me he'll find them. Any way, he bought the car from Timmons Volkswagen in '74 with a grand total of 43 miles on it. It was Porsche India Red with the rare gold C stripe kit on it. It had the full gauge package, steering wheel, etc. 3/4 inch sway bars front and rear... The wheels were the little known Empi slotted mags with the four ear caps (I promptly painted the slotted areas a matching red for him ) Engine was 74 by 90  (1883) , it had nice heads on it and a real tourqie empi cam , 10.5 to 1 compression and dual 44 Webers. He ran Chevron white gas in it ( i can still smell that stuff coming coming out of the pump) The car ran 14.0 on radials with the belt on and granny shifting. He had often talked of going with close gears but never did...He used to make alot of ski trips to Mammoth Lakes in it... My brother taught me how to work on these things starting in '74; I was 10 years old and a fanatic. Late one night in '77 we were rebuilding the carbs and went out for a test drive about 2 in the morning. We pulled off on a side street, he unbuckled , got out and said " Slide over..." He actually let me drive his car and even get on it out on Paramount Blvd.... I didn't sleep for the next 3 days....It was three long years before I could get my drivers license and take over the raines of my 64 Empi car That my dad bought brand new and I came home from the hospital as a baby in....

[jick]

wow...cool story!

i remember seeing your '64 in Volksworld maybe about 15 years ago?  it gave me a lot of inspiration, and with that family history too.....fantastic.

[John Rayburn]

Thank you very much!!! That's very nice of you.

[ESH]

Thanks for the information on the car, cool story. If those slides emerge then maybe check out the thread on the second Cal-Look book, it's now being written...

Possibly?