Cal-Look.no - The Lounge Nostalgia Corner by El Dub

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Those Custom 70's Bus!

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Bug-in time !!!

Those Custom VWs

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EMPI - RACE SHOP racers

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Here Comes Da Bug

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FORGOTTEN racers

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Italy 1

Pink Panther

SLALOM racers

Aint no Big Thing

WHEELSTANDERS racers

Super Bug'2

V8 powered racers

Durachrome Bug

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EMPI Rise & Fall

EMPI demo cars

THE RACE SHOP

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BENJ'S CORNER - KEEP ON TRUCKIN' GUYS!!!...

THOSE 70'S CUSTOM VW BUSES...

While modifying the VW bugs was 'en vogue' in the late 60s, early 70s, we often forget that customizing the VW bus was also a common trend back then... Today usually refered as Jersey Look, customizing a VW bus was very common back in the days... After all, a VW bus is a Van just like other US Bedford, GMC or Dodge trucks, and let's don't forget the 'Keep on Vannin' spirit was everywhere back then...

A picture worth a thousand words... This is customizing a VW bus is all about. Proud owners and their vans, whatever the brand... Craze and spirit is the same...

As evident on the pictures shown on this page, and as usual with 70s customizin', there is no specific rule when modifying your bus, but it seems some mods were de rigueur. No lowering, truck rear view mirrors, big fat wheels, Cragar, American Racing or Slot Mags rims, rounded rear arches, remove those heavy original bumpers, add some fresh air scoops and that's it...

Quite probably the greatest period Custom bus ever built shown here at the Bug-in. Orange paintscheme is sooooo groovy... Pic by Bob HOFFELD.

It seems splitties were the crowd favourite Type 2 as far as Customizin' is concerned... Not really a surprise if you consider they were more affordable in the early 70s than the brand new and modern bay windows...

Showing your Keep on Truckin' colors on your just cleaned bus side panels...

All types of buses were concerned : from the very desirable Samba to the regular panel van or the more common Kombi... No matter the number of windows... It's all about the look...

Would you modify the holy grail of Type 2 these days, an early barndoor samba, understand cut rear arches and open the roof for an aftermarket plexiglas sunroof? I'm sure not... Bug-in pic by the late Bill MORTIMER...

Unfortunately, today, only a limited bunch of crazy guys understood what it was all about and are brave enough to begin such a project ... We are lucky enough to have one of those crazy guy in France, my friend Max GADENNE and his superb VANTOMIC example... An absolutely perfect tribute!

This is the very same 'Cherry Pie' '54 bus I guess in the early 80s or something... It seems that bus was later restored to original condition and is supposed to have another life in Japan right now from what I've heard...

Well, even with the Split bus market reaching the sky, BenJ & I think that the modifications needed (except the rounded arches of course...) are minors and we'd like to see more tributes nowadays... Making your bus becomes YOUR bus... We hope that this page will open your mind...

You are looking at another Custom Samba bus... A very very nice example if you ask me... even if the color is not 70s at all...

Just some words regarding the interior... Sky is the limit but one thing is for sure, don't hesitate to copy the US Vannin' experience : faux-fur, big and confortable US front seats, groovy curtains and so on...

Factory colors are definitely a good choice also as proved by this awesome Dove blue pristine example. Note the stock front rims compare to the big fat rear wheels... Perfect combo.

How cool is this Kombi with its nerf-bars and oversized truck mirrors.

One of my all-time fav is this orange Kombi. This is crazy how the front bumper removing can change the front of your bus... One thing's for sure, that one really looks like a toy... Note the leopard curtains...

You can also proove that Good taste & Custom might be synonimous... ;-)

Yes, some Custom bus were using as a mobile Motel advertisement... Wow, that woody rear bumper...

Another Dove blue bus that has undergone the treatment.

Seems that bus in an early Bug-in is still in the making... But, OMG, how cool looks those US rear tailights!!! We want to see more of that!!!

I'm not a big fan of that geometrical paintscheme, but otherwise, it's just perfect.

Another mobile advertisement bus from New Mexico, Albuquerque.

THOSE SHORTENED VW BUSES...

We think it would have been a shame to have a focus on period custom Type 2 without mentioning that shortened splitties had a huge success back in the days. Of course, it's not a mod we can recommend today, but that column wouldn't have been complete without a quick look at those shorties... Love them or hate them, but they are period correct...

FOLKSY :

Let's begin with the famous and uber cool 'FOLKSY' pick-up and some facts coming from the Spring '72' VW Greats article.

One of our all-time fav' VW Greats cover... Especially dig the purple color...

FOLKSY was unveiled at Bug-in 7 and was built over a week-end by brothers Ralph & Bert BORTMAN, owner of Volkswagons Service in Thousand Oaks, California, making the poor tired original delivery truck a very short 4 feet (48 inches) wheelbase eye catching advertisement for their shop.

Outstanding painjob making justice to the new truck look by Mike Cline's Auto Art Paint Shop in Thousand Oaks.

Folksy at the Bug-in on this October 1971 picture by Bob HOFFELD.

Folksy at the Bug-in on this October 1971 picture by Bob HOFFELD.

MINI VANNIN' :

Shortening the stock VW bus wheelbase was very popular back in the days. Below are some examples in no particular order...

Here is a pristine example with its metallic brown paintjob.

Of course, a shortened wheelbase offers ability to make awesome wheelies... Splitties Wheelies ;-)

Typical Bug-in scene.

Seems that bright red example was popular considering the large number of pictures we found. Note the front bumper treatment...

Look like a Camper but definitely not a Camper ;-)

I think they look uglier in the streets...

Another advertising with the German Auto shorty at a Bug-in...

... and here running at full speed on the freeway... Please do not copy those flames...

One of the wildest of them all : Spirit of 76...

The wildest of them all : Georges BARRIS Fire Bug built by Dick Dean with its 40 coats of Candy red lacquer over a gold undercoat... I heard that machine still exists today...

MINI PICK-UP :

We talk about 'Folksy' earlier because it was the most famous of them all, but shortening a pick-up was the craze judging from the period pictures...

There is something with the sortened pick-up...

We are still wondering why ;-)

Yes, another one...

Last but not least, unfortunately I have no colour picture of this one... Seems the paintscheme was something special...

A FRENCH TRIBUTE
TO THE PIONNEERS OF VW DRAG RACING
---

PAINTJOBS IDEAS? :

One thing for sure : against all odds, wild paintjobs were not so common... Anyway, with their extended flat panels, some guys tried different paintschemes...

Awesome fantasy painjob on this cool bright orange bus... Note the bumper treatment...

Rear view of that same bus. Such groovy painting look neat on bus panels.

Super cool matches!!! Home of the Love Bug was a popular slogan...

Super cool matches!!! Home of the Love Bug was a popular slogan...

Super cool matches!!! Home of the Love Bug was a popular slogan...

Super cool matches!!! Home of the Love Bug was a popular slogan...

Super cool matches!!! Home of the Love Bug was a popular slogan...

BOB D'OLIVO PHOTOSHOOT :

Its been ages (read decades...) I am looking for infos about a very special panel bus that appeared in an early PETERSEN The Complete Volkswagen Book. Look, this panel was just perfection as far as I'm concerned... And I still think it is...

This is the poor quality picture I mentioned... Seems some youngsters were using the bus to go surfing...

I recently found that the late Bob D'OLIVO was the photographer. Considering I immediately fell in love with the way this panel was modified (Stock height, rounded arches, EMPI rims, nerfs bars, scoops, hi-perf exhaust and a mild flaming), I spent hours looking for more pictures & infos, as usual... And I found some :-)

Here is one of those awesome picture at the beach... I wonder if this panel has anything to do with EMPI (note the EMPI GTV badge on the rear hatch).

What a picture!!! Groovy & simple days...

End of the day at the beach with friends... What else?

EMPI BUS :

What would be a new section without EMPI materials? Well, EMPI used some Custom vans to promote the company while touring the country or delivering parts there and there...

One of the greatest panel bus ever built for me...

This is a rare picture of the shop truck before painting in the back of the EMPI facilities. Look at he Crusader VSR in the foreground.

Darrell used a very very cool '61 Westy to tow the Inch Pincher at the track... Note the rounded rear arches.

1970 picture taken by Darrell's wife.

Later, Darrell also used a pick-up with rounded arches to tow the Inch Pincher too.

BAY WINDOWS ? :

Porsche are a rare sight on this website, but I thought it would be cool to mention that Don BURNS sponsored some successful Porsche back in the days... Man, Don was a very busy man, sponsoring every inch of a successful race car in those days...

Racing at Bug-in #2 I think. Note that the paintscheme looks the same as the Love Bug...

Bug-in #2, 1968, unknown driver.

Don BURNS sponsored this very nice Porsche 911.

Super cool matches!!! Home of the Love Bug was a popular slogan...