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

EDITO :

With another European Bug-in just around the corner, we thought it would be a super nice idea to feed your Nostalgia needs with an unexpected update, just before attending that one-of-a-kind gathering... We know those updates are too rare, but it's not easy to combine html coding and wrenching in the garage on future projects... We still have sooooo many ideas for this website... Side note : would you believe the site will turn 25 next year??? OMFG, looks like an eternity for a website... How time flies...

Well, this said, once again, BenJ worked hard to find interesting stories from the good old days at the tracks, with a long forgotten gasser that undoubtly deserve a special focus today : The Four Banger Hanger! We are not sure you already heard of it before, but let us tell you that this story is very significative of days gone-by : 2 good friends and 1 bug... The rest is history...

Enjoy that story and don't miss the updated Home Page also ;-)

El Dub & BenJ - April 2024.

THE ONLINE NOSTALGIA CHAPTER...

DON BURNS... Airmighty #43

What about another Airmighty Nostalgia chapter online guys? Here it is with the famous Don BURNS dealership story that I wrote a while back for Airmighty #43...

You will not believe a VW dealership was so dynamic in promoting the little bug back in good old days...

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DIRTY DAVE I/G BUG!!!

DIRTY DAVE VANDERKE I/G BUG...

It's been a too long time without a focus on old gassers. After all, this very page is not only about 70s Customs ;-).

Well, I think that time has come to have a little talk about one of those early legendary racers : Dave VANDERBEKE, aka DIRTY DAVE from Orange, California. Not probably the best known of the VW racing pioneers, but hey, only a few guys ran in the 11s on those very early times... Dave was one of them, he deserves a tribute here...

Dave gasser started life a a '61 sedan and saw several (understand many...) versions and sponsorship in its life...

Lets go for the full story behind!!! Enjoy...

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BENJ's BRAND NEW CORNER!

FOUR BANGER HANGER STORY!!!

My teammate BenJ just wrote Brian BLY and Nobby SIEGDRIED VW awesome saga .. Follow the full story... Only on the Nostalgia corner...

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EMPI BAJA SPECIAL!

We all devote a real passion for anything EMPI right? EMPI GTVs are our all-time favourite special edition bug (Note for myself : I definitely have to update that GTV section...). Those EMPI bugs appears to be the real deal for many of us, and in fact, they are...

But there is another EMPI special car from the very early 70s that would deserve a little more love these days : the EMPI BAJA series : 500, 1000 and 1000S.

If you dream of building your own EMPI period correct replica bug, I think this is a great path to follow as it would be far easier than building a complete GTV ... Look : some genuine EMPI parts there and there, side BAJA stickers and a stock US red, yellow or white sedan and you're done...

I think time has come for a better look at those different EMPI bugs and the story behind.

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THOSE CUSTOM 70s VWs... RICK HARRIS CUSTOM PAINTING!!!

What better way to update that special Custom 70s section than focusing on period machineries built with custom paintjob in mind... I mean not the wild paintscheme but mild psychedelic and groovy paintjobs smelling the seventies... My teammate BenJ found awesome never seen before pictures of brand new bugs all painted in the early 70s by a very talented young guy : Rick HARRIS. We think you will enjoy those old pictures and maybe they will be a great source of inspiration for your own bug project...

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NOT JUST ANOTHER NOSTALGIA CORNER EXCLUSIVE...

We all knows of Inch Pincher, Inch Pincher too, Inch Pincher of NY, but, honest, how many of you have already heard of another EMPI Inch Pincher? I was the very first surprised to discover pictures of that unknwown Inch Pincher Jr...

I have no details except the pictures here... One thing is for sure after some research... This oval was built and campained on the H/G on Georgia dragstrips and should have raced in the late 60s. Talk about a good start... My two cents : this was a demo race car for the Georgia EMPI dealer shop.

Note the one of a kind BRM rims paintscheme! Is anybody there who knows a little more?

Inch Pincher Jr

BIG ED KNIGHT FREEWAY VOLKSWAGEN...

ED KNIGHT FREEWAY VOLKSWAGEN...

There was a time when anything was possible as far as performance VW was concerned on american racetracks! We often refer at the good old days... Those times have seen many one of a kind machineries looking for the fastest Volkswagen of the world title...

Ed KNIGHT FREEWAY VOLKSWAGEN bug, with his 3.5 pounds per horsepower ratio and its lighweight tube frame, helped by its full fiberglass body, was one of those crazy cars...

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THE INCH PINCHER STORY!

THE REVELL INCH PINCHER Too

I compiled the first part of the EMPI Inch Pincher story some time (ok, years ago...) and I still need to complete the race car section... But considering Inch Pincher pictures are now everywhere on the Internet, I changed my plans, and decided to add a space for a long time forgotten Inch Pincher : the Baja EMPI one.

This very special car doesn't catch the attention it deserve today! After all, it's a period EMPI Inch Pincher car too... So have a look at the section I put together and enjoy those rare pictures and facts! Only at Cal-Look.com ;)

As usual, enjoy your reading as much as I did compiling it!

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AUGUST 1968 HOT ROD INDUSTRY NEWS...

We all are collecting old VW magazines. We all knows of the famous VW magazines from back in the days. We also knows of the US cars magazines that sometimes focused on racing VWs on their cover... Usually, those Hot Rod, Popular Hot Rodding or Drag Racing USA are very collectible. But did you know that the great Hot Rod magazine, seeing the ever growing popularity of the little bug, made a VW special issue of its 'Industry News' called 'Small Car / Big Market' back in 1968?

That special issue is full of interesting period facts and that cover is awesome with its full custom bug and the EMPI Inch Pincher side by side. I found that uncommon magazine some years ago and thought it would be cool to share some of its contents here!

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COOL SECTIONS...

MARK & PAUL SCHLEY :

If some of you missed issue #11 of the great Airmighty magazine (shame on you...), here is your chance to read the first part of the interview of Mark & Paul SCHLEY I made earlier this year for the magazine, along with some never seen before pictures coming from the SCHLEY private collection only for your viewing pleasure, as usual.

Enjoy your reading as the story reveals unknown facts and memories and don't forget to share where you read it.

Btw, if you want to enjoy it everywhere and support our hobby, order your hi-class paper issue at www.airmighty.com/.

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GLASS WAG'N STORY :

Another Old Racers section...

We all know the most famous VW racers from the 60s and 70s in every details. We also have high respect for their builder & driver... Those guys were pioneers for us all... But some very early cars & owners are still unknown... Take the Glass Wag'n for example...

Of course, it's a one of a kind bug because of its all fiberglass body and we already all found pictures on the Internet, but how many are aware of the interesting story behind?

GlassWagn

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HERE COMES DA BUG!!!

At least... At least... After a way too long wait, that ANDERSON Bros section is now online! Such a tribute should have been made many years ago as Here Comes Da Bug was one of the most successful gassers back in the days, but I was needing more material to make an informative section.

Rick & Ron themselves were sooo enthusiastic about my plans that I just kicked up my ass one more time and here it is : the very first part of that legendary gasser history!

Enjoy it and THANKS R&R ANDERSON!

You are OUR heroes!

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THE STUTT BEE BUG!!!

Another Old Racers section...

The Stutt Bee section hit the mainpage again... This is great news as Audley CAMPBELL bee still is one of my all-time fav early gasser...

If you didn't visited it before, here is your chance to read the full story behind the very first Stutt Bee, with some added pictures to feed the regular visitor of this website...

Spread the word : only on the Nostalgia corner!

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CAR CRAFT EMPI IMP...

SAL FISH EMPI IMP

I've been looking for infos about the awesome GORMO trick painted Car Craft EMPI IMP buggy for a long time until I found recently some period pictures with a very proud Sal FISH behind the wheel.

If you are into the Baja races, that name sure sounds familiar as Salvatore was owner of SCORE International, the sanctioning body for the world-famous SCORE Baja 500 and Baja 1000.

Sal used to be Car Craft magazine publisher back in the days and this buggy built with EMPI sure attracted a lot of attention.

HOT ROD SEPTEMBER 1970...

Back in September 1970, the famous HOT ROD magazine made a special buggy issue with a cool 'Roadsters for the 70s - Buggies : new generation of street roadsters' title and an equally cool picture cover with 3 different stylish buggies on a typical californian suburb.

Of course, any sharped eye will recognize the Berry Mini-T and... the yellow GORMO painted EMPI IMP on the left... But what happened to the Car Craft lettering? I have to admit it's a mistery... But it's clearly gone... Let's play the 7 mistakes games : the EMPI seats covers are gone, the rear licence plate light housing is now chromed, and roof push buttons were added on the fiberglass body...

Would you believe that I have found some period pictures of the revamped IMP? I think that the Eric RICKMAN pictures below are from the very same day of the colored HOT ROD cover picture... Enjoy...

NEXT UPDATES...

I thought it might be a good idea to keep you posted 'bout what's coming in next few... months......

EMPI : EMPI GTV

70s CUSTOM : Traditional

OLD RACERS : Wunderbug