Cal-Look.com’s Historic Photo of the Week Thread

[John P]

This week's photo was provided by Ed Craig. My guess is that it is a picture of the DRF line-up in the mid-70s, although it's only a guess. That looks like Ed's old green Split 4 cars from the back. I wonder if that's Dave Rhodes' '64 back when it was white? Can anyone provide any background?

Once again, look how clean the cars are! 

Enjoy.

(Click directly on the image to enlarge it inside the post)

Cheers,

John
http://Cal-Look.com

[jimr]

That's a beautiful, clean car!

Pete's car was the first IDA equipped VW I ever saw, shortly after I got my '67. Pleasanton Bug Bash May 1987... car blew my mind.

[John P]

Pete's car was the first IDA equipped VW I ever saw, shortly after I got my '67. Pleasanton Bug Bash May 1987... car blew my mind.

It's a great photo, too - few wheels look better (in motion) than the Fuchs alloy.

[jimr]

every few weekends, Pete would come by Buggy House when I worked there, on Saturday mornings to grab a lemon bar or a cookie (we had a part time counter guy, Dan # 9 and his wife worked magic with food). Pete's blue car had a very disitinct wail to it. Always a pleasure to hear him wring it out leaving the shop. That car was flat bad ass.

[richiew]

This week's photo was provided by Ed Craig. My guess is that it is a picture of the DRF line-up in the mid-70s, although it's only a guess. That looks like Ed's old green Split 4 cars from the back. I wonder if that's Dave Rhodes' '64 back when it was white? Can anyone provide any background?

Once again, look how clean the cars are! 

Enjoy.

(Click directly on the image to enlarge it inside the post)

Cheers,

John
http://Cal-Look.com

John,

Dave thinks they are Der Renmeister[spelling?] cars,he doesnt recognise them,but the square logo in the rear quarter window suggests this

cheers richie,uk

[John P]

Richie - thanks for clarifying re: above.

This week's photo was submitted by David Ward. The photo is of Wayne Davis racing Doug Berg in 1983 at (I believe) Carlsbad. How am I doing, Dave? Anything to add?

Wayne's red Cal-Look car is a perfect representation of an early '80s Cal-Look car, running Centerline wheels, "turbo" mirrors (VERY popular in the '80s), and buggy bumper bars. Notice the one-piece windows, colour matched running boards and lack of chrome trim. Once again, notice how clean and understated the car is.

Click directly on the image to open up a larger version inside the post.

Enjoy, and keep these photos coming!

John
http://Cal-Look.com

[richiew]

John,looks a little to nice for carlsbad    Not sure what the rest of the sign in the middle might have read though  [ something international raceway maybe}

cheers richie

[garyj]

Funny Richie! I was talking to myself saying the same thing as I was looking at the picture!

[John P]

Good point. I guess the grass and signs of actual maintenance should have been a dead giveaway 

David?

[kaferdave]

Hey !!  There was grass at Carlsbad.....












In the launch pad....


 

[John P]

This week's historic photo was submitted by Gary Justus, featuring the Don Burn's Durachrome drag bug. This car is simply awesome, and epitomizes the ridiculous lengths people went to in the '60s and '70s during the "altered" gasser days. It appears to be at Irwindale, but I'm guessing. Gary, anything to add?

Doesn't this car now reside in Europe (along with every other cool period car  )?

Click directly on the image to see a larger version.

Cheers,

John
http://Cal-Look.com 

[garyj]

I don't really have anything to add. That shot was taken at the "old" 'Dale. Since I didn't take that picture, I can't give too much more insight. Further pictures will be shots taken by myself. Enjoy!

[David Ward]

Good point. I guess the grass and signs of actual maintenance should have been a dead giveaway 

David?

Sorry for the delay...  been away for a while.

I took that picture while attending a Bug In at the world famous OCIR (Orange County International Raceway).

I really liked Wayne's car.  The engine was all old-school.  78.4 x 92, magneto, IDA's, etc...   As for Doug's dune buggy racer, well, let's just say it was interesting.  

[John P]

This week's photo was submitted by Bob Hoffield. I don't know when or where it was shot, but I'd guess a Bug In during the '70s.

I really like this car because it is a late model, Cal-Look car, something that you rarely see, as most people stick to the '67 and earlier models.

Some details:

- Talbot rear view mirror
- Porsche India Red paint?
- EMPI chrome tail light bodies
- EMPI ear cooling scoops behind the rear quarter windows
- EMPI Spyder GT mags
- Dechromed
- Mild tinted windows
- No bumpers
- Glasspack muffler
- Lowered front
- DKP car (notice decal)

A great car. Also notice the gold Cal-Look car parked behind it, with EMPI Spyder GT mags, lowered front end, a two-piece bra, and what appears to also be a DKP car.

If you look in the bottom left-hand side of the photo, you'll also see the lowered, yellow fender of a Bug running BRMs.

Cool stuff. Anyone remember this car?

Click directly on the image to see a larger version inside this post

John Plow
http://Cal-Look.com

[fiatdude]

This car is simply awesome, and epitomizes the ridiculous lengths people went to in the '60s and '70s during the "altered" gasser days. http://Cal-Look.com 

Ahhhh -- -- the good old days

[Sarge]

Mike Hunsaker  I think the car behind it belongs to John Ercee....the bra is the giveaway.  John still comes around once in a while and the car still looks the same.

[Dave Conklin (Cornpanzers)]

Sarge, Johns's car is a yellow 67 and the car in teh background of that pic is a 68+ due to the gas filler door. 

[David Ward]

Back in the 80's it seemed lots of cal-look cars ran bras.  I had a half-mask on my 70, and always wanted the full bra set-up (2-piece like the one pictured above).  Thinking back on it, I'm not sure why we all wanted to put some black vinyl across the front of our car like that.   It was a cool thing to do, I suppose.   

[Sarge]

Sarge, Johns's car is a yellow 67 and the car in teh background of that pic is a 68+ due to the gas filler door.
 

Picky picky.....sheeeeeeesh   So what about the orange car???

Back in the 80's it seemed lots of cal-look cars ran bras.  I had a half-mask on my 70, and always wanted the full bra set-up (2-piece like the one pictured above).  Thinking back on it, I'm not sure why we all wanted to put some black vinyl across the front of our car like that.   It was a cool thing to do, I suppose.  

Sort of like puttin' a saddle on a billy goat, right?

[fiatdude]

rock pits

[Dave Conklin (Cornpanzers)]

I would rather have a few rock chips than have a giant piece of black vinyl across the front of my car.

[Donny B.]

I would rather have a few rock chips than have a giant piece of black vinyl across the front of my car.

Yeah, but then you're like with more rock chips than paint.  LOL!

[David Ward]

rock pits

Um, I knew WHY people put bras on cars, but if you were around So CA in the 80's it seemed that there was a trend that every Cal-Look car had a bra.  It was a "looks cool" thing rather than function.

[fiatdude]

I had a bra on a patina car LOL

[Frenchy]

   John

   One of the pictures you posted is from a line up of the DRA line up= Ed's green split window Mark Beuller red split window I have the same picture line up from the early 70's Dra was the first club I had joined. The yellow car with the bra on the front end is my ex brother in law John Ercse from Bellflower Calif.

  Thanks
  Frenchy

[performance sportz]

This week's photo was submitted by Bob Hoffield. I don't know when or where it was shot, but I'd guess a Bug In during the '70s.

I really like this car because it is a late model, Cal-Look car, something that you rarely see, as most people stick to the '67 and earlier models.

Some details:

- Talbot rear view mirror
- Porsche India Red paint?
- EMPI chrome tail light bodies
- EMPI ear cooling scoops behind the rear quarter windows
- EMPI Spyder GT mags
- Dechromed
- Mild tinted windows
- No bumpers
- Glasspack muffler
- Lowered front
- DKP car (notice decal)

A great car. Also notice the gold Cal-Look car parked behind it, with EMPI Spyder GT mags, lowered front end, a two-piece bra, and what appears to also be a DKP car.

If you look in the bottom left-hand side of the photo, you'll also see the lowered, yellow fender of a Bug running BRMs.

Cool stuff. Anyone remember this car?

Click directly on the image to see a larger version inside this post

John Plow
http://Cal-Look.com

[performance sportz]

 ::)yes this pic was taken at a 70`s Bug Inn I went to all but 3 Bug Inns at OCIR . Some where I have a lot of pics of the lightning bug that rolled at bug inn 3or 4. John Ive moved to Arizona and have been working on a new shop when I find more old pics I`ll send them to you I have 2 or 3 hundred more pics someplace in a box. (Bob Hoffeld)

[John P]

Bob,

That's awesome - we look forward to it.

Good to hear from you.

John

[John P]

This week's submission is courtesy of Glenn Miller, taken at the 1981 Bug In. There are a series of these - here is the first.

Notice how they are ALL dechromed. Personally, I love the brown convertible with real BRMs. It's also nice to see a couple of late model Cal-Look cars, which are sorely lacking from the scene today.

As always, notice how CLEAN they are. Anyone recognize these cars?

Enjoy.

John
http://Cal-Look.com

Click directly on the image to see a larger version inside the post

[Kathy Lachance Post]

Top left picture looks similiar to Mark Emerald's bug back in the early 80's. 

Bottom left yellow bug with primered front left fender behind the vert reminds me of Cory Husk's bug back in those days.

I am probably wrong on both counts but thought I would throw my 2 cents in 

[Ed Craig]

John...Just for clarification....The Club pic was of DRA..not DRF.  Here's a few more.

[OriginalDKPanzer]

This week's submission is from Bob Hoffield. I suspect that this might be the ex-Mahaffy/Ed Craig Split, as I recall hearing from Ed that it was red before it was green (or something like that). Anyone remember the story? Is this that

John,

The car in the picture supplied by Bob Holifield is not Mike Mahaffey's car. Mikes car did in fact run a big motor. It was the first "big" motor,so to speak, in DKP on the street. Pictures of his car are in the Hot Rod Magazine (April 1970) article written by John Thawley entitled Drive Ya Buggy (page 128). This was the first article in Hot Rod Magazine done on a non-US car car club. The interior picture is of Mike's split window. The motor picture is of Mike's 2074cc motor. The car was metallic brown. When Mike later re-painted the car, the color he chose was a Porsche Irish green. Mike later sold the car to Ed Craig. The car was not red.

The group picture was taken at Gene Berg's first shop on Lemon Street in Orange. Gene opened this shop after he left DDS and the Lowerys in Santa Ana. The cars in the picture (counter clockwise) are Craig Foster (with his squareback that was later paneled and painted yellow at Beckers), the UnderDog (with Ron Fleming driving and owned by Doug Gordon), Mike Mahaffey (with the metallic brown split window and 2074 motor), myself (with my white 67 that was later painted black by Beckers), Dave Velton (with his blue 68/69 1835), Jim Edmiston with his white car, Rick Meisner with his butterscotch bus (one of 3-4 buses in the club), Dennis Fry with his beige 66, person unknown (though it might be Arnie Mohlman with his beige 67), Mike Hess with his green 65, and Greg Aronsen with his white ragtop that he later sold to Jim Holmes.

The car in the Holifield picture most likely is that of Bill Arroyo who was also in DKP. He had purchased a bone stock split window and thoroughly transformed it. The car was painted in bright red lacquer with black tuck and roll interior. VDO gauges were installed in the dash openings. The car ran Porsche 356 B wheels (like many of us did at the time). The motor was, as I remember, a small cc motor. He later sold the car and purchased a new bay window bus.

In this same issue of Hot Rod, John Thawley also wrote an article on VW positraction (page 110) as designed and marketed by Gene Berg. The pictures are at Gene and Dee's first shop on Lemon Street. One of the pictures is that of Ron Fleming who was working for Gene at the time. I also seem to recall that Greg Aronson was also working for Gene at the same time. The article is about Gene's Poor Mans Positraction differential modification. This was all pre FAT/pre Berg on Lime Street which is very close by the building and yard in the Hot Rod article.
 

[Sarge]

John,

The car in the picture supplied by Bob Holifield is not Mike Mahaffey's car. Mikes car did in fact run a big motor. It was the first "big" motor,so to speak, in DKP on the street. Pictures of his car are in the Hot Rod Magazine (April 1970) article written by John Thawley entitled Drive Ya Buggy (page 128). This was the first article in Hot Rod Magazine done on a non-US car car car club. The interior picture is of Mike's split window. The motor picture is of Mike's 2074cc motor. The car was metallic brown. When Mike later re-painted the car, the color he chose was a Porsche Irish green. Mike later sold the car to Ed Craig. The car was not red.

The group picture was taken at Gene Berg's first shop on Lemon Street in Orange. Gene opened this shop after he left DDS and the Lowerys in Santa Ana. The cars in the picture (counter clockwise) are Craig Foster (with his squareback that was later paneled and painted yellow at Beckers), the UnderDog (with Ron Fleming driving and owned by Doug Gordon), Mike Mahaffey (with the metallic brown split window and 2074 motor), myself (with my white 67 that was later painted black by Beckers), Dave Velton (with his blue 68/69 1835), Jim Edmiston with his white car, Rick Meisner with his butterscotch bus (one of 3-4 buses in the club), Dennis Fry with his beige 66, person unknown (though it might be Arnie Mohlman with his beige 67), Mike Hess with his green 65, and Greg Aronsen with his white ragtop that he later sold to Jim Holmes.

The car in the Holifield picture most likely is that of Bill Arroyo who was also in DKP. He had purchased a bone stock split window and thoroughly transformed it. The car was painted in bright red lacquer with black tuck and roll interior. VDO gauges were installed in the dash openings. The car ran Porsche 356 B wheels (like many of us did at the time). The motor was, as I remember, a small cc motor. He later sold the car and purchased a new bay window bus.

In this same issue of Hot Rod, John Thawley also wrote an article on VW positraction (page 110) as designed and marketed by Gene Berg. The pictures are at Gene and Dee's first shop on Lemon Street. One of the pictures is that of Ron Fleming who was working for Gene at the time. I also seem to recall that Greg Aronson was also working for Gene at the same time. The article is about Gene's Poor Mans Positraction differential modification. This was all pre FAT/pre Berg on Lime Street which is very close by the building and yard in the Hot Rod article.
 

Which picture(s) in this thread are you writing about?

[garyj]

Hey Sarge!
I think he's talking about the "split" picture on the first page of this thread.

[Keith S]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. 

Now, how about a pic of the Berglar driving down the street today. That would be a truly historic photo!