How to Destroy a Perferctly Good Cal-Look Car in a Few Easy Steps

[John P]

       But I got to ask, "What is Cal-Look.com coming to when our #1 active Cal-Look historian on the site, falls off the wagen?"  You're car was ultra clean 'period'!  I like the new look, but tell me you've got another VW under wraps that you are building to uphold your strong Cal-Look heritage!  
Scott Faivre

Thanks Scott, but as I remind my wife, "you should have lower expectations of me!"  

Hey JP,
       I too love the vintage road course look.  I loved it since I saw the original Herbie movie as a kid growing up in Western New York.  Watching herbie run the vintage California road courses (some now long extinct) against some "bizare looking" european cars that we'd never see in Rochester.  Open cock pits, leather straps, tape on the lights, open faced helmets with goggles, was soooo cool!.  
        
Scott Faivre

You took the memory right out of my brain (see attached photo found in my parts "stash.")

Cheers,

JP

[Bruce Tweddle]

I believe that I ran a 3/4" front and 5/8" rear on my Super Beetle years ago.

I think the stock front bar on a Super is already 3/4".  The early aftermarket bars I recall seeing were 7/8".  Either way, different suspension, doesn't really relate.

[John P]

I think the stock front bar on a Super is already 3/4".  The early aftermarket bars I recall seeing were 7/8".  Either way, different suspension, doesn't really relate.

Yep, you're right; that was 15-20 years ago and the memory fades...

Just bought a NOS EMPI 5/8" front sway bar.   I plan to run it with stock clamps and bushings. I'll report on its impact on handling and ride quality.

[QuickKafer]

Thanks Scott, but as I remind my wife, "you should have lower expectations of me!" 

You took the memory right out of my brain (see attached photo found in my parts "stash.")

Cheers,

JP

THAT IS AWESOME!  I can just see you rolling down 95 South on the east coast with the windows down, rockin' the open face helmet and goggles, and the ole girl sporting the vitnage road course look.  Take a high quality B&W motion blurr and that's a cover shot for Road and Track!  AWESOME!!!

Scott Faivre

[Bruce Tweddle]

Just bought a NOS EMPI 5/8" front sway bar.  I plan to run it with stock clamps and bushings. I'll report on its impact on handling and ride quality.

Wow, that was fast!  Are NOS EMPI sway bars easy to find in your area?

I was thinking more about the Super's sway bar.  The link arms are longer on a Super, so it effectively reduces the roll stiffness of the bar.  That's why you can't compare them to a beam's sway bar.

[John P]

Wow, that was fast!  Are NOS EMPI sway bars easy to find in your area?

I was thinking more about the Super's sway bar.  The link arms are longer on a Super, so it effectively reduces the roll stiffness of the bar.  That's why you can't compare them to a beam's sway bar.

Contacts 

Good point about the link arms being longer. An entirely better suspension system (objectively) in terms of ride quality and handling. The later rack and pinion Super Beetles almost drove like a "real" car.

I autocrossed my Super a few times, which was lowered, running the aforementioned sway bars, decambered, running 195/50s (front) and 205/60s (rear). Topline uprated springs. Smaller steering wheel (net impact of increasing reaction). I even took it on a banked oval racetrack for some hot laps in the rain. It handled really well. VERY predictable chassis.

But the handling on my '67 is much more entertaining, which is why, after all, I drive it.

[John P]

THAT IS AWESOME!  I can just see you rolling down 95 South on the east coast with the windows down, rockin' the open face helmet and goggles, and the ole girl sporting the vitnage road course look.  Take a high quality B&W motion blurr and that's a cover shot for Road and Track!  AWESOME!!!

Scott Faivre

 

I put the helmet and goggles on once and showed my life-long buddy. He look at me, shook his head and walked away, noting "You are such a nerd!"

The photo of my wife on my desk isn't of her in the typical "Sears Photo" posed position. It's of her wearing that helmet and goggles while riding my old original 1977 Murray Firecat Chopper.

My Biker Chick.

[Glenn]

"You are such a nerd!"

I'd use a different word.

I'd figure you'd have a picture of her in a top fuel dragster.

[John P]

I'd use a different word.

I'd figure you'd have a picture of her in a top fuel dragster.

Don't worry, Glenn, he has used those words as well.

Cormack appropriately calls her "Cha Cha" 

[John P]

More inspiration (from The Samba):

"This is a real rally car. It belongs to John Barr and is his father's old car and now John's daily driver. The rally is a recreation of Argentina's '50 & '60s "Gran Premio ACA" road race and is run in September every year.

It's run over mostly rough roads (3000mls in 6 days) using stock only cars. 36hp....3000 miles....6 days, now that's something to be proud of."





Daily driver?!?!? Respect. 

More pics (from the Judson Register):

"The picture [below] was taken during the local classic car trials circa 1997. The car is named Greta and dates from  March ´57, 30 HP with Judson and (back then) Porsche 356 brake drums. The picture shows Greta about to enter a controlled full opposite-lock slide"



"This picture [below] was taken on an overnight endurance test, Buenos Aires, 1997. Class winner, eighth overall.

[QuickKafer]

This just in!  John Plow spotted stopping at South of the Border on Highway 95 South!

[QuickKafer]

Here's a little more inspiration for you and this thread!  These are the memories I was refering to in my previous posts!

Scott Faivre

[John P]

This just in!  John Plow spotted stopping at South of the Border on Highway 95 South!

You've got to admit, I look pretty good there! 

LOVE the old photos. Can you imagine a set of vintage Goodyear Blue Streaks on my '67? Richard isn't using his NOS set, and I know where he lives.

Attached is a photo of the ex-Bruce Jennings '67 911s that I shot for Excellence Magazine 4 years ago. I remember following him on a cold November morning on the on ramp and the car was all over the place on the cold racing tires, showering the original paint with the rocks the sticky tires picked-up.

Given that the I drive my car year 'round, probably not a good choice. Although Corny and I have been talking about running Dunlop racing tires...

JP

[John P]

Purchased an NOS air scoop for a '91-ish SAAB Turbo. I will attach it to the VW, 2" fresh air hose that brings in cooling air underneath the engine - see the Tech. Article that I wrote years ago in the Tech. Section:

http://www.cal-look.com/keeping-your-cool/

The intake scoop is low and wide, providing good ground clearance, with a 2" hose exit, so it should work well. It will be mounted to the EMPI camber compensator.

I will, of course, add a '60s-era looking mesh intake screen to keep out debris, cats, evil spirits, etc.

JP

[John P]

More inspiration from 1963:



Look Dave, he has gravel guards! 

[Dave Conklin (Cornpanzers)]

More inspiration from 1963:



Look Dave, he has gravel guards! 

I cant see the picture, but whatever it is I am sure his friends made fun of him too. Well, the way I look at it...you never got cal-look right, so why not try something fresh.  =)

[John P]

Embrace mediocrity! 

[John P]

I cant see the picture...

I've attached a version of the picture in case anyone else is having problems viewing it.

[John P]

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I wasn't done with the fog lights. I installed a set of vinyl, padded fog light covers. Back in the day, they used to run canvas (waaaay back) or vinyl (late 50s/early 60s) covers to protect the lenses during daytime races/rallies when they weren't in use. Or tape. Plastic covers didn't become prevalent until the early 1970s.

See pic below - I like the look, and feel that it "de-nerds" (if that's possible with anything I own) the lights a bit.

These fog lights are more than just ornamental, by the way. I live along the coast, where fog is common, and anyone who has ever been caught with 6 volt headlights in the fog can empathize with me. That’s why they are mounted low, to get below the fog. Being a 6 volt car, the key is to only run them with your European “city lights” on. Not only does that help with visibility in the fog, it also helps to not overwhelm the anemic 6 volt generator.

The lights work well, as I had a chance to test them on a foggy night a few months’ ago. The bulbs are only 35 watts, to keep draw in check. They are wired directly to the battery (fused). All that’s left is to install relays so as not to fry the NOS Hella fog light switch.

More to come…

[David Ward]

John, when are the red and blue strips being added along with the #53?

 

[Dave Conklin (Cornpanzers)]

What is especially sad about all of this is that a large number of components involved in this transformation were sourced by me. I guess I am an enabler.  So, if anyone else wants to mess up a perfectly good car, just give me a call.

[John P]

 

[Bruce Tweddle]

A-HA!  So Dave's still in the closet then?
It's ok John, we accept you for the way you are.

[John P]

"I've got a 3/4" bar on the front of my yellow car.  But then my front tires have twice the rubber on the ground as your rears!  Because of that, I think a 3/4" bar would be a mistake for your car.  Vintage EMPI bars were 5/8".  That's the one to get.
 
Numbers:
The 3/4" bar is 13 times stiffer than the stock bar. 
The 5/8" bar is 6 times stiffer."


The NOS EMPI front sway bar arrived today, but due to a lack of due diligence on my part, I measured it and noted that it is 3/4", not 5/8"  I've since done some research and discovered that EMPI produced them in both sizes.

So should I forget it and continue to look for a 5/8" bar? I'm inclined to agree with Bruce's comments above, as I'm only running 155s up front and worried about major understeer, especially in the wet.

Comments?

[John P]

More inspiration from the original Carrera Panamerica:

[John P]

The NOS EMPI front sway bar arrived today, but due to a lack of due diligence on my part, I measured it and noted that it is 3/4", not 5/8"  I've since done some research and discovered that EMPI produced them in both sizes.

So should I forget it and continue to look for a 5/8" bar? I'm inclined to agree with Bruce's comments above, as I'm only running 155s up front and worried about major understeer, especially in the wet.

Comments?

OK, I bit the bullet and bought an original EMPI 5/8" front sway bar, as I think that it will work better with my skinny 155s.

I'm hoping for a similar dynamic that I have with my early 911, where it is set up for mild (but reassuring) understeer at the outset, which is easily neutralized with more steering input and throttle, transitioning to a wonderful, confidence-inspiring balance.

If anyone wants an NOS original EMPI 3/4" front sway bar, let me know.

JP

[John P]

Period correct German Gloria Vergaserbrand fire extinguisher. Necessary for any period-correct dual purpose rally/road car. 

It still has the liquid in it. Check out the cool safety wire with lead plug from the neck to the cap.

[John P]

It also has the original mount. As my philosophy is Do No Harm to my '67 - everything is reversible -it was installed using the original screw and hole for the dealer installed parcel tray (a.k.a. the Knee Capper), which I removed when I bought the car. In fact, if you look closely, you can see the wear marks in the carpet from its 30 years' tenure in situ.

I installed it (see pic) in the passenger footwell. It holds really well with just the one screw.

[Kafer_Mike]

John - Very cool find! For safety sake, I would run a section of belt behind mount and around the extinguisher. You don't want that thing flying around in the cabin if there was every and accident. 

[Glenn]

John... you're insane.

[John P]

John - Very cool find! For safety sake, I would run a section of belt behind mount and around the extinguisher. You don't want that thing flying around in the cabin if there was every and accident. 

Good advice. I read a post from an early 911 guy who got in an accident, and the fire extinguisher came lose and hit him in the side of his ribs, fracturing them and puncturing a lung. He also had minor kidney damage.

Fortunately, the mount is very secure and it is quite a bit of work to remove the fire extinguisher from the mount. VERY German.

And BTW, my real, functional fire extinguisher is safely mounted in the front bonnet.

And Glenn, if you think this is bad, you should see my 1949 Penn Yan Trailboat, where I mounted a period-correct bronze fire extinguisher. It's beautiful.

[John P]

NOS German Perohaus kilometer counter. Perfect for rallies.  

Notice the wax paper covering the sticky pad on the back of the counter, which was used to attach to the dash. I plan to mount it on the glove box door next to the Leonidas Trackmaster stop watch.

[John P]

Possibly one of the more controversial additions...

An NOS Helphos Spotlight (see pics).

If you look at photos of early road and rally cars - in particular, during the 6 volt days - many of them ran these lights as a way to augment the inadequate 6 volt light output. One light was used so as not to overwhelm the anemic generator.

This unit came with a 12 volt bulb, so I found a NOS 6 volt replacement (see second pic). You can tell that it is the correct bulb as it has the front portion blackened, which was done to achieve the desired beam pattern.

These were often either run to a cigarette lighter socket, or wired directly to the car. I plan to run it directly to the battery, and adding a relay.

[John P]

I actually first noticed these when going through some of Dad's old racing/rally photos from the early-to-mid '60s, and noticed them on many Beetles and Porsches, which prompted me to do more research.

If you look at photos of early road and rally cars - in particular, during the 6 volt days - many of them ran these lights as a way to augment the inadequate 6 volt light output. One light was used so as not to overwhelm the anemic generator.

In fact, you can see an example in the car referenced earlier in the thread (look at the center of the windshield):





Another example on an early Porsche 356 during the Rally Wiesbaden (notice inside of windshield):



And during the Deutschland-Rallye in the mid '50s.

[owdlvr]

...This thread alone is what started me watching the Cal-Look forum. Absolutely love the modifications, and the historic background.

-Dave