A Cal-Style VW is a lowrider influenced vintage Volkswagen, that for style and cruising was lowered to the extreme in the manner called “dumped” “slammed” or “laid out”.
“American-Style” refers to the original fashion and trim which came on air-cooled VWs destined for the US market. American-Style VWs were offered with window seal trim, running board molding, side panel molding, and chrome bumpers to compete with the flashy American cars in the 50s and 60s. Generally, American-Style VWs are more expensive to restore due to the added cost of extra components and require more time for trim installation.
“Cal-Look” and “American-Style”. You may have seen these terms used throughout our website and wondered “what exactly do they mean?”. Lets start by noting that they are NOT sub-models of the vehicles. Rather, they refer to 2 popular styles of outfitting your classic VW. Both styles are purely aesthetic, with preference solely determined by the owner.
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A “California Looker” is a air-cooled VW modified to a popular fashion which originated in 1960s Orange County, California. It is popular with many enthusiast because it is cheap (minimal trim on vehicle) and easy to to work with. Cal-Look bugs typically have aftermarket wheels, painted or T-bar bumpers, and run one-piece window conversions. Cal-Look VWs are usually lowered or “slammed” for cruising, following a lead from lowrider & classic car clubs of Los Angeles.
The style originated in Orange County, California from the street race scene. The ‘Cal-look’ or ‘H.P’ contingent shared the low rider look but used styling cues from motorsport instead, hence the involvement of companies such as EMPI and racing legends like Gene Berg. Form followed function on these cars. In this case, the function was speed. No extras, no accessories except those that had a performance function like shifters, tach’s etc. were added. Lowering in front was to cut wind resistance, removing bumpers and adding alloy wheels lightened things a bit. Same thing with the removing of trim. If it did not add to performance, it was not needed.
Paint was simple solid colours, no metallic, no two tones and no wild graphics. The cars often ran on BRM Speedwell or EMPI 8-spoke rims and featured competition style mirrors and a stand-off engine cover to aid cooling which was another nod towards the vintage race scene. A side exit tuned exhaust was de rigueur, too, as was a trick engine to enable owners to out-gun unsuspecting challengers during grudge matches and traffic light drag contests.
Aaron Kahan’s 1967 VW Beetle | A 1980s Cal Bug Survivor
FAQ
What is a cal look VW Bug?
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What bugs are common in California?
Cockroaches, bedbugs, mosquitoes, butterflies, bees, beetles, hover fly, fruit fly, fleas and black ants are common bugs found in California. Cockroaches and bedbugs can be prevented through sanitation and sealing cracks. Mosquitoes can transmit diseases, so preventive measures like wearing long sleeves and using repellent should be taken.
What is a Cal look bug?
It is popular with many enthusiast because it is cheap (minimal trim on vehicle) and easy to to work with. Cal-Look bugs typically have aftermarket wheels, painted or T-bar bumpers, and run one-piece window conversions. Cal-Look VW’s are usually lowered or “slammed” for cruising, following a lead from lowrider & classic car clubs of Los Angeles.
Where can I find all California insects?
The list below showcases all California Insects (883 Found) currently in the InsectIdentification.org database. Entries are listed below in alphabetical order (A-to-Z). As with our other list pages, you can click on the small ‘X’ in each entry to remove unneeded/unwanted entries in the result. You can always go back to the Insects by State Listing.
What bugs bite hard in California?
Topping the list of bugs that bite hard in California is the ever-popular mosquito. Just like in almost all areas of the globe, California has a mosquito problem. Unlike areas of the United States, California has mosquitos all year long. Winter usually sees a decrease, but they are still present.