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  #91  
Old February 13th 2003, 01:58
mabus013 mabus013 is offline
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personally, I found out what the german look was after I'd already figured out what I wanted to do with the beetle (that I'd bought a Super Beetle unknowingly definately helped). I basically wanted to combine my loves for Street/Hot Rods with import cars. I wanted to build a car with street rod-esque touches (pretty much impossible to get from modern cars, unless you want a muscle car aura) that would go, handle, and be compact and light weight, and that had a good aftermarket following so I wouldn't have to one-off everything. The beetle is capable of all this and more if done right. On top of this, it's one of the cheapest cars to modify, even more so than classic Chevys.

That said, I'm grateful to find others out their with similiar goals, whatever the movement is called. I'd hate to have to go this alone.

One man's opinion,
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  #92  
Old February 13th 2003, 11:50
chigger chigger is offline
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Cool

I got started back in the bug scene about 7 years ago. The first thing I wanted to do after I bought a bug was to upgrade it to make it more drivable. Better brakes, better tires, HEAT, etc. As my designs progressed it came apparent that I wanted to upgrade my bug to the 21st century and maintain the external look of the classic bug. Basically I wanted to upgrade the mechanicals, but since I am not very good with body work keep the stock or near stock exterior and interior. All that has changed due to evolution.
The chassis was the first to be upgraded. I used alot of porsche parts, because they were cheap and worked. While I like other wheels alot better a set of 7x16 Phonedials with tires for $150 is hard to argue with. Alot of choices were also made due to availability. When I got started there were only a few choices for brakes, lowering the suspension, sway bars, etc. The choices we have now are alot more available.
I bought a 70 body because it has the tail lights I like and it doesn't have the rear fresh air vents which seem to like to rust out the rear quarter panels. And it was cheap and available.
Overall I looked at all the different years of cars and the different aftermarket parts and decided on what I liked and what would work and started collecting parts. Then along came the euro or german look forums and the people on the forums were doing similar things to their cars. I have been in heaven ever since.
This is what I am doing. It is what I like. If it fits into a certain style fine, if not so what! I like it and I have to drive the car.

1970 standard with 70 rear tail lites maybe frenched
1961 front fenders with shaved signal lites
Oval tube bumpers bent to match the curve of the early cars
A front air dam of my own design
A small rear wing of my own design
Body chrome , but none on the windows
Stock lightly tinted window glass (factory option)
H4 headlights, round yellow fogs and round driving lights
(I will be driving this car daily)
Level lowered stance about 2 /12 inch
7x 16 Porsche Phonedials polished with 205 55 tires
BMW sport seats (I think they are Recarro, got them cheap)
914 guages (they fit are big, they will work and they were cheap)
HEAT
Aluminum door panels, dash, and glove box
Roll cage with four way harness
To many chassis mods to discuss them all

My vision is a comfortable car that will cruise fast, stick to the road, and brake hard, yet be able to be driven reliabilely on a daily basis. Is it a GL? I don't know. I just know I will like it.
How about a grey hammertone spray can paint job. I have spent all my money on the engine.
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  #93  
Old February 13th 2003, 17:05
TitoRay
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A guy I work with, who is from Brazil, and doesn't speak perfect English, after a few seconds of word searching said this about my car, which isn't even GL all the way yet, "I likes because, well, *shrug*, it is old car, but it looks like new one."
I kinda smiled to myself, knowing what he meant(he has no idea about the German Look). Its the most general definition I have heard, but yet oh so accurate.
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  #94  
Old November 18th 2003, 01:25
super vw super vw is offline
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To me the so called "German look" is what you make it to be, it could just be the style you put into your car such as wheels and other parts, all the way to the extreme of upgrading and modifying things like porsche gear boxes, chassis, bodies and engines and suspention "mods". i also think there are guide lines to this style or look, i have seen a few people on the net saying they have a germanlooker or Euro looker but in reality they dont, stock bodies, engine and runing gear and such shoudent be counted as a GL car.
Also i do question why we call it German look, i mean hey... all our cars are german made so wouldent all german made cars be considered a GL?
Personly im going for a GL looker in a way, i do have Porsche wheels (16" Fuchs), and other Porsche goodies inside such as 911 seats, steering wheel and a 911 style dashboard (soon to be carbon fiber). but i dont like to clasify my car as just a GL, but rather MY style of GL... and thats what it should be about, not totaly copying or going with a trend of what some one else is doing... but going with what you want and need out of your car.
:silly:
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  #95  
Old December 8th 2003, 23:30
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Axl R Axl R is offline
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I am quite new to the German- or Euro-look . I find this look a refreshing new idea compared to the aging and boring "Cal-look". As said in other posts , the Cal-look is becoming very much a cookie-cutter look , and there doesn't seem to be anything new coming down the pipe in the near future to keep my interest up . Occaisionally , a car will come along that stands out , but it is usually few and far between . I like how the German-look takes some of the better parts of the Cal-look(I know that I am going to get an arguement on this point) and incorporates it into something newer and more exciting . To me , this is the next evolution of the Cal-look . I am excited about where this look is heading . Axl
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  #96  
Old December 24th 2003, 23:55
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Axl R Axl R is offline
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Hey !

I'm going to piss off alot of people with this post , but I've never been one to play it safe . I just went through the section on member's rides , and I have to say that it appears to me that most of these so called "german-lookers" are actually "cal-look" cars . When I look at alot of these pictures , I don't see anything that would qualify these cars as Euro-styling . They are still running on empi-style 15" rims with old fashioned dual carbed type 1 engines and drum brakes(I'm a mechanic , I look for the mechanical details) . Don't get me wrong , they are still nice cars , but last time I looked , the site was called the GermanLook Forum , not CalLook Forums . I did see some very good examples of a german-look cars , but they were few and far between .
I know that I am going to get some dirty looks my way , and I definately look forward to any constructive critisism . Axl :takethat:
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  #97  
Old December 25th 2003, 01:24
super vw super vw is offline
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i here ya, i have noticed this a bit aswell. not just on this site, but others aswell. my 1303 wont be a pure GL but a car that has porsche style and a little performance kick. i dont have the money to do one full on with a type-4, 915 trany...ect. so im doing a auto cross daily driver fun car. type-1 motor, porsche brakes/wheels, porsche seats dash, and we cant forget suspention upgrades... just nothing to intense like you see on some of them "pure" GL cars$$$. but some day i will build a GL with all the works when i have the money, being a teen its hard to do anything more without the suport of filthy rich parents (dont have that).
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  #98  
Old December 25th 2003, 02:01
Supa Ninja Supa Ninja is offline
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Majority of the cars in the members rides, including myself, are under construction. Plus there are no set rules to GL so some owners call there's a GL when others wouldn't consider them a GL. I don't know if that makes a lot of sense.
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  #99  
Old December 25th 2003, 14:05
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lazyted lazyted is offline
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Post german? cal?

i believe it was keith seume who said that " where as the cal look takes its inspiration from the drag strip the german look takes it from the race track"
after all isnt that why most german look fans prefer the super beatles?
i personaly consider the cal look a more laid back style where the german look is more adrenalin filled.
but its good to know that you cant realy generalize on what each look is. after all isnt that what customization is all about, to make your car reflect your individuality.
looks are supose to overlap :silly:
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  #100  
Old December 25th 2003, 17:07
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If you go back to the 80s VW mags you will see a lot of so called cal look cars that dont look much different then the gl cars of today.

I have pics of cars with monochromatic paint jobs, dechromed, Porsche Fuch wheels all around. The only thing that sets those Cal Look apart from GL cars today was they had big t1 engines & not having Porsche brakes or trannies.

I really believe that the German Look is the next evolution of the Cal Look. Its where the look was progressing too in the 80s. Then in the 90s the Cal Look took a magor step backwards into the 70's for some reason. Oh well, it was there loss & our gain.
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  #101  
Old December 25th 2003, 20:22
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Axl R,

Supa said it, but it is worth reiterating. especially as new as the look is to the US, most of the cars are under construction still. if you look at most of the european entries, i think you will agree that many to most of those are GL. give it a little time. i am sure there will be quite a few that still don't deserve the badge or just never really get complete, but for now the gap is understandable.

btw, you should have seen mine just last year and had it posted here. that was because it was under construction. i think most would agree that mine is GL now.
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  #102  
Old December 26th 2003, 10:20
COXBOW COXBOW is offline
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Hi folks,

For my part as a European and participated in a couple of German – French and of course Belgian meetings those last years I’ve noticed a “tendency” that I believe to be the essence of a German-Look:

- A recent model (doesn’t have to be a 1302/1303) the
most wanted model in Germany and border countries GL
is the 30the anniversary beetle. (’85)

- ’17 and more alloys doesn’t have to be Porsche’s I
would even say that it’s becoming more and more
tuning alloys these last years.

- A classic monochrome paint most of the time a grey
one, but always a metallic.

- No chrome or the original one’s painted black.

- Sport front seats, a couple of years ago it was indeed
911-924-944 one’s but that’s the past, now to be “in”
you ‘v got to have “EKU” “Koening” or “Remmele”
one’s (well known German air-cooled tuners) most of
the time in black leather, and no back seats.

- Porsche or Remmele brakes on the 4 wheels.

- And of course a big and powerful engine, most of the
time a T4, but at least a 2.000cc anyway…

The new tendency is to have recent rear lights (1303 type) but pre ’65 front fenders whit Porsche 911 headlights, but that’s almost only in Germany.

This is only my opinion and certainly not a “that’s the way you have to do it”
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  #103  
Old December 26th 2003, 17:01
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Axl R Axl R is offline
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I can understand the part of being under construction . It seems that if you talk to alot of car builders , they will say there is always something else they want to do to their cars , no matter how complete it is . I can also understand about the cost factor , as you add the name "PORSCHE" on anything and you start talking about big $$$$$ . I didn't set out to say that all the cars on the post were not GL's , or that the cars were ugly . I am fairly new as well to the GL , and agree that they are a progression of the Cal Look , and therefore there will be alot of similarities . I guess I was a little dissappointed at not seeing a whole lot of GL cars on a site dedicated to the GL . Axl:disappoin
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  #104  
Old January 1st 2004, 18:41
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justdubbin justdubbin is offline
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This is probable going to get me called all the names under the sun......but please, only some of what I'm saying is what I believe........ EHHHH I heard you say.

I have been surfing a lot over Christmas & the New year & come across some good sites, one UK Hot Rod/Custom site in particular had some great cars and great views about modified cars.
They were on about Rat Rods in the US and in particular their owners, how they would only entertain Rods which were built to specific guidelines, i.e. no chrome, had to have the correct pedal box, the correct gauges and even to the point where the would only wear clothes that were in period with the cars they drive :silly:

Now I know the German Look is not like that, at least it's not the impression I get from these boards..... but there are some people that see it.... ONLY using Porsche wheels, brakes, seats etc as opposed to an aftermarket set of wheels, Brembo or Willwood brakes.

Not ever one can source or afford Porsche parts, there seem to be hundreds of Porsche breakers/specialists in the US but here in the UK there are just a handful, the same in Europe I would imagine.
With availability comes cost.......

In the US there are a lot more older Fords etc to build Rat Rods, the same as there are a lot more second hand Porsche spares and all this brings the cost down.

Basically what I think I'm trying to say is lets hope we don't gone down the same route as those Rat Rod guys & girls.

I think GL is trying to make your Bug or Bus as modern as possible (all the creature comforts) and to drive and handle as best as possible while still retaining the individuality that only a Bug/Bus can give you today whilst sharing the roads with all the ****ty boring mundane computer designed things all around us.

P.S. if they do have some Porsche influence then all the better


Sorry for the long rant


Rob.
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  #105  
Old January 1st 2004, 22:32
RLW6000 RLW6000 is offline
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I dont know if any of you would consider what I want my car to be GL or what. Right now its basicaly stock. What I want is probably a cross between a few styles including GL. I have a 1302. I want a Type IV motor and a tranny built to handle it. I want 15 inch 8 spoke empi's with a little wider than stock and a little lower profile also. I want type 1 ghia dics on the front and probably just leave the drums on the back. I want to drop it all around, but more in the front than the back (using ajust-a-struts). Also, the chrome is mostly gone already. The stock front turn signals are gone. Currently it has mexican bumper with signals in them, but will get "T" bars with old ghia "bullet" type signals mounted below the headlights on the fenders. In the rear, it has replica 39' ford teardrop tail lights. As for the interior, It will sport some kind of buckets (probably Honda) and Dolphin guages in a custom made fiberglass dash. Backseat as well as headliner and door panels will probably stay stock. The changes that have already been made, were done to the car when I got it. All this is what I hope to do if I ever get the $ to finish it and also if I dont get to pissed and sell it. I hope you all will still talk to me here after knowing what I want ot do to my car. Happy New Year, Randy
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