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Old school vs cal-look vs resto-cal vs retro vs rat

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Stanley I guess the reward is in the doing of it

4,523 posts · joined Mar 2003 ·

#247419
Just curious as to the true definitions of some of these "looks"

Some are obvious but for example there seems to be a lot of talk about old-school of late.
Anyone want to elaborate.

dragbug Wolfsburg Wizard

609 posts · joined Sep 2004 ·

#247439
I have 2 cars that are built to"Old Skool" specs.
One is a 58 nostalgic drag car,the other a 61 "True" Cal look car.
The 58 is in the flat 12's ,only just got it going.It doesnt run any fuel inj,computers,intercoolers,shitty L8 model engine swaps.It has been built to
The standard of what was available back in the 60's.(old skool days)
Metal panels and all the guff.
The Cal Looker is as close to the orange county look as i can get it.Paint,interior,wheels,dash....blah blah
To me "Old skool",is trying to emulate the building of a car when real horsepower wasnt obtained by going down the local crapanese wreckers and buying some watercolled piece of snot to just go quick
Yes i am passionate about this, as this where it all started!
Not to say that people cant build what they want either!
This is just my way of doing things.

pyr0 flame-on

4,457 posts · joined Mar 2003 ·

#247444
hmm my deffintion of rat it some thing that was/is found in a backyard that been left for a lil while, and looks well..er... um ratty :P
Founding member of the C'town Rat-Pack

Adam_C Custom Title Time!

1,180 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#247456
I hate the term old school... anything that is looking even remotely like something that is old is oldschool..... pisses me off..... wanna know wat i meen? watch american chopper!
Adam
Adzslick@iprimus.com.au

dragbug Wolfsburg Wizard

609 posts · joined Sep 2004 ·

#247464
Man if you reckon just looking old is old skool,then my old man has got it down pat!
If it pisses you off so much then why respond?????

dragbug Wolfsburg Wizard

609 posts · joined Sep 2004 ·

#247468
You gotta remember,that there is no exact rule which states what a look must or must not have.Yes, i believe there are what you call general guidelines,So its not an anything goes scenario.
But,Its up to the owner to follow the style of what he or she wants.
What ever the "look".
If someone likes a style of car and asks about its appearance,then all we can do is explain it in the best way possible.

Adam_C Custom Title Time!

1,180 posts · joined May 2003 ·

#247470
nah settle, im just saying how people use the term shits me.... anything is oldschool if it looks old these days, or if it is remotely somilar to something that was old...

noticed this watching the american shows on tele, if its done like it was back in the day, then fuck yea it rocks and call it watever u want cos u got the cred to call it that, but when people build a car with all new parts, modern technology and whatnot and then try to pass it off as oldschool it shits me ..... wasnt an attack on you mate, just answering the original question.....
Adam
Adzslick@iprimus.com.au

dragbug Wolfsburg Wizard

609 posts · joined Sep 2004 ·

#247474
No worries Adam,
We are all family here brother.
Wasnt avn a go either dude.Know what you mean bout term usage tho.
People that try as hard as they can to achieve a "look",then someone comes along and states ive got one of those too.
GGrrrrr,but what can ya do hey,

Stanley I guess the reward is in the doing of it

4,523 posts · joined Mar 2003 ·

#247518
dragbug I think you nailed it with old school.

I used to have a 48-215 (FX holden to those who don't know) and while everybody was sticking red motors with triple webbers i was happy with the old grey motor and dual strombergs because that was all that was pretty much available back when they were built.

Must admit still like the cal-look but just hate the term.

ColumBUS Hail To The Bus Driver!

3,601 posts · joined Sep 2004 ·

#247566
so we've defined

'old school' as - anything done like they did it back in the day.
'rat' - sittin in the back yeard for the last X years, now its moving...
the others...
'retro' - ive usually seen this as a restoration classification. what the car looked like when it was first made, very nostalgic.

i have no idea what cal look is... rich and fancy perhaps?

i really shouldnt be answering this i have no idea...

dragbug Wolfsburg Wizard

609 posts · joined Sep 2004 ·

#247582
"Cal Look"
Is a term that was first given to Greg Aronson's white 63 ragtop on the cover of Hot VW's in 1975.
He had lowered the front end,de-chromed the body,removed the bumpers,
and fitted a set of genuine BRM's.Lightweight racing wheels for those that dont know what BRM's are.
There were a few other mods,but i'm not going to go into to much detail.
Its basicly a 60's street racer look for vw's.

Stanley I guess the reward is in the doing of it

4,523 posts · joined Mar 2003 ·

#247677
So does old school have bumpers

and are t bars purely cal look

dragbug Wolfsburg Wizard

609 posts · joined Sep 2004 ·

#247809
This is genuine Old Skool.The race cars would only run
a "T bar" of sort at the rear for getting pushed around the track,
Most of them had removed cooling systems.

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dragbug Wolfsburg Wizard

609 posts · joined Sep 2004 ·

#247811
"Tbars" for "Cal Lookers" were formed for american law reasons,Stating that their vehicles needed something in place of the bumpers after they were removed.
Not wanting a heavy replacement they fabricated these.

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