"Restocal look" imp- ideas?

As Keefy said, they're 'guidelines' rather than rules. The hardcore Resto Cal boys like Restowagen are quite strict on what constitutes a Resto Cal. Resto cals are essentially a stock VW which is as it left the factory, but lowered front and rear with a few choice accessories and a set of chrome alloys, or steelies. A lot of it is all about the stance. A Resto Cal can be turned back to a factory stock VW in less than a day. If you put on custom touches, then your car becomes a Resto Custom. Its all very pigeonholed and is off putting for a lot of people.

If the guidelines weren't present, then any man and his dog with a lowered car could call their car Resto Cal. Its the same with old skool Cal Look - they have their rules, and lately even some Der Kleiner Panzers' cars are wearing the chrome body trim. All these guidelines are open to interpretation and are not set in stone.

The German Folks have argued that Resto Cal cannot be applied to non-vw's . If you apply the Resto Cal guidelines to a non aircooled VW, it becomes a Resto Custom. This was debated in some detail on Restowagen and I thought it was a bit hypocritical in some ways 'cos the GFK have just accepted a Porsche 356 into the German Folks Klub.



Note the narrowed beam!

Keith, I disagree that back to '89 /essex cal lookers weren't that different to old Skool cal lookers. The only thing they had in common were they were dechromed. 90's Cal Lookers had pastel colours, colour coded bumpers, were lowered all round with non-stock interiors, splatter effect or chrome engines, etc. You're right that there were some old skool cal lookers around at that time like Bernie Newbury's coral red (soon to become blue) NET 807.

Tom Silsbury's car was originally a Resto Cal when it was debuted and it became a Cal Looker towards the end of the 90's. I've got pics of it in its Resto Cal guise somewhere - it was on fully polished Fuchs before they detailed them.

This is the brown bug which Keith was talking about..

Crikey. Do the people who set/debate these 'guidelines' also run the EU?!

Fascinating stuff, and I'm glad you didn't take my comment as a dig (which it certainly wasn't meant to be), I'm just curious. It all seems very complicated for what's meant to be just having fun with old cars.

BTW, what's with the naff writing in the back window of that 356?!

Not at all. You are entitled to do whatever you want with your car and as you please. You can paint it pink and lower the back, and raise up the front 3 inches and call it Resto Cal 'cos it has a roof rack. its entirely up to you. People may laugh at you but if its what you want, then nobody will tell you you can't do it.

What I'm referring to are the likes of Restowagen and The German Folks Klub. These guys are dedicated to the Resto Cal Look and are very high profile throughout the world - in the 2006 season, there was only one issue of a UK aircooled VW magazine which didn't feature or have a picture of a a Restowagen car - as a result of all the publicity Restowagen has now become a 'brand' as such and people including the magazines have started referring to Resto Cal as the Restowagen look. So if you came along in your pink car, front nose up and wanted to join Restowagen you wouldn't be allowed in the club line ups as your car doesn't conform to the correct Resto Cal look, even if you believe it to be one 'cos it has a roofrack. The German Folks, however, have members who have been around since it all started and you could say these people pioneered the look which is much copied so they have become an authority on what is actually a Resto Cal. But as I said earlier, they're only guidelines which are open to interpretation by anyone.

Do you see where I'm coming from? nobody is telling you how to build your car - you can build it however you want. If someone wants to build a Resto Cal inspired ride, then nobody will tell them that they can't. It only ever becomes an issue if they try to join a dedicated club and they don't conform. Kind of like trying to join a Sierra Cosworth only club with a stock non Cosworth Sierra - you'd get a few raised eyebrows.

I like the idea alot. As much as Minilites/Ultralites have a stigma round these parts I still say for the look you're wanting you could do a hell of a lot worse than these Chrome Ultralites. Would look so perfect with the 'Rack and some cool period accsessories.

I agree. Sizes on Minispeed.co.uk start at £77.50 p/w for 12x5's and go up to £93.24 p/w for 13x7's which I'm guessing is the size in the picture. If you're after a Flatter-faced look they also do Chrome Sportspack wheels in 13x6 form for £93.75 p/w.


Chrome Sportspack's

Not sure if they'd suit Resto-Cal, maybe straight Cal-Look if they were detailed.

I'm interested to see what size these are...

Pants, not 4" PCD then?

Hmmmm, well if they're chevette they're 100mm, if they're firenza they're 4"!

Those are Jensen Healey rims aren't they...I won a set of those on Ebay once, but the seller refused to sell them to me!