Since the introduction of the California Look to the masses three decades ago, VW enthusiasts continue to push the envelope, creating fast and highlydetailed ‘Best of Show’ contenders that wow the crowd. Larry Shaw’s 1962 sedan, a triple Bug-In winner from the early ’80s, may be considered as one of the first over-the-top Cal Look cars. However, some will argue that it does not fit the definition of the term to the letter, because it featured plenty of brass-plated accessories.
Shaw’s deep black Beetle was followed by a bunch of other impressive creations, like the red ’67 Beetle of Doug Mische, or Aaron Broughton’s ’57 Oval which graced Ultra VW’s cover in June 2004. Then along came Randy Gates’ 1952 Bug… Being a Split-window model makes it already desirable, but the story doesn’t stop there. Randy, from Villa Park, in California, devoted a huge sum of dollars to his dream car, using the best parts and contracting some of the most talented craftsmen in our industry.
Randy has already made a name for himself in the local VW scene by showing a few beautifully detailed rides, still in his possession today. They include a beige Oval and a red ’67 sedan, both fully restored, along with a jaw-dropping 1957 Samba – we plan to feature that soon, as well. While working on this 23-Window Microbus back in 2001, Randy could not stop reflecting on his next project car. He always wanted a Splitwindow Beetle, yet finding one in decent condition and suitably priced seemed like an unbeatable challenge.
This all changed when he made contact with Graham Clarke. This Volkswagen enthusiast from Wales had a ’52 for sale, which proved to be fairly complete and in great shape, as it had been stored in dry conditions since 1974. Needless to say, the old Beetle left the British Isles for a new life in California in no time.
The first item on the agenda consisted of finding a few odds and ends, ‘New Old Stock’ wherever possible. Randy contacted numerous personalities from the American vintage scene, and soon scored a handful of treasures unearthed by Andy Spilkoman, the staff of Koch’s and Gary Constantine of Brezelwerks. The list included a pair of ribbed semaphores, an L-shaped decklid handle, chrome wiper blade bases, headlight assemblies, a ‘sun and moon’ horn button, and much more. A German collector also came up with his fair share of NOS goodies, from the door handles with Huff keys, to the highly desirable SWF windshield squirter system – check out the dual spray nozzles in front of the windshield, in addition to the reservoir in the boot.
A couple of years later, and with all the rare parts accounted for, Randy called a meeting with the Lauffer family (of VW Paradise fame) and Buddy Hale, who has painted a number of show-winning VWs in recent time. Thanks to 14 pages of requirements supplied by Randy, this respected team bounced ideas back and forth, until they ultimately defined the car’s looks and detailing.
