Definition of RETRO? Any ideas?

I'm planning on going to the All types VW show in N. Wales in May, as you may know it's free if you wish to display your car. There's a mk1 display for non show-golfs/polos in original condition or with some retro styling.

I'm pretty new to the VW scene, so I'm guessing 'retro' just means typical of the time the car was made, i.e late 70's - early 80's would be chrome trims etc and no mod cons that weren't around at the time? Got vague idea but need to be sure before I throw myself into it! Is my guess about right for what the show's asking for?
Also, what's 'Rat look'?? Older stuff like Campers?  :dontknow:

Hope someone can put me straight…I'll hopefully learn more once I've been to the show! We've all got to start somewhere!  :roll:
Thanks for your help!

Hi Diesel-dubber.

My understanging of retro

"Involving, relating to, or reminiscent of things past; retrospective."

Thus anything that was cool back then and is cool now. Rude 8)

Rat look is hmmmm weather beatin faded paint, rusty with patches of primer. Its cool in the same way worn look jeans are cool. Popular in America but not always to the taste of us squeeky clean euro dubbers.

Hope this sheds some light on on the matter. :wink:

Retro is subjective really.. can mean anything from a 70s/80s car in original condition to 'old skool' styling. http://www.clubgolfidf.com/images/Golf_Oettinger.gif is the only example I can find, there's an entire forum for retro vw's somewhere but I can't remember the address. General theme is deep dish wheels, flared arches, angular 80's bodykits, lowered to the floor, that sort of thing.

Rat look is much easier to achieve: drive the car through a ditch or two, take a lump hammer to any intact panels, let bits of it rust, respray bits in mis matching colours, just generally abuse it really. The art is to make it look like you don't give a damn about the car, whilst keeping it mechanically and structurally sound as a bell (although a slight exhaust rattle or a badly adjusted tappet really adds to the effect ). This mk2 polo is a good example: http://www.optima21.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/engine.jpg http://www.optima21.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/mk2-1.jpg - hasn't been washed for over a year, the front end hasn't been straightened out properly since he rear ended a nova, and it's kept full of junk, but it's sound enough to be road legal and pass MoT's etc. Quite cool if you can pull it off and don't get the urge to go out and polish it every five minutes

http://www.chpltd.com/ultra_vw/rusto_cal.html

I thought that the definition of 'RETRO' was anything you want to sell on ebay for a profit. (or is that Old Skool?)

Retro means taking the model back to its origins to me. In the mk1s case that would mean chrome everywhere, tiny bumpers, original simple dashboard etc.

On modern cars I guess that means looking back to previous incarnations, rather like the approach VW took with the Mk5 GTI…

Cheers,

Drew.

There's a mk1 display for non show-golfs/polos in original condition or with some retro styling.

I read that as the display is for standard cars or cars with period modifications. So as long as the modified parts were made at the same time or before the vehicle it will be OK. For a post-78 Golf that does not necessarily mean chrome.

Best to contact the show organisers for clarification.

Cheers
Rajan

dubboy said

There's a mk1 display for non show-golfs/polos in original condition or with some retro styling.

I read that as the display is for standard cars or cars with period modifications. So as long as the modified parts were made on or before the vehicle it will be OK.

Best to contact the show organisers for clarification.

Cheers
Rajan

I think I'll do that before I jump in there, good advice. I think all my few mods are 'of the period' and no younger, and all for the mk1 Golf. Thanks for your help.

another part of the rat look which goes hand in hand with rust is a hi po motor and dumped in the weeds .