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Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:17 pm

Hi,

I asked the question in another forum that was talking about the Flanders NJ Air Cooled Show, they were talking about "Jersey Lookers"

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3...;start=160

I asked what it was (I'm a Jersey Boy) and got the answer with a link to someone building one.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=312058

Here's what I understand it to be, Correct me if I'm wrong or have missed something

A Jersey Looker is basically an old beat up VW van (I'm not sure if it is just Splits or any body style will do) that is poorly restored, poorly painted and it has a half assed camper interior constructed by a not so skilled carpenter made out of whatever crap was lying around in the yard at the time????
And somehow girls are attracted to this piece of rolling substandard handiwork like bugs to a lightbulb?!!?!?!!

Can anyone enlighten me and change my opinion?
BB

Tue Sep 23, 2008 5:10 pm

jersey lookers are basically the outer limits of VW bus customization. the "jersey look" did for buses what the "mulholland look" did for beetle and what "flo-bee" did for hairstyling. in a word? it revolutionalized the bus world.

typical distinctive jersey looker features include wheelwell flares, either in molded fiberglas or bolt on rubber type, engine scoops, again preferably fiberglas but molded plastic is desirable. top wheel choice is chevy bolt pattern "potato mags" with oversize tires in the rear aka "meat and potatoes" and narrower tires up front. cragar mag wheels are also desirable for the "hot wheels look jersey looker". interior appointments are full shag carpet treatment, including the ceiling of the bus. wood paneling is also acceptable. in most cases hacking out pieces of the bus, particularly structural pieces such as the bulkhead is a big no-no. with the jersey look, it's essential. how else would you get ford thunderbird bucket seats to fit correctly?

the devil lives in the details, right? in this case it's the jersey devil, from deep in the pine barrens. i'm talking 8 ball shifter, hippy-foot gas pedal, small diameter steering wheel, window tints, thought jalousie windows are big. be sure to hack a hole in the roof for a roof vent too!

paint-wise, it's wide open, as long as it's metalflake. you have to have tunes too. 8 tack tapes are best. REO speedwagon, AC/DC and early hairband music will sure to turn on the chicks. some richard pryor live tapes will sure to loosen up the ladies. you know the saying "if you can make 'em laugh, you can make 'em ________" 8)

engine of choice is the dualport 1600. but all tricked out with plenty of see-thru colormatched bugpack accessories like an alternator cover, see-thru distributor cap, colored iginition wires and chromie engine tin, finished with a nice mellow sounding monza exhaust.

let's post some pics!

Tue Sep 23, 2008 7:18 pm

I do believe the revolution has begun!

Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:22 pm

Egads! Do you have to wear a gold chain to drive one of those things?

Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:30 pm

here's a jersey looker in eastern PA. i saw this bus in the mid 90's.

Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:32 pm

ho-dad wrote: Egads! Do you have to wear a gold chain to drive one of those things?

This is America son, we wear many gold chains.

Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:35 pm

And you wonder why fathers hate it if you drive up in a VW Bus.

UZI wrote:

But the basset is cool.

Wed Sep 24, 2008 3:37 pm

KTPhil wrote: And you wonder why fathers hate it if you drive up in a VW Bus.

UZI wrote:

But the basset is cool.

That don't look like no hound, dog!

Wed Sep 24, 2008 4:01 pm

Wed Sep 24, 2008 4:05 pm

crofty wrote: [That don't look like no hound, dog!

I'm talkin' OUTside the Bus.

Wed Sep 24, 2008 4:40 pm

here is the interior of my old jersey looker. sadly, it was scrapped.

Wed Sep 24, 2008 4:49 pm

UZI wrote: here is the interior of my old jersey looker. sadly, it was scrapped.

Fine looking puppy you got there

Wed Sep 24, 2008 5:11 pm

Rob I was sure that was your bus from back in the day!

Wed Sep 24, 2008 6:55 pm

UZI wrote: jersey lookers are

Wow, that description hit the nail on the head (or took a hit and then got nailed as the case may be :) ). If I didn't know you lived the look as hard as anyone on a daily basis, I'd have thunk you copied that right out of the Funk & Wagnells encyclopedia your mom got at the supermarket in 1982.

Touch Nicks Thing has an equally eloquent description in this thread :

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=226066

Touch Nicks Thing wrote:
The Jersey look has been more of a cultural entity than a fad like many of the other genres in bus collecting that have come and will die out with time; hoodride, rat rod, Hawaiian look. The Jersey look not only embodies such amiable traits as classiness, excitement, and sportsmanship, but it also has the thrill of knowing every lady I pass in this beast is soaking her panties. You can’t say that about many other vans. You see, whether it be the gleam in the mags or the gradient of the wheel arches, these vans scream “lets do something dirty tonight,” which as I have been told is a distant cousin to NJ’s real state motto, Dirty Jersey.

From Camden to Atlantic City, up to Newark and back to the Barrens the Jersey look can be seen scooping up the common riff raff from unchic gatherings at the bowling alley, probably hauling Natural Light, and ending the night in park at the landfill overlook. So, from the eight-ball shifter to the Monza muffler and all the way around, the van is reminiscent of your first gold chain won in a claw machine down on the shore, Classy while trashy, New Jersey!

There is not much more I can add description wise at this point other than that with regards to jersey lookers, "if you build it, they will cum."

jersey lookers come in all flavors, here is cherry for example:

Wed Sep 24, 2008 7:06 pm

Thu Sep 25, 2008 1:02 am

mattcuddy wrote:

Touch Nicks Thing wrote:
The Jersey look has been more of a cultural entity than a fad like many of the other genres in bus collecting that have come and will die out with time; hoodride, rat rod, Hawaiian look. The Jersey look not only embodies such amiable traits as classiness, excitement, and sportsmanship, but it also has the thrill of knowing every lady I pass in this beast is soaking her panties. You can’t say that about many other vans. You see, whether it be the gleam in the mags or the gradient of the wheel arches, these vans scream “lets do something dirty tonight,” which as I have been told is a distant cousin to NJ’s real state motto, Dirty Jersey.

From Camden to Atlantic City, up to Newark and back to the Barrens the Jersey look can be seen scooping up the common riff raff from unchic gatherings at the bowling alley, probably hauling Natural Light, and ending the night in park at the landfill overlook. So, from the eight-ball shifter to the Monza muffler and all the way around, the van is reminiscent of your first gold chain won in a claw machine down on the shore, Classy while trashy, New Jersey!

Hmmm, being a Jersey Boy I struggle with some of the generalities made in this definition about NJ. Maybe IF the only NJ you ever saw was from the New Jersey Turnpike it would fit well enough. Get off of that road and start wandering and you will find countryside and small towns that will make you utter the statement "this is Jersey!?!?!" At times it very well could be New England, at other times the open beaches of the Carolinas, at other times the quaint industrial revolution towns of Pennsylvania and at other times you'd think you were in Colonial America. Not saying this is by any stretch of the imagination the best state, BUT, it has many, many states beat to a pulp when you factor in everything and come out with a total score of livability. Just take a look at the lists made by professionals of the best places to live! Out of 50 States they picked 100 towns, NJ got 10 of them leaving only 90 spots for the other 49 States to share! Texas has 13, Maryland has 5, Missouri has 4 and California has 4, Minnesota is #1, which means some States just simply aren't here!

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2008/snapshots/PL2751730.html

5 Franklin Township, NJ 59,150
13 Parsippany/Troy Hills, NJ 52,934
23 Piscataway, NJ 53,903
35 Edison, NJ 101,420
51 Hamilton, NJ 91,749
58 Washington, NJ 52,640
75 Union, NJ 56,092
77 Howell, NJ 52,056
86 Middletown, NJ 67,678
100 Wayne, NJ 55,742

Dave
Jersey initially by Birth, later by Choice and Proud of it!

Thu Sep 25, 2008 1:38 am

jersey pride represent!!

Thu Sep 25, 2008 3:09 am

mattcuddy wrote:

Wow, thats a flash back ! I remember that issue of Hot Vw, probably still have it....

Thu Sep 25, 2008 7:46 am

here's is a tired, half-assed jersey engine...note the huge oil cooler, the oil filter, the inline gas filter, the monza exhaust, the hot pink sticker, the j-tubes, the extra wiring for the extra turn signals

some other jersey look items of note:

aftermarket mirrors
hacked dash for the cassette deck
extra dash switches
homemade bumpers
extra turn signals
stickers

edit: sweet - I was view number 420!

Thu Sep 25, 2008 7:59 am

UZI wrote:

That's f'n beautiful!