TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:59 pm

Hello all,

I am the former owner of www.shalako-registry.com. The site is no longer up due to issues with the web hosting service. so instead of trying to go through the hassle of setting up another website, i decided that i would rather start a thread about the Shalako/ Shala, with that said...

The Original Shalako was produced by Dick Dean. the Shalako was produced out of Aluminum with a custom tube frame. It was originally equipped with a Porsche engine but was changed to a corvair engine. the original Shalakos where abouts are unknown (if it even still exists today)

based on what little we (my small contingent of Shala enthusiests) have discovered there were multiple models of the Shala, of course the metal Shalako was first, followed by the Shala (VW Based) and Shala (corvair based w/ different rear cover). next was the long nosed Shala. last was the shalavette. there are 6.5 known VW based Shalas and 3 Shalavettes, i have never seen a Corvair based Shala or long nosed Shala.

I have just about every piece of literature concerning the various Shalas if you would like to see any of them shoot me a PM with your email and what your looking for and i will be happy to send you a scan. Also if anyone has any additional information or corrections (we are all human after all) please let me know and i will get the post editied.

I am Having issues getting the images from the online gallery they are in to the samba, so below is a link to the images
http://classicvw.org/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core...=x6496b724

Here is a picture of my Shala

Scotts Shala

Samba member BDS's Shala

Shala out of detroit

Purple Shala

Green Shala (sorry about the blurry picture)

Half a gold Shala believed to be located in Australia

Wed Mar 01, 2006 5:49 am

Will,
Thank you for starting this thread. As you know I have a Shala(ko). Im not sure who made it or what chassis it was made for.
When I got it it was on a Corvair chassis but the engine stuck out past the body. That would make me think it was made for a shortened VW chassis. but the Corvair chassis was shortened as well so it is hard for me to tell.
Can you tell me where an ID plate might be located?

Wed Mar 01, 2006 6:27 am

Yes yours is the same as mine, it is a first run (Stub-nosed) VW based Shala. I have not found any kind of identification plate on any i have examined (all three of them....) there were a handfull produced in the mid 70s by another company, but most were done by Dick Dean, even if you had a generic one there would be no way to tell as there is no markings (that i have found yet at liest)

Wed Mar 01, 2006 9:18 pm

Will,

Thanks for being the bearer of the torch. I just purchased the Shala-vet on E-bay, and I did not know what the car was or the rarity of it. I then started doing a little internet research, and found the history behind it. I actually spoke with Dick Dean last weekend and he confirmed the car as one of his. He stated that he had produced 12 bodies then sold the molds, Four more bodies were then produced and the company went out of business. I am interested in exchanging information on the Shala-vet if you have any. I have ordered the Feburary 1969 Rod & Custom issue on which a Shala car was featured.
Please feel free to call me at: (830) 313-2847

Thanks,

Viv

Wed Mar 01, 2006 9:25 pm

Viv

Wow! that is awsome you were able to talk to Dick Dean about it and he confirmed it. i have only ever seen four (yours included) the other two running around is a white project and a complete red one and yellow one. how complete is yours? please shoot me a PM with you email and i will get some good Press Release photos sent to you. also would it be possible for you to contact Dick again and see how many shalas were produced? i wouldnt guess very many but it would be cool to get the actual number from the horses mouth......
Will

Samba Member Viv1's Shalavette (1 of 3 known)

Red Shalavette

White Shalavette

i am counting this becouse there is a good chance that it is a Shalavette although it looks a little different than the rest

Tue Mar 07, 2006 6:18 am

These cars are in Florida. Is that a Shalavette I see?

http://www.citrusguide.com/tropical2/

Tue Mar 07, 2006 7:31 am

I don't see a Shaalvette in the Florida link. The yellow one is a Bradley, the flat black one at the bottom is a Vokaro. That Maxi Taxi can be worth some decent $$ though, I'd look into that if you can :wink:

Here's a "hungry dog" nose Shalako

Tue Mar 07, 2006 11:50 am

I dont have room for anymore buggies rignt now. If someone is interested, I can probobly get more info. That link was posted on the Manx Club site.

Tue Mar 07, 2006 1:25 pm

Its also in the Classifieds on this site. Under Barn Finds or something like that.

Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:00 pm

O.K. Cool. I didnt know that.

Tue Mar 07, 2006 7:40 pm

Kubel Nick wrote: I don't see a Shaalvette in the Florida link. The yellow one is a Bradley, the flat black one at the bottom is a Vokaro. That Maxi Taxi can be worth some decent $$ though, I'd look into that if you can :wink:

Here's a "hungry dog" nose Shalako

That second picture looks very familiar, oh thats it ! i created that one for the registry, that article came out of 1972 playboy :wink:

There are some very neat Kits on that page. Nick where did you come up with the "hungry dog" name from? can anyone confirm seeing this model in person, or real photos of it

Tue Mar 07, 2006 8:24 pm

I got the "hungry dog" from the same pict but on a magazine article:

Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:00 pm

Hey we would love to host or mirrior this info in the dune buggy archives files on the new site.
The official launch is April 1 2006.
It will have over 200 models ID'd and pages for each one.
A Dune Buggy Registry and much more.
John Shepard

Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:26 pm

Correct me if I'm wrong, but was Frankenstein's car in Death Race 2000 based on a Shala Vette? I'm pretty sure that is what it was, based on how many times I've watched that movie. Obviously, if I were to obtain a Shala Vette, I'd build it as Frankenstein's car. :twisted:

Fri Mar 10, 2006 3:35 pm

The car in Deathrace 2000 is indeed a Shala-vet. Dick Dean called it "Gator's car". The picture of the red and gold Shala-vet on the trailer that Will posted looks like the one that Dick Dean e-mailed me. The picture shows the fabrication of Gator's car

P.S. Will, did you get my last e-mail?

Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:26 pm

Viv.
i think i did and responded but the internet service is bad from over here. if you get a chance to call Dick Dean again, could you please confirm the number of Shalas produced? i think it will be less than 20 but i want to here it from the horses mouth, thanks

Fri Mar 10, 2006 7:21 pm

I keep hearing that 12 Shala vettes were built.

Can someone who owns one make a mold of it and make me a copy? I won't feel so guilty turning a copy into a Death Race 2000 "Gator's car" replica.

Sun Mar 12, 2006 2:57 pm

I posted a couple of pictures of Gator's car on kit car gallery page. I couldn't get the pictures to load directly to the forum. I have a couple of articles on the Shalako and Dick Dean if anybody is interested.

Thanks,

Viv

Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:47 pm

Since someone mentioned the maxi taxi does anyone know what the car is below the maxi taxi that looks similar to the maxi taxi, but does not have opening doors and has a rounded dash/windshield base? I have a body like this that needs a new home if anyone interested.Its rough but repairable.Thanks Brad

Sun Apr 23, 2006 9:41 am

My Shalako body kit is an unbuilt one of the style that has the doors being the windows and top, like most on the thread. The body tub is one piece and the sides curl under to bolt to the frame. I do not have any pictures yet, the body is in storage. I am collecting parts to put it together but have no timetable.