McClure 9s beetle from seventies

With Turbo and Super charging you can create massive horsepower with vw motors.
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Nick Wharton
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Post by Nick Wharton »

JOe, I saw reason for the first deleted post, as I would turn in my grave to have my personal life talked about, but why did the others get deleted? I don't understand why you or your brother make a post, then it dissapears. I would have emailed you this question, but others have asked the same. Thanks
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Joe Sumen
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Post by Joe Sumen »

Nick Wharton wrote:JOe, I saw reason for the first deleted post, as I would turn in my grave to have my personal life talked about, but why did the others get deleted? I don't understand why you or your brother make a post, then it dissapears. I would have emailed you this question, but others have asked the same. Thanks
Nick...How can I respond?...I've posted more than 500 times since becoming a participant of this forum, in addition to the 130 something since the others dissapeard...The majority of those posts offering free and valuable information....I believe this forums purpose is to allow a free and valuable exchange between those who know, and those who need to know. I have NO power over those which, for whatever reason, choose to "edit" our contributions....Bill, my brother, is very well versed in todays automotive technology. Many times, he'll post on my behalf only to have it vanish....Why?....I'd like to know......Fact is...It does.... We (Bill and I) have NO axe to grind with anyone...We're here contributing...NOT...because we need to....Lord knows we already have SO much to contend with....But because we want to. Your guess is as good as ours....
capsoval
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Post by capsoval »

I think ,that in respect to those how know what I am referring to, that this post should be locked. What is written so far is enough and shouldn't be enlightened on any more than it has. Legends and pioneers should be remembered that way, like someone who knew something that no one else did, like if they had an understanding that others could only guess about. Why did Bob's car "work".....because he knew what he was doing. He understood every aspect of his car from bumper to bumper, and he treated it as so. What we don't need is some wise ass kid coming across this thread and saying something neg. without knowing whats "really" going on here. Heros' come and go.....but Legends never die.
My Turbo Build>> http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic ... 9&t=122882
480whp/300wtq>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-RvkpiTmr4
Special Thanks to 55superbeetle, Jeff @ 40Thirteen fabrication
69baja
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Post by 69baja »

Joe,

I was also a crewmember back in the day but with Insanity Racing (Jim Abdon, Bob's brother-in-law). I don't remember the same motor configurations listed in this thread, what I recall was a 2 liter w/hilborn injection on alcohol.

All,

By the way, it wasn't cancer. The side of a mountain jumping up in front of his plane in the Palm Springs area was the culprit.

Rich.
69baja
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Post by 69baja »

Joe,

Thank you for your response. What demon is living on this forum that eats Joe's posts (another one gone)? It was fun going to OCIR (Orange County International Raceway for those of you who don't live in So Cal) in the back of a Turboed GMC motor home that could light up the tires and pull through an intersection faster than a passenger car while towing a race car.

All,

By the way Bob's cars name was Little Leroy.

Rich
69baja
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Post by 69baja »

Muffler Mike,

Did you know that before BAE was BAE in Torrance, it was Bob's muffler on Manhattan Beach Blvd. in Lawndale?

Rich
da-bug
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found the car

Post by da-bug »

well called bob at pele bug. gave me the run down on the car. it must of been a sight to see in its day. as Art said motor had trouble but thats vw history. Told Bob at pele bug i wanna see the car. He said the paint is almost as good as new and still pretty much the same since bought.

lets here more about the car......................
CHAZAVW
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Post by CHAZAVW »

JOE,

You rock..... I agree with Eddie's post...... You are the man....... :D

Tanks for all the knowledge that is shared to us all......

-Rob
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Joe Sumen
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Post by Joe Sumen »

69baja wrote:Joe,
I was also a crewmember back in the day but with Insanity Racing (Jim Abdon, Bob's brother-in-law). I don't remember the same motor configurations listed in this thread, what I recall was a 2 liter w/hilborn injection on alcohol.

All,

By the way, it wasn't cancer. The side of a mountain jumping up in front of his plane in the Palm Springs area was the culprit.

Rich.
Hello Rich,
I tend to recall Jim....I believe you folks also had a 'boed bug and were relatively close-by is that correct?....My involvement with Bobs car was limited. Mark Zolkieweicz was the lead man on that thing, a real, REAL bright guy who Bob yanked off of "prototyping" systems and spending time on his toy, one of many (remember Bobs formula 3000 car?)...I remember the car as being "Larry" then "Shemp" (from the 3 stooges) and something else before "Leroy". I don't know how "Leroy" even came about...Mark and I became fast friends and after all these years we still are, though these days he's up in Canada doing very well. As I recall, the car was purchased from "Bear" Litz, Ray Litz'(competition engineering Altadena, Ca) son in law, naturally aspirated. I DO know it went through many iterations of artificial aspiration (carbed/turboed which I messed with) before Bob brainstormed and decided on pulling out all of the stops and going berserk with it which I wasn't a part of. That was Marks responsibility. I had executive orders of exemption (EOE's) criteria to satisfy with our systems in order to make them legal for sale.. Many of which were only 49 state EOE'd....Still, I believe we were offering close to 20 kits! back then.......

Many times, I accompanied Mark to various places picking up stuff for that thing, when time allowed. When talking to Marty the other day, the first things that came to mind were....It was injected (Enderle) on alcohol...never even came close to 50lbs boost...Exploded more than any contraption I'd ever seen before, or since. Heads and rods weren't Scat (though it grenaded so often that at one time they could have been), and though the crank may have been an Okrassa at one time, it certainly wasn't when I left. Rods were carrillo...Heads were Fukaya...and the crank was either a berg counterweighted or DeMello or some such thing. It certainly wasn't a 64mm crank the last time I saw it.
Matter of fact it just could have been a "hank the crank" Ed Pinks rework of a VW forging, since I recall going there on Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood with Mark to pick a crank up. Also, I don't recall any roller valve train. I remember going to Jack Engle's with Mark and either he couldn't, or wouldn't grind a cam to his specs, but "Erson" would, so his cam was used for one or two outings before the 2 piece "eaton" lifter cup retainer let go and the motor blew the 1-2 bank head clean off...After that, I recall picking up some wazoo bumpstick from Chet Herbert (remember him?) who specially ground a cam up for Bob/Mark...Also, Joe Hunt wound the magneto coils. That I remember cuz we had a helluva time finding Ardmore Blvd.(that was his shops location) in L.A....

Certain, and few things stand out but that was well over 25 years ago and my memory just doesn't have the capacity to recall everything from back then.. Pleasure discussing Bob and his escapades with you, Art and others though..Rekindling memories are at times fun while at the same time rather painful....

It's a bummer when mountains pop out in front of you while in flight.....

Rich....Art....Hope life is treating you well....Thanks for the memories...
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Frallan
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Post by Frallan »

It's been said before on this thread and I repeat, Thanks Joe for sharing!

It's makes so much sense to hear about the testing of different components and that the engine did fail in order to try something new.
I have been VW dragracing since 1978 with N/A, turbo, S/C and nitrous in all different kinds of combos and who doesn't break a part or two in order to have progress? Anything else is quite rare...........
How the name little Leroy came about is at least mentioned in the article but what have we learned, don't trust anything 100% in articles like these. Maybe the pictures are fairly accurate.
Hearing that the car is garaged in Hawaii was quite exciting to hear.
Thanks Joe and anyone else that is willing to share the history with good taste.
Please do not lock the thread and do not edit/delete.
.48idaspecial
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Post by .48idaspecial »

hey sumen what ever happened with those bitchin rsr motors man? i thoguht by now id see a couple of em at least at drag day or something. :D
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Frallan
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Post by Frallan »

Just have to bump this one.
It is such nice history of a legend.
Maybe it could inspire someone to build a similar engine and car?
Short stroke a lot of boost and start by tickling it with nitro. No, not the modern gas nitrous but the real time nitromethane.
It will more or less force you to build it with a continous injection like Hilborn and go old style.
NICE!

No one?
Heck, then I will have to do it some day. I am already dreaming it....who knows, maybe one day?
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yvre
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Post by yvre »

Thanks for bumping that one.
The links to the bigger pictures are dead though...
Do you still have them?
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Frallan
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Post by Frallan »

I have them as scanned article.
I can post pictures but how to post it like Wesayso did, no idea.
Will e mail you a set.
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droptop
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Post by droptop »

I would love to read that article if you don't mind sending it my way also.
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