My other off road car

[Joxracing]

we have the POR rally in houghton, just a little drive from my town..

[Sneaks]

That's cool, this car ran the POR back in the day, I'm hoping to soon have pics of it from I think 81 or 82 in the POR.

[Sneaks]

Small update:

I been trying to contact some of the people from the past involved with this car. So far I have been able to reach one who co-drove an event back in 1982. He validates my memory. When I talked to Al all those years ago, I remember him saying the engine in the car was pretty stock but there was a hopped up motor in the garage in NJ. Now, Bill thought the motor in the car was the hi-po one, but as we can see, it really looks like a very stock 1600 with an 009 and replacement Weber. The other co-driver clearly remembers this:

You have to change the lights.
I'll dig up the photo I have and send it to you. The corner workers loved the VW because "it smiled".
The array of driving lights looked like a big smile when it was coming down on them through the dark.
Fantastic find, congratulations. Does it still have the Formula Vee spec. engine with twin down draft Webers?
It had a tremendous amount of torque. When the car was dropped off at my parents house for me to prep, I was amazed at how much torque it had. I didn't have anything to compare it to, as it was the first VW I got to drive


This man now is a senior engineer at a British car aftermarket supplier so I suspect he can tell the difference between the two. Now I'm really itching to get down to NJ to find out what is really in the garage. I'm not sure when the widow is getting back from Europe but I hope it is soon!

[turboblue]

i'm pretty sure that ghias came with two different calipers.....

Yup I think the one is from a T-3/Ghia 66-71 and the one on the car is possibly 72-74.

[Sneaks]

i'm pretty sure that ghias came with two different calipers.....

Yup I think the one is from a T-3/Ghia 66-71 and the one on the car is possibly 72-74.

Thanks! That helps, I know I'm going to have to rebuild these things as well as replace the rotors, at least now I have an idea of where to start.

I can't say I wouldn't be doing this car if it wasn't for the feedback and interest everyone has shared...but it sure does make it special.

I got this from another who co-drove with Al in the 1983 STPR. The more I hear about Al, the more I really wish I had been able to talk to him more, sounds like he was special. I feel like I missed out on something.

"Scott,

I'm glad you got in touch. let me start by saying that I don't think that I have any pictures from the one run I made with Al, I just moved and I am in the middle of scraping through all my old files, rally stuff and pictures, and if I come across anything I'll be happy to send it along to you.

Al was a favorite competitor on mine. He was a quiet guy who rarely talked a lot, but an intense rally driver. The car was everyone's favorite back then. We all were driving various makes and models, but no one had a car that had been fussed and pampered over more than Al's. My roommate in the late 70's, Larry Doolittle, ran a shop that specialized in old bugs in Syracuse ("Bugs Only" - VW threatened legal action over the name as they had copyrighted "Bug" - which became Air Cooled Autos). Larry raced Bugs at dirt tracks around Central NY, so we had an interest in Al's car, and never could believe how tight that shell was, and how fast Al could drive it.

We ran against Al in the NEPRO/NEPRS series for a number of years. The rallies were long-distance events (12 hr rallies were considered short) and Al always seemed to be the victim of some little mistake that his navigator would make at 10 PM, or 1 AM out in the middle of nowhere, calling a left a right or a speed change at the wrong spot, and Al would wind up finishing well, but rarely at the top. He never got tired, never got mad, always seemed ready to try harder than anyone else.

We would all sit around a table after an event telling the usual rally lies, and would have to pry the words out of Al. He'd just show a little smile, shake his head, speak so low that he could hardly be heard, and say that he just didn't quite make it.

I think that I was in-between cars that year. Al was searching around for a navigator and asked, and I jumped at the chance. An opportunity to spend all night running with the master. I was one of the few guys who would sit in either seat just to compete, and I don't think I asked Al which side of the car he wanted me for; I didn't care, I was going to have a chance to spend the trip with a great guy in a great car.

I'll be darned if I can remember what caused us to DNF, but, it seems that we took a shortcut through a curve, hit a rock that split an oil line. We only got about three stages in and we were done. The car couldn't be repaired in time (this being the old days when services were every four or five stages apart) and we were time-barred. The only thing I remember after that is, since the breakdown occurred early, I went to a spectator area to watch the event in my driving suit, then went and worked with the Central New York stage crew, starting the cars on at least one night stage.

I had hit the triple: competitor, spectator, and worker, on the same event.


You have yourself one sweet ride. I'm sure the years have been unkind to the car. Al will be looking over your shoulder when you go to restore it. He had hundreds of hours on that car, always did things right when he fixed it, took a lot of pride in the car and his driving. We all knew he had one hand tied behind his back running against most of the cars he rallied with but his skill made it equal. I know that we went down a lot of dirt roads trying to catch that little orange Bug, but was always fast enough to stay in front (this was before Time Allowances were a common part of rallying).

And, the day that I ran in it might have been the only time that car DNF'd.

Thanks for the walk down Memory Lane. I will check with the Central New York crew (I'll see some folks tonight) and if we have anything I'll be in touch.

Frank"

Just thought you all might be interested in this.

[bugninva]

Scott, I'm *really* enjoying this story as it unfolds... I know the term is over used, but this really is "cool as s-h-i-t"....



EDIT: was a victim of the censors!

[Sneaks]

Wait until you see the pictures I got tonight. A slew of vintage action shots from when the car was new (and I mean glossy-paint-and-pretty NEW) up into the 80s. I have to resize the pics cuz they bitmap scans. I'll post them up tomorrow. Also found out the car was rolled at one point and got a roof clip, which explains a couple of things I was wondering about. I'll explain more when I post the pics.

[bugninva]

I bet you are giddy as a schoolgirl! can't wait to see the action shots!

[typ4]

That setup is Ghia, type1, the other caliper you have is a larger one off of , if I understand my guru correctly, a type 4 or really late type3. I also have some of those larger ones.

[Sneaks]

That setup is Ghia, type1, the other caliper you have is a larger one off of , if I understand my guru correctly, a type 4 or really late type3. I also have some of those larger ones.

Ok, so which one is which? The one in my hand I know is off I Ghia cuz I helped pull it, the one on the car is from a T3 or 4? Jan asked me how many pins it had, I didn't know at the time but it has two, does that help ID any? What about having 2 bleeders?



Funky apron cutout. It looks like it is factory, the edge is rolled and everything.



I was reading a thread some place about venturing off without a good selection of tools...then I found the toolkit for the car



I was asked about the vertical tubes on the strut brace, they are to mount a second spare like so. They are threaded for lugnuts as well.



30+ year old Bilsteins...still damp the rebound nicely too.



Ok, on to the vintage pics. When I first opened them up, I got really concerned because in several of the shots, the car clearly has a sunroof and the one sitting in my garage does not. Bill explained that he thinks it was in the late 70s but might have been the early 80s, they were supposed to run a TSD event but had to withdraw because the car had rolled and was down for a while getting a roof clip and new doors mounted. He also pointed out to me in the front of the owners manual under the warranty section, you can just barely make out the purchase date of something-1973 with mileage of 44 miles with a note in parentheses it says 'Al's new toy'.Phew. Looking over the pics, it is fun to watch the changes as lights moved around and went from being mounted on the bumper to their own mounts, trim slowly disappeared, the hood evolved, etc. Bill thinks the 'RALLYE' stripes came for an old Talbot or Peugeot. He seems to remember Al bring them back from a trip to France but since it wasn't important at the time, he really isn't sure.

When it was shiny new.



He looks so proud



The guy in the background looks like he's skating



Zoooooomieeeees!



This one is just badass. I love this shot.



The rest of them.

[turboblue]

Way cool pics.......



The two bleeders allows the caliper to be mounted on either side.
A bleeder is always up that way.

Got a better pic of the unknown caliper?

[Sneaks]

...as a matter of fact...



disregard the Ghia one in my hand



These help any?

Thanks!

[fusername]

not bad for a super!

way cool pics and the receipt is just icing. You just need to trailer it to transporter fest and put a collection tin infront of it.

[Sneaks]

Thought I'd share this as well, this is from a similar thread over on the rally site I frequent and been getting some really great information from. Paul is a former co-driver, Bill and Jimmy are both contemporaries of Al and Paul, all of the are extremely knowledgeable as well as very, very helpful. Here it goes:

Funny you mention that, I started thinking more on the radio since you mentioned it a while back. When Bill was over last night he agreed the radio I got wasn't anything like he remembered in it. 'It had this big dial that you could click around but we usually left it in one spot. Al's played with it, not me.' That, like you say, sounds like a CB. I remember those days...CW McCall and 'Convoy', 'White Line Fever', Kris Kristopherson and that Bellafone lady driving big trucks...Nice thing is I can find a period CB at a yard sale or flea market all day long for under $10! Rallycat66 is sending me some accurate decals and I have a person from another forum whose sister is a vinyl sign maker that is going to reproduce some of the ones I can't get otherwise.

I trust you noted the amber lights pointed out to light out the edges of the road.

I wish I could claim I did notice that...but I'd be lying. Now that you mention it I do, and it makes sense. Thanks!

The grids in the trunk should be headlight protectors. There should be little clips mounted to the headlight doors (rims).

I found a few of them floating around in the spare well, thought that might be what they were for so glad to have the confirmation.

I agree that the radio was probably a CB radio although I don't remember it. That definitely is me codriving in the one Pic of #28. I am a big guy with a beard and have an orange helmet.

Cool! Ok, so I've figured (ok, Paul figured out) all the #28 pics from Criterium Molson are him.

Checking the records at Rally Racing News, I think might be Paul Bengels, Brooklyn, NY from the 1975 Wonder Happiness is Sunrise. I'm guessing this since I can't find any other time it ran with #33, it is definitely nighttime and it looks ike it is early in the career of the car based on the lack of black hood, and I can vaguely see the Wonder Muffler decals.


The #49s from 1978 POR are Harry Handley, like this one:


#26, possibly the 1980 POR with Randy Graves?


1976 Sunriser 400 FR with Jim Damerell? (the Manta behind it reminds me of my old Opel...I should have kept that car)


This one plus the #41 where it is still a nice new shiny Bug is Bill Todd, I recognize him easily, though I don't know the events.


The other ones, I don't know yet, but I'm aiming to ID them all if I can. I've been in contact with Bill and Paul (of course) as well as Kelvin Dodd and Frank Beyer. I know that Harry Handley is no longer with us and Bruno Kreibich is not well. I'm not sure about the rest, it does appear Rod Hendricksen is still active:

Randy Graves Matawan, NJ
Jim Sweeney Cleveland, OH
Gordon Brown Doylestown, OH
Jim Damerell Bronx, NY
Paul Bengels Brooklyn, NY
Scott Hughes Summerville, NJ
John Bain
Robert Gomez Roslyn Heights, NY
Walter Koper Dallas, TX
Arthur Mendolia Suffern, NJ
Rod A. Hendricksen Clinton, NJ
Jan Beveridge Ft. Worth, TX

Scott,

I believe all the shots with the number 28 are from the Criterium Molson, which I ran with Al. Note that the first picture with number 28 (the one with the car on the trailer). In that pic the car had an exhaust system with the muffler mounted horizontally behind the bumper. This is the reason for the larger exhaust cutout in one of your first pictures. This didn't work very well on the Criterium, since we had to fix the exhaust in the parc firme in a parking garage in downtown Montreal before we could continue for the second day.

I was so hoping you'd post, Paul. Thanks! I kind of figured it might have something to do with the aftermarket exhaust. What threw me off was the quality of the modification. The radius is smooth and the edge rolled just like the factory side. Whoever did it, did a nice job. Since I got the pics I've been sitting there going 'Hmm, now I recognize Bill in this pic (can't miss the beard) but I wonder which one is Paul (or Frank or one of the other co-drivers).' It's been fun, kinda of like a Where's Waldo but with rally pictures:)

As Paul noted, the larger cut-up on the left is not factory. I worked for a VW dealer about that time and the cut-out were always symetrical. Paul would be the person to ask about the gutter mount antenna in those shots. My guess is a CB antenna. That would have been about the time of the big CB craze in the states. At least at one time, the rules were different in Canada regarding CB use. Comes from an experience at Canada Customs in the 60's.

Scott,

Gordon Brown is still a friend of mine. I believe Jim Sweeney passed away several years ago.

Sweeney of Hamilton & Sweeney of SAAB fame? That's my recollection, also.

Scott Hughes is Patty Hughes' dad (Patty co-drove for Gail Truess, and was (is?) one of the pace car drivers, along with Gail, for whatever CART is know as this week). Ran into him a "couple" years ago at a rally.....

press on,

I'd agree #26 photo is from a POR. I'm thinking 82 though. Mary Jo Czyzio and the late Gary Hays were co-chairs and got the reflective arrows made up for the event. Kinda of a lime green with a white reflective edge. The arrows survived for a year or two longer. I think nowdays they MIGHT make it through the running of a stage before vanishing into a trunk. I've got 1 and 1/2 salvaged from a later event.
If I remember, the event was Pro-Rally (tm) of the year and Gary and Mary Jo won a trip to the RAC, courtesy of SCCA. That was also the first event in the USA to use Stage Captains.

Yes, Jim Sweeney of Hamilton/Sweeney/Saab. When I saw the pic of #26, I had the idea it was from an earlier year because of the Cooper Tire Windshield banner. By the late 70's Al was running Pirellis. So unless he had to run the windshield banner because of event sponsorship, I think the 26 pic is from before 1978.

Also the license plate 548 IDP is the same as the Pic with the Bardahl Winshield banner which you say is an early year.

Thanks for the information. Ok, I'm going to see if I can figure out a rough timeline, I'm having fun! Let me know what you think.

This has to be early and the earliest I have in the collection so far. It just looks NEW. Lights mounted directly on the bumper, no front plate or holes for a front plate, shiny paint, chrome headlight rings, etc.



1975? All the above points still valid, number matches Rally Racing News results and Wonder Muffler decals. YZO 438 plate.



This is the POR in the 70s? Still has body color hood, lights mounted on bumper, etc. Looks like all #49 pics are this event




We know this is the 1977 Criterium Molson because it is Paul. Black hood, lights now have mounts, plate# 330 ENG. Looks like all #28 pics are this event.





note the RALLYE decals now along the bottom of the car, which puts it probably around or after 1980 because of the stripes and because....

This pic, 1980 from Paul. Note black headlight rings, hood, stripes, spats on the leading edge of rear fenders, Pirelli decal. Plate now 158 IDP.



Bill thinks this one is from 84? 85? He thinks it might be from the 24 Houres of Mexico, that is him in the co-driver seat but he forgets the year. Plate is 158 IDP.



This one? Could be early 80s, plate is right, colors are right. Interesting to note Cooper Tires and no Pirelli that I can see. Only pic with this number I have so far.



The last I KNOW the car ran was in 1986 which is when Bill stopped running. The last event I know of is the Alcan in 1986. The last time the car was street legal was 94-95, the safety inspection sticker expires in 95 and the insurance card I found is good through Dec 1995. Currently it still has the 158 IDP plate but has Uniroyal on the sides...the tires (including the spare) are Dunlops.

Also, the significance of the 'FA' on the car at different times? I know Al's wife is Fernie, is it 'F' and 'A' for Fernie and Al or is it for some other reason? It isn't on the car in all the pictures but comes and goes over the years. It is not on the car now.

I'm having fun learning about the history so thanks for all the input\speculation!

[/i]

[John W. Kelly]

Very cool!