I was going through some old nationals photos the other day. There were some pretty inspirational cars around 10 years ago. What racers can you remember?
I liked Jeff Unwin's Hell Bug. He took me for a ride in it one day and it scared the crap out of me. I remember going sideways through a busy shopping centre car park on a Saturday morning.
I also helped push a wild Karman Ghia drag car at the Nationals when they were held at Parklea. That thing was a work of art. I can't remember seeing it race.
I also saw a gun metal grey oval with colour coded cookie cutters at the drags one year. That thing was a rocket but I never knew anything about it and never saw it again.
I think I drew a fair bit of inspiration from that car.
The other standout is Paul Zanallos car but I only saw that in magazines.
Does anyone want to share a memory - hopefully in a bit more detail?
My most memorable moment was quite a few years ago, I was out training early one moning, had to stop at the lights at West Gosford, on the other side in front of the traffic was a little black beetle, I thought it looked pretty cool, the lights went green & this black beetle took off & just went ballistic, it was probably my first experience with a high performance beetle, it turned out to be none other than John Spinks in his hillclimb beetle that was also a daily driver, what a legend.
Then there was the grand opening of Hellbug, at Meranda? I think, many years ago, Steve Mulluer in his 2110cc baby blue beetle & Keith Hausler in his aqua blue 2165cc oval were leaving the BBQ. They both lined up on the edge of the driveway, straight cut gears & ida's buzzing away, when a break in the traffic appeared they both left black tyre marks all the way up the road as far as the eye could see! I was awe struck!
The Karmann Ghia is owned my Mark Calis from Melbourne, its still around but mainly in mothballs while Mark & Henry Spicak run their 350 powerd Sigma Scorpoin drag car.
That was near Katoomba. I used to go and watch just about every weekend. The VWs creamed everthing, some of the drivers were, Ed (Holigan) Muligan, Barry Ferguson, Peter Radke, Peter Mills & Chris Heyer.
Steve
A Racing Car News cover from those days. The purple Bruse Geddes car was driven by the legendary Barry Ferguson and the green Bug In car by Peter Mill.
And who could forget Michele Mouton, drove an Audi quattro rally cars, good looking and the heiress to a perfume comapny, looks pretty, stinks pretty, rich and could drive a car.
Andrew Daley's RS liberty powered notch back in 94 or 95. It would have to of been the first EJ20T powered VW. Back then the engines were over $2500 grand!! thats huge compared to Subi engine prices now. Full credit for thinking outside the square.
Another racing legend (in my mind at least) is John Ladomatos, he's never really won anything, nor ever been the quickest, but he has continually been doing supersprints for more years that I can recall, year after year, rain hail or shine.
He's the reason that I decided to put my car on the track, he's also one of the very few, who drive to the track, race all day, drive home & drive the same car to work the next day, Legend! & he's a nice greek to boot! always willing to answer my questions or anyone elses for that matter, he doesn't consider himself above anyone else, a rare breed in deed. He's also still talking to me despite putting a wrx engine in my car.
Jak
Some of those pictures above are excellent. We could turn this post into a vw version of Australian Muscle Car Magazine.
Somebody above mentioned the Mullers. I don't know which one it was but I've seen video of one of them absolutely caining a beetle around Valla. I think the worked this big dollar stroker until it had a conrod poking out of the block! When it comes to racing those guys have to be the most talked about.
I've attached a picture of the gun metal greay oval that I mentioned at the start of the post. Does anybody know anything about this car. I saw it at the Nationals once and never again.
I got my first beetle serviced at ES Motors in Harboard on Sydney's Northern Beaches. Those guys were nuts on racing beetles.
First there was Bob Mariners red 1960 something beetle. From memory it was dechromed and had a duck tail or a whale tail that suited the early rear apron. It also had chome dragway mags that you'd normally find on a street machine. It also had VW 1375 number plates. Initally I think it did have a 1375 engine but later in it had a stroker and he was doing some smart times around Eastern Creek. I think the car was a feature car in 1 or 2 Australian VW mags over the years. One neat touch I remember is that it used an engine lid latch off a XY falcon or something. It was a really clean and quick car.
I think the other guy who worked there was named Andrew. He had a white 1500 model beetle. He raced this car for a number of years. It had 2 distinguishing features. The first was a rollbar that came down the centre of the back window. The second was 15 inch bathust globe wheels that were fatter at the rear. In later years I think he painted the wheels blue and put a rotary in the back of the car.
Tommi Makkinen (favourite Tommi quote, on being interviewed after finishing a stage in a very quick time "I come as fast as I could, if anyone come faster then they come very fast indeed". )
Ari Vatanen (anyone seen Climb Dance ?).
Juha Kankkunen
Henri Toivonen (died at 1986 Corsica rally in a Delta S4)
Robo wrote:Stan Pobjoy!
Been around for younks and flying the VW aircooled flag!
Rob...😎
Not retired ............ but I know what ya mean. 😉
Larry Perkins is my favorite. I think they changed the regs in Gp A/V8 supercars from holden block to chev block because of the advantages/performance Larry was getting out of the old holden block over the other teams. Could be wrong though.
I thought I was wrong once before, ...... but I was wrong!
VW car, VW engine ...... keepin it "real"
35MPG on 101.3kPa
I met Larry once. A very shrewd businessman and highly competent engineer. Most people would be surprised to find out how many cars Larry Perkins company builds and supports.
Craig Torrens6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion
One of the best eras of beetle racing has to be when beetle's dominated the improved production category in the hill climb championship. There was plenty of competition with you, Jeff Unwin, Greg Ward, Stan, Ben Durie and Grant Cook.
It would be good to see how the likes of Col (black super bug) and Adam (Orange beetle from SA) stacked up against the stalwarts.
What was your best event?
Perhaps you can share a nice story about the Mt Panorama Hillclimb?
CYA CT
esratrams
Craig Torrens6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion
Ready to run the 2005 Hillclimb series, even bought a new race suit and Helmet:thumb
2005 will be the start of beetles yet again dominating the Improved production class. Ben, Grant, Colin,The SA car, another one from Taree, Tony's beetle, and probably Greg Ward are all rumoured to be running.
Hey Birchall, it's no wonder you've made so many posts with incredible insights like that one.
Hi John, welcome to the forum. It will be good to have a voice of reason on here. I hope you stick around.
Hey Craig, are you already practicing your winning speech for the Hill Climb Championship? I've got some thought starters for you:
"I'm just a humble bloke."
"It's the sport that won at the end of the day."
"I'm not going to talk about my engine builder."
