Jim Gaye?? 1970's/1980's VW drag car owner/driver in California

[jick]

so.....one of my BRM's supposedly came from an old 70's drag car....the name of which has been forgotten.

The owner/driver of the car was Jim Gaye, the wheels were sold off and apparently the car is now in a collection in Japan, so immediately I thought of Akira's Bee-haus....I've had a check through of the various magazine and internet threads about that collection but cant find any mention of Jim Gaye.

does anyone remember this guy and his car??.....I'd obviously love to find out a little more!

many thanks....Jick

[JS]

http://articles.latimes.com/1997-03-09/business/fi-36324_1_junkyard-dog

http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php?topic=1349.4785;wap2

http://www.yelp.no/biz/wrecks-west-auto-dismantlers-santa-ana

Could this be anything?

[jick]

Damn JS..... That's fantastic, that's my Wheel alright, Restojohnny sold it to Corey Bloom, who sold it to me.

Welded by  Ron Fleming eh?  Well I suppose that'll do..... Haha!

Any of you California guys remember anything about his car??

Jim Gaye from Wrecks-West Auto Dismantlers Santa-Ana?

[MC Dyno Don]

Jim was a member of DRF of Anaheim and had some nice machines. The last of them was a cool chop top ghia that I sold to Akira from Bee Haus. The engine was a screamer but was badly fatigued from too much compression and was cracked from the 3 cylinder and leaked rather badly. He owns a junk yard in santa Ana after working there for many years and was fortunate enough to eventually own it from hitting it rich a long time ago by winning the lotto.

[jick]

Great stuff there Don!  Many thanks...

If any old DRF guys ( or Fabs?) has any photos of Jims cars that would be super-cool!

[speedwell]

Great stuff there Don!  Many thanks...

If any old DRF guys ( or Fabs?) has any photos of Jims cars that would be super-cool!

hi jick , never heard or remember  something with  a Jim Gaye ,  and not a lot of drf race car where in report and there's no club profile with drf , there's the volkscahncellors , der california kafer , dkp etc
if i found something i will post   

[MC Dyno Don]

For the Loungers not in the know on this one...>>  Early Ghia convert, gutted and chopped...appliance white ext and rather rough but a cool ride. Not much of an interior as I last remember it and it was a poor fit&finish but a cool rider all the well. A worn 48ida powered time bomb with gears and just a "run it" kind of car. I can still remember when after I finished detailing the gem and noticing the pool of oil that had taken residence under the car onto my pristine garage floor/LOL.  It was in fact a 20 minute or 20 block ride until the severe detonation became very apparent from lots of compression. It did have some" worn BRM wheels" that were replaced with something else before the sale. Just your basic no frills ride that looked sweet from 50 feet or so. I doubt if ANYONE has, or had taken any pics of this jewel. You EURO guys really blow my mind with your knowledge of some  early cal look history...thanks for another memory through time for me..!!  Chow..Dyno Don

[jick]

Haha! ..... De nada Dyno Don!

Thanks for the info... I think it's almost more important to hear about the mundane/minutiae rather than the big hitters On the scene....
The everyday little interactions and stories reflect the reality of it all so much better...

[bilboa2]

fyi, I remember jim gay from early dkp2 days at mike dumphys house. Real personable, yet outspoken guy. He had a nice brown car.. 8 spokes , 68 ?? . I also remember seeing a red vert ghia in east anaheim with brms that he was involved with with bob chapman. Car was a little ruff but had the stance  I also remember clyde berg mentioning an excellent set of heads he did for the ghia and seeing it race once at orange county with a couple of quick et's. 1900cc ?? Then heard it was sold to japan. don seems to know the story more. Just can't remember if his dkp2 brown car was a 68 or ??   don ??

[speedwell]

hi Dyno , it's always  nice to have some story from you , remember last time i was at your place , and listening your stoties with interest , time flies  ,

did this ghia was the one , it was from drf

[speedwell]

Bill  i also remember a picture with a late model at the entrance of OCIR and the car was a late model and maybe from DKP II , the car was darker blue or something like that ; but cannot put my hands on the photos
and here's another one with  goldish 8 spokes and stickers look like DKP

[speedwell]

herere's the other ca im talking ,pict came from the 2nd bible

[Sarge]

hi Dyno , it's always  nice to have some story from you , remember last time i was at your place , and listening your stoties with interest , time flies  ,

did this ghia was the one , it was from drf

That looks like Bob Chapman's Ghia, Fabs and was a bad-ass car.  As I recall, the windshield was chopped!

[speedwell]

hi Dyno , it's always  nice to have some story from you , remember last time i was at your place , and listening your stoties with interest , time flies  ,

did this ghia was the one , it was from drf

That looks like Bob Chapman's Ghia, Fabs and was a bad-ass car.  As I recall, the windshield was chopped!

hi bro how're you??
you're may be right , i was remembering a ghia race car from the drf here' on the lounge and that's the one i found , hopefully i've a good memory to know where find the pict

[RhoadsVW]

That is Bob Chapman ghia at OCIR when it was still Bob's.  Sarge is correct that it was very fast.  Was a very light car also.  I think I remember it was a 1700.  69X88.  Not much else I remember about the motor. Bob was a friend of Dave Vanderbeck that helped him.  After seeing the picture again, it's also the picture I took of Bob''s ghia.

[RhoadsVW]

[

[bilboa2]

the pic of the brown car at the ocir entrance is jim gay. The time i saw the vert in east anaheim was a few years before i was in dkp2. I had my flared fendered 63 circa 1974 ??They didnt want anything to do with my beckers flare job car. lol They where pushing the ghia around trying to get it started. I thought the car was red then ? Thinking it was white the last time i saw it race at ocir. thanks

[Sarge]

hi bro how're you??
you're may be right , i was remembering a ghia race car from the drf ....

[/quote]

Doin' good, bro... thanks for posting up that Ghia pic!  Haven't seen Bob C since the first DKP reunion.  Hope he's still out there!

That is Bob Chapman ghia at OCIR when it was still Bob's.  Sarge is correct that it was very fast.  Was a very light car also.  I think I remember it was a 1700.  69X88.  Not much else I remember about the motor. Bob was a friend of Dave Vanderbeck that helped him.  After seeing the picture again, it's also the picture I took of Bob''s ghia.

Amazing how fast 1700's were back then, eh Dave?   I was a Parts Dept. rookie at Renfree back then fresh out of Auto Haus.  Dave Vanderbeck was the shop's dispatcher.
Good times!

[RhoadsVW]

I hear he's still around. I believe doing something with comic art and drawings.  He was really talented with drawings and imagination. Bob Chapman and John Rayburn both very talented for sure!!!!  Bob did a lot of the ralley flyers for DRF.  Every club needs someone like John and Bob.

[bilboa2]

 stumped  ? .... Anyone have an idea of owner of speedwells pic of blue late model with gold 8 spokes ? I talked to goss, billings, griener, etc... (dkp2 guys.) no idea ? maybe even black ??  My memory has been subject...To late of car for dkp 1 ?.... Ok russell, many are posting again....lol

[WCB Hitler's Hot Rod]

I can remember a car similar but it was a dark mustard color with THE HEAD SHOP stickers on the rear quarter windows. Also had gold 8 spokes...my mind isn't as clear anymore. Blah!

[jick]

This is all fantastic stuff guys!  Many thanks!

[Sarge]

Bill  i also remember a picture with a late model at the entrance of OCIR and the car was a late model and maybe from DKP II , the car was darker blue or something like that ; but cannot put my hands on the photos and here's another one with  goldish 8 spokes and stickers look like DKP

http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,97.msg116456.html#msg116456

[speedwell]

Bill  i also remember a picture with a late model at the entrance of OCIR and the car was a late model and maybe from DKP II , the car was darker blue or something like that ; but cannot put my hands on the photos and here's another one with  goldish 8 spokes and stickers look like DKP

http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,97.msg116456.html#msg116456

yes bro it was a pict from you ;-)

[speedwell]

stumped  ? .... Anyone have an idea of owner of speedwells pic of blue late model with gold 8 spokes ? I talked to goss, billings, griener, etc... (dkp2 guys.) no idea ? maybe even black ??  My memory has been subject...To late of car for dkp 1 ?.... Ok russell, many are posting again....lol

bill as Sarge said when he posted that picture that car belong to  Bob Hanke  from DKP II

[MC Dyno Don]

After posting re: the Ghia, I wondered (?) if it use to be Bob Chapman's and after viewing the pic (courtesy/Speedwell), I am almost certain it could be one in the same as the pic with the roll bar was the deciding shot. And Bill,..Jim G's sedan was a 68.   : )

[RhoadsVW]

Yes Don it was Bob Chapman's ghia at the time at OCIR.  I took the picture and it was in DRF at the time.

[Lee.C]

Great to see Mr Rhoads droppin in 

Fantastic stories guys!!!

I am sure I remember reading stories of Bob's Ghia on the street..... Anyone? 

[RhoadsVW]

This has kinda went off course from being about Jim Gaye.  I haven't visited Jim for a while now. Maybe go by and see him next week.  He is still at Wrecks West I believe.  Let go see.   I'll tell him everybody says HI 

[jick]

Do it Dave.... That's a great idea! 

If some query about about a nearly 50 year old wheel gets a couple of old friends together then that's pretty cool!

Cheers.... Jick.