San Francisco/Bay Area VW history, clubs, people, cars....etc.

[Jim Ratto]

Anybody have good old memories? I know VW scene wasn't as fertile as So Cal, but guys like Tony Wilkie,  RACEHEAD and Larry M...   must have some growing pains stories...
Name some VW clubs that were around in the last 20 years or so in Bay Area...  and maybe street racing stories, Baylands stories, etc...

Pictures woudl be cool too..... (hint to kafercup!)

[rick m]

Jim,

A little known racer in 71-72, Ray Vallero (a mechanic at NIELLO VW) in Carmichael (outside Sacramento), was running 11.40s with his H/Gas sedan. Ray was an innovative and talented friend. He was an excellent machinist and fabricator. His first drag bug, BUG-IRON, was something I was able to pick up later. Here is a shot of it at Sacramento Raceway in 1972 with the halibrand spokes on a tube axle, DEANO rear wheels, etc.  It had a 2180cc HILBORNE Injected motor, with an SPG roller crank.  I became good friends with RAY who did my machine work for several years in the early 70's.

The foot bridge behind the nose of the bug was what you had to use to walk over the start up road that ran behind the starting line bleachers on the south side of the Sacramento Raceway starting line.  It is where the FUEL Dragsters were push started and they would go around the back of the south side of the tower and make a sharp right hand turn to stage by the starting line. It was this same time period 71-72 where there was an NHRA points race at Sac and Vittone, Andrews (Modified Compacts with angle port stock heads) and many other H and I gas sedans were in attendance. What a fun time that whole era was!

Rick Mortensen

[Rennsurfer]

Wow, Niello is still going strong? COOL! That's an old VW dealership that's been supporting the scene for many decades. I was in my local VW shop, this morning, buying parts while admiring the vintage Niello chrome license plate frame behind the sales counter. Love to have one of those for my collection.

Carry on. Sorry to intrude.

[speedwell]

it looks like similar to LIL SNORT
the front wings were different and the front beam too

[Jim Ratto]

Jim,

A little known racer in 71-72, Ray Vallero (a mechanic at NIELLO VW) in Carmichael (outside Sacramento), was running 11.40s with his H/Gas sedan. Ray was an innovative and talented friend. He was an excellent machinist and fabricator. His first drag bug, BUG-IRON, was something I was able to pick up later. Here is a shot of it at Sacramento Raceway in 1972 with the halibrand spokes on a tube axle, DEANO rear wheels, etc.  It had a 2180cc HILBORNE Injected motor, with an SPG roller crank.  I became good friends with RAY who did my machine work for several years in the early 70's.

The foot bridge behind the nose of the bug was what you had to use to walk over the start up road that ran behind the starting line bleachers on the south side of the Sacramento Raceway starting line.  It is where the FUEL Dragsters were push started and they would go around the back of the south side of the tower and make a sharp right hand turn to stage by the starting line. It was this same time period 71-72 where there was an NHRA points race at Sac and Vittone, Andrews (Modified Compacts with angle port stock heads) and many other H and I gas sedans were in attendance. What a fun time that whole era was!

Rick Mortensen

Wow, that is cool old history, I've never seen pictures of that car.

[Tony M]

Lets go back into the early 70's with the one club from Oakland that i remember - The Ice Wagons, all black car club. Wish i still had pictures of there cars.  Big on flaired glass fenders, hood, and deck lid's. Cars had a good rake to them. Most ran Ansen type rims, 13in in front and 15in in rear. All had Big motors - 2180cc w/ IDA's. Wild paint jobs, Metal flake, Flames, Shag interiors, velvet, ect...  They all would come down to the shop in San Leandro in a pack. When working at Buggy House in the 80's still had a few club members that were still into the VW's and came in to buy parts and shoot the shit. Had an old club tee shirt for a long time - will try to see if my dad still has it - if he does will post a picture.

[Jim Ratto]

Tony, do you remember any clubs from the 80's.... I can remember West coast V-Dubs but I think the majority of their cars weren't performance minded, they were more of the hot-pink, mirrors under the pans ilk.

[Tony M]

Jim i only remember 1 other clud and that was DKL - Der Kliner Lowen - mostly a beed drinking club - it was Big Mark, Tall Kevin, Kevin's HOT SISTER!!!!! - and me - a few others - mostly people that came into BH at that time - WCVW's were later - i never got into that club. We did make a few runs to Bug-o-Rama - had a tent w/logo banner - lot's of beer - but thats all that i remember 

[Jim Ratto]

Tony! That's right, I forgot about Big Mark's club Der Kleiner Lowens

Most of the guys had high CR, 48IDA stuff, if I remember right. From the era of when Mark was at Small Car

I think he told me it was back then he went for a ride in some guy's Bug, 1835, K8, 48IDAs and they got into a stoplight battle with a Mustang or something. I remember the jist of the story was Mark built an identical motor because of how fast his buddy's car ran.

I think Jeff Madden was in DKL too.... RIP. Mark or Jeff showed me a club flag they used to run on their antennas. Back then, early 1990's, Mark was still manager @ BH, we'd stay around the shop after work.... Sheep, Javier, myself and Mark and we'd sit around and talk about starting a small high perf VW club.... back then nothing happened... we did come up with some Germanic name... Der Grosen Fier or something like that (The Big Fours). Couple of other guys we wanted to recruit were PEte Staat, J. Popper and this guy in Alameda, Roger, with his white '67 (2276cc, SPG crank, Super Flows)

Later in 1994 the urge to start a high perf VW club came up again and three of us sat one night and drank a pile of beer and actually planted the seeds... and got the basics down.....   

[Tony M]

See i can still spark  things up - jeff and kyle - a few others - little frank w/ his 67 ( not sheep ) bobby the painter. there were more after i left BH that i did not know. Dont forget Kevins SISTER !!!!!! Sorry i had the hots for her, and many others that came into BH - had a lot of GOOD TIMES late when working on the race car by my self 

[Jim Ratto]

..... and that night the three of us, Sheep, myself and Sean Dorman, sat in Sheep's dad's place, on a hot Friday night in Aug 1994 and wathced a copy of the DKP 1 reunion tape, from 1990. First time we had seen many of the DKP's stuff from back  then and we were gape-mouthed and pretty buzzed off cheap beer. For me it was pics of Aronson's white '63 and a red '67 with BRM's and a brown split with BRM's that got me going. years later,  plus all the energy these guys displayed, rallies, racing, partying, etc... stuff the three of us wanted to do. Frank and myself were already very interested in traditional Cal Look stuff, and now even more so....and already were running the big cc IDA motors in our '67's.... so a club was pretty much inevitable. There were other guys we knew from college and BH that were running around and seemed to fit what we wanted to do... kafercup Derek, Bates, a few others... SODA...etc. So one night we all met up @ alehouse and it was a go....  

[kafercup]

..... and that night the three of us, Sheep, myself and Sean Dorman, sat in Sheep's dad's place, on a hot Friday night in Aug 1994 and wathced a copy of the DKP 1 reunion tape, from 1990. First time we had seen many of the DKP's stuff from back  then and we were gape-mouthed and pretty buzzed off cheap beer. For me it was pics of Aronson's white '63 and a red '67 with BRM's and a brown split with BRM's that got me going. years later,  plus all the energy these guys displayed, rallies, racing, partying, etc... stuff the three of us wanted to do. Frank and myself were already very interested in traditional Cal Look stuff, and now even more so....and already were running the big cc IDA motors in our '67's.... so a club was pretty much inevitable. There were other guys we knew from college and BH that were running around and seemed to fit what we wanted to do... kafercup Derek, Bates, a few others... SODA...etc. So one night we all met up @ alehouse and it was a go.... 

Hey!! That's the good old Raymond road 1/4 mile where many a muscle car puttered away with its tail between its legs after being eviscerated by a little 4 cylinder bug motor

[lawrence]

I like this post. It is cool to know that there was a budding hi-po vw scene in the bay area when I was just a little kid. Now im doing the same thing with my beetle, street racing and such, but there are zero guys my age that are into the look. That pic of the two beetles lined up is very cool. If it was taken in B&W it could pass as a scene from rural socal in the early 70s.

[Tony M]

When you go down that same road today it looks the same - I still live in Livermore - had my baja out there at times doing "carb checks"  - still  a lot of guys go out there - major burn marks in the road - some posi and some not

[Brian Silva]

About 10 years back or so, a club starte din San Jose called blitzkrieg vw's. Had a great turn out for years. Once the club got bigger, there would be 25-30 vws on an average thursday night. Was pretty cool to see a lot of people with the same interests. I remeber we were hanging out one night and Mr. Ray Schubert was driving Larry McKenzies red cal-looker. Roasted the tires leaving the street painted with black stripes. Nothing like the sound of a big motor with ida's. Now Im in Discovery Bay looking to meet people associated with VW's. So, if your out here, let's get together!

[Jim Ratto]

About 10 years back or so, a club starte din San Jose called blitzkrieg vw's. Had a great turn out for years. Once the club got bigger, there would be 25-30 vws on an average thursday night. Was pretty cool to see a lot of people with the same interests. I remeber we were hanging out one night and Mr. Ray Schubert was driving Larry McKenzies red cal-looker. Roasted the tires leaving the street painted with black stripes. Nothing like the sound of a big motor with ida's. Now Im in Discovery Bay looking to meet people associated with VW's. So, if your out here, let's get together!

Brian you should look up Jason Cross aka "peeps" 

[MVAL]

Hi,
I just joined this site and I have some information about Ray Vallero.  Ray lives in Colfax, CA and has a Machine Shop and Repair facility in Auburn, CA. Vallero's Auto Repair & Machine Shop.  He still works on many performance engines and does machine work for Rocklin Harley Davidson's Pro Stock Motorcycle.  Matt Guiderra rides the bike and they won thier first race out this year at Gainsville, FL and was runner up at Houston, TX the second race out. Ray isn't racing at this time but he builds Bonniville motors and motors for vintage race cars also.

Marty Vallero

[Jim Ratto]

..... and that night the three of us, Sheep, myself and Sean Dorman, sat in Sheep's dad's place, on a hot Friday night in Aug 1994 and wathced a copy of the DKP 1 reunion tape, from 1990. First time we had seen many of the DKP's stuff from back  then and we were gape-mouthed and pretty buzzed off cheap beer. For me it was pics of Aronson's white '63 and a red '67 with BRM's and a brown split with BRM's that got me going. years later,  plus all the energy these guys displayed, rallies, racing, partying, etc... stuff the three of us wanted to do. Frank and myself were already very interested in traditional Cal Look stuff, and now even more so....and already were running the big cc IDA motors in our '67's.... so a club was pretty much inevitable. There were other guys we knew from college and BH that were running around and seemed to fit what we wanted to do... kafercup Derek, Bates, a few others... SODA...etc. So one night we all met up @ alehouse and it was a go.... 

Hey!! That's the good old Raymond road 1/4 mile where many a muscle car puttered away with its tail between its legs after being eviscerated by a little 4 cylinder bug motor

Same road where Ed out ran the cops that night...  oops forgot, you're a cop now. 

Good old Raymond Road. Every Friday night you could find a street race out there. The road got gradually less black the farther away you got from starting line. The night with the hayseed in the Mustang should go down in VW history. I can't believe I got away after the cops were SITTING there waiting for the next pass... 
I always thought Patterson was the place to get busted.... I had to outrun a "labcop" out there one night, without my fan belt on....  poor motor.

[Tony Wilkie]

Hummmmmmmmm Bay Area memories..............
I would say. DON'T give Mr. Ratto your business fax number  That guy is one hell of an artist with a cartoon drawing flare! But, faxes came through my machine for days   
I still have some of his artwork framed on my office walls.
The best was an auto-craft ratio rockers, valves, & spring combo. Can you say valve float rocker side play dilemma explotion 

Some of Jim's artwork should be included in Seume new book 

tw

[Rick Meredith]

Hummmmmmmmm Bay Area memories..............
I would say. DON'T give Mr. Ratto your business fax number  That guy is one hell of an artist with a cartoon drawing flare! But, faxes came through my machine for days   
I still have some of his artwork framed on my office walls.
The best was an auto-craft ratio rockers, valves, & spring combo. Can you say valve float rocker side play dilemma explotion 

Some of Jim's artwork should be included in Seume new book 

tw

I hate to steal Marks graphic but ....

[Tony Wilkie]

ah man...I would have to take it out of the picture frame.
I'm sure Ratto could draw us up something 

tw

[Jim Ratto]

oh man..... a whole new topic for Lounge.... the BH faxes

 

Thanks ALOT Tony....hahahahahaaa



we should ahve set side play on those rockers to 0.00000000000000000001" like we've been "taught" 

[Dick Mitchell]

I always thought Patterson was the place to get busted.... I had to outrun a "labcop" out there one night, without my fan belt on....  poor motor.

Me Gilbert and Zenjoe weren't as lucky... 

[my65rhd]

Wow this brings back LOTS of memories. I started hanging out with the DKL back in 81 or 82. My brother Jeff had our families 68 Bus. I have a DKL flag still that I got from Jeff. I remember bbq's on D Street in Hayward...I do remember Bobby,John, Centerline John of Castro Valley, Frank with the white 67. Didn't Kevin's sister have a blue euro 60?  I have a pic in front of me with my brother,Mark and Kevin at a show in Merced back in the day. I need a scanner. Was Niel with the red convertible out of Hayward I think in DKL? Carlos with a maroon oval rag out of Hayward. Another club was the Bay Area VW Association. I joined Tri-City V-Dubs in 1983...Whew I am winded from thinking    Kyle

[jpperf]

Jim, how can you forget the infamous "Foothill Cal VWs", led by legends such as "Thumpin Ed" and "Slammin Lou".  I will try to drum up some old pics of my car with the window painted.

If I remember right, wasn't West Coast run by that tall ass chick with the gi-normous rack?

JayP

[my65rhd]

I couldn't get into the Foothill club. My Notch at the time had a few shades of primer and they said they only wanted cars with one color...I sure do remember those two guys.   I was in West Coast V-Dubs which was fun also. I was the treasurer. The presidents name was Robin. I think the highlight of the first club I was in..Tri-City V-Dubs was when I became eligible to become a member and taking my car to this guy (cant remember his name) and he hand painted the logo on my back window of my high school Notch. I felt on Cloud 9.

My friend Steve's Notch.. you can sort of see the logo


8 Notchbacks at one meeting

[speedwell]

funny to see the different height

[my65rhd]

ya stock Type 3's were so dang high. Mine was the white one with the oval euro plate. I bought that from Chris Huvey that owned the silver baja ragtop lowered..WOW thats funny I just remembered his name..  Also more friends back then was Jose,George (Kent Engineering) and Walter Grundler. My brother and I hung out with them a lot. Walter helped me alot with car parts...  It's also funny that the one car I would like to own someday is a lotus white 67 bug sunroof. I always liked lil Frank's (not sheep) back in the early 80's.Seats bolted to the floor and you could hardly see him..  So many memories    Kyle
Hey Tony...Do you know if Mark made those fenders for "The Thumper" ..they were hella flared

[Prowagen]

Jim,

A little known racer in 71-72, Ray Vallero (a mechanic at NIELLO VW)

He had the I/GAS or H/GAS porsche 912 didn't he with the flip body, it was for sale some time ago!
Awesome car.

Rob.

[sheep]

ya stock Type 3's were so dang high. Mine was the white one with the oval euro plate. I bought that from Chris Huvey that owned the silver baja ragtop lowered..WOW thats funny I just remembered his name..  Also more friends back then was Jose,George (Kent Engineering) and Walter Grundler. My brother and I hung out with them a lot. Walter helped me alot with car parts...  It's also funny that the one car I would like to own someday is a lotus white 67 bug sunroof. I always liked lil Frank's (not sheep) back in the early 80's.Seats bolted to the floor and you could hardly see him..  So many memories    Kyle
Hey Tony...Do you know if Mark made those fenders for "The Thumper" ..they were hella flared

Kyle is yours the white one facing the opposite way of all the others???