The John Rayburn thread!

[Diederick/DVK]

Wouldn't it be nice to hear about John's ride? And see some pictures of how it evolved?



I read that John's DKP ride is his first VW! It can also be seen in the early DKP III club photo together with the Berglar and a few other member rides that have vanished...

John, tell us about how long you have been hitting the streets in your '64 and the stages it's been through. Tell us about the rare empi accessories! And of course the engines you've had in it and the times you set with it. I guess you didn't get your reputation of being fast for nothing, right?

[beetletom]

i 1st saw a pic of his car yesterday on here, one piece windows and pop outs work really well! 

[Rennsurfer]

COOL! Someone beat me to it... good job. Yeah, John... explain the history of your car. It's not only his first car/VW... but there's even more.

[Dave Rosique]

Let's hear it John!

This could take a while, I'll have to put on my reading glasses for this one...

~DR.

[Rennsurfer]

With his new wheels.




With the EMPI wheels.


There... the visual stimuli and stage, such as it were, has been set. It's now up to you, John. I've popcorn on standby, my reading glasses, Dave's got his... let's see it.

 

[sheep]

Oh this is going to be good....... 

[speedwell]

yes come on robert talk about your zepelin

[Jim Ratto]

where's Ron Jayburn been?

[Rennsurfer]

Helloooo.

Earth to John... come in. Over.

I can't hold my breath much longer.

Is there an echo in here?

[Jim Ratto]

probably has "Good Times, Bad Times" turned up to "11" and can't hear you, Mark. You gotta wait for one of the quieter songs... Battle of Evermore, for instance.... or maybe Rain Song.

[Rennsurfer]

No problemo. Now, I activate the cellular telephonic device. Let the fun begin.

Stand by for transmission confirmation.

[JOHN CANALES]

I'M SURPRISED JOHN DIDN'T START THIS THREAD HIMSELF.....

[Jim Ratto]

cool
One thing's for sure... John's one guy that's not afraid to use his car, and use it like it's meant to be used... VERY HARD.
he should earn a nick name of Leadfoot Zeppelin

[Rennsurfer]

Bummer... his phone's off. Left him a message.

(edit) Update: he's working all day... he'll be on here, later, to get it going. 

[Diederick/DVK]

cool! can't wait

[Jim Ratto]

you know thinking about it, I think I posted this all before? John?

[John Rayburn]

OK ,Jim, you were probably right, but I think Walters Walk was playing on the IPod. I was at a client's in Yorba Linda touching things up for one of their parties this weekend, nice short Friday! Decided I should probably turn on the phone, and there was a message from Mark saying I had a thread to answer. You guys flatter me, and I appreciate it! And Jim, my IPod goes to twelve! Diederick, I have had the car along time, my Dad is the original owner of my Berlin model 64. He bought it in October '63 and , although I don't remember, I came home from the hospital as an infant in that very car. I spent my whole life in that car, and can remember exacly how everything smelled. The german carpet, rubber mats, upholstry, everything. In the mid 70's my brother bought his EMPI demonstrater from Timmons Volkswagen in Long Beach. Dave Rosique built the engine for it and it was a real fast car! He used to take me out in it alot and beat up on all the local yokals. That was great fun and I knew I had to have one! One night , my brother let me drive his car when I was about 13 or 14. He told me to step on it, and I did. That was such a rush , I didn't sleep for about 3 nights I was so wound up. My Dad gave me my car in '79, and my brother and Dave had been helping me plan things and gather parts for the day I got my license. The day that happened, I drove the car to H&H Motors, where Dave lowered my front end, put my 135's on that he had set aside for me. Put in my Hurst shifter, my Koni shocks in the rear, still on the car, and gave it a super tune. I'll never forget pulling out of there to go for a spin in my own lowered car ! I ran around for about a year or so with Porsche chromies until I aquired my EMPI 5's, which I ran for many years. I remember when I put those wheels on, I hadn't put the caps on yet, and was on my way home to do that. I drove past Auto Haus , but didn't stop, because I didn't want Mark to see it without the caps. Mark knew exactly how many minutes it took me to get home, and the phone was ringing off the hook when I hit the door. I pick it up, and Mark yells, Why didn't you stop and show me?!!! I saw you drive by, and I'd recognize those wheels spinning from a mile away!!! I screwed the caps on , and drove back to show him. Mark hit the door as I was pulling in. He and I were a couple of EMPI perverts that taunted each other at the drop of a hat. Look what I got! Oh yeah? well, look what I turned up. Sometimes, I'd pull in and if I got out of the car with some item, like a gauge package, he'd lock the door. Dave Rosique was always on the lookout for stuff he knew I needed. When I was looking for Sprintstars, he says, Hey, there's two being used for stepping stones at the Wilmington Pick Your Part! Or the box of crap he bought for 5 dollars at a swap meet that , upon dumping it out , had my EMPI brass sender fitting! One of my favorite engines , I ran the daylights out of, was my 78.4 X 94 that Dave Rosique built. It had a W130 with 1.25's and Jeff Denham Super Whammy non welded heads and 48mm Dellortos. I drove this car daily back and forth to scenery shops in LA, and animation shops out in San Bernadino. It ran consistant low 13's on radials and was extremely reliable and ran real cool. When the Berg 5 went in, it really became a great driver in the early nineties. After years of a close ratio 4 speed, the fifth gear spoiled me. Jim mentioned I drive pretty agressively, and I do. Dave Rosique , for years, has called me Mr. Wheeler, for the Disney cartoon of the miled mannered Goofey, until he gets behind the wheel.Mark asked me to relay a story, and I hope Dave will chime in on his perspective as he witnessed it. I left Dave's shop one day and started smelling fuel real bad. I shut it off and found one of my 44 IDF's had lost one of the large plugs underneath the floatbowl. Luckily, the plug was laying there underneath it. I called Dave and asked him to bring a pair of vice grips. We sinched off the fuel line and he started following me back to his shop in his 356, me driving the Bug on two cylinders. I pull up to a stop light behind a UPS truck, and the jackass putts it in reverse and plows the front of my car!. He starts to leave, and obviously, I couldn't drive after him. So I jump out and chase him on foot. I jumped up on the driver side window and grab the guy by the collar. Thank heaven he stopped the truck! I got all his info, and Dave says he'll meet me back at the shop . I get the bug back over to Dave's and walk in the door. Dave says, "Yep, Mr. Wheeler!" These days, I run my 84X94 with Jeff's welded heads and it's a real hoot to drive. I went to Dave's house one cold morning about 9 years ago after breaking this combo in and took him for a test drive. I think Dave liked it. I just recently added a set of Joe Gallagher's torque thrust D spoke wheels and replaced my 356B brakes with some nice AC disc brake units. My car has been a constant companion, and I've seen and done it all while I've been driving it. Thankfully I have an understanding Wife!

[John Rayburn]

you know thinking about it, I think I posted this all before? John?

                                                   Yeah, you did, but it was more of a Zeppelin post.

[Rennsurfer]

SWEET! I forgot that your car was from Berlin like my Java Green '66. VERY cool!

Thanks, John. Keep the stories flowin', if you've got 'em.

[Jim Ratto]

nice story John... I love hearing about how cars have been part of their lives.... so much more fun to read and talk about instead of tech talk crap. I can totally see you bulldogging after that UPS driver and getting a hold of the guy.

Just for this story, I will make you a cheese pizza next time you come over.

[John Rayburn]

Thanks Jim! I hope Dave will tell us his perspective on the UPS incident.

[Diederick/DVK]

cool write up john! pretty cool to hear how long it's been in the family and how you got help when you were younger!!

so, the front end was badly damaged then? did you have to repaint it?
do you have a pic of the car with the 5 spoke as well?
how about the interior?

p.s. mark, what java green '66? i thought was orange...

[John Rayburn]

The car had a pretty  messed up crease, from one side to the other, from the step on the back of the truck. Jim Gordon in Paramout metal finished the two fenders and the hood and repainted the front of the car. I'm trying to find an old photo of the car with the 5 spokes. Mark's Java Green 66 was his Anti Lakewood Sheriff car for when they were putting the screws to him in the orange car.

[Rennsurfer]

p.s. mark, what java green '66? i thought was orange...

It's so cool that John was brought home from the hospital after birth in that very car. Gotta love that.

Diederick, I'll scan some pics of my Berlin Java Green '66 & post 'em on my thread.

[John Rayburn]

nice story John... I love hearing about how cars have been part of their lives.... so much more fun to read and talk about instead of tech talk crap. I can totally see you bulldogging after that UPS driver and getting a hold of the guy.

Just for this story, I will make you a cheese pizza next time you come over.

                                                                            The lifetimes are always the fun in our hobby. Some of the guys that are newer to the scene don't always realize that Cal Look was always about the people, not so much the car. The car was the thing that all were into, but it was the people and the stuff that happened along the way that made 99% of the Cal Look scene.

[John Rayburn]

Here's a shot I found taken backstage at Disneyland with my friend Jan. His 67 was all original and beatiful. He also snapped the photo with a timer.

[Rennsurfer]

Both cars look great. What color was the '67?

[John Rayburn]

Your favorite, Savanah Beige.

[Rennsurfer]

Mmm, Savannah. Oh... you mean the color? COOL.

[javabug]

Hey John, cool stories.  One thing definetly notable about your car is larger tire sizes, especially the front.  A preference you've developed through the years?