The Cal-look Lounge

Cal-look/High Performance => Cal-look => Topic started by: deano on December 09, 2011, 04:41:13 am



Title: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: deano on December 09, 2011, 04:41:13 am
I just received a letter from a friend, of an Empi employee, who worked with Dean Lowry for years, both at Empi and later at DDS. His story (now that he has passed away), get this, there were TWO Inch Pincher One cars.... I am sending this letter off to Darrell Vittone, and we'll see what he says...


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: empicolector on December 09, 2011, 08:52:42 am
 :P


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: Fastbrit on December 09, 2011, 09:56:03 am
Was the letter dated April 1st? :D

I bet his 'two cars' story was 'Yes, one had a little oval back window, the other had a bigger window and flowery roof'...


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: beatnik beetle on December 09, 2011, 10:16:50 am
oh..this could be interesting.....


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: deano on December 09, 2011, 16:15:05 pm
Actually, this story goes way back, to the time the Inch Pincher was solid orange, so both cars were nearly identical, and were (supposely, switch at certain local events); one legal weight, and other, well, less.... I know it is far fetched, but we'll see what Darrell says... The Schleys were stunned to say the least!


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: Rick Meredith on December 09, 2011, 18:45:21 pm
[attachment=1]


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: speedwell on December 09, 2011, 19:30:27 pm
Mmmm  ??? i will wait the next episode


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: Fritter on December 09, 2011, 21:18:52 pm
Yea, there are two, we know.  The one in all the black and white pics from the 60s, and the one Russell Ritchie owns.   ;D ;D ;D


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: Russell on December 09, 2011, 22:39:49 pm
Actually, this story goes way back, to the time the Inch Pincher was solid orange, so both cars were nearly identical, and were (supposely, switch at certain local events); one legal weight, and other, well, less.... I know it is far fetched, but we'll see what Darrell says... The Schleys were stunned to say the least!

Typical americans always cheating........
Yea, there are two, we know.  The one in all the black and white pics from the 60s, and the one Russell Ritchie owns.   ;D ;D ;D

Exactly, theres also two lightening bugs the schleys one and the faster one, mine !


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: So.Cal.Life on December 12, 2011, 04:37:30 am
    The name" Schley "is spelled with a capitol " S"   EXAMPLE: The Schleys car is not a fake....     ;D               


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: deano on December 12, 2011, 05:11:41 am
Okay, both the Schley brothers and Darrell Vittone read this letter and came to the same conclusion, no cigar. According to Darrell, they had more than enough to keep them busy trying to keep the Inch Pincher 1 in parts and on the track. And after breaking several Porsche transaxles, Joe was about to pull the plug on the whole thing due to the high cost of keeping it running. No way could they have banked and worked on two similiar cars at the same time, even if one was top secret. So, there was not two cars at the same time. His statement that the Inch Pincher 1 had crashed in '67 was also not true. Breaking the dyno at 150hp, didn't happen. So, no new chapters to add at this time, sorry.


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: TexasTom on December 12, 2011, 14:06:53 pm
   The name" Schley "is spelled with a capitol " S"   EXAMPLE: The Schleys car is not a fake....     ;D              

 ::)
Now that there, that's just funny ...
 ;)


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: . on December 12, 2011, 14:08:52 pm
    The name" Schley "is spelled with a capitol " S"   EXAMPLE: The Schleys car is not a fake....     ;D               

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: WCB Hitler's Hot Rod on December 13, 2011, 22:14:53 pm
    The name" Schley "is spelled with a capitol " S"   EXAMPLE: The Schleys car is not a fake....     ;D               
RESPECT!


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: Russell on December 13, 2011, 23:27:17 pm
    The name" Schley "is spelled with a capitol " S"   EXAMPLE: The Schleys car is not a fake....     ;D               

 ::)
Now that there, that's just funny ...
 ;)

I agree very funny and not fake either.... LOL


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: speedwell on December 30, 2012, 17:01:20 pm
I just received a letter from a friend, of an Empi employee, who worked with Dean Lowry for years, both at Empi and later at DDS. His story (now that he has passed away), get this, there were TWO Inch Pincher One cars.... I am sending this letter off to Darrell Vittone, and we'll see what he says...
here's the other one  ;D ;D


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: cedric on December 30, 2012, 19:29:09 pm
Hey Russel,
Mabey youre faster at the track with no time.....because you red light it....lol


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: Russell on December 30, 2012, 20:23:30 pm
I think the inchPincher 1 shell still exists and is currently in a container on the outskirts of Mexico city...... I'm trying to get it moved into the USA so I can ship it home...... It is/was an oval but as we know and from the photos the rear window has been cut out rather badly, both rear quarters are almost non existent......   ;D

Deano, can you try and confirm either way if anyone knows if the inch pincher ever had a roof swap ????


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: speedwell on December 30, 2012, 20:28:02 pm
I think the inchPincher 1 shell still exists and is currently in a container on the outskirts of Mexico city...... I'm trying to get it moved into the USA so I can ship it home...... It is/was an oval but as we know and from the photos the rear window has been cut out rather badly, both rear quarters are almost non existent......   ;D

Deano, can you try and confirm either way if anyone knows if the inch pincher ever had a roof swap ????
;-)


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: simon uk on December 30, 2012, 20:30:26 pm
Russell, can you tell us the story of how this shell has been identified?


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: Fritter on December 30, 2012, 23:25:28 pm
Wow, cool Russell!   :o


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: kaferdave on December 31, 2012, 17:26:36 pm
Hey Deano-

As you remember, I spent a lot of time with Joe before he passed away (remember? "The Bird is the Word"   8)) and he and Helen had me to their home outside Ocala, FL, a few times...I talked to Joe  a LOT about the Inch Pincher 1 and 2, and he never mentioned anything about there being TWO Inch Pincher 1's, and I think Joe would have known... he kept a pretty close eye on what was going on at Economotors and 520 Roberta...


Title: Re: An Empi story you wouldn't believe...
Post by: deano on December 31, 2012, 17:51:58 pm
From everything I have seen or heard, the IP1 only had its rear window replaced and not the 1/4s or front glass (they remained early '56/small). I do know that Pancho sold the Inch Pincher One (body) and it is now chopped. So, you now have a '56 body, with a '59 rear window, chopped, somewhere in Mexico City. Should be easy to spot, right?