The Cal-look Lounge

Well Guys its been a mad week with a very busy day yesterday......

Richie Webb and Neil melliard up from England, Ray Schubert from Northern California and Kev Dawson, Dale Clark and Wray Morrision along with my focusing skills pulled off a blinder yesterday..... Ill let the photos do the talking but we are almost ready for EBI3, almost.

busy.....

busy....  ;D

Very impressive! Keep up the good work folks 8) matt

Very,very nice work you've done so far guys,see you at EBI next week.
  ;) Peter

russell you've nicked richies engine!!!!  you might get into the 10's :)

Very cool Russell!

Well done to all the guys for the hard work, its amazing!

russell, what are your vw's up the top? ;)

I'm betting my lunch on there being some fu*king awesome gassers at the Bug-In.  8)

no need to make statements you can't keep.  :o

 ;D

nice work there anyway, i have a feeling it will be good as well. but my lunch is mine and mine only.

You can keep it Nicolas.. no one wants your veggie lunch anyway.  ;)

Busy garage but it sure looks like a lot of fun too.

WOW I cannot wait to see these cars at the Bug In!

Good point!  ;D

way to easy to pick on the vegie menu  ::) anyway i will talk to you two about the weight saving tread...  :P ;D

some more

I was about to say the exact same thing :D Seriouly though awsome work guys

Russell for as many Flat 4 BRM's and M&H Tires you have on the Cars you have them Sponser you!!  Car Looks Tits ;D ;D Great Job

 :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P
nice garage dude

open your eyes and look more carefully ;)

cheers richhie,uk

I need to get out there and see all this shit.  Never been to Europe.  Good job guys.  Cars look great.

HAIR!!!!!!!!!!! thats a proper red neck hair cut!! i dident even recognise you, i only realised it was you was by the way you hold the anglegrinder and waving about probley telling someone to F%&k off. good to see your still alive mate.

the leighton bug look sweeeeet  8)

what can i say   ::) ::) ....................gogogo VWGG , you made some great work
 8) 8)

fabs

Looking good!!! I do believe the decklid needs to be lettered like the doors are. I was thumbing through a 1980 (I think it was Sept, Oct, or Nov) issue of HotVW's this very morning that showed it that way!

Looking great Russel! It´s all about the team!  ;D

Clip of the first run of the ? Car !  :o ;) ;D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mi0W8GIpBI

Wray

Russell, you stole my job! It looks like I'm going to have to teach you how to break them. That one was still running when you got out. If you don't do it properly Ray will run out of work, get bored and leave. ;D

And I thought we were busy getting ONE car ready !!  ;D

Only one word describes the above - AWESOME !!!! :D

 :o :o :o :o :o :o :o

Zach,that is always an issue when resurecting an old race car,there are so many different incarnations that they go through,which era do you chose? everyone has a different favourite era,for instance BRMS or DDS wheels? there were so many changes as it was devoloped,one picture was chosen and stuck too,thats the way it has ended up :)

cheers richie,uk

nice..... ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

And some progress on the others

I personally think the cars should come back where they left off. Unless they were wrecked of course.

Chris,


Exactly my point,everyone has there own opinion,re doing it as SAVE-A-BUG wasnt going to happen though as this car is remembered as the Lee Leighton car :)


cheers richie,uk

Richie,

All us old timers remember it as the Leighton car.  I think most of us appreciate the return to it's roots.  These were the cars that set the standards for many to follow. Great work on the restorations and trying to keep them accurate to their day.

Rick Mortensen

Can't argue that it looks great Richie! I understand how race cars "progress",  just happened to see that article (September 1980, pages 58-59) the other morning and thought I should point it out. I have no clue when the lettering was added to the decklid, but I thought it looked pretty good in the little black and white picture ;) I for one am glad to see that it has returned to being LL's old car again :)

Good Point Richie, I would of done the same. I guess we can look at these transformation / resurrections as just one more chapter in the life of these cars, and a good one at that ;)

Fabs, do you have that article to scan?

in the 76 issue nothing on the decklid , in the second vw trends in 77 , we don't see the rear decklid , about the issue you said zach he had the lettering , and in june 85 in another vw trends the car had the lettering too  ;D
 at bug in 18  in 77 he don't have the lettering , i found a picture

may be the lettering will be added when he change the rear decklid and also the wheels

zach yes i have it , i will scan this one  ;)

here we go

Cool info fabs, I`ve not seen that one before 8)
Cheers,
Kev

i found another one of the car at bug in 22 , it was april 22 ,1979 , and look like the car had the other wheels at front , and it look like that the decklid  doesn't have anymore the scoop

Maybe next year it can  be with the DDS wheels and the different decklid with signwriting ;) :D

The main point has to be that in 7 days time it will go down the track again,something that to many wasnt possible:)


cheers richie,uk

Zach

I tried to keep quite about the decklid thig..... but i cant beleave you would want the car done in its 80 style..... it looked amess nor would you expect me not to get my research done correctly, the car is correct as far as possible in the 7 days we had, spare us a thought, please  ;).

In 1973 when lee first raced the car it was single paint, no chrome, BRMs and a lowered front...... was this actually the first proper cal look race car ?

The Leighton car is my alltime favourite racer. In the early nineties I built my 66 Bug to look like it. Nose down, BRMs (Jeckylls, of course) and the same hue of red. Well done guys for the sterling work 8)

Good work guys the garage looks great.  :)

It looks like California but its only 60 miles up the road  ;D

I knew the wheels were changed, but I never noticed the decklid was swapped as well. I gotta say after the research I would have done it in the exact same way. Thanks for the pics Fabs :)

Richie,

For those of us who saw the Leighton car in its first version, you got it right.  Keep up the good work.

Rick Mortensen

hey richie.....is that a cheeseburger box i see on the floor there? ;D

One of mine too, as my old race car colour scheme shows! ;)

Love the video Russell, bet your neighbours love you! :o :D

Hey Russel, when driving a left hand drive car it easiest to exit to the left.... ;D ;D ;D ;D

 :D

Nice job on Underdog II, Russell!  One more time from back in the day 8)

Wow Sarge.  You and Fleming really look young. :-)

Rick Mortensen

Would Love to Have A Picture of the UNDERDOG,UNDERDOG II , and Lee Leightons Car all together come on Russell How about an 8x10   LOL

Russell, do I see two seats in underdog, that means I Can drive along at EBI #3, ;)

That Lee Leighton bug look awesome, Think it s one off my favorites from now.
Very impressive guys.

Looking forworth to EBI

Regards Edgar

Get out in the garage and build your own then :P :D

cheers richie,uk

The car's are looking the dogs dangly bits  8) I love your attention to detail like the sill panels on the underdog ,
bloody good job , give yourselves a big pat on the back  8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

wow it's perfect this three bugs replica
paint and lettring !! very awesome mrs neil " the prosign " and simon " the paintbox "
cool video ;)

Hi Liou

Only one replica,the underdog2 car is

Lee leighton and Stutt bee are real :)

see you at Chimay?

cheers richie,uk

Thanks you mrs richie

Thats some Badass shit!!!!    8)

mmm,  richie are you a girl ??? see you at ebi darling   ;D ;D ;D ;D

 :D  I am hoping something was lost in translation :o


cheers richie,uk

Can't wait to see to all that work - See you soon guys  :)

Dont get to excited,as I keep telling Russell,

they are still just old shi**ers :D


cheers richie,uk

the cars are looking superb. mr ritchie looks like he is keeping you busy mr webb. have a good ebi. cheers dean

Yeah yeah I know  ::) ;) :)

two points

1st point they were old shitters when i got then, they are now old race cars that go.

2nd point

Richie aka Mr Richard Webb 9.33/ /1/4mile wheelie guy with yellow cab.

Russell Ritchie aka Russell Ritchie old shitter collector !  :D

We are 2 different people, I have no problem being slagged off but please dont cross the line; So dont think im Richie Webb because hes rude and a PIA, im not.  ;D

Well the trailer is loaded, 5 running driving cars,how long that will last depends mainly on when Keith arrives and starts driving them :D ;D  see you all thurday

cheers richie,uk

Stutt Bee
Underdog 2
Wocket
Lee Leighton race car
EBI racer

how wrong or right am I ?

oh so true... alas

Bet thats one cool looking trailer !!  ;D

Nearly,well maybe,thats for Russell to tell not me :)

But Wocket is on a regular trailer,not the transporter ;)

cheers richie,uk

there will be some pics,but not yet so as not to spoil the surprise :)

cheers richie,uk

i've just messed my pants, can't wait, its like the best strip show you will ever go to.

Cool - looking forward to the pics !!  ;D

Is Italy 1 the fifth on the trailer ???

Can't wait!

 :o

That's just crazy talk!

Nice work on the cars. See you sometime soon, make sure you get lots of photos at EBI III.  :)

No,its still stateside

cheers richie,uk

no its Blue Obsession with a bigger motor  ;D

Or maybe Der Express with a new gearbox?  ;D

Nah, I never drove that one. 8)

Mike Did you Mess your Pants Again?? Do I need to Send A Pack Of Adult Pampers For You? I ll Bet Your Wifes Hates Changing You??  ;D ;D ;D ;D