A piece of Dean Lowry History....

[2manytoys]

GB

[rick m]

Deano,

Were you able to hook up with Bob?  I know he would help you out on this one. I thought it was an incredible shot when he sent it to me.  It was definitely when the car was fresh...minus stickers, etc.  What a find!

Rick Mortensen

[deano]

Thanks Rick, Yes, it is a done-deal with Bob. I already have the scans...

[Chris Andrews - The Mailman]

Dean and Rick, you are some stand up kinda guys, keepin' the ol' Man's legacy alive. I thank you very much.

Respectfully,

Chris Andrews - The (unarmed... ) Mailman

ps;

I apologize to you Frenchy and the many others whom I had failed to mention of your continuing contributions of texts and image postings of Dean Lowry.

Humbly,

Chris Andrews

[rick m]

Chris,

How have you been?  I sure wish I had jumped on buying the old Ray Vallero 912 from you. Business fell on its face and I had to reel things in.  I still remember when the car was going together.  A fabricator named Dave Brackett, known for a lot of early harleys, hot rods and other cars, helped build the chassis for the car. It was right around the Bill Mitchell era. It was another car that got little ink but was truly a car at the front of the era...but got little time in So Cal or other events where Ray could get some ink and recognition.

Good to see you posting here! Where did the Vallero 912 end up?

Rick Mortensen

[Chris Andrews - The Mailman]

Rick,

PM sent to you.

Chris Andrews - The (unarmed... ) Mailman

[speedwell]

Good to see you posting here! Where did the Vallero 912 end up?

Rick Mortensen

here rick , check behind the engine 

[Fastbrit]

Up until a few days ago, the 912 was advertised on www.thesamba.com by Jeff Denham.

[rick m]

I heard it may have ended up in FRANCE?

Rick M

[ugly duckling]

dosent matter who owns the car who has owned the car or who wants to own the car. it will ALWAYS be RAYS 912 PRIDE AND JOY (ROCKET). the end . UD . sorry about the hijack .

[empicolector]

I heard it may have ended up in FRANCE?

Rick M

me too

[Fastbrit]

dosent matter who owns the car who has owned the car or who wants to own the car. it will ALWAYS be RAYS 912 PRIDE AND JOY (ROCKET). the end . UD . sorry about the hijack .

I agree – we are all just custodians of famous cars, never the 'owners'. 

[Zach Gomulka]

dosent matter who owns the car who has owned the car or who wants to own the car. it will ALWAYS be RAYS 912 PRIDE AND JOY (ROCKET). the end . UD . sorry about the hijack .

I agree – we are all just custodians of famous cars, never the 'owners'. 

More often than not, I feel like my car owns me. Not the other way 'round!

[madfrog]

More often than not, I feel like my car owns me. Not the other way 'round!

This feeling is extremly familiar to me as well 

madfrog

[rick m]

Ugly Duckling,

I have a special fondness for the car because I watched RAY build it. He used to do my machine work in the early 70's.  I purchased his first BUG-IRON drag car from him, minus motor and trans...and have always admired his work.

Rick M

[madfrog]

Ugly Duckling,

I have a special fondness for the car because I watched RAY build it. He used to do my machine work in the early 70's.  I purchased his first BUG-IRON drag car from him, minus motor and trans...and have always admired his work.

Rick M

This one?

[danny gabbard]

dosent matter who owns the car who has owned the car or who wants to own the car. it will ALWAYS be RAYS 912 PRIDE AND JOY (ROCKET). the end . UD . sorry about the hijack .

I agree – we are all just custodians of famous cars, never the 'owners'. 

Kinda like good beer! Just borrow it for a while, Till it doesnt make you feel good, Then get rid of it

[rick m]

Eric (Madfrog)

That is the car. Few people know it but Ray ran 11:40s with the car in H/Gas. He was right on the class record with the car when it was first out.  It had 17" halibrands on the front, tube axle, Deano wheels on the back, a hilbonre (1600V) injected 2180, a roller(SPG) crank, Norris cam (if I remember right, and Ray did his own heads and other miscellaneous work.  He was and still is a very talented machinist.

Rick M

[madfrog]

Eric (Madfrog)

That is the car. Few people know it but Ray ran 11:40s with the car in H/Gas. He was right on the class record with the car when it was first out.  Ray did his own heads and other miscellaneous work.  He was and still is a very talented machinist.

Rick M

Thanks Rick,

Does he still works on VW's  today ?

madfrog

[ugly duckling]

hey rick how are ya . i to have the utmost RESPECT for ray i raced against ray in 85 at one of your events BUGRUN i think you permoted that one .   and when i worked at berg i use to see the car in front of the shop when ray would come down. so i gusse i sorta grew up around the car seeing it at sac numerose times. ray is a ultra talited indvidual.    sorry deano another hi jack. JD . 

[ugly duckling]

ok back to the topic at present. our good BUDDY DINO.  UD .

[rick m]

Forgot to post the shot of the BUG-IRON car at Sac Raceway. Here is is.

RM

[ugly duckling]

you ever thought about starting a RAY thread?    UD .

[Chris Andrews - The Mailman]

Forgot to post the shot of the BUG-IRON car at Sac Raceway. Here is is.

RM

Rick,

It would appear that Bug Iron is very reminiscent of Gary Holtznect's (sp?) "Lil Snort. I question as to which (not witch) car inspired the others build?

Respectfully,

Chris Andrews - The (unarmed.. ) Mailman

[deano]

ok back to the topic at present. our good BUDDY DINO.  UD .

Where did this artwork this come from, or which car was this on?

[Chris Andrews - The Mailman]

ok back to the topic at present. our good BUDDY DINO.  UD .

Where did this artwork this come from, or which car was this on?

Dean K. aka Deano,

You are really not going to like me for writing this but, "You have really gotta be kidding me (us)".

The image that I believe that you refer to

is on the nose of Dean's buggy, of which Jeff Denham is now its current Caretaker. I honestly thought for certain that you would have known that as I and many of the members of the Cal Look Lounge, realize your long term commitment to our hobby (lifestyle) thus prompting my expectations. I do apologize for any brash assumptions on my part. I am just flabbergasted that it did not click for you at the time of your post.

Respectfully,

Chris Andrews - The (unarmed...) Mailman

[deano]

Chris, no biggie. I just can't recall seeing Dean Lowry's buggy up close to remembering this artwork. During the mid-to-late eighties, when Dean and Marla drove this car, I was not attending that many VW events, and few in Arizona (I was covering more off-road events in Baja than shows and drags). It wasn't again until later on I once again went to a lot of VW drag event, including the PHX Bug-O-Rama. I am very fond of the Deano artwork that Richard McPeak created back in 1968.

[rick m]

Chris,

Unless the little snort was built prior to 1972, I would have to say Ray was first.  The Bug Iron car was around in 1971. So, not sure where little snort got his inspiration from.

Rick M

[ugly duckling]

dean and marla arnt the only ones that drove the buggy. i had many of fun passes down the track with that car thanks to dean and his son larry. palm dale and early RACE TILL THE SUN COME UP BIG WILLE TERMINAL ILAND. probably one of the most exciting cars ive ever driven. UD .

[deano]

Sorry about not mentioning you Jeff, but again, that was 1984ish when I was not attending that many VW drags. As much of a fan of Dean Lowry that I am, I really don't know that much about this buggy.