puerto rico adventure

[speedwell]

Russel, I think it's time to post a pic 

x2

[Fastbrit]

Patience, grasshopper…

[Brian Watts]

A few pictures I've had on the computer from cal-look.com I believe (a few years back)....

You gotta love the internet. I took those photos, yet someone else puts their water mark on them... Figures.

I get that all the time and it is amazing how the masses don't understand how rude that is, besides copyright infringement!!

But no matter what you do they seem to crop out my name etc which always pisses me off.

But no way to fight them so I am very limited on what I post and what I don't now.

And if I post it will be a very small file

I support your copyright rights Dean of course!

[deano]

Here's a Lightning Bug update. The Schley Brothers have completely disassembled the car, and it is about to go to the media blasters. They have decided not to remove the body from the pan, as they are affraid that it will be damaged by lifting it off. Both 741 Porsche transaxles are headed for Rancho for rebuilding (the first, since they were shipped to PR in '73). The car will be headed for the paint shop soon....

[speedwell]

thx for the update deano 

[Zach Gomulka]

Keeping the original interior paint?

[deano]

Here's the latest from the Schley Bros.....  the Lightning Bug is now completely stripped down to nothing. The body and pan will be dipped sometime this week, and basic body works begins. Pete Santini will paint the car, and already came over the checked out the old paint that retains in the door jams, for color match.

[Zach Gomulka]

Don't leave it in too long this time

[.]

Yes, no watching football until the car is out of the tank !
 

[Fritter]

LOL!

[Russell]

Deano

No No No, what are they doing dipping the body...... thats wrong is it not, why not just repaint the outside...... did they not find any original paint under the yellow......

This is a saveable car not a resto like Tar Babe

Yours very devastated
Russell 

[Zach Gomulka]

Deano

No No No, what are they doing dipping the body...... thats wrong is it not, why not just repaint the outside...... did they not find any original paint under the yellow......

This is a saveable car not a resto like Tar Babe

Yours very devastated
Russell 

Agreed

[deano]

Deano

No No No, what are they doing dipping the body...... thats wrong is it not, why not just repaint the outside...... did they not find any original paint under the yellow......

This is a saveable car not a resto like Tar Babe

Yours very devastated
Russell 

Not enough original paint to make it worthwhile saving. Diego's body guys sanded it to death long ago...

[Fritter]

Can't wait to see that sweet aluminum reanodized in yellow and reinstalled.  That looks killer with the blue body.  Will this car be at the Classic and/or the May Drag Day, or maybe at Bug In if there is one this year?  Thinking about planning a trip to Socal...

[empicolector]

Deano

No No No, what are they doing dipping the body...... thats wrong is it not, why not just repaint the outside...... did they not find any original paint under the yellow......

This is a saveable car not a resto like Tar Babe

Yours very devastated
Russell 

 Not enough original paint to make it worthwhile saving. Diego's body guys sanded it to death long ago...

 

[Jon]

A big thank you to Diego Febles, can you imagine a better care taker for a racer? I mean having owned this car for so so many years and not changing more than this?
Any normal "racer" would upgrade with no thoughts concerning history... going turbo or worse...

This is what if first thought when this car was found, how amazingly intact it was...
Imagine what we had written if Diego had acid dipped it and painted it in Lightning Bug colors... there would be no end to the complaints...
Thankfully he never did...

But how much did that help in the end...

[Neil Davies]

Deano

No No No, what are they doing dipping the body...... thats wrong is it not, why not just repaint the outside...... did they not find any original paint under the yellow......

This is a saveable car not a resto like Tar Babe

Yours very devastated
Russell 

Not enough original paint to make it worthwhile saving. Diego's body guys sanded it to death long ago...

Can just the outside be sanded then? I don't think the car should be restored as fully as perhaps planned. I'd like to see the inside kept as is, faded anodising and all, with just an exterior repaint.  Even though Tar Babe needed so much work, I love the little touches like the original panelling inside, with blanking plugs to cover up where it had been modified later. Surely LB is in much better condition?

[deano]

What you guys are saying is, somehow, at this point in documenting the history of the Lightning Bug, by removing all the traces of the old paint underneath, you are destroying its heritage? Even with Paul's photographic scrap books, detailing every step from finding the car on Puerto Rico, shipping it here, and taking it apart? I think that is a stretch. There is NO question that is car is the real deal, with only two owners in 37 years. Now I could buy into this if the old paint underneath was still intact and more importantly, had the famous lettering still intact, but there is nothing left under that yellow, other than some small patches of blue.. While the car has remained in great shape, don't forget Puerto Rico is a very damp place, and the car does have some rusted issues underneath that must be repaired, some of it, out of sight. I just don't see where saving bits and pieces of the old paint, and then covering it all up with new blue, makes sense.

[Fritter]

I agree with Deano if the original can't be saved or is unpresentable it should be repainted. However, the old parts themselves should be reused otherwise a "George washington's axe" situation might develop. I think the original paint thing is taken to extremes in the VW world, as a result of all the Samba og paint threads and the frugalness of vw people in general.

[Russell]

I agree if the outside paint is done, redo no problem, but the inside, this has the smell, the feel of the car it was/is look at stutt bee and lee leightons cars, a roof paint on stutt bee and an outside only job on lees, none of which stopped Paul S and keith S trying for a 10 at ebi3 !!!

[Jason Foster]

  How about... let the Schley Bros. do what they want with THEIR car and we just sit back and wait.......  For GODS sake these guys know whats up!!!!!    Everything will be right and correct in the end.

[Fritter]

True true Jason, that is what will happen and they definitely know what is up!  Nothing wrong with expressing opinions though...

[Russell]

Jason I do agree with you too a point, it is there car and should be up too them....... I think that any negative views are based on some of us are nervous of what may happen, this is nearly a period correct car and the first VW to get a 10, this has significant appeal to warrent protection form being over restored, when preservation and rectification are required IMHO.

Modern restos tent to be shinny here and there and the Schelys car was never like that, as a Gasser fan I'm delighted they have it back, but want it to be as it was and not a modern day detailed car.

If you look at all the American car resto/custom TV programmes they are all over the top, all be it to a very high standard and for a show car or museum car this may be fine, but the LB2 is a RACE car and i want to see it race

[deano]

So, I wonder if it is possible to detune a Pete Santini paint job?

[Zach Gomulka]

I understand the exterior is in need of a repaint, but personally, I would love to see the interior remain original. I think Russell said it best.

Preservation > Restoration

[John Rayburn]

People are worried about the history of the car being lost, somehow, in a complete restoration. These are the two guys that built the car to begin with. Had they kept the car all this time, they would have done this anyway, probably more than once.

[rick m]

I agree with Deano and John. For crying out loud...it is THEIR car and they make the call...not this group.  Any car that has been on an island has rust where it cannot be seen. A painter like Santini is not going to put his mark over rust or other issues.  The Lightning Bug did look pretty nice in it's day, just like many others.  For those of you who did not see it first hand,  it was always cleaner and nicer than the Stutt Bee's interior or Leighton's interior. I saw both of them.  There were a handful of cars like the Empi Inch Pincher, the chopped Lightning Bug, the chopped version of the Super Bug (red one with gold annodized interior) and even the Anderson Bros. clean car with their annodized interior. Not all the drag cars were as rough as the Stutt Bee inside.

So let Paul and Mark do their thing. I am certain they will restore it to a period correct piece as they built it to begin with. 

Rick Mortensen

[Russell]

Preservation > Restoration

Agreed 100%

We are only asking for as much as possible to be preserved, I also understand that when you strip the car sometimes its worse than it looked, god knows ive had my fair share of that. I wish i was standing their right next too LB2 with Mark and Paul pondering what is best, these guys are two of best guys in the whole VW world and i totally repsect them and their advisors, but as Frank would say " I did it my way" well I would do it my way and im sure they will do it their way. As long as we see it run and see the smile on their faces when we all drool over this car regardless of how good it is. I wish them the best of luck on their dream.

See new topic on History !!!

[rick m]

Richie,

No irritation intended by my post.  I think all of us are grateful for your passion and enthusiasm for the early days.  I think we all ultimately have ideas in common.  I also agree that the cars that can be kept close to original have great value as having survived the last 40 years.  Since I've not restored anything...only built new projects, I can see all perspectives shared.

Thanks for what you continue to do keeping a very special time in the VW drag racing history alive.

Rick Mortensen

[deano]

Here is a recent photo of the Lightning Bug, as body work begins....