UK drag race video clip from 1990

[John Maher]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/eE1bACUHMtE" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/eE1bACUHMtE</a>

Dug out this piece of grainy footage from North Weald. I've got it labelled as being from 1989 but think it may be 1990?

Featuring Peter Englezos and Luke Theochari (Terry’s Beetle Services) with Moody, John Brewster’s ‘Street Lethal’, Paul Hughes in the white and scalloped turbocharged Speedster, Keith Seume and ‘Flat Attack’, John Maher’s ‘Mr Beetle’, Cliff Watkins driving the Air Express rail.

This was my first time out with my brand new Dick Nuss (Engine Machine Service) Super Flow cylinder heads. On the first pass I missed 4th gear, over revved the motor and bent all the pushrods – sidelining me for the rest of the event. My MicroDynamics rev limiter failed to prevent the engine zinging past the preset rpm limit – I discovered they don’t work too well if the engine isn’t under load!

Highlight of the weekend was Moody, running the first ever 9 second pass for a VW in the UK. They didn't manage to back up the run to make it official but it was (and still is) a significant moment in UK VW history. A great achievement for Luke Theochari and Peter Englezos of Terry's Beetle Services - both of whom are still involved in the VW industry today.

Another highlight... watching Keith Seume race against 'Split Decision' (Geordie McAvoy?). The bus was dialled in at 20 seconds plus, Keith at 10 point something.
We watched the bus disappear off into the distance. Just when it looked like the bus was within a few feet of the finish line, Keith set off and got the win!!  
After that comedy spectacle, the VWDRC imposed a cut-off for the Modified class  

IIRC Jim Calvert from Stateside Tuning took the Modified title that day.

[AntLockyer]

That is great John, how times have changed

[Martin]

Great footage John!

[John Maher]

Great footage John!

Cheers Martin!

I can't take any credit for the footage.
Not 100% certain but I think it was shot by a friend/customer of mine, Mike Richardson. He used to own a scabby white Karmann Ghia.
He bought Keith Seume's fastback 'Fast Company' and painted it fluorescent orange!

[Shane Noone]

Hi John,

Brings back a lot of fond memories of my early days racing too 

Got to love those old skool burnouts  although I am sure the people getting a good mouthful of burned rubber may have felt differently at the time.

By the way the new JMR website looks fantastic 

Cheers,

Shane.

[benssp]

I love those eighties 'human line locks' thanks John

[Martin Greaves]

Great to see uncle Pete with some hair on his head. 

[Fasterbrit]

Cool footage and good burn outs 

[Fastbrit]

Hi John – I only raced Flat Attack in 1989 – 1990 was  the year I was building No Mercy. So must be 1989 – or maybe a mix?

[Andy Sykes]

 

[John Maher]

Hi John – I only raced Flat Attack in 1989 – 1990 was  the year I was building No Mercy. So must be 1989 – or maybe a mix?

Hi Keith - you're right. I've since pinned it down to July 29th 1989. All the footage was shot on the same day.
It was someone else who half convinced me it was 1990 but it can't have been because 'Mr Beetle' met its demise in late '89   

[andy198712]

enjoyed that! thank you! loved the assisted burn outs 

[james wotton]

cool footage  may be a thread with some old uk vw drag footage could start from this?

[deanosvws]

good footage,shame there isn't a bit more. if there is anymore footage out there of flat attack or when it was humbug i would love to see it.
cheers dean

[Phil West]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/eE1bACUHMtE" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/eE1bACUHMtE</a>

Dug out this piece of grainy footage from North Weald. I've got it labelled as being from 1989 but think it may be 1990?

Featuring Peter Englezos and Luke Theochari (Terry’s Beetle Services) with Moody, John Brewster’s ‘Street Lethal’, Paul Hughes in the white and scalloped turbocharged Speedster, Keith Seume and ‘Flat Attack’, John Maher’s ‘Mr Beetle’, Cliff Watkins driving the Air Express rail.

This was my first time out with my brand new Dick Nuss (Engine Machine Service) Super Flow cylinder heads. On the first pass I missed 4th gear, over revved the motor and bent all the pushrods – sidelining me for the rest of the event. My MicroDynamics rev limiter failed to prevent the engine zinging past the preset rpm limit – I discovered they don’t work too well if the engine isn’t under load!

Highlight of the weekend was Moody, running the first ever 9 second pass for a VW in the UK. They didn't manage to back up the run to make it official but it was (and still is) a significant moment in UK VW history. A great achievement for Luke Theochari and Peter Englezos of Terry's Beetle Services - both of whom are still involved in the VW industry today.

Another highlight... watching Keith Seume race against 'Split Decision' (Geordie McAvoy?). The bus was dialled in at 20 seconds plus, Keith at 10 point something.
We watched the bus disappear off into the distance. Just when it looked like the bus was within a few feet of the finish line, Keith set off and got the win!!  
After that comedy spectacle, the VWDRC imposed a cut-off for the Modified class  

IIRC Jim Calvert from Stateside Tuning took the Modified title that day.

Hi John - Wow can't believe the Dick Nuss heads were brand new 23 years ago - I think the order of ownership was

Yourself
Jim Smith
Paul Woodhead
Lil Jay
Chris Emmens
Me

They finally met their maker when I totalled one side (sorry Dick/John!) but they sure did last.  It was again an overrevving incident - my MSD rev limiter failed miserably to stop it.  I've still got the one good 'un and through the marvels of modern technology they may soon be reborn - here's to another 23 years...........
Cheers
Phil

[John Maher]

Hi John - Wow can't believe the Dick Nuss heads were brand new 23 years ago - I think the order of ownership was

Yourself
Jim Smith
Paul Woodhead
Lil Jay
Chris Emmens
Me

They finally met their maker when I totalled one side (sorry Dick/John!) but they sure did last.  It was again an overrevving incident - my MSD rev limiter failed miserably to stop it.  I've still got the one good 'un and through the marvels of modern technology they may soon be reborn - here's to another 23 years...........
Cheers
Phil

Hi Phil, I heard you had plans to clone the remaining head ;-)
Those Dick Nuss heads were one of the best VW purchases I've ever made. I had to sell my drum kit to pay for them. Never regretted it for a minute 

The event at North Weald was my first time out after fitting the Nuss heads. The way the engine rpm'd so quickly caught me totally unaware.... on one pass I fluffed the 3rd to 4th gear change, zinged the motor into orbit, bent all the pushrods and shattered the Kennedy presssure plate!

Best I ran with those heads (2165cc) was 10.95 @ 125mph in my red Oval. When Jim Smith bought the engine from me, he got it down to 10.6 - and I'm fairly sure his car was heavier than mine!

Nice to hear they may continue to play a part in the UK VW scene 23 years after I first got my hands on them 

[AntLockyer]

Those Dick Nuss heads were one of the best VW purchases I've ever made. I had to sell my drum kit to pay for them. Never regretted it for a minute 

  Awesome

[Phil West]

Hi John - Wow can't believe the Dick Nuss heads were brand new 23 years ago - I think the order of ownership was

Yourself
Jim Smith
Paul Woodhead
Lil Jay
Chris Emmens
Me

They finally met their maker when I totalled one side (sorry Dick/John!) but they sure did last.  It was again an overrevving incident - my MSD rev limiter failed miserably to stop it.  I've still got the one good 'un and through the marvels of modern technology they may soon be reborn - here's to another 23 years...........
Cheers
Phil

Hi Phil, I heard you had plans to clone the remaining head ;-)
Those Dick Nuss heads were one of the best VW purchases I've ever made. I had to sell my drum kit to pay for them. Never regretted it for a minute 

The event at North Weald was my first time out after fitting the Nuss heads. The way the engine rpm'd so quickly caught me totally unaware.... on one pass I fluffed the 3rd to 4th gear change, zinged the motor into orbit, bent all the pushrods and shattered the Kennedy presssure plate!

Best I ran with those heads (2165cc) was 10.95 @ 125mph in my red Oval. When Jim Smith bought the engine from me, he got it down to 10.6 - and I'm fairly sure his car was heavier than mine!

Nice to hear they may continue to play a part in the UK VW scene 23 years after I first got my hands on them 

I had to swap a really nice set of street eliminators and a wedge of cash to get 'em...but worth it... at second meet out I ran 10.93 and 10.94 consecutively, also at 125mph.  However you did it 23 years before me, and me with an 86 crank!

[leec]

Hi Phil,

Would you share a pic or two of the heads, would love to see them

Lee

[Phil West]

Hi Phil,

Would you share a pic or two of the heads, would love to see them

Lee

Hi Lee  - Martin has the one remaining head so unfortunately no can do!
Cheers

[leec]

Just being nosey Phil

Lee

[beatnik beetle]

It really is a great little window into the old days, two cars that Shane and I painted in it...selling your drum kit John..you must have had the Drag Racing madness pretty bad ...nice to hear you have been back behind the kit again ...cheers for sharing this..even if it's made me feel old....Si

[dannyboy]

It really is a great little window into the old days, two cars that Shane and I painted in it...selling your drum kit John..you must have had the Drag Racing madness pretty bad ...nice to hear you have been back behind the kit again ...cheers for sharing this..even if it's made me feel old....Si

you lot are old 

[John Maher]

you lot are old 

OMG! I'm turning into one of those sad old gits who bleats on about 'the good old days'!! 
 

[Torben Alstrup]

Hi. Nice reminder of that time.
The human line locks is one of the things I remember very clear from that period. (Actually a little later as I and a friend entered the VW drag scene in ´92) with a car A LOT slower, about 13,3 the first year.

Wrt human line locks, I remember one time especially, in ´94 I think, at Le Mans Fr. The pavement was very coarse so the water did´nt wet the tyres so good. Jolly Jim Warner got in the finals against frog juice I think (Green French buggy) Jim was underpowered in his yellow type 3, so something had to be done. Carsten T (Hagar), Nick the lobster, John Brewster, and his friend Lee I think (driving a red split pick up at the time) and myself held the car in place while Jim heated the tires so good that we were all covered in smoke and Jim was grinning so much that his mouth disappeared into the helmet in both sides. To top it off Jim won. That was fun    Later we found that John won the turbo class with only 2 or 3 races due to a dropped valve. That was also the weekend where I got introduced to Paul knight and his family, Bernard & Maám Newbury and Keith Seume.
 Not a bad weekend at all.  

T

[dannyboy]

you lot are old 

OMG! I'm turning into one of those sad old gits who bleats on about 'the good old days'!! 
 

its ok john i race with a pensioner and i belive the old bugger is still the fastest nitrous car in uk?

[sonic]

Hi John
Like to remind you of the good old days ... Stars & Cars ... 1999 !!!
Greatest inspiration as you`ve been to me all days ... (got your old J. Aldred engine here by the way)

Hope your doing fine , fancy a trip to northern Scotland actually , maybe this summar ....

Regards
Erich  

[John Maher]

Hi John
Like to remind you of the good old days ... Stars & Cars ... 1999 !!!
Greatest inspiration as you`ve been to me all days ... (got your old J. Aldred engine here by the way)

Hope your doing fine , fancy a trip to northern Scotland actually , maybe this summar ....

Regards
Erich  

Hi Erich! Fancy meeting you in here ;-)
Let us know if you're heading this way next summer. It'll be good to catch up.

What are your plans for the turbo engine?

[sonic]

Just finished building my "dreamgarage " within limits and the urge to do cars instead, comes creaping in .. the 2332 /turbo /091 box seemed such a great deal , couldent pass it on ....went to London over one weekend and hauled it home . Jay seemed like a realy nice fellow and had no problems making a deal with him ... Whats happening ? Stays on the shelf for now awaitng a come back .... so many nice parts !!! .. Really thinking of doing a UK tour soon , miss the island (the pubs ) , and frienships ... 
Hope you`re doing fine ,(you probably are ), hope we can talk soon , do need some adwise regarding this monster .......

Reg
Erich

[Andy Sweeney]

Thought you might like to see some video I took at the Spring Champs back in 1990...

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZFfX-9L6WGU" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/ZFfX-9L6WGU</a>