Foothill Blvd, Hayward (after hours Weber jetting @ Buggy House)

[Jim Ratto]

Back 1991 or 1992 I had just put the Super Flow'd 2276 in my '67, after spending every cent I earned on the thing, back then was a full tilt street (?) motor for its time... 82 Scat crank, Bugpack race rods, 46 x 38 Super Flows, 9.2:1, 48 Webers, big merged, Berg K10 cam, but I was a real greenhorn, especially with the carbs, and really had no idea of how to make the Webers really happy, and my boss, who you've all read about, Jerry @ Buggy House, was always after me to stay late at the shop after hours and he'd help me get the thing to run right. There was one night I finally agreed and I'll never forget it. This was a few weeks before a VW drag day/show at Sears Point. So we shut the shop down, count the money from the day, back up computer, then we back my car into shop, about 7pm or so.... Jerry has me pull jet stacks, I think we started with 175 fuels or something, then ran the car around the block, and it was burping and stumbling as it came up on cam, so Jerry thinks we're rich, goes down on fuel jets, run around block again, now it revs up, but lays down up on top... so he tries air jets, no change... he decides the ignition is breaking up after 6Krpm, so we throw a Bosch Red on, no change, really... so he runs back to his racecar trailer, and comes walking back to shop with a locked Vertex and says "this f*cker ain't gonna give up at 8-grand! Gawdam thing will arc weld if you need it to...just rev the mutherf*cker!" I just stood there thikning "ok...." So we bolt in the car, he buzzboxes the timing in @ 36 (!), I go to fire car, of course the starter wants no part of this locked mag trying to turn the crank backwards, I glance worried at Jerry.... then he says "Don't turn the mutherf*ucker on before you crank it, you'll never get this bitch to fire!" so I click off ground, crank crank crank...finally fires up and it's idling up @ 2000rpm and the motor sounds pissed. I blip throttle and it barks back at me like a crazed dog. We turn the idle down back to 1100rpm, Jerry hops in driver's seat, I join him in passenger seat and we blast down the driveway, Jerry sending the car sideways past the dumpster and out to Mission Blvd. Foothill Blvd was up the hill, just east of Mission, and ran parallel to Mission down to Jackson, and it was our test and tune loop. Jerry turned off of Mattox on to Foothill and wooded the thing. I have no idea what rpms we were turning because I didn't have the right tach for the mag, but there was a clear advantage running the Vertex.... I could tell from Jerry's driving. We went into 3rd gear and he said "This f*cker's gonna KILL somebody if you're not careful.... Jeeeeezus jumped up chr-st!!!! Get me the f*ck out of this thing!" We were flying down Foothill past Grove, now in fourth, Jerry white as a ghost, and white-knuckled, but still in it...  I was holding on for my life. We came down A-St, back to Mission and Jerry's now short shifting the car and quiet. We get back to shop and he says "you can leave that mag in there for Sears if you want...  ain't no way that 009 is gonna let that f*cker run like that. You better start saving your money...."
And for about a month, I ran my car around that way, and I have to say, still to this day, nothing has ever made such an impression on me, as far as a big power change, as going from 009/Bosch coil to that locked Vertex. When I had to give the mag back and go back to the 009, it was like unplugging a cylinder.

[jpperf]

I remember you running the mag for a while!  What a great story!  The kicker is for those of us who know Jerry, your quotes are right on the money.  I can actually hear Jerry saying that shit while reading your post!

JayP

[Jim Ratto]

we should get Jerry to join us here

[John Rayburn]

I think we should all go out and buy magnetos.

[Jim Ratto]

I think we should all go out and buy magnetos.

you paying?

[John Rayburn]

I'll call Greg, he always seems to have mags.

[Jim Ratto]

I think I should have Jerry come to next Nicks with me

[jpperf]

I can be gracious and lend one of my mags.  But I don't want to hear any lip because they are Mallory!

I still see Jerry every once in a while.  Fuc% is still his favorite word!

JayP

[wolfswest]

ROFL     always such great stories Jim...  Give us some more!

Dem

[Tony M]

Dont think Jerry would get a kick out of this - not like us that worked for him - Think it's better that we can talk s ht and not have him over us -    And dont forget Mission Blvd - Jim on lunch passing by MCS at 8000rpm's - wtf - never got a ride either JIM.

[Jim Ratto]

Dont think Jerry would get a kick out of this - not like us that worked for him - Think it's better that we can talk s ht and not have him over us -    And dont forget Mission Blvd - Jim on lunch passing by MCS at 8000rpm's - wtf - never got a ride either JIM.

when we were at shop last week, Mary Ann told Jerry it was a pleasure to finally meet him after all the stories she's heard... man did he laugh.... he knows...  in fact one night at Sacramento sheep and me and Mike Gillaspie were getting stonked in my Bus, parked next to Jerry's motorhome and it was probably 3am and we were laughing our asses off imitatiing Jerry and Jeff and all of the sudden, Jeff reaches in Bus window and grabs me by the throat and says "people are tring to f*cking sleep you know!!!" and the next day Jerry was laughing with us and said, "I don't know what you f8ckers were drinkin' but whoever the f*ck you were making fun of must be one sorry sunuvabitch!!!" oh shit we started dying... Man it was great hanging out with him last Friday...

[Tony M]

That's funny - a pleasure to meet Jerry ? - Lots of good stories - many bug shows just like that - had to be stoned to deal all that 

[Sam K]

Great story! Now I kind of want to keep my mag.

[Jim Ratto]

That's funny - a pleasure to meet Jerry ? - Lots of good stories - many bug shows just like that - had to be stoned to deal all that 

I remember a trip to Pismo with him... Sheep, me and Javier ran the shop on Saturday, then piled in my Scab Bus after we closed and rolled down 101 to Pismo. When we got to dunes, we just drove straight on to the sand, not dropping tire pressure.... and within 100" we were stuck. Being a dumbass, I just kept "trying" and dug the ass end of the bus into the sand, until the QP muffler was buried in sand... man it was embarassing. Anyway, we couldn't find Jerry and his crew that night, so we just stayed put, opened side door to bus, built a campfire, and drank some home-brewed sangria until the fire died and we passed out. Next day some beachrat charged us $50 to yank us out with his quad, then we drove to Jerry's camp, and got stuck again.... man was Jerry pissed. Later that day I crashed his quad smack into the side of his RV....  yeah r.u.i.   oops sorry Jerry.

[Harry/FDK]

Foothill BLVD ? In 92 or 93 i was there at a place called Cars Custom (?) You could get a trolley and load it up with (Taiwan) VW stuff. I was impressed. Still have some decals and stuff from them. Pink and Blue. Close to them there was another shop called Baker if i'm correct. Shit Jim we could have met right then !

[Jim Ratto]

Foothill BLVD ? In 92 or 93 i was there at a place called Cars Custom (?) You could get a trolley and load it up with (Taiwan) VW stuff. I was impressed. Still have some decals and stuff from them. Pink and Blue. Close to them there was another shop called Baker if i'm correct. Shit Jim we could have met right then !

that was in Asuza or Covina or somewhere in South Calif... I went there in 1992 too! Not the same Foothill Blvd though... the Buggy House one is about 400 miles north.

[Harry/FDK]

Asuza !

[Donny B.]

Now that it has gotten off topic... I remember Car Custom in Azusa.  My first visit was July of '85 and I was really impressed.  I had my VW for only a year when I went in there.  I was overwhelmed by the size of the store and the quantity of stuff they had for the VW.  They used to sell some pretty good stuff not just the Taiwan crap.  They had rows of Cerullo Sport seats (American made Quality) along with long blocks and trannys.  Next door they had a used car lot and a little farther down a tire store.  Pretty cool for me being new to VWs at the time.

[Jim Ratto]

Now that it has gotten off topic... I remember Car Custom in Azusa.  My first visit was July of '85 and I was really impressed.  I had my VW for only a year when I went in there.  I was overwhelmed by the size of the store and the quantity of stuff they had for the VW.  They used to sell some pretty good stuff not just the Taiwan crap.  They had rows of Cerullo Sport seats (American made Quality) along with long blocks and trannys.  Next door they had a used car lot and a little farther down a tire store.  Pretty cool for me being new to VWs at the time.

Yeah Donny, when I went there (day before the big Landers 7.0 earthquake and the performance industry thing @ Pomona) I was blown away by the sheer size and impact of the place. It was like going to Nordstrom's for VW stuff. At least compared to being @ BH which was more like Rite Aid for VW's.

[Fastbrit]

They also had a street rod store down the road. Don Melling (Dyno's buddy) used to run the VW store – he drag raced a buggy back then, too, followed by the Car Custom dragster. Was a cool place...

[Harry/FDK]

Even the building itself with Neon stuff up front was something else. But what really impressed me (again), supermarket trolleys to load up VW stuff. X-Mas Then after we headed for the Winterfinals in Pomona. And on that same evening meeting Jerry Magnuson... First trip to the States, never forget it.

[vulgaris]

GOOD STORY JIM

[Rick Sadler]

Having known Jerry for more than 20 years, I can honestly say Jim's stories are spot on. I get such a kick out of each of these stories because it is almost like being there. I think it would be a real kick if you could get him down here for a Nick's Classic Friday for no other reason than to hear some of these stories (maybe Forgotten) from him too. Whatever happens don't ever stop writing these Jim!

[Jim Ratto]

you were our guy @ JSC right? Remember Mark?

[Rick Sadler]

you were our guy @ JSC right? Remember Mark?

Yes I was the wholesale sales manager @ JSC form 1986-93. I have been here @ BUGPACK since. And yes I do remember Mark.

[Jim Ratto]

you were our guy @ JSC right? Remember Mark?

Yes I was the wholesale sales manager @ JSC form 1986-93. I have been here @ BUGPACK since. And yes I do remember Mark.

yep thought I remembered your name....  at one time you were helping me locate a set of real BRMs in 1990 or 91... tell Debbie Jim from "the old BH" says "hi".... the good old days

Jerry taught me most of what I know in the VW world..... I blame him for this obsession. He's a great guy, loads of laughs. Told me he is still finding golf balls from the Sheep Golf Ball Flood. it would be cool to drag him down to Nicks.

see ya,

[Jim Ratto]

Tony, tell us some street racing stories from Hayward.
The Dragon vs......? 

[Tony M]

VS The 69 Z28 - Final carb tuning day - Saturday, 9:00am - Pete rolls in the do the final carb tuning, play with the jetting a little more, made a few passes down Mission blvd. then went out for the all out pass. Mission blvd was a very wide street in front of BH, many a fast car have blazed up and down the blvd. So off we go, Pete sitting in the pass seat, and me driving. Did a 1/2 to 3/4 pull, made a u turn and was on the way back to the shop when a very nice 69 Z28 rolls up next to us. So being the ass hole that i am, i gave him a few revs. He just looked and LOL. Well i looked at Pete and said F___ him, lets do it, Pete was cool and said go for it. So at the light a said lets go for it, he was still LOL, but said ok. Pre loading the trans, we were set, light turned green and i dumped the clutch with the engine at 5k, pulled the front wheels off the ground pretty hard, hit 2nd gear, pulled the wheels again, hit 3rd and never did see the Z28 till the next light. That prick dident even come up to the car, sat back and i motioned him to come up. Light turned green and off to the next light. He did come up to us at that light and was blown away. He came back to the shop to see what the f--- was in this car. All i know was that Pete had a grin from ear to ear and about pissed his pants. And that was with street tires.

[Jim Ratto]

sorry to dig up old boring topics and stories from my past @ Buggy House but we have a new member here that can surely relate.... 
Somebody oughta ask Jerry about the day we had our first "in house" Show and Shine.... and when I did the 7500rpm loops (on a stone cold motor... what a dumbass), showering both sides of the street with Kendall green 20W50 when my HP1 blew off. Man he was pissed. I thought I was a goner....
A few bags of grease sweep and a sincere apology to him later... and he laughs and says "What, you thought I was pissed at you? Jes*s jumped up chri*t Jim, I had a godd*mn hard-on a mile fuc*ing long watching you write your name in rubber out there!"

 

[Flipper_1938]

I can be gracious and lend one of my mags.  But I don't want to hear any lip because they are Mallory!

I still see Jerry every once in a while.  Fuc% is still his favorite word!

JayP

I don't know who y'all are talking about, but that is my favorite word too!