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Author Topic: SARGE: tell us about the Volkswagens Limited days..the very first DKP guys/cars  (Read 41076 times)
Jim Ratto
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« on: March 05, 2009, 23:56:37 pm »

Sarge how about some stories about the very very early days, you and Lazenby and Pete Dayton, and the other couple of guys.
It would be cool to hear about the very first outings, and maybe focus on the very early cars. Maybe John L. can add his memories too.

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Carlos De Alba
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« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2009, 23:58:38 pm »

yes...... tell us Sarge!!!!  Cool  I also would love to hear some stories from Lazenby !!!  Wink
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Der Kleiner Panzers
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« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2009, 00:44:14 am »

 Roll Eyes  Wellll, let's see...  When it all started was fall of 1964.  I'd started school at Fullerton Jr College and was driving my first bug, a metallic blue '56.  Driving through the parking lot, I couldn't help but notice how many VW's where there... one that caught my eye was a beautiful black '65 with chromies that belonged to Brian Renie (God).  I started hanging around a bit with Brian who had gone to high school in Anaheim and knew John Lazenby and pointed out his then red '63.  Another guy that was around then was Richard Kugel (brother of Hot Rodder Jerry Kugel / Kugel Components) who drove a gold bug with very cool Jardine headers.  After awhile, we all got to know each other and would cruise around the Anaheim area on the weekends visiting Carl's, The Bean Hut, Taco Villa and a place called Hillside Drive-In which was a few miles north in Fullerton.  One night we bumped into Pete Dayton at Carl's... he was looking for bugs and owners to start a car club and word spread fast.  Mike Huggins, Mike Mendenhall, Dewight McGill, John Radke (never owned a VW but  was always there), John Krysick,Gregg Bunch, Gary Kruger and Bob Stewart where all guys who went to FJC and were a part of things before I got drafted in early 1967.  Times were a lot simpler back then.  There was no performance stuff to speak of and chrome wheels were the vogue.  Muffler shop headers (not really even headers...more like noise makers) soon took off and became big business.  It was all about cruising around with an FM radio or four track Muntz tape deck blasting away with your new found VW pals..... Cool
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Jim Ratto
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« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2009, 00:54:53 am »

Was it at this time you guys did the cruise(s) up to Hollywood?

if you have any pics (even if they have been posted before) of the early cars like Renie's or Kugel's, or even yours  Roll Eyes Roll Eyes Grin
you should scan 'em for us buddy.

 Grin

Jim "where's my belt" Ratto
« Last Edit: March 06, 2009, 00:59:39 am by Jim Ratto » Logged
Sarge
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« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2009, 01:15:58 am »

Was it at this time you guys did the cruise(s) up to Hollywood?

if you have any pics (even if they have been posted before) of the early cars like Renie's or Kugel's, or even yours  Roll Eyes Roll Eyes Grin
you should scan 'em for us buddy.

 Grin

Jim "where's my belt" Ratto

Yeah, driving was cheap entertainment.  Lots of trips up to Sunset Blvd or down to the beach, then back through all the places I mentioned in Anaheim before calling it a night.  American Grafitti to the 10th power.  I keep wishing I'd stumble on to a box of old pics I'd forgotten about but it ain't happenin'.... Sad
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« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2009, 06:18:59 am »

Sarge, great story! I too went to FJC in the mid '80s and would always have front row parking next to the Technical building due to an early morning class. I owned a Cal-look split at the time and looking back; I am still amazed how popular VW's were back then. I also remember how well they were liked among the women  Wink Cool
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« Reply #6 on: March 06, 2009, 07:39:16 am »

Good stuff, Sarge. VWs Unlimited members... please keep the stories flowin'.
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Bewitched666
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« Reply #7 on: March 06, 2009, 08:06:07 am »

Lots of those stories in Keiths new book
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Fastbrit
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« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2009, 09:27:39 am »

Lots of those stories in Keiths new book
But never as good as hearing them from the Pimp Daddy's mouth! Cheesy
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« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2009, 11:35:52 am »

cool stories jim  do you've  any flyers or drawing from the vw unlimited

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« Reply #10 on: March 06, 2009, 14:30:29 pm »

Wish I had more pics for you guys but photo taking wasn't a big part of my life back then.  Here's a couple of oldies from the 40hp Zenith carb days.  I bought the carb and manifold from a repair shop in Fullerton... had NO IDEA about jetting, intake manifold leaks, etc.  The manifold wound up being tweaked and never set flush on the heads... this after weeks of head scratching.  After that mystery was finally solved, I went to Don Burns VW one day and had them put it on the chassis dyno to try and sort the jetting.  What a joke! Roll Eyes  The green car is Lazenby's red '63 after it was repainted by Babe's in Fullerton.... by far one of the nicest paint jobs I can recall from back then.  As much as everyone here loves the Butternut color it later became, the Cadillac Firemist Green is the color I'll always remember most.  John and I spent a lot of weekend afternoons waxing our cars at his folks place in Anaheim or Hillcrest Park in Fullerton (across the street from Hillside Drive-In)... seemed there was always some friends waxing cars at the park whenever you'd cruise through.  I can't begin to think how many cans of VHT we sprayed on our "headers".... it was a weekly ritual! Roll Eyes Wink
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« Reply #11 on: March 06, 2009, 14:59:12 pm »

What a great topic!  Sarge, were the Chromies cheap at the time, or just the only thing out there?  Catalogs and old magazines show different wheel choices coming in around that time, but save for Fleming and Crane (early on) no one ran anything but the chromies.  Can you remember when the BRM's, American's, Crestlines and a myriad of other wheel choices came into vogue?
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Rennsurfer
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« Reply #12 on: March 06, 2009, 15:02:45 pm »

Sarge, those pics are COOL! I dig the '66-'67 wheels on the white car. In my opinion, the best looking steel wheel that VW ever produced. Always wanted to make a set of 6" ones for the back of a car from the same years. Then, paint 'em black and off white. Keep goin' with the VWs Unlimited stuff.
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« Reply #13 on: March 06, 2009, 16:32:54 pm »

Roll Eyes    It was all about cruising around with an FM radio or four track Muntz tape deck blasting away with your new found VW pals..... Cool

Great story, love read the past follow story like that, but can you tell us about kind of music was fun at this time ?
And regard's people take care about your when you cruise with your bettle in 1967 ? They think you look's "young guy" or "bad guy" with your engin sound ??
More about feeling if it's possible as well !  Grin

BTW think's for time past to right all of your's story  Kiss
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Sarge
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« Reply #14 on: March 06, 2009, 20:21:51 pm »


What a great topic!  Sarge, were the Chromies cheap at the time, or just the only thing out there?  Catalogs and old magazines show different wheel choices coming in around that time, but save for Fleming and Crane (early on) no one ran anything but the chromies.  Can you remember when the BRM's, American's, Crestlines and a myriad of other wheel choices came into vogue?


Before I was drafted, I had no money.  Buying any cosmetic car stuff was always a problem... the money always went somewhere else first (such as re-doing "headers" at Phil's Muffler Shop  Roll Eyes).  Most all my "modifications" were done with spray cans... painting wheels, headers, dying the red interior black, tinting the windows.  The American Mag / adapter phase hit while I was in the Army.  I sent money home to Sharon (we were not married at the time; she bought the car from me) to add the adapters, and American's to the rear of the '63... I bought the Dragmasters from 101 Speed Shop in Fullerton while home on leave.  BRM's were something I knew nothing of until I got out of the military in early 1969.


Sarge, those pics are COOL! I dig the '66-'67 wheels on the white car. In my opinion, the best looking steel wheel that VW ever produced. Always wanted to make a set of 6" ones for the back of a car from the same years. Then, paint 'em black and off white. Keep goin' with the VWs Unlimited stuff.


Thanks Mark!  My folks bought a new 1966 Seasand Beige Beetle direct from Germany.  After seeing the wheels and flat caps, I knew I had to have some for the '63.  Unfortunatly, the flat caps wouldn't fit over the spindles  Sad


Great story, love read the past follow story like that, but can you tell us about kind of music was fun at this time ?
And regard's people take care about your when you cruise with your bettle in 1967 ? They think you look's "young guy" or "bad guy" with your engin sound ??
More about feeling if it's possible as well !  Grin

BTW think's for time past to right all of your's story  Kiss


As for music, it was the age of, um.....  well, let's say before I went in the Army, it was Surf / Beetles / Folk / Oldies.  When I got home in 1969, It was the Beetles White Album, Jefferson Airplane's Surrealistic Pillow, Hendrix and so on.  The driving around "attitiude" before I left was more carefree, too... we VW guys didn't take ouselves so seriously back then.  Nowdays, it's all about attitude!!

Thanks for all the positive feedback guys!



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John Rayburn
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« Reply #15 on: March 06, 2009, 21:04:16 pm »

More, Sarge! More!
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Carlos De Alba
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« Reply #16 on: March 06, 2009, 21:08:18 pm »

wow........thanks for sharing the stories and the photos Sarge!!!  Shocked  Cool

one question.......??  what are those brown stains on the photos???  Roll Eyes  Do you keep the scanner next to the toilet??  Roll Eyes

 Cheesy Cheesy Cheesy
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vwcab
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« Reply #17 on: March 06, 2009, 21:11:54 pm »

More, Sarge! More!
That is what I also wanted to say.It's nice to read these little story's,from people who where involved back then.
So Sarge,tell us more please.It's very interresting.
 Wink
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Sarge
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« Reply #18 on: March 06, 2009, 21:14:50 pm »

Roll Eyes  Wellll, let's see...  When it all started was fall of 1964.  I'd started school at Fullerton Jr College and was driving my first bug, a metallic blue '56.  Driving through the parking lot, I couldn't help but notice how many VW's where there... one that caught my eye was a beautiful black '65 with chromies that belonged to Brian Renie (God).  I started hanging around a bit with Brian who had gone to high school in Anaheim and knew John Lazenby and pointed out his then red '63.  Another guy that was around then was Richard Kugel (brother of Hot Rodder Jerry Kugel / Kugel Components) who drove a gold bug with very cool Jardine headers.  After awhile, we all got to know each other and would cruise around the Anaheim area on the weekends visiting Carl's, The Bean Hut, Taco Villa and a place called Hillside Drive-In which was a few miles north in Fullerton.  One night we bumped into Pete Dayton at Carl's... he was looking for bugs and owners to start a car club and word spread fast.  Mike Huggins, Mike Mendenhall, Dewight McGill, John Radke (never owned a VW but  was always there), John Krysick,Gregg Bunch, Gary Kruger and Bob Stewart where all guys who went to FJC and were a part of things before I got drafted in early 1967.  Times were a lot simpler back then.  There was no performance stuff to speak of and chrome wheels were the vogue.  Muffler shop headers (not really even headers...more like noise makers) soon took off and became big business.  It was all about cruising around with an FM radio or four track Muntz tape deck blasting away with your new found VW pals..... Cool

The Sarge has requested, thus I must deliver.  I've got some early photos and other things burried in my garage and keep putting off pulling them out to share.  I will make an honest effort this weekend as I've already promised to Jim E.

Some of the names listed above I can comment on.  Brian Rennie (GOD).  He got that name because he acted like GOD.  Brian and I met in the 4th grade and went to the same church and our parents were friends.  He bought a new '65 sedan in black and kept the car cleaner than mine, which I thought was impossible.  Everyone used Classic Car Wax back then and he had empty cans of the stuff stacked on his garage wall.  He literally wax the paint off the car.

Brain was also the guy that introduced me to my future wife Christie Ann.  It was a blind date and the way that came about was keeping a friends (Gayle Ringwald) '65 Plymouth Satalite while he was at boot camp.  It was a 383 with an Art Carr Torueqflite and halled ass!!  A side note on this car is prior to Ringwald owning it the car belonged to Ted Longworth who was a buddy of Ron (Big Al Tamming) Flemings.

Anyway, Brian set up the "blind date" as he was dating Christie's older sister Linda at the time.  I was just a couple of weeks out of Navy boot camp myself and had no hair (that still holds today), braces and weighed 128 pounds dripping wet.  The four of us went to Hollywood in the Plymouth and cruised Hollywood and Sunset Blvds. most of the night.  That was August 21, 1967 and five years to the day later Christie and I were married.  Edmiston and Huggins were both in the wedding party and I have the photos to prove it.  Also Sharon Edmiston was a bride's maid for Christie.

Rich Kugel and I had met at Taco Villa on Harbor Blvd in 1963 and became great pals.  Rich had a gold '58 sedan with Jardine Headers and that statement painted on the rear fenders.  He was never officially in the club, but was consider by many "The Fonz" because he was a cooooooool dude!!!  Rich and I joined the Navy at Los Alamitos  together and in future years traveled to the salt flats at Wendover, Utah with his older brother Jerry (Kugel Components)


Jon Radke was not ever in the club as Jim states, but always hung around with Pete Dayton, Gary Huggins and myself.  He was a year older than us and kind of a Lumpy Rutherford (Leave it to Beaver) character.  It was guaranteed that if Radke was in your car and you stopped to get a soda he would spill his in the car without fail. 

Jon passed away probably ten years ago in his sleep.  He was working for Johnson & Johnson and living in Colorado.  We still receive Christmas Cards from his wife.  His kids are grown now and he is a grandfather which is hard to accept remembering the guy.  I miss you Jon.

Mike Mendenhall was a bit younger that most of us, but had a nice car that was painted by Molley in La Habra.  Today as far as I know Mike owns California Wooding Working Machinery in Anaheim.  He is probably within a mile of Royze and I guess I should stop by and say hello.

Greg Bunch and I met at Irvine park some 40 plus years ago.  His car would pull mine and I hated him for that.  If any of you ever get the chance you need to see his home in Santa Ana or Tustin.  It is on the border, so I'm not sure.  A finer person you could not meet.  Today Greg owns a '30's Lincoln Limo that weighs about 6K.  I guess as he grew heavier he felt the need for something larger than a VW.

Excuse the spelling errors and the rush, but I've got other things pending currently.  I promise there will be more soon...................... Roll Eyes Roll Eyes Roll Eyes Roll Eyes Roll Eyes Roll Eyes Roll Eyes

John Lazenby
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Nico86
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« Reply #19 on: March 06, 2009, 21:20:22 pm »


As for music, it was the age of, um.....  well, let's say before I went in the Army, it was Surf / Beetles / Folk / Oldies.  When I got home in 1969, It was the Beetles White Album, Jefferson Airplane's Surrealistic Pillow, Hendrix and so on.  The driving around "attitiude" before I left was more carefree, too... we VW guys didn't take ouselves so seriously back then.  Nowdays, it's all about attitude!!

Thanks for all the positive feedback guys!





In 69 did Led Zeppelin music already hit the US ? You had a 8-track tape player in the 63 ?
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johnl
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« Reply #20 on: March 06, 2009, 22:32:15 pm »

Wish I had more pics for you guys but photo taking wasn't a big part of my life back then.  Here's a couple of oldies from the 40hp Zenith carb days.  I bought the carb and manifold from a repair shop in Fullerton... had NO IDEA about jetting, intake manifold leaks, etc.  The manifold wound up being tweaked and never set flush on the heads... this after weeks of head scratching.  After that mystery was finally solved, I went to Don Burns VW one day and had them put it on the chassis dyno to try and sort the jetting.  What a joke! Roll Eyes  The green car is Lazenby's red '63 after it was repainted by Babe's in Fullerton.... by far one of the nicest paint jobs I can recall from back then.  As much as everyone here loves the Butternut color it later became, the Cadillac Firemist Green is the color I'll always remember most.  John and I spent a lot of weekend afternoons waxing our cars at his folks place in Anaheim or Hillcrest Park in Fullerton (across the street from Hillside Drive-In)... seemed there was always some friends waxing cars at the park whenever you'd cruise through.  I can't begin to think how many cans of VHT we sprayed on our "headers".... it was a weekly ritual! Roll Eyes Wink

The photo of my '63 is taken in my parents driveway in Anaheim.  Yes, Jim is correct on the color.  Firemist colors were only offered on Caddy's then and Babe Cox the man who painted it said it was a "poor man's metalflake".  I still like the color to this day.  Babe was a black man that was a good friend of my Dad's and he was at our home often.  He passed away some years ago, but was another influence on me and my cars.

I remember those Firestone tires.  I use to sit and paint the gold strip and letters weekly.  There was a product known as Harely Tire-nu, same company that made Harley wax.  I kind of figured out how to make the stuff by going to the local Save-On drug store and buying and mixing up batches.  We used it like water and speaking of water, every time you drove through a puddle the stuff washed off.

The rear rims came from Johnny's Speed & Chrome or as we use to affectionately call it (Johnny's Chip & Peel).  They were 6" Chevy outers with Porsche centers.  Johnny Hewey owned Jiffy Plating and did all of his own wheels.  He was a real "wheeler dealer", no pun intended and was always pretty much drunk.  He would be in the back of the shop on Beach Blvd. at Rosecrans and be screaming out prices.  You could always work a deal if you had cash.  I'm sure the cash went in his pocket and not the till.

A story I heard was that Johnny's son was in the Phoenix area and had mob ties.  He was shot and ended up in a wheelchair.

Johnny's has long gone away like the Auto Haus stores, but the memory lengers on.  To close on this one, Jim, I can still smell the VHT paint!!! Undecided Undecided Undecided Undecided Undecided
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« Reply #21 on: March 06, 2009, 22:40:16 pm »

Roll Eyes  Wellll, let's see...  When it all started was fall of 1964.  I'd started school at Fullerton Jr College and was driving my first bug, a metallic blue '56.  Driving through the parking lot, I couldn't help but notice how many VW's where there... one that caught my eye was a beautiful black '65 with chromies that belonged to Brian Renie (God).  I started hanging around a bit with Brian who had gone to high school in Anaheim and knew John Lazenby and pointed out his then red '63.  Another guy that was around then was Richard Kugel (brother of Hot Rodder Jerry Kugel / Kugel Components) who drove a gold bug with very cool Jardine headers.  After awhile, we all got to know each other and would cruise around the Anaheim area on the weekends visiting Carl's, The Bean Hut, Taco Villa and a place called Hillside Drive-In which was a few miles north in Fullerton.  One night we bumped into Pete Dayton at Carl's... he was looking for bugs and owners to start a car club and word spread fast.  Mike Huggins, Mike Mendenhall, Dewight McGill, John Radke (never owned a VW but  was always there), John Krysick,Gregg Bunch, Gary Kruger and Bob Stewart where all guys who went to FJC and were a part of things before I got drafted in early 1967.  Times were a lot simpler back then.  There was no performance stuff to speak of and chrome wheels were the vogue.  Muffler shop headers (not really even headers...more like noise makers) soon took off and became big business.  It was all about cruising around with an FM radio or four track Muntz tape deck blasting away with your new found VW pals..... Cool

Regarding Jim's final sentence I will add that I still have my tape decks, both 4 and 8 track and gobs of tapes.  They are in storage in my garage.  Wonder if they are worth anything except a bunch of great memories??? Grin
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Sarge
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« Reply #22 on: March 06, 2009, 23:07:22 pm »

WOW.....thanks for chiming in, John! Cool  Seems like it was just yesterday Roll Eyes Grin!


In 69 did Led Zeppelin music already hit the US ? You had a 8-track tape player in the 63 ?


I had a four track Muntz hooked up to some old wood bookshelf speakers behind the back seat (real quality stuff Roll Eyes).  I never had an 8 track in the '63.  We used to hit the drive-in swap meets a lot for bootleg tapes ($2.95ea).  I liked the first two Zep albums the best (still do to this day), Lee Michaels, Santana, The Who, Stones, Buffalo Springfield, Cream, Doors and Crosby Stills & Nash to name a few.
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Nico86
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« Reply #23 on: March 06, 2009, 23:37:42 pm »




In 69 did Led Zeppelin music already hit the US ? You had a 8-track tape player in the 63 ?


I had a four track Muntz hooked up to some old wood bookshelf speakers behind the back seat (real quality stuff Roll Eyes).  I never had an 8 track in the '63.  We used to hit the drive-in swap meets a lot for bootleg tapes ($2.95ea).  I liked the first two Zep albums the best (still do to this day), Lee Michaels, Santana, The Who, Stones, Buffalo Springfield, Cream, Doors and Crosby Stills & Nash to name a few.

Only great things.
« Last Edit: March 06, 2009, 23:40:13 pm by Nico86 » Logged

Lee.C
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« Reply #24 on: March 07, 2009, 00:07:47 am »

Wish I had more pics for you guys but photo taking wasn't a big part of my life back then.  Here's a couple of oldies from the 40hp Zenith carb days.  I bought the carb and manifold from a repair shop in Fullerton... had NO IDEA about jetting, intake manifold leaks, etc.  The manifold wound up being tweaked and never set flush on the heads... this after weeks of head scratching.  After that mystery was finally solved, I went to Don Burns VW one day and had them put it on the chassis dyno to try and sort the jetting.  What a joke! Roll Eyes  The green car is Lazenby's red '63 after it was repainted by Babe's in Fullerton.... by far one of the nicest paint jobs I can recall from back then.  As much as everyone here loves the Butternut color it later became, the Cadillac Firemist Green is the color I'll always remember most.  John and I spent a lot of weekend afternoons waxing our cars at his folks place in Anaheim or Hillcrest Park in Fullerton (across the street from Hillside Drive-In)... seemed there was always some friends waxing cars at the park whenever you'd cruise through.  I can't begin to think how many cans of VHT we sprayed on our "headers".... it was a weekly ritual! Roll Eyes Wink

The photo of my '63 is taken in my parents driveway in Anaheim.  Yes, Jim is correct on the color.  Firemist colors were only offered on Caddy's then and Babe Cox the man who painted it said it was a "poor man's metalflake".  I still like the color to this day.  Babe was a black man that was a good friend of my Dad's and he was at our home often.  He passed away some years ago, but was another influence on me and my cars.

I remember those Firestone tires.  I use to sit and paint the gold strip and letters weekly.  There was a product known as Harely Tire-nu, same company that made Harley wax.  I kind of figured out how to make the stuff by going to the local Save-On drug store and buying and mixing up batches.  We used it like water and speaking of water, every time you drove through a puddle the stuff washed off.

The rear rims came from Johnny's Speed & Chrome or as we use to affectionately call it (Johnny's Chip & Peel).  They were 6" Chevy outers with Porsche centers.  Johnny Hewey owned Jiffy Plating and did all of his own wheels.  He was a real "wheeler dealer", no pun intended and was always pretty much drunk.  He would be in the back of the shop on Beach Blvd. at Rosecrans and be screaming out prices.  You could always work a deal if you had cash.  I'm sure the cash went in his pocket and not the till.

A story I heard was that Johnny's son was in the Phoenix area and had mob ties.  He was shot and ended up in a wheelchair.

Johnny's has long gone away like the Auto Haus stores, but the memory lengers on.  To close on this one, Jim, I can still smell the VHT paint!!! Undecided Undecided Undecided Undecided Undecided


COOOOOOOOOL stories dude - Keep em coming along with some pic's  Wink Smiley
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« Reply #25 on: March 07, 2009, 01:46:13 am »

Sarge and John... this is truly a great thread. I hope that it remains alive for a long time.

John, thanks for the laughs (Johnny's Chip & Peel). HAHA!! That's exactly what my friends and I called it, back when we were building our cars. Also, it's good hearing that other people believed in Harley's products. God, I miss their carnuba wax. GREAT STUFF! I've tried dozens of different types since then... but nothing beats Harley's. The smell was awesome, too. When McNew and I had our car detailing business, we held an account with them. If I remember correctly... they were near us in Long Beach. Cool people, too.

Beings that my group of friends and I were a couple of years younger, we'd always look up to the D.K.P. cars and their vibe and overall pride & enthusiasm towards the scene. So when I was lucky enough to get in to D.K.K. I was pretty stoked. But to this day, I never tire of the stories from you guys.

Please keep 'em flowing.
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lawrence
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« Reply #26 on: March 07, 2009, 05:48:21 am »

This is some cool stuff right here. Thanks for sharing John and Sarge.
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« Reply #27 on: March 07, 2009, 19:05:33 pm »

This thread reminds me of how i was feeling about all the "cool guys" out in California I read about in that new magazine "The Fun Car Journal". Wow, I wish I was out there instead of back in Iowa! My car was running Chevy adapters and a Cyclone header and carried a 12 volt battery to run the 8-track. Those guys have great big 1700cc motors and carbs and stuff! I got my induction notice in the mail, ran down to the Navy recruiter and he pre-dated my enlistment. I was off to San Diego and was sure I would stick out like a "hick" amidst the wall-to-wall hot shoes of southern California! First chance I got, I was driving up the coast to a Bug-In. The racers were faster than anything I'd seen! The show was full of cars that were in the magazine! The people though, were just people. Gene Berg was a skinny bald-headed guy that gave me a strange look when I recognized him and couldn't remember to close my open mouth. The drivers were all greasy when they climbed back in for another run. The car guys made the same remarks about the hot chick walking by as I would have. Most of them were my age, more or less. Just helping each other make decisions about the usual junk. "Want to take a run up to so-and-so"s?" "Think I should drill out my mains, or leave 'um?" "Watch out for that green Camaro! He's faster than he looks!" "Shit, man, she says she pregnant!" So, Sarge, even though it was just everyday living for you guys. The club scene you were a part of, was the forerunner of sites like this. A bunch of like-minded nuts pushing a crazy idea to another level. You were the inspiration for guys like me way back then, and it looks like that is still the case today. Oh, and thanks for not laughing at that paisley shirt I was waring at the Bug-In.
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Sarge
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« Reply #28 on: March 07, 2009, 20:57:21 pm »


This thread reminds me of how i was feeling about all the "cool guys" out in California I read about in that new magazine "The Fun Car Journal". Wow, I wish I was out there instead of back in Iowa! My car was running Chevy adapters and a Cyclone header and carried a 12 volt battery to run the 8-track. Those guys have great big 1700cc motors and carbs and stuff! I got my induction notice in the mail, ran down to the Navy recruiter and he pre-dated my enlistment. I was off to San Diego and was sure I would stick out like a "hick" amidst the wall-to-wall hot shoes of southern California! First chance I got, I was driving up the coast to a Bug-In. The racers were faster than anything I'd seen! The show was full of cars that were in the magazine! The people though, were just people. Gene Berg was a skinny bald-headed guy that gave me a strange look when I recognized him and couldn't remember to close my open mouth. The drivers were all greasy when they climbed back in for another run. The car guys made the same remarks about the hot chick walking by as I would have. Most of them were my age, more or less. Just helping each other make decisions about the usual junk. "Want to take a run up to so-and-so"s?" "Think I should drill out my mains, or leave 'um?" "Watch out for that green Camaro! He's faster than he looks!" "Shit, man, she says she pregnant!" So, Sarge, even though it was just everyday living for you guys. The club scene you were a part of, was the forerunner of sites like this. A bunch of like-minded nuts pushing a crazy idea to another level. You were the inspiration for guys like me way back then, and it looks like that is still the case today. Oh, and thanks for not laughing at that paisley shirt I was waring at the Bug-In.


Cool read.... Grin  Last I checked, all of us here in SoCal still put our pants on one leg at a time just like the rest of the world Roll Eyes!


Here's a couple more pics... The first is my Dad out front of the house where I grew up in La Habra.  Left to right, my '63, the ruby red '65 bought new from Meltebeke VW, and the Sea Sand '66 bought direct from Germany.  The next is me on leave before heading off to Viet Nam... time for another car waxing at Hillcrest Park Roll Eyes Grin.  The last is Sharon with the '63 out front of where she grew up in Anaheim.  Sharon and I met in art class at Fullerton JC in 1964 and has been by my side ever since for all the fun and excitement Shocked Roll Eyes Grin.  A lot of weekends we doubled up to Hollywood with the Lazenby's stopping at Tiny Naylor's Drive In for a Cherry-Lemon OJ before heading home to make the rounds in Anaheim.  Gas used to be $.36 cents a gallon for Chevron Custom Supreme, so there was never any shortage of cruising Wink.
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speedwell
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« Reply #29 on: March 07, 2009, 21:20:49 pm »

 Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked miss sharon Tongue Tongue Tongue
 if I had lived in this time , I would also have chosen her Tongue Tongue Tongue good choice bro  Wink

fabs
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