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| 1- THE BEGINNING | 2- INCH PINCHER 1 | 3- INCH PINCHER TOO (Soon) | 4- INCH PINCHER of New York (Soon) | |
I have to say that the purpose of these few pages devoted to the EMPI Inch Pincher series was not to write an exhaustive story coz I think all was already said. Read again Keith SEUME book if you want more info... No, what I wanted to do is an illustrated story with rare or unusual pictures of the Inch Pincher in action. So as usual, respect my work.
THE EARLY DAYS... 
NASSAU 1963...
The Race story of the little Inch Pincher VW started around way back in 1963 at the Nassau Grand Prix track. Darrell VITTONE engage his trusty orange 250.000 miles '56 oval window in the race with Dan GURNEY behind the wheel, and... won the race.
In 1963, the car sports the number 3. Pictures on left and below come from April '64 Foreign Car guide, the very same you see the cool color cover below. This picture is really interesting : note that the race car still sports all of his trims, bumpers, bullet indicators, stock rims and even his licence plate...
Another interesting fact is that the front car remains at stock height... A rare sight today...
In 1963, the car sports the number 3. Pictures on left and below come from April '64 Foreign Car guide, the very same you see the cool color cover below. This picture is really interesting : note that the race car still sports all of his trims, bumpers, bullet indicators, stock rims and even his licence plate...
Another interesting fact is that the front car remains at stock height... A rare sight today...
A look at the oval window just after winning at Nassau in 1963. Note a Dan GURNEY with helmet and mega cool GoodYear jacket striking a pose for the photographer... Picture is a thumbnail...
This color shot is very great coz color pictures of early Inch Pincher are very rare to say the least... The car remains nearly stock in appearance no?
But the most interesting was underneath... EMPI suspension products were tested in the Nassau races and proved to work very well...
After all, EMPI suspension parts always played a big part in EMPI success, right?
This color shot is very great coz color pictures of early Inch Pincher are very rare to say the least... The car remains nearly stock in appearance no?
But the most interesting was underneath... EMPI suspension products were tested in the Nassau races and proved to work very well...
After all, EMPI suspension parts always played a big part in EMPI success, right?
NASSAU 1964...
A very rare picture of the Nassau Garage in 1964... I found this photo while browsing the web a while back, and boy, what can I say, except that this is an awesome shot! I'm sure your sharped eye have recognized the little Inch Pincher with it number 9...
That's so great to see the little VW with all those race cars...
Picture is a thumbnail, click on it for bigger format, and discover the whole garage scene...
My friend Glenn MILLER looked at this picture, and from what he told me, the sport car just next to the Inch Pincher might be a rare EMPI CRUSADER VSR... I guess we can trust Glenn as far as EMPI world is concerned, right... *Laughing*.
Note the VW Bus and the Formula Vee race cars on left foreground!
Want more early pictures of the numbered 9 little bug?
Ok guys, so enjoy that left picture... Impressive no? Another treasure from Glenn MILLER.
This is my favourite of the early days, as the car looks so "cute" with its skinny tires... Note the unusual exhaust shape...
A way cool picture demonstrating the aforementioned hard race between GURNEY (number 9) and FOYT (number 1) at the '64 Nassau race...
This picture appeared in a German magazine back in the days... Would you have searched about Inch Pincher and EMPI materials in a German magazine?
Copyright © 2004 El Dub - All rights reserved.
E-mail : eldub@cal-look.com
The very next year, not surprisingly, the VW was driven again at Nassau with Dan GURNEY behind the wheel, this time sporting the number 9.
Again, the little car won the race only to be disqualified soon after... This race saw an incredible friendly battle beetwen Dan GURNEY and A.J. FOYT in the Sedan number 1. Foreign car wrote " Gurney and Foyt tied together as if with a towbar. Each driver is hanging out the rear wheels in a controlled drift with their bumpers never more than 2 feet apart".
Note that the orange VW now sports typical white racing stripes, a special exhaust, but remains stock.
Pictures below show Dan Gurney behind the wheel. Note the wood rimmed wheel and the special instrumentation. Great... You can also note that all the chrome trim remains in place. Seems weight was not the firts priority...
Again, the little car won the race only to be disqualified soon after... This race saw an incredible friendly battle beetwen Dan GURNEY and A.J. FOYT in the Sedan number 1. Foreign car wrote " Gurney and Foyt tied together as if with a towbar. Each driver is hanging out the rear wheels in a controlled drift with their bumpers never more than 2 feet apart".
Note that the orange VW now sports typical white racing stripes, a special exhaust, but remains stock.
Pictures below show Dan Gurney behind the wheel. Note the wood rimmed wheel and the special instrumentation. Great... You can also note that all the chrome trim remains in place. Seems weight was not the firts priority...
A very rare picture of the Nassau Garage in 1964... I found this photo while browsing the web a while back, and boy, what can I say, except that this is an awesome shot! I'm sure your sharped eye have recognized the little Inch Pincher with it number 9...
That's so great to see the little VW with all those race cars...
Picture is a thumbnail, click on it for bigger format, and discover the whole garage scene...
My friend Glenn MILLER looked at this picture, and from what he told me, the sport car just next to the Inch Pincher might be a rare EMPI CRUSADER VSR... I guess we can trust Glenn as far as EMPI world is concerned, right... *Laughing*.
Note the VW Bus and the Formula Vee race cars on left foreground!
Want more early pictures of the numbered 9 little bug?Ok guys, so enjoy that left picture... Impressive no? Another treasure from Glenn MILLER.
This is my favourite of the early days, as the car looks so "cute" with its skinny tires... Note the unusual exhaust shape...
A way cool picture demonstrating the aforementioned hard race between GURNEY (number 9) and FOYT (number 1) at the '64 Nassau race...
This picture appeared in a German magazine back in the days... Would you have searched about Inch Pincher and EMPI materials in a German magazine?
E-mail : eldub@cal-look.com