My other off road car

[fusername]

get that rally bug restored and I am sure you can raise the funds for it in a half second. I'll be the co-driver!

[Sneaks]

get that rally bug restored and I am sure you can raise the funds for it in a half second. I'll be the co-driver!

You know, both those thoughts have crossed my mind. I'll give you plenty of time to stock up on thermal underwear.

[fusername]

I've been driving a bay window with no heat and half the seals missing year round in new england. I think I am set.

[Sneaks]

Funny, I got a PM on another forum from a guy saying let him know when the car runs the Alcan again and he'll bring tools and food and run service for it. Dunno, it would be cool to enter it in one some day. It could actually compete since it doesn't need to meet current RA\NASA\FIA safety regs to run.

First, I need to get it restored. I think next weekend I'm going to make the trip down to NJ.

[dustymojave]

Very cool stuff Sneaks!

I often make a living (such as now) restoring old race cars like the 67 Mustang Shelby TransAm racer I'm working on. Some customers never get the history of the car and just want it because it's "cool" and want to "restore" it to something that never has been before. These people never understand 1/2 of the cool that the car really represents. It's great that you do.

That Rolls Royce I believe to be the one that Chuck Strange of Strange Engineering has had for several years. I saw it at the MORE Powder Puff offroad race last month at Barstow, CA.

[Sneaks]

Very cool stuff Sneaks!

I often make a living (such as now) restoring old race cars like the 67 Mustang Shelby TransAm racer I'm working on. Some customers never get the history of the car and just want it because it's "cool" and want to "restore" it to something that never has been before. These people never understand 1/2 of the cool that the car really represents. It's great that you do.

Thanks! I've had some much fun with this car and I haven't even started working on it yet. It is a connection to a time when motorsports were more about the SPORT and less about the corporate money, when men were men and Pintos were scared. I'm really excited people are interested in the story. I think it is going to be very cool when it is finished and I can share it with the communities. Rally in the US has no real hall of fame or museum so this will have to be the next best thing. Now, about that Shelby...

I'm a Mustang guy as well, I sportsman drag an 85 GT. Funny, the 'Stang people are so different from the VW people. I grew up on stories of Jerry Titus, Bob Bondarant, Ken Miles, etc.

That Rolls Royce I believe to be the one that Chuck Strange of Strange Engineering has had for several years. I saw it at the MORE Powder Puff offroad race last month at Barstow, CA.

REALLY?
I'll have to look into that. I've been trying to reach out to contemporaries of Al, not only for stories and info about him but them as well. I'll have to check that out. Seriously, a 4x4 RR is just a badass thought.

[bajaherbie]

i remember pics of the RR, i think in was in Hot Rod magazines baja coverage.....

[Sneaks]

Random update. The weather hasn't been friendly so work on this and my other projects have pretty much stopped. I did get this update from a former co-driver of the car over on another site:

I did 3 rallies with Al in 1982, and I was probably the youngest(25) and least experienced co-driver he had.I don't remember quite how we got hooked up but the first was The Mini Cannonball in February out of Burlington, VT and that year running into Southern Quebec. As referenced earlier YES it was COLD in the car, and I was wearing two layers of long underwear, jeans and ski pants. And Al opening the window to spray de-icer on the windshield at speed every 20 minutes or so didn't help. Our rally ended somewhere in Southern Quebec with the car going off a right hand bend, I was glad I had the ski pants on when I sunk up to my chest in a drift covered ditch bringing the cable to the nearest tree.
Next was 100 Acre Wood which started the way most of Al's rallies did, with us loading the car with his tool boxes, spare parts, tires and luggage and driving the Bug to the rally. After the rally we loaded it all back in again and I got to drive home solo. There was a small glitch on the way from Rolla to the interstate, Al was driving and I had him telling me all about his trip to the Safari rally. We were so engrossed in conversation that Al didn't notice the Stop sign, we hit a local with the right front. We rented a motel room unloaded the parts from the car into the room, jacked up the car and changed the parts he could, reloaded the car and drove to the airport. Al and his wife both worked for airlines so they were always flying to or from events, which saved their vacation time for trips back to Luxembourg (or more rallies).
For Northern Lights Fernie and I drove the car out, with a stop in Ohio to meet up with the guy that was going to do service for us. He did have a higher output engine in the car for this rally, I remember Bruno giving him driving advice on how to handle the higher power. Michigan was very dusty and I remenber him saying that Luxembourg drivers are used to driving in fog so the dust is no problem. He did most of the work on the car in his one car garage under their appartment which was filled with racing and rally posters from Europe. I have few more pics to scan. Good luck with restoration Scott.





I went on Rallyracingnews and found Al in this car did over 30 SCCA/NARA rallies from '74to '85, couldn't find an archive for Canadian events and the NEPRO/NEPRS TSD rallies were almost as tough as pro rallies. And I'm sure the car was driven to most of them.



This is at the 1978 Buffum Rally School at Bryar racetrack Loudon, NH. Al actually won the stage that was setup around the gravel pit behind the track at the end of the school,
A) he had a weight advantage by not having a navigator
B) he was smart enough to go around the giant puddle instead of going through it.
I'm pretty sure any other photos from this school and the 1980 school I gave to Al.



This was the 1979 STPR with Bob Gomez taken after the last stage, which is why Bob's helmet is askew.



The 1982 STPR with Rod Hendricksen at Asaph.

[black_rat_bug]

I love this story. A book on the restoration would be nice. Something locally printed and spiral bound would be great if none of the motorsports publishers are interested. The car looks great in those pics! Keep the stories coming!!!

[Sneaks]

So AJ sent me a short video he shot. In it was a brake caliper from a 914. Guess what, it's the same thing that is on the front of this car. I do remember way back when speaking to Al and him saying the brakes were Porsche. This is definitely going to help with finding parts...Alex you rock!

This has been on the back burner for a year now as other projects (less involved) get taken care of. I hope to start on this soon, yeh, I know I say that often but i finished the baja, that has to count for something!

[fusername]

First, I need to get it restored. I think next weekend I'm going to make the trip down to NJ.

where have i heard that before? anyways keep me updated how this project moves along, I am very strongly toying with the idea of having my car assembled over winter break so i can beg my way onto some of the rally courses next spring. there is no class for me, but I'd love to stretch her legs. if we could get the rally car rolling under its own steam by then, who knows how many car shows we can rock.

[Sneaks]

She hasn't responded to emails so I've resorted to what worked the first time -a real letter. As soon as I hear back, we're road trippin' it. As for rallycross, I'm in. If I can get a sticker, I can run the baja too. Mikey's gf Shelby thinks she can get it inspected for me so keep your fingers crossed.

I moved the rally bug to outside the kitchen window so I'll see it every day and hopefully help keep me motivated...after I get past all the bays.

[Leatherneck]

Present day action pics are needed.

[fusername]

also the article is TL;DR, but it covers 944 brakes, maybe similar/same?
http://www.germanlook.net/html/tech/Tec ... ension.php

godd damn i want winter break to hit already, I have a heart transplant to do, you have a rally bug to restore, and somewhere there is some tarmac w/ our names on it.

[plotch]

Dude;
Followed this on another forum and think this is great! Trying not to gush but, in new england cars do rust. Can't promise anything but if you're in the neighborhood will crew or whatever it is called. The baja is okay, the rally car is pretty cool. Good luck.