Those Great Specials...

[Ron Mann]

Well…this one has been brought up quite a few times so, let's show it!

Hobby Sabel that hit the scene with Hap Gardner & Gil Morrissey. Hap & Gil ran it 73-75 and then found it's way into the hands of Al Knepper, Ron Seibel, and even later Joel Lipperini ran it. You can read some of Joel's comments:

"That car originally had a tube frame, double a-arm front suspension, Triumph front uprights, Corvair engine with Porsche triple barrel Webers and a Porsche 356 swing axle style transaxle. I used it in Solo 1 & 2 competition for a short time (blew up LOTS of Corvair engines). I replaced the Porsche 356 transaxle with a bullet-proof VW transaxle. In the process I also replaced the engine with a 12A Mazda Rotary with a Cartech turbo system. The car was run again briefly in Solo 1 & Solo2 competition. It was then sold to a gentleman in Colorado."

[Ron Mann]

Photo found of the Sabel...as it was last seen on the internet for sale. The car is now Porsche powered.

[Ron Mann]

Since we talked about the Hate Bug....here is another Bug that was turned into a beast.

First run by Tom Davenhall/Don Dietrich & Gary Davis...and later run by Dennis Frick & Harvey Davenhall. This Mod 2 Beetle was stacked.

Dennis Frick stated: "It was dark gray primer, multicolored front lid & roof, oil cooler on the roof, 13” Formula C rubber, Porsche pushrod engine, trans & brakes. It won many MII First in Class awards, and a couple championships, as I recall. It was the car that the Weatherly fireman drove over, and in later years, Don Dietrich put it permanently out of commission at Weatherly."

The part about the fireman refers to a time when the Weatherly fire truck was called away from the hill and rolled over the Beetle as it was in staging line.

[Ron Mann]

Steve Flakus...VW powered Bugatti special

[Ron Mann]

Ok...we are going back in time again.

let's talk Ray Gross...late 50's early 60's with one of the first Devin specials to have a major impact on our hill climb scene!! The car was a 4 time FTD winner and was featured in magazines. It was first powered by VW...and later Porsche.

[Ron Mann]

since I'm jumping around the decades...here is one a little more recent

Jim Kuzo's Flying Ku-Grrr. started life as a regular Mercury Cougar and grew into one heck of a car! Jim snagged an FTD at Rose Valley & a Special 3 championship.

[mckee]

Let us not forget Dan Rutan's German Buick. It won Duryea its second time running there (2005). It owns the N.E. hill records for Mt Okemo, Mt Burke, and Mt Acsutney in VT. It was a VW Scirocco with an Audi Quartro drivetrain, but plugged into the flywheel end was a NASCAR Bush Series Buick V6 with something north of 500 HP. It was conceived and built in the Rutan shop in Moodus, CT.

Bob D'Amore

[Ron Mann]

certainly anyone that has seen Dan Rutan's "Scirocco"...they would not forget it! Dan has come down a few times to run taking an FTD at Duryea in 2005.

[Ron Mann]

in 1975 Mike Broody and Ron Moreck brought the Bromor Special out...Mike place 2nd overall in M2 & Ron 3rd. I don't know much about this car...but it sure fits here!

[Ted E. Bayer]

Hello...while we Southerners don't get up there very often, we certainly do send our best to represent us at PHA events! If you see George Bowland this weekend, tell him we are missing him.

Thanks for a wonderful thread on historic hillclimb cars. I am enjoying it immensely...Thanks Ron and all contributors.

Jerry Kieft's rotary powered Bandit AR-1 is coming along and still struggles with MEOC problems (Machine Exceeds Operator Capability). We have however resolved the overheating problems and can now run with all three vanes on front wing. THAT will really help. Here 's a picture from Wolf Ridge Hillclimb in Wolf Laurel, NC last month ...


... and a short clip of Bandit in action.

http://s96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/ ... MG2449.flv

For anyone that has ever thought of finding an old special and bringing it back to life, I would highly recommend the experience. You'll learn things like incorporating new technology with old, understanding the creativity of past owners and their unique problem solving approaches, re-living some history and learning how to gather resources ...and the best resources are your hillclimbing brothers of present and past. I wouldn't be running BANDIT today if it were not for the help from guys like Jerry Kieft, George Bowland, Dan Wasdahl, Bob D'Amore, Stan Vann, Dave Cutchins, Steve Hampton, Steve Eckerich, Mark Mashburn, John Finger, Don Peaslee and others. They gave advice, support, encouragment, time, parts and their resources were wonderful. Thanks guys. Considering I am 6'4" and weigh 245 and ...considering that Jerry is roughly half that (in height and weight ), to see the Bandit come together was a just a crazy dream. To see it run and actually be competitive is still amazing to me.

Hillclimbing is making a BIG comeback down south... we have plans for several more possibly next year and there is talk of a series again. The Chimney Rock Hillclimb is still a real possibility and I am continuing to work on opening that gate. And I hope to see more of the "one off" specials coming out of the woods again. The blend of creativity, brains and balls it took to run them like they did is just absolutely incredible.

Thanks for the thread...I'll try to find some pics of some of our "southern" one offs... there are actually some that were NOT designed to haul moonshine. Call Ripleys!

Ted Theodore

[Ron Mann]

Let's keep it down South....For those that have been around the last few years...surely you have taken notice to George Bowland's BBR (Bowland Boys Racing) Shark!! The Shark is a marvel of design…and extremely exciting to watch. Since 2006 the Shark has snagged 6 FTD's and has dominated the Special 1 class since it's arrival to the PHA scene! If George and the Shark are at an event…count on them to battle for FTD!

[Ron Mann]

Some of the specials that got bumped away:

[Ron Mann]

The next special on tap…the Reynard Special of Floyd Schrammeck of Marshall, NC. Floyd amassed at least 7 FTD's with this beast and still holds the Duryea hill record. For those that were around when Floyd ran the hills…and discussions I've had with folks...there seemed to be a cloud of controversy over the car…maybe some folks can elaborate on this. Regardless, how the car was classed…it ran what it ran and the Duryea record has stood since 1993.

[reddodge85]

iirc it had something to do with the engine, can't remember the particulars. I'm sure Richie would remember.

[Nelson]

That was the first year for the Special classes. Before then we had one open class. When the special classes were first set up they were classed by engine size and weight. There was a gap of about 50 pounds between Special 1 and Special 2 and Floyd's car fell into that gap. The next year the weight specs were dropped from the classes.

[Ron Mann]

Thanks Nelson!! I was hoping we could get some inside scoop!

[Ron Mann]

Keeping with the Reynard based theme here…surely anyone that has been around between 1997 - 2002 would remember the run Ron Moreck had with his S3 Reynard. With 22 class wins and 21 FTD's, it was pretty much an easy bet if Ron was at an event…he was going to lay down the fastest time. 1998 season was the most complete and dominating for this car. As I recall, the car had a turbo charged rotary Mazda power plant. The car still holds the hill record at Weatherly. It came back to the hills under new ownership in 2004 (Dennis Fink) taking 3 class wins but never regained FTD glory and was last seen for sale on Ebay.

[Mel Horn]

I'll take "Lycoming County Hillclimb Specials" for $500, Alex...

(while Phaedra spits coffee all over a computer screen in Queens)

If my recollection is correct I believe the Wedgie lives in Jersey Shore...as opposed to ON the Jersey shore!

[Ron Mann]

Mr. Horn you are correct...the Wedge is in the hands of Larry...he supplied the photos above!! The car got another body and was used by Larry & Phaedra in some solo 2 events...

I'm sure they can provide even more detailed info on the Wedge's legacy!

[reddodge85]

I was just looking at the incident report when J.W. hit the wall at NHIS. I've been digging through pics and info on hillclimbs, auto-x's, and road racing. I have most of the results for 96 and 97 for all hills, a couple programs, and tons of pics. I'll have to see if I can get some rooting done in Dad's attic and the filing cabinet in the basement, see what else I can come up with for you Ron.
Came across a pic of Ron Moreck before the "0" car. A brand new car that he stopped Montage for the day on his touring run. Not a good novice start.