What happened to the Mulholland "King of the Hill" RSR?

[TRE Cup]

Interesting side story on that T/G firebird. This past year at Monterey there it was in the pits, then a little later that evening- there it was again in the RM auction... or wait a minute! Are there two of the same exact car?
Yep- one was not the real deal. I suspect it was the RM offered car as they had a back pedaling statement before bidding

and so it goes.. just like all the "cobras" that exist today, and even a few Carrera RS's

[Jeff Hail]

Originally posted by TRE Cup
Interesting side story on that T/G firebird. This past year at Monterey there it was in the pits, then a little later that evening- there it was again in the RM auction... or wait a minute! Are there two of the same exact car?
Yep- one was not the real deal. I suspect it was the RM offered car as they had a back pedaling statement before bidding

and so it goes.. just like all the "cobras" that exist today, and even a few Carrera RS's

Tangents are always interesting. The real racer was found in Mexico, brought back and restored as a tribute to Jerry by his son.

Jerry Titus is where the Titus Memorial Award came from. Its like the Wimbledon for race drivers.

Jeff

[speeder]

Jesus, you guys....

How am I supposed to get anything done around here when I have to check this thread 3 times a day?

[SSB]

Originally posted by Jeff Hail

Is it possible to post a 3 meg WAV file?? In Deucers own voice.

[LateBrakeU2]

Originally posted by TRE Cup
Steve Sannett and his brother had 2 T-70 coupes- The yellow was bought in texas or registered there. Pantera transaxle and Vega tailites ! it was a bit kit car-ish being converted to street use. They had another T 70 (or later chassis) with a Mk3B nose- same front end as the Penske cars
The Sannetts participated in the overly hyped Banzai night runners article- it was pretty much a bunch of hooey made up like there was a club of these guys that did this.

Tabloid journalism for cars

Did people go out and haul a** to see what their cars would do? Sure... how many Sunday afternoons did i buzz Sepulveda paralleling the 405 with my Daytona to do a "speed check"?

Steve lived on San Ysidro off Benedict Canyon.In addition to the Lola he has a 72? Celica that was heavily modded with Toy store goodies.My best freind who lived a few doors down from me on Benedict had an older bother with a Corolla SR5 with similar enhancements from Stu,he was always looking for Steve in that thing for a night run up the canyon.I seem to recall seeing Salt Walther in his T70 cruizing up and down Benedict more than Sannett',I think his was yellow as well.

[TRE Cup]

Salt's car was a yellow GT40, not a Lola. Besides cruising thru the hills (he lived of Mul) He came out to willow one time for the old timers races put on by harry (the old autobooks in burbank)
Well.. dear Harry was setting up the last big race of the day as an Australian Pursuit. This race is structured according to your average lap times from earlier in the weekend. The race would be 10 laps x your average lap time and you have your target time. The qualifying order would be from slowest to fastest with each faster and faster cars being sent out with the handicap of time between them. So , theoretically ALL the cars end up crossing the finish line together !
Bondurant showed up with several of the old team cobras, Chris Cord brought his 250 GTO, there was another GTO, a Lusso, a bunch of POC porsches, and our Mulholland crew. I borrowed a set of cantilever slicks and put them on a buddy's 2002 for the weekend. This 02 was a bored out 1600 with the short geared rear end and some springs. With the wide rubber, webers, cam, and compression, this little car went pretty well. Kurt Oblinger brought his primer 65 Mustang coupe , also on slicks

I started about 15th or so, with Oblinger behind me- got the dents on the back of the Beemer to prove it when he thought he should start at the same time. It was a real blast driving and passing slower cars, while being passed by the faster ones.

Good ol Salt had sandbagged on his qualifying race (hence a liberal start time) so he really lit it up when it was his turn. I guess he wanted to diss the Cobras in a big way ! And he did- it was amazing to be on the track while these (now really historic) cars came sailing by. There would be no group finish that day- Salt rubbed it in (sic!)


btw- remember the big webers on Sanett's Daimler Dart- they stuck out of the hood like a drag car

[Jeff Hail]

A rare memory. Early morning at Grandstands with the Pacific Ocean barely visible in the background.

[Jeff Hail]

Now and Then photos.
I aimlessly posted some prior but for history's sake you get a better idea how much things have changed in 25 to 30 years.

Then- when the grading started west of Grandstands (85??)


Now- Urban sprawl (2006)

Now- from the top of the berm facing west- Urban Sprawl (2006)


Then- from Grandstands facing Bowmont (77,79??) No gate back then.


Now- same vantage point (2006)

[Jeff Hail]

More Then and Now pics

Then -From Grandstands facing Mul and the KYSR tower.


Now- same vantage point (2006). Look just below the tower and to the right. That A-frame house with the big plate window is gone. Nothing lasts forever. Where did all those tree's come from?


Mulholland going west towards Deadmans (2004).


Now- from Grandstands facing east to Deadmans. Universal City (center left). Should have brought a weed eater with me.

[Jeff Hail]

Our once huge Pit area which became universally known as Grandstands is now a measly turnout that couldnt hold much more than a half dozen cars.



There are bunch of plaques that line the walkway (we had dirt back then) to the vista lookout commemorating those who have donated to the Santa Monica Mountains. They even have lookout points with benches named after them lined all along the Drive. God bless them because Grandstands, and all those flip- a - uey turnouts as I always remember them are now protected forever.

[LateBrakeU2]

I remember them posting those"Mulholland scenic parkway" signs in the early eighties,I think they were all scarfed up within a week,lol.There were still quite few people going up there during my time(75-77 pre big bust part deux) and I mean virtually every night for three years.Quite often you would have to back your car up to the gate at Bowmont because there just weren't any more spots at grandstands.On one such night we were posted up behind the berm at Bowmont and this cat comes walking from behind the private gate and starts rapping with us.It was moonless night,couldn't see jack but this guys voice seemed very familiar..Chevy Chase!.He had a few pulls in him to boot.Cool guy-

Hey Bart tell em your Andrew Prine story!

[Jeff Hail]

Originally posted by LateBrakeU2
I remember them posting those"Mulholland scenic parkway" signs in the early eighties,I think they were all scarfed up within a week,lol.There were still quite few people going up there during my time(75-77 pre big bust part deux) and I mean virtually every night for three years.Quite often you would have to back your car up to the gate at Bowmont because there just weren't any more spots at grandstands.On one such night we were posted up behind the berm at Bowmont and this cat comes walking from behind the private gate and starts rapping with us.It was moonless night,couldn't see jack but this guys voice seemed very familiar..Chevy Chase!.He had a few pulls in him to boot.Cool guy-

Hey Bart tell em your Andrew Prine story!

Many of the ones that didn't get thrown over the side managed to become dash inserts and door panels on a few street racer drag cars that I know of. If you reverse them and engine (jewel) turn them the aluminum really looks professionally done. I was with my bud Leo at Orange County International Race way and he got found out during tech inspection. The inspectors were hysterical once they found out where all these full blown aluminum interiors came from. Imagine pulling off a panel during tech and on the backside it says 405, Sepulveda, and No Parking Dusk til Dawn. Oops. We always joked it was in the name of conservation and recycling.

Grading for the housing project adjacent to Grandstands began in 78. I remember riding my bike from Fryman on the fire road that came up behind Grandstands which was then diverted about 100 yards north. The gate at Bowmont went up March of 1984. The signs followed. Then the berms began appearing. First were the two at Carls along with fences and then they built a tiny berm at Grandstand while installing the curbs. The parking area could still hold 25-30 plus cars. The berm got bigger until you could not see Burbank without climbing to the top. They later dumped a bunch more dirt at that berm and the parking lot shrunk a bit more. A later revision was the present size it is today (5-6 cars). The last berm was installed at Deadmans and then the Armco's were replaced with the heavier versions. Finally the park at Skyline opened up.

[47Hammer]

Andrew Prine, Wow that guy seemed to have had a drink or two the night he was up there. We were standing there and he pulled up in his 911, got out and started to tell us how he had passed some guy in the sweeper and waved to the driver thru his passenger window. That guy was funny.

I also remember the night Jimmy G. was driving his brand new Toyota 4x4 pickup and decided to race someone and ended up going off at Carl's and rolled all the way down. His brother hiked up the hill and Jim walked out down below and that truck sat in his back yard for years as he made the payments.

And then there was Dave R. and his 510 that hit the fire hydrant just as I clicked the seatbelt on. The right rear tire and wheel passed us going down the corkscrew. What a mess that was.

[74threeliter]

This thread is awe inspiring... especially being an "Angeleno"
I was more into the moto thing (Driving like a "mad man" up to Newcombs Ranch Angeles Forest Highway)
Mulholland by the time i got my license (86') was out of the question see here in this LA Times link (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/valley/la-hy-125mulholland21jun21,1,3890988.story?page=1&coll=la-editions-valley) about the "closure".
growing up in LA/SFV and reading the stories in this thread brings out pieces of memory lane thanks to all and "keep the rubber side down" boy am i glad i didnt have any big deadlines to meet this week. imo-A movie or book should comes out of this!

[Jeff Hail]

Originally posted by 74threeliter
This thread is awe inspiring... especially being an "Angeleno"
I was more into the moto thing (Driving like a "mad man" up to Newcombs Ranch Angeles Forest Highway)
Mulholland by the time i got my license (86') was out of the question see here in this LA Times link (http://www.latimes.com/news/local/valley/la-hy-125mulholland21jun21,1,3890988.story?page=1&coll=la-editions-valley) about the "closure".
growing up in LA/SFV and reading the stories in this thread brings out pieces of memory lane thanks to all and "keep the rubber side down" boy am i glad i didnt have any big deadlines to meet this week. imo-A movie or book should comes out of this!

Newcombs Ranch/ Angeles Crest? Uh oh, another thread coming....
Jeff

[Jeff Hail]

One thing I have not seen on this thread is how did you end up on Mulholland Drive?

I would like to share my story of how Mulholland Drive found me. My humble innocent beginnings told through a child’s eyes growing up in the San Fernando Valley. My parents always instilled in me if you want something save your money to get it. Mom and Dad always tried to steer me away from dangerous things such as anything that was loud and sounded fast. They tried there best to keep me away from motorcycles and fast cars.

My Uncle Morey was a business partner of the first VW/Porsche Dealership on the west coast. Through the years it changed names but I will always remember International Motors. One of the partners was John von Neumann. Another good friend of Morey's was a guy named Max Hoffman. Without either these two gentlemen the history of Porsche and BMW in the United States would be very different than we know it today. This was all about 12 years before I was born. I later knew them as "Johnvon and "Maxman". Johnny also open up Competition Motors who sold the infamous 550 to James Dean.

In the 60's I came into the world. At 3 years old one day Mom couldn’t find me. She must have thought I got kidnapped or something because she kept yelling my name. She found me underneath Dads Chevy II in the driveway staring up at the undercarriage, hands locked behind my head contemplating my future. I enjoyed hanging out with my Grandfather and Uncle. They would drive around Los Angeles and Orange County talking business, visiting the dealerships. I just wanted to be in a car moving and go see other neat cars. It was a treat.

I played with Matchbox, Hot Wheels, Tonka's and all the toys kids play with. One day I got a Mini-bike. It didn’t have an engine but it was still a Mini-bike. My Japanese gardener Jimmy managed to come up with a spare Briggs & Stratton 2 -1/2 HP engine.
It had a broken ring but he helped me install a new one. I was an engine rebuilder- wow! A few days later I mysteriously found a centrifugal clutch in my garage wrapped in a Pitts Performance box courtesy of Jimmy the gardener. I didn’t have any gas but Jimmy told me they run really great on Tiki Torch fluid (denatured alcohol). Dad had Tiki torch and Coleman fuel. Hum? Going three blocks to the gas station was too dangerous and besides Dad wouldn’t miss it. Imagine being the only kid with an alcohol burning Mini-bike on the block? It had a wonderful smell and would pop a blue flame when I let off the gas.

There was something about oil and grease on my hands and the smell of internal combustion in the air. I watched Speed Racer and all the Wild World of Sports racing programs. The usual suspects were my heroes, Parnelli, Granatelli, Adamowicz and Minter. A few more named John Morton and the team of Pete Brock. 35 years later Mac Tilton would become my good friend. Racing was all I wanted to do. Life was good being a kid. I used to watch Tony Adamowicz race his #7 open wheel at Riverside. I frequented Ontario Motor Speedway before anyone ever heard of a Cal-Jam Festival.

I would ride my bicycle to Bill Rudd Motors (Ferrari) to check out the latest cars in for service. Uncle Morey and Gramps would drive over to Jim Travers and Frank Coons shop (TRACO) just to get the scoop on who was running TRACO built engines. I can never forget the sound of a mechanic syncing the Hilborn fuel injection on a big block. The sound of those velocity stacks sucking air was music. Once in a blue moon we would stop at the Austin Healey store on Reseda Blvd to check out the new imports.

It was my Grandfather who first took me across that special section of Mulholland between Coldwater and Laurel Canyon. Later Mom would take Laurel into town to go to my cousins or Farmers Market. I got car sick when Mom drove the Fury III over Laurel because I had to sit in the back seat. Without a view of the horizon a kid can get queasy.

Around 1972 I remember visiting a shop that had what I thought were real life Strombecker cars. Swoopy cars that were only as tall as me. Uncle Morey would talk to the guys there. These cars were different from what I was used to seeing. These cars were special. I remember wondering around the back of the shop drooling over these very special cars. A guy named Carl with a bushy mustache would run me off in a joking way but he knew even as a child I had a passion for these special cars as I always returned for another peek. Sometimes he would just beam at me while I looked. Not saying a word but just eying me as I stared at the race cars being prepped. I will never forget when I finally asked Carl what it was called. He told me it was a 917 and asked if I would like to sit it in but only for a minute. Fifteen years later I learned this was Carl Thompson. Another guy who I recall reminded me of Onassis because of the large sunglass’s he wore. I could tell he was the boss. Everyone showed him a respect like no other even Uncle Morey. He shook my little hand and with an accent said he was glad to meet me. His name was Vasek Polack.

Fast Forward-
As I grew up and became bicycle enabled I would ride my bike up Laurel to Fryman Canyon and then to Brookdale Lane. From there I would take the dirt trail and follow the creek past the fire hose tree swing to the fire road that came up behind Grandstands. I would then zoom down Coldwater back home. The first time I was there was with few friends. This road was cool because it had no stop signs and the turns were cambered. Even on a Huffy you could get going 30mph. I crashed twice coming down Coldwater. First time I broke some bones in my left arm and hand. Second time I hit some sand flew into the bushes, banged up me knee’s and tore up my Toughskins. Bent up the forks but was able to limp home. Other times instead of coming up the fire road we would come up to Mulholland at the rubble pile of old crashed cars. At the time we didn’t know it but this was just below Carls turn.

Uncle Morey had parted ways with von Neumann a few years back and opened another Porsche dealer in Encino. He partnered with the big guy from Little House on the Prairie named Merlin Olsen. This dealership had no motor sports affiliation and didn’t last long. At this time I bought my first car. I was fifteen and didn’t have a license. The car was a 1974 Fiat 124 TC Special 4 door. I found it in the Recycler. Paid $300 and it didn’t run. Mom and Dad must have thought it doesn’t run, it’s a basket case so if it takes a year to fix it fine. It took me 2 months to get the car running. I would take it out after school before the folks got home from work. No one knew. I thought installing a CB radio was cool. That radio would save my butt later one day.

That Fateful Day-
I was fifteen and a half. Mom and Dad were away on vacation. I took the Fiat out for the first time at night by myself around midnight. It was a cold damp night. It was a little foggy in the valley and I just kept going south down Laurel Canyon to Mulholland Drive. Something mysterious just told me to go up that hill. By this time I was aware that Mulholland had an image. I really wasn’t sure what? Racing? I didn’t see any that night. I made it up to the Drive and turned right going west all the way towards Coldwater. At that time I didn’t know the course as it was known. All I knew is there were no stops signs and if I made a mistake it was a long way down the side. These semi banked curves were cool as I didn’t need to touch the brakes. The fog that night wasn’t anything like what was on the valley floor. It was thick and misty. I made it all the way to Benedict Canyon without seeing so much as one or two cars and there it was. A white Porsche 911 moving really fast. Graceful but fast in the rain. I knew from that moment what I wanted to do for fun. I continued the drive to Encino Hills Drive and went home. I was up all night thinking about the next time and how I could make my car handle better.

I soon would be employed in Burbank. I would come up Barham and ago all the way to Encino Hills Drive back to Coldwater and head home at 100am. This continued every night except one Christmas Eve for the next three years, same routine except with a 1967 Barracuda that evolved into a slot car.

Many cars went through my hands in 17 years of serious Mulholland running. I met a lot of good people along the way and some I knew just by the car they drove or a face. If I didn’t gravitate to Mulholland I am not sure what road in life I would have taken? That was a different time and a lot of influences were out there for a young kid to get sidetracked. I like to think Mulholland kept me out of trouble in my teenage years. (Sounds funny now). It helped launch a career in the Collision and Restoration industry. Looking back I had the time of my life and wouldn’t trade a minute of it for anything. I only have one regret- I wish Gramps and Uncle Morey were still around.

So for a new thread how did Mulholland Drive find you? Next!

[JCF]

Thank you for that Jeff.

John

[SSB]

Growing up in Sherman Oaks on Knob Hill off Beverly Glen I think I always knew where Mulholland was though I didn't find out who Mulholland was for many years later. From the age of 11 Mulholland was where I would take whatever car I had taken out of my own driveway. It started with my mothers car ('63 Chevy Impala). However once my brother and his friends started parking their cars at the house, things really got fun. '63 Studebaker GT Hawk 4'speed, '66 Corvair, Austin Healey A100, '58 Aston Martin DB4B. They all wound up going across the hill. Speed was not the goal at that time. I just wanted to drive.

Thing got even better in time as Mom got a boy friend who owned a Chevrolet and an Import Dealership. 16 years old and I was driving all of the best. 70 1/2 Camaro, '70 Monte Carlo, Lotus S4, Jaguar E-Type, I was in heaven (but still not driving fast).

Then, August 1970 I got the MGB. I was, shall we say, somewhat underwhelmed after having driven all those other cars. I had been driving allot of trick stuff. But the "B" was mine and I still got to keep my first car, the '62 Pontiac Gran Prix 4/speed (as a back-up, I guess) The "B" really had only one purpose and that was to drive the hill. I drove that thing everwhere without ever touching Ventura Blvd. or Sunset.

One night, there they were. Parked at Bowmont & Mulholland was all these cars & people and all they talked about was cars and racing. I was back in heaven. But I was an outsider and was too shy to break into the group. I'd follow on different runs but stayed in the back.

One night I'm coming up Coldwater from the Valley and I see these headlights behind me. I believed them to be a Mini and figured I should be able to get away from him having already chased a Mini Cooper S before (John Norris, infact). So we go wailing up Coldwater, full tilt racing line between the two Coldwaters, blast up the "Pole Turns" and arrive at the pits in full view of everyone going as fast as I could. Right about then, the Mini pulls out and passes me like I was standing still. But that was no Mini. I believe someone mentioned this car earlier in the thread, a white Lotus Elan with some Cosworth BDA motor in it (something like that). CRAP, I think to myself and backed out of the gas. Oh well, what the hell, and with that I get back into the gas. Raced him all the way to the residential area and turned around and came back up behind him. There was no way I could catch that guy but he didn't dissapear from me either.

As I pulled into the pit, I was greeted as a hero. I was now accepted. They figured that it was cool that I even tried to race a Lotus with a "B"

I didn't tell them that I didn't know it was a Lotus and they didn't tell me that "B's" weren't fast.

[KFJ_SC]

Originally posted by SSB
I didn't tell them that I didn't know it was a Lotus and they didn't tell me that "B's" weren't fast.

Classic!

I've been following this thread from the beginning, and just when you think it can't get any better, it does.

Thanks everyone for sharing!

[notfarnow]

Originally posted by Jeff Hail
My Uncle Morey was a business partner of the first VW/Porsche Dealership on the west coast. Through the years it changed names but I will always remember International Motors.

I know this is before the era of this thread, but didn't Phil Hill have some history with International Motors when he was first getting started in TCs and XK120s?

This thread is amazing, by the way. We're in the middle of a snowstorm here, and I'm reading about Mullholand racing as though my neighbors are having a chat. Great stuff.