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

[TRE Cup]

With the anticipated great weather for NYD Sunday, and the thousands of bicyclists, tourists, various other (slow) car clubs, and of course lotsa friendly LEO's; our TRE based drive will NOT be frequenting the Malibu hills or Mulholland hwy.

Our picks run along a couple years' past drives with us starting at TRE in Van Nuys and ending in Montrose on restaurant row. If you want to know what's in between- meet at our place at 7:30 am in Van Nuys and expect a 3 hour tour, a three hour tour ...

Just be here, no need to reserve- they are public roads !

[Banning]

Originally Posted by TRE Cup

With the anticipated great weather for NYD Sunday, and the thousands of bicyclists, tourists, various other (slow) car clubs, and of course lotsa friendly LEO's; our TRE based drive will NOT be frequenting the Malibu hills or Mulholland hwy.

Our picks run along a couple years' past drives with us starting at TRE in Van Nuys and ending in Montrose on restaurant row. If you want to know what's in between- meet at our place at 7:30 am in Van Nuys and expect a 3 hour tour, a three hour tour ...

Just be here, no need to reserve- they are public roads !

Thanks for posting that D. Sounds like real fun.
Wish I could make it but celebrating 20 years marriage this weekend and lots planned already. Have a safe and sane time.

[Parabolica]

Originally Posted by TRE Cup

Mulholland Go Kart Xmas Invitational 3 !

Some of the way back kids are going to go Friday, as in tomorrow the 23rd, to the indoor go kart track at 650 Chestnut, in Beyoooteeful Burbank.
We will meet at noon, and start racing at approx 1 pm. We will continue till there is a winner, or we get kicked out

So if some of you men of mayhem care to join us, please do so. Bring your boots as we are sure some of the tales of yore will get pretty deep

Dang! Sorry I missed that. How did it go?

[onesub]

I'm new here. It took me three weeks to read this whole thread. Before that, I bought a DVD of KOTM. It sure looked official; even had a bar code. I live in Colorado, and I've known and admired the legend of MIR for a long time, though the 2-speed automatic Tempest in the magazine article made me take it with a grain of salt. This thread has been a real eye opener ! I had no idea that you've been in a war. I want to say hang in there, but as the police state grows, that may not be an option. As I read, I kept expecting Jeff Hail to mention that the Bible says we seem to be heading into the nastiest government this world has ever seen, or will ever see again. Hang in there.

In the mean time, I thought the Prius drivers could be called "Bonsai Runners" (like the mini Japanese trees).

Around page 100ish, there were some "name that rare VW" contests, with a prize of a ride on MIR. Someone else won those. But on page 158, there is an unidentified "relic" down in the canyon. It's a VW Thing. I may never come to collect my prize.

The talk of guys who have gone on to racing careers made me think of how Pikes Peak has recently been paved. Everybody has thought this ruined the Pikes Peak Hillclimb, but maybe it is now right up your alley.

Banning - if it's not too late, I believe VW Tlll rear suspension uses a bolt in subframe, so you can switch to IRS without modification.

[mickster8888]

mr. banning, i just finished reading your book and throughly enjoyed it. i found it hard to put down. i was wondering if you have any other info or stories about johnny r. all i got was you shut him down and he never was seen on mulholland again. could you elaborate on him and his car? also, did charley die racing in boquet canyon? thanks in advance, mick

[Jeff Hail]

[QUOTE=onesub;6473855] As I read, I kept expecting Jeff Hail to mention that the Bible says we seem to be heading into the nastiest government this world has ever seen, or will ever see again. Hang in there.

Welcome to the thread onesub!

We are already there and have been for a long time.

[Banning]

Originally Posted by mickster8888

mr. banning, i just finished reading your book and throughly enjoyed it. i found it hard to put down. i was wondering if you have any other info or stories about johnny r. all i got was you shut him down and he never was seen on mulholland again. could you elaborate on him and his car? also, did charley die racing in boquet canyon? thanks in advance, mick

Mick, thank you for your kind comments about The Mulholland Experience.
There is more to tell about Johnny R. who is now a Doctor. I met up with one of his friends while doing more interviews, he didn't know why Johnny just disappeared from Mulholland one day. But I did, lol, poor fellow. His car was a black 930 that was basically stock, still a very fast car. So fast that he had severely spanked everyone who hung out at Grandstands and now thought he was god's gift to Mulholland and unbeatable. Since I rarely showed up (for good reasons) he had no idea what he was up against. Until the day they filmed the Eye on LA sequence called Mulholland Manics. It was even more rare to see me driving The Carrera in The Racecourse during the daytime. That day I was behind him thru The Racecourse, following closely. After changing positions at Coldwater, it was on. We were dead even thru European Straight but once we got to Sideways and the following fast tight turns I lost him in three seconds. He had been spreading rumors that The King of The Hill was over the Hill and so of course I had to show him what was real.
Best day race I ever had and drove 10/10ths into the setting sun. Should have had a camera, it was one for the books. The Blue Streaks stuck like glue while blasting thru 8000 rpm shifts. Nothing like 300 hsp with only 2100 lbs in a car set up for Mulholland with Porsche Factory recommendations.
When I got to Benedict I had time to jump out and lean against my car just to rub it in. Man that was fun.
He looked devastated and never showed again, sorry about that.
I'm sorry but I don't know much more about his car except that his dad bought it for him.
I never met him formally, we never talked. Johhny and I only exchanged two sentences, one before...and one after our little Parlay.
More to tell but saving it for next book.

Many stories followed Charley, even after his death.
For years I heard that he had promised his mother he wouldn't race Mulholland anymore after nearly losing his life crashing his Truck near Barham. He supposedly went to race on the Track where he crashed and died at Willow. This story is not correct.

For years I heard he died while racing in Bouquet Canyon near the top at the Resevoir location. We heard his Bluestreaks gave out. He did love to let the air out of those slicks so his Vette wouldn't be stolen. Not good for Racing Tires.
This story is also incorrect however.

He did go to live in Canyon Country with his girlfriend who he married and worked in a sporting goods store. Sadly, he exited Sand Canyon too fast off of the 14, and that was the end of Charley Woit. Much more to tell, but saving it for the next book.

Too much planned is causing some delays in getting second book complete but it will happen. No screw ups this time. Perfect text, photos, and many more stories will make this a good project and a good reference. Will need to sell 2 cars to finance second book. Now preparing to liqudate Rampside and Camino 2.

[gwilliams]

i had lunch at this new years day party at the t l g Porsche bash with the real king of mulhuland his mame is arnie he is the guy who choped the roof of his car call marco at tlg porsche he talks with arnie all the time he still races you should of seen what he was driving new years day thanks gary

[Banning]

Originally Posted by gwilliams

i had lunch at this new years day party at the t l g Porsche bash with the real king of mulhuland his mame is arnie he is the guy who choped the roof of his car call marco at tlg porsche he talks with arnie all the time he still races you should of seen what he was driving new years day thanks gary

That's very cool. Havn't seen Arnie in years. I hope he is doing well.
But he never raced Mulholland, and it was Don (who worked with Arnie) who "Slanted" (not chopped) the roof.

My car was formally Arnie's Racecar in SCCA and had a 2.5 litre engine in it I believe. Color was state grey. It was also largely fiberglass.

The car was sold to me while in the process of Slanting so Arnie only test drove it in the roof lowered configuration. I paid $1300 for the car and paid extra to Arnie and Don to have the flairs, doors, hood, and bumpers made in steel and to finish the roof and also paid for the Aluminum Roll Cage custom made for the new roof-line. I used my Race Engine and Transmission in the car plus put a combination of John Mason and my suspension mods in to make it handle for Mul. Many modifications.

Drove it to Santa Monica with no glass to have painted Silver Two-Stage. It was painted in a warehouse by the manager of Bob's Automotive Paint. Picked it up late afternoon sitting alone in said warehouse lit by single large overhead skylight. Wow!
Drove home at dusk with no windshield, what an experience.

Please say Hi to Arnie if you see him again. He knows his Porsche stuff.

[Flieger]

Was he the one driving the Superformance Ford GT-40 replica?


New Year's Day 2012 (046) by Max_911S_fahrer, on Flickr

[Flieger]

Check this out. No continuity whatsoever, but they have Mul Hwy by Rock Store, upper Potrero, and Latigo?, along with Paramount Ranch.

[mickster8888]

chris, thanks for sharing your info on johnny r and charlie. i'll definately be buying the 2nd edition when it
's available. just finished john hall's book as well. what can i say, i'm hooked. again thanks for sharing your info. mick

[Banning]

Originally Posted by onesub

Banning - if it's not too late, I believe VW Tlll rear suspension uses a bolt in subframe, so you can switch to IRS without modification.

Thanks I'll check on what you are talking about. It does have a transaxle (held by the pan forks) that is connected to springplates on the ends of Torsion Bars. The Torsion Tube appears separate from the body as it should in a VW because it is part of the floor pan assembly. Although it would be nice to do this now, other projects must take a priority so it will have to wait a little longer.

[onesub]

Banning - Rear forks supporting the transaxle are only a Type 1 feature. A Type 3 should have the whole drivetrain hanging from the front of the trans, and the back of the engine. Then again, I'm not a Type 3 guy; maybe very early Type 3s used the Type 1 setup. //////////// Oops; I'm half right. Swingaxle Type3s DID have rear forks supporting the drivetrain, but they were on a subframe that can be switched out for an IRS subframe. Rear engine mounts need to be added, but I would think that was already planned with the 911 engine.

[Jeff Hail]

I love digging up Mulholland past. From Laurel Canyon to Beverly Glen.... lets see how good the photo detectives are? Some are easy to spot the locations others are a bit more tricky.

A few hints: two females - across from the fire station at Beverly Glen and Mul (distinctive hill in background)

Fires -Laurel Canyon and Lookout (of course the Canyon Store)

Cop looking over side - Mulholland at our favorite Truckstop and another before they re-carved Mul.

One of them is right AT Chris's cutoff.

Only one photo is of Mulholland Hwy at the starting banner. The rest are primarily the course.

[Jeff Hail]

[Jeff Hail]

Spills, chills, crash's, fire and earth movement has always been a part of Mul.

If you look at most of the background hill tops and ridges the locations are pretty easy. If you can't tell the photos are tagged in the file names.

[Banning]

Originally Posted by Jeff Hail

Spills, chills, crash's, fire and earth movement has always been a part of Mul.

If you look at most of the background hill tops and ridges the locations are pretty easy. If you can't tell the photos are tagged in the file names.

Very cool Jeff, thanks for posting.
Some photos are reversed like this one...here is it corrected.



I recognize some of the shots from late 50's and early 60's when I was a younger man growing up on Mulholland.

[Jeff Hail]

Hey Chris,
A couple of photos were reversed. Most even with writing were correct as they were taken from slides.


Dug up a few more. Spectacular photo (2 put together of Los Angeles) before they filled the Hollywood Reservoir. Amazing that the geography and construction style of both the St. Francis and Mulholland dam were very similar. Both designed by Mulholland and built almost simultaneously.

[Jeff Hail]

This one was a surprise to me.

The caption reads:
Photograph of an artist's conception of the Beverly -- San Fernando Hotel at Coldwater Canyon Boulevard. "Architect's conception of the new $10,000,000 Beverly - San Fernando Hotel to be built at Coldwater Canyon Boulevard and Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles" -- typed note attached to verso. Verso dated, "November 23, 1954".

I guess someones dream was never built or realized but I thought this would have a made a perfect Mulholland Race Plex. Pretty easy to figure out the location of this artists conception.