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

[Racerbvd]

Originally Posted by Banning

Thank you very much Derek, glad you enjoyed the Exhibit as much as I did.
Here's one more photo of the 917/30. This 917 Porsche is the most awesome car Porsche ever produced.

I'd love to hang out and hear about those days over a few beers sometime.
Congratulations.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by Banning

The Carrera has less than 5,000 miles on it, but they are some hard miles, lol.
Except for the time I joined Dave B on his New Years Day Run, it has only been driven on Mulholland.

5000 miles with almost all of them on Mulholland.

I wonder what percentage of the time that motor was running that it was under 4000 RPM

Originally Posted by Banning

One of the Curators said that The Carrera was so popular that they decided to print new Lanyard Placards before the Event ended.

This is super cool, best hang on to that.

[Wayne 962]

Yes, it was great finally meeting Chris and seeing the car in person. Easily the best car in the display. Any yodelhead can write a check for a nice car (cough cough), but this one is indeed the real deal. It sums up SoCal car culture, what our customers (you guys) are all about, and really is the essence of what makes these cars great. It's a story that I've been spinning for years, and this car (along with Jack Olsen's BB) are legends indeed.

-Wayne

[DJtheDJ]

Does this thread ever stop getting more amazing?

[Jeff Hail]

Originally Posted by DJtheDJ

Does this thread ever stop getting more amazing?

No. Its the terminator of historical threads. It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop... ever except for gas.

[Zeke]

It might have reached a crescendo with the Mulholland Man himself getting Peterson fame. Just need the new book to top it off.

[Banning]

Originally Posted by Wayne 962

Yes, it was great finally meeting Chris and seeing the car in person. Easily the best car in the display. Any yodelhead can write a check for a nice car (cough cough), but this one is indeed the real deal. It sums up SoCal car culture, what our customers (you guys) are all about, and really is the essence of what makes these cars great. It's a story that I've been spinning for years, and this car (along with Jack Olsen's BB) are legends indeed.

-Wayne

Thank you Wayne for your kind comments, they are very much appreciated.
I enjoyed meeting you also and hearing about your car collection was fantastic.
It was one of the high points of the evening. I hope to see you again sometime in the future.

[Banning]

This Dutch Magazine was posted before in 2019 but was not published in English.
The Petersen Museum Curator named Jonee was quite nice to translate it for us so we can see what was written. Thank you Jonee.









Chris Banning is not world famous. Not like his close neighbors Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, Madonna, or other Hollywood stars for whom hordes of tourists in convertible vans crawl over the mountains around Beverly Hills to marvel at their villas. But they do unknowingly pass that one house with a souped-up El Camino and refurbished Porsches in front of the door. The true hero of Mulholland Drive lives there, notorious among connoisseurs and the police. Chris Banning is one of the daredevils who used to race down Mulholland Drive night and day when the animals still spoke and Jack Nicholson was still handsome. He was on the cutting edge with heroic winners, tough losers and lightning fast, specially prepared cars.

Just like on legendary circuits, every turn of this stretch of public road bears a historic name. Ranging from “Deadman’s" (you can understand where that comes from), to "the S’s", “European Straight,” "Sideways"—also not difficult to figure out the etymology—and “Grandstands.”
“We always raced at night when there were hardly any police plus you could see from the oncoming headlights whether a vehicle was approaching,” says Banning, dryly. As hard as it is to imagine, the guys did race on Mulholland Drive, not the Mulholland Highway, which is much wider about 20 miles away.
“Unfortunately, Mulholland Drive has become much too busy and very dangerous,” says Banning, who initially looks very sullen and wants to say less than Charles Bronson with “el schmerzen. (“the pain” this must be some Dutch expression).” Not surprising because this guy colored outside the lines more intensely than a blindfolded toddler with a sugar high until he suddenly bursts into bloom and coughs up a whole bunch of tasty anecdotes: “You look like genuine people,” he jokingly gives us a feather up our Cap. Forget the posh atmosphere that David Lynch created in his cinematic ode to Mulholland Drive. In real life, the raw side of Los Angeles has been coming out here for decades. “From the 1950’s, things went fast, very fast. James Dean often practiced here before his fatal accident. Banning says, "I was twelve years old when I was touring in my mom’s brand new 1966 Mustang fastback. I got my driver’s license at 16 and traded my 1969 Kawasaki Mach III for a 1970 Fiat 850 Spyder. I completely wrung that poor thing out. After that I wanted more and more and I wore out 20 cars before my studies were done. As a 16-year-old, I also got a job at a Porsche shop in Santa Monica. At first I was only allowed to clean-up, then I could do maintenance on VW engines and finally I was allowed to work with Porsches. There I learned a lot. My boss brainwashed me—"Nothing is better than a Porsche".I also raced in the SCCA series with a Camaro, that was pretty good.”
Back then, on a beautiful late summer day, banning goes to Mulholland to hang out with the boys and joke about cars and girls: “I had a 1973 911S, one of the most beautiful Porsches ever made. And, oh boy, I was going well and felt very over-confident. Until suddenly one night, a rusty old ‘57 GMC pick-up truck with no lights on roared past me at the height of the mountain we call ‘Grandstands.’ Charlie was a simple guy who worked as a mechanic at a gas station, but he was also the uncrowned king of Mulholland. A real maniac. I don’t know if he was always a little intoxicated, but he sure did throw empty beers out the window as I followed him. The guy looked relaxed, steering with one hand. It worked like a red flag to a bull. I chased him and finally outwitted him in the braking zone after "European Straight". For a moment I feared we would both crash. It seemed like a movie, but one in which you could seriously get hurt or killed.”
Chris was very proud to have caught the legend, but there was a catch. After all, Charlie usually drove a powerful Corvette and Chris barely beat him in a truck. To defeat him, Banning needed a sharper weapon. A Porsche, of course. He knew everything about them and they had stolen his heart. But, since a stock 911 S could barely trouble Charlie’s pickup truck, he needed a very special 911 to dethrone the King of the Mountain in his ‘Vette.

“A local Porsche specialist named Arnie once built a 1972 911 S race car who had made modifications and had just lowered the roof. Because of the new roof-line it wasn’t allowed in typical classes of racing, so I bought it. Then I went to Stuttgart, and thanks to a letter of introduction, I was able to go to the Porsche Racewerk. There I met a woman named Frau Baer. She could see my obvious enthusiasm, devotion and love for Porsche. She led me to a large Vault in the center of the Factory. There she selected a few Porsche Factory Research manuals which gave me a lot of information on preparing a Car for specific purposes. That’s how I learned how to build the ideal car for Mulholland (tight turns, short straightaways, and many bumps) with a full race suspension, engine, and transmission. The Car delivers about 290 horsepower at a weight of 1,050 kilos, has Riverside gears with very short second and third, and a long fourth and fifth and goes, "like a Bat outa Hell.” Years later, the self-built RSR still shines in his garage with its original magnesium IROC Fuchs wheels with a paltry 5,000 miles on the Odometer, almost all fully clocked on that relatively short, world famous stretch of road on his doorstep. Always in full attack mode, naturally.

[Banning]

Banning has his famous mountain high, although he has nothing to do with the glitz and glamour, lounging by the pool, or endlessly talking about money. This tough guy is close to nature and knows the mountain and every cactus by name. “My father bought this land for $5,000 when there was nothing here. Six houses on this part of Mulholland, that’s it. No Developments and many streams below in the Canyons. I was born here 63 years ago and still live here. Pretty special. My father was an Opera Singer and my mother played Piano. Their house was completely made of glass, with a view of the horizon and the ocean. Lovely, but a simple house. After the devastating Earthquake in 1994, the house literally fell on my head. It was a miracle that I survived. Then I built this 8-sided house, indestructible, I hope. And the gas pipes had to go because they can cause the most destruction during and after Earthquakes. There will be another big Quake by the way. It’s been long overdue.

Banning also owns a lot of unique Mulholland paraphernalia and he spoke to dozens of people, racers and spectators, from all periods for his book, The Mulholland Experience. It’s so chock full of antics and blood-curdling speeds, it reads to modern, responsible sensibilities like red-eared series for teenagers. “My next book will focus more on the racers, the different groups of drivers and cars. If I don’t, those stories will be lost. Many who lived here at the time have passed away. Except me. And the new residents don’t know anything".
The other Porsche that is under now wraps next to his El Camino, also with Mulholland license plates will also be an ode to his great love: “In addition to my Mulholland Race Car, this will be my Mulholland Tribute Car, complete with Mulholland Drive painted on the side and roof and a drawing of the circuit with all the corners,” he says between at least six other promising or unheard of projects.
While Banning’s neighbors monetized playing other people in Hollywood blockbusters, Banning was already living so hard that his life was filmed in King of the Mountain. In that picture Charlie is played by Dennis Hopper and Harry Hamlin plays Chris Banning. The young Banning drives a 356 Speedster instead of the 911 RSR that the real Banning uses today. He never made money with that film which doesn’t bother him. He prefers to collect impressive memories. “Although the movie shows otherwise, we never raced side by side. The road is too narrow for that. And time clocking was too much of a hassle. It was all gut feeling. Mostly in the middle of the night, racing two cars chasing each other in both directions between Grandstands and Skyline. Whoever could make distance between the two cars was the winner. My best friend John Hall was very brave, hung out there every night, including Christmas, his birthday, or New Year’s, and beat many guys who had much more spectacular stuff. One night he even drove circles around a Corvette in a Volkswagen. It was a small, tight-knit group. We were open to new people, but not big boys with fat Ferraris. However, someone who went very fast in a shoddy car was very welcome.” Starting in the 1980’s, however, the neighbors became more and more nervous and the police increasingly active. “To be honest, it became terribly dangerous. However, there were never many deaths, except sometimes someone who was not from here and who did not know the route. On the Valley side of the Racecourse and over the hill after Carl’s Corner still lies a Porsche 914, a Morris Minor, and parts of a 1937 Jaguar, Corvette, Pontiac and many other cars.”

Banning is overflowing with thrilling stories he’s told a thousand times and yet roll out as if he’s sharing them for the first time. “One night I was hanging out with friends at the Horseshoe. Suddenly a police car appeared with its lights spinning and a searchlight pointing straight at my Porsche. They had heard and seen my car and they wanted me, that was obvious. I got in quickly while the cops parked behind me. Just as they ducked down to look inside with their flashlights, I started the engine, popped the clutch at 7,000rpm, and blasted off at lightning speed. The nose of my Porsche still has a dent from where I hit the curb. I went hard, my heart pounding in my throat. If I could get out of their clutches I could get away with it because I had no plates and they didn’t know who I was. Plus, like everyone else, I had a kill switch to turn off the brake lights if the cops were chasing you. I blasted past Deep Canyon at 170 km/h and put the car in my carport under a tarp. Three hours later they were still looking for me. And the days and weeks after that, too. Agents were constantly questioning everyone about that guy with the silver Porsche. I had to leave it parked in my Living Room for six months so the Helicopter couldn't see it. After that, I really had to take it easy.” Banning was even forced to sell his racing Camaro after he fled with the thing from officers with guns drawn. Such a Camaro would have been the beast,” he smiles sheepishly.
Of course, there is a bit of mysticism here, it shouldn’t always be David Lynch having all the crazy fun. As lifelike and bloodthirsty as Banning and his club of warriors are, it is still, of course, an offshoot of Hollywood: “Charlie was the King of the Mountain, and everyone knew me as the guy with the RSR. But Charlie and I never raced directly again. Good thing because if we had, I wouldn’t be standing here. I used to see Charlie when he worked on my Camaro at his Station, but we never exchanged a word about what we were up to on Mulholland. Never. Ever since Charlie died, I’m technically the King of the Mountain. And as long as no one else is faster, I will stay that way for a while.”

[Zeke]

Now that the car has made it back full circle and will be out of your garage for months., it seems like a great time to finish the book. Sign me up. I'll even proof read it, I'm not bad as an English major. I'm sure Jack Olsen would take a look as well. Maybe better, Jack. Whatever.

[_e_w_]

Congrats Banning. Thank you for sharing.

This is the headline story on LATimes.com today, https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-05-09/long-delayed-plan-to-have-civilians-not-police-make-traffic-stops-set-for-release

Looks like Mulholland Raceway is about to reopen for racing soon. Anyone in the LA area have an Oreca 07? Might be a good time for late night freeway speed runs as well.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by _e_w_

Congrats Banning. Thank you for sharing.

This is the headline story on LATimes.com today, https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-05-09/long-delayed-plan-to-have-civilians-not-police-make-traffic-stops-set-for-release

Looks like Mulholland Raceway is about to reopen for racing soon. Anyone in the LA area have an Oreca 07? Might be a good time for late night freeway speed runs as well.

I saw that article and didn't read it. I assumed they were talking about civilian employees of law enforcement. It will only work that way with sworn officer backup.

Also categorized as civilian enforcement are things like cameras and fixed location radar. That has it challenges, but it's coming. And while we're at it, GPS tells all. Don't rent a Mustang and take it to the track. Those days are gone.

[Jeff Hail]

Originally Posted by _e_w_

Congrats Banning. Thank you for sharing.

This is the headline story on LATimes.com today, https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-05-09/long-delayed-plan-to-have-civilians-not-police-make-traffic-stops-set-for-release

Looks like Mulholland Raceway is about to reopen for racing soon. Anyone in the LA area have an Oreca 07? Might be a good time for late night freeway speed runs as well.

Interesting article and thought process.

Reminds me a little of the 60's, 70's and 80's when the civilians were in charge. For many years they enforced racing, driving at high speeds, running from the Police. It was the wildest, most fun and memorable period ever. Its a great idea. Anything to distract the Police from coming up the hill and handing out invitations to make a donation.

I can picture train races with the civilian pursuit vehicle stuck in the middle of the train, cars in front no light, cars in back no lights and some poor sap in the middle getting his ego handed to them by an invisible force.

When do we start? Wednesdays or Saturday nights?

[Jeff Hail]

Now that Chris's car is on display at the Petersen some behind the build photos are due.

[Jeff Hail]

Chris installing Schnoor washers on the axles of his build.



Chris running the Camaro on Mulholland.


Coming up on Grandstands





Coming up on Bowmont



Train racing?




Classic shot of Bowmont where fans gathered.

[Banning]

Originally Posted by Jeff Hail

Chris installing Schnoor washers on the axles of his build.



Chris running the Camaro on Mulholland.


Coming up on Grandstands





Coming up on Bowmont



Train racing?




Classic shot of Bowmont where fan ys gathered.

Jeff, those shots look like screen shots from the video of the documentary of the filming of King of the Mountain. I have a degraded copy on Beta tape and have been looking for another copy. Where did you find this? It has great racing footage on Mulholland in 1981.

[Jeff Hail]

Documentary to King Of The Mountain


https://youtu.be/LmknHpQSJeg

[lfot]

Where has this video been hiding?!?!?!

[lfot]

Also, this was posted today by the Petersen Museum.

[Banning]

I love these Hillclimb Races that are usually done in Europe like this one.
Reminds me of Mulholland in the old days.