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

[Jeff Hail]

Hey guys,
When I took the string of B&W photos there was a Tour Bus that actually pulled over at the Carls overlook below the KYSR Radio tower. This is the second time I have seen this recently. I could see the driver on his microphone narrating the tour for about 3 or so minutes. The tourists on the bus kept looking at me. My thought's with a grin "you have no idea what went on up here" and "you haven't seen our tour". If they only knew! It was good for a private laugh.

It was surreal because there were only about half a dozen cars that I had to wait for in an hours time to pass for clear traffic-less
shots as I walked the old course. All in all I enjoyed the walk. It's been a long time since I have done that and it reminded me of many great moments when I was younger on the hill.

Mark M. said he noticed how small and tight Mulholland seemed now in perspective. I agree it does seem smaller now.
Maybe its how we percieve it now compared to our memories? I recently visited the home I grew up in and it too seems smaller than I remember when younger. Maybe both were just larger than life and a big part of me?

Tour buses at Carls? Oh my!!!!!!!

[Jeff Hail]

Originally posted by jwetering
The eighties hit and things went all disco and new wave.

Will it ever be like that again?

You guys rock.

Welcome to the thread. Gearheads Unite!!!!!!!!!

Quote: "The eighties hit and things went all disco and new wave"

The world has never been the same since. I am sorry to say it will never ever be like that again.........Disco will not be returning if I can help it.

Slant Noses and Duck Tales will always be in....Trust me

[slodave]

Originally posted by Jeff Hail
Slant Noses and Duck Tales will always be in....Trust me

Don't forget Vans...

[Jeff Hail]

Originally posted by slodave
Don't forget Vans...

I still wear them too. I have a pair of Slip Ons for special occasions. By the way the Van Doren natural gum rubber tread blows away Piloti's for pedal grip. These are the Heel and Toe model...ha

Left heel worn.......naturally.........

[gostraight]

Jeff, let's see the back of your left heel

[Jeff Hail]

Originally posted by gostraight
Jeff, let's see the back of your left heel

It's got the wedge. I even drive automatic's goofy footed (left foot brake, right foot gas) Never could break myself of that habit



Where is the car? Did you get the doors yet? Whats taking so long?

[Thomas Owen]

Jeff -
I wondered about the 'Curve Ahead' sign in this photo facing Bowmont - why a curve to the right when the road is actually falling away to the left?



Thanks so much for the photos -

[CRE]

Originally posted by SSB
Ya, ask him to stand up, then see if he remembers that BMW 320 at Laguna "we'all" put together at TurboTech in North Hollywood for the RS IMSA race?

And what happened to "Fat Dancer?"

I KNOW WHERE 'FAT DANCER' IS! WE KEEP IN TOUCH AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. HE IS ABSOLUTELY THE FUNNIEST HUMAN BEING ALIVE IN REAL LIFE. ALL CLEAN FUN, NO DIRTY JOKES. HE HAS INSTANT REPORES WITH ANY AND EVERY NEW PERSON HE MEETS.
A UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL. BOY HAS HE SOME STORIES OF THE OLD IMSA DAYS. HE CREWED FOR US IN THE IMSA GTU SERIES WITH LANCE AS LEAD DRIVER. ALSO, HE IS ONE AMAZINGLY GIFTED RACE MECHANIC. ASK LANCE ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION CHANGE IN THE 12 HOURS OF SEBRING.

VARDE'S CRASH: I WAS IN THAT RACE. SEEMS VARDE WAS A BIT DOWN ON POWER AND FIGURED IF HE COULD FLAT TURN 6 (TURN 6 NOW) AT LAGUNA HE WOULD MAKE UP TIME ON THE RUN UP THE HILL TO THE CORK SCREW. HE GOT INTO A TANK SLAPPER THAT CONTINUED FROM THE EXIT OF T-6 AND CAUGHT UP WITH JUST BEFORE THE TOP OF THE CORK SCEW. IT CLIPPED THE CURB, ROLLED OVER AND WHEN I CAN BY SHORTLY THEREAFTER IT WAS ROTATING SLOWLY ON IT'S TOP! NATURALLY BEING A 'DRIVER' VARDE WOULD NOT ADMIT UNTIL A LONG TIME AFTER WHAT HE ACTUALLY DID TO CAUSE IT. VARDE, HIS CREW AND I BECAME GOOD FRIENDS AND I SEE THEM ONCE IN A WHILE AT THE RACES. SEEMS THAT THE ENGINE MAY HAVE LET GO IN TURN 6 WHICH INITIATED THE TANK SLAPPER IN THE FIRST PLACE.

[t6dpilot]

Jeff, thanks so much for the photos - they really look great and help us uninitiated picture all the turns that you guys experienced back in the day. I am really looking forward to touring the "track" myself after the Monterey Historics. I have really enjoyed this thread and hearing about all your "coming of age" expoits during that time. Being a racer myself (vintage formula cars), I really appreciate all that has been said here.

+1 to you guys!

[CRE]

Originally posted by Duke Zink
Quoted from SSB:
Hmmmm, I alway thought Pearson had the altitude record at Laguna. Maybe Mitchell does?

I tried to knock down the tire wall at "old" 4 in the Reno Cup race. aka Salinas off ramp. First lap, I dive to the inside, find Joe Vardi's oil (how come everybody knew that but me?) Went straight into the tire wall, pirouetted and came back down, put into gear and took off up the hill. The corner worker called it in as a "roll & continue" because from his vantage point across the track, he saw the cars top and bottom..

So, lets see, turns 2, 3 & 4. Anybody ugly up the corkscrew??


SSB, Would this be the same Joe V. who works with the Amick's here in NC? If so, he's still known to spill a little oil every once in a while. I did some races with him a few years back and helped build some Motec stuff for him. Great guy though, just wish he would stand up when I'm talking to him. LOL. Btw Thanx for all the great history lessons here.

YES. THAT WOULD BE JOE V. SAY HI TO HIM FROM CORTEZ.
LAST I SAW HIM WAS ABOUT 5 YEARS BACK AT A MEMPHIS BUSCH RACE.

JOE SHOULD WRITE A BOOK ABOUT HIS EARLY YEARS WITH THE EVIL BLACK RX-3's HE DROVE WITH 'DOCTOR DAVE' AND 'FAT DANCER' AS CREW. I THINK THEY CALLED THE CREW 'VARDE'S BOAT PEOPLE'. THEY WOULD MOOCHE DINNERS OFF OF THE HIGH DOLLARY IMSA TEAMS AT THE TRACK. WORD WAS THEY WOULD SHOW UP IN A CREW LINE WITH THEIR OWN PLATES AND FORKS. TALK ABOUT NOT HAVING ANY MONEY AND GOING RACING! JOE SET A STANDARD THERE. GRIT AND DETERMINATION.

WHAT A CREW. TRY 175MPH AND DRIFTING INTO THE BANKING AT DAYTONA (PRE-CHICANE DAYS) IN A MAZDA RX-3 ON BFG STREET RADIALS.
HECK OF A DRIVER.

[CRE]

As an example of not having any money to race. In the old days IMSA would pay you at the end of the race weekend. Just like the short tracks do in oval racing. So we would stand in line and wait to go into the Bishop motorhome or if the track had one an office. They would hand you your check for of your portion of the race purse. Well Varde had a bad weekend having blown an engine when the throttle hung open and zinged the beast to well over 11,000 rpm and in the race had some other issues. He didn't win anything that weekend but was in line just the same and just ahead of me. Varde walked into the room to See Mr. Bishop. Basically he need a 'loan' to get him from Portland to the next race on the East Coast. They gave it to him and naturally Joe repaid them at the next event when he won. IMSA was truly a family deal in the early days.

[lrsm2]

how about the days of Joe and his gang tapping on the water pipes of Amo's engine dyno during pulls and making them think they had rod knocks.......instant shut down.......complete motor tear down......

[gostraight]

Originally posted by Jeff Hail
It's got the wedge. I even drive automatic's goofy footed (left foot brake, right foot gas) Never could break myself of that habit
Where is the car? Did you get the doors yet? Whats taking so long?

It's coming....hopefully soon! Doors are still waiting for paint. I did get a set of electronic exhaust cut-outs that I just dropped off @ the shop. Dave said two weeks (a week ago)

[onlycafe]

could some kind gentleman [or lady] please get us easterners a videotape of the mulholland run. it does not need to be at a breakneck pace, just something to give us an idea of what we are missing. we would all be most appreciative. thanks.
the black and white shots are fantastic.

[gostraight]

Originally posted by Thomas Owen
Jeff -




Thanks so much for the photos -

that road seems soooo much straighter on Sundays afternoons for some reason. Amazing!!!

[Jeff Hail]

Originally posted by Thomas Owen
Jeff -
I wondered about the 'Curve Ahead' sign in this photo facing Bowmont - why a curve to the right when the road is actually falling away to the left?



Thanks so much for the photos -

Good catch on right turn sign. I did notice it right away.
The signage now is actually an eyesore in my opinion as seen from this recent pic taken standing at the top of the berm at Grandstands.


This is what it looked like when we used to run.

[Jeff Hail]

Out of all the photos I took this one is my favorite. Not really sure why? Just the right shades and depth. It reminds me of the warm summers when the Santa Ana's were still. When there was no city noise, no traffic. The way I want to remember it.

[Jeff Hail]

For the new guys who have joined us

Carls turn in the day


Today
That stick grew into a tree

[slodave]

I am off to try and video Mulholland....

Dave

[Jeff Hail]

More for the new guys

I borrowed this one from a few pages back (exiting Sweeper at Bowmont) for comparison
Then


Now
That low hanging telephone wire is still there.