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

[CRE]

Originally posted by Jeff Hail
Remember the transition from Mulholland west at lower Coldwater going east ? We could roll up, quick look left blow the stop sign and go before the lights were installed.

Same thing at Benedict with the 3 way stop before the light got put in. Even before that was no stop sign on Mulholland at that location. Just go go go...........

GEEZ, way too much traffic now.

Yep, just lift a bit on the gas pedal, quick look for traffic coming off of Coldwater and then floor it.
Yes, it's all coming back to me now.

Gotta make a trip down to look at the new Mulholland. Or, wait....maybe I don't want the old memories to be tarnished by
the modernization.

[Banning]

Originally posted by CRE
Gotta make a trip down to look at the new Mulholland. Or, wait....maybe I don't want the old memories to be tarnished by
the modernization.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

I've watched that "modernization" of Mulholland take place every day of my life since 1955, and I can honestly say that I really don't appreciate it. First housing developments right against my property, I have 22 adjoining neighbors now instead of three. Then more signals, more traffic, and more yuppie lawyers moving in with bad attitudes, all of them ready to sue at the drop of a hat for unscrupulous reasons. Meanwhile progress gives us cell phones with poor reception, computers that $uck the big one, and car computerization so you can't work on your auto easily anymore. Congestion is eating us alive. The freeways are a joke, a miserable joke played on us. Meanwhile developers keep building more houses in Valencia, Canyon Country, Westlake, Thousand Oaks, etc and they don't provide for increased cars on our transit roads. Is there something wrong with this picture?

Beam me up Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here!

[CRE]

Originally posted by Banning
Originally posted by CRE
Gotta make a trip down to look at the new Mulholland. Or, wait....maybe I don't want the old memories to be tarnished by
the modernization.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

I've watched that "modernization" of Mulholland take place every day of my life since 1955, and I can honestly say that I really don't appreciate it. First housing developments right against my property, I have 22 adjoining neighbors now instead of three. Then more signals, more traffic, and more yuppie lawyers moving in with bad attitudes, all of them ready to sue at the drop of a hat for unscrupulous reasons. Meanwhile progress gives us cell phones with poor reception, computers that $uck the big one, and car computerization so you can't work on your auto easily anymore. Congestion is eating us alive. The freeways are a joke, a miserable joke played on us. Meanwhile developers keep building more houses in Valencia, Canyon Country, Westlake, Thousand Oaks, etc and they don't provide for increased cars on our transit roads. Is there something wrong with this picture?

Beam me up Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here!

EXACTLY. THE MULHOLLAND ERA OF THE 60'S, 70'S HAS PASSED.
I am now, with 20/20 hindsight, absolutely thrilled to have been a part of it's heyday.

Just as the innocence of the 50's passed I often wonder just where we, the human race are heading. As you mentioned with the militant Police attidutes we have now compared to the neighborhood police of the 60's. Is this a good thing? I think not. The racers were not doing drugs, stealing cars, breaking and entering nor spray graffiti all around L.A. So, just who were the Mulholland racers of the 60's, 70's harming by racing after midnight on a deserted mountian road?

I can't imagine a cop letting a current Mulholland racer off with a simple warning in 2007. Yet they often allowed a 'racer' off with a stern warning in the 70's.
Those cops knew what we were doing as well as knowing it was simply innocient youth blowing off energy. And if we should damage our own cars, well that was the lesson we were to learn. Just as long as we didn't affect another's life.

As noted in an earlier thread, the cops of the 60's and 70's had better things to do. Now, they simply sit on motorcycles in the shadows waiting for someone to run a stop sign when two blocks away someone is selling drugs or guns to minors outside of a high school.

Not beam me up, but beam me back Scotty -- to a more innocient
and dare I say a more intelligent era.

[Banning]

Originally posted by CRE
Not beam me up, but beam me back Scotty -- to a more innocient
and dare I say a more intelligent era.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

I wish that was possible.

And what is on the horizon for the Earth's future?

[vntgspd]

Banning wrote:

And what is on the horizon for the Earth's future?

Well, if you believe the Bible, the future is very bright, but not before it gets very bleak.


If you don't believe, then live fast die young I guess?


Either way, try to enjoy the ride!

[Banning]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Banning wrote:

And what is on the horizon for the Earth's future?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Originally posted by vntgspd
Well, if you believe the Bible, the future is very bright, but not before it gets very bleak.


If you don't believe, then live fast die young I guess?


Either way, try to enjoy the ride!

---------------------------------------------------------

Good advice.

[flatspot]

Hey all,
First let me say what fun it was chasing Chris around the hill last Sun.
thanks to everyone who came out.
To lighten things up a bit I thought I would tell a few stories of my own
Bigfoot (Charlie) sighting #1: I am 16 yrs old, it's 1980, I am standing at
grandstand feeling very much like Mario Andretti because I have just completed my first run in anger across the course and did o.k.
So just as my head is about to swell out of all proportions,when we start to
hear this distant roar, aproaching from the west. Some of the older guys
start looking at each other and start mumbling stuff like "no...it can't be
him" and I started hearing this name over and over, "Charlie, Charlie..blah
blah etc". Just about the time I asked no one in perticular "Who the F^#$
is this Charlie? a set of headlights come shooting up the corkscrew,flies..
literally (I swear I saw air under his tires) up over the hump at grandstand,
then stands in it through bowmont and sweeper and is gone. We stand slackjawed as we follow his headlights down the hill towards deadmans.
there's this long pregnant silence, then the older guys start in on "Holy $&!#, its Charlie!!!. A couple even tried to give chase, but by the time
they got their cars started , Charlie was already in Carls jr !!!
As for the younger guys like myself, we started the night as arrogent
punks and ended up getting our fast-o-meters reset.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/newreply.php?action=newreply&threadid=323773
Little racing happened the rest of that night. The older guys just sat
around the rest of the night telling Charlie stories while us kids lapped
it up.
more later.......Peace
Flatspot (whos tires are)

[lfot]

sweeeeet

[flatspot]

Dept. of wildlife:
So, It's late night/early morning after a night on the hill. It's foggy.
I'm headed home, going fast westbound on the european straight
I'm downshifting and braking for the turnin for slideways when a
mother coyote and two pups pop out of the driveway that you guys
said belonged to the vilem haan guys, actually i also know this house
as it currently belongs to music producer Don Was and once belonged
to 60's expliotation directer Russ Meyer.
Anyway, so the coyotes freeze in the road for a second and then leap out of the way. Unfortunatly i was already in a four wheel slide trying to aviod
them.
There was this wierd moment when I locked eyes with the coyote and our heads tracked each other. bout then i remembered... oh yeah... I'm Crashing!!!! now i'm sliding totally sideways towords the fisrt sharp left thinking this is it, this is the night I write of my car. I don't know what instinct kicked in that told me to stand in the gas but i did. It was at
this point that the rears caught and because the car had actually entered
the corner sideways, the cars nose was pionted in basically the right
diretion and "squirt" I was through. I was so puckered it took me the rest
of the night to pull the vinal seatcover outa my @$$.
Funny thing is as crazy as I was and as many times as I spun I never crashed a car on mulholland. Though I did @ the exact spot in this story
take of not one but three passenger side mirrors on varios parts of the
scenery. Whach out for mailboxes, trash cans, low hanging branches and
of course ....COYOTES!!!

Peace
Flatspot (who's tires are being rotated)

[TRE Cup]

CRE posted "EXACTLY. THE MULHOLLAND ERA OF THE 60'S, 70'S HAS PASSED.
I am now, with 20/20 hindsight, absolutely thrilled to have been a part of it's heyday.

Just as the innocence of the 50's passed I often wonder just where we, the human race are heading. As you mentioned with the militant Police attidutes we have now compared to the neighborhood police of the 60's. Is this a good thing? I think not. The racers were not doing drugs, stealing cars, breaking and entering nor spray graffiti all around L.A. So, just who were the Mulholland racers of the 60's, 70's harming by racing after midnight on a deserted mountian road?

I can't imagine a cop letting a current Mulholland racer off with a simple warning in 2007. Yet they often allowed a 'racer' off with a stern warning in the 70's.
Those cops knew what we were doing as well as knowing it was simply innocient youth blowing off energy. And if we should damage our own cars, well that was the lesson we were to learn. Just as long as we didn't affect another's life.

As noted in an earlier thread, the cops of the 60's and 70's had better things to do. Now, they simply sit on motorcycles in the shadows waiting for someone to run a stop sign when two blocks away someone is selling drugs or guns to minors outside of a high school.

Not beam me up, but beam me back Scotty -- to a more innocient
and dare I say a more intelligent era."

I had a nice chat with a friend yesterday that is "on the job" : He has been charge of the street racer scene in the valley for the LAPD.

Basically there will always be morons , whether on the twisties or on the local "drag spots" that ruin it for the guys that have it together. They are not so concerned with the well set up "racer" that does his business in some vacant industrial area so much as the groupies that come with their drugs, booze, etc.
In the context of people screwing around on the street- the freeway "pin ball racers"- idiots slaloming thru 40-60 mph traffic at 100+ are most dangerous that REALLY (and rightfully so) gets the cops upset.

but i agree with you on a fair # sitting around going for the revenue stream- lots with lasers on the streets around here in the am.

[Jeff Hail]

You know the world has changed when........

Chris,
Start charging admission fee's

[CRE]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by flatspot
[B]Hey all,
First let me say what fun it was chasing Chris around the hill last Sun.
thanks to everyone who came out.
To lighten things up a bit I thought I would tell a few stories of my own
Bigfoot (Charlie) sighting #1: I am 16 yrs old, it's 1980, I am standing at
grandstand feeling very much like Mario Andretti because I have just completed my first run in anger across the course and did o.k.
So just as my head is about to swell out of all proportions,when we start to
hear this distant roar, aproaching from the west. Some of the older guys
start looking at each other and start mumbling stuff like "no...it can't be
him" and I started hearing this name over and over, "Charlie, Charlie..blah
blah etc". Just about the time I asked no one in perticular "Who the F^#$
is this Charlie? a set of headlights come shooting up the corkscrew,flies..
literally (I swear I saw air under his tires) up over the hump at grandstand,
then stands in it through bowmont and sweeper and is gone. We stand slackjawed as we follow his headlights down the hill towards deadmans.

vb code: Yes, that sounds like a Charlie sighting. Impressive wasn't it?

Dave B.can probably tell you what year Charlie aka, King of Mulholland made his final run on this earth.

[CRE]

Originally posted by flatspot
Hey all,
First let me say what fun it was chasing Chris around the hill last Sun.
thanks to everyone who came out.
To lighten things up a bit I thought I would tell a few stories of my own
Bigfoot (Charlie) sighting #1: I am 16 yrs old, it's 1980, I am standing at
grandstand feeling very much like Mario Andretti because I have just completed my first run in anger across the course and did o.k.
So just as my head is about to swell out of all proportions,when we start to
hear this distant roar, aproaching from the west. Some of the older guys
start looking at each other and start mumbling stuff like "no...it can't be
him" and I started hearing this name over and over, "Charlie, Charlie..blah
blah etc". Just about the time I asked no one in perticular "Who the F^#$
is this Charlie? a set of headlights come shooting up the corkscrew,flies..
literally (I swear I saw air under his tires) up over the hump at grandstand,
then stands in it through bowmont and sweeper and is gone. We stand slackjawed as we follow his headlights down the hill towards deadmans.
there's this long pregnant silence, then the older guys start in on "Holy $&!#, its Charlie!!!.

YES, that sounds like a true Charlie sighting. Impressive wasn't it?
Dave B. can probably tell us when Charlie made his final run here
on earth. I recall it wasn't on Mulholland but somewhere out in the desert. He will forever be the 'King of the hill' or Mulholland if you wish to the many of us that saw Charlie made a 'run'.

CRE
Flatspot (whos tires are)

[CRE]

Originally posted by Jeff Hail
You know the world has changed when........

Chris,
Start charging admission fee's

HOLY CRAP..... ARE YOU KIDDING ME? WHERE THE HECK IS THIS
'RIDE' LOCATED.

CAN'T BELIEVE IT AND WONDER WHO THE HECK THOUGHT THIS ONE UP AND HOW HE GOT INVESTORS TO 'BUT OFF' ON IT.

AMAZING, JUST AMAZING.

[porcupine911]

that ride is at disney's california adventure park

[Banning]

Originally posted by CRE
YES, that sounds like a true Charlie sighting. Impressive wasn't it?
Dave B. can probably tell us when Charlie made his final run here
on earth. I recall it wasn't on Mulholland but somewhere out in the desert. He will forever be the 'King of the hill' or Mulholland if you wish to the many of us that saw Charlie made a 'run'.

CRE

------------------------------------------------------------


I observed Charlie (actually spelled Charley guys) only a few times. He did not frequent the hill like so many did. You were indeed lucky to ever get a chance to see him make a run or even luckier to run with him. He was undefeated in his Corvette and was amazing to watch. Speed, noise, beercans, and all over the place on the road no matter what he was driving. By 1982 he had moved to Canyon Country and ran a Sporting Goods Store there, he was 37 years old at that time. So, if you saw him in 1980 or 1981 it might have been one of his last,or his very last run before his early demise. I have heard conflicting stories about how he passed.

Charley was important, a legend, we all felt this for different reasons. I have a very personal reason. Since the mid-50's, the racers of Mulholland Drive drove close to my house as they made their pass thru "West". I heard them almost every night that they were out there. One night, something was different. A mighty roar could be heard in the distance. It came closer and closer and got louder and louder. It was very loud and thunderous. And then it would diminish and be gone. After a few minutes, this would repeat itself again. This was the legendary Corvette going west and then returning back east. Who knows? I may have heard the very first time Charley drove his Vette on Mul. Over the years I would experience this again and again and learned to look forward to it.

If you were one of the lucky ones who saw him in his Corvette, then I know that you remember well what you witnessed. I have never seen anything like it before or after on any track. He would drive with wild abandon, with his foot into it either full throttle or full brake, there was no inbetween. The car had side pipes(no muffler) that were extremely loud with the engine opened up. With racing tires, the car stuck like glue to the Mulholland roadway. It made an impression on anybody that saw it!

Later, in 1971 when I got my licence, I started to drive Mulholland alone and go back and forth to enjoy the road's curves. Within a few years racing Mulholland just seemed the thing to do.

One night, late in the summer of 1974, Charley taught me a private lesson on Mulholland, so to speak. I learned valuable things that evening that I've used all my life. By appearing out of nowhere and passing with his headlights out, he taught me to do the same and be elusive. By illustraiting his driving technique to me, it showed just how far you could "hang it out" without crashing. And by nearly losing to an old Pickup while I'm driving a very fast 911S, it showed that a very fast 911S isn't enough by a long shot to be fastest on Mul. In a race against a setup 427 Vette with racing tires, a 911S would look like it's in reverse at 60mph. He was almost the sole inspiration for me building my Porsche Racecar for Mulholland.

Later we spent some time together at the garage where he worked on Crescent Heights Blvd.
I brought my SCCA racecar to him when I had a problem that I could not solve. He was a real nice guy. Also kind of quiet and reserved. We became acquanted, I wish we had become friends. He was kind of a loner like myself. During the time we spent together, the subject of Mulholland never came up.

It was very sad to hear(in the 80's) that he had passed away. Strangely, I felt as if I had lost a friend. He was a part of my past, and lived in the present at that time. He was someone I admired and respected and an incredible driver. I wish he were still here. To me he will always be "the Legend", Crazy Charley also known as Charley Woit.

Rest in peace my comrade.

[flatspot]

CRE asked: "Impresive wasn't it"
Impresive isn't the word. Stunning is more like it. I've stood on the pit wall @ the old Riverside raceway, i've stood @ flag stations @ the Long Beach
gp, but i've never seen anything like it before or after. My understanding
of what was possible within the laws of physics changed that night.

Chris B.
Amen brother to everthing you wrote. And you should also know that
you were an inspiration to my later generation just like Charly Woit was
to you and your peers.

Peace, Flatspot

[TRE Cup]

On the "other" mulholland road - Mul Highway west of Topanga; there is a renewed effort amongst home owners, chp, sheriff to bring "safety" back to the area. Stunt Road is a 40 mph zone all the way now and with the upcoming town meetings between the "axis of evil" we will see much stricter controls on having fun out there
You have been warned

[Banning]

Originally posted by flatspot
Chris B.
Amen brother to everthing you wrote. And you should also know that
you were an inspiration to my later generation just like Charly Woit was
to you and your peers.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you very much for saying that.
I hope that Charley is looking down on us all with a smile. This thread is a way of remembering the past and it's players. That is what gives immortality to those worth noting. We are assisting in Charley's immortality so that he and the rest of us will not be forgotten in the many decades to follow.

[Banning]

Originally posted by TREcup
On the "other" mulholland road - Mul Highway west of Topanga; there is a renewed effort amongst home owners, chp, sheriff to bring "safety" back to the area. Stunt Road is a 40 mph zone all the way now and with the upcoming town meetings between the "axis of evil" we will see much stricter controls on having fun out there
You have been warned

-------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks Dave for that information. I hope all listens up!
There are other places.....