Empi Sportster

Dave Wolven · Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 11:06 am Post subject: Empi Sportster

I have a 1965 EMPI Sportster It is has a builders plate mounted behind the
seats with a #065-282 stamped into it. the plate also says patented pending.

At the nose of the car is a oval badge that says Land Sea &Air
RIVERSIDE CA. at the bottom it says u.s&foreign patents pending

My question is, was this sold as a "turn key car" or was it sold as a kit????

BL3Manx · Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 2:08 pm Post subject:

I'm sorry I don't know the answer to your question, but I'm curious, is this one of the Sportsters that were for sale down in Texas. One had a nice cast metal Land Sea Air emblem on the nose.

I sent a message to Darrell Vittone on facebook asking the same question as you but didn't receive an answer, maybe you'll have better luck.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Dave Wolven · Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 4:00 pm Post subject:

Thanks for your reply. I bought my car here in Hemet Ca. it was a so-called barn find. non oped since 1991. I also saw those two photos and thats what got me asking.
maybe we will get an answer I have a feeling it is a turn key car.

BL3Manx · Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2013 11:02 pm Post subject:

The ones I saw posted in the 2011 thread with the Land Sea Air badge were 4 seaters with the wide windshield frames designed for surrey tops.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=477740

However, in the photo that was run in VW trends that shows the line of Sportsters which are labeled as factory built turn key,
http://www.vwtrendsweb.com/features/0107vwt_20_questions_with_joe_vittone/photo_04.html
the first one definitely has one of the badges on its nose

What's yours, two or 4 seater?

BTW, I believe its just a coincidence but the term Navy SEAL is an acronym for SEa Air Land.

Dave Wolven · Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:00 am Post subject:

Thanks
I had seen that photo but not noticed the badge. That is a big help.
My car is a two seater. it was assembled with all aircraft bolts and acording to the speedo it has 1600 miles. Yes I know that is hard to beleve.
It has been no-oped since 1991.
its registered as a 1965. If the builder used a new 1964 VW, as the engine # 9462493 shows. I'm not sure that any of this makes any differance, but I like to know where I stand with the project.
Thanks for you help
Dave Wolven

BL3Manx · Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2013 9:53 am Post subject:

Another clue that its factory original is if it has a 61-67 gas tank that didn't have the hole cut for the quantity sender.

yankee1919 · Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2013 12:56 pm Post subject:

Hello Dave,

I myself have the same badge, I have heard (maybe true, maybe not) over the years that a gentleman out of Canada made the first " Sportster" and somehow Empi got the body details and rest is history.

Have to do some research.

There was a guy on the internet who had first made.

Tony
Los Angeles.

BL3Manx · Posted: Mon Oct 07, 2013 4:25 pm Post subject:

Here's another branch of the Sportster family tree

yankee1919 · Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2013 8:23 am Post subject:

What? Stallion? When was that produced? Is this the original Sportster I mean Stallion?

I have to dig this up.

Tony Shocked

yankee1919 · Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2013 8:33 am Post subject:

Hello BL3Manx,

Where did you find the advertisement?

BL3Manx · Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2013 12:37 pm Post subject:

Its on ebay, I don't know anything about it, but I think its a close copy. Sportsters came out first in 64 I believe and this ad was from 66. I suspect somebody used the plans that EMPI sold and made their own then turned around and started producing them. It doesn't show a price but they probably undercut EMPI by a bit.

Rome · Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 4:08 pm Post subject:

Is that the British Formula 1 racer/champion Graham Hill behind the wheel?? The founder of Speedwell accessories and the original BRM wheel for Type 1s?

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/843292.jpg

BL3Manx · Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 11:02 pm Post subject:

Yes

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=479294

Gerry64Sportster

I would like to share discussions on the topic with guys that also want to share information on the Empi Sportster I am about to restore it to original condition

BL3Manx

riezrag

yankee1919 · Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 10:11 am Post subject:

Hello Dave,

Any updates on the restore?

Tony

BMGD · Posted: Fri May 08, 2015 4:06 pm Post subject: Re: Empi Sportster

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1737281

BL3Manx · Posted: Fri May 08, 2015 5:09 pm Post subject:

Wow, that's gorgeous and a great deal!

On the same subject, I recently got an answer from Darrell Vittone and he confirmed that the Sportster buggies with the cast oval metal badge which says Land Sea Air Inc., Riverside California, that Land Sea Air Inc. was owned by/part of EMPI.

yankee1919 · Posted: Tue May 26, 2015 7:04 pm Post subject:

I have oval when I got my buggy. I can make a mold of it and trade for some one of kind empi sportster stuff.

Tony


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