| Author |
Message |
marknmelcom
Samba Member
Joined: May 25, 2019
Posts: 143
Location: Burlington, Canada
|
 Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:15 pm Post subject: Re: Race Built Beetles |
 |
|
| bandi wrote: |
| Blue Baron wrote: |
| bandi wrote: |
I ended up with this a few years ago. Apparently it ran GT3 class quite competitively in the 90s.
|
This car was prepared by Ernie Abel of Wiarton, Ont., and was a Canadian road racing champion. From what I understand, it also ran a type 3 body for awhile.
Ernie said it had something like six oil coolers, but still ran hot! Good to see it's still around. |
I chatted with Ernie about it just after I picked it up- it still has 6 oil coolers. I'm amazed that with how much history the thing has in the road racing scene here that I can't find any more old photos of it. I'd love to eventually go back to the original livery.
That's really interesting about the Type 3 body- I had no idea! |
Hi Bandi,
We lost Ernie this week. I was just going through some pictures and found yours. As a young fella, I used to work for Ernie and would go with him on different road trips with "Herb" as he was known. In the way back days, driver Leroy Myeow (hope I have the spelling sort of close) and Ernie called the team "L'ern Racing".
If I remember well, it actually started when Ernie bought a car trailer (float), and it ....welll - came with a partly finished Type 3. Leroy heard about it and approached Ernie about doing something..... well - they did.
You can see the original Type-3 in the original livery, with the later pics just to the right. Sorry for the quality - these are just cell phone pictures from wall hangers in his shop.
Later in-carnations (see what I did there) - were obviously the type-1. Fond memories of Herb just destroying the competition at Mosport back in the day when Mike Kusnicki was driving.
Ernie had some pretty cool stories and tech that was learned from that car. Happy to share if you want to reach out sometime. You can find me through the K-W & Area Bug Club, if you are looking.
/Mark
_________________
'67 Beetle - 'Winnie'
'75 Std. Beetle - 'George'
'13 Golf coupe - 'Bitter Bunny'
'15 Tiguan 4mo - 'Tig' |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
bandi
Samba Member
Joined: August 24, 2005
Posts: 1064
Location: Campbellford, Ontario, Canada
|
| Posted: Sat May 01, 2021 7:54 am Post subject: Re: Race Built Beetles |
|
|
Hi Mark,
I heard the news about Ernie, so sad. That's going to leave a big void in the VW community.
It's so cool to see the car with the Type 3 body. I'm glad it ended up as a Beetle in the end, though! Thanks for sharing the photo.
_________________
'60 Canadian Standard, '64 Bug, another '64 Bug, '66 Bug, '69 Sunroof Bug, '69 GT3 Bug, '71 Super, '72 Super, '73 Canadian Custom, '74 Love Bug, '83 Mexi Bug, '85 Cabrio, '94 Mexi Bug, '99 New Beetle, '02 New Beetle Turbo S, '03 New Beetle VR6. And some Fieros. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jbbugs
Samba Member
Joined: September 16, 2002
Posts: 2152
Location: Behind the wheel
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2023 5:26 am Post subject: Re: Race Built Beetles |
|
|
_________________
Drag bus! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MOVmKdhX4
69 OG paint Transporter
73' Super Beetle Champcar Endurance Roadracer
Patina my ass, that's a Rust Bucket! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Buggeee
Samba Member
Joined: December 22, 2016
Posts: 4407
Location: Stuck in Ohio
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jbbugs
Samba Member
Joined: September 16, 2002
Posts: 2152
Location: Behind the wheel
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2023 10:32 am Post subject: Re: Race Built Beetles |
|
|
| Buggeee wrote: |
| Oh that is horrifying are you ok?! |
My Brother in Law was driving when another car that had run out of fuel, was crawling along on the fastest straight at Sebring. Duane was on the bumper of two BMW's in front of him, when they abruptly turned left to avoid hitting the disabled Malibu. Duane hit him at about 80mph, which sent him into an airborne spin. He was then T-Boned in the drivers side by a Miata.
Duane was unconscious when they got to him. After cutting him out, he was airlifted to a trauma center. Thankfully, he checked out OK, and came back to the track hours later. He was pretty sore, and his tailbone hurt for a year.
I firmly believe his HANS Device saved his life.
Three cars totaled, but everyone came out OK. We built a new car and made it back to the same race the following year.
_________________
Drag bus! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MOVmKdhX4
69 OG paint Transporter
73' Super Beetle Champcar Endurance Roadracer
Patina my ass, that's a Rust Bucket! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
vwuberalles
Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2003
Posts: 1357
Location: Richmond, VA
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
NJ John
Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2007
Posts: 2218
Location: HdG, MD & NJ
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2023 8:56 am Post subject: Re: Race Built Beetles |
|
|
_________________
1973 standard, yellow, lowered, 3” narrowed front, 1600 blo-thru turbo w/single dell 15.4@86, so far
11.41 et buggy. Long gone
Let’s go O’s! Let’s go O’s!
https://www.youtube.com/@AirSpooledGarage |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
madmike
Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2005
Posts: 5292
Location: Atlanta,Michigan
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2023 8:48 pm Post subject: Re: Race Built Beetles |
|
|
Hey John,Those look like the Vw's & pintos that use to race where I grew up Flat Rock Speedway, it was a paved 1/4mile ,the Mini's had the Track record time wise  pissed the v8 guys off, They seemed to find a way 'Rule them off the track' or some Bs  Mini's ran down in Toledo Oh, too. 'AutoCraft' vw style Race engines started down ther  ,,Cheers,Mike
_________________
'Black Ice'Drag Buggy 'Turbo'
Rail Buggy 1915 turbo
76 Drag/Street bug 2180cc 'Turbo' 11:85 @113 mph"If I go any faster I'll burn up the Hamster" ,gets 28 mpg. also 10/09/22 11.90 @115 mph
"If I'm ever on Life Support,UNPLUG Me, Then Plug me back In see if that Works" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
NJ John
Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2007
Posts: 2218
Location: HdG, MD & NJ
|
| Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2023 7:17 am Post subject: Re: Race Built Beetles |
|
|
This class was cool. Then front engine inline 4 cylinder cars started to dominate. I turned 18 right around the time things started to decline for the VW’s. I really wanted one. My Father was busy racing racing his own stock car class. I’ll post more pics shortly. It’s funny, there was one guy with a blue Vw sprint and I would pic his brain in the pits, all the time. Then years later I was in California and saw his Racecar on the Gene Bergs wall of customer pics. I thought that was pretty cool.
_________________
1973 standard, yellow, lowered, 3” narrowed front, 1600 blo-thru turbo w/single dell 15.4@86, so far
11.41 et buggy. Long gone
Let’s go O’s! Let’s go O’s!
https://www.youtube.com/@AirSpooledGarage |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
madmike
Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2005
Posts: 5292
Location: Atlanta,Michigan
|
| Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2023 3:03 pm Post subject: Re: Race Built Beetles |
|
|
It's really a small world,,cool ya got to see it
_________________
'Black Ice'Drag Buggy 'Turbo'
Rail Buggy 1915 turbo
76 Drag/Street bug 2180cc 'Turbo' 11:85 @113 mph"If I go any faster I'll burn up the Hamster" ,gets 28 mpg. also 10/09/22 11.90 @115 mph
"If I'm ever on Life Support,UNPLUG Me, Then Plug me back In see if that Works" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jbbugs
Samba Member
Joined: September 16, 2002
Posts: 2152
Location: Behind the wheel
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2023 6:48 pm Post subject: Re: Race Built Beetles |
|
|
We used to do some Dirt track racing in Okeechobee, Florida .
Absolute Blast. If the track was still open, I would still be doing it.😀
_________________
Drag bus! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MOVmKdhX4
69 OG paint Transporter
73' Super Beetle Champcar Endurance Roadracer
Patina my ass, that's a Rust Bucket! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Glenn 
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 76897
Location: Sneaking up behind you
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2023 6:57 pm Post subject: Re: Race Built Beetles |
|
|
_________________
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
Member #1009
#BlueSquare |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
