History Help with history of san diego 34 drag coupe

I would like to start by saying I don't believe this car to have any historical importance or anything like that, but I would dearly like to know if perhaps anyone on the HAMB may remember this car or help me to learn a little more about it's past, who may have chopped it, where was it raced etc. It had all the markings of a typical back-yard build, but it would be great to know more. I wish now that i had taken more pics of it when i bought it but i have just the two i've attached, prior to shipping it to the UK.

I bought it at Pomona in 92 I think it was, and it would appear to have been the remnants of an old race car, the firewall and floor had been removed and replaced with aluminum and there were a lot of race decals on the firewall. It was already chopped and had a dashboard covered in vinyl. Under the vinyl was a bright pink/purple metallic flake which may perhaps be a clue to its past?

It had a distcinctive front end in that the grille had been sectioned, and the front axle set-up was a little unusual- a chromed dropped axle but with the batwings welded onto the perchbolts and the bottom arms of the hairpins being connected to the top arms with a spherical rod-end. All chromed.

The back axle is a 57 Olds with chrome coils, the car was quite channeled and the hood had a large hole in it where i'm guessing a blower/scoop once sat.

Looking back through the paperwork, i received a pink slip in the name of Lee Ronald J of Valkyria Ln, El Cajon, California. However, the bill of sale is from a Tom McBurnie, also of El Cajon, California.

I seem to remember sending letters to all back in 1993 or so but didn't get anywhere.

Perhaps Tom McBurnie is on the Hamb?

The car was last licencsed in 89 apparently. Chances are this was perhaps a pile of parts sold together but most of the parts hint towards some kind of racing action at some point in its past.

Anyway it is worth asking the question, any information would be gratefully received. It won't make me enjoy my car any more or less, but it would be good to learn.

Thank you

 

Can anyone in the El Cajon area help with any information please

 

bttt

 

Dont know any history ,But it sure is cool

 

A quick update of whats been discovered so far. Tom McBurnie was located and didn't have much to add except he believes the car was a 1/4 mile car local to the San Diego area in the 50s and 60s. He did indeed purchase it from Ronald Lee of El Cajon.

I took a picture of the sectioned grille last night (which has been hung on friends rod shop wall for many years now). And i've also attached another pic which shows a bit more detail of the front end setup.

I have tried to contact the Prowlers Car Club Historian after noticing they have/had a Ronny Lee listed as a member of their club at some point. I realise there are probably many Ronny Lees out there though! But hopefully I will receive a reply.

As mentioned before I don't believe the car to be the work of anyone famous or anything like that, but I do believe it to have spent a fair amount of time at the dragstrip and that is where i'd dearly like to see what it used to look like or to learn who used to own it.

Any information that can help me achieve that would be much appreciated.

Perhaps someone can point me to somebody on the HAMB who knows a lot of history of cars in the San Diego area?

Many thanks

 

Cool car. Good luck finding more history!

 

Are there any distinctive markings on the chanelling (before alum)? Did it appear to ever have been set up for an early Olds?

 

Prowlers historian is Andy Bekech. If any one knows he will

 

Hi Comet

What do you mean by distinctive markings on the chanelling? From what i remember now, it utilised an angle iron framework skinned in aluminum for the floor, lots and lots of pot rivets. There was no K-member present but the rails had been boxed. There was one bolt in crossmember for a trans mount which didnt particularly mate up with the 283 that had been dropped in there for 'selling purposes'.

It has a 57 Olds back end and could well have run an Olds motor. Had a watts linkage on the rear end, again chromed if memory serves me right.

 

Wish you luck, looks like it's in good hands now!!!

 

Nice looking car I would be racing it like it is maybe pulling it behind mine on a tow bar. Darrell

 

Back in the 80's McBurnie had McBurnie Coachcraft which made turnkey Fararri (Daytona Spyder?) replicas. They were in Santee,CA which is next to El Cajon. He placed the f.glass body on late model Corvette chassis' which he gathered via wrecked Vettes.This was when the TV show Miami Vice was a biggie with its Ferarri. I toured his shop once and they did top notch work. they suddenly closed and I heard that ferrari had filed suit(?).
I don't know of Ron Lee, but the Prowlers would be a great resource. Don't recall seeing your car in any early San Diego photos. Any early SD photos, especially with 34's will catch my attention.

 

Ferrari did file suit and almost destroyed Tom in the process. I actually built one of his Riot kits 10 years back or so. Tom knows everybody but not everyone likes Tom due to his build schedules not taking quoted time.

Tom still makes the 356/904 replicas and at one point was making mid engine northstar powered rods.

 

3day
I know it is a neat thing to know the history of a car and if it turns out to be a famouse or infamouse car that is really cool.

That said you have a good start there, if it were mine I would build it the way I liked and make my own history with it.

Of course that is just me, I don't have the patience for a restoration.

 

Here is Tom's website for his current endeavors.

http://www.thunderranch.com/history.html

He builds some really nice 904 replicas. And I agree, there are a lot of people that don't like him because of how long it takes him to fill orders. Seems like a nice guy otherwise and I've exchanged emails with him in the past.

 

porknbeaner, the pics above are from 1992, i did build the car exactly the way i wanted it to be and its been on the road and making it's own history since 1997. Here it is (0:20, car in the far lane): http://youtu.be/mgywgxJ3LQ8

I am not planning a restoration, I set out to build a 34 5 window with a 60's look almost 20 years ago now, it was just coincidence that the car i found to do it with looked to have a fair amount of its roots from the dragstrip of that period. As such i've just always been curious to look into it's past and to learn more. The HAMB would seem like a good place to ask.

I Spoke with Tom, he seems a nice guy, and he confirmed the car came from Ronald Lee.

FuzzyKnight, I heard back from Prowlers historian Andy Bekech who knows Ronald and he has very kindly said he will have a chat with him and get back to me.

fordcpe, if you want to give me your 'tow car', it would be my pleasure to use it! Very nice!

D ROD, your coupe is plain evil and i love it.

 

I asked first so send it over to me.Darrell

 

I just mean the cuts. My dad raced a '34 in the 50's down there that was channeled, but not chopped (could have been chopped later?). He ran a '56 Olds and he blew the tranny. He was frustrated and left it down there and sold it. He was an early NHRA member up in Seattle, but his club made a trip down in that area. The channel job was pretty crude, he said he used a cutting torch and just dropped it and welded it back together. I know it's a very long shot, but you never know. There is only one know pic of the car and I have it somewhere, but haven't been able to find it in years. I think I stuck it in a book or something. It was dark grey primer and my grandmother sewed the top out of convertible material for it.

 

I live in el cajon and my dad grew up here. Neither of us can remember this car and my dad only recognizes Toms name. You may wanna try ron wheeler from bitchen products.

 

Good Luck with this but like you say its got its own history now and is still making it .If you found out it was once a famous car would change it ?

 

Sounds like you have a big chunk of the history coming your way.
Another long shot might be Crower. He's been in the area a long time, along with Schneider(both the famous cam guys).
Have you looked through all of Don Montgomery books? He's done several, and there are a lot of old images to check. Perhaps a letter to him would help too.

 

Hope you find out the history,still a cool car...

 

Thanks junk yard kid, Comet, it's a possibility, I do believe the floor was literally torched out. Your dads story is cool.

Besty, no it wouldn't change a thing, car is as it is. RodStRace, yes I hope so, and thanks for the ideas. Funny, I had literally dug out all the Montgomery books tonight!

 

I think I have seen that car sitting right off WinterGarden Blvd in the late sixties. Across from Ed Hales (RIP) and towards Pepper ... at a guys home garage who ran a 55 gasser . Stored or maybe he was wrenching on it .... Ramona was open then. I remember scanning one real close back then, Dad had a roundy At Balboa In 58-60 and I was comparing circle car to a strip car

... Oh on Scheinder and Crower .... I think scheiner was in old town back then and Crower had just moved to main street in chula vista ... last I heard he was out in Jamul build planes and water-fueled engines .... pretty inventive.

Good luck on your search, thats cool

 

On second thought that couldnt possibly be the same car .... I am talking a gutted five window in about sixty-seven and yours being licensed in '89 ... the math just doesnt workout ... but hey, you got my noodle working. Again good luck on your search

 

SAM123, thanks for taking the time to consider it anyway. I'm not sure the math works out right on my car.... looking at the condition it was in (basically a gutted 5 window) I can't see how it could have been licenced in 89. Not sure what the rules are in CA to get a licence, but here in the UK the car has to be on the road, have a valid MOT certificate and be insured before you can get a licence. And there is no way this car could have been on the road for some time. No propshaft, pedals, steering, brake lines, handbrake, seats, rad, wiring, plumbing etc etc. Just a body sat on a chassis that was just about rolling.

Will keep searching. Thanks

 

I found a couple more pics of the car, as it was in 1992, which may possibly help? They show the dago'd axle with distinctive brackets at the perch position, and the cut-out firewall

 

are Ron Batson, Tracy Dowler, Ralph Kalp, or Hank WIlliams still in the Prowlers they may know something. thanks, George Chatterton ex californian

 

Check with Buck Rosson up in Ramona...he knows alot of local car history

 

San Diego Roadster Club members may know something of it. They have been around many years, active in lakes & Bonneville racing.