<VV> Re: [fastvair] Re: Warren's ex-Bill Thomas Car

[Levair@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/19/04 9:46:06 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
yenko117@intelos.net writes:

<< hy not preserve the original car and build an updated replica? I 
 respect that it's Warren's car, and he can cut the top off and 
 shorten it if he wants, but if this is such an important piece of 
 Corvair History, won't replacing the cage, fuel cell, brake system, 
 engine and oil cooler take most of the Bill Thomas and Doug Roe out 
 of the car? >>


Whoa!

   An unneccessary explanation is is order. There seems to be a wide spread 
misunderstanding.
   I have never cut up a historic car. Most of this has already been covered 
in the Communique but here goes:
   My YS015 is still intact. I have pictures of it and the 64 spyder roadster 
sitting together. There's also part of it showing in the pictures on Bryan's 
site beside the Roe car. 
  I did not remove a top or shorten a car. The roadster was built from 
scratch from a pile of tubing and a roll of fiberglass cloth. 
   I bought Mike McKeels worst 64 coupe to take molds from. I didn't cut it 
up either.
  I made the mid engine roadster with a Corvair wheelbase; a FC 95" 
wheelbase. It's really a formula car or sports racer underneath. 
   I rescued the Thomas/ Roe car from the California desert where it had been 
abandonded and pilfered from for 17 years. I bought it as a roller. 
   Should I restore it to 1963 Bill Thomas Spec. or to 1969 Doug Roe specs?. 
I choose to restore it to the pictures in the March 1969 Hot Rod magazine. 
   It , I'm sure due to time constraints, was not restored correctly at the 
Monterey Classics in 1987.  It had the carb and turbo over the engine for 
example. And it didn't work!
   I intend to drive it quickly, but not rub sheet metal. That is it's 
intention from the beginning. It has to have the correct safety equipment to do 
that. Upon looking throught the documents, I find that the roll bars for example 
was continually being updated as the rules changed. When I get through with it, 
any one can buy it for what it's REALLY worth and donate it to a museum.In 
the meantime, look for it as a rolling display somewhere. 
   Warren