<VV> My visit to Leno's "Big Dog Garage"

[Rick Norris]

We ALL hate you Frank! GGGG!

Rick Norris
#36 Sunoco Corvair
www.corvairalley.com

>I was in Ca last week for the Long Beach Grand Prix with the Corvette C6R
> team and had a chance to visit Leno's shop, see all the cars and have him
> made dinner for all of us. He has a shop with hoists and some great
> tooling including a water jet cutter for flanges and a stereo lithlography
> (sp) machine for making most anything in thin layers. Leno showed me a
> timing chain and a small crescent wrench both made by the machine. Shop
> also has a great stainless kitchen for food prep.
> Room for a few cars in shop and one was the Corvair 95 rampside almost
> done. It was painted red top and bottom with a cream color center stripe.
> All trim was done but the ramp was not installed yet. The interior looked
> good but radio and center horn button not installed. Shop forman said he
> wanted to put in a 911S engine but Leno wanted a stock motor.
>
> Ecojet turbine car was there and we put it on hoist and had a look
> underneath. Very nicely done. To start it you need to spin it at 15%
> turbine speed which takes a couple of big batteries. Because idle is
> so high, at first, it developed 200 hp at "idle" and you needed to
> hit the brakes pretty hard to hold it. They got it down to 50 hp.
> Car uses helicopter gear box and corvette auto trans.
> First time they ran it, they tried to turn it off and it would NOT go off.
> Apparently no fuel shut off and batteries were buried. Had to let it run
> till fuel ran out.
>
> Several other buildings with cars, bikes of all kinds.
> There is a Dusenberg room with 20 cars, 1/2 of the Bugotti.
> Lots of steam engines and steam cars.
>
> The turbo Toronado with 1100 hp and lots of boost. It can make more but
> only 91 octane in CA. Frank B will LOVE that it uses LOTS of water
> injection. Has a 8 gal water  tank and uses electronic proportioal
> controller for water injection.
>
> The red Corsa 180 he recently bought from a Corsa member was VERY nice and
> being shown in a prime location. It was next to a #263 unrestored
> Gullwing.
>
> Leno took a few guys for ride a Baker electric car from 1900. 100 mile
> range and 25 mph top speed. Used in NYC around turn of century.
>
> Nice Audi R8, Ariel Atom roadster etc etc
>
> BIG custom roadster built in 40's with Allison V12 and 3000 ft# of torque.
>
> There is literature for almost all the cars that had been blown up to 8 x
> 12 feet size and mounted on walls-almost as much fun as cars.
>
> Saw a green Tatra V8, 30's Chrysler AirFlow, unrestored WWII sidecar bike
> and 50 others. Saw a Ford Shogun- like a R5 with midengined 3L 4 valve SHO
> motor.
>
> Had a Porsche Carrera GT that had been run at Talladega for a high speed
> run. Leno had run the car at 190 mph and lifted off the throttle and got
> what we all know as " throttle lift oversteer" He spun MANY times, hit
> nothing but a yellow traffic cone, which is now in the garage AND
> autographed by all the people at the test.
>
> Leno made dinner- he had a 20 lb block of ground beef, made 3/4 # paddies
> and cooked them, made a salad with pasta, also had chips etc. We sat
> around and ate and did the usual BS when car guys gather. I asked him if
> he was going to have salad. No, he said, " I do not do vegatables"
>
> We were thre late and I had to go to john. Flush handle was a 4 speed
> shift knob.
>
> I made notes but I am sure I missed lots. Hope everyone gets a taste of
> the place. His web site of "Big Dog Garage" has lots details.
>
> regards,
>
> Frank Parker
>
> PS: going to another LeMans, they compacted the time this year.
>
>
>
>
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