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Post Info TOPIC: New Old Gasser being built in Keene
Don


PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY

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New Old Gasser being built in Keene
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I spent today in Keene at my friend Bill Vilneff's shop. Bill is the one who gave me the VW body for my VW gasser project. That one was a 73 and when Bill got a chance to get a decent 65 with a flat windshield he ditched the 73 for the early one. Billl already has a gasser. A 64 Beaumont which he has run  for many years both at Shannonville and Picton Airfield as well as some of the ONDR events. However a VW gasser was what he always wanted. I haven't seen the project since he first began fabbing a chassis about a year and a half ago. Bill is also an incredible welder having spent many years as a maintenance welder at the mines and also a stainless welder at Surge Milkerkeene gasser.jpg. Sometimes I think people don't realize how good he is. I have seen a lot of welds in my life and I have never seen nicer anywhere. It is hard looking at them to get through your head these are not machine done, Bill just welded that before your very eyes. The chassis features a narrowed Chevy van front end on parallel leaf springs. Bill is after that early gasser look. The 383 SBC from his Beaumont gasser is now nestled in the new chassis with a set of fenderwell headers Bill fabbed up for himself. The original VW tunnel was opened up and reworked so the 350 turbo trans and driveshaft are now taking up the space. The firewall was moved back about a foot and refabricated however the original dash and steering wheel remain. Even the old speedometer still sits in it original spot. Today we worked at installing throttle pedal and cable and master cylinder and brake pedal. We were successful. Bill and his wife Rita run a Mom and Pop repair shop as Bill is also a licensed Mechanic with an Interprovincial endorsement. Today is the first I have seen the car since he started on the frame. Bill is hoping to have it ready for Picton Airfield may 17. He has a lot of work but it is possible he will make it. Time will tell. Meanwhile here are a few photos.

 



-- Edited by Don on Saturday 10th of May 2014 04:48:24 PM



-- Edited by Don on Saturday 10th of May 2014 04:53:33 PM

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sasquatch


NORTH BAY, ONT

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Thanks Don, interesting story here, and a great looking gasser underway, neat stuff.

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hotroddonnie


BARRIE, ONT

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Well Don I think that's a great project. Went to car show and a VW pulls in with a V8, we were all lookin around till we realized where all the rumble was coming from. HRD

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Don


PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY

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Well not for everyone perhaps they are a good alternative to a coupe body. Bill was telling me some of the vintage racer group were saying he couldn't run it with them because it isn't a North American body. The fellow telling him that had Fiat and the one grinning and nodding beside him has a Prefect. DUH??!!!
I often wish nostalgia racers would forget rules except for safety and concentrate on having fun. Having come from that era and having done Tech at Mohawk back in the day under Walter Doyle Div 1 tech guy stuff I hear wasn't correct for the day I have already seen back in the day.
I suspect finished weight will be just below 2000lbs w/o driver just going from what the weight of mine is and other altered and rails I have built. Will probably run about mid tens with his current engine combo which will be fun for Airfield racing and nostalgia events without being expensive or troublesome. He is waiting on his Moser axles for the diff. They are somewhere in a Purolator truck between the border and here having been processed at the border this past Wed. He has the diff all set up for installing the C clip eliminator deal and it is ready to go together as soon as the axles arrive. Also found two drive shafts he had "in stock" that look like they will work as is. How did that happen. ?? Some folks just live right I guess.

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Whitey


CLARINGTON, ONT

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Just an awesome project Don! Different is cool....!

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Chris Stapley


CAMPBELLFORD, ONT

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Just a side note too Don, you almost forgot to mention that Billy and Rita are some of the nicest folks you'll meet anywhere. He was a customer of mine a long time ago when I ran a McKerlie Millen jobber store and I had always did his appraisals when he was in Havelock.


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Don


PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY

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I met him as a student of mine when I was called back into to teach trade school when their head instructor had a heart attact. He gave me a real hard time at first but we have been good friends ever since. Despite the heart attack deal which caused them to lose a day of their 5 day electrical section which is mandatory to pass or you are out he struggled through that. The next week his Mom died. He was going to quit everyday but with me dragging him and Rita shoving him he made it through Intermediate and came back to finish his Advanced. When he wrote he earned the coveted Interprovincial seal much to his surprise. It wasn't easy for him as you know. He is only 6 years or so younger then me and to do your apprenticeship at that age is no small feat. I knew he had worked in the mines and at surge but when I saw his welds I just about fell over. Three of my Uncles were welders and very good ones. But... well he has a gift few have. Said he still likes welding as a hobby but grew weary of the grinder dust and welder smoke and wanted a different life for himself. Rita is a real asset too as you well know.
They run an impressive little business there and seem to take life in stride. I don't know how many cars they have but there is the ChevyII The Nova, The Falcon, The Beaumont and now the VW that I can think of.
don



-- Edited by Don on Monday 12th of May 2014 04:25:12 PM

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Chris Stapley


CAMPBELLFORD, ONT

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Yes, I remember Billy was doing this apprenticeship and running the repair shop in Havelock all at the same time, not one of those guys you'd call a slacker for certain, all the same time was actually either building the shop or renovating the house, racing the Chevy two and raising the family as well. Rita as you say is an excellent partner to Bill. I continue to wish them my best, sort of missed out on our visit in Stirling this year, I never ventured far from the spaces and don't even know if they made it this round, tell them I said hello the next time you see them..

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jim_ss409


BARRIE, ONTARIO

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Very cool car! It looks like it's going to be nice.

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Don


PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY

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Bill has finished his VW gasser and it is loaded and ready to race. He is meeting me here at about 10 AM. he plans to make a gentle shakedown pass to be sure everything works well however said he gave it his long laneway test and all was well. Hopefully it will be a fun day for all of us.
Picton Airfield June event tomorrow.
don

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Don


PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY

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Bill ran the car successfully today. It ran straight and true and the one race I saw it won easily. The car is very popular with the crowd. It was interesting listening to folks comments around me when I was up watching it run.
don



-- Edited by Don on Saturday 21st of June 2014 10:16:18 PM

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Fast Elvis


LONDON, ONTARIO

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keene gasser.jpg.

 

 Very cool......nice to see something out side of the box for most....... looks like a blast to drive.

 



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chevyboy


TORONTO, ONTARIO

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meanbug.jpgmeanbug2.jpg

These both showed up on the arm drop website. Wicked looking car!



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sasquatch


NORTH BAY, ONT

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Thanks for the great pics Chevyboy!!

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el toro


LONDON, ONT

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i like it


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dodge38


MISSISSAUGA, ONT

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Car looks great!

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Don


PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY

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I just heard from Bill.

Over the last few weeks he put another short block together. This time a 355. A little different set up but durable.

Yesterday He and Rita took the car to the Ottawa track. On the second only ever outing on the car he came home with the gold for second place. He is still pinching himself. To say he was thrilled would be an understatement. Some of you were there he tells me. I wonder if anyone has any video of the bug running.

Anyway he dreamed it built it and raced it successfully. Give the man a cigar!

don

Hard to understand why such an old school build would be deemed unacceptable some places. Bills inspiration was the old cheVWagon from the 60s.



-- Edited by Don on Sunday 24th of August 2014 08:56:48 PM

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J12


OTTAWA, ONT

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I was there watching the races on Saturday and that bug FLEW! It ran really strong, Bill should be more than proud, that bug is amazing. It was a real treat to see it in person, pictures really don't do it justice. I do have some footage of it running but it's on my cellphone and I have no clue how to load it on the computer.



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wuga


PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY, ONT

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Maybe you can email the file to someone on here who knows how to load it. Any volunteers?

Warren

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Don


PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY

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That would be really nice if it can be done.
Can you send it to someone elses cell phone? If so we can get it from there and will make sure your credit is attached.
don

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Don


PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY

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OR you tube. I think that can be done but whatever works for you. I will pass your comments on to Bill though if you don't mind.
don



-- Edited by Don on Monday 25th of August 2014 10:21:46 PM

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J12


OTTAWA, ONT

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I will fire up my computer today and see if I can get the video off of it and or e-mail it to myself and try to load it that way. Regardless I will try to get it posted for sure. Please do pass the comments on to Bill. smile



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J12


OTTAWA, ONT

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Well it's official...smart phones make me look stupid.no

I have logged on to my computer, tried to down load the videos and it won't download. I tried to text the video...it won't text (video size to large). I tried to send it to myself from one e-mail address to another using my cellphone and still no go. Time to talk to some tech savy people I know that might be able to help out. I'll keep trying. smile



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Don


PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY

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Thanks
don

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Don


PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY

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Stopped by Bill and Ritas tuesday. His 355 he built sounds real good. I saw his time tickets from Ottawa. 7 of them . He has some minor things to take care of but it looks like it is going to be a great race car. A bit more launch and he is where he wants to be and then some. Rita said she enjoys this car much more as well. Easier to load , easier to run, easier to service, faster and popular with the fans.
don

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