So, today I wanted to buy some Redline oils to change out the tranny and
rear, which have been running the oils for the last 4 or so years (time
for a change!). I wanted a distributor close by, as the mail order
places not only throw on shipping charges, but hazardous shipping
charges a well. Consulting the Redline Oils site, I was directed to
Guldstrand Motorsports in Burbank, not to far away at all.
Hummm, Guldstrand... That sounds familiar... Oh yea! The infamous
corvette race tuner since... Forever! So I drive over to a non-descript
little shop in a warehouse district. Walking in I find myself in
Chevy-road-race heaven! Corvettes of every decade and not museum pieces
either! A 69 Camero that looks as if it's prepared for another hard 1970
weekend at VIR.
I sit in the office gabbing with the workers while my case of MTL and
quarts of 80W140 are being located. Not long, I'm sitting in Dick
Guldstrand's corner cubicle. I tell him, "I'm not a corvette man, But it
looks to me like the C6 is a solid return of the true corvette sports
car". "That's right!", "As a matter of fact, There's little we can do to
a showroom model to make it more of a sports car, short of full race
preparation". I reply, "Is it true that was not the case with the C5?",
"As I was to understand, The C5 was more of a gran tourer than a true
sports, and needed a lot to ALMOST fit the title.". "You're dam right
there", The C5 is a fat cat in comparison to her replacement!"
While talking, I noticed a photo of a 63 Grand Sport on the wall, and it
reminded me that I had a question about that car. Who better than the
man sitting across from me to ask?
"I recently saw a photo of this car, from a show this year.", "It was
fitted with 4 Weber side-drafts.", "Was that how it was fitted
originally?". "Yes!" He said, "And because of that detail, you were
probably seeing the real thing and not a replica", "Was it painted like
this photo?". "Yep", I said, "Just like that". "Well then", he replied,
"It WAS it!", Did you know that car is worth well over a million?". "I
didn't have a clue." I told him, "And I surprised, as from the photo,
the condition of the car made me think that it still sees some action".
He replied, "It absolutely does.", "I know the owner, he gets grief from
other enthusiasts for running what they believe should be worshiped in a
museum, and I love him for it!"
"I can relate, in my own small way." I tell him, "Although, my little
Datsun roadster is not worth millions, I refuse to stop using it as a
sports car, even though I do occasionally get snubbed for running a
rarity to the ground", "As I see it, the little car was conceived a
sports car, designed a sports car, built, shipped, sold and bought a
sports car, I dam well better use it as one until it's too broken beyond
repair to be a sports car again.".
He gets up, shakes my hand and say's "That's the spirit!". I caught a
gleam in the corner of his eye. It hinted of mad lust or madness. I
could tell, he really meant it.
Victor Laury
Downtown Los Angeles
70 SRL Roadster
70 PL521
71 PL521
72 240Z
http://public.fotki.com/DatsunVic/
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