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Thunder Ranch - An (Old) New Builder

B Bgeo91316
For those who are considering a Speedster you might want to "check-out" Thunder Ranch in El Cajon, CA.

Thunder Ranch builds a box tube frame to which he welds the "engine mount horns" from a donor VW. This gives you the VIN # for vehicle registration. After welding frame is sandblasted and powder coated then molded and riveted into the body fiberglass.

Tom McBurnie at Thunder Rnach uses SCAT built zero mile engines, new freeway flyer transmissions, and new steering gear boxes in his build. He's got a lot of experience with Speedsters (he's owned 13 real ones, including a Carrara) and has raced them.

Tom's been building Spyders for a long time. You may have wondered who won the trophies at Knotts Handcrafted Car Show, Tom's cars won several of them.

Check out the Thunder Ranch web-site. Use key word Thunder Ranch.
For a rundown of the awards Tom's cars received click on the site's "NEWS" link.

Very soon I will begin posting photos of my new Thunder Ranch built Speedster.

Bill George

1957 Thunder Ranch(Speedster)
Original Post

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B Bgeo91316
For those who are considering a Speedster you might want to "check-out" Thunder Ranch in El Cajon, CA.

Thunder Ranch builds a box tube frame to which he welds the "engine mount horns" from a donor VW. This gives you the VIN # for vehicle registration. After welding frame is sandblasted and powder coated then molded and riveted into the body fiberglass.

Tom McBurnie at Thunder Rnach uses SCAT built zero mile engines, new freeway flyer transmissions, and new steering gear boxes in his build. He's got a lot of experience with Speedsters (he's owned 13 real ones, including a Carrara) and has raced them.

Tom's been building Spyders for a long time. You may have wondered who won the trophies at Knotts Handcrafted Car Show, Tom's cars won several of them.

Check out the Thunder Ranch web-site. Use key word Thunder Ranch.
For a rundown of the awards Tom's cars received click on the site's "NEWS" link.

Very soon I will begin posting photos of my new Thunder Ranch built Speedster.

Bill George

B Bgeo91316
Stymie:

I have not received "consideration" of any type from anyone. Although I am suspicious others who post frequently may be receiving "consideration" from other vendor / builders.

This inference is mis-placed; but I do think it's interesting that this web site is silent on the topic of who won the awards at Knott's.
Look elsewhere for conflicts of interest.

Perhaps it would be wise to be skeptical of others before you are skeptical of me.

Best Regards,

Bill George
B Bgeo91316
Hey Joe:

I think the quote is actually, "Me thinks the lady is guilty, for she doth protest so".

It's from one of Willian Shakespear's plays (has more authority with attribution).

The Bard's observation may be true, notice how rapidly the denials flowed in.

I actually think all the builders are quality guys with great products for different market niches. I shopped them all.

Best Wishes to All,

Bill George
John LeaderJohn Leader
Actually, Bill, I posted the Knotts Award Winners the day after the show on this forum - both the People's Choice Awards we gave to one another and the overall show awards bestowed by the AHA. I didn't realize the Knotts Award went to Thunder Road, I thought it went to Steve & Angela who actually built the car.
Best of luck with your choice of Thunder Ranch to build your Speedster. The "prototype" Speedster they displayed at Knotts looked good.
Chuck-FranklinChuck-Franklin
Bill, I too have penned no more than a few sentences where I used the words "Thunder Ranch" and have been accused of receiving compensation.!? Now that T.R. has entered the Speedster arena the proud owners of that award winning makers 356's will be excited to show & tell...which they have every right to do in this forum... without being accused of being on the Ranchs' payroll!

When you've bought a quality product and others ask the FORUM who you recommend I don't see how you can respond, regardless of your cars builder, enthusiastically without some wing nut needing to cry foul this sounds like a paid ad!

In the future will someone whine about photos in this forum looking too professional...like ad quality photos presumably paid for by a builder?

So is the answer to respond in the "anything goes' or "classified section"? Maybe that would satisfy the whiners.
John LeaderJohn Leader
Okay, guys, calm down. Chuck, I think Bill's original post about Thunder Ranch drew a little fire not because of what he wrote but because he posted it (word-for-word) in two separate places. It's always been okay to tout a specific builder here and the gang seems pretty receptive to newcomers - witness the reaction to SAW. Bill's specifics about Thunder Ranch's new Speedster components, while nice to hear, are nothing VS, JPS and IM haven't been offering their customers for years. However, the tube frame which retains a donor VW ID number and registration is a great idea and an original one. I'm assuming the California DMV agrees.
FM Former Member
Hey Bill, When I made my post, you had posted the exact same thing in two forums, and out of the 6 paragraphs, the fact that you are getting a car from these guys is mentioned only in passing in the last sentence. You were not listed as a registered owner when I commented. It looked like an ad to me so I commented.

Now that there is all the commentary to review, it would appear you are a proud new owner who is excited about his car and his builder. Sorry for raining on your excitement - enjoy the ride.
Ron

B Bgeo91316
YO:

I apologize for posting nearly the same text in two different forum "topic areas" and that I didn't update as a registered owner before doing the post.

Actually the purchase was agreed to, my specs submitted,and my deposit given in mid-April. I am not sure when one can be a "registered owner" in the Speedsterowners.com. Is it when the DMV has you on the books, or . . . ? Is there a rule on that?


I actually considered not posting or registering 'til I took delivery because I didn't want Tom McBurnie to be distracted by shoppers until I had my car. But then I thought it might be nice for people who use this web-site as an information source to have more information.

I have asked Theron to add Thunder Ranch to the drop down list of builders in the registration details page.
FM Former Member
Regarding Thunder Ranch's new Speedster please see post in Events section dated 5/16 by Vince Manto for a picture of the Speedster Tom completed for me this March. I think this was the first Speedster Tom had built in a long time. There was also another photo on the site 4/26 I dont know how to dig up those old posts but maybe the editor can if anyone is interested. I will be able to publish some photos next month as sooon as I conquer the digital camera.
FM Former Member
Just for you guys with a "need to know". Last week I drove through mustag, out of reno NV. The old mustang Ranch has benn parted out ( they split the building in about 6-8 sections) moved the whole thing about 4 miles east. I understand the intent is not to rebuild it as a working bordello, but some rich old coot wants to rebuild the Pink modular buildings into a restaraunt, with all the old memorabilia.
It is being rebuilt in a massive parking area of a very up-scale whorehouse about 25-20 miles east of reno Nv.

I'll especially keep Paul and the forum updated as to the progress, might even include pictures if requested.

Gclarke "The vacaville Guy"
WideRidezzzWideRidezzz
Bill,
In an earlier area of this post you mentioned Thunder Ranch Spyders winning trophies at Knotts... Mike and I are scratchin' and stretchin' our memories for a name and contact email address for the Spyder we gave an SOC award to last year. Can you help us out?
Thanks!

Along those same lines we received our first corportate sponsorship check for Knotts 2005, so if you have any juice with TR and know if they will be present next year, why not tell them we have a slot that could easily be filled with $400!

Thanks,
Paul Harford
WideRidezzzWideRidezzz
Bill,
In an earlier area of this post you mentioned Thunder Ranch Spyders winning trophies at Knotts... Mike and I are scratchin' and stretchin' our memories for a name and contact email address for the Spyder we gave an SOC award to last year. Can you help us out?
Thanks!

Along those same lines we received our first corportate sponsorship check for Knotts 2005, so if you have any juice with TR and know if they will be present next year, why not tell them we have a slot that could easily be filled with $400!

Thanks,
Paul Harford
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