Here is a video I made after purchasing my 356 Speedster from Tom McBurnie at Thunder Ranch in San Diego (now Carrera Coachwerks). I hope you enjoy it!
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A nice vid but, I have a beer and am seated in front of my computer. Will somebody bring the popcorn because I know from past experience this is going to be interesting.
My Dad owned P&S Motors in Bakersfield in the 50's. He sold VWs and Porsches and raced them in the 50's. While watching the video I saw that Tom was sponsored by Van Wyk. It was Van Wyk that bought my Dad's agency in 1960.
Originally Posted by Rusty Smith:
My Dad owned P&S Motors in Bakersfield in the 50's. He sold VWs and Porsches and raced them in the 50's. While watching the video I saw that Tom was sponsored by Van Wyk. It was Van Wyk that bought my Dad's agency in 1960.
ROY ILL BE RIGHT OVER WITH THE POPCORN AND COLD BEER 
Originally Posted by Naughty Gerddddd:
ROY ILL BE RIGHT OVER WITH THE POPCORN AND COLD BEER
OH KEVIN WHERE R U
Hey that is cool heritage Rusty!
If my car passes CA registration and I get my plates there is something that I would really treasure and that is to find an old P&S Motors license plate frame. When we sold our home in Bakersfield in the 70's I remember several boxes of those frames in our garage that must have been thrown away.
My Dad is now gone and I really miss him but I am sure he would love this car - replica or not and putting a P&S Motors license plate frame on it would mean a whole lot to me - maybe to him too if he's paying attention!
That would be a nice touch.
Rusty - that's a great (automotive) background to have. In today's auto memorabilia, old school dealer props have gotten pretty valuable. A vintage license plate frame could be in the $100-200 price range, depending on the dealership marquee.
That would be a cool memorial to your pop to sport one of those on your Speedster! 
I love the connection to P&S Motors. Small world! I wonder if Tom McBurnie ever crossed paths with your dad? Best of luck on finding those license plate frames. Sentimental pieces like that on your automobile always make for an even more enjoyable experience.
Cheers!
Get the POP CORN out boys......
J-Slide,
Very nice video and it shows you are extreemly tallanted. It's just to bad you waisted your tallent doing a video of that guy. Maybe next time you do a video on someone and put yourself out there posting it places, you should spend sometime doing research on the person. CCW seams to have things going in the right dirrection (actually getting peoples cars done and delivering them to the customers). As for Tom and TR maybe you knew something about that with the footage at the beginning where there was a "Rough Road" sign in the picture as the speedster went up it. Maybe it was sometype of subliminal message.... Like getting a car built by him and actually getting it is going to be a rough road.... I don't know, but what ever the case you should think twice before putting your own reputation on the line for someone you don't know......
I think the new owners at Carrera Coach Werks would like to know the caption on the video
"Meet the man behind Thunder Ranch, (Now Carrera Coachwerks) Tom McBurnie, one of the premiere designers and fabricators of kit cars since 1978. We will introduce you to his exciting line of fiberglass bodied cars and show you the reason why Tom's work continues to set automotive standards"
I know I would not want people that know what Tom is all about to think he was even cleaning toilets at my business....
This is a video that was made prior to our transaction with Tom/TR. The video is well done and I appreciate the energy and thought that went into it. For the record, Thunder Ranch ceased to exist in July of this year. Carrera Coachwerks is a new company with new ownership. Tom is not a part of the management team at CCW. He is a very talented designer and we appreciate what he has brought to the vintage Porsche community over the years. I will now pour myself a very stiff drink....
Originally Posted by MUSBJIM:
Rusty - that's a great (automotive) background to have. In today's auto memorabilia, old school dealer props have gotten pretty valuable. A vintage license plate frame could be in the $100-200 price range, depending on the dealership marquee.
That would be a cool memorial to your pop to sport one of those on your Speedster!
Stiff drinks are good. I'm having one right now. Yes Jim it would be somethin' to find one of those frames. Some salvage yard has one somewhere. Someone, maybe a few have one on their car. I'm looking at license frames now more than ever - it has become a mission.
I used to live in Ventura and down around Ventura Avenue there was this VW salvage yard called Roscoe's. I looked them up recently and they are now closed - at least the phone number for them is no good. I bought a few tranmissions from them and engine parts for a beautiful 59 Ragtop that I used to own. You could spend hours at that place.
Have I hi-jacked this thread yet?!
Rusty, This may be of interest to you.
http://images.thesamba.com/vw/...ieds/pix/4220662.jpg
This is the link to the author of the above posting for the brochure. He may be able to help you locate a license plate frame for P&S Motors. Send him a private PM. It's a thought!
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/for...wprofile&u=15199
Hey how about that old news lettler! Thank you for finding that. I will send him a PM and see if he would keep an eye out for me. He looks to be a regular trader on The Samba. Thanks again!
By the way that's Dale Rueter on the cover of that. Back then there was Dale, Marlin Mettler, Bruce Smith, and service manager Phil Casanta. Phil was also a tuner for my Dad's car and later he worked for John "Bat" Masterson at Masterson Motors in Ventura as the service manager and tuner for John's race cars. Marlin went on to open his own VW repair shop in Bakersfield as did Bruce Smith (No relation). Bruce was a purist Porsche performance guy through and through.
Here's a great story about Bruce - it was in the 1980's and I was over at Bruce's shop having him look at a car of mine. We got to talking about my Dad and some of the cars that he had. I was looking over a beautiful suped up early 70's 911 he had sitting there. I said, "Can you believe I have never driven a Porsche before?" "You're kidding right" "Nope. I never have", I said. He dug into his pocket and pulled out the keys to the 911 and it was like all in slow motion he just tossed me the keys and said, "Don't wreck it kid". I have had the sickness ever since but not the $$$ to do anything about it!
I enjoyed the video very much. I never knew much about Thunder Ranch or Tom McBurnie but have noted the poor P.R. from detractors over the past years during which I have enjoyed being part of "the madness".
I never net Tom but going only from the video, he seems like a very dedicated person with a true love of recreating reproductions of famous cars. I believe that he may be the only builder with a background that includes racing various cars, which would be a plus for a builder to possess, I would think.
It is unfortunate that a man of Tom's talent and love of cars failed to hear or understand the feedback he received over the years so that he could fix whatever problems Thunder Ranch became infamous for, judging from comments already posted above. In my business career have seen the same thing happen to people who had wonderful talent and the ability to move up within the organization but who lacked certain qualities that negated all the good stuff. (Think General Wesley Clark.)
It was interesting that T.R. has a new owner who clearly listens and understands the feedback this site is providing. It appears that by keeping Mr. McBurnie on board, the business will retain the visionary who is Tom McBurnie while bringing management skills to the party to be able to have the best of both diciplines driving the new entity. I think that Carrera Coachwerks is going to be a big success and I wish them only the best going forward.
Originally Posted by Jack Crosby:
I enjoyed the video very much. I never knew much about Thunder Ranch or Tom McBurnie but have noted the poor P.R. from detractors over the past years during which I have enjoyed being part of "the madness".
I never net Tom but going only from the video, he seems like a very dedicated person with a true love of recreating reproductions of famous cars. I believe that he may be the only builder with a background that includes racing various cars, which would be a plus for a builder to possess, I would think.
It is unfortunate that a man of Tom's talent and love of cars failed to hear or understand the feedback he received over the years so that he could fix whatever problems Thunder Ranch became infamous for, judging from comments already posted above. In my business career have seen the same thing happen to people who had wonderful talent and the ability to move up within the organization but who lacked certain qualities that negated all the good stuff. (Think General Wesley Clark.)
It was interesting that T.R. has a new owner who clearly listens and understands the feedback this site is providing. It appears that by keeping Mr. McBurnie on board, the business will retain the visionary who is Tom McBurnie while bringing management skills to the party to be able to have the best of both diciplines driving the new entity. I think that Carrera Coachwerks is going to be a big success and I wish them only the best going forward.
GOOD POST JACK 
Excellent video. Some beautiful cars, as well.
Jack, I would say everything that you already have, so there's no need to repeat it.
I would love to have a 904 in my garage. Boy, howdy!
you know that we can make that happen, especially since we are offering the 904 in a roller kit as well as turn key...
Jack,
Excellent posting, I agree especially with your comment on Wesley Clark,
having spent over 32 years in the Army having watched his rapid ascent in the ranks I
was sorley dissapointed in him. He is or was recently hosting a reality show !
Chuck
Originally Posted by MisterAC - Carrera Coachwerks:
you know that we can make that happen, especially since we are offering the 904 in a roller kit as well as turn key...
I know you can, Alan. Unfortunately, I wouLd have to sell Penny as well as a kidney first.
Hopefully, you'll bring one to SLO in June so I can determine how much I really need two kidneys.
Terry
When I saw the price I thought, besides two kidneys, I'd throw in my Chamonix 550, Speedster and liver as well....but the liver is kinda high milage. I'll look forward to hopefully seeing it at SLO though.