My Dad was an Electrical Engineer , I was the eldest of 6 kids, 3 boys then 3 Girls ( Well Planned)
He was really good at everything he tackled and I was his assistant on many Car rebuilds from about 12 years old. We had a really well equipped workshop in Florida , West of Johannesburg.
I mainly rode motorcycles and eventually bought a Volkswagen Beetle 1200 1961 Model with a wrecked Motor for R200.00.
Rebuilt it, soon got tired of its performance.
Bought a 1300, ported it Built my own inlet manifold for a Double Choke Weber and designed my own 4 into 1 exhaust system. It went a bit better and a lot more economical.
Saved for 1600 Barrels and pistons and a Roller Bearing Crankshaft. Meanwhile I lightened a Kombi Flywheel ( on our lathe) and had it balanced.
When I had bought all the goodies, I ported the Heads myself, put it all together, and ran the motor in on the way to Cape Town with my Fiance (more on her in another story).
I nearly drove her mad stopping every half hour to check oil and that all was well!
By Beaufort West , I considered it to be run in and started putting my foot down a bit, went flying past the First Jaguar XJ6 I ever saw, stopped at the next town for gas, He pulled up behind me and asked " What the hell is in that thing?, I was doing 90MPH and you flew past me" Lifted the engine cover after telling him it was standard and he saw 1300 on the fan cover.
Walked off shaking his head.
This turned out to be the fastest 1600 VW anybody had seen ( was quicker than the Porsche's at that time which were also 1600cc)
Had a Guy with Bleached Blond Hair driving an Aston Martin pull up next to me with an Aston Martin(Red) at a robot wanting to race me, seriously?
Obviously he beat me, I was so annoyed
I bought another Beetle Body, same colour paint job ( unique to me) and built a Modified Manual Chrysler V8 into the front of it, made my own custom Chassis underneath it ( not a quick task) this was a major job.
Meanwhile I had given my youngest Brother Mike, the hot 1600 motor and built a 2 litre Ford V4 into the back of that one.
Had 10 days leave coming to finish the V8 project and was a front passenger in a car on the way back from College in Olifantsfontein ( married for 3 months)
Heading towards Midrand ,as we were passing a truck ,(horse and trailer) he suddenly swung right , we were doing 80mph The car went partially under the truck, roof smashed down to back of the seat level.
I would say ,I owe my life to the fact that I was doing Karate and instinctively blocked as the roof crushed in , I must have done this really hard, as I ended up in the Drivers seat , with the door smashed open , and the driver in the road , virtually unhurt.
My lower left arm was caught in the crumpled roof ,I think I ripped the arm out from where it was caught tore flesh , skin and some muscle.
When I reflect on it now ,I was the cause of a lot of my Parents visits to various hospitals!
They brought my Wife , Chris ( Beautiful Girl) to see me, she nearly fainted , Hospital Staff kept coming to sniff at my arm ( I gather checking for Gangrene) this pretty much wrecked my leave , Operations,several skin grafts ( very painful ,those days) lots of physio, and healing.
Meanwhile ,RED Aston Martin had rolled it and killed himself on Ontdekkers Road , Krugersdorp , so no urgency. Swopped the Project for a Jaguar 3.4 Mk 1.
More on that Later