QUOTE(Cap'n Krusty @ Dec 28 2010, 07:10 PM)
I worked for Vern Covert for a couple of years. Otto did, too, and so did Pete Zimmermann. We all left to open our own shops. The Chief bought that car in the pits at Sebring after a race, and he did a ton of mods to it over the years. Cut down the fuel tank so he could carry luggage, installed "T-tops", installed the HL covers, put in roll up windows, and did all the paint and body work himself. He and Ada put over 120K miles on it over the time they owned it. He replaced the brake pads at something over 100K miles. Hard compound ............ He also was the source for the HL covers and windshields.
While I worked for him (1974-1976), he made the 906 motor into a 2.2, built an intake system out of titanium, and installed a turbo (force fed the biggest SU carburetor I've ever seen!). Built the exhaust system out if Ti as well. Made a carved model of his intake manifold and had it cast to his own specs. You think timing a 911 at 6K RPM is scary? 906s were timed at 9500 +, no load ............. Otto (JW) took that car around Willow one time, one lap, and would have had TTOD if it had been an official timed lap.
In the picture of Vern sitting on the ground behind the 904, he was about 56 years old. He grew up in a rural area east of LA, and went to high school with my dad's older brother. He had another set of Fuchs for the car, and either he or Otto ran them on something. They came from Danny Ongias' Indy car. 11s and 13s, IIRC. Last I heard, The Chief was still welding, building wrought iron fences for fancy estates in Lake Havasu.
Somewhere there's a picture of the front of his shop, right after I left. There are 4 904s and a 550 sitting on the lawn. There was also a VW thing (actually, it may have been a Kubelwagen) with a Carrera engine that came in once in a while, and a Carrera2 powered 912. Otis Chandler brought his Porsches there for restoration and service.
Needless to say, it was an interesting place to work. We had fun .........
BTW, the only reason Alan Johnson took first in that Parade timed event was Otto ran out of gas. He was well ahead of the pace when it happened, and he coasted through the traps. Gotta save weight .................
The Cap'n
Just stumbled across this and I'm excited to see a picture of Vern. As a kid, my family chartered Flyaway in the USVI and got to meet Vern and Ada (and Blackie). He took me for a mountain road ride in the 911S and now I'm 5 years older than he was in this picture and the proud owner of several 911s over the years. Can you provide any info on what he was up to past the 60s? We went with him to the 1966 (or so) Parade in Washington DC and he was a wonderful guy..