Topless Beauty

[Mojave Traveler]

Bert Junker and Dick Lee's 1969 convertible VW Baja racer, as featured in this mid 70's Off Road Magazine article.

Interior aluminum was fabricated by Unique Metal Products. Seat came from Taylor-Made. The car was also equipped with a Jomar steering brake for use at short course events like Riverside.

The transaxle used a Crown Super-Diff,ring and pinion, and close-ratio third and fourth gears. Sway-A-Way double jointed axles were used, as well as Sway-A-Way 28mm rear torsion bars. The air cleaner tube was custom made. K & N provided the filter elements. Exhaust system by Cragar.

A 1965 VW torsion bar front end was used because Dick felt it was stronger than the ball joint style of 1969

The fiberglass front end is a Sandwinder one-piece. The front and rear bumpers are from Chenowth.

Dick Lee

 

[Bro_Gill]

Love the old Convertible Bajas. Have one I am working on in the garage.

 

[Fourstroker]

My dads old car had those same Porsche rear drum brakes. They are huge compared to anything VW

 

[bhernquist]

Did you find that car?


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[germancarsonly]

When I lived in Hemet I was only 2 blocks from Dick Lee's place. Plus his middle Daughter and my ex were life long best friends. We both raced and we saw each other often. I remember this car well and it was very state of the art at the time it was built. My guess is that it was too much car for Dick as he never did near as well with it as he did in his class 6 VW sedan before. It was part of the inspiration though to build my own class 5 convertible a few years later on.

 

[Mojave Traveler]

Did you find that car?


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No, but it would be great to know what did happen to it!

 

[germancarsonly]

If memory serves me right and this was 40 years ago Wally Pankratz was involved somehow with this car at one time.

 

[Bro_Gill]

Weren't these cars similar to the cars Bert Junker had? And wasn't one very close to this or maybe even this car pictured here last year and went up for sale a few months later?

 

[germancarsonly]

This was Bert Junkers car. A few years ago it was determined in a different message string that it became the car that Mark Hansen drove.

 

[conejoracer]

Weren't these cars similar to the cars Bert Junker had? And wasn't one very close to this or maybe even this car pictured here last year and went up for sale a few months later?

Are you referring to the car I had for sale? I spoke with Mark Hansen, I was unable to verify the ownership of my car. It was vintage though...

 

[Bro_Gill]

I know Bert had 2 cars. One was referred to as the 'back up car' in several magazines. They all look very close. Maybe same fabricator?

 

[retroblazer]

The orange Baja reminds me of Jim Corcores(sp?) Baja, one of my favorite Baja bugs.


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[yachtman]

I purchase Marks old convertible back in the late late 70's

 

[5racer]

i remember dicks car thought it was the coolest baja ever, i grew up racing bikes with his boys mike and rick many years ago more than i want to mention lol