Does anyone Know Tony Hill?

[Jerome]

Does anyone know who Tony Hill is? What I know about him is: He used to own an Aircooled VW shop in New Westminster up to about 10 yrs ago, did some aircooled racing, is now retired. I bought an engine that used to be his and it would be great to know some specifics about it. Can ANYONE help?

[red snapper]

I heard he moved to the island.

[pittwagen]

Tony has been out of the VW scene for at least 15 years and then some.  He was repairing sewing machines here in Maple Ridge last I heard but that was a few years ago now.  Someone at Haney Sewing and Sound may know him and may know where he is now.  Worth a call.

He built a lot of engines over the years both when he was doing the HP stuff at Westminster VW and then at his own shop on Agnes St.  The one you have would have to be pretty special for him to remember.

[Jerome]

I called both West Minster VW ( now Regency VW) and that sewing and sound place today. They both said they do not recall a Tony Ever working for them ( they said they have been there for over 20 years...). Any Ideas? I looked up Tony Hill on yellow pages and there are only 4 on the island... Anyone you guys you know who know him personally? If not I'll call the 4 guys on the Island tomorrow night.

[pittwagen]

Sounds like most of the old timers have left Westminster VW.  Tony would have left there (Westminster VW when it was in New Westminster on Columbia Street) in the late 70's/early 80's so I'm not surprised no one knew him.  Somewhere I have a picture of him pulling a wheelie in a dune buggy in the dealer's parking lot.  He was there!! 

That's where we used to go for high perf. stuff before there was a Bow Wow or California Imports.  Yes the dealer.  I still have a few items that I bought there.  He managed the HP shop at one point in the 70's but when the water cooled cars came along the dealers were under some pressure to stop pushing the aircooled items.  I believe that's when he left to start his own shop.

Did you follow up on the sewing machine repair shops in Maple Ridge?  That might yield some results. 

[Geoff]

Tony was a cool guy, he helped me with one of my first engines back in 88.

[Jerome]

Yeah, the sewing machine place said that no one named Tony has ever worked there..... Same thing as the VW place.
I want to talk to him as I have just recently bought an engine he built years ago. He ran this engine in his bus until it went boom.... It needs a new piston and jug as it swallowed something hard on #2. I was hoping to find out the specifics as to what all exactly was done to it - Balanced or not, cam grind, rockers, crank and bearings etc.

[Randy]

Tony was a cool guy, he helped me with one of my first engines back in 88.

Ditto - he built an engine for me in the late 60's when he was still at Westminster VW.

[Hansk]

Tony was a cool guy, he helped me with one of my first engines back in 88.

Yup very cool guy. Helped a bunch of us get into drag racing back in those days.
Haven't seen Him in many years.

[ALB]

When Bow Wow first set up the performance shop (1975?) Tony was the manager/head mechanic, and had come from Westminster VW. After a year George and Deiter decided to sell the shop (it was a separate entity) and Don Armitage (the other mechanic) bought it. The next time I saw Tony was the early 90's at his Agnes St. place. Shortly after I heard he was retiring and everything in the shop was for sale. If you find him I have a couple of questions to pick his brain as well..

[Jerome]

sounds like our friend Tony could be 80 years old...

[ALB]

When I first met him ('75) he was (I'm guessing) 24- 25 years older than me (I was a wee lad of 19) so he's got to be in his late 70's if he's still around.

[steveo_32]

in his eighties, still around maple ridge that i know, I know some poeple who know him, but don't see them much.
was into old sewing machine repairs from his house as far as I know.

[vwshawn]

Yes, those were the good old days!
I remember his Vw shop on Agnes Street,
he built great Vw engines, as we had one in my brothers beetle.
Really knew his stuff, with Linda.
Remember camping with them and a few other old timers here lol.
Red Snapper, Outcast, mike grocott, you guys were all there, that was about in 1987!

[BUSDADDY]

I want to talk to him as I have just recently bought an engine he built years ago. He ran this engine in his bus until it went boom.... It needs a new piston and jug as it swallowed something hard on #2. I was hoping to find out the specifics as to what all exactly was done to it - Balanced or not, cam grind, rockers, crank and bearings etc.

If the engines F'd up you'll have to dismantle it anyways, by now you could have measured everything, weighed all the rods and pistons and looked for file or grinding marks as evidence of balancing and degreed the cam too. Unless Tony is some kind of superman I doubt he's going to remember a specific build, hell, I have a hard time remembering what I had for breakfast lately let alone what I did to a specific engine 20-30 years ago.  

[silas]

I want to talk to him as I have just recently bought an engine he built years ago. He ran this engine in his bus until it went boom.... It needs a new piston and jug as it swallowed something hard on #2. I was hoping to find out the specifics as to what all exactly was done to it - Balanced or not, cam grind, rockers, crank and bearings etc.

If the engines F'd up you'll have to dismantle it anyways, by now you could have measured everything, weighed all the rods and pistons and looked for file or grinding marks as evidence of balancing and degreed the cam too. Unless Tony is some kind of superman I doubt he's going to remember a specific build, hell, I have a hard time remembering what I had for breakfast lately let alone what I did to a specific engine 20-30 years ago.  

i agree...

[Geoff]

I want to talk to him as I have just recently bought an engine he built years ago. He ran this engine in his bus until it went boom.... It needs a new piston and jug as it swallowed something hard on #2. I was hoping to find out the specifics as to what all exactly was done to it - Balanced or not, cam grind, rockers, crank and bearings etc.

If the engines F'd up you'll have to dismantle it anyways, by now you could have measured everything, weighed all the rods and pistons and looked for file or grinding marks as evidence of balancing and degreed the cam too. Unless Tony is some kind of superman I doubt he's going to remember a specific build, hell, I have a hard time remembering what I had for breakfast lately let alone what I did to a specific engine 20-30 years ago.  

I agree with busdaddy, It was a long time ago and even if he remembers so much has changed and improved over the years. It probably has old NPR heavy P/C's in it. They are still good parts but the Cima Mahles are a little lighter and will rell better. It could even have one of "Old Man Coles" counterweight cranks as they were friends (he made cranks in his home shop) Just tear it down post a few pics and many of us can tell you what you got. If it was the one in his van it probably has a small cam close to a Engle 100 for good low end torque (may be a Sig Erson cam with Erson rockers) All stuff that was common them.

Pop a valve cover off and snap a pic.

[Jerome]

I want to talk to him as I have just recently bought an engine he built years ago. He ran this engine in his bus until it went boom.... It needs a new piston and jug as it swallowed something hard on #2. I was hoping to find out the specifics as to what all exactly was done to it - Balanced or not, cam grind, rockers, crank and bearings etc.

If the engines F'd up you'll have to dismantle it anyways, by now you could have measured everything, weighed all the rods and pistons and looked for file or grinding marks as evidence of balancing and degreed the cam too. Unless Tony is some kind of superman I doubt he's going to remember a specific build, hell, I have a hard time remembering what I had for breakfast lately let alone what I did to a specific engine 20-30 years ago.  

I agree with busdaddy, It was a long time ago and even if he remembers so much has changed and improved over the years. It probably has old NPR heavy P/C's in it. They are still good parts but the Cima Mahles are a little lighter and will rell better. It could even have one of "Old Man Coles" counterweight cranks as they were friends (he made cranks in his home shop) Just tear it down post a few pics and many of us can tell you what you got. If it was the one in his van it probably has a small cam close to a Engle 100 for good low end torque (may be a Sig Erson cam with Erson rockers) All stuff that was common them.

Pop a valve cover off and snap a pic.

Sounds like a good place to start. The Guy I bought the engine from said the engine was only about 10 yrs old or so.... Hence my inquiry. But as I am finding out Tony is more of a legend that shouldnt be disturbed even if I can locate him.

Concerning the rockers ( will follow with pics in another thread soon ) They have vw stamps on them. So they should be stock. I am a little concerned about splitting the case. I have always been discouraged to split cases unless it is absolutely necessary. My dad said it was difficult to "get it right" on reassembly. Should I share his opinion? Or is it not such a big deal? There is nothing wrong with the bottom end as far as i know..... Only issue is - I am not sure of what IS down there....

[Bubba]

Tony was a good egg, Haven't seen him for years.  One of my friends has his old race car in his garage.

Back when he was selling Bugpack stuff out of his New West shop, I talked him into donating a Kadron carb kit for a draw prize for the Car show put on by the Thunderbugs back in 1986.

I remember his engine build shop...you could eat off those counters even when there were parts on them.

[BUSDADDY]

Splitting a case isn't rocket science as long as you follow a few simple rules, this would be a good investment for you: http://www.amazon.ca/Rebuild-Your-Volkswagen-Cooled-Engine/dp/0895862255

[Jerome]

Okay here is a link to a new thread for this engine - http://www.airspeedparts.com/forums/index.php?topic=18062.0
I will be discussing the build/rebuild there as this isn't the appropriate place. I would welcome all your input there as well. I have never built a vw engine before and could use the advice. As far as Tony Hill goes, I think he probably won't really remember much about this engine or give me more than I can see now. I may give try and give him a call anyway and pass on all your praises. He sounds like an outstanding gent from years gone by