1 of 3 Santee SS with Buick 215 Aluminum V8 and a Morris Minor Traveler | Barn Find Hunter - Ep. 92
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- Опубліковано 20 сер 2024
- Back in 2018, we ran into a Gentleman who was at the Bonita, CA Cars and Coffee and invited us to see his barn finds and collection of rare cars. What we didn't realize was that we were talking to the Chief Engineer and Designer of Santee Automobiles Inc. In 1961 Santee Automobiles was founded with the goal of building high-performance race cars and the man at the helm of this massive endeavor was Fred Puhn. We hope you enjoy this episode as Fred shares his story and the role he played in vintage sports car racing.
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My chin hit the floor when he said that he owns a 1935 Maserati Grand Prix car. Please make a second trip to see that!
".. you have a lathe?" " Well, when you have a car they only made 3 of..." This is why I love this series, this man has a wealth of knowledge, and you can tell he loves talking about the history of these cars. Thanks for sharing his story.
This fellow is a rare guy. Unassuming, very smart, conscientious. Car guy and engineer all his life. Still owns the car he bought for his wife in 1967.
@Afshon Khanom uu7uuuuuuuuuppuuuuuuuuu
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As an SCCA corner worker I remember Fred Puhn racing his D Sports racer. He also wrote a couple of good books on sports car handling as I recall. If you google San Diego Reader from Nov. 1998 there is a very informative interview of Mr. Puhn and the Santee history.
Drew, the book in question is a classic amongst racers to this day: “ How to make your car handle” by Fred Puhn. Growing up the book was the Bible for young mechanics like me who wanted a career in the sport. Man those were great days!
@@bryancohn9406 Good to learn his book and racing knowledge are still relevant to this day despite the decades that have passed.
Thank you for entertaining me again! I loved to hear Fred talk about his cars and the memories he had with each. Like his cars, Fred is a classic!
I owned a 1962 Buick Skylark with the 215 V8, 4-barrel carb and 2-speed automatic. Paid about $200 in 1980. It went like an absolute bat outta hell. It would shift into first at anything under 70mph and blow the doors off, well, anything. In neutral on flat ground the force of the fan blade would pull the car forward. Absolute bat outta hell.
I have a feeling A LOT of these older generation car guys absolutely LOVE talking with Tom. They may have fewer and fewer friends who they can talk to with that really get the days these cars come from and Tom is one of them, even if they have never met.
You know, without Hagerty, and Tom's efforts, we most likely would never know / see these cars existed. I know I state the obvious, but the ability to get into these private collections and hear from the owner himself is like documentaries of speaking with ww2 vets, once they are gone, they are gone, and with them OUR transportation history, and endless amazing stories. Thanks guys.
The teaser at the end is just brutal..... WE NEED MORE TOM / BARN FIND VIDEOS
This guy is part of a rare dying breed, our younger generations will never compete. Right on man we get one life to live and this man definitely lived it. Much respect sir I’d love to watch more on him.
I disagree. There are a number of your people in my area doing some pretty amazing car building. You just have to look and have an open mind. They aren’t building what we built but they are building what they like.
Older guys with there car collections and stories are the best
That Santee is making my eyes water! And the Minor... fantastic. Thank you Tom.
Awesome video ! For the unique cars but also for the relation of two gentlemen. Seeing theTom's eyes when Fred challenged him to guess
what he had under that cover. "I'm sure you're gonna lose on this one."How many were made ? "Three". Ooooh boy !
Two knownageable guys teasing each other. Awesome ! This made my day !
Nice quick story of Fred his skills and his love of cars.
I saw the lathe in the background and was hoping you'd pan the shop, you did. The engine block under the lathe made me feel good; I'm not the only one who stashes engines where ever they can.
LOVE the episodes with knowledgeable old dudes!
Damn that Dude and his cars are pure class.
Its back.....I'm always waiting for these episodes
One heck of a episode
Many times old car guys are crabby or just downright strange. This guy is cool and knowledgeable. And he’s got fantastic toys. Thanks for sharing!
That Morris Minor was beautiful.
That's the coolest Oldsmobile engine I've ever seen. Webber's everywhere!
Fred Puhn was well known in the San Diego area in the '60s mainly because of his modular aluminum wheels. Those wheels were very popular amongst the autocross people (and racers, too) because they were lighter than anything else available at that time, and you could order custom sizes and bolt patterns. I remember it well. About 15 yrs ago I went to an airport event in Shafter, California and one of the old Porsche 911 cars competing had an original set of these wheels! In 1963, one of Fred's Santee Sports racers ran at the annual SCCA regional/national events I attended, which was held at the Del Mar horse racing track parking lot. The car was red, if I recall, but I don't remember how it did against the Corvettes and Cobras. California was a great place to be a car enthusiast once upon a time. Fred Puhn, a legend in SoCal in the 1960's !
I'm loving this guy's antique tools too. Did anybody else see that old band saw by the Traveler?
Most car guys are like this guy, just Good People !
Can’t get enough of Barn Finds, love the blue Santee👍
When I was younger. I was working for an Old concrete Co. They had a '52 Diamond T mixer truck. It became a project of mine to repurpose it as the slurry pond clean out rig. So we yanked it out of the back of the yard. I pulled the grill badge off and put it in place of the one on the '69 Ford f-100 I had at the time. Sorry, just reminiscing.
Thanks Tom, we have a couple of Morris Minor members in the SD area. Did not know about this one - maybe our local guys did - but they have never mentioned this one.
I hope whoever gets that 1931 Diamond Truck doesn't put an LS in it and all that crap.
That thing is just too nice and original to butcher.
100% agree.... so tired of the LS swapping of everything. It’s played out.
@@BT_aka_PET_ROOSTER I think the ls swaps are awesome but there's a place and time for everything.
I just recall watching that Dave kindig TV show where they took an absolutely perfect 50 Chevy Suburban and they turned it into a Chevy SSR.
It was heartbreaking.
I hope to god that this truck gets a sympathetic restoration and stays 100% original or as near as can be.
@@jiveturkey9993 I understand both your feelings on the swap and the suburban. Though at least they put a GM power plant in a GM product. Personally I just feel like everyone does the LS swap because parts are cheaper and easy to get. I wanna see something more creative and independent of the masses.
This is from 2018.
Lots to learn from, and about, this guy !!! One of those people who re-vitalizes your sense of optimism !!! We sorely need more of these examples right now. Thanks for sharing !!! 👍👍👍
What a find this old dude is! Such a professional and so modist!
Wow, this guy is a treasure I hope there is a book in the works!
Another brilliant episode. 👍😎
I love the old Buick 215. I am currently rebuilding one. Will be posting videos of it soon.
It speaks volumes of the crew to have a gentleman like this invite you over. Your team is a class act with a spectacular channel!
I recognized the name Fred Puhn from my childhood running around racetracks at SCCA events, then saw his blue Quasar DSR race car on the lift and put two and two together for sure! Great episode, cool to see race cars from the 70’s still exist, just waiting for their day in the sun.
When I was 17 and I'm now 68 I had every version of the Morris's I had a 2 door,4 door , convertible and my favorite was my pickup truck. The only one I didn't have was the Traveler which to this day I wish I had. The only problem with them was the brakes they were the worst. No one new at the time about converting them to disk brakes they really didn't exist back then. When you needed to replace the master cylinder it was located in the frame under the front floor inside of the channel frame. A pain in the butt to replace. I loved those cars so much! One day I will find one to buy if I live that long they just don't come by very often.
Traveller is spelled with two L's when referring to the model name. You didn't mention which van you had - 6cwt or 8cwt.
Why does every body got to correct grammer nobody cares about how he spelled it they only wanted to read this gentalmans story nobody cares how he spelled it guy and have fun with my gramer and oh yeah please attempt to correct mine guy
@@MrBenh1976 I wouldn't know where to begin. Your spelling and use of the word "why" is quite correct but it all goes down hill from there. The rest of the hatred-spewing comment is just unnecessary . Cheer up old pal!
I grew up in santee and have never heard of these cars, awesome story.
Very special man there Tom
Very nice video. In the UK, the 215 is known as the Rover V8 (Rover bought the rights to manufacture it in the 60's), and they were very popular conversions in the Morris Minors. They were still in production in later 4.6 litre forms into the late 90's early 2000's.
That was a good one Tom; BTW I just found out a friend has colon cancer and will undergo surgery very soon. He is a fellow biker, so I gave him a copy of your Vincent in a Barn and told him we had more Vincents to find! Thanks!!
Good luck with that. The Vincent Owners Club knows where nearly every Vincent is located that was ever built.
Fantastic!...PLEASE post MORE BARN FIND HUNTER episodes!
Tom , once again a fabulous show. If they are out there you will find them.
I believe we all could use a dose of your shows everyday.
What a nice gentleman with so much knowledge about cars... I really enjoyed this episode.
Wonderful!! Glad to see he is looking ahead and letting some go now. Now that I'm over 60 and bad health. I am thinking who will take care of my junk, I think he has a great variety and valuable collection. My stuff will probably go in a dumpster, his you could put a sign out front and call it a museum. He could write a book on rare cars.
Judging by your username...I may be interested in some of your junk :)
P.S. I'm over 60 myself!
Very nice host-thank you Fred and Tom!
As you probably know the Buick/Olds 215ci was adopted by Rover in Uk in the late 1960's, and was used in lots of UK Rover, Range-Rover, Land-Rover, MG, Morgan and other specialist vehicles right up till the mid 2000's. I'd love to get a set of those Race Heads for my Rover V8 !! The Morris Minor was in production in SriLanka but I don't know if they are still making them there now.
Another great episode Tom.
Great to hear Tom's genuine love for all things with wheels
barn find hunter is the only thing that entertains me in this time of pandemic
Please make this longer! Love it!
Wow! Imagine bumping into an unassuming guy like him, who turns out to be a sixties motor racing pioneer.
Wow - Fred has a very impressive resume - and at 78 he is sharp as a tack!
What a gentleman. That Santee is a treat. To see and hear that thing on full noise would make squeal like a hamster
My dads first car was a Morris Minor. He loved the car.!!!
This is one of the best recent episodes !
Fantastic Tom, Morris Minors had the A series Engine, as used in a lot of British Cars like the Mini. 😀👍
Those Diamond T's are sweet looking trucks.
Another nice show Tom, and great to be able to see the Morris traveller. Obviously I don’t know that man but I guess one of the reasons he’s achieved 51years of marriage is probably because he knows how to treat people (and cars) with RESPECT. Great series Tom, live long and prosper my friend....🇬🇧🖖
what a guy what a life he had . amazing .
Love this show !! Best thing on UA-cam!
That Moggy is beautiful 👍🏻
The first car I owned after getting licence
This is the best episode that I have viewed. WOW!
The all aluminum IMP engine in the Quazar is from a Coventry Climax fork Lift truck... sweet Traveler and worth a small fortune.
I would love to see the Santee running. It looks like a Ferrari 750 Monza.
215 buick, aka the Rover V8 here in the uk. staple of many hotrods in the 70s and 80s. My dads stag had a few fitted in the early 90's when they where cheap engines.
Love watching these vids
what a car collection,and he looks great for 78
This was a wonderful episode. Thx for sharing the journey.
Great job and nice as always....! Regards....👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Great interview. That 1980’s supermax lathe is pretty sweet too
Very cool man. Appears to be humble and sharp as a tack.
The HandBuilt one of his looks the best. He had a great sheetmetal guy.
More, please.
The 1950 Packard deserved a look.
Always enjoy this show, Thanks.
You hit the jackpot with this guy
What a find!!!!
Another great episode! Wish we could have seen more of that Packard.
Two very smart car guys
amazing barn find , thoroughly enjoyed all
Tom, sometimes you just need a two hour Show to cover all of items, tell the stories, and just show these beautiful old cars properly!
This was a delicious morsel of a visual feast of the eye!
Thank you, but damn, it wasn't enough!
So the big question is: “when are you going back to get Fred to show you the rest of his collection???”
Holy smokes, that guy is not only knowledgeable but it sounds like he could keep an automophile entertained for a whole month of proffered drinks at happy hour! That Santee sure looks pretty, and parts of it you would swear were from an e-type.
Pure gold.
When Jay's on lock-down this is the catch-up on..
That intro is my neck of the woods!
I loved the Morris Traveller, to think that BMC made no profit on them at all as they were for the most part hand built.
Fred is what I'd call an uber-gearhead: he doesn't just fix or restore, he engineered & built cars. That's someone I'd spend as much time with as he could spare.
Great video!
Thanks Tom , always interesting
Saaaaweeeeeettttt!!! Im dropping the same motor into a 1 of a kind ride myself!
Looking forward to putting in an LS....Should bolt right in.
😁😆
I grew up with no dad and no grandpa. Every time i watch videos like this, im reminded how two respectable men should talk and treat each other. Thanks
Is that an original MG Mitten out of Pasadena covering that Morris? They were the tops for protection in the 70's. Back in the day, if you showed up at a Shelby meet with your Cobra or Trans Am Mustang, the Mitten was the go to to keep it safe out in the parking lot after the show. Thick, but soft on the inside, tough on the out and washable. Great protection from nicks or scratches in the garage...
I really enjoy seeing the old race cars and hearing about how they were custom made and put together by these old guys. Could you ask them how they made the money to have these nice cars? It would be cool to hear about it for young people like myself that want to know the right paths to take to end up with a garage full of cool hot rods.
Nice Barn Find Tom and Crew
"Wow" too cool. 👍
*The Diamond T's just fantastic, thankfully the hot rod brigade haven't got near it. Found a few barn finds over here too (UK) lately, see vids, but no Diamond Ts alas* 👍👍👍👍 Keep up the good work
We want to see the 1935 Maserati race car!!
Another great show