Victor Laury passes

[fossil]

Today I received word that Victor had passed away. Victor was a great guy that was willing to help anyone. Victor was living in Florida after his severe stroke. I do not have any details but wanted to let people know.

Stan
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[garth]

I am fortunate to have met Victor a couple times at Solvang. One of the brightest stars and biggest contributors in the Roadster universe! He will be missed by many.

[mraitch]

Spent the last TRUE Iron Bottom(10th) with him in his 510. Amazing driver, good company - he will be missed. He left his mark on our community. Have fun up there.

[Linda]

Very sad news but not unexpected after his severe stroke a few years back. Victor was the first person who helped me with my car. He lived in Eagle Rock 30 mi away, and drove all the way over to help me get the car started. We messed around with points, coil, wires , static timing , battery etc. Every thing checked out. Then he asked if there was gas..I told him I put a gal in a month ago.... So we went and got gas and got it to fire up and drove to the gas station to fill it up. I was so happy. Victor was very encouraging that I could learn to maintain the car, building on my basic knowledge I had. He was a great guy and it was heart wrenching when he had his stroke and could not drive and had to sell his cars. I always hoped he would be proud of me trying to learn. Thanks to Ron Eastman his car was raffled off and it was won by Rob in Australia who has taken care of it nicely. Victor's Datsun spirit lives on.
RIP, Victor....

Linda

[FergO2k]

Sad day, but as Linda said, it was a tough time.
This morning on my way to work, I saw someone commuting to work in a Lime Green Gen1 Z car, that one year only color (71?, 72?) that I have only seen a few times, and always associated as Victor's color. "that would be Vic, daily-ing his classic" came to mind. And now this news, same day, freaky.

Vic and Craig Carter were one of the first passionate roadster devotees who pounced on my car at the first beach meet, reeling off the list of "check this, put in a secondary hood release, get that battery cable off the top of the bellhousing" helpful suggestions. He spent 2+ hours trying to get my roadster to idle better, finally just saying, "You got all smog equipment removed, and a smog dizzy, I can't do any better. Spend the bucks and don't look back." Never were words more spot on.

Once it was in, he retuned by SU's. (I never learned, I just kept visiting Victor) Years later, I was going on a backroads run and went to my local mechanic and told him it had been 2+ years, can he take a look at balancing the carbs.
That afternoon I get a call from Tony, saying, "I fixed your tranny seal, and we have all driven the car, and none of us can make it run any better than it is running right now."

No one I know drove as fast as Victor, and when he saw me keep up with the V8 roadster through the twisties on Cerro Noreste one day, and said "you were fast". I knew right then I was driving way above my talent level, and needed to dial it back.

I could go on and on, but won't.
RIP Victor, your roadster spirit lives on in all that you have inspired and schooled. (both on the road and in the garage)

He would be most proud to know that some or all of us, went out for a hootin' and hollerin' spirited drive to honor his memory.
(if you doubt that, search Cerro Noreste on Youtube, there is still in car videos of him doing twisties in the rain)

[fj20spl311]

Very Sad Day.
I have may happy memories of Victor and his Datsuns along with a dash plaque of his Cars from many years ago.

RIP Victor

[mraitch]

7AM Shell Gas station this Sunday - bottom of Angeles Crest Highway for a commerative drive - hopefully noone will pick up a "Victor" ticket.

[eastmedia]

see you all there

[Alvin]

Very sad to hear this.

I met Victor at Solvang in 2001. We did a fun run somewhere up in the foothills as it was customary back then. On a twisty backroad I recall Victory going airborne, landing with sparks flying and he just gapped me...he drove hard!


Over the years we shared a common hobby---JDM wheels. Only Victory actually owned a myriad of sets all proudly displayed on his '70 SRL.
He was so kind, so laid back and a joy to be around.

As I write this I am choked up. When I go through all the pictures of Vic I feel happiness. Here are a few memories of Vic

2006 JCCS

He was soooo ecstatic about the feature that was published in a Japanese magazine showcasing his Datsuns:

Victor also brought his truck and won a 1st place award!


Victor with Ron (eastmedia) and Howard (Howard R)


Those never ending JDM wheels!


I was (and still am) a big admirer of Victor's SRL. We parked next to each other at the Solvang awards ceremony in 2007:


The Cone Killer


JCCS 2010:


Legends are never forgotten, rest in peace Victor.

[Linda]

Excellent tribute, Alvin.
Some context for newbies on Victor after his stroke:
http://www.311s.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=16098
http://www.311s.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=17581

Who else has a Victor story?
Linda

[Gregs672000]

Wow, I don't even know the guy but am impacted by him now and how he influenced others. I've come to understand that the point of life is Love, and how that gets expressed. I've put it in a simple formula for folks I work with when they are struggling with a variety of things... A + B = Love. Sometimes you're the A person who needs the help, and sometimes your the B person who gives the help, but the point is to just be part of the equation so love gets expressed. Clearly, Victor was often the B person for many here, expressing his Love by helping and engaging you with your mutual passion, and Love flourished. At other times in his life he was the A person, and those around him supported him when he needed help, and Love got expressed. This Love does not die... it remains alive in all of you who have been part of that expression by sharing it with others, just as Victor did. Everyone dies... me, you, everyone. For that we have no choice. We do have choices about HOW we live our lives and how we express Love.

I didn't know you Victor, but I acknowledge and appreciate that you loved on people here, and because of that I benefit daily from your Love... thank you for sharing yourself with us.

Love lives on.

[Roman]

Holy cow! I've been gone from her for a couple of years and log on to the news.
Victor was my friend. I lived fairly close and would go visit with him often. It always turned to wrenches coming out and sometimes a shared meal.
No roadster was a POS to him. If it was a datsun and made it over to his house, it was a good car, and would leave better.
I even stayed at his place for a bit when a house I was renting got sold. Very kind of him.
He loved his cars, driving, mexican food and his cats.

I say, he was my friend, but that's not really true. He was everyone's friend. I was no one special. Just another kindred spirit in an activity all of us share.

And he was willing to share everything he knew. I'd pop over every once in a while and next thing, we'd be working on the car.
I'd try to help him but my knowledge and skills would pale in comparison. Vic could do it all.....and would!
Sometimes I would end up providing extra hands on his cars, and even polished his 240z slotted mags and refinished his sterring wheel.
That made me feel better that I could contribute at least a little.
He was the posterchild of the guy that would give you the shirt off his back.

I got to talk with him for a liitle while after his stroke on the phone. He seemed to be recovering and was hopefull.
Sorry to see him go. He was a good friend to me (and all others)

[68DSU]

Roman, I don't know where you've been but good to see you back.

[Roman]

Roman, I don't know where you've been but good to see you back.

Thanks, but I wish Victor was still here with us.