I head today that Robert "Jocko" Johnson, who built some of drag racing's swoopiest machines, including his notable but unsuccessful "JockoLiner" with "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, died today of a massive heart attack. He was 72. Johnson first came to drag racing renown for his work porting and polishing cylinder heads, carefully massaging them by hand in the days before CNC machines. Rest in Piece my friend http://outside.away.com/outside/magazine/0899/9908jocko.html
He had some neat projects going a couple of years ago. Wonder how far along they came. One was a new engine design and the other was a streamliner for the engine. Clark
A sad day indeed. I was hoping to see his new engine run and make the Big3 reel.......................wait, they already are!
My best wishes to his wife and family.Jocko was a extremely talented man.I was fortunate to spend all day Easter Sunday with him.May he R.I.P
He built the Allison intended Moonliner that Dean had built back in the day. He was such a talent and will be sadly missed. RIP Jocko-Godspeed to you.
That IS sad news. I too, wondered about his new engine design. There was an article like 10 years or so ago in Street Rodder. I asked here if anyone knew anything more about it. Great sculptor, thinker and probably just a little crazy (like most of us).... RIP
oh jeez, i just posted about the "power-ring" engine in the "v8 two-stroke" thread. a talented man and a true free thinker. r.i.p.
my uncle just emailed me the news, jocko's wife had emailed him telling that jocko had a heart attack and passed this morning. i only met him once, but i got to see his power ring engine in the works, would of been neat to see it work... he's probably bullshittin about engines right now with my pop
Very sad news. As I have mentioned on another thread, Jocko's head work was the key to the record setting performance, and class dominance my roadster achieved in the 60's. He was a true artist that appreciated life's simple pleasures. RIP old friend. Heaven will be a better place now.
This one hurts. Jocko was an amazingly innovative guy, and a nice man to boot. As has already been said, he deserved more than he got.
A true innovator artist and genus, iv always been a big fan of that guys work. Hes always been one of the top rulers in my book.
This blows. There are many things to love about ol' cantankerous, iconoclastic Jocko, but perhaps my favorite bit is his letter to Don Garlits, explaining why he (Jocko) refused to be inducted in the Drag Racing Hall of Fame (some of the animosity stems from a long-running feud as per the failure of the Garlits-commissioned, Jocko-engineered DON GARLITS WYNNS-LINER to reach its target speed of 275 mph -- much less be competitive in Top Fuel). To wit: Garlits, Its been 25 years since you screwed up big time and threw away your chance to show how to run the 1/4 mile with a true downforce streamliner body. Your own idea was a bust when you showed how to go airborne and do backflips with a dragster. Boy did I get a big laugh when I saw you go airborne with two of your own designs. I bet you cant produce photos or videos of the Wynns-liner lifting off the deck because it didnt happen and cant happen. Now that all those mindless followers have all had a taste of Garlits-aero I think its about time I build another liner that looks just like our Wynns-liner but with some major differences, no Don Garlits, no lies, no ego driven motives, just proven aero that gives the desired results. You did delay the coming of streamliners, but you did not stop it. You held me back and now you want to categorize me into the Hall of Blame or is it the Wall of Shame, no the Ball of Flame that all of you has beens are in, but Im just starting my run at the straight line race track. Im not a has been or dead so dont even think of putting my name at Wally Parks feet!!! Like it or not you are HISTORY Don and there you shall stay. Jocko ++++++++ More Jocko anecdotes are here: http://infinityoverzero.wordpress.com/tag/jocko-johnson/
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