....Received from Glenn Barrett SCTA/BNI Timer....................................................................... Chet Herbert p***ed away this morning after a battle with pneumonia. A pioneer to the racing industry world wide. Dedicated LSR builder, designer, cam grinder, and innovator. RIP Chet
damn, that really ****s.....R.I.P Mr. Herbert.........and thanks again for helping me out with my cam issues.
From their website: "Confinement to a wheelchair never struck anyone who raced against Chet Herbert as a handicap. In fact, many of his compe***ors argued for handicaps to be placed on the dual- engined monsters that Herbert created. First came "The Beast", a stroked Harley double that ruled the very first season of organized drag racing: 1950 at Santa Ana. After his rider set the year's fastest speed at 121 mph, Herbert's four-wheeled rivals complained that motorcycles inherently held an unfair advantage, and should therefore be disqualified from Top Eliminator. Because of "The Beast," it was widely believed in the early Fifties that motorcycles would always be faster and quicker than cars in the quarter-mile. When the prediction was proved unfounded, later in the decade, this Southern California camgrinder was not caught unprepared. Having also campaigned successful Bonneville streamliners, Chet simply switched to slingshots-dual engined, of course! A succession of powerful "twins" included injected Chevys on gas, blown Chevys on fuel, and even a super-light, very quick fueler with 16 cylinders of aluminum F-85 Oldsmobile aboard. Simultaneously, Chet was making speed-equipment history. Adapting Harley-Davidson's roller-tappet technology to automobile engines, he gained fame for bringing roller cams to auto racing. Herbert Cams has since evolved into a major warehouse operation, but its owner remains preoccupied with top speed and multiple powerplants. At present, Chet Herbert is preparing a four-engine Bonneville streamliner to challenge the world land speed record. His son, Doug, recently became only the second drag racer to exceed 300 mph. His sister is 1993 Hall of Fame inductee Doris Herbert."
I had many conversations with Chet over the years for experimental cams for the BBF motors I was building at the time. He never put you off or on hold and stayed with you till your problem was solved or a better cam to serve your purpose. There wasn't many like Chet and he will never be forgotten. Its so sad that we are losing so many Icons who got the performance down to a science and helped thousands of racers in there quest for speed.
That sux, I was hitch hiking out to Sanoma for Cal nats a bunch of years ago and got a lift from some of Doug's crew, great guys sneaked me in the gate I spent the day checking out the racing and they dropped me back to where I was staying at the end of the day...... good folks and if they were any reflection on Chet then he did real good and will definatly be missed, a real innovator.
In the '60s I spent a lot of time with Chet. He sold me a #70 roller cam for my C-Gas Chevy small block and a reverse grind cam for a 396 gear drive. We all thought he was the real innovator with roller cams. As stated above he was always available to answer questions. He drew a simple diagram showing me how to degree a camshaft and how to adjust cam advance for different track conditions. He was a great man, as many of his generation were. Hate to see them all p***ing away. RIP Chet, The FOGGER
With all the Legends that have p***ed in the last year,HAMBAndy will be benchracin' with the best up in Heavens Racetrack up yonder! R.I.P. Chet!
Damn! I remember meeting him one time at a race in Colorado, at Bandimere Raceway. Neat guy! What a shame he is gone. Seems like everyone is going at one time, Maybe it's just getting older, I don't know.
bought an eng in 57 that had a herbert roller. it wasn't what we needed, called Chet, he said send it back, in a week we had what we needed, and since have bought dozens of cams from him .many conversations. great guy, and family. God speed, RIP.
Sorry to hear that Chet has left us. I talk about him when I teach disabled accessibility cl***es. What a pioneer...both in speed equipment and in showing that a wheelchair disability can't keep you from doing what you love.
"He never put you off or on hold and stayed with you till your problem was solved ..." Chet Herbert was a contemporary of my Dad. The speed equipment pioneers knew how to appreciate and treat their customers. Too bad this simple business principle has been lost. God Speed Mr. Herbert DW
Although I never got to meet Chet, I did experience his expertise up close and personal, when I drove the 7-11 coupe for a season. Chet personally built the blown alky smallblock Chevy in that car and it had more hair on it than any track could hold. Over the years, I've heard more testimonials of his character than for anyone else, period. The Herbert family has certainly had their share of loss over the last couple of years. Let's hope things quiet down for them for a while...
After getting my doors ****ed off with an Engle Cam in my Ford circle track car, I called Chet and told him what i was running... he laughed and said that they were selling me a cam with SBC specs... my 351c needed more lift on the exhaust (split patterns were new to me) . I bought his cam and went from zero to hero (at least in MY mind). Thanks Chet for all you did for the sport... RIP.
Services have scheduled: http://www.compe***ionplus.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9906&Itemid=6 God Speed Chet
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