Joe Mondello passed away

Check out this web page:

http://mondello.com/pages/joe_mondello.htm

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[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Joe Mondello[/FONT]​

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]August 6, 1936 - April 6, 2011[/FONT]​

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[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] "And then there was the time . . . ." "Let me tell you, it was a fun ride." [/FONT]​

[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]On April 6, 2011 we lost a man who epitomized the term “Persistence and Determination”, and Drag Racing and the Performance Aftermarket lost one of its brightest lights. Joseph A. (Joe) Mondello passed on at 9:21AM in Cookville , Tennessee at the age of 74 following complications from surgery. Joe was born on August 6, 1936 in Los Angeles , California . [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Joe had a passion for everything mechanical and got his inspiration for his Posi-Flow design from the most obscure place imaginable; water swirling in the toilet. But the basic idea of how the water flowed gave him all the engineering required to port and polish a cylinder head for optimum performance. That one observation led to a 54 year career as an engine builder, head porter and later as a teacher, inspiring an entire new generation of head porters and engine builders. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Joe’s talents were his resume and opened the door for Joe to work with some of the most notable race teams and engine builders during the 60’s. That same talent continued his involvement through the turn of the century. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]His love affair with the automobile began at age 13. He wasn’t old enough to purchase a car so he convinced his sister to buy an old Ford Coupe for him – with his money – from a salvage yard. Joe spent many hours rebuilding and modifying the coupe which became his daily driver. In 1951 his professional career began working on flat-head Fords in a local shop. His passion became his career, and his passion was drag racing. His success with his own car, a ’40 Ford Coupe, opened the door to work with other engine builders and the legend began. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]His talents brought him together with “Sush” Matsubara and the infamous purple Mondello-Matsubara Fiat Topolino blown fuel altered, which won two NHRA National events and is a National Speed and E.T. Record Holder. The record that still holds today -- [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]7.24 ET and 213 mph pass was made at the U.S. Nationals in[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Indianapolis[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]in 1969, and won runner-up in Competition Eliminator. The record [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]stands today because the fuel altered class was dropped from drag racing. GM, Ford, Chrysler, AMC – even Honda …Joe’s touch improved all of the breed’s heads for racing. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Then one day he received a phone call from Oldsmobile. It seems they were getting ready to create an Oldsmobile Performance Parts Division and they were looking for engine builders to port and polish Oldsmobile heads for increased performance. They sent heads to all the big head porters in the USA and Joe was one of the chosen. The contest was simple; the shop that created the most power with their modified heads got the contract to be the Oldsmobile Performance Dealer. All of the other shops used flow benches and modern equipment to prepare their heads. Joe used his eye, his hands to feel the ports and some common sense. No surprise, Joe’s heads made the most power and he was nicknamed “Dr. Oldsmobile” for his highly successful developmental work on the Olds V-8 engines. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Joe took on every challenge presented to him – from helping develop the Briggs & Stratton engine for the Junior Dragster and Karting program, to off-road racing engines to off-shore and drag boat racing, as well as road racing (Mondello’s hands were all over the 1966 LeMans winning Ford GT-40 from Carroll Shelby). His Posi-Flow® heads were on many of Don Garlits’ Swamp Rats as well as many other leading racers – drag racing, land speed cars, boats, road racing and circle track cars. Garlits’ ran the first ever 200mph run with Mondello heads! [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]His passion for excellence lead him to establish the Mondello Technical School in 1996, devoted to teaching the art of professional performance engine building and head porting design to all who came, including young men and women who desired a career in the field. The school started in Paso Robles, Calif. and later moved to Crossville , Tennessee in 2005. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]His wife Mary says, “Joe’s passion was for those young people in the school. He wanted them to understand what it took to be a professional in the shop and in customer relations. He also extended that passion to teaching many of them how to be a ‘professional’ as a drag racer. He taught them the technical aspects of their trade (as an engine builder and as a racer) and how to interact with people.” [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]She also said that the Quarter Mile Foundation and the PROJECT 1320 documentary became a major focus of his life for the last year or so. Before his passing, Joe had begun work on a 555 cubic inch World Products Big Block Chevy engine to be raffled for benefit of the Foundation, and was planning two additional engines. Mary relates how impassioned Joe was about the PROJECT 1320 effort and the raffle engine. “He said, ‘Mary, I did not qualify! I can’t finish the PROJECT 1320 engine…I’ve DNQ’d.’” [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Joe is survived by his wife Mary, four children Bernard Mondello, Stephanie Mondello, Gina Ozanne, and Nica Mondello-Gomez and four grandchildren, Nicole Mondello, Ross Ozanne, Adam and Joey Gomez. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Those wishing to donate in Joe’s memory in lieu of flowers can do so to two of Joe’s favorite charities: [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]P.O. Box[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] 1000[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica], Dept 142 [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Memphis[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica], TN 38148 [/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica](mark check “For direct care of children”) [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Quarter Mile Foundation [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica][/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]6210 Beverly Avenue[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Parma[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] Hts. , OH 44129 [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]There will be viewing and a memorial service at Hood Funeral Home, Crossville , Tennessee on Friday, April 8^th, between 1:00pm and 8:00pm, and on Saturday from 1:00pm to 6:00pm. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]There will be a second viewing and memorial service at Holy Cross Cemetery and Mausoleum in Los Angeles , California on Tuesday, April 12^th between 3pm and 8pm, with Rosary Service at 6:30pm. [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, April 13^th at 9:30am, with burial following directly after the service. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Hood’s Funeral Home [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Highway 127 ( Main Street ) [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Crossville[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica], TN 38572 [/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]931-456-4663 [/FONT]
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[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Holy[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] Cross Cemetery [/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] and Mausoleum [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]5835 W Slauson Ave[/FONT] [FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]Culver City,[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]CA[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica] [/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]90230 [/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Arial, Helvetica]310-670-7697 [/FONT]

 

There's already a couple of threads about Joe ~ The search is your friend

 

Rest In Peace Joe...my condolences to the family.

 

My condolences to his family..
Mr. Mondello gave me my first job back in the 90's when his shop was in Van Nuys Ca.. Learned a lot from this man...

 

A pioneer in his time and most respected for his abilitys. He will be missed and prayers for his family

 

God Speed Joe. He was a amazing man, and will be missed by so many.
Prayers go out to the Family.