OTIES AUTOMOTIVE from the 60's otie smith ?

im looking for any info on oties automotive from akron ohio....there is a pic of one of there cars on page 26 in the hot rod archive series #6 hemi power mag...... i have a 50 merc with a flathead and there is a tag on the firewall from them when they built the engine. thanks

 

I think I have a magazine with an Oties Automotive sponsored altered on it...or at least I remeber it as an altered, I can check to see if there is any info in that, should not be too hard to find.

 

thanks da injun ............no body else?

 

Back in1990, I was producing a public access on drag racing and caught on tape the Otie's pro-mod Corvette that was in the Craftsman ads go into the local drag strip's guardrail at half track, nose first. That was pretty much the end of that car for that year.

Interesting thing about that run was that the team showed up at the track because they were simply p***ing thru and one of their racer friends told them about the match racing that night. While there, they were talked into doing an exhibition run; BIG mistake.

So the store was still around in 1990.

If I can find someone to copy 3/4" video to a digital format, I'll trade them the original tape of the raw, unedited footage for the service. And of course I'd post the results here.

Vance

 

The magazine that the Oties Automotive Altered is on is August 65, Speed and Custom (scanner is busted). It does not give any info on the shop, just the car,engine,ch***is etc..of this particular car. I know there have to be other mags this car is in, but I have so many, I have a hard time looking through them all without stopping and reading about something other then what I am looking for.

Dennis

 

I dont really know much about the shop,but I remember the roadster racing at thompson and at wattsburg,Pa. in the mid 60's

 

I have a VHS format video of The Akron Air Strip/DragStrip from I think 1953 thru 1958. It was made from a number of silent 8MM color films with a narrator describing the action. The Otie car was in a LOT of the shots. I'll be glad to make a copy and send it your way if you're interested.

 

The December 1960 issue of Hot Rod magazine has a great action shot of the Oties A/R on the cover. The photo was made at the NHRA Nationals at Detroit Dragway that year. If you happen to be into drag racing history this is a great magazine to have. The article about the event is great.

 

i am pretty sure the 50s and 60s were the heyday of oties speed shop. old otie is still alive i saw him at an openhouse for a private collection a few weeks back. maybe i can round up some contact info for him to give u. i am sure he could help u out. give me a couple days....

 

Hi Hot Rodders,
My memory of Otie's car is very vivid in my mind since about 1962.When I was a teenager painting hot rod monster t-shirts at
dragway 42 in West Salem,Ohio I saw Otie's Automotive AA/A Fiat
coupe pull up to the starting line,rev up for the flagman (no xmas trees back then) and as the flagman signaled "GO" Otie floored it,hooked up and POW!!! The muti chain that drove the blower launched into low earth orbit.We all,including me,waited to see where the broken chain would fall.It finally reentered earth's atmosphere and fell on the asphalt and nobody was hurt.
There was also a cool black guy racing a 29 Ford pickup-no roof or windshield-full fendered,bright orange paint with a blown Chevy engine that really impressed me.The car was named "Born Runnin" Hell,I'm still runnin today after seeing those cars way back then. I also knew Fast Eddie Schartman (I lived one street away from him)and also admired Akron Arlen Vanke and his "Tin Indian" Super Stock 61 Pontiacs.I have so many memories of Dragway 42 plus some video tapes lifted from 8mm home movies.if anyone is interested, all free mind you. Ah,sweet memories!!!rabidyesfan-g***ers 4ever!!!

 

Lonewolf,
Email this guy, Oilcooler@aol.com
We are from Akron and he knows him.

 

I thought that was jim oddys corvette and not oties car, simliar sounding names but diffrent people.

jp

 

You're prolly right. I get those two confused a lot. Sorry.

 

My dad sold that Fiat to Otie in late 61 or early 62. Otie's son Billy was the driving the Fiat. Anyone have any pics of that car?

 

I am from Kenmore, south Akron, OH. otie's son, Bill and I were friends. Unfortunatelly, time and geography have caused me to lose him.

If any of you know where bill smith from Kenmore is living, let me know, thanks for your help.

Richard "****" Pursley
****pursley@handywacks.com
800 445 4434
616 437 3965 (cell)

 

hi Richard,
I am not sure where Bill would be but Otie is still alive and living in the area,I am friends with his Daughter and just saw him about a week ago.If you would like I can tell you where he lives and I am sure he can tell you how to get in touch with Bill.

 

Came across this old thread. I to am looking for pictures of the Otie's Automotive fuel altered. I used to see this car run a lot at Dragway 42 in West Salem Ohio. As I remember the car back in the early days ('60-'63) was painted white.

 

Here is a pic. I believe from around 1966.
.

 

Pm Ch***isResearchKid he is doing alot of research for Derby Downs, he may have info for you also...

 

Thanks guys... lots of good memories from Dragway 42...Art Arfon, Don Garlits, Kris Karamesines, Pete Robinson, George Montgomery,...could go on, and on...

 

That skinny guy behind Otie is me, and the picture is from the 1964 Winternationals in Pomona. It was Wednesday tech day and I was lucky enough to help him all that weekend. I ditched school every year and attended every day. That was his last roadster, and it was a beauty. Had ****** problems that weekend, but showed lots of promise. Hope he's still healthy and happy... I treasure the time spent with him...

 

Oties machinist , at his shop , lived just down the road from my Father's gas station in Kent, ohio. I think his name was Vick Valiniski. Not sue about the last name. He had a "c" dragster that Bill Smith ( Oties Son ) drove that won Indy about 64 or 65. It was a chevy 301 with a Pontiac 3 speed that they only used 2 and 3 gears.
I have always wondered what happened to that dragster. Later Vick opened a gun shop.

 

I first saw Otie at Akron in 1954 and his race car was a T roadster, I can't remember the engine, probably a flat motor. He also later ran a Healy with a chevy. The Akron Cam Jammers were the club Otie belonged to and ran the Akron drags. These were the days when Joe Martincic was the fastest dragster at I believe 12.20 ET, Arfons brought his first monster with an Allison and then coupled a trailer to it with a Ranger helicopter engine and propeller. It was all very exciting for a bunch of 16 year old kids from Euclid.

 

Bert, I've seen you mention Joe Martincic a couple times here on the HAMB, and thought you might enjoy this pic of Joe with his brother, in a Supermodified at Lorain County in 1972. Can you give any info on his sponsor?

 

Looks like Speed Equipment Co., of Lakewood, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. Main compe***ion in Cleveland at the time to Midwest Auto Specialties. I have a few of their catalogs.

 

I didn't follow Joes career as a sprint driver but I did stay in contact when he was a Fiberfab Dealer then owner and I built one of his dune buggies. He may of self sponsored his sprint car since he was in business at the time. I do recall him frugally building his cars

 

I would like to share this picture of Otie

 

What a cool thread!!! I've heard my Father-in-law (Bud) mention Otie and Joe M. many many times over the years - neat to see them show up here!!!