I think about this guy ALOT.......

[2manymustangs]

I first met Amos at the Bixby Knolls CACKLEFEST in 2010 or 2011


From a 2004 write up on NHRA.com:

Amos Satterlee: “Famous Amos” Satterlee has been setting records for a long time. He’s just not in the car – or boat – when the records are set. Like many, he started as a driver, but soon found out that his talents were in engine building and tuning. The La Habra, Calif.-based Satterlee’s engines are world famous. “My engines and tuning have 16 world championships ,” Satterlee said.

With Art Chrisman and Frank Cannon, he built Hustler 5 – which, according to Satterlee, ran the unofficial first 200 mph Top Fuel dragster on Chrondek clocks in July, 1964, a feat generally attributed to Don Garlits. “ We did it before he did. Garlits’ claims it. I hate to embarrass the old man, but facts are facts. Frank Cannon deserves the recognition. Art Chrisman knows about it. He was part of the deal then,” he said. “ I run a Top Fuel sand dragster now. We hold all the records in sand drags.”

Satterlee is proud of his accomplishments in NHRA Funny Car competition as well. “We won a whole bunch of races with Craig Epperly in a Funny Car. We worked with Mickey Thompson and Danny Ongais and won almost everything. We won Indy that year. It is a very big race. Back in those days, it was a very big race.”

He was known as the “guru” of Ford fuel altereds as far back as 1976, when he tuned John Aleman’s SOHC 23T. He’s been married to Armida, who most of the old-timers call “Billy,” for 55 years. “She’s a good woman, put up with me and racing all these years.” He has two sons, three daughters, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. He’s still an engine tuner, both in cars and drag boats and currently wrenches on a 1995 Oldsmobile Funny Car and on a Top Fuel Hydro boat for Speed Sports

w/ yours truly
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w/our own WAGS the dragboat GURU
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w/Lou O. owner of SpeedSport TFH
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The home town crew
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[HB Vic]

Very cool. But you said Bixby Knolls and cackle fest in the same sentence. Can that be possible? Bixby Knolls. The same Bixby Knolls I know?

[2manymustangs]

Very cool. But you said Bixby Knolls and cackle fest in the same sentence. Can that be possible? Bixby Knolls. The same Bixby Knolls I know?

Si senior... I have videos, smack at the intersection of Carson and Atlantic... it was an incredible car show and the old slingshots/altereds/diggers they had was absolutely incredible... Old rails that I have only read about, they had them there... There were so many cars running, and such a huge crowd that I couldn't get anywhere close enuff for video...

In these little video clips you can only see about 1/4 of the cars, when the nitro started clouding up people started running for the hills... There were a few that had some POP in the tank, it was like tear gas... :dogrun:

Amos was sitting there near Shirley Muldowney and the rail you see in the last pic above ^^^, I think it was Dave Mandella that introduced me to Amos...

https://youtu.be/DX8fDGURtoU

https://youtu.be/7VuK4yKpNJM

[2manymustangs]

https://youtu.be/0j8re6MNC4s

You can see Amos playing around in this one with Shirley's car at 1:16 :D

https://youtu.be/IhckNpPUWGs


This was the weekend I first met Spike, at the Marina Pacifica DON EDWARDS drag boat book signing... :thumb:

https://youtu.be/KHZuCRzEVuU

[Sanger_Spectra]

That Bixby Knolls show was an awesome event, I live due West in the Los Cerritos/ Virginia Country Club area and we loved it! The best part was when people would try to bump in front of my boys and I as we were lined up for the Nitro cars to fie off. The Boys would get mad but after the first time we let the people get right up on the car and they took a big swallow of that Nitro the boys understood why we let them push forward:) too Bad it stopped never know the politics of it but it was a great car show as well for a few years.

[2manymustangs]

That Bixby Knolls show was an awesome event, I live due West in the Los Cerritos/ Virginia Country Club area and we loved it! The best part was when people would try to bump in front of my boys and I as we were lined up for the Nitro cars to fie off. The Boys would get mad but after the first time we let the people get right up on the car and they took a big swallow of that Nitro the boys understood why we let them push forward:) too Bad it stopped never know the politics of it but it was a great car show as well for a few years.

Ya, I contacted the city a few years back to see when it was going to take place AND got the word that it wasn't... anymore... :(

[spike morelli]

I've never had the pleasure of meeting Amos Satterlee, but I sure as hell know who he is. He is unique and talented, worthy of any accolade given . It's sad to think that more of the peers from the era of "big name" engine guys aren't with us today. It is from their talents that we learn. P.S., I attended the Bixby Knowles event twice and it was a scene. Had a conversation with Shirley Muldowney there, friend Dave Mandella ( yes related ) was the project manager on the restoration of one of her fuelers, which was there on display.

[2manymustangs]

I've never had the pleasure of meeting Amos Satterlee, but I sure as hell know who he is. He is unique and talented, worthy of any accolade given . It's sad to think that more of the peers from the era of "big name" engine guys aren't with us today. It is from their talents that we learn. P.S., I attended the Bixby Knowles event twice and it was a scene. Had a conversation with Shirley Muldowney there, friend Dave Mandella ( yes related ) was the project manager on the restoration of one of her fuelers, which was there on display.

I've been wanting to do a sit down interview/video with Amos, I have talked to Lou and his wife about doing this. I don't know how often he gets to St Louis but I think he is a pretty accessible guy. My video guy (my son) is in St Louis and Amos is here in CA......

I need to get this done...

It's amazing Spike, he is at the drag boat races which are inevitably SCORCHING HOT and there is Amos, bustin his azzzzz, inspecting parts, doing head assembly between rounds... If only I could have his brain/mojo/motivation... :action-smiley-035:

[2manymustangs]

:( just found out that Famos Amos had a bad stroke around April of last year... :(

He is hanging in there but not doing real great...

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[2manymustangs]

From "NETWORK 54.com"

Correction! Was reminded that Danny O won 11 of 12 drivng Thompson's blue F/C. Not sure they were all National Events but heck, that's one hell of a win ratio.

From February through July 1969, Danny On-the-gas compiled a 55-2 round win/loss record.

Wins included:
The March Meet
Las Vegas Stardust Nationals
AHRA Grand American Nationals
AHRA Springnationals
Nhra Springnationals
Orange County Nitro Championships (was there!)
Oh yeah...the US Nationals

Surprisingly, Ongias didn't qualify at the NHRA Winternationals but was unbeatable after that. The car recorded the first F/C six second run, a 6.96 at Kansas City on Septenber 14 1969.

We Ford guys would love to give all the credit to the Amos Satterlee built cammer...but the Pat Foster chassis, with help of a newcomer named 'Lil John Buttera, was probably more of a deciding factor.

64940

https://youtu.be/bfrX2GLPVts

[spike morelli]

6494164942649432MM,
If you could only see my adolescence through my eyes. I was the kid at Lions hanging on to the chainlink fence at the starting line, eyes burning, weezing from the nitro vapors I was gladly inhaling. I was the kid hanging around in the pits at O.C.I.R., watching intently as the crews wrenched on whatever. I was the young boy at Ray Caselli's shop with my Dad, taking in every detail of his boat. I was the teenager who bought a 392 Hemi from Adlen Bros Wrecking yard at 17, even though I didn't have anything to put it in, I just knew I had to have one. As a Senior in High School, I went to the Plymouth trouble Shooting Contest .I was the kid who hung out with the miscreants in the car club so many nights, even instead of going to Prom Night. I hopped up my older brother's mini-bike Briggs and Stratton engine when I was in Jr. High to the point of blowing it up on Cox Racing Fuel and alcohol, I was short on experience, but long on enthusiasm. To date, every car I've ever owned has had it's engine built, either stock, or modified, by me. From the first model kit I ever built, I was interested in the engine and how it went together. Today, as an adult, I am still "into" engines, but I haven't had a "fueler"...yet. It is my intention to go for the apex of power, to build a fuel Hemi of my own, before the man upstairs calls for me. I guess it's just something that started when I was just a kid. I can blame guys like Amos, Ed Pink, Dave Zeuschel, Keith Black, Joe Mondello, Joe Reath, etc, for fanning the flames of a teenaged boy's interests.

[2manymustangs]

verrrrry sorry I missed your post my friend...

i have told SharpShooter and others that I feel CHEATED that I didnt get to experience the SoCal drag race/boat race/sprint boat scene...

Let me go backwards and read/catch up Spike... :) THanks sir...

Ole Amos had his hands on some cammers apparently with the M/T cars and a few others... Based on what I was reading about him and the cars / rails he wrenched on late 60's... I was reading all the FORD propaganda on Network 54 :)

It would be a honor to have the chance and learn a few things before these guys pass to the other side...

[Sharp shooter]

Great thread Bruce! Amos was huge in boat racing! Great post Spike (as usual). :action-smiley-035:

[pcdesign]

I don't know if anyone is still reading this thread but this is Amos' son-in-law and he passed away on April 4th, 2019. His memorial is going to be at the NHRA museum in Pomona on May 11th at 2:00 PM. All are invited that knew him. Should be a good get together for all of his friends and family. More information you can email me at info@pcdesigngroup.com

[pcdesign]

I don't know if anyone is still looking at this thread but this is Amos' Son-in-law. My wife (Susie) and I were taking care of him for the past three years after his stroke. But sadly he passed away on 4-4-19. His memorial will be held at the NHRA museum on 5-11-19 at 2:00 PM all are welcome. If you need any other information please email me at info@pcdesigngroup.com

[jordy]

What a loss to the racing world. So very sorry to read this.

[HB Vic]

Very sad to hear of your loss


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[2manymustangs]

I don't know if anyone is still looking at this thread but this is Amos' Son-in-law. My wife (Susie) and I were taking care of him for the past three years after his stroke. But sadly he passed away on 4-4-19. His memorial will be held at the NHRA museum on 5-11-19 at 2:00 PM all are welcome. If you need any other information please email me at info@pcdesigngroup.com

Darn it.... Im very sorry to read this sir....

As usual I am late.... My new work project has me covered up....

Please give my sympathy to all of the family from a very big fan of one very special Famous Amos.... I hope to get the correct video from Lou Osman and upload to youtube after doing some editing/clean up of the footage....

Sorry for your loss :cry: