The Ford Barn

JM 35 Sedan · 05-31-2014, 11:03 PM

Just found out that Bill Smith founder of Speedway Motors has passed away. RIP Speedy Bill.

http://journalstar.com/news/local/sp...4ab411f55.html

CrazyBackyardBuilder · 05-31-2014, 11:18 PM

I just heard about this also, very sad new's.

Lanny · 05-31-2014, 11:20 PM

I bet that will be one Gigantic funeral, as I can only imagine all the
friends he made over the years.
His museum is filled with TONS of COOL Stuff. Maybe someone will post pix.
Now Go to The Speedway in The Sky, Speedy Bill.

.

Thaplumbr · 05-31-2014, 11:36 PM

Damn that sucks, God speed!!!

ford38v8 · 05-31-2014, 11:43 PM

I think everyone who ever passed through Lincoln Nebraska has been treated to Speedy Bill's hospitality. He will be missed by many.

elwood · 06-01-2014, 12:37 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

I figured once his beloved wife passed, he wouldnt be far behind.
Godspeed Bill

Ken Crans · 06-01-2014, 06:42 AM

R I P Bill...Super nice guy. May our prayers be with your family.

texas webb · 06-01-2014, 07:15 AM

Sad to hear.Another great man and legend gone.

TomT/Williamsburg · 06-01-2014, 08:38 AM

Very sad to hear indeed - my prayers and thoughts go to his family ...

TJ · 06-01-2014, 09:09 AM

RIP "Speedy Bill". A great guy who did a lot for the hobby. Met him in '09 and he greeted us at the museum when our group toured his massive collection of all things automotive.

sidevalve8ba · 06-01-2014, 09:15 AM

Rest in peace, Bill. I had the good fortune to meet him at the auction where he bought the Tucker that is in his museum. A real gentleman who will be missed.

VeryTangled · 06-01-2014, 09:26 AM

Hi Everyone, I haven't had a chance to visit, but here's the link to his museum.

http://www.museumofamericanspeed.com/default.dlp

I guess he's had a positive effect on the world. And will be missed by many.

-VT/JeffH

59ab · 06-01-2014, 08:41 PM

Missed seeing him at Hershey the last few years. Super nice man. R.I.P.

Tim Ayers · 06-01-2014, 09:58 PM

My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

PeteVS · 06-02-2014, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 59ab

Missed seeing him at Hershey the last few years. Super nice man. R.I.P.

Same here... Sad.

BobbyG · 06-02-2014, 05:06 AM

God Bless

funrunr · 06-02-2014, 05:27 AM

Will definitely be missed. R.I.P. Bill

chuck stevens · 06-02-2014, 06:05 AM

Kathie & I were just out to his museum last month, what a place....what a man. He will be missed by all, Chuck S.

Roger/Sacramento · 06-02-2014, 02:46 PM

This is sad to hear from Stromberg 97........ Speedway Motors' Bill Smith died at the weekend. Having lost not one, but two fathers in my lifetime, our sincere condolences go out to his family, of course. I expect everyone has a Bill Smith story to tell. Here are mine. You can make your own judgements. When we first started Stromberg, Bill Smith said he would only stock them if he had sole US distribution at 60% discount. Then he offered to buy us, for a sum less than we had invested. Then he bought some new 97s and I can only assume shipped them offshore where they copied most of it - even our plastic float. Then finally in 2011 he threatened court action to challenge our trademark rights unless we agreed to Speedway registering '9-super-7', which the USPTO had rejected because it was too close to our own 97 mark. We had no problem with this, though it still cost us a 5-figure legal sum. This was money we had set aside for Big carb R&D. RIP Bill.

BUBBAS IGNITION · 06-02-2014, 03:12 PM

RIP Bill Smith !!!!!!!

And if you guys havent read the book you really need to !!! Great story of a grass roots racer and parts pioneer for sure.......

05-31-2014, 11:03 PM	#1
JM 35 Sedan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Near Rising Sun, Maryland Posts: 10,858	Speedy Bill Smith Just found out that Bill Smith founder of Speedway Motors has passed away. RIP Speedy Bill. http://journalstar.com/news/local/sp...4ab411f55.html __________________ *John* *"Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts". Albert Einstein* Last edited by JM 35 Sedan; 05-31-2014 at 11:08 PM.

05-31-2014, 11:18 PM	#2
CrazyBackyardBuilder Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal. Posts: 86	Re: Speedy Bill Smith I just heard about this also, very sad new's.

05-31-2014, 11:20 PM	#3
Lanny Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mn Posts: 2,410	Re: Speedy Bill Smith I bet that will be one Gigantic funeral, as I can only imagine all the friends he made over the years. His museum is filled with TONS of COOL Stuff. Maybe someone will post pix. Now Go to The Speedway in The Sky, Speedy Bill. . __________________ If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. But if daddy ain't happy...RUN

05-31-2014, 11:36 PM	#4
Thaplumbr Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: jacksonville,arkansas Posts: 160	Re: Speedy Bill Smith Damn that sucks, God speed!!!

05-31-2014, 11:43 PM	#5
ford38v8 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 6,635	Re: Speedy Bill Smith I think everyone who ever passed through Lincoln Nebraska has been treated to Speedy Bill's hospitality. He will be missed by many. __________________ Alan

06-01-2014, 12:37 AM	#6
elwood Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dallas Posts: 1,053	Re: Speedy Bill Smith Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I figured once his beloved wife passed, he wouldnt be far behind. Godspeed Bill

06-01-2014, 06:42 AM	#7
Ken Crans Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Highland,MI Posts: 1,196	Re: Speedy Bill Smith R I P Bill...Super nice guy. May our prayers be with your family.

06-01-2014, 07:15 AM	#8
texas webb Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: San Antonio Texas Posts: 636	Re: Speedy Bill Smith Sad to hear.Another great man and legend gone.

06-01-2014, 08:38 AM	#9
TomT/Williamsburg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia Posts: 2,654	Re: Speedy Bill Smith Very sad to hear indeed - my prayers and thoughts go to his family ...

06-01-2014, 09:09 AM	#10
TJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Napa,California Posts: 6,029	Re: Speedy Bill Smith RIP "Speedy Bill". A great guy who did a lot for the hobby. Met him in '09 and he greeted us at the museum when our group toured his massive collection of all things automotive.

06-01-2014, 09:15 AM	#11
sidevalve8ba Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Harrisonburg, VA Posts: 841	Re: Speedy Bill Smith Rest in peace, Bill. I had the good fortune to meet him at the auction where he bought the Tucker that is in his museum. A real gentleman who will be missed. Last edited by sidevalve8ba; 06-02-2014 at 03:28 PM.

06-01-2014, 09:26 AM	#12
VeryTangled Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: (Not far enough...) Outside of DC Posts: 3,387	Re: Speedy Bill Smith Hi Everyone, I haven't had a chance to visit, but here's the link to his museum. http://www.museumofamericanspeed.com/default.dlp I guess he's had a positive effect on the world. And will be missed by many. -VT/JeffH

06-01-2014, 08:41 PM	#13
59ab Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Huntsville,Alabama Posts: 247	Re: Speedy Bill Smith Missed seeing him at Hershey the last few years. Super nice man. R.I.P.

06-01-2014, 09:58 PM	#14
Tim Ayers Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: NJ Posts: 6,177	Re: Speedy Bill Smith My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

06-02-2014, 05:06 AM	#16
BobbyG Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 240	Re: Speedy Bill Smith God Bless

06-02-2014, 05:27 AM	#17
funrunr Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Belleville,MI Posts: 1,427	Re: Speedy Bill Smith Will definitely be missed. R.I.P. Bill __________________ Thank God this is only a hobby!

06-02-2014, 06:05 AM	#18
chuck stevens Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: upstate new york Posts: 758	Re: Speedy Bill Smith Kathie & I were just out to his museum last month, what a place....what a man. He will be missed by all, Chuck S.

06-02-2014, 02:46 PM	#19
Roger/Sacramento Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: PRINEVILLE, OR. Posts: 490	Re: Speedy Bill Smith This is sad to hear from Stromberg 97........ Speedway Motors' Bill Smith died at the weekend. Having lost not one, but two fathers in my lifetime, our sincere condolences go out to his family, of course. I expect everyone has a Bill Smith story to tell. Here are mine. You can make your own judgements. When we first started Stromberg, Bill Smith said he would only stock them if he had sole US distribution at 60% discount. Then he offered to buy us, for a sum less than we had invested. Then he bought some new 97s and I can only assume shipped them offshore where they copied most of it - even our plastic float. Then finally in 2011 he threatened court action to challenge our trademark rights unless we agreed to Speedway registering '9-super-7', which the USPTO had rejected because it was too close to our own 97 mark. We had no problem with this, though it still cost us a 5-figure legal sum. This was money we had set aside for Big carb R&D. RIP Bill. __________________ KIM KARDASHIAN ISN'T FLAT, BUT MY MOTOR IS..... http://s818.photobucket.com/home/roglehr/index

06-02-2014, 03:12 PM	#20
BUBBAS IGNITION Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: SPEEDWAY INDIANA Posts: 4,148	Re: Speedy Bill Smith RIP Bill Smith !!!!!!! And if you guys havent read the book you really need to !!! Great story of a grass roots racer and parts pioneer for sure....... __________________ If it Makes Spark, we do it !!!! www.bubbasignition.com [email protected]