|
Post by sc397 on Jan 8, 2014 5:44:22 GMT -8
We lost a good friend. Mike was street racing AMC's in Detroit in the '70's and was one of the first to run turbochargeers at the strip as well as on the street. Mike was a personal friend to myself and many others. If you couldn't get along with Mike, you couldn't get along with anybody. I can't say enough good things about him. Truly a great loss but, we all know where he is going.. jameshcolefh.frontrunnerpro.com/book-of-memories/1768679/Gardner--Michael-/service-details.php
|
|
|
Post by fast401 on Jan 8, 2014 6:32:39 GMT -8
This is very sad! Mike was one of the nicest guys you would ever meet! My dad and I met him at Milan back in 1999 and dad was blown away by his turbo AMX. RIP Mike. We will meet up on the other side someday. Rick
|
|
|
Post by 69Rebel on Jan 8, 2014 6:55:29 GMT -8
I never knew the guy, but it's always sad to lose one of the guys from the old school.
|
|
|
Post by javtwotone on Jan 8, 2014 8:33:27 GMT -8
The first time I saw Mike's spray bombed rough two-seater with the plumbing nightmare and plywood air dam, I had to wonder about the guy....then the wheels up launch and high 9 second pass..... We really started to talk when I put a grand National turbo motor in my '70 AMX. Absolutely the nicest guy and really thought outside the box on the things he did, and made them work. I will certainly miss him...
|
|
|
Post by orange70 on Jan 8, 2014 19:32:33 GMT -8
I think of all that old school knowledge , it's hard to lose men like that. I gravitate to guys like that, hoping to learn anything he thinks I should know. Valuable and rare. I hope everyone feels better soon.
|
|
|
Post by sc397 on Jan 9, 2014 5:07:46 GMT -8
Jeff Bristow worded it well: Candle From: Jeff Bristow and the AMC Family Message to the Family: If anyone gets a by run to heaven it will be Michael. Always a gentleman and always took the time to give Thanks where it was deserved. You will be sorely missed and remembered fondly by your many friends
|
|
|
Post by sc397 on Jan 10, 2014 9:26:37 GMT -8
Myself and 4 other club members went to the funeral yesterday. I bet that there were at least a hundred people there. When it came time for people to stand up and say a few words about half of them talked about his AMC cars and racing. One guy who he worked with told stories of racing Mike and never beating him. He said "After all, everyone knows that a GSX will take a Javelin... until Mike started working on it." He went on to tell how he blew up 3 engines in the GSX trying to beat him. The best part is when he was telling that they used to drive there cars to Detroit Dragway, race, and drive them home. He said one time Mike beat him, he blew up his engine and Mike towed him home with the Javelin. After the funeral, another one of his friends came up to us and asked if we were from the club. He talked about Mike racing and helping him on his Monte. He said that he couldn't get it to run right and that Mike put some AMC parts in it to make it run good. Kinda funny, he just swapped his carb out for one that was on his Javelin. I found him a glass chin spoiler to replace the plywood - Seriously.
|
|
|
Post by fast401 on Jan 10, 2014 16:11:31 GMT -8
That plywood spoiler needs to be on your wall of fame.
|
|