Well the Hamb keeps growing every day with new members and possible oppertunities for information, and thats what it all seems to be what its about. There have been a couple other threads on this subject that all seem to come to the same "DEAD END" Heres a few: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=128746&highlight=gotha http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22477&highlight=gotha Does anyone have any other history on GOTHA speed equipment? Gotha seems to be the "Black Magic" of speed equip. Some have heard of it while few have seen it. I aquired a Gotha LM 101 intake for an Olds and have an interest in the history of the GOTHA name. Anyone?
I have a similar peculiar interest in Gotha. I have a set of their rocker arms for my 324 Olds. I knew a guy in San Diego who claimed to know an old Gotha machinist who said the name was pronounced "Go-tha" (as in go-kart). I am skeptical about that. Back in the early 60's, the guys in north Texas called them "Gah-thuh" (as in gothic). Of course we also called the common gas cars a "Will-is", and "willies" hung between your legs. Who really knows?
send him a link to this post... might ask bass too,, he buys and sells lots of old speed parts..... i saved this pic off ebay cause i liked the decal... haha...
Ether, I have this ad to. It i the only one I ever noticed with an address. other ads always have a p.o. box for Frankfort IL. they made so many parts It amazes me no one knows the story behind them.
My cousin was a machinist for GO-tha from the start he is retired and lives in Lincoln Estates, Ill (near Joliet). I once made the mistake of calling it gotha (as in gothic) and he was VERY quick to point out my error. He racer AMA flat track until '62 and worked at Gotha until it closed. I'd run his name but he is somewhat of a recluse and I need his permission before doin gthat. I'll see if I can get in touch with him next week.
I found the building in Harvey where they used to work out of. It's in a really terrible neighborhood, but it's still there. Someone on here posted a catalog from Gotha from the late 50's. I believe they only made nailhead and olds intakes. Lm101 was the nailhead and I think the 103 was oldsmobile? No 102, at least that I've ever seen. I got on a kick where I wanted to find out all I could because I had a 6x2 for a nailhead, and then I sold it and lost interest. Haha. I've still got some decals and a degree wheel.
who owns the right to the name now???? someone might want to try and get the rights to it before speedybill does.....lol... more links.... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120019&highlight=gotha .... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44275&highlight=gotha ...
Some history on Gotha is included in the book Merchants of Speed by Paul Smith, in the chapter on Harvey Crane. Back in the early 70's, I bought a billet Gotha flywheel for a sbc. Don't see anything where they made flywheels, though. PS
Finally got to talk to my cousin today. He worked there until the company changed hands in the sixties. It seems that the owner wanted to expand and stay current but needed to borrow money to do it. Somehow along the way he meta loan shark and got involved with some "dirty" money as it were. from what my cousin said, the owner fell behind and lost the shop to the shark and the shark couldn't run it and all was sold off at auction. The one bit of justice is that he saw the shark soem time later driving a used dump truck that he had gotten in one of his other "deals". Seem he could beat everybody but his ex-wife and her payments. Just as a little extra, my cousin has kept a couple of rocker kits as a remembrance, Chevy 6 and Olds stuff, and NO it isn't for sale.
sounds like your typical Chicago car related, bad guy story. to bad can you find out the original owners name?
i feel like such a fool. someone gave me a set of gotha valve covers and rockers back in 91, left them in an unlocked car behind the shop. one night some ahole came and took all alum that wasnt nailed down so i lost these to some scrap bastard. i had no clue how rare these were, well live and learn.
one of those lost and mysterious companies, i bought the gotha nailhead 6x2 intake from Jonny, would love to find out any more history but im sure nothing more will ever be found out about the company. anyone know the count on the hamb of gotha intakes? I know there 3-4 olds 6x2 intakes owned by hambers i haev a 6x2 nailhead, does anyone else have a nailhead gotha? JEFF
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