Folks Of Interest RIP Bluto (Jim P)

Knowing what we know now this will sound silly, but way back in the early days of the HAMB Jim listed his DO Hal for sale in the classified section. It does have a real full MILLER rear axle, and Jim would call the car a MILLER in later HAMB postings, he knew what it was. Back then you could post replies in the classified section and some guy was beating Jim up over the asking price. I knew the fellow that built/restored the car, even supplied one of the Dayton wire wheels, so I decided to PM Jim to see if he needed any info on the car. That lead to a phone call, and I soon found out Jim knew just about everyone I knew, and had been inside every collection and garage of note. It was so much fun knowing him and getting a weekend phone call. "I just won a mechanical band organ on eBay from a guy in New Jersey, would you go over and pick it up and crate it for delivery in Poland? " Those were great times. Bob

 

I met Jim online in 1999 at the old Stovebolt Page....After a bit we spoke on the phone once a week for awhile. He sent photos of him and his lady friends, invited me to visit ,etc....And then here for many years on a social club.....Jim was at times ,arrogant, cantankerous and we sometimes had disagreements..And that happened because we actually listened to each other . But he never was disrespectful to me,....He had some stories that's for sure...I'm gonna miss him.....

 

How does one reach Zofia? I know an old friend of Bluto's who would like to send the family a personal condolence message. I would be more than happy to explain the circumstances so there is no question of sincerity in this request.

 

I met him and had a tour of his Long Beach place in the fall of 05. A nice very knowledgeable guy. Rest in peace Bluto

 

I'm stunned and saddened
Godspeed Bluto and I know it will be in a banger

 

Ryan,Jim was just trying to keep you honest!

 

Here you go Jim....

 

Bob, that picture actually takes me back to one of our phone conversations where that particular car came up. His personality of pulling no punches with a little colorful language made me laugh then and now as well. Jimski was a real character for sure. He will be missed by many. Good guy.

 

Sad to hear. Always looked forward to what ever he posted. RIP Bluto

 

Jim, That Stutz threw a knockoff or something and Bluto almost lost a wheel, forget the details of the story, but it added to his dislike of all things Stutz. We should have recorded all his stories. Bob

 

I have heard it said when offering condolences after loosing members in the past that a individual hoped to meet the man sometime in the future,that time for me to shake hands with Jim will never come to fruition,at least not on this earth.

God Speed Jim. HRP

 

Bob, I agree. I drove a fair amount of these old cars as I was chosen to take cars to shows for my grandfather as soon as I had my license and I drove a couple of Stutz cars. I drove my dad's 23 Stutz as a daily to work in 1967 I believe-a real disappointment to drive on a regular basis. The only one that I drove that was not bad was a Stutz Blackhawk very similar to the black one Jim is pictured in. I tried to defend that model to Jim and told him he ended up with a lemon but he would hear none of it andtold me of all of the effort he put into it with no avail and all I could do was listen to his tirade and laugh. He had a laundry list of all things wrong with that Blackhawk. We should have taped some conversations to get future laughs for sure.

 

Godspeed............his post's will be missed. He sent me some great PM's back in the day & I met his son (?) at Bonneville back in 2009. Bluto will be missed.

Chris Nelson
Kansas

 

Jim, fourth from left, Zophia, the record breaker on his left

 

I asked Jim once on the Old Farts gropu about information on a Russian Car grill I was searching for because it was interesting and different. He knew the car, the years and such, but did not know the location of one. His advice to me was "DON'T TRUST THE RUSSIANS!".
We are all a lot poorer today without him here with us.
See you in Vallhalla, Jim.

 

One of the best.....................

 

So sorry to hear this. He was a patient man (with me). I would find some info on some obscure BMW and shoot him the picture. He would have all kinds of info on it and then show me some of his specialties. Great wealth of info and a hec of a guy.
God speed.
r

 

just called jim's "long beach" phone number... was strange hearing his voice knowing he's gone.

"You have reached Jim and "Z"'s line. please make it brief" LOL

 

Jimski was like that. he came from, quite literally, NOTHING.

He told me once, "i had $7 in my pocket and a broken back"...

Jim did not care where you came from, or what your "status" was... he measured people for what and who they are

 

Jim told me the story of the Stutz many years ago....He got the car from somewhere in Malaysia? It had been modified but the price was right...The car was put into a container for the sea voyage to California. It was a rough trip on the container ship ....When the container was opened...Oh Shit, the straps holding the car had broken loose...The car had crashed back and forth inside the container and was a bit shorter than what it was....
I never heard from him about his youth or growing up, he avoided the topic...It was like his life started at 20 years old...

 

Z's Ferguson LSR car right before her 280mph run...

 

#truth

he spoke VERY little about his early years... he told me maybe 1/100th of his early story

 

you have 30 seconds....

 

you've called as well...

 

Jim in his Beemer... Goodwood Sussex circa 1998/9

 

I remember that story, he had someone place Mini Cooper engines on a bench so he could rebuild them. I think his dad may have owned a bowling alley, there was a story about swapping a dozen bowling shirts for a race car or engine. Bob

 

Mini engines and transmissions as well . he could hardly walk at the time. From what Jim told me, that was mid 70's

 

If you knew Jim from his HAMB postings, but never got to meet him or have a conversation with him this video he posted last year is the next best thing. The car was a huge part of his life, grab a beverage, sit back and enjoy the ride. Bob <iframe width="1920" height="1080" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pDoWVBbNm_k" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

which video?

 

Just fixed it. Goodwood is first followed my the Mila Melia and an interview with Jim at the end. Bob