E.J. Potter's Last Bike "Widow Maker #7" Up for grabs !

Harms Way... thanks for this thread. Man I love the stories and info. Don't feel like I was under a rock just a different part of the country and just a little young. I do remember pictures of his smokey quarter miles in hotrod years and years ago. I can see why this guy made heros lost 2012. He definitely belongs with the crowd of Mickey Thompson, Carroll Shelby, and the rest of the pioneers of motor sports.

 

Surprised that JP Cycles hasn't purchased it, then donate it to the museum as write off. It is a very cool piece of Americana.

 

This happened at the 1966 AHRA Winter nationals at Irwindale Ca.
Our car stopped at the last run back road on the end of the drag strip. I jumped the fence and ran down to see if Kirby needed help getting back.
While we waited for the car to cool E.J. made a run. He did his launch, maybe hit 180mph and hit the shut down strip and the chute didn't deploy or he didn't have one. The end of the run down strip had a sand ramp just for the purpose of slowing cars with no brakes. It was 30'-40' high and at least 100' long. E.J.just hit the throttle at the bottom climed the sand ramp and over the top he went. then in the sage brush there you would see numerous rooster tails. Once he was back on the run back he hit the throttle again.
He never showed any fear.

 

They might be on it,.. It doesn't end for 7 days.

 

Is this the bike our mutual friend in Canton owns??

 

Yes it is.

 

Its at 12,500 right now, wonder what the reserve is ?

 

Sho-Nuf is !, he actually has the last bike Widow Maker #7 and the very first bike " Bloody Mary #1 "

 

I saw him run a few tomes back in the 60's. You need to get his book and video. You won't be disappointed. What the man did in his life was amazing.

 

The Book is awesome,.... The video is totally unforgettable, and it's like meeting the man.... because it is all 100% honestly E.J., Quiet, unassuming and a really good dry sense of humor, Nobody could tell a story like E.J.

 

Please tell him I said hello the next time you see/talk to him and that I'm looking forward to chatting with him at Autorama.

 

Your not looking forward to seeing.......... me ?

 

You guys will get a kick out of this Q&A that showed up on the auction,.. I herd this story decades ago and always got a chuckle out of it........

Q: Got a tire question on the bikes EJ road if you dont mind.thought i read one time that Ej used regular guaranted mileage car tires on the backs of the widowmakers,and after he made a couple of runs on them he would take it back the dealer and get new ones under waranty.is this true?thanks for your time.Good luck in the sale.

A: Yes it was true, when I met him in 1965 he ran Atlas tires sold at Standard gas stations, with their replacement warranty he bought four at a time and got three passes per tire, he made three passes per day and would change the tire for the next day, he would replace all four tires at a time while on the road in difference states but he was caught and banned from doing that. Thanks for the memories.

 

You KNOW I am.
Will probably see you late in the evening either Wed or Thursday.