History E.J. Potter-"The Michigan Mad Man"

This is the guy who took a motor cycle frame, mounted a 327 Chevy with Hilborn injection in it side ways, bolted a sprocket to the end of the crank shaft, and routed a chain to the rear wheel.

He built a series of these things called "Widow Maker I, II,III, and IV"

He and his assistant would push the bike to the starting line, prop the rear end up on a stand, put the drive chain on, prime the injectors, and fire up by turning the rear wheel by hand (the assistant was HUGE). Then when all was ready E.J. would straddle the bike, wick it up to about 6,000 rpm, and Mr. Assistant would push it off the stand.

Hell of a show. I never did figure out how a guy with balls that big could straddle a motor cycle though.

Any one know what ever happened to him? Any one ever run across one of the old Widow Maker bikes?

 

Also admired him because it was obviously a low-budget operation. He traveled in a pickup truck with a cap on the bed where he kept the cycle. Saw him run at the old IHRA Chandler, IN track in late 60s.

 

I've always admired Mr. Potter, ever since I was little. One of his friends is a HAMBer on here, don't remember who.

 

I'm pretty sure he is still around. Don't forget about the Allison powered station wagon and the monstrosity below.

 

last I knew, he was still around and still in Michigan. Got his phone number kicking around here somewhere...

dan

 

He wrote a book a while back. Think it is called "The Michigan Madman"

Might be "The Mid-Michigan Madman"

Just found 1 on Amazon but looks a bit high.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...1_olp_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226329182&sr=1-1

 

He was at York US 30 reunion a few years ago. If you ever talked to him you would understand why he would ride something like that. He's nuts! In a good way. There's a long thread about him from a few years back.

 

Didnt he push it off a stand?

 

THis might be of interest.

http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/01/10/ej-potter-widow-maker-dragbike-for-sale/

 

I used to stand in front of this guy and jump into the air, then run like hell. Thinking back on it, I was probably dumber than him.

 

I wonder what it sold for?

 

Hero of mine from my youth. Put an Allison in a 57 Plymouth as I recall. The article said it had a tugboat clutch. Inovation to the max, and yes, no one ever accused him of being testicularly challenged

 

I thought those boss hoss guys were nuts.

 

Here's a orginal poster from when he came up to Cayuga Ontario......one crazy kat.

 

Allison-powered '57 Plymouth station wagon?!!!!!?????

This I GOTTA see. Someone cough up the pics.

This guy has been a hero of mine since I can remember. The pictures of him with a 100-ft plume of smoke behind a motorcycle going sideways... those kind of images will really mess a kid up.

 

...

 

call him up..1 877 AMADMAN
My wife called to order the book and E J answered the phone..
Good read...funny acually.
I also saw him at the last Super Stock reunion in Va.

1939fiat

 

He's still around, or was not very long back. He later got into tractor pulling & building/selling Allisons to other pullers, and doing cylinder head work. I believe he is retired now.

 

I ordered the book and video back around 2000.

 

I remember seeing Potter at Maple Grove Dragstrip in PA. back in early sixtes. The bike had a Firestone wide oval tire on it and when he got to end of strip it was shredded.

 

Does anyone remember the guys name who had trouble slowing his drag bike at end of strip. So he strapped a parachute to his back,first time out he popped the chute .Stopped him but not the bike, oops!

 

Dunno if that story is true or false, but it is usually attributed to E.J. Potter....which he adamantly denies, & not politely, either.

 

He's one of those who is more twisted than a drill bit...Insane stuff!

 

He put an Allison in a '63 or '64 Dodge Dart wagon, a brand new one. He ran it exhibition for several years, then returned it to stock and his wife drove it for many years after that.
He had several generations of the bikes. Early ones had no clutch and were started and revved on the stand, later ones had a clutch and were started on rollers like the diggers used.
He is the poster child for traditional, done at home engineering.

 

I saw Potter put on his show at several Georgia tracks. He was a crowd pleaser. Seemed there was a guy at most of the same races that climed into a box covered with explosives and blow himself up. Not sure which one was crazier.

 

A link to some video with E.J. Potter on one of the V8 bikes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe8a7MHEqUo

Potter is about halfway through, has Arfons and Evil Knievel as well

 

Didn't that guy call himself " Jesse The Human Bomb"! a perrenial Bike week favorite down here!

 

BENNY THE BOMB
an englishtown tradition

 

The first time I saw E.J. run was in 1969 at Manhattan, KS. One thing I noticed about the engine was the lack of freeze plugs. When I asked why no coolant, E.J. replied "It run on alcohol, therefor cool. Besides, if it blows there's less hot shit to burn my ass."

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