RIP Tim Hart

3/7/2017 11:29am Edited Date/Time 3/7/2017 11:30am
Godspeed and positve thoughts to all involved. One of my early moto heroes.
Phantom 661
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3/7/2017 12:47pm
Rest In Peace Tim Hart. 1978, I was a B level racer and was practicing on a track I made at Gorman ( big up hills...
Rest In Peace Tim Hart.
1978, I was a B level racer and was practicing on a track I made at Gorman ( big up hills & really roughtrack)
I was putting in my 30 minutes and on top of one hills there was a guy just sitting there watching me he was on an
IT 175 Yamaha I didn't think anything of it and kept going. The next lap I came up the hill he was gone.
There was a 180 degree turn on the track and boom he was on my ass! No biggie I'll pickup my pace
Well either this guy was haulin ass or I was tired. I did two more laps and pulled off never getting away from this guy.
I'm sitting on my tailgate drinking water and he pulls up and I say hey you are hauling the mail buddy
He says he hadn't ridden in forever. Then he said I'm Tim nice to meet you. We talked for a little bit he told me he was a cabinet maker. When he rode away I read Hart on the back of his old Yamaha jersey. Then it clicked who I just shared the track with.
God speed Tim, thank you for taking the time to chat with me.
Pat
Thought you might be interested to know that I heard about the Gorman occasion from Tim himself a few years back.
I asked him in my driveway one day how many times he'd rode at Gorman? He said only once or twice and then went on to talk about a guy he met who had made a track out there and how he followed him (you) around a bit and stopped to say hello.
I remember asking Tim if the guy knew who was riding with him and he said he didn't know and didn't tell him but mentioned he wore his jersey with his name on it.
Tim seemed impressed that you had made a track out there. I asked him where it was but he wasn't familiar enough with Gorman to pin point it out to me.
Anyway, I just wanted you to know what I remember Tim telling me about my question to him regarding Gorman.
jimmie
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3/7/2017 3:35pm
Old-N-Slow wrote:
Jimmie it was a sudden Heart attack. And yes was a contractor after racing and still lived in Torrance.
Phantom 661 wrote:
"Tim did work with wood and I think he did cabinets for a while. Used to see him working on wood stuff in his garage all the time years ago. Tim lived in Torrance near PCH and Crenshaw for decades. Pretty sure he's the one you're thinking of."

"It is the same Tim...he was a custom cabinet maker. He was a great guy...will be missed!"


Old-N-Slow, Phantom 661 and COAL-TRAIN, thanks for the comments.

BTW, how do you post multiple Quotes on one reply?
PADDY'S LAD
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3/7/2017 5:29pm
Rest In Peace Tim Hart. 1978, I was a B level racer and was practicing on a track I made at Gorman ( big up hills...
Rest In Peace Tim Hart.
1978, I was a B level racer and was practicing on a track I made at Gorman ( big up hills & really roughtrack)
I was putting in my 30 minutes and on top of one hills there was a guy just sitting there watching me he was on an
IT 175 Yamaha I didn't think anything of it and kept going. The next lap I came up the hill he was gone.
There was a 180 degree turn on the track and boom he was on my ass! No biggie I'll pickup my pace
Well either this guy was haulin ass or I was tired. I did two more laps and pulled off never getting away from this guy.
I'm sitting on my tailgate drinking water and he pulls up and I say hey you are hauling the mail buddy
He says he hadn't ridden in forever. Then he said I'm Tim nice to meet you. We talked for a little bit he told me he was a cabinet maker. When he rode away I read Hart on the back of his old Yamaha jersey. Then it clicked who I just shared the track with.
God speed Tim, thank you for taking the time to chat with me.
Pat
Thought you might be interested to know that I heard about the Gorman occasion from Tim himself a few years back. I asked him in my...
Thought you might be interested to know that I heard about the Gorman occasion from Tim himself a few years back.
I asked him in my driveway one day how many times he'd rode at Gorman? He said only once or twice and then went on to talk about a guy he met who had made a track out there and how he followed him (you) around a bit and stopped to say hello.
I remember asking Tim if the guy knew who was riding with him and he said he didn't know and didn't tell him but mentioned he wore his jersey with his name on it.
Tim seemed impressed that you had made a track out there. I asked him where it was but he wasn't familiar enough with Gorman to pin point it out to me.
Anyway, I just wanted you to know what I remember Tim telling me about my question to him regarding Gorman.
Thanks Phantom 661,
I knew when I couldn't pull away from The guy on the IT175 he had some speed. As it turns out national level speed!
I knew every bump on that track and had been riding it for months
Tim was on his first three laps and I couldn't put any time on him.
He was very cool to talk with and we were both carpenters so it was like I was talking with an old friend
RIP Mr Hart .

The Shop

Bauer
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Corona, CA, USA
3/7/2017 6:35pm
Old-N-Slow wrote:
Jimmie it was a sudden Heart attack. And yes was a contractor after racing and still lived in Torrance.
jimmie wrote:
Phantom 661 wrote: "Tim did work with wood and I think he did cabinets for a while. Used to see him working on wood stuff in...
Phantom 661 wrote:
"Tim did work with wood and I think he did cabinets for a while. Used to see him working on wood stuff in his garage all the time years ago. Tim lived in Torrance near PCH and Crenshaw for decades. Pretty sure he's the one you're thinking of."

"It is the same Tim...he was a custom cabinet maker. He was a great guy...will be missed!"


Old-N-Slow, Phantom 661 and COAL-TRAIN, thanks for the comments.

BTW, how do you post multiple Quotes on one reply?
Tim told me he was a longshoreman, working as a crane operator loading containers on and off of ships.
Maybe he built cabinets on the side?
Mike Chamberlain told me he died from liver failure.
Johnny Depp
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Buda, TX, USA
3/7/2017 7:43pm
RIP Tim.

I saw him race on the factory Yamaha 125 at the National in San Antonio, Cyclerama.(Let Brock Bye) I still remember the super steep drop off into the creek that had everyone sucking the seatcovers off with their ass. Tim was launching further down it by jumping out a bit rather than rolling it and letting his bike free fall into the ravine. Scary stuff but epic.

wildbill
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Christmas Valley, OR, USA
3/7/2017 9:28pm Edited Date/Time 3/7/2017 9:29pm
YZ302 wrote:
Wow, sounds like he was in it from its inception here.

“I actually went down to Carlsbad and helped dig the Carlsbad raceway with a shovel when I was sixteen years old. I started my racing right there, and did quite well.”

That's a cool story Pat (Paddy's Lad), and epitomizes the essence of this sport we all love. Tim sounds like a remarkable legend. Smile
Phantom 661
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3/8/2017 10:03am
Rest In Peace Tim Hart. 1978, I was a B level racer and was practicing on a track I made at Gorman ( big up hills...
Rest In Peace Tim Hart.
1978, I was a B level racer and was practicing on a track I made at Gorman ( big up hills & really roughtrack)
I was putting in my 30 minutes and on top of one hills there was a guy just sitting there watching me he was on an
IT 175 Yamaha I didn't think anything of it and kept going. The next lap I came up the hill he was gone.
There was a 180 degree turn on the track and boom he was on my ass! No biggie I'll pickup my pace
Well either this guy was haulin ass or I was tired. I did two more laps and pulled off never getting away from this guy.
I'm sitting on my tailgate drinking water and he pulls up and I say hey you are hauling the mail buddy
He says he hadn't ridden in forever. Then he said I'm Tim nice to meet you. We talked for a little bit he told me he was a cabinet maker. When he rode away I read Hart on the back of his old Yamaha jersey. Then it clicked who I just shared the track with.
God speed Tim, thank you for taking the time to chat with me.
Pat
Thought you might be interested to know that I heard about the Gorman occasion from Tim himself a few years back. I asked him in my...
Thought you might be interested to know that I heard about the Gorman occasion from Tim himself a few years back.
I asked him in my driveway one day how many times he'd rode at Gorman? He said only once or twice and then went on to talk about a guy he met who had made a track out there and how he followed him (you) around a bit and stopped to say hello.
I remember asking Tim if the guy knew who was riding with him and he said he didn't know and didn't tell him but mentioned he wore his jersey with his name on it.
Tim seemed impressed that you had made a track out there. I asked him where it was but he wasn't familiar enough with Gorman to pin point it out to me.
Anyway, I just wanted you to know what I remember Tim telling me about my question to him regarding Gorman.
Thanks Phantom 661, I knew when I couldn't pull away from The guy on the IT175 he had some speed. As it turns out national level...
Thanks Phantom 661,
I knew when I couldn't pull away from The guy on the IT175 he had some speed. As it turns out national level speed!
I knew every bump on that track and had been riding it for months
Tim was on his first three laps and I couldn't put any time on him.
He was very cool to talk with and we were both carpenters so it was like I was talking with an old friend
RIP Mr Hart .
Hey, you're welcome!
The reason I remembered was because when Tim told me about that day at Gorman he said "there was this guy that had his own track out there"!

I had rode out there many times and knew it was open to anyone so I asked him what he meant by "had his own track"? Tim went on to explain the same as you did in your post.

I never got to ride with him. But we did talk moto from time to time. Tim always kept it low key and never wore anything on his sleeve.

Thank you and everyone else here for the pictures, articals, and condolences!

Richard M.
PN27416
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3/8/2017 11:02am

Thats Tim sitting on the ground.

Phantom 661
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3/8/2017 11:32am Edited Date/Time 3/8/2017 11:54am
PN27416 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/03/08/180389/s1200_IMG_7004.jpg[/img] Thats Tim sitting on the ground.

Thats Tim sitting on the ground.

Cool picture. Taken a few years before I knew him.That's his girl Julie behind him. They stayed together until sometime in the nineties I think.

Check out that front fender on the 7k! Talk about old school.
COAL-TRAIN
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Harbor City, CA, USA
3/8/2017 12:32pm
Old-N-Slow wrote:
Jimmie it was a sudden Heart attack. And yes was a contractor after racing and still lived in Torrance.
jimmie wrote:
Phantom 661 wrote: "Tim did work with wood and I think he did cabinets for a while. Used to see him working on wood stuff in...
Phantom 661 wrote:
"Tim did work with wood and I think he did cabinets for a while. Used to see him working on wood stuff in his garage all the time years ago. Tim lived in Torrance near PCH and Crenshaw for decades. Pretty sure he's the one you're thinking of."

"It is the same Tim...he was a custom cabinet maker. He was a great guy...will be missed!"


Old-N-Slow, Phantom 661 and COAL-TRAIN, thanks for the comments.

BTW, how do you post multiple Quotes on one reply?
Bauer wrote:
Tim told me he was a longshoreman, working as a crane operator loading containers on and off of ships. Maybe he built cabinets on the side...
Tim told me he was a longshoreman, working as a crane operator loading containers on and off of ships.
Maybe he built cabinets on the side?
Mike Chamberlain told me he died from liver failure.
Tim was a man of many hats, he was also a Longshoreman. I think woodworking was more of a passion.
Cause of death from what I was understand was a complication from a minor surgery (blood clot). Not liver failure!
COAL-TRAIN
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3/8/2017 12:36pm
PN27416 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/03/08/180389/s1200_IMG_7004.jpg[/img] Thats Tim sitting on the ground.

Thats Tim sitting on the ground.

Cool picture. Taken a few years before I knew him.That's his girl Julie behind him. They stayed together until sometime in the nineties I think. Check...
Cool picture. Taken a few years before I knew him.That's his girl Julie behind him. They stayed together until sometime in the nineties I think.

Check out that front fender on the 7k! Talk about old school.
Jacky Hart. Not sure if thats her though. And thats some dudes flap jack on the 7k fender.
PN27416
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3/8/2017 1:04pm
7k is Gary Chaplin, 194 Gunar Lindstrom.
Phantom 661
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3/8/2017 1:28pm
PN27416 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/03/08/180389/s1200_IMG_7004.jpg[/img] Thats Tim sitting on the ground.

Thats Tim sitting on the ground.

Cool picture. Taken a few years before I knew him.That's his girl Julie behind him. They stayed together until sometime in the nineties I think. Check...
Cool picture. Taken a few years before I knew him.That's his girl Julie behind him. They stayed together until sometime in the nineties I think.

Check out that front fender on the 7k! Talk about old school.
COAL-TRAIN wrote:
Jacky Hart. Not sure if thats her though. And thats some dudes flap jack on the 7k fender.
You're right. Artical from vintage says it's Julie Grig his girlfriend at that time. Thanks for the correction.

I've heard three different stories as to reason for death now. If anyone knows for sure I'd appreciate knowing. Guess I could call my old neighbor and find out tonight.
Phantom 661
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3/8/2017 1:52pm
PN27416 wrote:
[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2017/03/08/180389/s1200_IMG_7004.jpg[/img] Thats Tim sitting on the ground.

Thats Tim sitting on the ground.

Cool picture. Taken a few years before I knew him.That's his girl Julie behind him. They stayed together until sometime in the nineties I think. Check...
Cool picture. Taken a few years before I knew him.That's his girl Julie behind him. They stayed together until sometime in the nineties I think.

Check out that front fender on the 7k! Talk about old school.
COAL-TRAIN wrote:
Jacky Hart. Not sure if thats her though. And thats some dudes flap jack on the 7k fender.
Thanks COAL-TRAIN! I looked at that front end for fifteen minutes.
PN27416
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3/8/2017 2:01pm
Old-N-Slow wrote:
Jimmie it was a sudden Heart attack. And yes was a contractor after racing and still lived in Torrance.
jimmie wrote:
Phantom 661 wrote: "Tim did work with wood and I think he did cabinets for a while. Used to see him working on wood stuff in...
Phantom 661 wrote:
"Tim did work with wood and I think he did cabinets for a while. Used to see him working on wood stuff in his garage all the time years ago. Tim lived in Torrance near PCH and Crenshaw for decades. Pretty sure he's the one you're thinking of."

"It is the same Tim...he was a custom cabinet maker. He was a great guy...will be missed!"


Old-N-Slow, Phantom 661 and COAL-TRAIN, thanks for the comments.

BTW, how do you post multiple Quotes on one reply?
Bauer wrote:
Tim told me he was a longshoreman, working as a crane operator loading containers on and off of ships. Maybe he built cabinets on the side...
Tim told me he was a longshoreman, working as a crane operator loading containers on and off of ships.
Maybe he built cabinets on the side?
Mike Chamberlain told me he died from liver failure.
I believe Mike Chamberlain would know. MXA and Cycle news both say liver. He was on a donor list.
huskyfrk
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3/10/2017 7:26pm
According to my fellow longshore workers it was heart failure. Perhaps a family member will post up if possible.

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