Irwin "Smitty" Smith

[kval]

Smitty left us on Sunday March 6 2011.
he was a long time AMCA member, and anybody that followed motorcycle racing of the past, knows that he was a tuner for many of the greats.
if you were lucky enough to have met Smitty, you will surely miss him. I know I will.
right now he is probably tuning a big base Indian in heaven

[redfred84]

Ouch! Thanks for the news Kevin. Glad he was able to see the trailer for the Wrecking Crew movie at the Davenport Banquet last year.
Thanks, RF.

[T. Cotten]

A loss I feel personally, as well as a loss to us all.

...Cotten

[Dkgoz]

What a shame! I saw him give a couple of seminars at Davenport, and it was great listening to him share his knowledge with others.

Rest in peace, Smitty.

Dave
AMCA 9757

[bselph]

Is this "License Plate" Smitty from Massapequa, NY?

[kval]

Is this "License Plate" Smitty from Massapequa, NY?

NO!!!!!!!!

[silentgreyfello]

Smitty will be missed. I took my first job out of school in Muscatine, IA. I bought an old '48 chief from Bob McClean and would ride it along the river to the Quad Cities on weekends. Occasionally, I would swing into Smitty's shop in Rock Island to listen to his stories, or if my bike was running a little rough, have him take a look. He was always willing to help. Later, I bought an R69 from him. He was a good man. RIP, Smitty.

[duffeycycles]

I talked to Smitty at the Blackhawk Christmas party , he talked about doing R&D on overhead valve conversions for flathead Fords in '36--'39. Raced overhead T '36 -'38 , '32 roadster in '39 hitting 133mph at Elmuroc--4cyl? When I met him he helped me rebuild a littlebase racer.-april '06 American Iron cover-I took my race progragm collection to show him . He told me stories about the races and racers ,wish it was recorded.His brother Lyle showed up in some of them.He was the Indian Dealer in '41 Rock Island, again after the war. BSA BMW in 53 & 54. Too many stories fitting it was Bike week . one of his favorite things . Smitty we love you --Roger

[servicardenise]

A real sweetheart of a man. May he rest in peace and may the Lord's perpetual light shine upon him.
Denise

[J Wall]

1/2 mile tanks

Smith,
Smitty was a kind sole. I once had a conversation with Smitty about factory 1/2 mile tanks for a 648 and how it would be nice to have a set. A few weeks later a box showed up on the stoop with a set of factory 1/2 mile tanks that needed a bit of work but not so bad they could not be saved. No bill no nothing just a return address from TRI City aka Smitty's shop. What a treasure to have known the man... Wish I had lived closer he would had been real tired of me.
Jim

[fillibuster]

My greatest regret, when the old boys pass on, is that I couldn't find the time to glean the knowledge they've accumulated, and the techniques that may be a lost art if we don't adopt them. Smitty left us a lot, but if we dropped any of it on the ground on the way home, well, ... go back and walk the ditches until you find it!
We'll be missing you, Smitty.

[William McClean]

Very Sad news indeed .

As a child, I knew Mr. Smith as one of my father's and uncle's friends at the club gatherings of "old guys" that my brother and I would occasionally be allowed to acompany my parents to. They would all sit around and talk about things we had no understanding of concerning old motorcyles, cars and trucks and things of days way before our time. We would all enjoy the potlucks and laughs, and it planted the seeds of appreciation and interest in old motors. My dad, Dave, told me one time to adress my seniors as Mr/Mrs., { a good rule in general } in particular, Always call him Mr. Smith. Being 30 plus years his junior it was the proper way to adress him, not in the familiar that everyone else seemed used.

Years later as I grew, I met him at the Jacksonville meet. Thinking that I had now aged enough to use the familiar nickname that many people addresed him by, I greeted him with a friendly " Hi, how are you doing, Smitty ? " His face took a crest fallen furrow to the brow and he said, " What happened to the Mr. part ? "

It made me feel like I was 3 inches tall and standing in a cow pie. I mumbled an apology and we spent the day wandering through the vendors, he pointing out numerous treasures and I trying to absorb as much as I could of his wealth of knowledge. I only made that mistake once and always addressed him and referred to him using that "Mr. part " I Know that he appreciated it from people.

Fare Well, Mr. Smith, You were an asset to motorcycling, the Club and a treassure in your own right.
Rest in Peace