Reply With QuoteBuellton, I know that town.
Sorry to hear, I attended a funeral myself this week. Very sad.
Godspeed.
BIll Olivera, owner of Olivera's Speed and Marine in Buellton, CA passed away this week. Bill was 86 years old. Bill and his son in law, Pete Minetti, were heavily involved in Marathon and Ski racing and one of the teams that successfully campaigned the Mandella Longdeck. They won the Long Beach Grand Prix one year, and were always in the top ten in points. Olivera was quite a guy, and could be a real scoundrel sometimes, but he was like a second dad to me, and will be missed by many, including myself.
Here's a few pics I was able to get from his grandson, Lance, who now owns the boat, and after talking to him at the funeral yesterday, said, "lets do this" in regards to getting the Mandella back on the race course, campaigning the number 20 again.
Here's Bill Olivera on the left, at the Parker 9 hour. Not sure what year, probably '70-'72. On the right, Bill and son in law/driver, Pete Minetti (behind BIll) Notice Bill wearing his "Orange Bowl 250" hat from Miami. They raced there, Texas, Salton Sea, Parker, Long Beach...anywhere there was a race, they were there.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...l_and_Pete.jpg
The #20 Mandella...supposedly this boat was identical to Lou's boat "Rawhide". Pete told me a story yesterday about how identical the boats were, yet Lou would turn under pete at the bouys and be gone. Later, he was looking under the boats, trying to figure out how Lou's boat could turn so much better, and noticed the damn prop was spinning backwards!
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...29Mandella.jpg
Here's a Stevens they ran before the Mandella. One of the crew members that was at the funeral yesterdy (last name Sarandria...sorry, I don't remember his first name) told me of having to get under the bow after just about every race and glue that thing back together. (Sarandria said he is currently involved with three IHBA drag boats)
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...729stevens.jpg
One of Bill's vaforite storys is when they lapped Rudy Ramos in 4 laps at Long Beach and went on to dominate the race, only to have an injector clogged by a piece of cork, and forced them out of the race. The field didn't catch up with their lead untill after the boat was back on the trailer.
Here's Pete making that pass on Rudy (bottom pic)
Not sure where the top pic is. Maybe Parker?
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...sing_Ramos.jpg
Pete Minetti giving the OK.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...te_Minetti.jpg
There are hundreds of pics from those days...hopefully I can get my hands on some more to share.
Buellton, I know that town.
Sorry to hear, I attended a funeral myself this week. Very sad.
Godspeed.
Buellton, I know that town.
Sorry to hear, I attended a funeral myself this week. Very sad.
Godspeed.Thanks Brian. 150-some views and no one remembers Bill Olivera?
That's sad.
Some of the Mandella fans should remember him. Didn't he have Split Pea Andersons as a sponsor, or am I mistaken?
Some of the Mandella fans should remember him. Didn't he have Split Pea Andersons as a sponsor, or am I mistaken?That's the one. Thanks.
any more pic's of those Mandella Boats?
Can't seem to get enough?
bill was the guru in our days,'70-'80,he had a lot of bitchen race parts, and engines tucked away in a little room inside his shop and every now and then someone would talk him into selling something, Ls-7, or big block dodge, or olds ,some of my frends worked for bill at his shop, ( he also owned the gas station, and parts store next to it,buellton auto parts) bill had a tow- truck, and so he had a small junk yard behind the shop, and lots of engine machining equip. he was a get-er-done kind of guy, charged a fair price to us kids, didnt take shit from nobody, and was one of a kind, he will be missed by many,
I think that I saw that boat at the Arrowhead Marathon race in about 1971.
Sorry to hear of his passing...
Steve
bill was the guru in our days,'70-'80,he had a lot of bitchen race parts, and engines tucked away in a little room inside his shop and every now and then someone would talk him into selling something, Ls-7, or big block dodge, or olds ,some of my frends worked for bill at his shop, ( he also owned the gas station, and parts store next to it,buellton auto parts) bill had a tow- truck, and so he had a small junk yard behind the shop, and lots of engine machining equip. he was a get-er-done kind of guy, charged a fair price to us kids, didnt take shit from nobody, and was one of a kind, he will be missed by many,
Wow...beernut...we must have crossed paths...sent you a PM.
yeah scott, gene willis here, long time no see, pmed ya, we,ll, have to keep in touch
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