Tim Rochlitzer was a teenage hot rodder long into his senior citizen years. I was so tickled to talk with him so often as we were preparing the Dry Lakes Racing Hall of Fame program that was part of the ceremony during the annual Gas-Up held annually at the Mendenhall Museum in Buellton. He served for years as President of the Gold Coast Racing & Roadster Club and was him self inducted in 1993. Good friend Matt Williams (got his red hat in Tim's RR tank) took over as President when Tim stepped down after many years. The club ans HOF continues to rest upon Williams' shoulders.
What I marveled at was Tim's analytical perspective. His had his ducks (and most everyone else's ducks, like it or not) always in tight formation. He had a very low threshold for "BS" which gave rise to his favorite characterization that he was "safety wired in the P.O. position." I am laughing even now as I write this thinking about it. His ire always had solid basis -- even when he was annoyed with himself.
Let's think about that crew cut, as much part him as any race machine and his big beefy grey truck that push started the tank.
True Radius Bending, his shop in Santa Barbara, helped give rise to many hot rod and race car over the years. My favorite story is that of Al Teague building Betsy. The car began as a lakester. Tim played a big part in keeping Al safe as well as fast. They would have phone chats followed by parts being shipped by Greyhound bus because it was cheaper than the post office or UPS. Back and forth would go parts of the chassis, roll-cage, what have you, until Al was ready to race.
He was the youngest launch director at Vanderberg AFB, where a variety of rockets left earth gravitational grasp. Perhaps he got some of his technical savvt form his mom, Catherine, who was crack ham radio operator in the 1940's. . .got her call sign BEFORE WWII!
He was the "father" of Seth Hammond's #77 lakester (original build 1962) that went onto put more people in the Bonneville 200MPh club any any vehicle to date. 16 red hats I believe, maybe more and at least 3 blue ones, including wife Tanis' and Jeanne Pflum's outstanding plus 300 records.
In later years there was Raspberry Rocket, that spent most of its racing life painted pink, another joke. When Tim brought the car to the painter, the spray man said, "what color do you want?" Tim snorted, "Any color but pink." Gotta love it.
He was lifelong friends with the Markley Brothers, I have photos of them together decades old and all were on the cover of the DEC 1962 Hot Rod Mag (Tim's car is #43).
Jim Miller has slice of Tim here:
http://www.ahrf.com/legends/tim-rochlitzer/Perhaps sons Brian and Bradley have the heaviest hearts today, they were both youngsters when they lost their effervescent mother and it daddy that raised them up -- never marrying again. Sending a cyber hug to you guys. . . .
Those are just a few of the thoughts that percolated back up when I got the news that Tim had died. Another rip-roaring land speed racing original silenced. Gotta go, too sad to say anymore just now.