United States Navy - 4 years during late 20’s & early 30’s.

Thanks to Ralph Donald, Bill Hosler, Melvin Cooper, R.C. Hawie and Fred Brinkman for contributing stories on Walt Blankenstein. Walt was mechanically brilliant, incredible fast machinists, called everyone “Buddy Boy and always had a toothpick in his mouth. His outward persona was that of gruff individual. Those that had the opportunity to work with him found he had a soft side. When he gave instruction on racing engines it was explained one time and one time only and he made this point upfront before instruction commenced.

Three stories come to mind told to me in the early 70’s. One Walt had told me or he was telling someone I was with at the time. When Chevy came out with the Corvette Walt bought one. Soon after there was a problem with the transmission. Walt feeling the dealership really did not have anyone proficient in servicing the car due to it just coming on the market took it upon himself to remove the transmission, take it apart, locate the problem, repair the problem and reassemble the transmission. The transmission worked fine testifying to Walt’s mechanical brilliance.

The second Walt story came to me from Bud Wiget. Bud had told me he and Walt owned Lakeland Marine Supply Company as partners. Walt had moved from Kansas to get away from cold winters and Bud was still in California. Bud received a call from Bud say he had better get out here to run the marina as he could not stand the customers. Bud came out and Walt bought the small building close to the marine store for racing work.
(see R.C. Hawie's continuation of this story below)

The third story also from Bud Wiget. Bud was ready to buy a new hydro. Marchetti’s were on their way to dominating the market when Walt convinced Bud to by a Sid-Craft. After the deed was done and Bud realized he had made the wrong choice he told Walt “next time mind your own business”.

Fred Brinkman: Fred told me a Walt story in 1970. When Fred was running an SR the engine blew up big time. I don’t remember if the driver upset the boat or the SR fatigued. Fred made arrangements for his wife Martha to have the remains of the SR at Walt’s shop at a specific time early on the following Monday morning. Martha was on time and came home that evening with the SR completely rebuilt. Fred said the engine ran just as fast as it did before the mishap. Another testimonial to his speed as a machinist and his engine building ability. (Fred lived in Springfield, Illinois and Walt’s shop was in Kansas City)


R.C. Hawie: What Bud told me: yes they were partners They bought Marshall Eldridge’s Johnson dealership in Lakeland.
Bud & Mizzie like the area when they attended Lake Alfred Nationals 1949. Bud intended to retire from Shell and move. He didn’t tell me how they became partners with Walt. But on one of Bud’s visits, the show room was full of Bill Tenney’s Neal’s, upside down getting a varnish job. Johnson’s in their boxes and service work backing up. The conversation was something like “Walt, this isn’t going to work out.” Walt bought the building at the end of the block, did his thing and they remained friends. Walt even made the adaptor plate to put a sleeved Vacturi on Bud’s 2 cylinder C König. I have this motor and it like “Baby II”.
Walt’s building is gone but Bud’s is still there. I don’t know if Frank, their service manager who inherited everything, still owns it or not. Last time by it was an auto repair shop. The OMC bankruptcy hurt a lot of little guys like Frank.

Ralph Donald & Bill Hosler: Ralph’s first contact with Walt was in 1958 at McAlester, Oklahoma for the NOA World Championships. Ralph was introduced to Walt by U.S. Konig distributor Scott Smith.

Bill and Fred Brinkman were taking Walt to Atlanta for his induction in the Honor Squadron. Along the way Walt realized he had forgot something and wanted to go back to the motel. Passenger protest did not prevail.

Fred Brinkman installed all the new wiring in Walt’s Florida shop. Fred and Walt would meet every morning for coffee at the same restaurant in the same booth. When Walt passed away the waitresses setup a memorial at that same booth.

On one of Ralph’s trips to Walt’s shop Bill was running a big lathe outside under a lean-to. He could not remember what he was turning in the lathe. He did remember Bill was completely covered in oil.

Some drivers Walt had under a monthly retainer contract for engine work. This gave Walt a guaranteed monthly income and these customers engines a “ front burner” time slot.

Both Ralph and Bill attended Walt’s funeral. Bill noticed he did not look natural without the toothpick. Bill located a toothpick and thereafter Walt looked natural.

Steve Litzell was among several that had the opportunity to work with Walt. Early during this time Steve cleaned Walt’s shop. (metal cutting never bothered Walt) Walt did not speak to him for three days as he could not find anything.

During the introduction of the 125cc class in APBA Walt built a 2 cylinder 125cc engine using Yamaha cylinders. Walt built his own crankcase assembly and before they got to test the engine the rules were changed where only one cylinder would be allowed on these engines.

It was a rare occasion for anyone to be invited to Walt’s home. When the whisky glasses were due for refills Walt would leave the room and the guests would change the TV channel. (before remote TV controls) Walt would really get upset and told them he would build them a box with buttons and switches for them to play with so they would leave his TV alone.

Traveling with Walt, in his car, proved to be an experience. His car had AC and if he wanted to travel with the AC off and the windows down that was the way it went regardless of passenger protest.

Walt always had two silver dollars in his pocket. (same two) When he passed away there was nothing left on the coins in the way of markings. Bill made necklaces after cutting these coins in quarters.

Melvin Cooper: Melvin also got to work with Walt in his shop on weekends on his own engines over a 20 year period. One day Walt was on his way to pick up some sheet metal and in a hurray. On the return trip he was stopped by a state trooper. The trooper knew Walt and said “what are you doing”? Walt said “ I don’t have time for this right now” and drove away.

As mentioned above Walt would explain something only once. Anyone asking the question the second time and Walt had a wrench in his hand he would throw it at you.

Walt not only worked on outboards he started building a V-8 Chevy hot rod.

Walt had a CB radio at one time during their popularity. Tommy Hooten had a friend that repaired CB’s. After he worked on Walt’s it never worked right and Walt was upset about this for a long time.

Walt’s oldest daughter dated a baseball player and Walt wanted a boat racer for a son-in-law. Anyone wanting to stir up Walt had to mention his daughter and the ball player.

When Konig engines first appeared they had either a Bosch or SEM magneto. Walt would check the spark with his thumb. The mags were tested on a test stand and he would run them fast. If you were close by he would alway see to it you got a shock.

George Taylor: During the summers I hung out in Walt's shop on a regular basis. Walt was a Machinist of the highest level. I learned a LOT because Walt was willing to "tutor" me. Over a period of around 3 summers I learned a LOT about working on two strokes. Even learning how to use a lathe and milling machine.

Walt was a "trip" to be around. Most all the time he had a tooth pick in his mouth. He went to a lot of races over the years to keep his customers happy by taking care of last minute glitches that popped up.
I remember that he bought a Volkswagen at one point. Myself and another racer, Wally Adams, decided to pull a trick on him. We wired up one of those boomers you could buy back in those days and installed it in the VW while he was not looking one day. When he came out and got in the the VW and started it, BOOM! and smoke came boiling out from under the car. He went ballistic! He didn't let us into the shop and threatened to "modify" our motors for the next race. But nothing came from it after he calmed down!

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Walt passed away from heart issues in 1977. I’m sure there were others that had the opportunity to work with Walt and they would have their Walt stories. From the information we have at this time consistently confirms his machinist abilities as being fast and accurate. His understanding of mechanics was beyond normal comprehension.

Photo: Walt with glasses working on what looks to be a carburetor.

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