Goodbye Uncle Bud

[Champ Director]

It has been reported that Legend Motor Builder Uncle Bud Gilbert passed away in his sleep Sunday night in Burley Idaho. Godspeed Uncle Bud you will be missed by all.

[Ron Hill]

I have no clue how old Bud was.....but passing away in his sleep, at a boat race, is the way I think he'd would have chosen to go. I think that is the way I'd like to go...

Bud learned his trade from Louie Unser. I met Bud when he worked for Louie and then got to know him pretty well when he worked for Brad Miller. Around 1978-79, Brad Miller sponsored my Mod U, called "Crazy Horse", named after his campgrounds at Lake Havasu and the Country Western Restaurant and Saloon he planned to build.

Brad raced GN, himself and hired Bud, away from Louie, as a full time mechanic for his GN. Brad's GN was called Del Taco, named after the 192 restaurants he owned (Racer98, here on BRF owns that boat today...orange in color, number GN 98)....Brad loved that class and loved driving GN's. Brad helped get Rocki Aoki (Of Benihanna Restaurdant Fame) into GN racing...

Bud was building Aris Chevy motors for Brad and Brad was busting them about as fast as Bud, and by then Bouncey could build them.... Bouncey's real name is Bjorn something, but when he frist got here from Sweden I heard his last name...and he said call me "Bounc" as in "Bouncey"...Bouncey and Bud got along really well and I think Bud taught Bouncey a ton about building motors, much like Louie Unser had done with Bud...

Bud told Brad to get some better props. Some that would hold the power the Aris's were pulling. In the summer of 1977, Brad hired me to build him some GN props on an exclusive contract.....I built him a mold and about 12 props....The best one was 888 or number 8. It dropped the RPM's a thousand RPM and picked the boat up ten miles per hour.

Not long after that, Brad moved toward the front of the pack, but a pit fire in Miami, where Brad actually caught on fire, caused his attornies to call it quits in boat racing. As they sawboat racing as too dangerous for a man of his wealth....Brad hired Jerry Gilbreath to drive the CRAZY HORSE GN, as the boat was now called...Crazy Horse Steak House was now open and people like Hank Williams Jr. played there.

Bud with the help of Bouncey, turned out at least one World Champion GN motor for Jerry and Brad...Brad met Jerry's step daughter, and completly fell in love and married her. She liked horses. Brad built her a 6,500 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE AND A 7,000 SQUARE FOOT BARN...He sold all the race boats, and then moved to santa Inez where they built a BIG house and a BIGGER barn. Brad and his wife had a son, Brandon Miller...you may see him racing Busch in the NASCAR Series sometimes)...

After the race shop was shut down, Bud went into business building motors...Bouncey went into business and ported heads. BOUNC is with Wilkes Marine today, and I'm sure Bud's death comes as a big shock to him, as I think he felt that Bud was much like a father to him...

I talked with Bud at Parker this pasted April...he asked when I was getting him a four stroke outboard to build....I told him never...We had some laughs about the OLD DAYS...Bud and I never had harsh words, he respected me as a driver, propeller builder and as a person...He knew I held his engines and himself in high regard.

We lost one of the good guys this weekend....

[Ron Hill]

I talked to Bouncey today. He told me my facts were off some. He said he had some pictures of Bud that he'd dig them out. He told me Louie Unser and Bud were partners and that Louie had not really taught Bud much that Bud just seemed to know a lot about making horsepower.

Bouncey did tell me that Bus had taught him a "TON" about building motors and that Bud had been his Best Man at his wedding.

I talked to Jeff Conant in Phoenix, and he was in shock about Bud death. Jeff lost his father in a Super Stock crash (Same Jeff Conant that we picked up at the Portland Airport last Friday)....Jeff said Bud build them a lot of Super Stock motors...

I talked to Mike Leach of Cracker Box fame, he said told me he and Bud were close and that he'det me know about the funeral....

Seems, everywhere I go or anyone I talk to, was close to Bud Gilbert...Capnzee is in IOWAY (IOWA) I'll bet his dial up ain't working....but he had some damn fast Bud Gilbert motors.....

[Ron Hill]

Ron, Thanks for your kind words. I was sure saddened to hear about Bud Gilbert. He was a true pioneer in marine engine building. I first met Bud in 1962 at Ascot speedway during a sprint car race. I remember watching Bud get bumped and tumble over the retaining wall and into the parking lot, climb out and walk very calmly back to the pits and proceed to take on the entire crew of the car involved in the wreck. He has helped many racers achieve their goals and dreams. He will be sorley missed by all. I honestly can say that knowing Bud has made me a better person.
Jerry Gilbreath

Posted without permission....

Thank you Jerry, I'm dead serious about doing in interview with you and going way in you family's Boat Radcing History...

I do recall asking you once how you made all the "TRICK" thngs you did....You just said, "I see them in my mind and make them."

[Mark75H]

If anyone is looking for more information about Bud Gilbert there is a memorial web site at www.budgilbertracing.com. The family is looking for any pictures and or any interviews he might had given. You can contact me for more information and or forward pictures with a short comment about the picture.

Dan clicked the wrong button