Freddy Hartman: AKA Freddy

[Watermark11]

Freddy (with his Eltro ) and his family at Havasu - Not many Vee-bottoms running in 1971..

[1969Merc800ShortShaft]

Know this is an older thread, but was curious about Freddy Hartman. Where did he live? How old was he when he died? What business was he in? etc. thank-you

[T2x]

Know this is an older thread, but was curious about Freddy Hartman. Where did he live? How old was he when he died? What business was he in? etc. thank-you

Fred Lived in Palisades Park, NJ (near the GW Bridge to NYC). He owned a sheet metal shop, and a bunch of apartment buildings in either Union City or Guttenberg, NJ a few miles south of his home. I have no idea how old Freddy was when he died but he was at least in his 60's in 1964 when I met him. He had a bunch of great equipment ranging from Flat and Vee bottomed Switzer's to Eltros and Eliminators.... and stayed pretty current with his engines. His wife said almost nothing while she quietly sat in their station wagon waiting for Freddy to finish his racing at countless events. He was a very strong guy and relatively quiet. He simply set about to do something and did it. In his early OPC racing days his son co-drove, but that stopped in about 1965. A few years later I saw his son who simply said that racing with his dad was a bit too stressful for him. ( After my Around Long Island Marathon adventure with him..i can understand why).
At his core he was a true boat racer and put some good equipment out on the race course. He also gave a few youngsters a pretty good start as drivers in his later years. All in all he was a great guy to know, and a source of legendary stories. As Sherlock said earlier in this thread, if I was going to have to drive around somebody, I would gladly do it for Fred.

Rest in Peace old friend,

your Pal,

Rodney...er...Ralph....er Randolph.....oh forget it!