Otis Chandler Dies. Back in the mid 70's when I would attend PCA time trials at Riverside International Raceway Otis would bring out his 917. Nothing like sticking you arm out of a 914 to tell a 917 it is ok to pass on the long straight at RIR! The sound and the speed is something I will never forget! He will be missed. (yea I am that old)




Now back to the Don & Mike show.

He is a big time Porsche collector. His son lives next door to my friend in Pasadena... I grew up driving by his house with 911s, MGs, Fiats, and a bunch of well done classic cars in his driveway.

Thats sad to hear.

He owned a 916 that I think is now in Japan.

He owned this one...

He used to bring his Carrera Speedster to Porschop, where I worked. His 356SC, too (the one his kid rolled on the Pasadena Freeway). Oh, and the 904. Certainly one of the wealthiest of our customers, and one of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. We did a mechanical restoration of the Speedster, and he'd drop by with a set of coveralls and some beer for the guys, to "help" us. Not a drop of pretension in his body. 14 years later he walked up to me at his museum in Oxnard and asked me if the boys with me were my sons and how he hadn't seen Will since he was a baby. Remembered the name of a kid he'd seen maybe 3 or 4 times over a dozen years before. Took us on a little private tour of the back rooms while the other PCAers roamed the displays. He did a LOT for the Times, for LA in general, and for the sport. Motor racing other than NASCARtainment got press when he ran the paper! The Cap'n, who's gonna hoist one to his memory tonite!

I did some tweaking on his 930 exhaust many moons ago. He was also a surfer (ocean not www !) He would actually call me by name whenever we ran into each other at events. Truly a gentleman racer, and he was big into muscle cars and cycles of late. Rest in Peace Otis.
Hey Ron, whats up with Porschop ? What year did you join on ? I used to hang with Vern, Jose, Jeff and Bobbie, and that infamous Kurt Kubler -the unimog guy

I visited his museum some 14 years ago. After reading this thread I google'd it and came across this Otis Chandler and then came across this Vintage

On the schedule is an open house for Thursday March 30th from 1-4pm. I'll be there, anyone else?

After Otis Chandler owned the yellow 916, I believe it ended up in the Yohsiho Matsuda Collection but the last thing I heard was that Kerry Morse owns it now. Can anyone else confirm this?

I met Otis Chnadler at the Vintage Races here at Portland International Raceway about 7 years ago. He and I were wearing the same Porsche fleece pullover. He commented on how warm they are.
He also said that he liked my dog. Buster a white west highland terrirer. At his trailer his wife asked if I would like to leave Buster, since th eday had warmed up and the blacktop was very warm. She felt it might hurt his paws. Very unpretentious and down to earth.
I guess I won't get to see him at the Vintage races again wearing the same Porsche pullover.
CCL

He was one of the forces behind the Times Grand Prix at RIR, a race I first attended back in 1960. I finally got to meet him briefly at a car show at the Pasadena Art School of Design a few years ago. A real gentleman and a loss to the sport of motor racing.
Cheers, Elliot

QUOTE (smg914 @ Feb 28 2006, 06:20 AM)

After Otis Chandler owned the yellow 916, I believe it ended up in the Yohsiho Matsuda Collection but the last thing I heard was that Kerry Morse owns it now.  Can anyone else confirm this?

yes

9142330011 history:

1st owner: Luise Piech
2nd owner: Erna Goetten
3rd owner: Otis Chandler
4th owner: Yoshiho Matsuda
5th owner: Kerry Morse

no other owners known by now (at least by me) ...


R.I.P.


Gustl

Otis was a huge motorsports fan, this was his page from the 1973 RIR Can Am race, aka The Los Angeles Grand Prix.
There will be services for Otis, open to all, in Pasadena this Monday March 6, 2006 at All Saints Church. Personal condolences can be emailed to chan@mfire.com
Marty