Lost a life long Friend

[saddlebum]

This week I lost a very dear and close friend who I have known since high school and had the honor of being one of his pol bearers . Martin would have been 66 this Sept but a case of cancer took him before he could celebrate that birthday. Martin and I met while working part time for Canadian tire during our high school years and though I did not make friends easily during that time of my life, the two of us just hit it of instantly. Over the years together we worked on cars, motorcycles worked as bouncers in a bar frequented by bike and street gangs and chased girls (him having better luck than me most times). He had a tendency to come up with crazy ideas many of which he roped me into helping him with. Things like planting a 440 into a Volkswagen beetle or 383 into a triumph TR6 and replacing the square 4 in an Ariel with a Volkswagen engine which required cutting and stretching the frame (for which his Dad raked him over the coals for). Many times we worked in a freezing cold shack in the middle of winter that didn't even keep the wind out and when he needed the use of a pit he simply dug a hole in the dirt floor and parked the car over top of it.

 

He eventually started his own little one man body shop where as well as doing work for others he continued his personal projects. Two of his projects took first price at the motion and speed sport car shows in Toronto.

 

One day a women approached him about restoring an old Austin Healey which he refused saying that the car was junk and not worth the time or effort. But she persisted and eventually he took it on. He ended up doing such a superior job that other Healey owners started showing up and eventually he built his business not only specializing in restoring Healey's but literally resurrecting them from from total rusted out junk heaps. One issue he had with the first Healey was the frame as Healeys do was so rotted out it could not be salvaged so he proceeded to construct a replacement frame which he later began producing and selling all over the continent. The replacement frame was so well constructed that it became a major part of his business.

 

He once told me not so long ago that over the past some 30 years he restored about 400 cars. He has also restored some classic motorcycles including an Ariel square four which I believe he eventually sold to some motorcycle museum somewhere.

 

Here are a couple web sites worth checking out.

 

http://www.jule-enterprises.com/

 

http://www.jule-enterprises.com/projects/100-4-v12-supercharged

 

 

Rest in Peace Martin You will be missed.

Edited July 21, 2019 by saddlebum

[BlueSky]

Wow! Sounds like he was quite a character and a driven man! Would have been an honor to know him! RIP!

[cowpuc]

WOWZY WOW WOW WOW, what an amazing testimony to one AMAZING person Bum!! I want you to know that I did not click "like" because I "like" the passing of your friend/brother who passed but did so because of your excellent written testimony about Martin, THANK YOU for sharing that with us.

Saddlebum, you and all others who had the honor of calling such a person as Martin "friend" and all of his family as well have my deepest condolences on Martins departure from here below, may he rest in peace. Wish I could have known you Martin as you definitely sound like the type of person who would have been a LOT of fun to hang with and I could have learned much from! Godspeed Martin.

Puc

 

P.S. = I don't use the word "hate" much in life but I gotta say, I HATE CANCER!!

[Dano]

So sorry to hear of your loss 'Bum, I myself lost a long time friend on Friday who was very "instrumental" in the local rock&roll industry, he was a DJ at the big niteclub I built and ran the sound and "dance floor litin' " in when I moved here in '79,,,his was a heart attack.

 

And last nite at Indianapolis Speedrome during the racing we had a car owner/old driver go down with a stroke,,,

 

Damn its ruff out here anymore

 

And I DO love that he rebuilt the classic Austin-Healeys,,,and I'm one of those guys that'll do whatever to a car "just because I can".....

[Patch]

Well Buddy at 9:28 here in Calgary is sundown. I know I have a cold one in the fridge and at sundown I will crack it, and toast to your friend Martin!

Cheers

[Marcarl]

Presently in Need North Bay sharing time with Evan n Anne. Blessing in this time for u as well. Limited internet.

[stickhandle2]

Sorry for the loss of your friend Ben, Martin sounds like he was an incredible guy and great friend.

[Red Ryder]

Our Condolences for his family and friends, and very sorry for your loss Ben.

[Marcarl]

To have had a friend for that many years is awesome. To feel the pain of loss is an indicator that the friendship was a good one and enjoyed for many years. True, solid, friends that can be leaned on are not that easy to come by, but going by your testimony, you were blessed by having someone so close. What you now have are memories of the many years you two had together, memories that helped you through good times and tough times, memories that helped to make you who you are today. It's my prayer that the future holds a reunion for you two, that both of you may be citizens of the eternal peace that has been offered and that then your friendship can continue forever.

[videoarizona]

So sorry to hear this, Ben. As a fellow Austin Healey nut....I'm even more saddened to hear.

Prayers to his family!

[AGrengs]

 

Rest in Peace Martin You will be missed.

 

​Condolences!