[steve25]

It’ seems our great friend and Pontiac hero has passed on .

Thank you sir for all the help and inspiration you have gave to the Pontiac community over the decades. :-(

[PAUL K]

Sad news.... RIP

He was one of the great ones!

[Skip Fix]

Sad news. Talked to Pete a number of times. Always would talk to anyone and help with his knowledge. I was actually just thinking about him yesterday and wondering if he was still around.

[NeighborsComplaint]

I ran into Pete at SMS in Ontario, CA back in the mid-80’s. SMS were Pontiac gurus. I was working in Ontario and stopped by as I was seeking camshaft recommendations and general building information and he happened to be there that day.

We spoke briefly and he offered to pull a dyno sheet on a build very similar to what I was planning and send it to me. I gave him my business card and he mailed me the dyno sheet and a typewritten letter w the cam he had recently dynoed and liked (an Engle grind w 230 duration @.050 and 108 LC) for a street Pontiac with an automatic. I had mentioned I had an 850dp and he recommended I swap it for a 3310 if possible.

He was a real gentleman and a well of knowledge of Pontiacs. RIP

[Derbs24]

Great memories of Pete as a teenager in the 90s. Always one of the joys of going to Norwalk was stopping by his tent where he was selling his books and giving out advice for hours on end. My dad and I would just kind of stand off to the side and eavesdrop on all the cool conversations. My dad always called him “the man”. He held him in high regard just like Jim hand. Really appreciate what a guy like Pete brought to our hobby.

[tom s]

Pete has not been well for awhile.I talked to his wife when I was ordering a new book as mine was falling apart.Sad

[ChiefCrazyCanuck]

Very sad to hear of this. So much of what I know today is because he took the time to teach a young kid with great patience and a kind heart.

His writing style in many magazines and publications is what really caught my attention early on. Kept me highly entertained (captivated), and his written theories were supported by results and facts. He knew I was eager to learn, and made all the time for me over the phone to teach cylinder head porting and other tech.

Both Mr. Pete McCarthy and Mr. Jim Butler have my utmost respect. Rest in peace upstairs Pete, and all the best to the family at this time.

[Tim Corcoran]

I met Pete at Pontiac Drag Days at LA Drag Strip in Palmdale CA in around 1986. He wasn't racing he was just hanging out with all the Pontiac racers. I was racing my 65 LeMans then street car running in the 12's. Pete came over to my car and started taking my Q-Jet apart and borrowed some rear rods from another racer. At the time I had no idea what he was doing but after he was done my car picked up 1-2 tenths in the quarter mile. One time he invited me to meet him at his house in Orange (I believe) California. He drove me down to Jerry Goodales machine (SMS) shop in Ontario CA and proceeded to teach me about head porting. He was porting some heads and explained all the secrets to making power with Pontiac cast iron cylinder heads. Most of what he said I don't remember but I just remember how kind he was and how generous he was with sharing his vast knowledge. While at his house he showed me one of his books that he had published and I still have that book. Pete had a shop in Orange CA that he shared with Dave Bischop that is where I me Dave. I had a set of heads that were ported by JBP and Dave flow tested them for me for free. For some reason they didn't flow what they were supposed to. I called Jim Butler he said to ship the heads back to him. JBP did some additional porting on them and paid for shipping both ways. Then Jim said to have Dave flow them again and said he would pay for the cost to re-flow them. Jim also said that the guy that originally ported my heads was no longer working there. I didn't bother to have the heads re-flow tested. Pete was a stand up guy and it was my pleasure to know him. I contributed greatly to the Pontiac people of the world. I'm sad to hear of his passing.

[Dragncar]

He is the guy, his info helped me when I first bought my GTO in 82. I went to a local speed guy and asked him how to make it faster. He said, put a BBC under the hood. I turned around and walked out.
Went to a store and found HPP magazine and bought every catalog, info I could find.
Got his SS book, HO Racing, Rons Pontiac Parts, Betherls Goat Farm Nunzi, Butler, SD Performance , Pacific Performance Racing and found this little ad for Whitmore Engine Service. And that guy would talk to me for a long time.
The rest is history.
Pete helped get me started in this long, expensive hobby. RIP my friend that I never knew.

[mgarblik]

You read these posts in the lobby and the street forum and one things rings true for everyone. Each person, myself included felt like they were really special because this guy who had the experience and knowledge spent substantial time with them and really passed that knowledge on and asked for nothing in return. No motive at all, just keeping the Pontiac engine alive. Turns out, we were all special, probably hundreds of us. That's a legacy. RIP

[steve25]

Pete’s not resting I assure you.
He ‘s in a higher plane in another universe figuring out how to make so item of transportation faster.lol!

[joes455]

He was a genuine guy.rip