Anyone know what his title was at Oldsmobile? He prob wore a few hats so let's focus on the late-1960s.

 

Not sure about his exact title was but he was in charge of getting the cars & parts out to the racers. I know that's probably not what you were looking for but I will look through what literature I have and see what I can find.

 

Thanks . . . the best I can come up with is "Senior Project Engineer."

 

That sounds about right.

 

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=dale+smith+oldsmobile

Two biggest related hits:

Senior Project Engineer
Olds Motorsports Manager

 

I would think that SR. Project Engineer was his title in the early days and Motorsports Manger in his latter days. I don't remember the term Motorsports being used in the 60's.

 

I got to sit with him and Joe Mondello one time at a national event. It sure was fun listening to them tell stories from back in the day. He said how he sent Joe semi loads of aluminum engines, H and F heads, and everything you could think of. Joe said he still had some NOS H heads that he never used. His official title never came up but sure talked about the things he was slipping out the front "and back" door to racers.

 

So do you think when he was working out the Smothers Brothers deal, he must've been the Oldsmobile Motorsports Manager?

 

I wouldn't think so,that would have been late 60's. I started drag racing in the late 60's and I don't recall the term Motorsports being used then. Not saying it wasn't but I think it was much later,probably the 80's.

 

Do you know his middle initial?

 

He wrote a small book about, Oldsmobile, racing into the ??? I can't remember the last word. He had an ad for the book and I called the number one morning in 2001. His wife answered, I talked to him a while and sent a m.o. He sent me a signed copy. It was pretty interesting, talked a lot about the Pure oil trials, Olds won the trials for economy. It was a big deal back then. This must have been after 1970 because I remember they snuck a switch pitch turbo in for a hair more fuel economy. He said they were afraid the Buick engineers would try it also. He also said Batton was the smartest guy he knew. He was very bitter about the demise and the way he/they were treated the last years. I don't know what I did with the book. Hopefully I come across it in one of my buildings.

 

I believe it's called "Racing to the Past."

 

Yes it is called that. I have two copies and in the rear of the book it has an 'About The Author' and it said he worked @ Olds from1954-1980 when he retired. It said he worked in product engineering,so I would think that SR. Project or Product Engineer would be his title.

 

I know this is an old thread.

Just curious if Dale is still around. I’m just about finished reading his book, it says he retired from Oldsmobile in 1980. So I’m guessing he is probably sitting at the drawing board in the sky now.

Just another one of the influential giants.

 

He passed a few years ago. I'm not sure when but it's been a few.

 

I figured. In the book he said he was 82 when it was published in 2004. If he died fairly recently, that suggests he was getting close to the century mark.

Proving once again that Oldsmobiles are Youngmobiles!!

 

Very grateful to have had the opportunity to sit down with/visit and acquired a personalized signed copy of his book as well as his signature on this Hairy Olds print. History,…legacy

 

Dang Heath. That is awesome.

 

I have one of those hanging myself. I have the book signed by him also. I got them @ the MN. OCA Nationals.