Mr. Wangers
 

As conveyed to us by his nephew, Gordon ...

"I received a call around 4:30am last night from the staff at Silverado, informing me that James Wangers, 96, had quietly and comfortably stopped breathing in his bed. Thankfully, we made it down there just under the wire to bid him farewell. He was non-responsive to conversation or even touch, but the nurses informed us that hearing is the last thing to go and that it was likely he could still recognize our voices. The girls were very sweet, giving him goodbye hugs and thanking him for his contribution to their lives. I thanked him for teaching me “the art and science of automotive marketing” as he termed it, which helped immensely with the creation and success of AMCI (Automotive Marketing Consultants, Inc.).

He looked comfortable and at peace when we visited. He had not eaten or drank anything. At first I thought it was just Jim being Jim, going on a hunger strike to let us know that he had had enough, it was time, let him go. The Silverado hospice staff explained that when the body is ready to stop living, does not want to continue, the hunger and thirst impulse also stops to help exacerbate this process. Thus Jim died without pain or suffering. He had finally exhausted all nine lives, plus more.

Who never exercises a day in their life, eats four or five pieces of nearly raw beef for dinner every week for decades, falls multiple times but never a broken bone or even a muscle pull, gets Covid not once but twice and shrugs it off both times at age 94 and 96, all with a rather severe case of dementia and Alzheimer’s for the past 15+ years, but continues to press on regardless? You guessed it, James (NMI for no middle initial) Wangers.

Jim had become something of a celebrity at Silverado Memory Care-Escondido, especially when the staff and patients learned that back in the 60s, he was right hand man to the infamous John DeLorean and had run all the musclecar marketing at Pontiac – being responsible for everything from the legendary “GTO vs. GTO” Car and Driver Magazine cover story; the Monkeemobile; the GTO Thom McAn Shoe; and even the lyrics to top 10 national hit song “GTO” by Ronnie and the Daytonas – a band Jim put together when Paul Revere and the Raiders and The Beach Boys both wanted too much money to record it. Also on his resume are being awarded the coveted “Wally,” the NHRA Lifetime Achievement Award; and winning the 1960 and ’63 NHRA Nationals, driving Pontiac Catalinas. I should add, despite being decidedly not athletic, he was the fastest man I ever saw with a 4-speed…back in the day, his arm and the Hurst floor shifter was simply a blur.

We will be planning a celebration of life for sometime in late May or early June, most likely at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. Announcement of exact date and time will be made well in advance, we hope you all will be able to join us for this event."

A pleasure to have met him at Carlisle on his 80th birthday. A legend has passed and we owe so much to him for what he created for us. Thank you Jim for the Glory Days.

A legend, RIP.

RIP sir.

So sorry to hear....:beers:

RIP, Mr Wangers.

Thank you, Gordon and Tenney, for letting us know.

K

RIP to a legend.

Thank you Mr. Wangers for all that you contributed to the 60’s muscle car world.

Great guy that shared a ton of great stories! RIP Jim

‘

Such an amazing man and life who effected each and every one of us here!
Thoughts/prayers for Jim’s family also those close w/ him.
RIP:worship:
:3gears:

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Rest in peace, sir.

The second saddest day in Pontiac history second only to the day GM decided to quit producing Pontiacs. RIP Mr Wangers.

RIP, Jim. Had the pleasure to sit with him at dinner a couple times years ago at the GTOAA Western Regional Meet in So Cal and in Oregon at the Tiger Run event. Very nice man and always had great stories to tell. His tech talks were always great too. He was a true asset to the Pontiac community.

RIP Mr. Wangers.....

Both born in 1926, Jim would say he never thought he'd outlast the brand!

----Was lucky enough to meet this great man at the Norwalk Pontiac show back when I still owned my 64 421 GP 421 HO 4-speed. He loved the car and noticed that I had the wrong valve cover on one side (can't remember which side,,,LOL). he brought me back to his spot and pointed to the correct one right out there on his table. I snapped it up immediatly. I actually wanted to keep the valve cover when I decided to sell the GP and wish now that I would have! RIP Jim!!!....Bill S

Godspeed Mr. Wangers

Dang sorry to hear. My first car was a 1967 GTO that my Dad bought from the Showroom floor brand new.RIP

The Petersen Museum will be hosting a Jim Wangers Memorial Musclecar Cruise-in on Saturday, June 10th.

This, from Jim's nephew, Gordon ...

"To celebrate the fascinating adventure that was the nearly 97 year journey of Jim Wangers, we will be holding a Celebration of Life on Saturday morning, June 10th, from 9 to 12 AM at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles.

There will be a private drive-in car show on the roof of the museum parking structure, so dust off your Pontiacs and of course, other musclecars and high performance cars of interest are very welcome to participate. We will then retire to the indoor private Penthouse at the Museum for a celebration of Jim's life, which will include photographs, memorabilia, videos and selected (hopefully short) speeches and remembrances.

Light refreshments will be served. For those of you that live long distances away, we would love for you to attend, but if you can't, we are working on potentially live streaming the event, TBD on that. We will make a firm announcement as soon as we are sure it can work...or not.

Thanks to all who wrote to express their condolences. On behalf of the Wangers family, we appreciate your support.

In terms of donations as some have asked, your presence and good wishes are all that is required.

Dress is casual -- your normal cars and coffee garb is fine.

Hope to see you there on the 10th!"