A day in rememberance- it's been two years.......

MASSIVE TYPE IV · Post by **MASSIVE TYPE IV** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 5:34 am

Two years today since the Type IV engine lost its best friend....Joe Locicero- The creator of the DTM cooling system, and an all around great buddy to anyone who did a conversion, or really anyone who liked a VW.

For those of you that were not on the forum that dim day here in 2002, it would be hard to explain just how hard it was to read hundreds of posts from people that Joe had helped over the years. Joe was basically my hero, and inspiration. Some people look up to those who have written books about our beloved engines- Joe was a walking book that didn't have to sell you something for 29.95 to help you out.

Many people ask "How did you get started with Type 4 engines", I normally reply "been doing them since I was a kid" ...... The truth of the matter is that my old buddy Joe convinced me that the future was bright for the Type 4 and that there were already too many Type I specialists in this world. Joe was my guiding light when I started the "Massive Type IV" and really the only person that I have ever looked to for answers to questions about anything mechanical- He was a self taught and a genius with 50 years of VW experience when he passed away. He would sit and talk for hours on the phone to ANYONE about a Type 4 engine, his cooling system or even old Ford tractors..

Perhaps the oddest part of Joe's passing was that just a few days prior I had received a big box off the UPS truck... It came in free and on the box it said it was from "Oregon Performance Products". I knew that Joe had been really sick and wasn't doing any shrouds. I opened it up and indeed it wasa DTM, and it looked a little weathered and beat up.... Little did I know that DTM was the very first one he ever made, and he had given it to me. In the box was a note that he had written that said these things, and wished me luck with the Type IV research and development that would consume my life.

For years we knew that Joe's DTM was awesome, we loved it and that it really made my engines work well, but the shroud had never been proven, or compared to a 911 system. I am proud to have been the person that proved that Joe's DTM is the absolute best cooling system for a Type IV engine, and that nothing cools all 4 cylinders as well, or as even with less power loss. I figure that good old Joe is upstairs loking down here with a big smile everytime a new shroud pops out of his molds, and then goes onto a MassIVe Type 4 engine to be proven on the dyno- I'm so happy to be the person who could prove it, and keep the DTM alive, and keep a little bit of "Good ole Joe" in every engine that leaves my shop.

I never take credit for Joe's work on the DTM, it will always be his design! I just added some finishing touches to it!

I just wanted to make this post in rememberance of Joe, and to let everyone know what happened two years ago today. If you have a DTM, go fire that engine up and go for a spin for Joe..... Without Joe the "MassIVe Type IV" and "Nickies" wouldn't be here... (Joe was an inspiration to Shad laws as well and convinced him to make the Nickies cylinders)

Joe, if there is some way that you can read this post from where you are, know that we all appreciate what you did for us......... Those of us that knew you, miss you and wish you were here.

BTW- I'll have your Type I shroud perfected in just a few weeks, just keep on putting those ideas in my head and I'll execute them for ya!

Post by **sparkmaster1** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 6:18 am

I'm sure he's very proud of the work and dedication that you have put into the DTM. It was a godsend to the entire type IV community that you were able to get all the molds and keep the shroud going. Tim

MASSIVE TYPE IV · Post by **MASSIVE TYPE IV** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 6:31 am

Thanks, Tim....

stkbus · Post by **stkbus** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 7:21 am

Jake,

Sounds like Joe Locicero was the Chesty Puller of the Type 4 engine. I enjoy reading about your continuing developments/efforts and driving my vehicles with your engines

. Keep up the good work and Happy Independance Day Devil Dog

MASSIVE TYPE IV · Post by **MASSIVE TYPE IV** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 8:19 am

He really was... But he was such a quiet guy.... You never really saw magazine articles about him, and there are no "Memorial cruises" for him.. He would not even want that- I'm sure.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 9:22 am

I remember that day well. He definitely chose the right man to pass his years of experience and lifelong work onto. I am sure that you have made him very ?proud? and ?happy.?

JohnK · Post by **JohnK** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 12:22 pm

Jake,
Thanks for that rememberance. I bought an engine with one of his shrouds just before he left this world. He was more than helpful and even went out of his way. An old school kind of guy that didn't just take the money and move on. He shared and gave what he could to help folks like me get on the road. I also thank you Joe.
John K.

MASSIVE TYPE IV · Post by **MASSIVE TYPE IV** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 12:46 pm

Yep, he was old school for sure.... So were his products and thats why they worked and still do!

The DTM is just like a Model T Ford... You can have it any color you want as long as thats black! (Just like Henry Ford)

Class 11 streeter · Post by **Class 11 streeter** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 10:06 pm

I just want to add, something I greatly admire about Joe was his ability to explain anything T4 to anyone - really. His posts were always straight and to the point, going into as much technical info as he needed to illustrate his point
and written in those
short sentences that
didn't go across the
screen very far.

Thanks to the STF archiving everything for years, his back posts are available thru the search function, or simply crawling back through all the past posts on the 4um. Anyone who wants to learn more from Joe, use the search for user name "Joseph", it seemed to be the one he used most, I think he had another name on STF, but I am not sure.

As "Joseph" he only gave us 608 posts, and every one of them are pearls of wisdom.
We may never have another among us like him........

MASSIVE TYPE IV · Post by **MASSIVE TYPE IV** » Sat Jul 03, 2004 10:58 am

There was only one "Good ole Joe".....

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 12:55 pm

Jake,

If you ever get a chance, go to the local library and get a book called "Working Knowledge" written by Doug Harper. It's about an old school mechanic who lived and died in a small town in upstate New York. He fixed everything for farmers and the local college town professors that drove odd foreign cars where no dealerships were within hundreds of miles. The book is about the ingenuity of man, good relationships among men, tinker-ers, etc. You'll like it. If you know who Peter Egan is, then you'll know it's a good book because he sought out Harper and became his buddy simply from reading the book.

Anyway, having read about that mechanic in Working Knowledge years ago and read your comments about your friend Joe today, they strike me as similarly incredible minds.