R.I.P. Joe Vittone

I found out via another forum, that my good friend Joe Vittone passed away February 23rd. For any of you that don't know who Joe was, if you have ever modified a VW to make it a little faster, handle a little better, or just wanted to personalize your Bug, you owe the opportunity to do so, to Joe. You see, he was the founder of EMPI, back in 1956, back before the name EMPI wasn't aligned with offshore- made, poor fitting, non-working, cheaply-made, junk. I had the pleasure of knowing Joe, though my association with VW Trends and Hot VWs, and managed to spend numerous hours with him, and his wife Helen. A finer man, and a bigger class act, you'll never find. Rest In Peace, Guiseppe Vittone. The VW world weeps for you