Sorry for the crosspost to SF, but I think everyone ought to know :wtc:
http://www.supraforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=287468
http://www.supraforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=287468
RIP Mike U
- Thread starter ma71supraturbo
- Start date
yes this really is sadening...what a huge loss not only to the supra community ...but to the world in general..
mike was a great guy. i know this and i hardly knew him.
RIP supra brother.
mike was a great guy. i know this and i hardly knew him.
RIP supra brother.
SupraNikolai said:Truly the best and most genuine person i have and probably will ever know has left us today!
i was on my way to his house for dinner which he invites me to almost regularly for the past year! less then a 1/4mile from his house is a blocked off scene with cops everywhere with 3 square blocks blocked off as well! looked like something serious happend. i get to his house and am greeted by his brother Brian and await whats for dinner! 3 mins later a sheriff knocks on the door and i answer it! he aks me if i know Mike Urbano! i nod but say im just a friend of the fam and have Brian handle it. end sup HE was the one invloved in the acident down the street! i go across the street to another old buddy of his to tell him mike was in an accident. when i come back to the house the cops had told his wife that mike had passed on and we all just broke down!
there is no word on what exactly happened. but the suburban driver that hit him on his bike is in custody!
sadly nothing can fix what has been done! Our brother here and what i woudl go as far as to say the "Father of SoCal" has died
the happiness he has brought me the past years and the constant freindship can never be forgotten! he NEVER asked for much yet gave EVERYTHING he could for anyone and then went a little further! he will NEVER be forgotten!
his Black RHD MK3 TO4Z Supra was practiucally finished today! he just put on a Downpipe and called me all happy about it! alll he needed were the IC pipes to complete the project he had been so eager to finish for so long!
a VERY sad time for anyone who knew him!
just got back from the hospital and still cant belive it!
Rest in Peace Mike
Jaguar said:I just wanted to post these pictures of one of my best friends. This guy has been like a brother to me for the last two years or so though it seems like I have known him forever. He only lived 3 miles down the street and I saw him just about everyday. I had just talked to him at like 4pm today. I turned him down for dinner tonight, cause I was hanging out with my other friends. I was just thinking and I've had dinner with him the last 3 nights. Friday night too. I drove him to his shop yeserday. It's weird that one day they're in your passenger seat and the next day they're gone forever.
Hanging out with my other friends, got a call, hauled ass and made it to the hospital about 5 minutes after everyone else. Then I came into the room and there he was.
This makes me angry, sad, frustrated, and lonely all at once. Hung out at the hospital for a couple of hours but after too long I just couldn't take it anymore. I'm so sick of crying but I can't stop.
Mike, I love you man! I'll see you again someday. Thanks for all your advice, your help, your friendship. Thanks for loving me and my son, and you know I love you too. I don't know what I'm gonna do now. It feels like I was always at your house or the shop... whenever I had a free moment. But whatever I do, I hope to make you proud my "brother from another Mother." You used to always call me that. Cerritos rules, and Cerritos High School was the best school in the world. I'm honored to have known you, and you changed my life. Thanks for believing in me and my hopes and dreams. Whatever I do be it boxing, Radiology, or just finally getting my 2jz running, I'll do in your honor.
Chris
wow, Mike Urbano, I don't know him myself, but he's a pretty big name in the supra community.
And what do you know, it's some fucking idiot in a suburban that hit him.
And what do you know, it's some fucking idiot in a suburban that hit him.
Carson said:Wow just got the call a little bit ago... Not sure what to say. RIP to a good friend always eager to help me out, a great mechanic, one of the nicest guys you'd ever meet, and the #1 reason I am a supra owner today. I met Mike a few years ago at an autocross event where he was racing his blue car (in all its original glory). I had never seen any car like it. I talked to him there as a snot-nosed kid with no idea what a JZA70 was. He talked to me and encouraged me to buy a supra and swap a 1jz. About a year later, I had the opportunity to do just that. I bought myself a blue A70 and took it to him to have him swap it.
Mike was always there for me when I had issues with me car, needed advice, or just wanted to shoot the shit. He was kind and honest, and truly was the father of So Cal supras (let alone the 1jz swap in general). I send my condolences to his friends and family, and hope (well know) that he is in a wonderful place right now. RIP Mike. You will be missed.
SupraNikolai said:as i have said to a few, i dont think it has even hit me or a few others as hard as it will probably tomorrow, like when i reach for my phone to call him and tell/ask him something and then realizing where he is!
as Jaguar posted the pic in the first page of the thread is how i remember him as well! ALWAYS having that big grin which almost had an evil "i know something u dont" kinda thing! its the only thing that makes me smile now.
here are his works of Supra art the past few years! he is truly a legend in the mk3 community for being the first to get a 1j running in the states, going through and making more power through engines in his one car then anyone else! the help that can also be seen just by doing a search under his name will reveal how much he helped the 1j community! i dont even know how many engine swaps he had done and no one will know how many engines he got working!
aside from alot of our cars ESPECIALLY mine benefiting from his heart and sweat, here are his accomplishments he called his own...
Holy cow. I read the title for this thread and thought there is no freaking way. That can't be true. I never had the privilege of meeting him in person, though every day I wish I had. But I have dealt with him on the forums. I’ve seen his cars and followed his progress. He is a household name here in the community. And most of us will never be able to return to this community what he gave us. I really can’t believe he is gone. It's just a total shock to me. I can't even begin to think what it's like for his friends and family. Rest in Peace Mike. You'll forever be in our memories and our supra prayers.
What follows is a tragically incomplete, informal “interview” I was planning on eventually posting in the www.mkiiitech.com “Legends of the MK3 World” section. The thought occurred to me after reading about a number of innovators and pioneers – the majority of whom had long since moved on – that there was a notable individual missing from the list who was still deeply involved in MK3s. Mike didn’t know what my intentions were but, in his good nature, he obliged me with these replies spread out over weeks of casual conversation. And while I scarcely knew this great man, I think they give small insight into his passion for MK3s.
ma71supraturbo: did you ever build another car besides a mk3?
HkS1JzGtE: i have a lexus gs400
HkS1JzGtE: and i’ve had a few corollas
ma71supraturbo: how come you never did a mk4?
HkS1JzGtE: you know i had 2 of them but they were never very driver friendly when you get in them i personally still liked the feel of the 70 supra better than the 80 my little brother ironically enough bought one that we have done some work on and i still prefer mine
ma71supraturbo: did you ever get shit back in the day from the SOGI list for the way you did things?
HkS1JzGtE: what do you mean
ma71supraturbo: your car was radically different from all the mk3's I remember from the mid-late 90's
ma71supraturbo: and most of the time cars like that are shunned by the main supra community it seems
HkS1JzGtE: well not really but there back then the supra group was mainly in the mid west from what i remember and the crowd that i attracted attention from was in the import scene here in california
HkS1JzGtE: im sure there were a lot of jza80 guys that were mad at me at the import shows becuase if i was there they never one
HkS1JzGtE: won
ma71supraturbo: haha
HkS1JzGtE: ive got this trophy from a show that is 6.5 feet high that i took away from 3 full blown jza80's becuase everything they had in their motor i had too but it was in a jza70 body
HkS1JzGtE: they were mad
ma71supraturbo: Yeah, your blue Supra was a work of beauty
HkS1JzGtE: it was great but after all was said and done there was something missing
HkS1JzGtE: it won trophies
HkS1JzGtE: it did well on the track(road race)
HkS1JzGtE: it looked good at meets
ma71supraturbo: did you ever try to get it in magazines?
HkS1JzGtE: super street
HkS1JzGtE: option (japan)
HkS1JzGtE: auto fashion( japan)
HkS1JzGtE: drift tengoku
HkS1JzGtE: video option
HkS1JzGtE: all sorts of places
ma71supraturbo: Speaking of drift, is it true that you’re done drifting?
HkS1JzGtE: there was a lot of opportunity to get track time but when it became more of a business instead of a fun event i declined going because it just seemed like work instead of fun
HkS1JzGtE: i still drive canyon roads every so often to enjoy the drive but no more drift events for now
HkS1JzGtE: <-- getting old
ma71supraturbo: so what made you first go 1jz?
HkS1JzGtE: ?
ma71supraturbo: way back in the day, you must have had a 7m-gte
ma71supraturbo: but you were one of the first to swap to 1jz
HkS1JzGtE: i was actually the first
HkS1JzGtE: but yeah i had the 7m first but my dream car was always the 93 black jza70 twin turbo r
ma71supraturbo: how much did you build the 7m up?
HkS1JzGtE: 3100cc all hks
ma71supraturbo: Did you had the cams too?
HkS1JzGtE: hks 256 264 i was one of 4 that had a set
HkS1JzGtE: in the us
ma71supraturbo: what happened to that engine?
HkS1JzGtE: sold to a guy named marvin
ma71supraturbo: So are you building that ’93 Black JZA70 now? -- I've only heard its RHD and 2jz
HkS1JzGtE: yes
ma71supraturbo: so is this one going to be for show, race, or cruising?
HkS1JzGtE: for enjoyment
HkS1JzGtE: its just about done
HkS1JzGtE: i just havent had any time becuase of work
ma71supraturbo: It seems you almost enjoy the build more than the end result.
HkS1JzGtE: kind of but its different this time the only goal is to enjoy it
HkS1JzGtE: no specific goal, just an overall
ma71supraturbo: did you ever build another car besides a mk3?
HkS1JzGtE: i have a lexus gs400
HkS1JzGtE: and i’ve had a few corollas
ma71supraturbo: how come you never did a mk4?
HkS1JzGtE: you know i had 2 of them but they were never very driver friendly when you get in them i personally still liked the feel of the 70 supra better than the 80 my little brother ironically enough bought one that we have done some work on and i still prefer mine
ma71supraturbo: did you ever get shit back in the day from the SOGI list for the way you did things?
HkS1JzGtE: what do you mean
ma71supraturbo: your car was radically different from all the mk3's I remember from the mid-late 90's
ma71supraturbo: and most of the time cars like that are shunned by the main supra community it seems
HkS1JzGtE: well not really but there back then the supra group was mainly in the mid west from what i remember and the crowd that i attracted attention from was in the import scene here in california
HkS1JzGtE: im sure there were a lot of jza80 guys that were mad at me at the import shows becuase if i was there they never one
HkS1JzGtE: won
ma71supraturbo: haha
HkS1JzGtE: ive got this trophy from a show that is 6.5 feet high that i took away from 3 full blown jza80's becuase everything they had in their motor i had too but it was in a jza70 body
HkS1JzGtE: they were mad
ma71supraturbo: Yeah, your blue Supra was a work of beauty
HkS1JzGtE: it was great but after all was said and done there was something missing
HkS1JzGtE: it won trophies
HkS1JzGtE: it did well on the track(road race)
HkS1JzGtE: it looked good at meets
ma71supraturbo: did you ever try to get it in magazines?
HkS1JzGtE: super street
HkS1JzGtE: option (japan)
HkS1JzGtE: auto fashion( japan)
HkS1JzGtE: drift tengoku
HkS1JzGtE: video option
HkS1JzGtE: all sorts of places
ma71supraturbo: Speaking of drift, is it true that you’re done drifting?
HkS1JzGtE: there was a lot of opportunity to get track time but when it became more of a business instead of a fun event i declined going because it just seemed like work instead of fun
HkS1JzGtE: i still drive canyon roads every so often to enjoy the drive but no more drift events for now
HkS1JzGtE: <-- getting old
ma71supraturbo: so what made you first go 1jz?
HkS1JzGtE: ?
ma71supraturbo: way back in the day, you must have had a 7m-gte
ma71supraturbo: but you were one of the first to swap to 1jz
HkS1JzGtE: i was actually the first
HkS1JzGtE: but yeah i had the 7m first but my dream car was always the 93 black jza70 twin turbo r
ma71supraturbo: how much did you build the 7m up?
HkS1JzGtE: 3100cc all hks
ma71supraturbo: Did you had the cams too?
HkS1JzGtE: hks 256 264 i was one of 4 that had a set
HkS1JzGtE: in the us
ma71supraturbo: what happened to that engine?
HkS1JzGtE: sold to a guy named marvin
ma71supraturbo: So are you building that ’93 Black JZA70 now? -- I've only heard its RHD and 2jz
HkS1JzGtE: yes
ma71supraturbo: so is this one going to be for show, race, or cruising?
HkS1JzGtE: for enjoyment
HkS1JzGtE: its just about done
HkS1JzGtE: i just havent had any time becuase of work
ma71supraturbo: It seems you almost enjoy the build more than the end result.
HkS1JzGtE: kind of but its different this time the only goal is to enjoy it
HkS1JzGtE: no specific goal, just an overall
Holy shit... I am stunned. Hardly knew the guy but he was an inspiriation to many it would seem. RIP and condolences to him and the family
