Otis Chandler was a big man in every sense of the term. Tall and distinguished in the best Muscle Beach tradition, Chandler was born of wealth. But family fortune aside, he'll be remembered for his drive and the high journalistic standards that made the LA Times one of the world's most significant and respected media entities. He began his career inking presses and retired as Times publisher after 40 years. Among his many passions--hunting, bicycling, surfing, and spending hours working out in the gym long before it was fashionable--Chandler built and disassembled several great car collections throughout his life.
His first collectible car of note was a 1931 Duesenberg, purchased for $35,000 in 1968. Then came the usual round of classics and exotics, including Ferraris, Packards, Porsches, and Rolls-Royces. Although he rarely raced professionally, he was a driver of some capability. I was present for a demonstration drive he gave at a Porsche Owners Club of Los Angeles event at Riverside Raceway in the early 1980s. John Morton drove Chandler's 935/78, while Otis himself piloted the Penske Sunoco 917/30 that Mark Donohue drove to the Can-Am championship in 1973. The turbocharged, 12-cylinder monster was good for between 1000 and 1500 horsepower, depending upon boost settings, and Chandler and Morton put on a show the assembled clubbies will never forget.
Chandler was among the first to recognize the history and interest in great American musclecars and gathered a fabulous collection of the best, including an ultrarare 1971 Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda convertible. He paid a record price when he bought it, and many thought he was nuts. He sold it for a profit. The last time I saw Chandler was in Malibu, California, perhaps 18 months ago. I was at an intersection, and he was coming the other way in his Porsche Carrera GT. Foot to the floor, of course.