James Charles Beattie, who founded the auto parts business ATI Performance Products, died of multiple organ failure March 27 at his winter residence in Tampa, Fla. The Hunt Valley resident was 73.
Born in Ernst, Pa., he was the son of Richard M. Beattie, a coal miner, and his wife, Clara. Family members said the day he graduated from high school in Indiana, Pa., he enlisted in the Navy, where he trained as a helicopter mechanic. After leaving military service, he settled in Baltimore.
"He was a mechanical genius with a love of cars from an early age," said his wife of 39 years, Lynn Beattie. "There was nothing with wheels that Jim couldn't make go faster. Jim liked to go fast. His driving record was a testament to that fact. He was no stranger to driving rehabilitation school."
Early in his career, he raced a Plymouth Valiant.
In the 1970s, he founded an auto transmission business in Woodlawn. He later expanded it to ATI Performance Products. He employed 60 people who ship auto productions around the world. He held 11 patents, including one for a harmonic balancer used by NASCAR competitors. His wife said that while he was technically retired, he continued to design auto parts.
He also built and raced a vehicle, the ATI Black Magic, called a "fuel funny car," which won a nationally ranked race, the Summernationals, at Englishtown, N.J.
"Jim lived life on his own terms. He managed to say exactly what was on his mind," his wife said.
He loved the Ravens and the Orioles, his wife said, and was also devoted to his grandchildren.
No funeral is planned.
In addition to his wife, survivors include two sons, James "J.C." Beattie Jr. of Baltimore and Richard "Skipper" Beattie of Tennessee; two daughters, Tricia Beattie of Tennessee and Candace Beattie of Baltimore; three brothers, Richard Beattie and Tim Beattie, both of Florida, and Archie Beattie of Baltimore; six grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.