Clark Francis Adams

CLARK FRANCIS ADAMS
1936 - 2017

ANAHEIM, CA – Clark Francis Adams, 81, of Anaheim, CA, passed away August 6, 2017, in a fatal car crash in Orange, California. Clark was born in 1936 in Lincoln, NE, to Charles Francis Adams, Jr., and Helen Evangeline Adams.
Clark's ashes will be placed with his wife's at the Forest Lawn Mortuary in Cypress, CA, with a private family service Aug 25, 2017.
A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m., on Aug 25, 2017, at Orangethorpe United Methodist Church, 2351 West Orangethorpe Avenue, Fullerton, CA.
Clark graduated from Charles City High School in Charles City, IA, in 1954; he then earned BSME and MSME degrees from Iowa State University College of Engineering in Ames, IA. In 1958 Clark was united in marriage to Constance L. Grahlman at the Bethel Baptist Church in Marble Rock, IA. They settled in Southern California where the hot rod and racing industry was booming. Clark's love of cars was shown over the years, with an MG, Jaguar, Lotus, and his own custom car in their driveway.
Clark worked as an inventor and mechanical engineer for the Autonetics Division of North American Aviation (later known as Rockwell International and Boeing) While there several of his designs were given patents, including modern electronic fuel injection, that all cars use today. He worked there until 1975, then he devoted himself to PBS fulltime.
In 1960 Clark opened a race car fabrication shop with two other racing enthusiasts. PBS Engineering Inc. As Vice President, Mechanical Engineer and Designer he designed and hand built more than 20 different race cars for SCCA D and C Sports racing classes. These cars were all hand sculpted works of art, many still being raced today. Clark also did extensive work on racing engines & transmissions. He designed cable type, sequential and electronic shift by wire mechanisms for racing and off-road transmissions. The special parts utilized by his designs often required him to use his skills to create casting patterns for transmission cases, cylinder heads, intake manifolds, and other unique mechanical parts. Clark took a "hands" on" approach to projects, some of which involved programming their CNC vertical machines, and using all the other machines in the shop. He designed and helped build specialized service tools and reverse engineered and made replacement parts for different manufacturers' electricity generating wind turbines. Clark was a member of the SAE for over 50 years and had many papers published.
Clark was always looking for new challenges, an example was designing, building and racing quarter-scale 23 CC two-stroke gas powered model race cars. The PBS quarter-scale race team included his son Tom. His work was his hobby, but as a weekend pastime, he enjoyed building and flying radio-controlled model aircraft, drones, and helicopters. At the time of his death, Clark was still using his mechanical engineering genius to create and develop new ideas.
Clark was proud of his two sons (who are both also engineers). He was also very proud of his two grandchildren, and he enjoyed being a part of their activities whenever he could. Visits together always included playing games, picnics, and occasionally sharing his hobbies with the grandchildren.
Clark is survived by his two sons: Steve (Linde) Adams, Ames, IA, and Thomas Adams, Anaheim, CA; two grandchildren: Megan Adams and Matt Adams, Ames, IA. He is also survived by one sister, Sharon (William) Schneider, Colwell, IA.
Clark was preceded in death by his wife, Connie, on June 21, 2017, and his parents.
The family has set up a memorial in loving memory of Clark and Connie Adams through the Orangethorpe United Methodist Church. This memorial is for Agape Café Ministry, which helps those in need. Checks can be made payable to OUMC Latino Ministry - Agape Café in the memo line.