chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

how do I find out any info on street race pictures of cars back in the day around chicago. I met my wifes father (she has not seen him in 20yrs) during christmas and he was a nickey guy. spent all his money on cars and street racing, and he told me he had a 66 chevelle with a nickey 427 tri carb setup that he trailered to street races back in the late 60s, he had that car just for street races. he said back then all the fast guys had names, his was the 'street cleaner' and he rattled off all these other names of racers which I thought was cool. is there anyway to hook him up with his past? he is 61 and i imagine he did all his racing from the late 60s to early 70s. sold his cars because it was too hard to get gas.

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

Talk to Ken Tibor (Kwhizz) or Mike Piecyk (taboo).

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

Seattle cant hold a candle to Chicago......but back in the day we too had a street racing scene.

My friend Ron Holly had a 66 Chevelle 360HP/396. I cant quote a 1/4 mile time, as I'm not sure he ever ran it at a strip.

Amongst other places we raced were on Airport Way, which parallels Boeing Field in South Seattle. We used to race a Blue Belvedere Street Hemi owned by Mitch........

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

Mike(taboo)has some great stories!!

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

Bob, My father (58 years old) grew up on the west side of Chicago near 26th & Pulaski, and he said most of the street racing near him went on at Ogden & Kostner. He also told that many guys had "names" for their cars typically on the bottom of the front fenders or on the rear quarter pannels.

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

I worked with a guy for over 3 YEARS, but I only spoke to him occasioanally when we passed each other in the hallway. All I knew was that he wanted a 2000-2002 Corvette, and he used to tell me everytime he found a "blip" on the radar.

Well, one day, he had heard I had an old Pontiac. As we talked, I found out he used to street race in the Chicago area. To my surprise, he told me he had bought a brand new 1969 Chevelle SS396 4-speed from the Chevrolet dealer he worked at (and for the life of me, I don't recall which dealer, but it wasn't one of the big names, like Colonial or Nickey). He said he had ordered a brand new black 1970 Chevelle LS6 4-speed, and he was going to trade in his 69 SS396. He waited weeks for the 70 to come in, but when it finally arrived, it had a bench seat (he ordered buckets). Being impatient, and dying to get in one of the new LS6 454's, the dealer told him there was a dark red LS6 on the lot, with buckets and a 4-speed, but it was their demo car, so it had a few miles on it. This guy said he was impatient, and because he didn't want to wait to have the dealer "correct the problem" with his new black LS6, he took the dark red Chevelle LS6 demo car. He said he still kicks himself about that decision, because a couple weeks later, a friend of his bought an identical dark red SS396 Chevelle (TH400), and people always got the two cars confused.

Anyway, he said he street raced heavily back in the 1968-1970 era, in and around Chicago, and he had some great stories. He said he and his friend put a 4.88 gear in the LS6 (right in the dealer service dept), and a week later, he scattered the LS6 on the expressway. He said he was already overevving the engine (accidentally, he just put the gears in), and then he hit a bump at high speeds, and he said he could tell the axle jumped off the ground, then "boom" under the hood. He said there was actually a rod out of the side of the pan.

Don't know if the car was ever fixed under warranty (I doubt it), but he said he sold it soon afterwards.

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

thanks for the info on who to talk to. the stories of him blowing engines racing and getting special engines made by nickey are cool to hear. he said he raced at skipps and mostly anywhere, but he was from the nickey - mr norms area (he was actually one of mr norms top salesmen for a while, yet was a nickey guy). he sold cars at all the big dealers as it sounded like he moved around alot (why i do not know). he used to beat hemi cars in street racing, but in endless runs, it was hard to beat a hemi. his car back then did 9.8. he would show it or drive it around with a smaller intake carb setup, and then switch with the manifold just before a race. they would agree on money before a race went down. It will be fun to hear more details next time I meet him. My mother in law has pictures of his cars in shoe boxes, now I need to go see them next time I am at her house.

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

StealthBird
Ask your coworker if the name Phil Zygrebski was part of his past.

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

Chicago "Street Racing" didn't only happen in the '60 or '70s. It is still "illegally" done.

Check out; www.Chitownracing.com there are a few "oldtimers" who hang out there as well.

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

[ QUOTE ]
Chicago "Street Racing" didn't only happen in the '60 or '70s. It is still "illegally" done.

Check out; www.Chitownracing.com there are a few "oldtimers" who hang out there as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

oh Yea baby great post.. I was watching it close a few years ago from the net, there are a couple forums the fellas hang on there are also a few killer vids out made by Slick and another cat I think from the Small Block Posse club...some cool stuff and heavy hitters on the street makeing full on wheels up passes... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

http://smallblockposse.net/eve/forum...m/f/3026095412

.

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

Archer Ave. was a hot spot for street racing too, all the way into the late 1980's. Not sure if they still hang out there in the parking lots, but it used to be pretty crowded.

Duke's Drive In, Flukie's, not even sure if they're still around? I remember back in the early 1990's, Duke's started attracting lots of new Mustangs, then imports, undercar neon, etc. Seems like Duke's was abandoned by traditional street racers and Musclecar owners. The hard core street racers went elsewhere, and up popped suburban cruise nights, sponsored by local towns and/or malls. With sponsorship came the "family entertainment" thing, lawn chairs, lots of baby strollers, kids, etc. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/tongue.gif

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

[ QUOTE ]
he sold cars at all the big dealers as it sounded like he moved around alot (why i do not know).

[/ QUOTE ]

That was just the nature of the car business. Guys just moved around for no reason, a buddy of theirs was at one joint, more money could be made at this joint, etc.

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

i was heavily into the street racing scene with a buddy(who is now the director of racing for edelbrock and the KING of N20) in the late 80's early 90's. we would go to Flukeys, Skippers, Boppers, and Dukes before we would head down to the south side of Chicago. that was where the BIG money races were. we hung out in the Stockyards and negotiated a race and then head over and race behind the old Ampitheater,or go to 63rd and Cottage Grove or 135th and Doty.Most of the guys from the "Burbs" would go down there and race but as we got older and wiser decided to race legally with the help of classes like, Super Stock Outlaw, Modified Super Stock, NMCA,NMRA events and others that were started back then. lots of good times and very bad times as well......

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

A friend of mine used to race behind the International Amphitheatre as well during those years.
We would wrench on his 68 white 396 w/a tunnel,prostock camaro on the corner of Roosevelt & Laramie,then hi-tail it over there.That car was really thought out well and always consistent.Quick as hell off the line..
He had it raised really high in back,with 50's mounted on cragers w/traction bars and wide rear fender flares and tall fiberhood,all courtesy of VFN.
I would always burn more gas then he wanted me to,and never let off the pedal.
"Damn it!..get off the gas!" he would always tell me. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/wink.gif
I remember the smell of the Ferrara Pan candy factory on the way to & from.
...Was that really 25 years ago??

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

I don't have time right now......But I'll relate to my "Experience" of the Chicago Street Racing Scene during the Mid 60's Muscle Car Craze in a day or Two.......... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif....Won't be a Short Story and I have to Decide how much to talk about because some of the Real Story isn't too Pretty.....But....That's the way it was... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif

Ken https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

Don't worry, Kwhizz, aka Falfa, the statue of Limitations for most of your crimes has expired.

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, la
 

Late '70's for us on da nort side was yer Montrose (the hill), Genesee St./Waukegan - and various forest preserve county roads (St. Marys). Oh, and the road that ran along side Ft. Sheridan to the Clark station in Highwood (Stefano?).

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

[ QUOTE ]
I don't have time right now......But I'll relate to my "Experience" of the Chicago Street Racing Scene during the Mid 60's Muscle Car Craze in a day or Two.......... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif....Won't be a Short Story and I have to Decide how much to talk about because some of the Real Story isn't too Pretty.....But....That's the way it was... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif

Ken https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

This ought to be good. And it doesn't surprise me the Stefano was there as well https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, la
 

That would be Sheridan Road. My Dad's shop was on Sheridan Road. I watched some of my first Street Races on St, Mary's Road. What was that Forest preserve, at the Finish line called.....something woods?

Kwhizz was already retired and sit'in in his rocking chair, by that time.

I didn't know there was a South side of Chicago Back Then?

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, la
 

I knew that (and now know it again!).

Daniel Wright Woods (St. Mary's and Everett)?

Went to Dukes once or twice in Bridgeview. Stayed local mostly.

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, la
 

[ QUOTE ]


I didn't know there was a South side of Chicago Back Then?

[/ QUOTE ]


actually Stefano, we just said "lets go to the city" since we all lived in the suburbs. i dont think we said "south side" until someone from the city said it. i was telling some guys that i used to work with where we were racing and i told them you wouldnt want to go there during the day and he told me he lives 2 blocks from 135th and doty. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/blush.gif

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, la
 

There still isn't a "South" side........But......There is a "Sout" Side.....................Get it Straight... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

Ken https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/flag.gif

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, la
 

yep.....you're right...sout side !!!!

now get typing already !!!!!!!!!!! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, la
 

Kwhizz-er: Where abouts on da sout side? We ran at Ford City, now the mall (aka. 'da Plaza')...about 75th street between Pulaski & Cicero.

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, la
 

Inside Chicago Street Racing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyxQR321AJ0

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

[ QUOTE ]
I don't have time right now......But I'll relate to my "Experience" of the Chicago Street Racing Scene during the Mid 60's Muscle Car Craze in a day or Two.......... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif....Won't be a Short Story and I have to Decide how much to talk about because some of the Real Story isn't too Pretty.....But....That's the way it was... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif

Ken https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


Ummmm...still waiting! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I don't have time right now......But I'll relate to my "Experience" of the Chicago Street Racing Scene during the Mid 60's Muscle Car Craze in a day or Two.......... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif....Won't be a Short Story and I have to Decide how much to talk about because some of the Real Story isn't too Pretty.....But....That's the way it was... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif

Ken https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


Ummmm...still waiting! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

This Weekend............. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...s/headbang.gif

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

...you mean "SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY!". https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/wink.gif

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

[ QUOTE ]
...you mean "SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY!". https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep!!

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/flag.gif

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

i don't have the stories like some of you back then, as i was 9 back in 69, but being a car guy from birth, i was into everything that went on around me back then.

i lived not to far off archer avenue, smack dab in the middle between harlem and central , the usual gig was to go to back and forth between central up and down archer. then there was archer road (while driving through summit), which i thought was more fun and safer as I got older, and took my dads car out to race it til there one car would top out.

on my single 'soutweside' block, there were two brothers that had 2 brandnew new 69 darts and always were working on them to make them fast. there was a guy with a white big block 69 chevelle and another guy with a 67 gto. This was all on the same SINGLE city block. they all raced on archer a lot. some went to vietnam and did not come back. one of a scariest cars that would come around was a 67 gto that had a blower back then and scared everyone as he I would say would have had a street race name. i think it had a lace paint job. never was sure where that guy lived.

as i got older, finally worked on archer pumping ethel at gas city and phillips 66 while going to college, and saw so many drag races go right and wrong on archer. I remember one time the perfect candy apple red 57 chevy (chrome engine and blower) with pearl white flames that seemed to own archer that one night hit a pole during a race and was totalled and strewn all over archer. one time a vette exploded into a thousand pieces on a cold night in a drag race. i remembered more chevelles and corvettes, novas, and 55-57 chevys racing, and 65-67 gto's more than anything, don't really remember camaros.

fun times you all must of had in 69 driving the cars i dreamed of, seemed like a lot of guys got hurt from what i remembered, eventually.
There was this hemi mopar guy on archer that always had some wicked cars in the back of the local tool rental shop. he was right on archer.

so archer was cool back in 69-79 as with all those hot cars on so many city blocks next to it, it was the easiest outlet to race on from where I lived. My teenage highlight I will never forget was when I tool the owner's car of hinkley and schmitt water and raced it up and down archer. he left it sometimes for me to put gas in it for the next day. I did not know if it was a 71 ls6 or a 69 435, but it was so fast and it was that type of car. it had american wheels on it and headers, and i beat what every i came up on with it.

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

Bob...........Back in 68, one of the Guy's in our neighborhood (Belmont,Lincoln, and Ashland) got Killed racing somewhere on Archer.....He had a 67 Camaro 427 4 speed.....I wasn't there when it happened, but he lost it while racing and hit a Bridge overpass and died Instantly https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/frown.gif.........
More to follow on the weekend........

Ken

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

There was a big article on Archer Ave. back in the day in Car Craft I believe. Growing up in Berwyn I would always hear about Archer.

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

[ QUOTE ]
There was a big article on Archer Ave. back in the day in Car Craft I believe. Growing up in Berwyn I would always hear about Archer.

[/ QUOTE ]

I posted that way back. I found the thread but the pictures are gone. It was in Car Craft July 1972. I am checking to see if I saved them locally.

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

i talked to my father in law for a few minutes yesterday (he is helping me sell an engine to somebody he knows) and he said he has an actual picture of his nickey 427 engine 66 blue chevelle (streetcleaner) beating a guy in a green camaro called the 'tough rabbit' at us30. I will try to get that picture to make a copy and then post it. I cracked up when he said 'I had a car length on him when he was trying to find first gear'. Should be cool to see. he said he will write down for me all the names he remembers from the mid to late 60s, who had what, etc.

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

we used to go to 107th street to race. It was back in the forest preserves by the canals and junkyards off of highway 83 just south of Hinsdale and north of Lemont.

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I don't have time right now......But I'll relate to my "Experience" of the Chicago Street Racing Scene during the Mid 60's Muscle Car Craze in a day or Two.......... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif....Won't be a Short Story and I have to Decide how much to talk about because some of the Real Story isn't too Pretty.....But....That's the way it was... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif

Ken https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


Ummmm...still waiting! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe you can tell me when you get here? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

Found it!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...lo/cruise1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...lo/cruise2.jpg

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I don't have time right now......But I'll relate to my "Experience" of the Chicago Street Racing Scene during the Mid 60's Muscle Car Craze in a day or Two.......... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif....Won't be a Short Story and I have to Decide how much to talk about because some of the Real Story isn't too Pretty.....But....That's the way it was... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif

Ken https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


Ummmm...still waiting! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe you can tell me when you get here? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

then maybe you can tell me/us https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif......i bet theres just tons of stories up in that noggin of his !!

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

Darren, that was not the article I was thinking about. There was one that was like four pages and just focused on Archer Ave. I will try and see if I can find it.

Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I don't have time right now......But I'll relate to my "Experience" of the Chicago Street Racing Scene during the Mid 60's Muscle Car Craze in a day or Two.......... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif....Won't be a Short Story and I have to Decide how much to talk about because some of the Real Story isn't too Pretty.....But....That's the way it was... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif

Ken https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


Ummmm...still waiting! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe you can tell me when you get here? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

then maybe you can tell me/us https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif......i bet theres just tons of stories up in that noggin of his !!

[/ QUOTE ]


Sorry Guy's https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/frown.gif.....I'll do it when I get back from Barrett-Jackson........ https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif