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Old 12-27-2008, 01:36 AM
black69 black69 is offline
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Default 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.
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Old 12-27-2008, 02:16 AM
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Default Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s

Talk to Ken Tibor (Kwhizz) or Mike Piecyk (taboo).
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Old 12-27-2008, 02:22 AM
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Default 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........
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Old 12-27-2008, 02:24 AM
Mr.Nickey Nova Mr.Nickey Nova is offline
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Default Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s

Mike(taboo)has some great stories!!
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Old 12-27-2008, 04:19 AM
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Default 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.
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Old 12-27-2008, 06:25 AM
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Default 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.
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Old 12-27-2008, 06:57 PM
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Default 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.
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Old 12-27-2008, 07:28 PM
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Default Re: chicago street racer names and reputations, late 60s

StealthBird
Ask your coworker if the name Phil Zygrebski was part of his past.
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Old 12-27-2008, 09:17 PM
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Default 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.
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Old 12-27-2008, 11:28 PM
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Default 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...

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

.
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