View Full Version : Joe Szabo
Stefano
11-29-2005, 03:21 AM
Does anyone know or Recall the name "Joe Szabo"? He drag raced here in the Chicago/Midwest area at least till 1970.
I went to Ardmore School in Villa Park,Il. in 1972-73 with a new transplanted student named Carl Szabo.
His mother was also our Lead Den Mother for Cub Scouts in 1973.
I think he had a car racing uncle or relative,but don't recall his name.I never met him,but thought Carl said he was into racing cars or building engines bigtime.
I really can't remember what his forte was.
Carl would be the same age as me today,42,and worked/co-owned Villa Park Auto Body off of Villa Ave. across the Street from the Original Ovaltine Factory,up to at least 1982-3 the last I saw of him & his Father,as we lost touch soon there after.
Thought maybe this could help you. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif
kwhizz
11-29-2005, 06:01 AM
I knew Joe Szabo......he and Ralph Richter had a 62-64 Nova called PSYCHO.....it had a Injected 500" big block with a clutch turbo......he also owned a T.V. and Radio repair business on Irving Park just a little east of Nickey Chev.....
Ken http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif
Chevy454
11-29-2005, 06:39 AM
Yahtzee...!
Stefano
11-29-2005, 07:53 AM
Ken,
Talk about a needle in a haystack?? How did you get to know Joe? Did you ever see the car Run? What years?
kwhizz
11-29-2005, 03:49 PM
I lived in the same neighborhood as Ralph and Joe....we sort'a hung out together....When the car was finished they were in the UDRA gasser circuit and I went to a few races with them, the car had a 500" Injected big block......It was one of the first "Large" motors that was built in the area....they put a ton of money in the car but weren't the best when it came to dialing the car in......remember, this was with early 60's suspension technology , and gob's of horsepower......when the car was finished.....it had blue tinted plexiglass windows all around (including the windshield).......when Joe drove it for the first time , he realized that the blue tint didn't allow him to see the christmas tree lights at all....the blue tint cancelled out the lights......back to the drawing board.......the car ran 10 flat which was crazy for the time.......they ended up breaking a valve and did quite a bit of damage to the big motor and backed off the racing....Ralph got married and everyone sort of went their seperate ways .......I hear the car is still around somewhere......they ran the car as I remember 66-68 timeframe......
Ken
Stefano
11-29-2005, 11:23 PM
Ken,
Thanks for sharing. What a small world we live in! I have been researching some old race cars with Local/Chicago History and came up with this cool story and car.
It is a 1963 Chevy II, which I have been told was a race car from virtually day one. It is still set up very much as you remember it. The engine I was told is an L88 with open chamber heads and was rebuilt in 1970 and prepped for another race season , but for some reason, never again run. The car sat in "barn" storage for 35 years until just recently.
Joe's name was on the 1/4 panels and door as driver. Car was last painted by "Scully". A " Hanzel" Studio had something to do with the car. C&T engineering out of Evergreen Park was a sponsor as well as Midwest Muffler.
The car he been through at least a few paint schemes. It seems to have originally been Gold ,then White, then a light metallic blue and a robins egg blue and finally in the configuration it was left in 1970.
Please fill in any gaps that you can. I still can't believe you were right there as it happened.
Great talking with you.
Picture
http://www.yenko.net/attachments/173761-sb-1.JPG
Another
http://www.yenko.net/attachments/173764-sb-2.JPG
Another
http://www.yenko.net/attachments/173766-sb-3.JPG
Xplantdad
11-30-2005, 02:23 AM
That is so cool...Ken and Stefano...thanks for sharing...AWESOME! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif
Stefano
11-30-2005, 04:52 AM
Ken,
Now that you provided the name I can see the old outline on the 1/4 panel "owners Joe Szabo & Ralph Richter".
There is a note on the aluminum dash panel, it says; "Think, is this trip absolutely necessary?"
Chevy454
11-30-2005, 05:03 AM
That's hilarious, Stefano! Looks like old S/W guages? And was the bead rolled tin-work common back in the day? Is that something haning in the vacinity of where the rear view mirror used to be? Cool stuff...WAY out there for my tastes, but never a better time to learn!
Stefano
11-30-2005, 05:27 AM
I'm not that up on these old race cars, but based on many that I have seen this one seems very advanced, IMO for the time. The bead rolled tin/aluminum is cutting edge. You caught the "Yenko" style SW gages. That pull handle where the rear view mirror would have been is for the parachute.
There is an aluminum water tank and electric pump in the trunk for its cooling system.
kwhizz
11-30-2005, 07:52 AM
Wow.......Talk about memories.......Like I told Steve earlier......Ralph's family owned a machine shop around Southport and Addison and they bought one of the first Lakewood Scattershields that were made,when it was assembled to the block we found that the bore that located the trans was not concentric with the crankshaft......the assembled engine was set up on a boring mill and we bored the hole oversize and made a sleeve to center everything up........I also remember helping mount the fuel tank....we were also color co-ordinated at the track with pin striped Bell Bottoms and matching shirts http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif......I think the car survived better than the rest of the guy's........Danny Rush did most of the mechanical work on the car and the last time we were together was a year ago....the rest of the guy's I last had contact with in the early 70's...............I could go on and on......
Ken http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/youguysrock.gif
kwhizz
11-30-2005, 08:00 AM
Also ....Joe was friends with Austin Coil.....Austin at the time was a Chrysler mechanic and raced a gold Plymouth Hemi car......when he got involved with Farkonis and Minnick(that's another story)while they were building their first funny car we went over to Austins 2 car garage and watched him put the Chassis together....I remember they had the spindles chromed and when he tried to put them on they wouldn't fit because of the chrome buildup....And the rest is History.......
Ken http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif
Stefano
11-30-2005, 08:09 AM
Ken,
Do you remember what year Joe and Ralph bought the car, from the speed shop and what color it was before they had it painted?
kwhizz
11-30-2005, 08:12 AM
Just from memory I'd say they bought it in 65......don't know about the color........
Ken http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hmmm.gif
Stefano
11-30-2005, 08:15 AM
Who was the speed shop and was it set up for a big block when they got it? Still 993 questions left to go.
Casey Marks
11-30-2005, 08:18 AM
GREAT stuff guys !!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif
kwhizz
11-30-2005, 08:19 AM
I'm pretty sure the contact came thru Von Essers Speed Shop which was about a half mile east of Nickey on Irving Park rd......
Ken
kwhizz
11-30-2005, 08:21 AM
Or Speed Service that was in the same area......??????? That all happened B4 I got involved
Ken
Stefano
11-30-2005, 08:36 AM
Part of the story I got said that Joe was buddies with Austin Coil?
Xplantdad
11-30-2005, 05:00 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Wow.......Talk about memories.......Like I told Steve earlier......Ralph's family owned a machine shop around Southport and Addison and they bought one of the first Lakewood Scattershields that were made,when it was assembled to the block we found that the bore that located the trans was not concentric with the crankshaft......the assembled engine was set up on a boring mill and we bored the hole oversize and made a sleeve to center everything up........I also remember helping mount the fuel tank....we were also color co-ordinated at the track with pin striped Bell Bottoms and matching shirts http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif......I think the car survived better than the rest of the guy's........Danny Rush did most of the mechanical work on the car and the last time we were together was a year ago....the rest of the guy's I last had contact with in the early 70's...............I could go on and on......
Ken http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/youguysrock.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/youguysrock.gif You better keep going...this is very cool! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/headbang.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif
kwhizz
11-30-2005, 08:27 PM
Bruce......Time to Empty your P.M. Box..........
Ken
Xplantdad
11-30-2005, 10:09 PM
Sorry Ken...It's emptied a bit!
mrtimstik
12-01-2005, 12:11 AM
In honor of Ken's knowledge and recollection on this topic I feel like I should change my name to G whizz, because this guy is amazing to listen to. I mean we asked Helen Gibb to write a book, How about kwhizz writing some memoirs?
I also had an auto shop teacher at Triton College in River Grove named Frank Szabo in the early 80's.
kwhizz
12-01-2005, 01:10 AM
When this car was finished, like I said in an earlier post......the first time out we had the Blue windshield problem......the first run was a mid 11 second run......that was it, then the windshield was changed from Blue to clear.....there might have been another weekend where a run or two were made.......then we went to Minnesota for a UDRA Gasser meet.....it rained all weekend and the car never came off the trailer.....next time out we went to another Gasser meet at the Edgewater Dragstrip in Cincinatti......the first run down the track, the car went like a 10.00 flat.....that was with like 5 or 6 runs on the car since completion......the next run down the track, the car didn't make it to half track before breaking, when we got to the car and saw water coming out of one of the header pipes....we knew there was a major problem with the engine.......loaded it up and took it home.....when we got home we found a broken valve that took out the piston, cyl wall, head, etc.....After that interest was lost by Joe and Ralph and eventually a new motor was built......but the car never went down the track again....due to Joe's Tax problems with the Government....the car was hidden in Northern Wisconsin until it popped up here......a virtual time capsule.......
Ken http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/youguysrock.gif
Xplantdad
12-01-2005, 01:50 AM
[ QUOTE ]
In honor of Ken's knowledge and recollection on this topic I feel like I should change my name to G whizz, because this guy is amazing to listen to. I mean we asked Helen Gibb to write a book, How about kwhizz writing some memoirs?
I also had an auto shop teacher at Triton College in River Grove named Frank Szabo in the early 80's.
[/ QUOTE ]
I feel the same way...Ken, are you listening? We should have "Ken's Corner" where anyone who has cool drag racing/street racing and musclecar stories could post (this should/would/could include Ken, Joe G, Belair Bob, the Clary's and on and on...)
I live for this stuff...and eat it up!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif
Stefano
12-01-2005, 02:24 AM
Bruce,
This is the forum for such things! Did Ken share where he spent most Saturday Mornings, back in the day?
I can't wait to open the Engine up and see what's inside.
Ken,
There are signs of body filler on top of the original paint around the wheel openings. Which would lead me to believe the car had some fabricated wheel openings at one time early in its life. Were they that hogged out when you guys ran the car? The Vintage M&Hs are 13 inches wide and it had '16 steel wheels on the back.
Think you can dig up an old pic or two?
Xplantdad
12-01-2005, 02:36 AM
Steve...I guess that why I'm on here so much then...I think I'm addicted...someone help! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
kwhizz
12-01-2005, 04:13 AM
[ QUOTE ]
Bruce,
This is the forum for such things! Did Ken share where he spent most Saturday Mornings, back in the day?
I can't wait to open the Engine up and see what's inside.
Ken,
There are signs of body filler on top of the original paint around the wheel openings. Which would lead me to believe the car had some fabricated wheel openings at one time early in its life. Were they that hogged out when you guys ran the car? The Vintage M&Hs are 13 inches wide and it had '16 steel wheels on the back.
Think you can dig up an old pic or two?
[/ QUOTE ]
The car looks exactly as I remember it, cut out wheelwells and all.......Sorry....No Pic's....... Steve.......How about a story about how you found the car and who you bought it from......etc.....
Ken
Xplantdad
12-01-2005, 04:15 AM
Yo Ken...where did you spend Saturday mornings...back in the day....? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif
Belair62
12-01-2005, 06:11 AM
Very cool stuff Ken ...I am thinking you knew/know Larry Swiatek and the Gray Ghost Pontiac FX and Funny cars ...Mike Garfinkle too ????
Belair62
12-01-2005, 06:32 AM
Funny...reading this cool thread and listening to Jack Bruce,Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton banging away on WTTW public TV...damn cool.
SSJunkie68-69
12-01-2005, 03:57 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Funny...reading this cool thread and listening to Jack Bruce,Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton banging away on WTTW public TV...damn cool.
[/ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
...please put down the hashish now..
[/ QUOTE ]
kwhizz
12-01-2005, 04:21 PM
It was a ritual, every Saturday morning we would go to Nickey and see what was going on , what new cars came in during the week, and hang out in the Parts dept......one of the Part Guy's was named Mike and Mr. Cusser was the Manager .....we used to get some side work from Mike.....if someone would come in and buy some speed stuff and didn't know how to put it on and the shop was busy.....Mike would turn us on to this and we made some extra money.....Also one Saturday we were there , the car carrier pulled up and we went outside to see what was new.....
There was a Nassau Blue 65 Vette on the trailer, we freaked out cause it had Knock Off wheels,Side Pipes, Gold Line Tires. and
"Oh my God"........Big Block Flags on the fenders......this was the first 396-425 Vette to arrive at Nickey....we had to wait around to hear this thing run and to look at it closer......this thing had a crowd around it all day.....while it was being cleaned and prepped, we noticed that a receipt was taped on the windshied and that the car had been bought from someone that was there......the rest of the story I'm not proud of but after seeing what was going on I kept my distance........my friend that I was there with sat in the car.....got the Key #'s, got the guy's address of the receipt and went in the parts dept and got a set of keys made......you see where this is going.......The guy that bought the car lived in Lake Forest
......any how they went out there that night and took the car and brought it back to the city and stripped it....my friend put the knock-offs on his 64 Impala...(talk about advertising) he was stopped by the Police and asked about the wheels and ended up turning in the guy's that helped him........The end result was that one person went to Jail for a year....my friend got off (because he didn't actually steal the car)......what goes around comes around because they rented a little "U-Haul" trailer and put the engine and trans in it, and someone stole the trailer.......Glad I didn't get involved in that deal.....
Bob, I watched the Grey Ghost run all the time....there was another Pontiac that ran in the same time frame called the "White Warrior" that was Ray Bisig
Ken http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/youguysrock.gif
Xplantdad
12-01-2005, 04:37 PM
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gifWay Friggin cool! (as Frank Magallon would say)
Midnight auto supply, huh? The closest I ever got to Nickeywhenwe lived in Palatine was driving by on the highway... http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Keep it coming , Ken! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif
Stefano
12-01-2005, 06:12 PM
Talk about a scary race/Funny car. The Grey Ghost lives!
Belair62
12-01-2005, 08:09 PM
I Know it does Stavros ! just barely though...did he/will he do anything with it.
kwhizz
12-03-2005, 03:09 AM
Here's another Nickey story......
One Saturday in 68.....I was sitting in the Parts Dept talking to Mike (Parts Guy) and a guy walks in and wants to buy a complete L-88 engine assy....(of course they only had about six in stock)....anyhow...he was a Geeky College type guy.....I'm thinking to myself....Yeah...Right......Mike gives him a price and he buys it right on the spot......he then ask's if we knew anyone who could put it in right away.....so I said .....what are you going to put it in, he responds that he has a 68 Vette that had a 400 H.P.(Hydraulic Cam) engine and wants to go faster.....so I work a deal to change out the engine in my garage and for doing all the work ....I would get to keep his "Old" engine with 3000 miles on it.....shook hands....done deal....Mike has a Pick-up truck and I gave him the key to my garage so he could deliver the L-88 on Friday Night......the guy drops off his Vette Saturday Morning......I spend Saturday and Sunday doing the work....the guy picks up his car on Sunday night and is just tickled pink......Everybody is Happy....Right.......................Tuesday or Wednesday I call Nickey to talk to Mike and was told that Mike had quit on Monday and was moving to California.......Wow!!!!I was supprised that he didn't say anything about that to me..... too bad I think to myself........Friday Night I go over to my Garage to clean up my mess from the previous weekend......I walk in the door and the engine is gone.....I talked to the neighbor and he said that guy with the pickup came and took it away..........he was the last one to see Mike and the engine........Go Figure......
Ken http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Stefano
12-03-2005, 04:50 AM
Ken,
You might recognize these names I just talked to a Guy who worked at the Nickey parts counter between HS and College Ralph Greinke. His buddy Dennis Sciborski was also there. They started in 1968.
BTW, cool story, un cool outcome.
Xplantdad
12-03-2005, 06:52 AM
I say we go find Mike...no statute of limitations on thievery from Ken's garage http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif
hvychev
12-10-2005, 05:11 AM
Way friggin cool story!http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Stefano, did you buy Ralphs car?
Stefano
12-11-2005, 12:11 AM
Yes, I have it. It is in storage, close to Senior's Beat.
It was found at a lake house in Northern Wisconsin just as it was left in 1970-71. The casting date on the 512 engine is March 1970.
Ken's story sure fills in the gap of how it got up there and
why it was dormant all these years. Now I just need the history prior to Joe and Ralph running the car. It had a few paint jobs prior to the current scheme.
Anyone have any pics of a '63 Nova BB Gasser set up like this in Gold, White, Medium Blue Metallic or a Robin's Egg Blue?
hvychev
12-11-2005, 04:01 AM
Stefano, I meant did you buy Ralphs OTHER car??? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif
Stefano
12-13-2005, 01:38 AM
Got a call from "Fast" Mike, who hooked me up with 'Psycho Too' and asked me if I knew who "Little" John from Kenosha, WI is? He said that some of the info he dug up is that "Little" John built the Chassis and did the tin work on the car.
Anyone know a race car chassis builder out of Kenosha by that name http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif
Xplantdad
12-13-2005, 02:10 AM
Ken...are you there? I'll bet he knows... http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif
kwhizz
12-13-2005, 04:31 AM
Lil John Butera......was partners with Dennis Rollain at R&B Automotive in Kenosha.....John left Kenosha in about 66-67 and moved out to California and went to work for Mickey Thompson and built the Monocoque Mustangs for Ford , then he went out on his own and the rest is History.....he showed Coddington how to make Billet wheels.....Started the Billet Craze in Street Rodding.....very innovative but not a good businessman......
Ken http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif
Stefano
12-13-2005, 04:51 AM
Ken,
You are awesome! Not many people know that Little John Buttera was building race cars in Wisconsin, prior to moving out to California. I never even had a hunch that 'Psycho Too' had a link to Little John, until I got that phone call today.
Xplantdad
12-13-2005, 05:27 AM
[ QUOTE ]
Ken,
You are awesome! Not many people know that Little John Buttera was building race cars in Wisconsin, prior to moving out to California. I never even had a hunch that 'Psycho Too' had a link to Little John, until I got that phone call today.
[/ QUOTE ]
See? Okay Ken...when is the book coming out? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
kwhizz
12-13-2005, 05:35 AM
I don't have any expertise in factory correct numbers like some of the people on this site, but I am full of "Useless" information...........LOL
Ken http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif
Xplantdad
12-13-2005, 05:36 AM
It isn't useless...It's awesome! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/headbang.gif
What's useless is why I can remember my phone number from kindergarden...but not what I had for dinner last night! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif
kwhizz
12-13-2005, 05:40 AM
[ QUOTE ]
It isn't useless...It awesome! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/headbang.gif
What's useless is why I can remember my phone number from kindergarden...but not what I had for dinner last night! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
I suppose you cooked out on the Grill cause it was in the 70's.........Right!!!...........
Ken http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hmmm.gif
Xplantdad
12-13-2005, 05:51 AM
C'mon Ken....More info!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/youguysrock.gif
kwhizz
12-13-2005, 06:20 AM
Dennis and John (R&B) built some of the first Fiberglass Funny Cars (A/FX) at the time....they built Don Schumachers first "Stardust" car....Injected Hemi.....Also built Mr. Norm's first Flip Top Fiberglass A/FX car..the 66 Charger that Gary Dyer toured the country with...they also played around with very lightweight junior fuel cars....after John moved to California and went out on his own he built the High End type cars , again for Schumacher, Barry Setzer, etc........He was one of the first to set-up Funny cars with Coilovers in the rear, at the time most were solid mount rearends....his Tall "T" street rod was cutting edge for the time... Handbuilt Independent Front and rear suspension with the rear tires inside the fenders (most stuck out at the time)........then he built an Indy car with a small block chevy and qualified very well, but as I remember they sheared off the flywheel bolts during the race, I think he also ran a 180 Degree???? crankshaft in that engine...Seen him at the SEMA show about 6-7 years ago and he was building Custom Harleys.....the one that he had at the show was so slick that if it were outside in the rain it wouldn't get wet because there was nothing for the water to catch on.........everything was hidden and slicked off...... http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gifJust way ahead of his time.....
Ken http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif
Belair62
12-14-2005, 04:01 AM
R & B also built Larry Swiateks Gray Ghost 66 GTO Funnycar !!! Scully painted it ,Fiberglas LTD made the body...Heavy duty Chicago connection there Stefano ! ...
kwhizz
12-23-2005, 03:38 AM
R&B is still in business......Dennis is not doing very well from a health perspective.......Lil John was the creative one at R&B and when he left, Dennis continued on and did a couple of neat cars but he didn't have the finesse that John had......
One of the "Neatest" cars that Dennis built was Mini Cooper Panel Delivery.......Dennis started with just a brand new Body shell......built a tube frame,narrowed 9" Ford rear, Built Ford V6 engine, it had about 12" aluminum Rims about 9" wide....looked like a Roller Skate....the car was about as high as your belt buckle.....NEEEEEETTT!!!!!
Ken
Does anybody know if Joe Szabo ever ran a '69 Camaro in the early to mid '70's. Do you know if Joe ever move to Pennsylvania around the same time period?
Thanks,
Mike
kwhizz
02-06-2006, 11:41 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Does anybody know if Joe Szabo ever ran a '69 Camaro in the early to mid '70's. Do you know if Joe ever move to Pennsylvania around the same time period? Thanks,Mike
[/ QUOTE ] No.....After the tax man got thru with Joe, he was Lucky to have Gas money for his car.............(thru his own fault) Ken (eating Mango's) LOL
Thanks Ken.....enjoy the mango's. I'm eating oranges http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Mike http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif
Stefano
02-07-2006, 01:06 AM
There was another Joe Szabo out East who either raced or sponsored a front engine rail back in the day, but not the same person.
Stefano
04-20-2006, 08:07 PM
I have discovered a bit more info about the car at the Vette/Fest.
While at the Vette Fest on display, One of the Midwest Gasser members saw the car and said that he hadn't seen it since the '60s, when he raced against it.
He asked if I was aware that the car was originally a White car? I told him that the original color appears to have been Gold, but that the whole car did have a white paint job over the Gold.
He also informed me that it was not a Mechanic at Nickey who had built and raced the car before Szabo, but a parts counter man, named Ron http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif
Bruce Larson's PR guy, who stopped by to look it over said that he too recognized the car and thought he might have some pics of it from back in the day.
He said that he remembered it because it was one of the first Midwest area Gassers to have such a deep engine set back.
tmilecki
04-21-2006, 03:45 AM
Does anyone know if Scully is still around. I believe he letered a car that I owned called Taboo. It was a 70 Z28 super gas car.
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/Can-I-Have-It.gif
Xplantdad
04-21-2006, 05:49 AM
Cool deal Stefano...BTW...clean out your PM box a bit...if you already haven't http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
L78Impala
04-22-2006, 05:22 AM
Scully spends his winters in Palm Springs and summers in Palatine. He is still alive and kicking. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif
tmilecki
04-22-2006, 05:41 AM
Thats were I live. I will have to look him up.
ChevyThunder
05-17-2006, 08:05 AM
Stefano.. any feedback on that lead I gave you on a " Joe Szabo in WI " ?
Stefano
05-18-2006, 09:41 PM
Not yet, but thanks for the info!
Stefano
06-11-2006, 07:43 AM
Just an update, on the continuing research for Psycho Too; The N.I.C.B has confirmed that the Chevy II was indeed sold new at Nickey Chevrolet, in 1963.
We are still looking for vintage race photos or film of this car in action, as well as any other helpful info.
Xplantdad
06-11-2006, 07:57 AM
What great news Stefano! That is such a cool ride... http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif
Stefano
08-09-2009, 09:23 PM
Joe Zabo's Widow as well as some of his associates have contaced us and stopped by to visit Psycho Too.
Here are a couple of Vintage Pics;
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a79/StefanoBimbi/PsychoIIvintagepic.jpg http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a79/StefanoBimbi/Psycho_21.jpg
kwhizz
08-09-2009, 10:18 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Joe Zabo's Widow as well as some of his associates have contaced us and stopped by to visit Psycho Too.
Here are a couple of Vintage Pics;
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a79/StefanoBimbi/Psycho_21.jpg
[/ QUOTE ]
Stefano........That's the rear of my 66 L-79 in the Pic.........Amazing....
Ken http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif
Salvatore
08-09-2009, 11:23 PM
WOW Ken.....memories! Its cool to think about what you were doing and who you were hanging with back then! A small world. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif
kwhizz
08-10-2009, 04:54 AM
[ QUOTE ]
WOW Ken.....memories! Its cool to think about what you were doing and who you were hanging with back then! A small world. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
I knew that Stefano was going to get some Psycho Pic's and I just about fell over when I seen that one http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif......Peel away the Years........Too bad that Joe and Danny are no longer with us http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif......Looks like Ralph (one of the owners) getting into the passenger side of my car........ http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif
Ken http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif
Xplantdad
08-10-2009, 07:47 AM
Wow...how cool! You just never know when pics will pop up! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif
Stefano
11-25-2011, 06:02 AM
Steven J found this Psycho Too about 1/2 way in.
<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gjtB_UFUVQ0"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gjtB_UFUVQ0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>
kwhizz
11-25-2011, 01:20 PM
Another Interesting thing about Drag Racing Now and Then......is that the stands were full every weekend then.....Shake Rattle and Run is just before Psycho in the video.....Pretty Cool....
Dave Rifkin
11-25-2011, 01:49 PM
Maybe it's just me but, I think the reason the stands were full back then was because the cars were actually cars and not some fiberglass replicas; plus more cars had manual transmissions where the drivers had to "drive" the cars.
To this day I enjoy watching the stock, super stock and competition eliminator classes much more than the top tier classes. I prefer to watch cars that are closer to stock bodied vehicles that I can relate to; something that I could actually aspire to driving. Of course I'd also get rid of the delay boxes and all the electrical crap too.
Dicky
11-26-2011, 01:16 PM
Good looking cars. I see Jeg Coughlin Sr.'s car at 6:30 for you Ohio fans.
DH <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif
vBulletin® v3.8.11, Copyright ©2000-2025, vBulletin Solutions Inc.