ZR-1 Tourist Destination When In Chicago - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

billybaloneey · 11-18-2008

About a month ago I learned I would be going to the Chicago area...Schaumburg...for business. While planning my trip, just for grins I took a look at the map and discovered Haibeck Automotive Technology was only about a 30 minute drive from where I would be staying. I emailed Marc Haibeck and asked him if I could come by and visit his shop. He replied, "Your visit would be quite welcome."

I flew into O'Hare yesterday, got a rental car and made a beeline to Marc's shop. I've never seen so many stinking toll booths in my life.

I called before getting there to make sure it was still alright to stop by and visit. He greeted me at the back door wiping ZR-1 grease off of his hands. He had 4 or 5 ZR-1's in various stages of repairs, some with engines in and some with engines out. Marc showed me around the cars he was working on, answered all my questions, gave me some tips and pointers he'd learned from experience. It was the cleanest and most orderly shop I've ever seen, even will all the cars being worked on.

While talking about cleaning up my plenum and cam covers, I asked him if he knew where I could get a couple of cam cover emblems...one of mine is missing and the other is badly dis-colored. He told me I was in luck, he just received a supply of emblems a few days earlier. They are very nice reproductions. He showed me an original, and when compared to the reproductions, I couldn't tell the difference until I picked one up...the repo's are slightly heavier.

We talked windshields, radiators, ECM chips, plenums, porting, headers, engines, etc. I never felt rushed or pressured to rap it up and leave. Marc's son was there working in the shop also. When I asked him if he had a ZR-1, he proudly said he had a Trans Am

I even learned the story of when and how Marc became a ZR-1 wizard.

I left with a chip, two cam cover emblems and a couple of other items. Marc is really a great guy, and I hope everyone that is truly passionate about ZR-1's, their history, how they work, how to fix them, etc, has an opportunity to talk and/or meet with him.

ZZZZZR1 · 11-18-2008

Great story.....

Marc is all that and then some. A great guy and true ZR1 owner. He gladly gives up his time to help any Z owner without a thought of making money.

He stands behind his work 100% and never heard of a single person saying otherwise.

Cheers

David
94 #150

PhillipsLT5 · 11-19-2008

CLASS ACT
I shipped him my car last year
Now it screams

GOLDCYLON · 11-19-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhillipsLT5

CLASS ACT
I shipped him my car last year
Now it screams

I thought the screaming was done by the female in the passenger seat during a run

Aurora40 · 11-19-2008

Yep, he's got a nice shop and is a nice guy to talk with. I was initially surprised to see he has no lift, but I suppose he can fit more cars in and be more flexible with the space without one.

That place was clean! You could eat off the floor in there. Spending a few minutes looking around and talking with him and you certainly feel like you made the right decision bringing your car there.

XfireZ51 · 11-19-2008

Bill,

Marc is a super asset to have right in our backyard. Not sure if you're still around but there are several more of us here in Chicagoland including
Pete, Al, Lgaff, =Jeff=, and myself. We could do deep dish pizza.

billybaloneey · 11-19-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by XfireZ51

Bill,

Marc is a super asset to have right in our backyard. Not sure if you're still around but there are several more of us here in Chicagoland including
Pete, Al, Lgaff, =Jeff=, and myself. We could do deep dish pizza.

Thanks for the offer/invite...but I'm back at O'Hare waiting for my flight back to TX.

Consider yourselves lucky having Marc in your virtual back yard.

Pete · 11-19-2008

Yeah,i bet he's running/flying back to TX as fast as possible,too cold here.

Pete

billybaloneey · 11-19-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete

Yeah,i bet he's running/flying back to TX as fast as possible,too cold here.

Pete

Monday evening was the first time I've driven in snow in 30 years...in Southeast TX, if we get 1-2 snow flakes every year...that is big news.

11-18-2008	#2
ZZZZZR1 Banned BANNED Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: MD Posts: 3,674	Re: ZR-1 Tourist Destination When In Chicago Great story..... Marc is all that and then some. A great guy and true ZR1 owner. He gladly gives up his time to help any Z owner without a thought of making money. He stands behind his work 100% and never heard of a single person saying otherwise. Cheers David 94 #150

11-19-2008	#3
PhillipsLT5 Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 2,446	Re: ZR-1 Tourist Destination When In Chicago CLASS ACT I shipped him my car last year Now it screams

11-19-2008	#5
Aurora40 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Leesburg, VA Posts: 2,704	Re: ZR-1 Tourist Destination When In Chicago Yep, he's got a nice shop and is a nice guy to talk with. I was initially surprised to see he has no lift, but I suppose he can fit more cars in and be more flexible with the space without one. That place was clean! You could eat off the floor in there. Spending a few minutes looking around and talking with him and you certainly feel like you made the right decision bringing your car there.

11-19-2008	#6
XfireZ51 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Chicagoland, IL Posts: 9,685	Re: ZR-1 Tourist Destination When In Chicago Bill, Marc is a super asset to have right in our backyard. Not sure if you're still around but there are several more of us here in Chicagoland including Pete, Al, Lgaff, =Jeff=, and myself. We could do deep dish pizza.

11-19-2008	#8
Pete Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Chicagoland,IL Posts: 2,667	Re: ZR-1 Tourist Destination When In Chicago Yeah,i bet he's running/flying back to TX as fast as possible,too cold here. Pete __________________ '91 #1635 PoloGreen 350 LT5 11.09 @ 129.27 11.04 @ 128.86 474RWHP 400RWTQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFNFOhGGlR4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlRIOMwaDYY https://sites.google.com/site/peteszr1garage

11-18-2008	#1
billybaloneey Join Date: May 2008 Location: Mauriceville, Texas Posts: 179	ZR-1 Tourist Destination When In Chicago About a month ago I learned I would be going to the Chicago area...Schaumburg...for business. While planning my trip, just for grins I took a look at the map and discovered Haibeck Automotive Technology was only about a 30 minute drive from where I would be staying. I emailed Marc Haibeck and asked him if I could come by and visit his shop. He replied, "Your visit would be quite welcome." I flew into O'Hare yesterday, got a rental car and made a beeline to Marc's shop. I've never seen so many stinking toll booths in my life. I called before getting there to make sure it was still alright to stop by and visit. He greeted me at the back door wiping ZR-1 grease off of his hands. He had 4 or 5 ZR-1's in various stages of repairs, some with engines in and some with engines out. Marc showed me around the cars he was working on, answered all my questions, gave me some tips and pointers he'd learned from experience. It was the cleanest and most orderly shop I've ever seen, even will all the cars being worked on. While talking about cleaning up my plenum and cam covers, I asked him if he knew where I could get a couple of cam cover emblems...one of mine is missing and the other is badly dis-colored. He told me I was in luck, he just received a supply of emblems a few days earlier. They are very nice reproductions. He showed me an original, and when compared to the reproductions, I couldn't tell the difference until I picked one up...the repo's are slightly heavier. We talked windshields, radiators, ECM chips, plenums, porting, headers, engines, etc. I never felt rushed or pressured to rap it up and leave. Marc's son was there working in the shop also. When I asked him if he had a ZR-1, he proudly said he had a Trans Am I even learned the story of when and how Marc became a ZR-1 wizard. I left with a chip, two cam cover emblems and a couple of other items. Marc is really a great guy, and I hope everyone that is truly passionate about ZR-1's, their history, how they work, how to fix them, etc, has an opportunity to talk and/or meet with him.