Oh Smokey,say it ain't so! - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

Z51JEFF · 03-19-2015

I've been reading the Smokey Yunick Autobiography when I read something that was like a knife to the heart. In one chapter he's talking about his friendship with Vince Piggins,as Smokey puts it at the time the ZR-1 was underdevelopment.on Smokeys own words:HE WAS GENERAL MANAGER THE YEAR THEY PUT THAT HIGH-BUCK,PIECE OF $HIT,JUNK ENGLISH ENGINE IN THE CORVETTE ENGINE IN THE CORVETTE. the guy goes to tell him how much a mistake it was and it was going to cost him his job bla,bla,bla. For one thing,wasn't Jim Perkins G.M. of Chevrolet when the Z came out? And in all the years,all print I've read on this car I've never heard the name Vince Piggens in regards to the ZR-1, never. Camaro yes but never the ZR-1. Smokey Yunicl was one hell of a race car builder and a legendary cheater but when it comes to facts the guy don't know his head from his a$$. Just had to share with ya'll.

XfireZ51 · 03-19-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z51JEFF

I've been reading the Smokey Yunick Autobiography when I read something that was like a knife to the heart. In one chapter he's talking about his friendship with Vince Piggins,as Smokey puts it at the time the ZR-1 was underdevelopment.on Smokeys own words:HE WAS GENERAL MANAGER THE YEAR THEY PUT THAT HIGH-BUCK,PIECE OF $HIT,JUNK ENGLISH ENGINE IN THE CORVETTE ENGINE IN THE CORVETTE. the guy goes to tell him how much a mistake it was and it was going to cost him his job bla,bla,bla. For one thing,wasn't Jim Perkins of Chevrolet when the Z came out? And in all the years,all print I've read on this car I've never heard the name Vince Piggens in regards to the ZR-1, never. Camaro yes but never the ZR-1. Smokey Yunicl was one hell of a race car builder and a legendary cheater but when it comes to facts the guy don't know his head from his a$$. Just had to share with ya'll.

Yunick sounds like he was working for GM Powertrain. Piggins was the guy that came up w the 302 back in the 60's if I recall correctly.

Jagdpanzer · 03-19-2015

Smokey was one of greatest generation in more ways than one can imagine.
Perhaps later in life he sometimes was prone not to let facts stand in the way of a good story.

Paul Workman · 03-19-2015

That comment still applies in many circles. I love it when a GM "guy" comes to understand the error of there opinoins...heh, heh, heh.

Blue Flame Restorations · 03-19-2015

I've been lucky to have either driven or owned about everything in a Corvette, prior to the C7, and the LT5 is the best looking and most fun engine I've ever driven. I'll take that piece of crap any day!!

Z51JEFF · 03-19-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jagdpanzer

Smokey was one of greatest generation in more ways than one can imagine.
Perhaps later in life he sometimes was prone not to let facts stand in the way of a good story.

I'd have to agree.The guy was,is a legend no getting around it. He was all about making a buck,even figured out a way to sell more books but above all he was a world class shuckster,always looking for the loophole.There are some parts in the book that had me rollin on the floor laughing so hard at some of the crap these guys did. I haven't gottin to the part in the book where he gets disqualified from a race when it was discoverd he was filling the rollbar in the car with gas.��

Mystic ZR-1 · 03-19-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jagdpanzer

Smokey was one of greatest generation in more ways than one can imagine.
Perhaps later in life he sometimes was prone not to let facts stand in the way of a good story.

Damn, Smokey was my idol!
I can forgive him though. You know he would have stuck an LT5 (if it had been invented at the time) in the 7/8ths scale Chevelle race car he built and gotten away with it!!!
I'm sure the tech inspectors were thinking, "There's something about that Chevelle but I can't quite put my finger on it" Now they've got body templates...
Who else could get 25 gallons of gas in a 22 gallon fuel cell?
Hint: a very long 1 inch diameter fuel line...
They didn't come any cleverer than Smokey.

Z51JEFF · 03-19-2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mystic ZR-1

Damn, Smokey was my idol!
I can forgive him though. You know he would have stuck an LT5 (if it had been invented at the time) in the 7/8ths scale Chevelle race car he built and gotten away with it!!!
I'm sure the tech inspectors were thinking, "There's something about that Chevelle but I can't quite put my finger on it" Now they've got body templates...
Who else could get 25 gallons of gas in a 22 gallon fuel cell?
Hint: a very long 1 inch diameter fuel line...
They didn't come any cleverer than Smokey.

I believe it was the Chevelle that had the -extended range- rollbar.

Mystic ZR-1 · 03-19-2015

Probably both!
They might find one but not the other...

KILLSHOTS · 03-19-2015

Apparently, being a good mechanic doesn't prevent one from having diarrhea of the mouth. An engine "genius" who thinks the LT-5 is a junk engine? Uhhhhhh...

03-19-2015	#1
Z51JEFF Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fremont,Ca Posts: 3,073	Oh Smokey,say it ain't so! I've been reading the Smokey Yunick Autobiography when I read something that was like a knife to the heart. In one chapter he's talking about his friendship with Vince Piggins,as Smokey puts it at the time the ZR-1 was underdevelopment.on Smokeys own words:HE WAS GENERAL MANAGER THE YEAR THEY PUT THAT HIGH-BUCK,PIECE OF $HIT,JUNK ENGLISH ENGINE IN THE CORVETTE ENGINE IN THE CORVETTE. the guy goes to tell him how much a mistake it was and it was going to cost him his job bla,bla,bla. For one thing,wasn't Jim Perkins G.M. of Chevrolet when the Z came out? And in all the years,all print I've read on this car I've never heard the name Vince Piggens in regards to the ZR-1, never. Camaro yes but never the ZR-1. Smokey Yunicl was one hell of a race car builder and a legendary cheater but when it comes to facts the guy don't know his head from his a$$. Just had to share with ya'll. Last edited by Z51JEFF; 03-19-2015 at 11:30 AM.

03-19-2015	#3
Jagdpanzer Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,658	Re: Oh Smokey,say it ain't so! Smokey was one of greatest generation in more ways than one can imagine. Perhaps later in life he sometimes was prone not to let facts stand in the way of a good story. __________________ Phil Wasinger 1994 Torch Red ZR-1 WAZOO Member George Braml Intake

03-19-2015	#4
Paul Workman Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Squires (near Ava MO in the Mark Twain N'tl Forest) - Missouri Posts: 6,493	Re: Oh Smokey,say it ain't so! That comment still applies in many circles. I love it when a GM "guy" comes to understand the error of there opinoins...heh, heh, heh. __________________ Good carz, good food, good friendz = the best of timez! 90 #1202 "FBI" top end ported & relieved Cam timing by "Pete the Greek" Sans secondaries Chip & dyno tuning by Haibeck Automotive SW headers, X-pipe, MF muffs Former Secretary, ZR-1 Net Registry

03-19-2015	#5
Blue Flame Restorations Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Pendleton, IN Posts: 3,904	Re: Oh Smokey,say it ain't so! I've been lucky to have either driven or owned about everything in a Corvette, prior to the C7, and the LT5 is the best looking and most fun engine I've ever driven. I'll take that piece of crap any day!! __________________ 1988 KOH Prototype EX5023 sold 1990 ZR-1 #444 Convertible 1990 ZR-1 Black #966 1991 ZR-1 Quazar Blue #296 1957 Duntov SS Project

03-19-2015	#9
Mystic ZR-1 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Mystic CT Posts: 2,632	Re: Oh Smokey,say it ain't so! Probably both! They might find one but not the other...

03-19-2015	#10
KILLSHOTS Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: AZ Posts: 860	Re: Oh Smokey,say it ain't so! Apparently, being a good mechanic doesn't prevent one from having diarrhea of the mouth. An engine "genius" who thinks the LT-5 is a junk engine? Uhhhhhh...