I wrote a story for Garage on Brian Fox and his blown Chevy F.E.D. "Zorba's Ghost". Then when he got a chance he came to california and helped out at my shop for a day. He's got friends that build wheelstanding, freakshow AWB cars and Gassers. They actually race 'em...In addition, Brian just got commissioned to build another rail that's legal to run the whole quarter (see below). I'm posting this thread to thank Brian for the inspiration and evening phone calls after he runs his rail AS A TIRE SMOKER. Yep, Brian is living my dream right now. My rails are famous mainly for not running and being for sale. His car isn't as famous as mine (yet) but it should be... You've seen the wheelstanding spin out at Mokan 2 years ago. That was followed by a hard smoking pass at night at his local track. The following year he made a pass again in Mokan with the mag accidentally retarded and had to pack it up. Yesterday, him and a buddy took the Ghost to a local 1/8th mile track for test and tune. The mag was set right, it was hittin' hard. He yanked the front wheels (with 40 pounds of weight on the front) and roasted his Radir slicks the entire length of the track, with the car drifting left to right as he pedaled it...I listened to him tell me this with a huge smile on my face. All I hear are fans wishing the Cackle cars would run in anger and the current F.E.D. drivers dismissing the old days as "NEAT, but we're faster and we know better now." I understand both views...Yet, Brian ran his car on a track last night as hard as he could run it. No burnout. Wheels up and tires blazing. NOT a "squirt". NOT an "exhibition pass". A wheels up, tire roasting, fish tailing pass staring at the back of a screaming supercharged Chevy gulping pure alcohol! The man is doing it, and he's going to keep on doing it. He over revved it on the last pass and blew the breather off the motor, possibly hurting a cylinder ending the night. He's learning fast... *The car is getting a red shift light mounted under the cowl, (NOT a rev limiter!) but an indicator light that will flicker as he gets close to redline. *The Radir is a street tire with a very stiff sidewall, so when you play with tire pressure the contact patch changes too much. So, maybe a 10" M&H or M/T is next up, for a better tuning range for tire pressure. *He changes the pill in his injector and plays with the mag. NO clutch adjustment (locked up). 2 guys (Brian and a friend) towed the car to the track on an open single axle trailer and ran it all day. I've been told by veterans the Smokers didn't E.T., but they mile per hour'd up the ying. With the better tires and tracks of today, he might be able to tune this dragster into the fastest tire smokin' Chevy ever run. Or, at least have loads of adrenalin charged adventure tryin' to. If you've ever heard my rants, you know if a partner/sponsor EVER steps up I will drop everything I'm doing and run my rails straight to Heaven, Hell and back (Yeah, I still got 'em) but until then, I'm glued to the phone, my e-mail and YouTube watching Brian experience what built the soul of Drag Racing decades ago...RIGHT NOW, FOR REAL, in St. Louis. He didn't ask me to say this, but if there's anybody on here that can back ol' Brian and Zorba's Ghost up with parts, fuel etc. you should do it. OR, build something that will run against him... I cain't be there with ya yet brother, but I'm behind you 100%. GIT 'EM.
Brian is Dreamy and an excellent spooner ta boot. Him and I have got a cool goof off project to work on this winter when the snows' a flyin'.
I think what he is doing is Bad ass!! That car is amazing!! I would really like to see it run sometime. Jimmy White
Those words could not be any more true, Brian is the REAL DEAL. I'm proud to call him a FRIEND. Keep it up!!!
Brian, I...uh...Well, I guess I could hold your beer while you do something. I don't have much else to offer, sorry.
Cool........the "FED 360" ruler......I can see him getting invited to the Bowling Green "Cacklefest" next year and then while they are all "Cackling"......saying "F#ck it, I am smoking down the track" with a big tire smoking run. Chris Nelson Kansas
just in case there are folks that haven't seen these.... <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KzmquQKO4T0&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KzmquQKO4T0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uz1nIwAnR-I&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uz1nIwAnR-I&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LhK1OpCnn8o&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LhK1OpCnn8o&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
DAMN CONDER, Thank You . My friends here in the STL are very supportive of what I am doing with this car. They all have some bad ass cars (some on topic some off) and if they dont, they have one in the works. But their all drag racers. And appreciate all the help I recieve from them. Jason is the guy that went with me on Sunday and have to say he is always all about helping with the car. Cant beat help like that. I have had some faster cars , mid nine second street camaro, flat hood ,full interior, stock suspension. It was fast and fun. But this dragster is a whole nother world. There is a big learning curve with a car like this. DIRECT DRIVE. Dont rev it enuff boggs the motor. Rev it hard it keeps on zinging and that is where the problem last weekend came in. I need more seat time. Time to learn the FINE line between over reving and bogging the motor. I am going to try to make the best of what i already have. Partly because I am a budget racer and partley because I am a budget racer. Ha, Ha. I think that I can figure it out just quartanating my two feet , right foot to the floor, left foot out as fast as I can. I have that part down pat. Now I have to learn to lift off the throttle just a little after the wheels start spinning violently. Lift just enuff to slow the motor down and keep the tires spinning . Remember DIRRECT DRIVE tire smoker is my goal. I wish that I had video of last Sunday, but it was just me and Jason. And he was busy starting the car for me and gettin me in the groove, Which is VERY important in this car. Learned the hard way with the MOKAN donut. So no one to hold a camera. He said he couldnt see anything from where he was standing on the starting line except smoke and some chrome spokes shinning in the sun up in the air thru the smoke. YEAH, that would be some cool video.
Yep. Screw the water box, keep the timers on and smoke that !@#$er for all she's worth! I know what all the "newstalgia" guys are saying...Just look at that picture from '64 - What a yawner...it'd probably be hard to stay awake watchin' a car do that!
Conder, You should see the end of that driveway where "Zorba" is sitting. It had about a 50 foot drop off across the street. Chris Nelson Kansas
Those north eastern Missouri farmers are some ate up people. But I still like them. Oh and for the record "the chin hair tickles" is a big hit with the ladies. Breeder found that out SECOND hand.
Oh and for the record "the chin hair tickles" is a big hit with the ladies. Breeder found that out SECOND hand.[/quote] yeah yeah, keep tellin yourself that second hand thing!
After all of Breeders talk I might be rethinking the proud to be a friend thing?? (maybe I'm just jealous)
manly bromance isnt to be takin lightly! trent, i dont kiss and tell so youll have to wait for the movie! monsterflake is editing it now..........
You get the love down here in the hills. Zorba and the Stude are well known. The bluegrass "Stairway to Heaven" during the donut video has made many a hard heart weep Hope to get up there and meet up with you "hoodlums" down the road. If you are needing parts, call Danny Byrd down in Sikeston at Custom Exhaust, he was running a rear engine Sportsman rail for years, he may still have some goodies from Lingenfelter,or at least know where to hook you up with what you need. He's a big 327 fan too, he won the 2003 IHRA Top Stock title in his Chevy II.