1968 AND 69 I was in high school in New Smyrna just south of Daytona. We used to park outside Smokie's at night and listen to him run engines on the dyno. This video brings back lots of memories. RIP Smokie.
Thanks so much for doing this. I got to talk with him in the back of a truck in Darlington. Unbelievable man with common sense to go with it. He should be in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Great video! I got to take a tour of Smokey's Garage back in 2004, when they were getting ready to shut things down and liquidate the place. A long time employee there walked us through the garage and gave us an insight into each part of the facility and the innovative things Smokey would do to make his cars outperform the others. All while we were sipping a few beers. Great memory. Sad that it burned down, would have been a fine museum!
So sad that there is nothing left of such a iconic shop, so glad that you made this video for those of us who are into the history. You mentioned something about him that I didn't know, and that was the part about him working as a truck mechanic. Kind of really cool because I am also a heavy truck mechanic with a passion for racecars.
Oh,man. This just showed up on my feed. Smokey was one of my heroes. Thank you very much for this . I wonder how his family is doing ? Any of the guys who worked there,I wonder if any of them have reminisces. It hurts me to know it's all gone. Well at least I know.
I got to meet in in 1979 when we were given an engine of his to run in IMSA RS in James Reeve’s Buick. He was pretty cold on the pick up of the engine, but got to spend an afternoon on the drop off. I learned more than I thought I could.
Thanks for the video. I met him and his wife in 92 or 93 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (or whatever it was called then) when he was pitching for Champion Spark-plugs at a car show. Got to shake his hand, ask a couple of questions, and got an autograph which I still have. I was hoping the garage still stood.
Spent time with his son yesterday, an hour or 2 hearing some incredible stories. Will be meeting his daughter Trish soon. I'm working on a job for them. I was a friend of Fireball's sister... She passed away on July 18, 2022... Fireball's sister was an amazing woman, the salt of the earth. She shared her story with me over a few months' time. It's extraordinary. 'Bubby' was what she called Glenn... "Fireball" ... A name he got for his fastball. Check out some of the reels we converted for the Roberts family on my youtube channel. Some classic Racing stuff. Thanks for this Post!
I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Smokey Yunick was also the Mechanic for Jim Rathman's winning Ken-Paul Special of the 1960 Indianapolis 500. That's the race with Roger Ward in the famous "Hammer and Tong" battle. His name was not painted on the car due to a "clerical error" , but if you look at photographs of the right side of the car below "Jim Rathmann, Driver" left of the steering linkage there is a logo of his white cowboy hat in a red circle with some structures in the background. I might've learned that on "Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain" with Bob Varsha or Donald Davidson as a guest, but I'm not sure. I made the note on a blue "Post-It" and stuck it in my "Indianapolis 500 Chronicle" book, p 155. Perhaps his daughter Trish would know. Not too many mechanics can claim both Daytona 500 and Indy 500 victories! Thanks for the video!
I saw the #47 Indy car about 5 years ago on display at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY. It had me drooling, and I disliked immensely those stupid chrome hands protruding from the front of the car. Dumb!
Smokey Yunick did not build a 7/8 scale Chevelle, the car was full size, Smokey himself has disputed the rumor of the Chevelle being 7/8 scale. Smokey Yunick challenged anyone to measure that Chevelle. The car was at Richard Childress shop on display at one time, I don't know if it still is or not but again Smokey was adamant that Chevelle was full size.
So who owns all of his machines and equipment now? I know he had at least two dynamometers, one that could gauge up to 400 hp and the other that was for 400-800 hp. His shop was a machinist's dream, every tool and die cutter and lathe you could imagine for balancing, decking, planeing, turning, and cutting all the components of an engine. Where'd all that stuff go? Who owns it now?
He was so damn paranoid that someone would try to cash in on his name and reputation that he made sure it was all gone when he was gone, i think he was right to
10:15 This is a 67 Camaro, not a 68. 10:30, still a 67. Note the factory hide-away-headlights. 10:44 This is a 68 Camaro, not the same car. Has normal headlights .
![[UNCUT] บอสพอล แผลงฤทธิ์ บอสพระ-นักร้อง ก. โดนแฉยับ! I คนดังนั่งเคลียร์ I 21 ต.ค. 67](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XKf6HeftoPI/mqdefault.jpg)
1968 AND 69 I was in high school in New Smyrna just south of Daytona. We used to park outside Smokie's at night and listen to him run engines on the dyno. This video brings back lots of memories. RIP Smokie.
Thanks so much for doing this. I got to talk with him in the back of a truck in Darlington. Unbelievable man with common sense to go with it. He should be in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Great video! I got to take a tour of Smokey's Garage back in 2004, when they were getting ready to shut things down and liquidate the place. A long time employee there walked us through the garage and gave us an insight into each part of the facility and the innovative things Smokey would do to make his cars outperform the others. All while we were sipping a few beers. Great memory. Sad that it burned down, would have been a fine museum!
The chevelle WAS NOT 7/8 scale. It was FULL SIZED. Although it was built by Smokey & had numerous modifications, it WAS FULL SCALE
So sad that there is nothing left of such a iconic shop, so glad that you made this video for those of us who are into the history. You mentioned something about him that I didn't know, and that was the part about him working as a truck mechanic. Kind of really cool because I am also a heavy truck mechanic with a passion for racecars.
Oh,man. This just showed up on my feed. Smokey was one of my heroes. Thank you very much for this . I wonder how his family is doing ?
Any of the guys who worked there,I wonder if any of them have reminisces.
It hurts me to know it's all gone. Well at least I know.
I got to meet in in 1979 when we were given an engine of his to run in IMSA RS in James Reeve’s Buick. He was pretty cold on the pick up of the engine, but got to spend an afternoon on the drop off. I learned more than I thought I could.
Thanks for the video. I met him and his wife in 92 or 93 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (or whatever it was called then) when he was pitching for Champion Spark-plugs at a car show. Got to shake his hand, ask a couple of questions, and got an autograph which I still have. I was hoping the garage still stood.
Spent time with his son yesterday, an hour or 2 hearing some incredible stories. Will be meeting his daughter Trish soon. I'm working on a job for them. I was a friend of Fireball's sister... She passed away on July 18, 2022... Fireball's sister was an amazing woman, the salt of the earth. She shared her story with me over a few months' time. It's extraordinary. 'Bubby' was what she called Glenn... "Fireball" ... A name he got for his fastball. Check out some of the reels we converted for the Roberts family on my youtube channel. Some classic Racing stuff. Thanks for this Post!
As an Ohio kid I grew up idolizing Smokey. Now I live 5 mins from this spot where his garage sat. Visit there once in a while.
He was a living legend they don't make mechanics like him it's a crying shame what are the best GM mechanics I've ever seen
Thank you for this video!
Just imagine being a mechanic who needed a job and Smoky interviewed you for the job. Did you get that job?
I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Smokey Yunick was also the Mechanic for Jim Rathman's winning Ken-Paul Special of the 1960 Indianapolis 500. That's the race with Roger Ward in the famous "Hammer and Tong" battle. His name was not painted on the car due to a "clerical error" , but if you look at photographs of the right side of the car below "Jim Rathmann, Driver" left of the steering linkage there is a logo of his white cowboy hat in a red circle with some structures in the background. I might've learned that on "Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain" with Bob Varsha or Donald Davidson as a guest, but I'm not sure. I made the note on a blue "Post-It" and stuck it in my "Indianapolis 500 Chronicle" book, p 155. Perhaps his daughter Trish would know. Not too many mechanics can claim both Daytona 500 and Indy 500 victories! Thanks for the video!
You are correct.
Smokeys car did not qualify for Indy but they tried. It is in the IMS museum. Thanks for the great video.
I saw the #47 Indy car about 5 years ago on display at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY. It had me drooling, and I disliked immensely those stupid chrome hands protruding from the front of the car. Dumb!
The brick base of the sign was still there until the new sidewalk got put there.
I slept overnight in my work truck,in the parking lot the night before the auction.
Smokey Yunick did not build a 7/8 scale Chevelle, the car was full size, Smokey himself has disputed the rumor of the Chevelle being 7/8 scale. Smokey Yunick challenged anyone to measure that Chevelle. The car was at Richard Childress shop on display at one time, I don't know if it still is or not but again Smokey was adamant that Chevelle was full size.
Applying a bit of common sense proves this. A 7/8 Chevelle would be smaller than a Chevy II.
I remember the garage from years ago.
So who owns all of his machines and equipment now? I know he had at least two dynamometers, one that could gauge up to 400 hp and the other that was for 400-800 hp. His shop was a machinist's dream, every tool and die cutter and lathe you could imagine for balancing, decking, planeing, turning, and cutting all the components of an engine. Where'd all that stuff go? Who owns it now?
Great video, Thanks.
He was so damn paranoid that someone would try to cash in on his name and reputation that he made sure it was all gone when he was gone, i think he was right to
This is fckn depressing but it what he wanted
there was NO 7/8 chevelle urban legend.
I was gonna say he let Big Daddy Don Garlits take Whatever he wanted for his Museum.
He lived until May 9 2001
Yes that was my bad. I Over looked it when finishing up the video.
@@K-TrainProductions Thank you for doing this. Great video!!
10:15 This is a 67 Camaro, not a 68. 10:30, still a 67. Note the factory hide-away-headlights. 10:44 This is a 68 Camaro, not the same car. Has normal headlights .
WHO cares