Smokey Yunick vs. Grumpy Jenkins

Both were the best in their respective fields. I knew both. But, I signed Smokey up to be the Consultant to my Company. We were great friends. Eveytime I went to Daytona, I stayed at Smokey's House. I ate at Smokey and Marge's table. He consulted with Champion Spark Plug company for thirty years and then quit. I asked him why? He said he couldn't get them to make a decent plug. For my plug, He said I am going to turn the auto industry on its ear.

 

whatever.

 

Apples to Oranges No comparison........Both were great at what they did........

 

Well, unless your running a pair of squirrels for power Both had plenty to do with the automotive industry and power plant modifications, known and unknown. Hands down Smokey was over all the top of the line innovator when it came to ideas on more and better faster cars so yes Both have/had a lot to do with racing and power plants. Over all the knowledge was in Smokeys corner and many hotrodders in the old days got information from him so they could make there hot rods faster. If it had a block and pistons Smokey had the ideas to make it better and faster. Our hotrods were faster because of what he did back then and Grumpy made the Prostock class faster but mainly Chevrolet power.

 

Smokey was a B-17 Pilot and he built the SideCar INDY Car.

 

This is really kind of silly since they were in in very different arenas and with different mindsets, but Smokey was definitely the larger innovator.
But my vote goes to Mickey Thompson .........

 

Apples and Bananas .

 

Add another vote for Smokey. When we were in Daytona with our Camaro...Trans-Am type (NOT Pontiac) he offered to help with a ring & pinion change that would keep our engine alive. No charge. And, his shop was incredible. You had to get into the "secret area" to fully understand this genius. He spoke pretty loudly due to hearing loss. And a strange and very clever sense of humor. I'll say it again...a genius!!

 

Take a look at the post which brought this thread back from the dead....looks like some spam's a-comin.....


edit: after I did a brief search on this spark plug and its claims.... wow. Right up there with the 100 mpg carburetor...a 44% increase in mileage? Sure, especially if you compare it to a plug that's not firing.

 

You should do an intro as is suggested by the rules of this forum. Especially before you bring back a 4 year old thread.

 

I heard he was local.

Anyhow, they are both excellent engineers, but I gotta go w/ Smokey. I read both of their books, and I really dig Smokey's "Power Secrets" book.

 

Smokey! He did it all!
Grumpy drag raced and retired.
Everybody loves character.

 

So, now that you've "introduced" yourself (by avoiding the introduction phase) what is your product, service, or vision for the future of hot rodding? Do you plan on becoming an Alliance vendor and offering the HAMB a discount, putting on a kickass event that we all will be looking forward to attending or contributing tech for the unwashed masses? It's time to come clean.

Frank

 

Grumpy reigned in his niche but Smokey had a natural and versatile engineering mind that could have worked at NASA as far as I am concerned. What the hell would the shuttle have looked like if he got his hands on it? It would have been black and gold that's for sure.

Anyone who builds a 7/8 scale racecar to beat the rulebook gets my vote...

 

Smokey, b/c I'm more roundy round than straight line.

 

I'm a big Smokey fan, he didn't give a damn about the rules.

 

folks forget about smokeys 67 camaro that set the trans-am folks on their ear.but it was biult to run on the salt. but grumpy did do some nascar motor work also. i remember,(i think) donnie allisons car one year at daytona with jenkins performance on the sides.

 

Both smokey and grump are my heros,both of them tremendously talented and smart.To compare them is kinda like one other poster said "apples to oranges" They both were supreme inovators. Most of smokeys inventions were published in his books, only some of grumpy's invetions are known. some I bet you didnt know about are the his work on the LS1 head design, gas porting pistons, kickout pans,detachable lifter valleys for can am pontiacs and oh yea, the father of pro stock.If any of you know about Machine work you have probably heard of the Sunnen Machine the CK-10, it is a cyl hone.Grumpy, my old boss"Radar" and Jim fox were the ones to figure out the grits and paterns back in the late 50's early 60's at the Fammed K&G machine/speedshop in Havertown PA.Thier CK10 was serial#7(the first 6 went to the US navy and are probably still in the original crates somewhere using taxpayer $$$ wisely). Alot of famous people came outta grump's shop too, the late great tony pizzi(rumor has it tony taught grump to drive), Joe tryson of nascar fame(the father of Pat tryson, crew chief for the miller light dodge) and prostock driver and engine builder Stevie johns(cagnazzi racing ) Where would we be without Smokey and Grump? Both are heros. Smokey however was an airplane pilot in ww2, but then again grump was rumored to fool around with Linda vaugh and Jungle pam.lol. I cant choose either way, but lets agree on one thing, they are both the 2 best ever

 

Not a real fair comparrison here. Grump an expert in his field as well as Smokey was an expert in his !!! Both Heros of mine !!!! Oh yeah the reason Smokey ended up in Daytona was he fought so much with the engineers in Detroit that he moved as far south as he could get !! A Damn Shop right at the waters edge "Far Enough For Ya" ?? >>>>.

 

Apples vs. Oranges? Roundie round lovers coming out of the closet.

 

Grumpy is dreamy

 

LOL, there you go, smokey never did that.

 

Haa haa,who'd want to see him out of his coveralls anyways?

 

Both are great, great men and I can't vote for either one without feeling that I have slightly disrespected the other. I just can't do that. Besides, who am I and what have I accomplished to be put in a position to judge one of these men above the other? Both are heroes of mine and both are on the very short list of people that I would have loved to meet.

 

Dude! your San Francisco is showing

 

Smokey passed to the great dynamometer in the sky,Grump just retired and is?

 

jenkins was at york 2 weekends ago, he's still at the shop everyday.

 

SMOKEY !!!!! Met him and had a quick lunch with him at SEMA in 2000. A really down to earth nice genius. Also had no problem doing a quick hotdog for lunch. A real hero of mine.

 

As far as I know, Jenkins Competition is still in business in Malvern, PA. I don't think the Grump retired yet. Yunick only retired because he didn't have a choice!

I have a great respect for both men.

 

Given the same set of tools:

Grumpy would build a house....

Smokey would build a missle silo that looks like a house.