History Video: Henry "Smokey" Yunick Speaks

I read Power Secrets Like it was my Bible in my twenties.

I had a SBC that I couldn't keep valve seats and guides in. I had to keep rebuilding the heads. I talked to the machine shop about valve train geometry and they dusted me off like a snot nosed kid. I took the engine into my basement shop and went through the cam shaft and valve train for days. I found that by setting up a solid lifer and an adjustable pushrod, that I had to make, I could see the problem. All I needed was push rods on half the engine that were 60 thousandths of an inch longer. Its a long time ago, but I think it was 60, might have been something else but who cares. Not a hell of a lot anyways. If I remember right it was the exhaust valves. I ran the engine for years after I made that one simple change. The engine ended up in my 1951 M-37 off road truck set up with fuel injection. Pounded it for years.

In the words of Smokey, page 87 Power Secrets. "Valvetrain geometry is important as hell"

gold03

Gold03

 

It ain't cheating if you don't get caught! I loved Smokey!

 

Thanks for the interesting photos. If you notice, in this latest pic (vs the previous one on pit road at Daytona) the front spindle CL is moved forward.

At this link is a letter from NASCAR that refers to this matter:

http://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/2013/02/11/daytona-500-countdown-day-minus-13/



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It is not cheating, it's creative engineering LOL !

 

My computer sound doesn't work so I don't know what was in the video, but there was an issue of Hot Rod with a story of all his secrets and tricks in Nascar. From the old Hudson days up to the newer Chevelles. A very interesting and fun read.

 

I think he understood the SBC's valvetrain geometry better than most because he worked on it from the day it appeared in 1955, when many doubted that the setup could ever be made to operate properly.

 

The stories are endless. As many have stated, his book is a must-read.

 

Here's a review of Smokey's book, Best Damn Garage in Town, with ordering info, links etc.


http://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/2013/04/11/bookshelf-best-damn-garage-in-town-by-smokey-yunick/




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From past discussion about cars being resculpted for NASCAR use:

 

They look like they were left out in the sun.

 

It's nice to know the family operates the publishing company and gets 100 percent of the proceeds.

 

Here's another big Smokey Yunick moment and one of the more important races in NASCAR history, the 1955 Southern 500 in Darlington. Chevy's first big win in NASCAR...

There are a lot of old NASCAR races on the web in video form. If you are of a mind to watch any of them, watch this one. Very well done period newsreel, edited from five-plus hours of race length to a few action-packed minutes...but what makes it really worthwhile are all the vignettes featuring Herb Thomas, Yunick, the Flock brothers, Fireball, Curtis, the whole crowd. Far more than words or photos on a page, here you see them in living form.

For example, along with Smokey, who was already a media personality by then--unusual for a mechanic, to say the least-- see Fonty Flock judging a beauty contest! That alone is worth the ticket. Today everyone would be extremely uncomfortable, but in those days he was merely considered colorful.


Video: The 1955 Darlington Southern 500 | Mac's Motor City Garage.com

 

Smokey's column in Circle Track in the late 80's or early 90's was worth the price of the subscription. People would write in with a ground breaking idea. Smokey would tell them about when he tried the exact same thing 35 years earlier. He was one of the first racers to understand aerodynamics. He'd use flowing water on a scale model to simulate air flowing over a car at speed. I remember reading a quote where he said he never cheated....he just interpreted the rules differently. The Chevelle wasn't a small scale version. He did an in depth article about the car in Circle Track magazine. The car was full of aero improvements. The rear wheel wells were drilled full of hole which let the air flow into the trunk so it didn't raise the rear of the car. The decklid pins had two sets of holes. The upper set was used when the car was on the track. That would allow the deck lid to open about an inch to let the air from the wheel wells out. There was a slight bondo spoiler just above the rear window. After the article ran he got allot of mail calling him a cheater. The editor wrote that Smokey's reply about the mail was did they think I was racing against a bunch of virgins?

 

Smokey's tech articles in Circle Track mag were classic, really enjoyed reading his print.



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Check out Smokey Yunick directing the pit stops.

 

Of course, he did a similar column before that at Popular Science on general car care. Hugely popular.

 

I remember that also.


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It was big. People in the biz say it kept Popular Science on the news stand for a while.