SMOKEY YUNICK (Reverse Gear)

Smokey Yunick may well be one of the most important and creative thinkers in NASCAR history by maximizing the the rules that weren't stated in the rulebook.

[@Tommy_Mac]

Smokey built a supercharger by building vanes around the clutch assembly, sealed the bellhousing and contoured it to fit tightly to the vanes. By directing the airflow into the firewall plenum that most teams connected the air filter assembly to, he had boost. Evidently the inspectors rarely checked the clutch. BTW- he also came up with using a smaller clutch/flywheel to lower the engine and trans lower in the chassis. Better CG. Smokey tried to get aircraft fuel bladders to be used in place of steel fuel tanks, before Fireball died. NASCAR wouldn't do it. Fireball would not have died, if they had listened. That's why he left NASCAR. All in his book. Smokey was self-taught Engineer, and a GENIUS !

[@willstikken5619]

That supercharger design is essentially what is common in piston engine aircraft superchargers.

[@Tommy_Mac]

@@willstikken5619 possibly where he got the idea. He flew B-17s during WWII.

[@TheCorezero00]

@@willstikken5619 how do you mean?? I'm pretty sure airplanes don't have bellhousings or clutches!! Now I've only been working on planes since 1990..... but i have seen and flown quite a few..... and i have yet to see one with a clutch or bellhousing!!! That IS how he did it right?? Blades on the flywheel vanes in the bellhousing the pressurized air routed up to the cowl induction port?? Right?? So yeah...... there's that......

[@willstikken5619]

@@TheCorezero00 You're being intentionally obtuse. He built an integrated centrifugal supercharger into the existing components. It's a concept he took from his aviation background and asked himself "how could I build this into the car" and then he did. Just because the construction differs somewhat does not make it a different apparatus than what we use in genral aviation. If you've worked in aviaiton since the 90's and never came across a cluth you must have spent that time in the seat shop or something. Clutches are common in everything from old inertia starters to helicopters and turboprops.

[@stephenr1999]

Genius no doubt . Had the cd sex lies and superspeedways. I dont remember that about the supercharger, need to listen again. thank you

[@flyinbrianz22]

The fact that Smokey is not in the NASCAR HOF is a travesty! He was an absolute genius. Everything I learned about racing I learned from him. Get politics out of racing and put Smokey in the HOF!!!

[@nathanpike1908]

Because Bill France hated him and he hated Bill France more

[@flyinbrianz22]

@@nathanpike1908 True, but the France family has little to do with NASCAR. Its time to do whats right....put Smokey in the Hall of Fame!

[@jeremycurtisisgay]

Smokey was a pretty decent mechanic and has his place in the history of the sport. I don't think he should be a HOF though because he was a notorious cheater and his really great achievements are hard to know for sure because a lot of them are based in him being a typical cheater

[@flyinbrianz22]

@@jeremycurtisisgay Smokey was not a cheater. He was an innovator. Big difference. If there's not a rule that says you cant do that...is that cheating? There was no rule on how big or how long the gas line could be. So he had one 2 inches in diameter and 50 feet long. Thats not cheating, thats genius!

[@jamessimms415]

@@jeremycurtisisgay If you’re not cheating (or bending the rules to your advantage), then you’re not serious abt winning

[@danpatterson8009]

I'm not sure I'd call Yunick a self-taught engineer, he was something more- a natural whose approach to problem-solving had not been channeled by formal training, who questioned convention and saw opportunity where others did not think to look. A rare individual.

[@Motor-City-Mike]

A good amount of Smokey's knowledge did come from the study of all the reference literature of a given discipline, then he would cast aside the fallacies he discovered and venture off and push the envelope beyond the accredited material. I'd say that qualifies as self taught, in engineering, chemistry, physics, aerodynamics and a mind boggling list of other disciplines, and he became more than just proficient in each. A truly brilliant man that during his lifetime proved that a pedigree from a recognized institute of education wasn't required to be successful in the art of science.

[@ronbros]

@@Motor-City-Mike you are correct(my opinion). just like Elon Musk is doing , he dont want society taught people for employees , he wants open minded free thinkers, to work for him!

[@davidhanby4589]

@@Motor-City-Mike s6

[@arfrce72]

I agree. a Pure Genius is more like it.

[@andrewhigdon8346]

Let’s see, he didn’t have formal instruction, and if you don’t call the feats that he pulled off engineering, then you need to refer to Webster’s Dictionary. In fact, by the Def. 4 tab, there’s a picture of Smokey, hat and all. I know people with engineering degrees that can’t tie their own shoe.

[@allanpolk2681]

Smokey use to write articles for Popular Mechanics Magazine back in the day. One of his articles was how he built a Chevy 302 small block that put out an actual 535 HP naturally aspirated. That was in 1970, and to get that kind of true power out of a small block was just unheard of. He started with a Z28 block and line bored the main journal 10 thousandths to put in a heavier main bearing. He used 12.5 to 1 TRW shot peened pistons, 1962 Corvette fuel heads, ported and polished. Crane 200 mph rockers, over sized diameter lift rods, solid lifters. He used a stock 327 crank and rods, and Grant chrome moly rings. For a cam he used the optional Z28 cam that had like a .413 lift and 346 degree duration. INSANE DURATION. He stated in the article that though the lift was not much the duration made up the difference. He said that he preferred the shorter lift to put less strain on the valve train. He topped it all off with the then just introduced Weiand dual high ram manifold, two 650cfm Holley double pumpers, a Judson vertex magneto for fire power and Stahl headers. It’s dyno numbers were 535 HP, 510 ft lbs torque. Crazy numbers back then without fuel injection. The engine would rev to 9,200 RPM and had a power band from 3,500 to 8,000. Crazy numbers on an engine built by a crazy good mechanic.

[@SK-tr9ii]

If he used a stock 327 crank, as you stated, then he build a 327 cu in motor. A 302 was nothing more than a 327 bore with a 283 stroke.

[@allanpolk2681]

@@SK-tr9ii Yeah, my bad. I meant a 283 crank, the rest is accurate. Sorry.

[@Bigbriansc]

Yeah you need those 200mph rockers...and "lift rods". I bet he used some over sized reverse oil pistons, some back cut fly valves, reinforced rocker cam pushers, and also some inline v-6 flathead fly bolts too. Probably a reverse rotation supercharged turbo flow intake manifold as well.

[@user-nd5eq6yb9s]

That's a impressive power band if it is true

[@allanpolk2681]

@@user-nd5eq6yb9s All true. All of the information was provided by the article written by Smokey Yunick, published in Popular Mechanics in 1971.

[@ronbros]

i knew Smokey as a friend, we talked many times (i lived in DAYTONA at the time), and i know things that never will be revealed! i'm 87 yrs old now !

[@hotrodray6802]

Please write them down..... For the future.

[@moss8448]

you dog

[@ronbros]

@David Wood lets just say he liked his women friends!

[@ronbros]

@David Wood not so much 50yrs ago, little available birthcontrol!

[@ronbros]

@David Wood GOT IT

[@lawrenceburchett7411]

Nice to hear about Smokey. When I got to Daytona in the early 80ts, I lived about 500 yds from his shop .It was by a Publix food store . He was still working on cars at the shop and we used to walk by, and say hello sometimes ask a question, while he was walking his Great Danes. He was a first-rate wrench and a nice man. I was glad to have met him.

[@kirstenspencer3630]

When Circle Track magazine had him write a column I wrote him about a " food or fuel " debate ( turning corn into ethanol ) and received a full page letter reply. Yes he too was concerned about the moral implication of taking a food source ( corn ) and turning it into fuel. In his biography " Best Damn Garage in Town " ( available from Carbon Press ) he writes of environmental issues we still struggle with today. I feel his interest in racing was largely an " exercise " for his emence intelligence. Buy the book ( his daughter gets the money ) and grab a " Smokey's best damn garage in town" tee shirt.

[@lewiskemp5893]

Nice. Wish I could have talked to him

[@mikeg4163]

Smokey was truly a genius and defined the words critical thinking

[@ryale7174]

Smokey deserves a kick ass movie based on his life...

[@ericbrammer2245]

The Rules, are there, to be Bent! S Y, 1963 Yup!

[@johnrambo5619]

So we all need to petition to get Smokey into the hall of fame

[@dwc4343]

Cheaters have no right being there.

[@r.c.r.rproductions8462]

​@@dwc4343it's not cheating if it ain't in the rules

[@dwc4343]

@@r.c.r.rproductions8462 Has nothing to do with the fact that he was one of the biggest cheaters of all time right up there with Chad Knaus.

[@geraldmartin3625]

​@@r.c.r.rproductions8462my local short track is ran by NASCAR. The rules for each class states "just because it isn't in the rule book doesn't make it legal. All modifications must be approved by tech." Probably directly related to the grey area in which guys like Smokey and Harry Hyde flourished🤣

[@patrickgriffitt6551]

​@@dwc4343Then tear down the HOF as nearly everyone in there cheated.

[@ronjohnson9032]

Read Smokey's autobiography. The man was into so much more than racing.

[@andyjones9386]

Those three books were some of the best books I have ever read.Informative of his genius,many innovations he came up with,and extremely funny!

[@ConcussedGaming]

It's not cheating if its not a rule. Number 1 rule in racing.

[@ArmyBoiSweat]

back when my dad raced in pure stock (a class that no longer exists in my area) the rules stated that the drive train must be oem parts for the engine manufacturer. he used to buy 327 cams for his 350s because they were much much hotter in the low end. no rule stating that the parts must match, just that they were oem

[@kirstenspencer3630]

It's not cheating, it's getting " competitive " !

[@OvelNick]

If you ain't cheating... You ain't trying!

[@victormiranda9163]

​@@ArmyBoiSweat in Smokey's book, he said the rule was you had to use 'stock' parts. it didn't state matching manufacturer. even so, nascar called smokey a cheater to that...

[@beerjuice756]

what if the rules say, "if it doesn't say you can, you can not!".

[@terrysweitzer6772]

I had the privilege of meeting him at his shop in Daytona in March of 1994! I was a young guy at the time, and had a book he had written , and had put his advice to pretty good use!!! I was bold, and somewhat fearless. I actually looked him up in the phone book, called his house, and his wife answered the phone! I asked if this was smokies house, and she affirmed it was! She put him on the phone, and i asked directly if I could meet him! He said that he was home for lunch, but would be back at the shop at 2:00. I was there with bells on!!! He probably spent a half hour talking to me!!! This left an impression on me that lasts even today! I miss real men who no matter what their stature, took time to engage normal people like we mattered too!!! His motto was, "if the rule book doesn't say you can't, you have to assume you can"!!! Thats not cheating!!!

[@affordablevoices]

How can I give 1776 thumbs up?

[@fireballxl5328]

Quite a few years ago I got two "baseball cards" of Smokey Yunick. I sent them to him in Forida and he signed then and added a personal note. Now one of my prize possessions !!

[@batvette]

You lost one?

[@Rooster1508]

I have always admired people like Smokey. Without them we would still be using horses. NASCAR, is now nothing but a BIG Billboard for some product.

[@catjudo1]

People like Smokey Yunick don't * need * halls of fame to be the real deal. They are already legend based on amazing and substantial deeds alone.

[@stoveboltlvr3798]

Sounds like he offended the " good ole boys" club. He was way smarter than them and they didn't like that!.

[@rustycarter2091]

....and not from the south. I’d bet a dollar to a donut that was part of it

[@altinfoil592]

IMHO, the joke is on Nascar. Many of Smokey's safety improvements were later adopted, but the greatest joke on Nascar is that in their drive to eliminate any wiggle room in designing and building a car, Nascar has imposed a standardized car and standardized parts, so creativity has largely disappeared. All the cars are now the same shape and have strictly regulated ride height. The only difference on the exterior of the cars is the color and decals. The only difference of any importance is the engine manufacturer, but every part of each engine must be submitted to Nascar for testing and certification, and only Nascar certified parts are then allowed in that engine. The result of Nascar's "improvements" is that Nascar racing is so uniform that it is terminally boring, with all the cars clumped together in "the Pack", racing together and jockeying for the lead with the help of cars pushing each other ahead for advantage. The big excitement now is when they get huge, multi-car wrecks "the Big Ones", usually near the end of the race. Up until the end, all you see is "follow the leader" in "the Pack".

[@michaelciffo931]

@@altinfoil592 All it is any more is iroc on a biger scale and you know what happen to iroc

[@jerrycraig6522]

I think Jr Johnson was friends with Smokey

[@jerrycraig6522]

@@altinfoil592 I disagree re: the wreckage, I would rather see them race, but stop making the cars ALL the same!!!

[@davidleonard8369]

Nicknamed smokey for building a tractor? Nonsense. He entered a motorcycle race as a young man and his motorcycle smoked like hell. The race announcer called him smokey. The name stuck.

[@michaelciffo931]

you 100% correct

[@ronhall3366]

Correct

[@terrygarvin1980]

Yup

[@JrGoonior]

@Wiley Coyte I thought it was 15/16ths. That's what I read years ago, at least...

[@bultacowally]

Naa its because he built Chevys...

[@TIMEtoRIDE900]

I met Smokey briefly at the Stock Car Trade Show in Daytona years ago. I asked him if the Fiero was "real" It's on display in Ocala and it made 250 HP on all 4 CYL and got 50 MPG-where a stock Fiero makes less than 100 and maybe 30 MPG. The 7/8 car was an Oldsmobile. The Chevelle had a twin car built "stock" to compare the profile of the "race car" to, so they were BOTH tweaked. Pure Genius ! You had to run a factory fuel pump, so Smokey built a tiny scoop that funneled pressurized air into the fuel tank, giving the car an extra 2 PSI added to the stock 6 PSI fuel pressure. An earlier trick was to put the Generator in front of the radiator and have a little propeller spin it at speed. No rule against that. Also - drilling tiny and well placed holes that squirt a bit of oil on the timing chain, cam gear and the underneath of the pistons. This keeps critical parts cool and well oiled at 8,200 RPM

[@mysaculik]

Smokey was a “phone friend” of my grandfather before the internet. Amazing guy with amazing stories. I encourage all Smoke fans to read his autobiography as well as listen to Dinner With Racers podcast where his daughter is interviewed......my first driving suit still has a huge Smokey’s Best Damn Garage In Town patch across the back.

[@brucefisher4025]

You're KINDA right about that Chevelle. Actually, they were racing full-size cars in NASCAR at the time, not mid-size, like the Chevelle. But he massaged the sheet metal so that the critical measurements were the same as the Bel Airs. NASCAR, seeing the tape for themselves, allowed him to run it while they tried to figure out HOW this was possible. Thats when they found the body shift, and various tweaks and banned the car.. templates came into use because of this....

[@kevinkendall3122]

The 69 in Talladega Nights is a takeoff of Smokey's 67

[@JohnAdams-xc5yk]

He was one of the best mechanical engineer there was, he had a complete engine in his shop that was run by a 100 hp electric motor, when he did port work on heads he put them on the motor ran it and then recorded the out put

[@arlisspropertyservicesllc5943]

Actually there wasn’t a rule book b4 Smokey, just a pamphlet really. They made a rule book trying to keep up with Smokey.

[@MrDmorgan52]

No comments about the Grand Sport Corvettes! 7 "mystery" motors were shipped to Smokey's shop to be installed in the experimental 'Vettes. They went on to beat the GT40's and Ferraris

[@jasonbickford4283]

Smokey was a genius...he didnt cheat he just found loop holes and figured out what was written between the lines!

[@michaelvrooman5681]

Or not written at all

[@dwc4343]

Incorrect. He was one of the biggest cheats of all time. And Knaus and Johson was right behind him Johnson never deserved the wins or championships he won either. And what a flop in Indy cars just to prove it.

[@stephenr1999]

"In spite of what everybody thinks, I have met an awful lot of smart guys in Daytona. I have met no geniuses." Smokey Yunick

[@hydroy1]

There is something missing in all of this , Mr. Yunick was a very nice guy when you got to know him. When I met him in Daytona at his shop, I had a in ,Yep, my 130 pound female Great Dane ( Samatha ) was all OVER him ( Dogs can tell good people ) at his daughters pet store next door to his best damn gauge in town . Smokey sold me a very rare 389 Pontiac Super Duty short block I still have in my 68 Firebird Convertible today. My car with his motor has been kicked out of every drag strip in FLORIDA ! as they don't allow street cars to run 10s in the quarter mile ! with out hacking up the car with ten tons of safely equipment. Thanks Smokey.

[@brucejacobsen5809]

The 11' 2" line would hold 1.79 gallons. Not 5 gallons

[@ddotdonrock1783]

I was at a Charlotte race and saw Curtis Turner race a Black and Gold Chevelle, still the most beautiful car I’ve ever seen, it blew a tire and crashed in turn one that day.

[@michaelciffo931]

You were not at charlotte that wreck happen at atlanta and it totaled the car now tell who was driveing the car? and what happen to him 3 years later?

[@denohall9863]

Smokey wrote a chapter in the old hot rod magazine called ask Smokey

[@michaelciffo931]

No matter what the france family says he should be in the hall of fame i put him on a ballet every year

[@JAAB9296]

Agreed. Smokey reeked havoc with NASCAR, France hated Smokey.

[@joestephan1111]

France's own the HoF. Don't look for that to happen.

[@roberthall696]

Dianica and Bubba will be in before Smokey.

[@michaelciffo931]

@@roberthall696 if that happens im sueing nascar! they need to quit acting like there way is the only way as smoke use to say about the rulebook its the funny book

[@joestephan1111]

@@roberthall696 Danica might get in as a novelty/ticket seller. Bubba is too controversial.

[@billlittlejohn2331]

Smokey was to NASCAR what Big Daddy was to drag racing. There will never be geniuses like them again. Especially because of the rules today! Smokey should have been the first driver to be in the NASCAR hall of fame!

[@dwc4343]

Big Daddy did not cheat and is a Christian, something Smokey was not. Cheaters do not belong there.

[@aussiedrifter]

The Gas Vapour Idea/Invention WAS adopted by FORD Mo Co Australia, they fitted a Bakelite plate between the base of the carburettor & the Inlet manifold. This Bakelite plate had an Integrated woven fly mesh screen heated by the 12V ignition & when hot it was supposed to vaporise the metered fuel into a vapour, hence using less fuel. (And It Worked). As a motor mechanic & Performance FORD engine builder I worked on many of the stock versions fitted to the 6 Cyl 250 CID inline engine through the 70s & 1980s.

[@austinknowlton1783]

Cool video. Two things that I can can think of that you didn't mention though; the 427 Mystery Motor and the legend that Fireball Roberts' 1962 Daytona winning Pontiac had a flywheel driven supercharger that Smoky hid in the bell housing. About the basketball in the fuel tank trick; he didn't take the basketball out, he didn't have to. He just had a hidden valve to deflate it which made room for extra fuel. I have worked on cars for 40 years and it's not that easy to just open up a fuel tank and take something out, especially without being noticed by an official. Those were stock tanks back then too, not fuel cells. You also gotta remember that they scaled those cars too and they had to meet weight. More fuel equals more weight. You don't need a bunch more fuel than the next guy, you just need more. He was a genius, wasn't he? Totally agree that he should be I the Hall of Fame, he's part of what made NASCAR interesting, back when it was, lol.

[@RayleighCriterion]

If his car can carry 1 gallon more fuel, then it can drive 4 miles further than the other cars.

[@lesbratton]

They had to make a minimum weight, not a maximum. Besides, fuel is a diminishing factor, it lessens in volume the further you drive, the extra weight is gone in a few laps.

[@dwc4343]

Cheaters so not belong in the HOF.

[@hatbpto5180]

I read once that his philosophy was: You bring a car, I'll bring a car. And we'll race.

[@patrickgriffitt6551]

​@@lesbrattonThen there should not be Hall of Fame because most if not all of them cheated.

[@tbirdboomer05]

Never knew smokey to acid dip the cars, I'm pretty sure that was Penske.

[@patrickgriffitt6551]

Don't know about Smokey but for sure Penske acid dipped his Camaros. Research Smoke is Trans Am Camaro. They wouldn't even let it off the trailer.!

[@karltite128]

Recently I was invited to look at certain items for sale that belonged to 5 time champion at Greenville, Pickens Speedway in S.C. Jeff Hawkings. (Deceased) He was my childhood favorite driver. After selecting a few items and about to leave I noticed a poster on shop wall of the 13 Chevy in the infield of Daytona. There is inset pic Smokey. It's signed Smokey Yunik to Jeff. His wife said that Jeff had made some laps in some of Smokey's cars on occasion. It's on my wall.

[@rollydoucet8909]

I met Smokey at the PRI (Performance Racing Industry) trade show, which he attended quite often in his later years. I have a poster on the wall in my shop that Smokey signed personally. Many customers who come to the shop will speak of Smokey and compliment his achievements and tell some of the tales of his years in motorsports. The man definitely left his mark.

[@karltite128]

@@rollydoucet8909 Yes he definitely did leave a mark. I think I read where the big car manufacturers would run their cars by him to get his input.

[@jerrycraig6522]

That's awesome dude, congratulations!!!

[@lewispaine4589]

He used to have a column in Popular Mechanics? "Say Smokey" I believe it was called

[@zxej6879]

Popular Science. His column, and Gus Wilson's Garage, were how I first learned auto mechanics.

[@ChessIsJustAGame]

I remember that. My dad got both of those magazines for multiple decades. Many times I was first to read them. I had to put it back on the kitchen table where the day's mail sat until my dad got home.

[@halweilbrenner9926]

"Ask Smokey"!

[@halweilbrenner9926]

The dude was right, it was popular mechanics

[@smckinney3mckinney141]

Yes you are correct on that.

[@gernblanstien4968]

My favorite Smokey trick was placing his exhaust centered in the rear to perfectly line up with the radiator of those who were "drafting" behind him... They over heat before being able to slingshot past....

[@drd1924]

ohhhh now thats good

[@paulwolfe3709]

This narrator sounds like a twinkle eyed High School kid that just finished a theme paper on a guy that was certainly one of the greatest ever, but was retired WAY before this narrator was even born!

[@chrismooremusic4383]

What's your point?

[@waynewilliams8554]

@@chrismooremusic4383 For one , he gave some bad information on the Fiero for starters.

[@jimmartin7881]

@@chrismooremusic4383 Most everything he said was wrong.

[@Motor-City-Mike]

@@chrismooremusic4383 He's basically clueless about the subject matter, he has more wrong than he has correct. It's annoying when so many of these 'KZbin experts' chatter inaccurately about points of interest when the subject matter is well documented and easily verified and they can't even be bothered to research and present the facts. This is exactly how history and its lessons are lost.

[@jimccc9467]

Everybody wants to be a KZbin star.

[@olesarge1724]

Smokey was a mechanical genius. Jim Hall is another genius. Those guys were in different race genres but they both thought outside box. Great video ! Thank you.😊👍

[@halweilbrenner9926]

Yea the "Chapparell" prototype GT class.

[@bradgriffith4231]

The Chaparral was an open cockpit "Can-Am" car. I can't remember for sure but it seems like Hall built a coupe version for Lemans in the later days.

[@victormiranda9163]

if nascar changed the rule after they found something they didn't like... it is not cheating. the way nascar looks at it... if they have to change the rule to ban what you did, you cheated. I claim smokey didn't cheat.

[@michaelvrooman5681]

He did not cheat. Us dirt track racers say " if you make them re- write the rule book" you have won too many times."

[@waynep343]

great video.. in late 2010 i was talking to a carb manufacturer that did billet metering blocks for holley carbs. i mentioned the need to create a metering block that had spring loaded pistons with pins on them.. that when the race engine is used for braking going into corners and the throttle is close.. the high vacuum pulls down on the pistons and shuts off fuel to the idle and idle transition circuit.. he said he was really busy getting ready for the next season but he would think about it.. about 3 races from the end of the 2011 cup season.. i was watching the race.. the announcers close to the end noted that the car out in front had no flames coming from the exhaust during cornering like all the other cars.. they then looked at the pit lap records... that car was going 56 and 57 laps between pits when the other cars were running out of fuel at 51 and 52 laps.. that car won the race by going 57 laps without a pitstop.. i was at home jumping up and down and screaming... the show had gone back to normal broadcasting and the race switched over to cable i did not have.. did he have a secret mod to his carb.. or did he not fully back off the throttle during cornering to reduce manifold vacuum pulling excessive fuel from the idle circuits.

[@alext8828]

He would have gotten off the throttle into the turns, but getting off the throttle increases manifold vacuum. I think he stole your idea. The flames from the exhaust, If I remember correctly, are caused by unburned gas in the exhaust going stoichiometric and doing a lean burn. I don't know if that's right. What were you thinking happened there?

[@waynep343]

@@alext8828 engine braking with a closed throttle creates high manifold vacuum and pulls additional fuel out of the idle circuit and caused the excessive fuel to be burned in the exhaust.. i did not think of the idea.. solex and Aisan and other carb manufacturers put idle stop solenoids on carbs.. there is even a solex built quadrajet for some odd mercedes with them. but the trick was he was able to go at least 57 laps without pitting while others were running out of fuel at 51 and 52 laps.

[@alext8828]

@@waynep343 Oh. I didn't know that carb builders were using that idea. Your reasoning sounds plausible. Yes, I got the idea that they could do more laps because they were sipping fuel at a lower rate here and there. Good way to outsmart the competition. All very interesting. Thank you for the response.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Smokey was building ALL the engines for the Hudson Hornets racing back then. Smokey's engines/cars/drivers also won 2 if not 3 NASCAR championships during the earlier years of NASCAR.

[@BadgerBadgerBadger28]

Just shows how much this man made a impact that he was included in a i a movie Yes it was cars 3 but the way he was interpreted was amazing And to actually be thought of is respect in its own right

[@kevinkendall3122]

They honored Smokey in Talladega Nights with the black/gold 69 that Ricky Bobby's dad drove

[@joestephan1111]

Smokey built a Camaro in the late 1960s that set a bunch of records at Bonneville (probably with "back door" Chevy backing). Because they were running late they didn't have time to shake it down. On the way they flat-towed straight thru to Riverside where SCCA was having a round of their Trans-Am Series. Smokey did some "finagling" with the officials and they were allowed to do some guest demo laps during lunch hour. Though not legal for Trans-Am rules, the car still had to go thru a safety inspection. Word that Smokey was there went thru the garage area like wildfire. Mechanics & crewmen dropped their tools & set off at a dead run to check it out. Gathered around under the hood, looking over shoulders, someone noticed there was a hole in the top of each individual exhaust header. Everyone was suddenly at a dead run back to their cars where they proceeded to drill holes in the tops of their own header pipes. Everyone had the same summation:(quotes mine)"We don't know what it is but if Smokey did it, it must be trick!" Years later he let the cat out of the bag. In their short construction time frame, to make it to the salt flats where expensive private time was already scheduled, they didn't have enough time to build their own racing headers. They in haste grabbed a set of commercial street performance headers in a box off the shelf and installed them. The holes in the top of each pipe were for the screw-in lines from the early anti-smog air pump system of the mid-60s. Smokey "snookered" them again, this time perfectly legal!!! 😎

[@chrishaan5766]

😂🤣No.. They were plumbed for a smog pump

[@joestephan1111]

@@chrishaan5766 The words they put on over the counter commercial street headers that had provisions for the required by law street smog pump came with a sly grin from Smokey himself. When I worked for magazines years ago my cross check came from the name performance equipment maker's son who worked in a high position within the magazine

[@JohnW1711stock]

This shows an image of a 67 Chevelle. Smokey's was a 66. The roof and windshield angles were also changed.

[@mangoMango-ck3et]

What a great genius of a man Smokey was,, people like him,,have given the World all we have today,,all the modern conveniences. all new inventions,, thanks Smokey.. always thinking outside the box,.

[@RolandSvensson-qx1yj]

School didn´t destroy Smokey´s creativety like school do to kid´s today. He stayed a genius all his life. We will see fewer person´s like him in the Western World in the future. RIP Smokey, you made the world a better place.

[@henrysmith8012]

The world was not ready for Smokey.

[@timcarlton5704]

The one thing about Smokey he wasn’t afraid to cheat too, along with his interpretation of the rule book

[@photoartist2805]

The narrator says " ... the piston rotates counterclockwise to the flywheel". Pistons reciprocate up and down ... no rotation.

[@alext8828]

Yeah, who wrote this? And you're the only one that caught it. Nobody here knows how an engine works? What's happening to our yute? I mean youuuuth.

[@ForeverNeverwhere1]

@@alext8828 TBH, there were so many factual mistakes and bad elocution it was hard to keep up.The dude needs to take the chocolate bar out of his mouth and do more than 5 minetes of research.

[@mgbchuck6527]

LOL--Smokey's Camaro was a 67/68 not a 69 like pictured, reverse rotation means the crankshaft/camshaft rotation reversed (ROFL), his radical Chevelle Chevelle (67 Daytona pole sitter) was a 66, not 67 like pictured. You should review his book and remake this video with some accuracy. (the REAL 66 Chevelle was pictured near the end though).

[@jimmungai1938]

I always thought smoky was just a cool dude very very brilliant man without a doubt up I feel he was under appreciated one of the things you didn’t mention and I wish you would have so more people could know about it was reverse flow cooling he did in a small block Chevy you could run a few more degrees of timing you got a little more horsepower and torque a little better fuel economy and the engine ran nicer my kind of guy smoky have a nice day by all this Jim mungai from Pennsylvania have a good day folks

[@frankgrillo8094]

Absolutely LOVED reading his column SAY SMOKEY in popscience mag. I dont think of him as cheating-- let's say he was INNOVATIVE!🤣

[@ChessIsJustAGame]

I still have some of my dad's pop mech and pop science mags from the 60's and 70's. We moved in 1966, so that's when the collection started. My guess all the ones before that summer got tossed instead of moved. I kept mid '66 to mid 70's. Still in the garage. I should eBay them.

[@rooftopvoter3015]

Creative rule interpretation

[@dwc4343]

Nope, just a cheater like Knaus and Johnson.

[@jamesdamrom751]

I knew him back in the 80s, he did a lot of stuff for the auto world

[@brooksgrimes8353]

The Smokey Yunick Chevelle was technically a 1967 model, but Smokey liked the aerodynamics of the 1966 model. Hence, his Chevelle had a '66 nose with the bumper tucked in.

[@mt3311]

Wasn't the bumper turned upside down to make it more aerodynamic?

[@gearhead8176]

I have a 350 Chevy engine that was built from a Smokey Yunick's book. It has Oldsmobile OEM 6 inch Rocket rods, machined to fit in a high nickel content Chevy block, steel crank, Chevy Bowtie heads with 202 intake, 194 exhaust valves, duel springs and Crane roller rockers. Keith Black pistons, and Weiand Team G manifold. It cranks out over 500 horse power, and turns 9000 RPM.

[@philliplopez8745]

Possibly two of the greatest nicknames in auto racing " smoky and grumpy "

[@nickwhite1197]

Popular Mechanics 'golden boy' of the day Tom McCahill relied on Smokey as the definitive word on many automotive related issues. Smokey life story is a wonderful read.

[@jamesharrison6201]

Remember PM's monthly column, Say Smokey.

[@jimrobcoyle]

"Mechanics Illustrated" columnist Tom McCahill helped me learn to read.

[@mikeholmstrom1899]

@@jimrobcoyle Tom McCahill was also a bit of character. His stock 1966 Dodge Cornet run of 144mph on a Chrysler track got him banned from said track!

[@raayna6630]

We have propane, and natural gas vehicles that operate on vapor burning. I've worked in the industry. Gasoline is no different, it produces vapor when heated and can be used to fuel vapor burning engines. Some mods required of coarse.

[@mikewallace8087]

Rebels push the envelope and the envious calls them cheaters.........well, that's Smokey then if you think that way.

[@thebear3589]

Smokey forgot more about engine's, aerodynamics and uhhh "living in the gray area of the rules" than any mechanic, crew chief or engineer that EVER uhh tinkered on a car...period. Smokey was the reason rule books were ever written....

[@michaelciffo931]

AND dont forget that uiversity of fla gave him an honary degree

[@jerrycraig6522]

Just ask ole DW!!!

[@mwhitelaw8569]

Good to see a new generation of thinkin' hot rodders finding our inspiration. Good onya young man

[@polycube868]

Smokey Yunick never even had a college education and still was able to come up with all the stuff he did...he thought outside the box instead of going by the book.

[@lecm5025]

Very well done video. If your work is consistently this good, you’ll grow quickly!

[@joekurtz8303]

Had the pleasure of meeting him on the streets of Long Beach during our Grznd Prix. He asked how I recognized him, I'd read a few articles and that trademark that he wore. A very humble gentleman with a sly grin. His writings were informative and knowledge is like horsepower. The more you know, the more you get! In return 🚓💨💨💨

[@rbmwiv]

Back when I worked in NASCAR before they started giving you your restrictor plate gasket we would champfer the 4 holes going to the plate and pick up 10hp on the dyno. A few years later they started going you the gaskets at the track. We also did a hydraulic spoiler that could be laid down by turning the brake bias knob, passed inspection. It was a Daytona car. Also did nitrous through a pop rivet in the fire wall. It was for qualifying bc we had to re jet the carb and bump the timing down.

[@reginaldhall6871]

I remember AJ Foyt & another driver getting caught with nitrous after qualifying at Daytona in the last mid to late 1970s

[@fhpe77]

I'm a mechanical engineer. Smokey was brilliant. He will be (is) missed. We need more people like that. I still have the issue of Hot Rod magazine that covered his Fiero. Amazing!

[@960wattoffgridrv]

This guy always had some other ace up his sleeve when it came to getting around nascar rules

[@davidschwartz5127]

Yes, we do, Smokey Yunick kicked ass at whatever he did! Put Smokey in the HOF!

[@frederickwise5238]

I used a couple of Smokey's ideas to great advantage in several cars. THANKS SMOKEY!!!!!! RIP!

[@teddybar66]

He states that compression ratio had no effect but longer rod length made all the difference. I understand the piston dwell but not the compression statement.

[@frederickwise5238]

@@teddybar66 Ya got me there .I never had the kind of money it takes to regrind the the crank throws and change rod length. Shorter stroke engines do produce more torque. The tips I used were low Buck ideas that proved, valuable The easiest was Cold air induction. The other I did when I was rebuilding after a bore and true up of crank throws. I took several hours to weigh piston and rod assemblies so I could have "sets" that would match each other to less than a couple grams difference. Didnt cost me a dime and I have a very balanced rotting assermbly. ( a little judicial filing here and there "carefully" in the right places to lower those sets that were heavy.). I got almost 200,000 miles out of it before I had to move on. And Im sure it was good for a couple hundred tho mere for the next guy. LOLOL

[@helmuttdvm]

His book could use an editor, but it’s an amazing story of a true genius of Motorsport. RIP!

[@joestephan1111]

There was a single book edited version put together by his family. Not as much fun.

[@michaelciffo931]

You for get he wrote this when he was dieing of siclecell lukemia and his wife did the best she could to edit that is not what she does give the familey a break your lucky that it even got completed and to market

[@joestephan1111]

@@michaelciffo931 I paid a premium price for the three volume set. It's not for sale at any price.

[@joesmith306]

Nascar should do a nostalgic race with the Chevelle and cars from 1968 at Daytona just to see what could have been.

[@44hawk28]

He got the moniker Smokey when he got into motorcycle racing and the Motorcycle he had which was fairly fast, had a tendency to smoke rather badly so the announcer was constantly calling him smokey. Pistons don't rotate! Reverse rotating engines were not anything new in 1959, most Marine engines and even V8 engines for marine purposes run opposite direction of automobile engines. One of the reasons why the Maine seals on each end of the engine have to be ordered for a marine engine otherwise that pumps oil out of the engine and doesn't keep the oil in the engine. Don't ever say Knox again. Those of us who actually know something about Automobiles and how to use nitrous oxide will haunt you the rest of your days. Also trying to insert the word decimate where it doesn't belong doesn't work well either. Misuse of the word in the first place. It is not difficult to build a vapor supply for the intake. The largest problem with the fuel Vapor Supply is that the vapor going through the intake hose is explosive. However it does work quite well, there was a young man in the late 70s early 80s that had a full size Ford Sedan operating at about 80 miles per gallon with a V8. Eunuch needs to take number one spot in the Nascar Hall of Fame. And anybody who hates the guys who ran NASCAR is a number one in my book because they were abject assholes. That entire family can go to hell. And what Nascar has done with this Chase system has completely destroyed it.

[@HJZ75driver]

*Yunick. Knox

[@billybuilds]

Vapor lock*

[@darrellsomers5427]

Correct

[@44hawk28]

You're literally complaining about autocorrect ​@@HJZ75driver

[@theplugemeitzer5229]

On the Chevelle he put a dip in the roof above the rear window that created a spoiler.

[@SK-tr9ii]

You're right, I was scrolling through the comments to see if anyone else picked up on that.

[@dannylinc6247]

I read about that in a mag back in the day, you're right. They also had a "15/16" Chevelle photo from Smokey's shop that was the newer 68 body using the spoiler shape above the back window.

[@patrickgriffitt6551]

Fords 'Banana' car did the same. And the unibody was channeled over the floor pan(no rocker panels) and the nose was recontoured among many other things.

[@mikedonzero2692]

Smokey Yunick deserves to be in the NASCAR HALL OF FAME.

[@patwatson2454]

The Watson speacial I still have part of the original car in my barn

[@roberts.5790]

I dreamed of an extremely efficient gas vapor engine many years ago and never pursued it, but it actually does work! Thank you Smokey!

[@mikejohnson5491]

Vapor motors works and different ideas that were made would be bought by big car companies so it couldn't get out.

[@tbthedozer]

Lol My uncle tinkered with vapor fuel delivery on an old V8 car. He never ran it on a dyno but did drive it around the block! He realized his contraption was a backfire away from a huge fireball and decided he’d proved enough and that it was a good idea to stop there.

[@gagemosley8365]

I've played around with vapor injection for 10 years now. My highest achievement was successfully blending, 45% water/45% gasoline/10% methanol in a vacuum. Then pouring the milky mix into a homemade percolator. I then was drawing the vapor and micro droplets thru a 20 foot stainless 3/8" pipe wrapped tightly around the exhaust with engine vacuum. I've made a 78 Chevy 4x4 with big mud tires go from 7mpg, to 22mpg all for less than $100. I took a 95 honda civic with 350,000 miles on it, installed a similar system and went from 26mpg, to 43 mpg all for less than $100. I could go on for days about the science behind it all, the many vehicles Ive done this to, and the creepy guys in nice suits that use to be standing by my car when I came out of stores saying stuff like "your that guy who does the crazy stuff with gas vapor injection, right?" I always played stupid after they went to my dad's burger restaurant looking for me a few times 8-9 years ago. Back then I was scared, but now I'm kinda curious what they had to say

[@christianmotley262]

@@gagemosley8365 how did you get it to run before the manifolds hest up?

[@gagemosley8365]

@@christianmotley262 with a carb I ran it so lean at idol it was a bitch to get started with the choke on when it was cold. But within a few minutes it would be warmed up enough to drive

[@michaelvrooman5681]

His hot vapor engine got outrageous fuel milage

[@cldan9152]

The trickiest mechanic ever to build racing cars for NASCAR and INDY Cars! So sleek the judges feared him!

[@miketess4272]

Hey great video, I never knew the scope of his expertise and accomplishments!

[@rockinredneck57]

Smokey's motto was, " It didn't say you couldn't" talking about the rule book.

[@garypeterson9083]

Smokies was one of a kind. Ps all gas engines kinda run on gas vapors. The mixture supplied to the engine is 14 parts air mixed with 1 part gas on average.

[@zippyt.libertine3787]

Around Daytona, the locals say. "Smokey is a legend, all you have to do is ask him".

[@Edmund_Squid]

I don't remember the specifics of this part of the story, but I understand that Smokey had an ongoing feud with one of the higher ups in the NASCAR management. They did things and changed the rules specifically to disqualify Smokey's cars. Which is a damned shame, Smokey was one of the most innovative guys in racing at the time. This is a good video, but it BARELY scratches the surface of the life and times of Smokey Yunick. He wrote an official memoir a few years before he died. It's a great read and you would not believe some of the shit this guy got up to in his life, before and after NASCAR.

[@speedhunter7156]

That chevelle sounds amazing as a guy who plays FM7 often that's cool to see that many cars that are accurate the only one that wasn't was the 150 sedan but eh it's good and sounds like it should

[@trianifeA7x]

Fuck the hall of Fame smokey was way better than that. A league of his own. Simply a legend.

[@rooster68able]

Got the nickname smokey ,from racing a motorcycle that was so smokey ,the anouncer forgot his name and just called him smokey

[@crazylarryjr]

One additional thing about the 7/8 chevelle. Most of what you talked about i don't remember seeing before, thank you. But there was one other thing he did to that car, he used the minimums for every single spec, not one max was used. So while not 7/8 scale, it was slightly smaller than a typical Chevelle

[@ridgerunnerperformance-jas5418]

It had a 66 frontend on it.

[@e-curb]

The reason the 7/8 car is a myth is that if it were true, the car would have been smaller than a Chevy II. That would have been so obvious to everyone who saw it.

[@crazylarryjr]

@@e-curb, Agreed, and to be honest, everyone knew, but the rumor had already spread too far to keep quiet

[@e-curb]

@@crazylarryjr Someone else posted below that it wasn't actually a 7/8 car. No, it was a 15/16 car. Stupid! First of all, if Smokey was going to make a smaller car, he wouldn't have made the math more complicated than it had to be. No calculators back then.

[@crazylarryjr]

@@e-curb, There were still Calculations back then, the difference was they used paper and pencil instead of computer and CAD. Do you really think the sm Block was perfect by accident, they were designed just as they are today, but with paper pencil and compass instead of computers, programs and simulations. math is required for almost evert design ever made, even back when they had to do it in their own head. BTW I did say it wasn't 7/8, it was called 7/8, you are right about the scale being closer to 15/16. Also i did say he built that cat using all the minimums of the blueprint, That was what they used back them to design. Not once did i say it was actually 7/8, that was the name that car was given because of the rumors going around

[@josephdaggett1837]

He also knew another trick used in conjunction with the 2in. Fuel line... Freezing the fuel..it shrank in volume while Cold and as long as you used enough fuel Out of the tank before it warms up and expands to more than the tank holdsand runs Out all over, you can have 1percent more than the other guys.. don't sound like much or worth Bothering with but it's more than they have and Increased the odds of .. WINNING 🧐🧐🤠🤠

[@FeiHuWarhawk]

One of the first gasoline vapor powered engines ever built is the Wright Brothers 4 cylinder aluminum engine.

[@dean7118]

At Holman and Moody in the 70s we built a 429 Ford with roller bearings and roller cam bearings roller cam turned 13000 rpm on dyno and has documentation had 671 Detroit blower 2 1200 cam Holly's started to smooth out at 8000 rpm screamed at 10,000 John Holman read the build and said it would do more .we tried to blow it up dyno would go to 13 ,000 max so we maxed it for 30 minutes at 13,000 she took it motor is at a undisclosed location in North Carolina in a crate

[@johnassal5838]

His adiabatic engine required very high temperature tolerant refractory metals or ceramics for the cylinder heads that pretty much was only used in jet engines back then. Even today it'd be excessively expensive to make the entire head of it though you're finally seeing turbos (needing the same materials) on minivans and crossovers meeting higher efficiency standards but those turbos only need a small fraction of the material of a cylinder head much less that an entire engine block would. P.s. you neglected to mention the Fiero only had a 151 cubic inch engine so 1 hp/ci, a 6 sec 0-60 time _and_ 50+ mpg.

[@gangoffour6690]

Smokey Unic 😆. Someone stated at 3:16 that pistons rotate. Pistons don't rotate, they reciprocate.

[@brucefisher4025]

..AND the RINGS rotate in the bores. Thats what the cross hatching in the bores is for...to promote this rotation.

[@christianmotley262]

@@brucefisher4025 no they don't, actually

[@edwardwilson990]

@@christianmotley262 Rings do rotate, that's why a 2 stroke's rings are pinned in place. This prevents the ends of the rings from rotating into a port and breaking them and scoring the cylinder.

[@bobbyquinting3918]

Yunick also played a huge part in the concept of sand and water blasting the insides of intake manifold and exhaust manifolds to allow them to be a lot more efficient. Some would disagree, but he tried it first!

[@DanneyTanner]

On my grandpas farm at age 13 I built a hay wagon from a 67 Pontiac wagon using the front spindles and rear axles..

[@garydoyle7155]

reverse gear ?? He came up with the idea of a reverse rotation motor so that rather than torquing to the right side of the car the motor torqued over to the left which planted the inside tires rather than lifting them and it took awhile before someone figured the spark plug wires were counter clockwise not clockwise. Lets just say that if there was a grey area in the rules Smokey consider that an opportunity for "technological advancement" and Smokey saw a lot of grey areas whether NASCAR agreed or not . He should be in the Hall of Fame just for the fits he gave tech inspectors

[@michaelciffo931]

He also had to flip the rearend over to get it to work with the motor the whole thing started when he was asked by hudson motor company to help them with ther nascar team which was run by another daytona resident Marshle teuge and he got paid 200 per motor to build them and the angle which the crank and rods were he said was horrible so thats when he changed it around to get it to run better a year later Herb Thomas came to drive for him and they won 51 and 52 nascar champion chips and 42 races together then in 1955 chevy came to him to get their small block runing and they went to darlington and won

[@halweilbrenner9926]

How smart is that.

[@scryla2000]

That is so true!!! We NEED someone like Smokey now!!!!

[@dwc4343]

Why do we need a cheater?

[@dericyoung6835]

This was a great video man

[@justatrailer7807]

Absolute Brilliance his creativity was not stifled