Zora Arkus-Duntov The Brilliant Innovator

[juliosz]

If you get a chance, the book "Zora, The Legend Behind the Corvette" by Jerry Burton is a great read. One of the funnier stories is based on the adversarial relationship he and Bill Mitchell had. Apparently Mitchell used to call Zora, Zorro during their heated exchanges which really got under his skin.

[napa68]

Originally Posted by juliosz

If you get a chance, the book "Zora, The Legend Behind the Corvette" by Jerry Burton is a great read. One of the funnier stories is based on the adversarial relationship he and Bill Mitchell had. Apparently Mitchell used to call Zora, Zorro during their heated exchanges which really got under his skin.

It's a great book! I suspect Zora would have been a hoot to hang out with

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by napa68

I suspect Zora would have been a hoot to hang out with

I think you are right.

When I joined the Engineering/Assembly Production Engineering group, the gentleman I replaced had worked for Duntov years earlier. He said if you had to be on your toes if you heard Duntov "rump rumpity" rumping around in the building area or near the track because he would run you over.

Sadly (to me, anyway) this track has been removed and turned into a pedestrian walking trail, indicative of the emasculation of General Motors, IMHO.

K

[Keith Seymore]

He said Duntov would come in to their program reviews to get an update on their various projects.

He would ask "How urr u do-ink?".

The would respond with their long, detailed, technical information.

He would nod, and when they were done excuse them by saying "Do da bist u caan".

I told this story to some of the guys I work with, so when I say that they know were it comes from.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Some of you know my Dad was a diemaker at Chevrolet Flint Manufacturing (Pressed Metal Division), which is where they would make oil pans, rocker arms, valve covers, radiator supports, air cleaners, etc. As a result, one of the things Dad used to do was make special parts for Duntov. If Zora had something unique, like an air cleaner or special oil pan or something, he would call up to Flint (since that was where the base part was made) and ask for the die room to whip it up. He would ask for Dad, specifically, to make the parts for him ("...I van da skeeny diemaker to make deese..").

One time Zora was doing a study on valvetrain geometry on small block Chevys, for wear vs lift, so he requested (via a sketch on a napkin) a batch of rocker arms to be made in various ratios: I think they started as low as 1.2:1, then incrementing up through 1.50, maybe 1.55, 1.60 and finishing up with a 1.65:1 ratio. He asked for 100 pcs of each, so Dad would run 100 for Zora (to ship to the Tech Center) , and then 100 for himself (and stick them in his locker).

Our paths would cross with NHRA legends Dave and Ben Wenzel on occasion. Dad happened to see them up at Tri City one time, so he handed them a bag of these 1.65 ratio rocker arms and said "here, try these" .

They looked at him quizzically, like "...who are you and what are these and why should I try them?".

Dad said "just try 'em".

They did, and then they were REALLY flying. They got protested, torn down and the cam checked but were declared legal. Nobody ever did notice these special, production looking stamped steel rocker arms that they were running.





If memory serves, they might have a ZL1 car or otherwise rare '69 Camaro sitting in the barn with about 100 miles on it. My recollection is they ran it briefly but did not prefer it, and so returned to the previous year car.

K

[RALLY]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Some of you know my Dad was a diemaker at Chevrolet Flint Manufacturing (Pressed Metal Division), which is where they would make oil pans, rocker arms, valve covers, radiator supports, air cleaners, etc. As a result, one of the things Dad used to do was make special parts for Duntov. If Zora had something unique, like an air cleaner or special oil pan or something, he would call up to Flint (since that was where the base part was made) and ask for the die room to whip it up. He would ask for Dad, specifically, to make the parts for him ("...I van da skeeny diemaker to make deese..").

One time Zora was doing a study on valvetrain geometry on small block Chevys, for wear vs lift, so he requested (via a sketch on a napkin) a batch of rocker arms to be made in various ratios: I think they started as low as 1.2:1, then incrementing up through 1.50, maybe 1.55, 1.60 and finishing up with a 1.65:1 ratio. He asked for 100 pcs of each, so Dad would run 100 for Zora (to ship to the Tech Center) , and then 100 for himself (and stick them in his locker).

Our paths would cross with NHRA legends Dave and Ben Wenzel on occasion. Dad happened to see them up at Tri City one time, so he handed them a bag of these 1.65 ratio rocker arms and said "here, try these" .

They looked at him quizzically, like "...who are you and what are these and why should I try them?".

Dad said "just try 'em".

They did, and then they were REALLY flying. They got protested, torn down and the cam checked but were declared legal. Nobody ever did notice these special, production looking stamped steel rocker arms that they were running.





If memory serves, they might have a ZL1 car or otherwise rare '69 Camaro sitting in the barn with about 100 miles on it. My recollection is they ran it briefly but did not prefer it, and so returned to the previous year car.

K

Dave and Ben Wenzel super nice guys. Had a nice visit with them years back at US 131 dragway, Martin Mich. 67 Camaro Z-28 incredible car and story which they owned since new.

[JoeC]

The Wenzel brothers bought a new gold 1969 427 COPO Camaro but I don't think they ran it a lot.