ZL-1 block ( rough casting ) on eBay

[Joel Falk]

Re: ZL-1 block ( rough casting ) on eBay

Joe,

Not familiar with US-30 as anything other than a road. Are you talking about the old dragway that was in Oswego, IL (just west of Aurora)? I now live in Oswego not far from there and it is now a tree farm. Supposedly parts of the strip is still in place between a row of trees.

[Joseph T.]

Re: ZL-1 block ( rough casting ) on eBay

Joel..Yes US-30 Dragstrip..

I would go with a friend that had a 69 Chevelle and another had a fuel injected 427 55 chevy...

Hard to believe it was 36 years ago..but the memories are great.I can still hear the radio announcer on WLS and WCFL announcing ..Sunday at beautiful US-30 Oswego Dragstrip

Joe

[Bill Stephenson]

Re: ZL-1 block ( rough casting ) on eBay

------This block almost certainly has a casting flaw somewhere. That is by far the most likely reason for its existence today in an unmachined state. Many of these blocks were shoved aside due to porosity problems, but generally they were recycled. As others have said, it will make a great coffee table oddity........Bill S

[Michael H.]

Re: ZL-1 block ( rough casting ) on eBay

Yes, an incredible time in the history of the muscle car. The apex of all of it was about 1969 or 70 but it was all down hill from there. The Viet Nam war, protest marches, the 1968 democratic national convention and 8.5 to one compression ratio pretty much ended the era. Sometimes, when I get together with old friends, we sit and talk about all the street racing for hours. Endless interesting stories. I'd love to do it again.

[Michael H.]

Re: ZL-1 block ( rough casting ) on eBay

Joel,

There is a website that has past and present pic's of the old Oswego drag strip. If I can find it again, I'll post the link. VERY interesting. I still have a big stack of pic's from my racing days at Oswego and Union Grove.

I tried to find the site of the track on a website that has satellite pic's of the area but never could find it.

Oswego was called "the dust bowl" because none of the pit area was paved. Always took about two days to clean your car after a Sunday of racing.

[Joseph T.]

US -30

Do you remember an altered called No Big Thing..or an El Camino called Lil Poland

[Joseph T.]

Check out this site

http://www.americanjetcars.com/photos/drags/avn3.htm

[Michael H.]

Re: US -30

I vaguely remember "No Big Thing" but not the Camino. We raced mostly at Union Grove and Rockford. (NHRA tracks) U.S. 30 Dragstrip was the first place we ever went with my brand new 64 coupe for break in mileage, but didn't race. That was when the 57 Chevy "Shake Rattle and Run" ruled the gasser wars there. Also inspired me to destroy a perfectly good black 57 FI Bel Air and turn it into a drag car.

[Michael H.]

US 30, Oswego And Great Lakes History

Some OLD pic's from the Chicago area tracks.

http://hometown.aol.com/nlocke7458/NorbsHistoryInDragRacing.html

[Joel Falk]

Re: US 30, Oswego And Great Lakes History

Great stuff on US-30, thanks guys. Someone put together a couple of short, PBS type documentaries on the track a year or so ago and they were shown on the Aurora public access channel. They also had a display at the Oswego town fair last june with a period slingshot dragster, as well as a standing display in a local bank with some smaller memorabilia from the strip. It was very neat to me as a local gear head.