C1 & C2 Corvettes General C1 Corvette & C2 Corvette Discussion, Technical Info, Performance Upgrades, Project Builds, Restorations

Remember John Mazmanian's 11-Second 1961 Corvette?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 03-01-2017, 12:06 PM
  #1  
Detroit Steel
CorvetteForum Editor
Thread Starter
 
Detroit Steel's Avatar
 
Member Since: Apr 2014
Posts: 905
Received 58 Likes on 42 Posts
Default Remember John Mazmanian's 11-Second 1961 Corvette?



Rod & Custom magazine called John Mazmanian’s car one of the "hottest ‘Vettes in history."

Read the rest on the Corvette Forum homepage. >>
The following users liked this post:
Not So Fast (03-01-2017)
Old 03-01-2017, 12:16 PM
  #2  
Dr L-88
Le Mans Master
 
Dr L-88's Avatar
 
Member Since: Oct 2007
Location: Richmond Kentucky
Posts: 5,719
Received 1,240 Likes on 457 Posts
2022 Corvette of the Year Finalist -- Modified
2021 C2 of the Year Winner - Modified
2021 C1 of the Year Winner - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year (stock)
C2 of Year Winner (stock) 2019
2017 C1 of the Year Finalist

Default

Didn't Steve Hendrickson (the Corvette collector in MN) restore this car a few years ago?

Rex
Old 03-01-2017, 12:28 PM
  #3  
SDVette
Safety Car
 
SDVette's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2000
Location: Poway CA
Posts: 4,845
Received 1,295 Likes on 560 Posts
2023 C1 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C1 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2021 C1 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C1 of Year Finalist (stock)
2016 C1 of Year Finalist

Default

Cool story.... Might be the first Vette modified for 6 tail-lights too


Old 03-01-2017, 01:09 PM
  #4  
449er
Race Director
 
449er's Avatar
 
Member Since: Apr 2016
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 10,677
Received 4,708 Likes on 2,997 Posts
2023 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2021 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Default

Pretty quick time for a bored 283, but I hate to see the rear quarters cut up like that
Old 03-01-2017, 01:16 PM
  #5  
GCD1962
Race Director
 
GCD1962's Avatar
 
Member Since: Feb 2004
Location: CT
Posts: 14,761
Received 161 Likes on 122 Posts

Default

One of the best for Big "June"
Old 03-01-2017, 01:28 PM
  #6  
GTOguy
Race Director
 
GTOguy's Avatar
 
Member Since: Apr 2015
Location: Fresno California
Posts: 17,504
Received 3,443 Likes on 2,113 Posts
Default

I read an old article on that car.....Big John was a local legend to the valley, and was running an event where he needed bigger/stickier tires.....the hack job was done at the strip between rounds. Have seen a few of his old drag cars at Famoso and Eagle Field, and a couple of co-workers of mine who lived in Fresno in the '60's saw him run at Raisin City, where they ran 4 lanes at once, side by side. Crazy stuff!
Old 03-01-2017, 02:41 PM
  #7  
Not So Fast
Le Mans Master
 
Not So Fast's Avatar
 
Member Since: Sep 2014
Location: lake havasu city arizona
Posts: 7,011
Received 982 Likes on 711 Posts
Default

Remember the car very well from San Gabriel Drag strip in the 60's, Richard Soronian (sp?) drove it as I remember and he had a red 62 Vette also that he drove on the street, I know cause we hooked up one Friday nite at Bobs Big Boy in Pasadena Ca, I had a 63 Sport Fury 426 and I whooped him pretty good lol.
Ole days were the best, especially to us old guys
The car that waxed him
NSF PS and that is a C-2 isn't it


Last edited by Not So Fast; 03-01-2017 at 02:58 PM.
The following users liked this post:
86C4Z51 (03-02-2017)
Old 03-01-2017, 02:43 PM
  #8  
jonny5cam
Advanced
 
jonny5cam's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jul 2012
Posts: 54
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts

Default

Imagine trying to tell Big John that you could buy a Z Vette right off the showroom floor in 2017 that would blow his doors off...
Old 03-01-2017, 03:15 PM
  #9  
427Hotrod
Race Director
 
427Hotrod's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2000
Location: Corsicana, Tx
Posts: 12,607
Received 1,875 Likes on 913 Posts
2020 C2 of the Year - Modified Winner
2020 Corvette of the Year (performance mods)
C2 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
2017 C2 of Year Finalist

Default

Originally Posted by jonny5cam
Imagine trying to tell Big John that you could buy a Z Vette right off the showroom floor in 2017 that would blow his doors off...

Yeah...but it would never be as cool!

JIM
Old 03-01-2017, 04:53 PM
  #10  
Randy G.
Race Director
 
Randy G.'s Avatar
 
Member Since: May 2006
Location: Eagle, Idaho
Posts: 14,688
Received 552 Likes on 378 Posts

Default

He lived not far from me as a kid in Whittier.
Old 03-01-2017, 05:03 PM
  #11  
6T5RUSH
Safety Car
Support Corvetteforum!
 
6T5RUSH's Avatar
 
Member Since: Nov 2000
Location: Clinton Township MI
Posts: 4,750
Received 119 Likes on 98 Posts
Cruise-In III Veteran

Default

Not So Fast,

That Plymouth Sport Fury was one quick Mopar! Those 426s were just awsome back then. Always liked the styling. Bought a brand new '64 & planned on the top of the line Sport Fury with the 383 4 speed. Alas, end of the model year AND married with 1 child, settled for a Satelite 2 door hardtop with the 361 and push button drive. Definitely not the quickest but a fun car nevertheless. Was silver with a red interior. Memories!

Do you still have that '63?

Jim
In God We Trust!
Old 03-01-2017, 05:10 PM
  #12  
Not So Fast
Le Mans Master
 
Not So Fast's Avatar
 
Member Since: Sep 2014
Location: lake havasu city arizona
Posts: 7,011
Received 982 Likes on 711 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by 6T5RUSH
Not So Fast,

That Plymouth Sport Fury was one quick Mopar! Those 426s were just awsome back then. Always liked the styling. Bought a brand new '64 & planned on the top of the line Sport Fury with the 383 4 speed. Alas, end of the model year AND married with 1 child, settled for a Satelite 2 door hardtop with the 361 and push button drive. Definitely not the quickest but a fun car nevertheless. Was silver with a red interior. Memories!

Do you still have that '63?

Jim
In God We Trust!
God how I wish I still had that car, bought it brand new form Milne Bros in Pasadena, as I remember it was $4300 OTD. I got the 11:1 wedge and my buddy bought the 13:1 model, his never ran reliably, mine did. Had Horsepower Engineering put headers on it and Art Carr do the torque flite, A-1 cheater slicks and off to the drags. 112 mph 12.60 and like you said back them that was FLYING!!!!! Unheard of
Man do I wish I had that back
BOBBY
The following users liked this post:
6T5RUSH (03-01-2017)
Old 03-01-2017, 06:14 PM
  #13  
SDVette
Safety Car
 
SDVette's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2000
Location: Poway CA
Posts: 4,845
Received 1,295 Likes on 560 Posts
2023 C1 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C1 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2021 C1 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C1 of Year Finalist (stock)
2016 C1 of Year Finalist

Default

Originally Posted by corvettewill
Photo of the car when Bones Balogh drove for Big John
That's not a 61!
Old 03-01-2017, 06:23 PM
  #14  
corvettewill
Le Mans Master
 
corvettewill's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2014
Location: Pomona, California
Posts: 5,612
Received 1,044 Likes on 907 Posts

Default

Promotional photo of the car after restoration.
The following 2 users liked this post by corvettewill:
ohiovet (03-01-2017), ptjsk (03-02-2017)
Old 03-01-2017, 06:48 PM
  #15  
TCracingCA
Team Owner

 
TCracingCA's Avatar
 
Member Since: Sep 2002
Location: California
Posts: 36,652
Received 1,683 Likes on 1,005 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by Randy G.
He lived not far from me as a kid in Whittier.
My home Whittier, CA. (Whittier Boulevard circa 1950's to the late 80s) which had argumentatively the quickest street racers in the nation at one time.
Old 03-01-2017, 06:49 PM
  #16  
TCracingCA
Team Owner

 
TCracingCA's Avatar
 
Member Since: Sep 2002
Location: California
Posts: 36,652
Received 1,683 Likes on 1,005 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by SDVette
That's not a 61!
Bones was a great engine builder also!
Old 03-01-2017, 07:09 PM
  #17  
Not So Fast
Le Mans Master
 
Not So Fast's Avatar
 
Member Since: Sep 2014
Location: lake havasu city arizona
Posts: 7,011
Received 982 Likes on 711 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by TCracingCA
My home Whittier, CA. (Whittier Boulevard circa 1950's to the late 80s) which had argumentatively the quickest street racers in the nation at one time.
argumentatively I think Bobs Big Boy on Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, had that title, we had some "bad boys" that hung there
It was the best of times no matter, I keep telling my sons that they will never know what it was like to cruise a popular Blvd like back then, be it Whittier Blvd or Colorado Blvd or the Toluca Lake Bobs or Hollywood Blvd.
NSF

Get notified of new replies

To Remember John Mazmanian's 11-Second 1961 Corvette?

Old 03-01-2017, 09:11 PM
  #18  
wmf62
Race Director
 
wmf62's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jun 2006
Location: Inverness FL
Posts: 17,891
Received 727 Likes on 621 Posts
St. Jude Donor '07

Default

I would pick Detroit for the biggest badest street racers...

Bill
Old 03-01-2017, 10:34 PM
  #19  
TCracingCA
Team Owner

 
TCracingCA's Avatar
 
Member Since: Sep 2002
Location: California
Posts: 36,652
Received 1,683 Likes on 1,005 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by Not So Fast
argumentatively I think Bobs Big Boy on Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, had that title, we had some "bad boys" that hung there
It was the best of times no matter, I keep telling my sons that they will never know what it was like to cruise a popular Blvd like back then, be it Whittier Blvd or Colorado Blvd or the Toluca Lake Bobs or Hollywood Blvd.
NSF
Remember we had John Force, Pisanos, Butch Leal, BillThomas, Carrol Shelby when working out of Moon, Hal Sullivan, Doug Thorley, Hayden Profitt, Davis MacDonald, and many many many of the guys that ended up dominating the NHRA and AHRA! And we had big speed shops (Egge, Speed-O-Motive, Kugel, Stick City, Vance and Hines, BDS, like the Valley and the Van Nuys crowd! Each spot had its cool cars!
Old 03-01-2017, 11:05 PM
  #20  
corvettewill
Le Mans Master
 
corvettewill's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2014
Location: Pomona, California
Posts: 5,612
Received 1,044 Likes on 907 Posts

Default

Big John's car @ 63 Winternationals, Bones Balogh driving.
The following users liked this post:
ptjsk (03-02-2017)


Quick Reply: Remember John Mazmanian's 11-Second 1961 Corvette?



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:37 AM.