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bill dedman · 07-25-2007, 12:11 PM

Back in about 1963, give or take a couple of years. I was a a points race somwhere.... maybe Lakeland at Memphis, maybe Opeloussas, LA (sp.?), maybe somewhere else, but I had heard that the already legendary Jimmy Waibel was going to be there. I got there about 11:00 a.m., and started looking for this vaunted '57 Chevy from Florida. I think it was a 4-speed 270 HP 283, and was probably the record-holder at that time. It usually was...

I found it up on some jack-stands with the rear axles pulled out and lying on the ground. They were painted with a straight white stripe about an eighth-of-an-inch wide, from the spline to the outer bearing area. I got closer and could see that this straight white stripe wasn't exactly straight any more; it more or less resembled the stripes on a barber pole...

I was amazed, never having thought much about axle twist, but there it was... Jimmy was keeping tabs on the longivity of the "twisted" axles. I thought, "Boy, do I have a lot to learn...." Those '57 Chevy rear ends and axles weren't exactly bulletproof...

Gee, that was only about 44 years ago.... man...

Jimmy was always either setting a record or holding one, and was one of my early "heroes."

Ask him if he remembers the T.G. Lee, (dairy) dragster, or "The Mad Medic". Bet he'll have some stories to tell about that '56 Chevy Gasser... Jerry somebody...

I finally got to see his '57 make a pass, later that day, and it was story-book beautiful...

Some things you just never forget.

Thanks for the memories, Jimmy...

Bill, in Conway, Arkansas

07-25-2007, 12:11 PM	#4
bill dedman VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Conway, AR Posts: 1,739 Likes: 0 Liked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Re: ATTENTION!!!! Shhh!!!! Back in about 1963, give or take a couple of years. I was a a points race somwhere.... maybe Lakeland at Memphis, maybe Opeloussas, LA (sp.?), maybe somewhere else, but I had heard that the already legendary Jimmy Waibel was going to be there. I got there about 11:00 a.m., and started looking for this vaunted '57 Chevy from Florida. I think it was a 4-speed 270 HP 283, and was probably the record-holder at that time. It usually was... I found it up on some jack-stands with the rear axles pulled out and lying on the ground. They were painted with a straight white stripe about an eighth-of-an-inch wide, from the spline to the outer bearing area. I got closer and could see that this straight white stripe wasn't exactly straight any more; it more or less resembled the stripes on a barber pole... I was amazed, never having thought much about axle twist, but there it was... Jimmy was keeping tabs on the longivity of the "twisted" axles. I thought, "Boy, do I have a lot to learn...." Those '57 Chevy rear ends and axles weren't exactly bulletproof... Gee, that was only about 44 years ago.... man... Jimmy was always either setting a record or holding one, and was one of my early "heroes." Ask him if he remembers the T.G. Lee, (dairy) dragster, or "The Mad Medic". Bet he'll have some stories to tell about that '56 Chevy Gasser... Jerry somebody... I finally got to see his '57 make a pass, later that day, and it was story-book beautiful... Some things you just never forget. Thanks for the memories, Jimmy... Bill, in Conway, Arkansas __________________ Bill Last edited by bill dedman; 07-25-2007 at 12:13 PM.