TRUCKIN' MAGAZINE'S ARTICLE
In 1987, the Goodguys put together its first vintage drag race at the old Fremont Dragstrip. The first Goodguys Vintage Drag Racing Association event debuted in 1988 at the Sears Point Dragstrip outside of San Francisco, and it featured blasts from the past with the kings of the quarter-mile, front engine, supercharged, nitromethane-burning Top Fuel dragsters, A/Gas, Jr. Fuel, front engine dragsters, wild fuel-altereds, wheelie gassers, loud gear-grindin' street machines, hopped-up hot rods, and much more.
While crusin' the pits at this latest Goodguys show at Famoso, we discovered a wild, wicked, and winged A/Gas blown '65 Chevy Fleetside pickup nestled between a couple of trailers under a canopy. As we walked up in awe, we introduced ourselves to proud owner Chris Zynda and his wife, Shannon, from San Jose, California. Chris is a concrete contractor and owner of Concrete Structures Shotcrete, which also sponsors his ride. An interesting thing about the buildup is that for the drag truck had to go through Chris' son-in-law, Phil Varni, for approval. Previously, Chris owned a white '49 Chevy 4X4 541ci blown pickup that was "the World's Fastest 4X4 Pickup" on asphalt. The truck was known for it's quarter-mile long four-wheel burnouts. Unfortunately, after seven years of campaigning, his go-fast 4X4 was destroyed while making a pass at the Governor's Cup at Sacramento Raceway. The truck made a hard right, slammed head-on into the K-rail, rolled, and bounced off the K-rails like a pinball. When it came to rest, Chris had to be cut out, then airlifted to the hospital with multiple injuries. After spending some bedtime in the hospital, Chris and his dedicated crew decided to build another drag truck, this time a 2WD vintage version.

Discovering a partially completed '65 Chevy drag truck back East, Chris had it shipped out to his shop in San Jose. Seven months later they were looking at an intense A/Gas (alcohol) drag truck ready to compete with the world's fastest door slammers, running a 6.70-second e.t. As Chris's friends say, "Chris left his white metal in Sacramento, but is now Back in Black."
The truck's foundation is a double-rail 4130 chromemoly frame, built by Doug Menzer from New Jersey, with a Strange strut front suspension bolted up to Flaming River rack-and-pinion steering. Goodyear Eagle drag tires are wrapped around the Monocoque 15X4-inch polished aluminum wheels. A 9-1/2-inch Strange centersection rearend is stuffed with 3.56 gears. The rearend is hung by a four-link and Panhard bar, with Hal coilover shocks to damp the rear suspension. Strange rear disc brakes hang on the end of the Strange 35-splined gun-drilled axles. A two-piece, tripod-adjustable wheelie bar setup keeps the front end from going skyward and plants the power in the ground during Chris' aggressive launches.
The chassis, suspension components, and accessories were powdercoated by Accessories Plus Coatings in Bellmont, Ca. Monocoque 16X15 double bead-lock polished aluminum wheels are wrapped with huge Hoosiers, later to be replaced by Goodyear A/Gas drag slicks, measuring 33.5X17R15.
This 6-second, 200-plus-mph pickup is powered by a 555ci Bow Tie Pelvic cast-iron block, bore 0.120 over, using a pair of massaged Brodix aluminum cylinder heads. The cylinders are stuffed with J&E 4.5-inch diameter aluminum racing pistons using Childs & Albert rings. The pistons are linked to the Scat crankshaft with Oliver rods creating a 4.25-inch stroke. A healthy Competition Cams camshaft is teamed up with Comp Cams springs, pushrods, and lifters. An Enderle bug-catcher captures the air, forcing it into the massive Littlefield 1071 Supercharger, which produces 20 punds of boost and is overdriven 27 percent.
To soften the launch, Chris installed a Dedenbear Launch Control system. A Deist Safety system eliminates the Littlefield 1071 blower from any aerial launches during a blower explosion, with four restraint straps anchored to the engine's cylinder heads and blower.
A pair of Black Panther batteries crank the engine over, along with an MSD Pro Mag ignition system and a 22-amp Magneto. A pair of custom-built 3-inch diameter full-length headers were built by Doug Menzer. Chris sent them out to Accessories Plus Coatings to be heat-treated. A Lenco three-speed transmission with a 2.08 first gear handles shifting chores, and the transmission also uses a fine-spline input and output shafts, air pods, and handles, and is packed with AFT 11-inch-diameter dual disk clutches. Wrapped in a Stroud scatter safety blanket, an 1/8th-inch-thick titanium-lined can and billet flywheel hooks up the 1,700hp engine/tranny combo to the rearend.

The only steel on Chris Zynda's 65 Chevy is the cab. Everything else is removable, including the fiberglass doors and panels that were sculpted by Kicker Craft in Morgan Hill, CA. Chris decided to return to drag racing in a black truck, so he had Ed Finch in Santa Cruz, CA., spray on the PPG Black-Cherry color. After the hue was applied, "Real" Ralph Neuman laid down the wispy flames that transform themselves into an intimidating flaming eagle with its head airbrushed on the hood.

The unique interior tin work, louvered tonneau, and wheeltubs were created by Doug Menzer in New Jersey. A set of silver-faced Autometer guages allows Chris to monitor the engine's vital signs. A massive polished aluminum, cabon-fiber pro-mod-style rear wing creates an incredible amount of down force , stabilizing this blazing '65 gasser down the quarter mile. The double-hooped rollcage is built to the VRA specs, and Chris is held in his Kirky aluminum drag race seat with Simpson Safety Equipment, which includes a six-point latch-'n-link lap belt, submarine belts, and a shoulder harness. A Teamtech window net keeps body extremities inside during a rollover. In case of a fire, Chris can activate the 20-pound Halon fire system to smother the blaze. A pair of Stroud parachutes with launchers help decelerate the truck after a 200-plus-mph pass.

After only seven months of construction, the crew rolled the Back N Black blazing '65 pickup out of the trailer. It's debut at Famoso's March Meet was impressive, and Chris battled all weekend, blowing the doors off his competition and miraculously making it all the way to the final. However, as luck would have it, on one of his passes, he launced the blower belt on his burnout. Chris backed it up and staged, hoping his challanger would red light, but no such luck.
After spending most of the weekend with Chris, we discovered he is a sincere, appreciative, fun-loving guy, who, at 50, is living life to its fullest.

He recieves support from his wonderful wife, Shannon, and daughters Brandy and Brenda along with Crew Chief Donnie "On the Rev-Limiter" Rodoni, and technical support from Gene Hamby and the rest of the enthusiastic crew > Shelly Bell, Jeff Holland, and Aaron Beals.

 

While most guys are going through their midlife crisis, Chris Zynda is

"FULL THROTTLE"

making another 1320 pass.

 

Truckin' Magazine Sept. issue 2003