Vincent Fiala Z11 tribute "Bad News" build.
- Thread starter 1964SuperStocker
- Start date
No chance the Z11 427 came from Fiala's car. All accounts I have are his car left with the engine in it. More importantly, all of the modified parts on his engine/car have never surfaced yet. I have thousands of photos of Z11 cars and every Z11 style engine (in just about every machine you can imagine) I have been able to find online. No sign of any of Fiala's parts yet. Shouldn't be too hard to find the Charley Jacobs 427 car from Council Bluffs. Here is Charlie's Obituary. https://www.cutleroneill.com/obituaries/Charles-Charlie-Jacobs?obId=7159264 I'll follow up with his family. Maybe someone remembers Fiala or can tell me more about the 427 Chevelle.
Clearly this news paper is from 69 but seems like Charlie was well known in the area. Nice catch Raj, never know what someone might know or remember from back then. I'm always surprised with the number of racers from the time that lived in Iowa that I haven't heard about yet that had successful racing careers.
I have been hunting through some of my old photos and this is me at the age of 15 (Spring 1992) soon to be 16 with my very first car a 1963 Impala 2dr hard top, straight six/ three on the tree. That morning we had went to the Iowa State Fair grounds swap meet. I had a hand full of cash from de-tasseling corn the previous year and had just started a new job at Taco Johns (have my uniform on under my bright orange denim coat). The little gold 1986 Chevy Sprint behind my 1963 Impala is what I drove to work with my work permit (Its setting in my driveway right now). My dad wanted me to find a 1970 Chevelle or a 60's Camaro. I wanted a 1963-1964 Impala and this bird was setting right up front high on a trailer waiting for me to take it home. After my dad did some wheeling and dealing with the owner I spent my $300 on this old girl. Even talked the guy into dropping it off at our house 35 miles away because it was on his way home. My dad did mention they used to drag race these cars back in the day and they did very well with a big engine. Not sure if he mentioned Z11 or not but performance and racing wasn't top priority at the time. At the time of the picture I put my work cloths on to head to work and my dad had me drive the 3 on the tree straight six Impala around the block once before I left. I must have killed that engine 10 times just going around one block. It was so much fun and my dad thought I was crazy for being in love with this old Impala. I'm hunting for my photos of me working on the car. About a week after this photo I had the car pulled down to body on chassis. I was working hard to make money and buy parts I needed while going to school and telling all of my friends my big dreams for the car. First car I did my own welding of floor pans in and the work I did back then actually still looks great. Will need some additional work for the new floors I'll end up putting in now. Just spent the last week clearing more space out of my shop to pull the car into position to get body work done. She is going to be white in the next 90 days so I can get the lettering done on the car for the "Bad News" Z11 Tribute she is becoming. Vincent is in his mid 80's and I truely want to get photos of him with my car while he still lives at home with his wife. The photo was taken in front of my parents house (which you can't see). The neighbors houses in the back ground look identical to the photo today. The big tree behind the Sprint is gone and the tiny Evergreen in the front yard (behind my antenna) is now 45' tall and about 20' wide. Funniest part of this photo is I still have that orange denim coat. I have everything but that ugly hat to recreate this photo with the same cars and the coat after 32 years now.
Last edited:
I don't know. 2 years after this photo I had 6 parts cars because the aftermarket and the internet didn't exist yet.Great Picture, Randy.I bet 90 % of us Car Guys, can say the same things about growing up, working on our cars and getting a job.
Very glad computers and cell phones, weren't around back then.