Z1 Drag Racing History

I know not a lot of you are not drag racing fans here. But I just came across these pics of Terry Vance's Pro Stock Kaw from the late 70's. This was the bike that hooked me. I bought my 1st in 1977. And dreamed of this build, wearing out a Russ Collins R C Eng. catalog. This ended up in Australia? I had to share! Some of you will appreciate it.

Badass! I love those old drag bikes.

So simple! They even used a stock seat, cut foam out and pulled cover down tight! With that magneto, Reminds me of the Supercharged AA/Gassers we run. Start it and run it!

Came across some pictures of the Late "Brian Johnson 2015" From England, avid drag bike racer, went up to Top Fuel nitro. He spent time in Western New York Buffalo, early 80's.
But this is one of his early Kaw Pro Stocks. "The Imperial Wizard" this has been painted a few times, a modern side winder installed. But this is when pro stock ment mostly stock! The perfect vintage Kawasaki Z.

Sorry I do not have a better pic than this ad, but I have always liked this Denco machine.

That Ad is classic! I am going after this look. When I was young, never had any real money to build and modify these. I had my 1st mighty Z in 1977. Now Im 62, playing like a kid again! I will never learn! :laugh: :laugh: I'm gonna cheat with the GS Suzuki swingarm, have a 5" slick along with 18" front rim. That red tail is an original FRP ? Watson fiberglass, front fender is glass too. That is the plan anyway, might sit like this too, like my other 10 projects. Always loved them first professional Pro Stock drag bikes

Ron Webb's Top-Fuel Kawi. From Yesteryear...

This is Vicki Farr piloting the Farr Cycle Z1R in the early 1980s. They manufactured big block cylinders up to 1400 some CCs if I remember correctly. They used to run at a track in Topeka Kansas at an event put on by Truet and Osborne, I think they were from Oklahoma. If Vicki got a good launch her pony tail would stick straight out the back!

I loved the multi engine bikes as a kid, still do.

Vorbeck wrote: I loved the multi engine bikes as a kid, still do.

How about this one.....



:woohoo: Ed

The oil tank is probably as big as the gas tank

Anyone interested in old KZ /Z1 dragbikes? Jack Kopella from cycledrag.com has lots of videos! He himself has an 80? Smog head LTD that he shows off. It is sitting in Larry McBrides shop in Virginia getting some top end work done. Jack is documenting it all.
I could not find his pictures of the Bob Davis' 3 - Z1 - Engine Top Fuel Bike that sits in the AMA Hall of Fame Museum in Iowa.
Back in the late 70's Russ Collins Honda Sorrceror triple SOHC 750 Honda bike was out.
Then after Collins crashed, The NHRA pulled Top Fuel motorcycles off of their show!
This massive thing weighs almost a #1000 pounds. I'd love to hear it run at the track with a full load of Nitro!!!!!