Looking for John Chachi JR. ?

[RICK LAKE]

Yea Guys I am looking for an address or number for John Chachi jr. His Last location was in Ohio. His dad passed a couple of years ago. He used to sell Dove parts and build FE motors. He ran car 22 at the Run&Guns. He smoked a cigar and raced with it in his mouth. Thanks for the help. Rick L.

[strictlypersonl]

The spelling may be Ciaci, Ciachi, Cioci or Ciochi too.

[Jack Mack]

Rick, John built a s.o. for me in '93. His address then was 32589
Chestnut Ridge North Ridgeville, Oh. I have his old phone # on a business card but can't put my hands on it right now. His wife Lois, who is re married,stayed in that house after the divorce, and might still be there. Im sure she would know where John jr. is. Another possibility is that Jim Dove or some one at his company would know. Phone # is 216-236-5139 but I think the area code has changed. My cell # is973-271-0888 if you want to talk. Jack

[patrickt]

Here's his daddy's obituary:

John Ciacchi, 93, ran construction firm Plain Dealer (Cleveland, Ohio) May 28, 2003 Wednesday, Final / All

May 28, 2003 Wednesday, Final / All

SECTION: METRO; Pg. B7

LENGTH: 290 words

HEADLINE: John Ciacchi, 93, ran construction firm

BYLINE: Wally Guenther, Plain Dealer Reporter

BODY:
Brooklyn- Services for John N. "Bulletproof" Ciacchi, 93, retired owner of the former Noel Construction Co. in Olmsted Falls, will be at 10 a.m. today at St. Rocco Church, 3205 Fulton Road, Cleveland.

Ciacchi died Saturday in his Brooklyn home.

He was born Giovanni Battista Natale Ciacchi in Genoa, Italy, and moved to the Cleveland area at a young age.

Ciacchi dropped out of school in the eighth grade and in a few years went to work for the Otis Steel Co., which later became Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp.

When he was 19, he was shot in the stomach as a result of a family argument in his home. He survived, and his co-workers nicknamed him "Bulletproof," said a son, Marc, of Brooklyn.

Ciacchi worked in the steel mills for about 20 years before beginning his own construction company in 1960.

He was a concrete contractor and worked on homes throughout the Cleveland area. During much of the 1960s, he ran his company during the day and worked at night at the General Motors Corp.'s Allison Tank Plant. Ciacchi retired in the mid-1970s because of health reasons. He and his wife, Rose, moved to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. They moved back to Brooklyn in 1987.

His family said he had taught himself to play the piano, harmonica, mandolin, violin and accordion.

Ciacchi was a 47-year member of the Elks and a member of the Knights of Columbus.

Surviving with his wife and son are a daughter, Caranina Chesmar of Lakewood; another son, John Jr. of Brooklyn; seven grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. He and his wife had been married for 67 years.

Arrangements are by the Ripepi Funeral Home, 5762 Pearl Road, Parma.

[RICK LAKE]

Ciacchi Is the spelling for the last name. I have an old card his dad used to give out. I just found the card. Rick L.

[RICK LAKE]

Pat This may have been the grandfather. John passed from Lung cancer, I am just guessing because of the oxygen tank he carried around with him. They never said anything about NY. My grandparents are from NY. Brooklyn on Gelston Ave. He wa midwest as far as I know. Thanks for helping and the info. Rick L.

[patrickt]

PM just sent.

[RACER X #99]

Rick, I remember John Chachi from my earlier days of Cobra ownership. I bought some Dove parts from him when I had an FE. John was like most of the earlier replica owners, build them and then race them. John had a very fast Contemporary that spent most of it's days on the racetrack.
Sorry to hear that he passed on.
I know his son had a Contemporary replica that he won in a raffel. Built by some HS kids as a school project with the help of a Contemporary dealer in PA.
Sorry I don't have a number but I am sure somebody here can help you out.

RD

[poseur]

I remember talking to John Chachi several times in the '90's at the Carlisle Kit Car shows in Pa. He had a white Contemporary with some serious FE power, and I'm sure I have one of his old business cards at home...he sold hard core Ford parts. I was also there the Sunday afternoon at the Carlisle show when his son (John, Jr.)? won the red w/ white stripes Contemporary 428 built by high school students in Carlisle and given away at the end of the show. I talked to John about it at Carlisle a few years later, and he was complaining about the taxes that had to be paid on the car and I believe mentioned that the car was headed to Japan. I also saw John lay down some very respectable numbers when he drag raced his car (white Contemporary, 427 automatic) at a Run and Gun in Norwalk, Ohio in about '95 or '96. White beard, cigar, and a hard racer! The business card will have his name spelled correctly, but he has been mentioned several times in the replica car mags,

[ItBites]

I remember John from RNG in Indy in '93. Fast drag car, even though they only let us run 1/8 mile. John was a character.. Big dude who smoked a cigar always. I thought his car was silver, but memory fades over that many years...

[zimmy]

I used to talk to John a lot about Contemporary info in the past. He used to go by Snakepit Cobras. He was also the spitting image of Jerry Garcia.

Here are the numbers I had for him:

Office: 440-327-8313
Home: 216-398-2398
Cell: 440-725-7524

[cobrajam]

Ciacchi had a blue Contemporary w/ the white stripes and the number 22 in white meatballs if I recall correctly. I thought the red w/ white stripes raffle car was sold, and someone else ran it at R&G '98 (may have been '97), where either a wish bone or a half shaft broke at the end of the straight, the car bounced in the air and when it came down, the fuel tank was punctured, and the back half of the car was engulfed in flames. Seems like the same year that the silver w/ black stripes FFR went into the corner too hot and hit the wall, and then after being duct taped back together, won the King of the Hill. I think that is also the same year that Ciacchi windowed a block, and swapped motors in the parking lot. North Royalton or North Ridgeville sounds correct, near Cleveland I believe. They used to attend all the Ford Swap meets in Columbus. Jim Dove may be your best bet.

[poseur]

From an old business card...Spelling is CIACCHI...references "The Snake Pit"- "Ohio's Contemporary Cobra Builder" on (1) side and "Ciacchi Performance Engineering"-"complete race car chassis and pro street car fabrication" on the other side. My card is not dated, but the phone nos. are:

Office (216) 327-8313
Mobile (216)789-4046

32561 Chestnut Ridge
N. Ridgeville, OH 44039

My memory fades, too. I thought I remembered white as John's car, but blue w/white stripes seems to jog the memory bank! I'm sure there are color pictures in the usual magazines.

Getting back on topic...the original post was to locate John, JR. I assume JR is the son who won the raffle car at Carlisle...???

[RICK LAKE]

poseur Yes JR won the car, He had maybe 1,000 tickets for that thing. His friend took it over at the R&G and they found that the weld on the lower control arm had no penetration. Only half of it was holding the lower arm togeather. Back end of the car was cooked, Driver was OK. 1 of John cars was the 22 car. Light blue with white strips. Other was a white car. Still looking thanks for the help. We will find him if possible. Rick

[wheels2009]

Ran into him while back. He's still in N Ridgville at same addy. The obit was not Big John's. Still at the Snake Pit garage.

[mustangman069]

yes that was my grandpa john noel ciacchi he was racing the car at run and gun in 02

[ROUSHAC]

Rick,

I found this: John Ciacchi, III ran this car at Run 'N Gun in 2002:



Possibly John Ciacchi, Jr.'s son or maybe a typo and it was John, Jr.

I think that Wayne Turpin or Gail Nungesser were running it then. Maybe Run 'n Gun still has some records with a contact number for him, and he could hook you up with his Dad.

Good luck!

[BIG JOHN 427]

Originally Posted by ROUSHAC

Rick,

I found this: John Ciacchi, III ran this car at Run 'N Gun in 2002:



Possibly John Ciacchi, Jr.'s son or maybe a typo and it was John, Jr.

I think that Wayne Turpin or Gail Nungesser were running it then. Maybe Run 'n Gun still has some records with a contact number for him, and he could hook you up with his Dad.

Good luck!

GERI CIACCHI here. JOHN CIACCHI III'S youngest daughter. Yes the gray haired cigar chompin old man with the #22 Cobra. I used to do the Swap Meets with him in the late 80's early 90's. Mustang Man is my son SHAWN CIACCHI who was just a baby at those swap meets and whom my father schooled well in his garage from the age of 13. My brother is JOHN CIACCHI II whom my father also schooled well from the time he was about 4 and on for most of his life lol and who still runs the SNAKE PIT COBRA shop with Shawn as best they can. Dad did win the red cobra at that show you mentioned and below I will leave you some contact numbers. Sadly he did pass away Feb. 6th 2005 but BIG JOHN'S spirit is still alive and strong today in his children and grandchildren though we miss him terribly daily. It lifts our hearts to know that people remember him well and hope that continues. We do have a Facebook page for him and encourage you to leave your memories pics and comments as you will. Thank you so much!!
John Ciacchi II (Big John's son still running Snake Pit) 440-310-3337 Shawn Ciacchi (Big John's Grandson still running Snake Pit) 440-341-3348 Geri Ciacchi (Big John's Daughter) 440-654-5776

[mustangman069]

well my grandpa johns car is guardsman blue with 22 on the side a 427 with webers and a whole lot of power we still have the car but grandpa is missed daily and it gives me alot of pride knowing he was still talked about

[poseur]

well, Mustangman069...I'm still confused. Was the white bearded, cigar chompin' dude with the blue #22 Contemporary John Ciacchi, JR, and you are John III...and did you win the red 428 Contemporary given away at Carlisle?