Original hemi dart information

[68hemiss]

Originally Posted by mtkawboy

Anyone know whatever happened to the Hemi Cuda called "Hemi Inc." from the Ft Lauderdale Fl. area ? It was bought new by 3 guys & raced in SS/AA for a while and last I saw it the car was being bracket raced in West Palm @ Moroso by a guy named Boggs who was one of the original owners I believe. I think they all worked at the same dealership in Lauderdale. We used to race them a lot in Jimmy Soucys SS/IA Cobrajet 69 Mustang.

You are talking about the Archer Bros. "Hemi Inc." Barracuda. It is still around - painted as a Sox & Martin car I am told.
Mark J

[68hemiss]

Does anyone know what happened to either the Mary Ann Foss "Go Hummer" Dart or the Bob Banning Dart? For the CA members - does anyone know anything about the Prince Chrysler-Plymouth Barracuda (like who might have owned it) or the red Barracuda that DeFrank & Cohen had. Jim told us that he bought it from a customer who had work being done at Ron Butler's shop?
Thanks,
Mark J

[Paul Ceasrine]

Daryl (Part VII),
The car sat in my fathers driveway for about 3 months, before he changed his mind about racing. He's pretty sure he sold it to (2) brothers
from Mt. Kisco (he thinks the Murphy boys). Not sure if they ever put it together also. Then it dissappeared.
As fpr the car, the only thing I do remember is that it was black, regular quarter-panels, tubbed rear inner-fenderwells. The trunk-lid was a
steel-type unit with rear-molding panel. Not sure if it was hood-pinned or hinged, but it wasn't fiberglass. Front and rear bumpers were chrome-steel. Not sure on the interior, other than roll-bar loop and possibly
lightweigt van seats. Again, can't remember engine compartment, whether the inner fenderwells were cut for 440 headers or not.
Unfortunately never checked the VIN# or other details. The value of the
68' Hemi cars back then were not ...............in outer space. I think my father got the car and both engines for around $3000.
Not even sure on the rear (Dana or 8 3/4")
The good thing........I FOUND A PICTURE OF THE CAR.
Send me a private message with your address. I'll send you a copy.
Maybe it's your car.
Who's car was it. We never reseached it or even scraped off any of the
black paint. Maybe it was the Pomona Speed Shop/Victor's Repair car
or not.
Paul

[Paul Ceasrine]

Daryl (Part VIII),
In the Dart photo from 1980 or so). The Dart has 12' slicks fitted neatly within the rear fenderwells with Centerline wheels. The front has
Ansen mags.
As for the Hemi engine. I do remember helping my father disassemble
the block. Not sure if it was bored out or not. But it came with a
Milodon oil pan unit and 12.5-1 Chrysler pistons. One thing that stuck in my mind was the heavy-slugs. My father still believes it was an early 68'
factory Hemi block (period correct for the 68' Hemi A-bombs)). The 426 Hemi engine (long block, minus the cross-ram) ended up in the hands of his friend Jerry. My father kept the 440.
Both my father and Jerry were close friends with Lou Vignogna.

Jerry was closer.
Paul C

[mike koester 66 nova]

Hemiss. ( Mark Y. ) Are you talking about the DeFrank and Cohen red cuda with the gold stripe? I have a mag picture of the same cuda just re -lettered with Don Mac Callum 's name on the car. Ray Barton on the front fender, NHRA number 1978 racing the John Friel dart. Don't know who had the car first McCallum or DeFrank. I am comparing this picture with another picture taken at Gainsville with Phil Mandella driving the cuda, with Bob Lambeck Ent. on the front fender. No Joe Allread or Rick Houser.

[68hemiss]

Originally Posted by mike koester 66 nova

Hemiss. ( Mark Y. ) Are you talking about the DeFrank and Cohen red cuda with the gold stripe? I have a mag picture of the same cuda just re -lettered with Don Mac Callum 's name on the car. Ray Barton on the front fender, NHRA number 1978 racing the John Friel dart. Don't know who had the car first McCallum or DeFrank. I am comparing this picture with another picture taken at Gainsville with Phil Mandella driving the cuda, with Bob Lambeck Ent. on the front fender. No Joe Allread or Rick Houser.

Mike,
This is the same car I am talking about - DeFrank had it went tp Lyden & Johnson in PA. I think that Jim told me they bought it from a guy named "Pistol" Pete who had the car at Ron Butler's shop for some work. I don't know any earlier history (that I can prove) than that.
Thanks,
Mark J

[mike koester 66 nova]

hemiss ( mark J ) I do not think we are talking about the same car. Again a different mag picture shows 6 of the DeFrank and Cohen cars. The all red cuda has a gold stripe at the top of the fender continuing all the way along the top of the doors and quarters. Again the other picture has the same paint and striping with MacCallums name on the car. The other DeFrank and Cohen cuda sold to Lydon and Johnson was a golden / yellow cuda with red side panels all the way down to the lower fenders and doors / quarters. I quess the question is who owned the all red cuda first DeFrank or MacCallum? Also have seen pictures of the Lydon and Johnson cuda and they raced this cuda without changing the paint only the lettering. This has always been a common practice with racers.

[mike koester 66 nova]

Hemiss ( Mark J ) Another question to consider. Its been established that the Costello's picked up their first dart in Detroit, then crashed that dart at Englishtown in late 68 or early 69. He then replaced that dart with a dart owned and driven by Tom Crutchfield / Palmer Dodge in Indy / Kokomo area. That car was a bronze color, I saw it race @ Indy in 68 and also @ Edgewater.Was the first dart completely destroyed? Was the car rebuilt or repaired? Was another dart used to make this transistion.Is this why some of the above members claim to have seen 2 different darts at the same time. Mark J , you might be able to clear this up. Or maybe still a question.

[68hemiss]

Originally Posted by mike koester 66 nova

Hemiss ( Mark J ) Another question to consider. Its been established that the Costello's picked up their first dart in Detroit, then crashed that dart at Englishtown in late 68 or early 69. He then replaced that dart with a dart owned and driven by Tom Crutchfield / Palmer Dodge in Indy / Kokomo area. That car was a bronze color, I saw it race @ Indy in 68 and also @ Edgewater.Was the first dart completely destroyed? Was the car rebuilt or repaired? Was another dart used to make this transistion.Is this why some of the above members claim to have seen 2 different darts at the same time. Mark J , you might be able to clear this up. Or maybe still a question.

Mike,
This is where the debate begins. I spoke with one of Charlie's crew (i belive it was Rick Rickman) who told me that the car sat out back the shop - they took some parts off the car but he didn't remember what happened to the car. He said we could have junked it or it could still be out there somewhere?? I have pictures of the car being picked up off the track with a wrecker at E-Town. The roof was buckled quarters, doors were crunched pretty good - I thought I was told that the oil filter leaked/blew (Like Ron Mancini's crash at Indy years later) and the car ended up upside down on the guardrail. By todays standards fixable but in 1968 the car was a junk racecar. You could buy another one for WAY cheaper than fixing it and that is what Charlie did. Remember these cars were not that valuable in the 70's or 80's and were not selling for $300,000.00 at B-J auction - it was just another old racecar. The argument is that this car may have been repaired or that Charlie had another car.

Mark J

[Phillip marvetz]

You guys may want to get ahold of Dave Wren, He has owned a least ten of them over the years and used to make trips back east to buy cars to help fund his racing so he may be able to fill in the blanks on a few of them.

P.S the SS/AH car he runs now is not an original.