Original hemi dart information

[Charlie A]

Any possibility there was a twin(not a tribute) Wildfire Dart? (or any other that might be yours)

Overbooked pros used duplicate painted cars with other drivers from time to time.

There was only one Ronnie Sox but there were several "Sox&Martin" cars on the tracks.

Just wondering.

[JCShiels]

Just a clarification Daryl that may help in tracing your car's past, am I correct in stating that prior to 1985 the car was tubbed and the narrow Dana axle installed on relocated springs? The fact that the trunk lid is held down with pins indicates the removal of the hinges/torsion springs when the stock wheel houses were removed. It is interesting that such a simple thing as an extra hood pin could be such a positive indentification point. I can't imagine anyone but the most fussy restorer even trying to repair that hole in the cowl, there would be no point to fill it, so I am convinced that your conclusion about WildFire is correct. I would still like to know what happened to that car, but that is secondary to your quest for the history of your car.

[Liteweight]

Originally Posted by JCShiels

Just a clarification Daryl that may help in tracing your car's past, am I correct in stating that prior to 1985 the car was tubbed and the narrow Dana axle installed on relocated springs? The fact that the trunk lid is held down with pins indicates the removal of the hinges/torsion springs when the stock wheel houses were removed. It is interesting that such a simple thing as an extra hood pin could be such a positive indentification point. I can't imagine anyone but the most fussy restorer even trying to repair that hole in the cowl, there would be no point to fill it, so I am convinced that your conclusion about WildFire is correct. I would still like to know what happened to that car, but that is secondary to your quest for the history of your car.

Jim you are correct. The car was mini tubbed. The inners were replaced with tubs & placed against the frame rails, but the outers were left original. Tim Hennessey removed the inners in 1986 & reinstalled original tubs with a filler to still accept a large tire. He also reinstalled all the hinge parts including the torsion bars so the trunk lid is 100% functional.


On a side note, the forward sections of the quarter panel wheel well were also opened to accept taller tires & remain to this day.
Tim Hennessey did an over the top restoration on it in 1986, but I can tell you just about every repaired mod that was done to it. There's very little I don't know bout this thing, cause I've taken it down to a bare shell, & redid everything cept the paint. It wears the same paint that was applied back in 86.
Your right. Something as minute as a hood pin is the difference in finding a cars background. Since these things were old war horses & are 44 years old there is just very little documentation/ pictures on some of these individual cars. You gotta find the small things & compare. I've been searching for bout 10 years for this things history. I think I am now kinda polished in it

liteweight

[Hemi Moose]

Here's another old ad with Arlen Vanke's '68 Hemi Barracuda...

[hemitime]

Could Charlie Castaldo have had his name on the doors as a sponsor? He did have a business and Al Mossarino was his cousin ,,so this could be possible later after his racing career for Castaldo to stay on the scene through sponsoring his cousins dart,he obviously had a love of hemi darts as he bought a second one after crashing his first one.The car also had trunk pins,so did hennesey take the time to fill in those holes drilled for the studs on the trunk opening,?They had to mount them somewhere ,is there any signs of that repair?After all,Hennesey did an all out resto taking out tubs,sectioning factory ones to look stock,smoothing them to look factory,filling roll bar mounting holes,replacing the trunk lid or fixing holes from pins ,so after all that do you really think he would have left a hole in the firewall with no pin or just stuck a needless stud in after doing all the other detail work perfectly,the wildfire dart is on you tube videos racing at atco at some point in its career as documented on film which puts the car in the right area ,so if this car is not the wildfire dart then who the heck has it?Or CLAIMS they have it ,and is it documented beyond any doubt,after all this Castaldo connection story was fact years ago too!!!

[hemidart3]

according to an article he wrote for mopar action kirschenbaum owned the speedwin automotive car while working at the dodge dealer in new york. it's an interesting read, he ordered the car in and when the owner pressured him about it he started making payments but never got the title. joe jill then came in and took ownership of the car. now as the saying goes "don't shoot the messenger" lol. dave

[HEMIDARTDAVE]

Lightweight,
A good friend knew Joe Patel well and almost bought his car. I'll ask if he knows where it went. I talked to Bob Banning a while ago and he gave me the name of the guy who bought his stick Dart. I couldn't get his #, but the lady who has something to do with the East Coast Drag Meet down south knows who owns the car now, but couln't divulge the name. The other Dart Bob Banning sold was the AT car John DeRosa owned and I almost bought from Fred E. I'll go through my notes this weekend.
Dave

[Liteweight]

Originally Posted by HEMIDARTDAVE

Lightweight,
A good friend knew Joe Patel well and almost bought his car. I'll ask if he knows where it went. I talked to Bob Banning a while ago and he gave me the name of the guy who bought his stick Dart. I couldn't get his #, but the lady who has something to do with the East Coast Drag Meet down south knows who owns the car now, but couln't divulge the name. The other Dart Bob Banning sold was the AT car John DeRosa owned and I almost bought from Fred E. I'll go through my notes this weekend.
Dave

Dave any update on Joe Patel's car

liteweight

[HEMIDARTDAVE]

Originally Posted by Liteweight

Dave any update on Joe Patel's car

liteweight

Daryl,
I was told it went to MI in the mid 70's. No word of it since.
Dave

[rhinodaert]

Still looking for more pics of my Dart. It was bought from Mr. Norms by Richard Shipley from Baltimore, MD then went to Joe DeSantis, then to Ohio. I really need some color pics of the car when it was in this paint scheme. Thanks in advance.