Original hemi dart information

[Paul Ceasrine]

Many of the crew at Hurst Performance Facility were not
Chrysler employees,,,,

Some were part-timers, just hired for that project.

Hurst even had a hard time finding qualified mechanics.
Several of the Chrysler regulars helped out, after working their
regular Chrysler shift.

Richard Chrysler of Hurst Performance was supposed to supervise
the conversion project, but,,,,,,,,,

It did not go without its problems,,,,,,,,
* front-end trajectory
* steering problems
* loose front-end parts
* improper manual transmission shifting
* unfastened body parts
* loose steering columns

pc

[mopar68]

Originally Posted by Hemi Moose

Thanks for the kudos M68 but you've posted a lot of good photo's yourself. Also another person that experimented with the plexi-glass front covers was Ed Miller's 68 Hemi Barracuda when he went into pro-stock.

You're welcome. Yeah, thanks for reminding me, Ed Miller's Barracuda had those covers too.

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Hemi Moose and M68,,,,,,,,,,

The Babe Ruth Team of the 68' Hemi Photo's
No one can top you guys,,,,,,,,,

I try.



M68

[mopar68]

Originally Posted by jackarnew

I worked on some Darts before body & paint direct from Grand Spalding, and this is one
of the better torche jobs. The people who did the work sure were not body men.

Sure looks that way.

Jack, can you tell us about the Lexan covers over your Barracuda's grill? Did you gain any noticeable mph? Were the covers your idea or Ed Miller's? Lastly, how'd you pass tech with them?



Regards,

M68

[jackarnew]

Originally Posted by Hemi Moose

I was just curious you said that you worked on some of 68 Hemi Dart's from Mr. Norm's Grand Spaulding Dodge. (or possibly any other 68 Hemi Barracuda's from other owners). What type of work did you do, just front end work or other modifications, and where was this done. Do you remember some of the names of the owners of these race hemi L023 & B029 cars that you worked on.

Some of the 68 Hemi Cudas and Darts, that I had a hand in setting up as to suspension were owned by,Bill Stiles , Claton Wright,Richard Shippley, Cotton Transmission and the Cuda I sold to Carpinet bros., after they changed to auto trans. Also I did front end on the black Cuda that Sonny Nichols sold to Centalonzal bros. Sonny never raced the car,for it's time the car was a 10. Memory not what it was 30 some years ago, but I'm sure there were outhers just can't bring them to mind.As to outher suspension work that was performed at our shop, we did rear ends, spring relocation,ladder bar, 4 link and what ever the customer needed in the way of chassis work.

[jackarnew]

Originally Posted by mopar68

Sure looks that way.

Jack, can you tell us about the Lexan covers over your Barracuda's grill? Did you gain any noticeable mph? Were the covers your idea or Ed Miller's? Lastly, how'd you pass tech with them?



Regards,

M68

Covers were Bill Stiles's idea. I ran them very earley in the season of pro/stock. First meet that I rember was at Suffolk Va. I ran Ed Miller for the money and won, don't think Ed had covers on his car at that time.
Not sure they gave me any additional help. took them off because we had over heating problems, which turned out to be radiator,never put covers back on.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Jack,

That photo of your Barracuda was from Dover Drag Strip,,,
NED 1 Pro/Stock Circuit, April 1970.

The first week you got Ed Miller.

The second week, he nipped you in the Semi Finals at Dover.
also in attendance there;
Final Results;
Winner,,,,,,,,,,,, Ed Miller 10.20 @ 138.50
Runner-Up,,,,,, Bob Banning Jr. 10.60 @ 132.00

3rd Place,,,,,,, Jack Arnew
4th Place,,,,,,,,Ken Montgomery
5th Place,,,,,,,,Allen Phillips


All Hemi's,,,,,,,,,what a beautiful Sunday,,,,,,,,,No Chevy's,,,

[Liteweight]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

M68,

That first photo of 'Check Mate' must be from early-1970.
SS/AA record 10.36. (Set by Don Grotheer in 10/69).

There was an original SS/BA Barracuda from Jacksonville, Florida
'Super Fish',,,,,, I think........Mind blank at the moment.

Canadien Darts;
*) Chinook Dart
*) Demented Dart
*) Dick Panter
*) Gil Clark

Hey guys. been awhile since I've visited this post. I never expected to see the VERY COOL pictures & history that's been put up. Many thanx go to Paul C., M68 & Hemi Moose for sharing all this stuff from your private collections. Nicely done gentlemen!!!.
A quick update on my car boils down to this. I've followed up my last lead on the possibility it could have been the Wild Fire Dart, spoke with the original owner of it, got a bunch of pictures & came to the realization it's not mine, because of some of the mods don't match my car. So I'm back to square one, in the early 80's when Lou Vignonia owned it .
I've let it rest for awhile, but am ready to continue again. With so many known cars that have come to light lately with some pretty good history on them, you would think my car should have popped up somewhere. I'm open to all suggestions.
When Lou purchased the car, he & his son Jimi remember it being silver & red. Lou had Paul Pittman remove all the paint on it with stripper & had it painted white, as you've seen in my previous posts. So all it's previous paints were lost. I've spoken with Mr. Pittman & he doesn't recall any of the colors under the silver & red. Now, when Tim Hennesey purchased it from Lou he again stripped the car of paint, & sand blasted everything else. So all traces of it's colors are gone previous to 1982.
This is an early car, #7, auto, never had a stick in it or a clutch pedal for a clutch flite. the only body mods done were a set of inner tubs that were installed. Outers are original, along with frame rail location. It did have a Lakewood bolt in bar installed at one time.
Give it some thought guys & let me know if you come up with anything.

On a different note, Paul C. posted a list of Canadian run Lo cars, but I don't see John Petrie included on it. I thought he ran an original LO for a couple years before he went to PS in 1970 with a Challenger.

liteweight
Daryl

[Liteweight]

Hemi Moose
Thanx for the info.
My car definately is not any of Castaldo's 2 cars. The first one( the 4 spd) was rolled in E town.The car was stripped of usable parts & eventually scrapped. The second car, an auto, is alive & well & residing on the east coast. It has been updated to todays SS/AH status & runs the occasional NHRA event. There are a couple pictures of it on this thread. It's black, & has had the quarter panels replaced with the standard Dart wheel well opening panels.
On my car the trans tunnel or floor pan has never been cut, modified, replaced in any way, shape or form. There has never been a clutch Z shaft bracket mounted on the DS framerail, or hole through the inner apron for same.
The only tin or fiberglass that did not come with this car when it rolled out of Hurst's facility are the trunk lid which Hennesey replaced because the original was pinned instead of hinges, & the inner wheel tubs which have been widened to the frame rails. An original set of inner tubs were installed by Hennessey against the rails.
Paul, tag----- your it.
Let's see what you have. The suspense is killing me

lightweight

[marfen]

I was able to get a hold of John Petrie himself last year out in BC. He says he never had a 68 Hurst car ever. Ran the 65 then B-bodies late 60s , then the Cuda, Challenger, Demon in Prostock in the early 70s. I know John is listed in Schild's book as an owner but the man himself says he never did. Class act Petrie was, up here his Supercar Clinics were well attended and everyone really enjoyed them.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Tag,,,,,,,,,,,I'm it,,,,,,,,,,,

Lets try to break this down,,,,,,,,,,,,#07 car,,,,,,,,automatic.
One of the first cars to be taken off the lot at Hurst,,,,,,,

From some digging, supposedly the boys at Van Dyke Dodge,
at Eleven Mile Road, just down the road from the Hurst Facility
were monitoring the project.

From little tid-bits of information, they got one of the first ones.
Yet,,,,,,,,,,,,,who did it go to,,,????

The dealership, service guys, a mechanic racer....?
I bet Daryl's car was an original Michigan car...

pc