Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Paul, I should be able to get some info on the Deb's Automotive Dart at the reunion, as Ralph Ridgeway (former '55 Chev C/MP champion racer out of Deb's) will be there....All will be ok w/your 10,000 ft. jump---- long as you don't land on the old strip (as some used to do---many broken bones...)......gotta land on the grass...it is nice and soft up here in central Mass, Paul....keep playing those old hits....:D Regards, WJ

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Daryl,

In 1985 I arranged the sale of a '68 Hemi Dart to a guy named Bill in Concord NC. The car was owned by two brothers who owned R & R Speed shop in Huntsville AL. The car was black.

The car was in excellent shape with few modifications and still had the Xram Hemi. I think they ran some IHRA races and Bracket raced it.

The guy it went to was a speculator who just got out of collecting Ferrari's and saw the worth in Mopar drag race cars.

The key is the two brothers in Huntsville, if they are still around they may be able to teel you the history of the car.

I know this won't help you with your car but may shed history on the breed.

JimR

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Paul
There are pictures of Go Hummer II under Bill Jackson on here. And
Nitro Joe he does the racing stats. They would know where the car went.

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Anyone know anything about these two?

http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/7025/bobhodge01.jpg

http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/596/enterprize01.jpg

First time I've seen a photo of Gene's SS car.

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/1...snowssdart.jpg

M68

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Just thought I would let you all know that Dave Wren has purchased his original 68 Barracuda, #006.It has been restored to as delivered type look, It even has mufflers. He brought it up to Mission last weekend and even made a couple passes with it. 10.50 @ 130 mph. When was the last time a real one made a pass......

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Notice the wipers on the white dart !

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Paul
As far as I know, Hurst installed the factory length Dana's that were to go into B Bodys, Runners, Cornets, etc. That's why they used those goofy offset rear rims. This is the first I heard of a shortage, but I've been wrong before,---just not today yet!!!
There was a shortage on the glass fenders on the later cars I believe, & when they came available again, they came in blue gel coat.
As far as the modified steering arms,, the only car I've seen with them is the Joe Jill Speedwin Automotive car. When I purchased the Landy 4 spd. car from Steve O'Neil in 96, there was a new set of these things in the trunk, but not on the car. Not sure how many were actually installed by Hurst, before they let the cars go. I thought these were an after thought because of the poor steering geometry due to the K members being spaced 1/2". Only those "in the know" got them. ------- Any Input??????

Liteweight
Daryl

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

It's great to see that Dave's got his original car back. You just don't have that happening too often now. And he's running it!!!!! KUDDO'S to him!!!!!! People have forgotten why they built these cars to begin with. yes, they're a rare piece of racing, & yes, they are expensive BUT they certainly weren't built to sit in museums. I think it's an unjustice not to show the public what the fastest production American cars are capable of.
I drive my original LO car on the street as much as I can, & it does frequent the race track on occasion,

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

That's no Bull... I've seen Daryl's car out in Winnipeg often.... It is awesome to see it cruisin !

I've also seen him run it at our local strip... even better!

Gary

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

"Here we have a 69 Dart that was raced as a 68 Hemi Dart in NHRA & IHRA national events from 1978-1986. It was painted blue metal flake , and called "Flying Proud", owned and raced by Danny Smith of central Ohio. The car was a real head turner, not only for the way it looked , but with the way it always performed on every run. No 4 link or ladder bar suspension on this car, just good old s/s springs. Danny was associated with the former Rod Shop and still to this day, with Fast Racing out of Groveport, Ohio"

http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/3...ingproud13.jpg

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/6...ingproud10.jpg

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/6...ingproud03.jpg

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...iewitem=#v4-38

"No 4 link or ladder bar suspension on this car, just good old s/s springs."

Yeah, good ol' Super Stock springs with a pinion snubber. Too bad these cars aren't this simple anymore.

M68

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Dave Zinn,
A good start for Friday viewing.

Daryl,
I think it was in one of the Charlie Castaldo articles (his first car)
about some steering issues (control arm modifications from the factory, that they shipped out new components to the existing owners).

pc

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

M68,
The Cuda "Private Enterprise". Jim Skarbeck.
Ran out of Roanoke, Virginia
SS/B 4-speed car.
8/4/68 at Suffolk, Va., car ran a 10.79, which was a sub-record run at that time, versus
Dave Strickler in his SS/F 68' Z-28 Camaro.

The Beach Brothers Dodge (white SS/B Dart) was out of Salem, Virginia. Also a Western Virginia car. Salem just west of Roanoke.

Gene Snow's Dart (SS/BA) (Fort Worth, Texas), one of the best looking Dart's. Great paint job. Photo is from 1969.
Car #898 is from 1969 NHRA Springnationals at Dallas. SS/BA record was 10.72.
Gene, A Hot-Shot Used Car Salesman.
pc

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

probably my most favorite Barracuda out of them all. never seen a color picture of that one though.

Mopar collectors guide ran an article on a black Dart that was killed in a street racing crash in the 70's. anyone know anything about that car before that? the article says it belonged to Max Hurley


Dave

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Northern Thunder,
I don't think Gene Snow drove the 68' SS/BA Dart in 1969.

I have to check, but the NHRA set a minimum for SS/B and SS/BA in May 1968, before any records were established.
I think it was
SS/B = 10.95
SS/BA = 11.05
Also, the racers were told to stay away from the A/MP class with the
68' cars, in 1968.
Paul

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Hi guys. The LO-23 BO29 info here is just...like...WOW:eek:
I hope you all do not mine and Daryl, I hope you do not mind if I ask this question. It really has nothing to do with your car, but this thread has taken on a life of it's own as being the PLACE for getting the info on these race cars.
Can any of you tell me if this car.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...scan0228-3.jpg
...and this car..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...68HEMIDART.jpg
...and this car...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...rnationals.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ycrash76-2.jpg
...are all one in the same car?
Thanks
Matt

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Thanks for the info, Paul. Here's another shot of the car.

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/431...terprize02.jpg

M68

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

How 'bout these guys?

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/2149/003zx.jpg

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/403/004gv.jpg

M68

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

I don't recall seeing this car. Clone? Or the real deal?

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/4183/img0001rg.jpg

In Super Gas? Say it isn't so! :)

M68

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Nice color shot of the Playmate.

http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/4314/urd14.jpg

M68

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

M68,
You always come through with the rare/lost photo's.
Great stuff.
Notice, on Jim Skarbeck's 'Private Enterprise' Cuda.
Sox and Martin Preparred on the front fender.
Also, you can see the car still has the original factory installed smaller collector Hooker Headers.
Car still ran under the SS/B record in 1968.

Paul

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

very cool pics! thank you for posting them.

anyone have any color pictures of the Private Enterprize car? i'm curious too if it was prepared by Sox&Martin if it had a blue painted Hemi built by Jake King.

the Fink's Used Cars Dart is exactly the kind of thing i'm looking for over in the "life after Super Stock" thread i started. very cool picture and very interesting, at least to me.

on the Playmate Dart, did it have a vinyl top or was the roof painted white? i think the El Toro Dart had a tan vinyl top?


Dave

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Paul
You are correct with that. Jim B from this forum who used to work at a Chrysler dealer then, informed me they had a new LO car delivered to them, & shortly after, Chrysler sent them a set of modified spindles to correct the geometry. The mod was relocating the outer tie rod location by heating the arm & bending it up to get it back to it's original height because of the dropped k member. Later on, some of the racers started to cut the upper control arm just back of the ball joint & install a section to lengthen it. This allowed for better camber control thruout it's suspension travel.
Liteweight
Daryl

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Hi guys. The LO-23 BO29 info here is just...like...WOW
I hope you all do not mine and Daryl, I hope you do not mind if I ask this question. It really has nothing to do with your car, but this thread has taken on a life of it's own as being the PLACE for getting the info on these race cars.

Matt Conte

Hi Matt
No, I do not mind at all. Your right, this thread has taken off in a direction that I never would have imagined. And because of that, it is keeping it alive & fresh for my quest to find the history on my unknown soldier. There is a huge amount of info & pictures that have been shared on here that normally would not have been. Thankyou all.
Keep it coming, as the next generation needs this to keep this very important chapter of drag racing history alive.

Liteweight
Daryl

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Daryl,

Your original question "Original Hemi Dart Information".
It has turned into one of the most informative threads.

On the Finks Used Cars' Super/Gas Dart.
Looks like a mid-70's photo.
Fink's (out of Zainesville, Ohio) picked up many factory
Super/Stock cars from the original owners.
Wonder if that Dart was Mary Ann Foss original 'Go Hummer II".
Zainesville only about an hour away from Bellville, Ohio.
Or possibly, from Dependable Dodge out of Mansfield, Ohio.

Paul

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Paul
A friend of mine purchased a 66 Hemi Coronet from Carrol Fink several years back, & when he picked it up he was fortunate enough for Carrol to give him a tour of his car collection which included this same Dart in it's "as raced" condition from the 80's . The 71 hemicuda convert. was in there too. This car built from a 340 car.

Liteweight
Daryl

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Dave Z,
On the Chuck McJury Dart.
No vinyl tops for original LO-23 cars.
Chuck from upstate New York. Also raced a 65' Dodge A-990
S/S car, and then converted it to an AWB-car.
His car was originally a 4-speed (SS/B). Was reddish/brown with
silver center section. White roof with a black painted "C" pillar with
SS/B lettering. That car was lettered with "Playmate II".
Keystones on the front and white steel rims for the slicks.
Sponsored by 'Cicero Dodge', just outside of Syracuse, New York.
Also, co-sponsored by Stevenson Garage, out of East Syracuse, the same guys who were affiliated with Ed Miller's SS/B Cuda.
Ran the 4-speed in 1968 and 1969.
Changed paint in 1970, and went into SS/AA.

Paul

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Rocket,
Chuck McJury re-painted his Dart for the 1970 season.
Kampney Auto Body out of Cortland, New York did the custom paint job.
Car was painted blue, with a black roof.
The car was lettered as "Playmate".
Ron Mancini did the prep work.
Chuck was no longer affiliated with Cicero Dodge and Stevensons Garage.
The black roof was later re-painted white, which made the car stand out better. Keystones all-around.
Went from SS/B to SS/AA.
His 1965 AWB-A/FX car also was painted with a white roof. It had a maroon body. Was lettere 'McJury's Fury'.
The 65' car was the AHRA Champion in 1967.
Paul

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Thanks Paul, I try. Glad you like it.

Yes, it could pass for that time period; however, if you recall, Super Gas wasn't an Eiminator until the early 1980s. Also, notice whose name is right below the Rod Shop Dodge lettering on the front fender. From what I understand, Butch Leal teamed up with Rod Shop in 1983, so if he had a hand in building the car (from the start), it was no earlier than this date.

You never know. :) Speaking of which, check out his web site:

http://www.finksqualityautos.com/

M68

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/9476/finksusedcars.jpg


One of my all-time favorite paint schemes and Mopar Super Stock car.

M68

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

There were 2 yellow Mancini Darts - the only Hurst car that Ron had was the brown/blue later painted red/silver. One of the yellow cars was built from a 69 and the other from a 70 body-in-white converted to a 68.
Mark J

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

M68, could you send me copies of the McJury Dart and the Fink Dart - for some reason the photos won't load on the site . Thanks,
Mark J
Dart4261964@yahoo.com

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

I parked next to this car at the Sportsnationals held at Indy in the spring of 83. It was running in Super Gas but I don't remember seeing Butch Leal's name on the car. The pic must be from later in the year.

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

M68,
Forgot about Super/Gas. I was thinking Pro/Gas, the 9.90 class that came first.
On Chuck McJury's car. Roof was black at the 1970 Super/Stock Magazine Nationals, at York In May.
At the 70' SummerNationals in July, it was white, and it looked better.

Thanks on the Finks site. They cleaned up at the 70' Super/Stock Magazine Nationals. SS/DA with the old Sox & Martin's 67' R/O
Belvedere (with GTX lettering). One awesome car.
Paul

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

so there were three Mancini Darts that existed. anyone have any pics of the red/silver car? interesting that the two yellow cars were "built" cars and not originally Hurst built 68's. i'm guessing here that the '69 was the one that was wrecked? or was it the '70 converted to '68? it makes me wonder too if that means there are two surviving Ron Mancini Darts still out there?

Dave

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Dave,
I think Mark J or Daryl can verify this.
Ron Mancini's first Hemi Dart did not come directly from the factory.
He bought Gil Clark's car in June 1969. (an original factory car).
Gil was an AHRA-contracted racer out of Toronto, Canada.
I'm pretty sure it was a 4-speed originally.
Gil Clark's car was the #5 car out of the first 56 produced (first run) on
February 18, 1968.
Supposedly Gil's last run was at Detroit Dragway in June 1969.
Records show it ran a 10.73 in SS/B.
Paul

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Gooch,
Charlie Lendrum was also from upstate New York.
Charlie was out of the Schenectady area.
His car was co-sponsored by Albany Dodge.
Charlie was another AWB-racer, with a 66' Chevy.
He ran a SS/BA 68' Hemi Dart.
It was an original factory car.
Ran it in SS/AA and Pro/Stock in 1970.
He was called the 'Northern Shaker'.
In refrence to Albany-Shaker Road.
pc

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

I bet that it was the car that crashed at indy that was the 70 converted. Because of the, no marler lights.
I bet the one that has the "strobe" striping that goes over the roof is still around somewhere. But I bet it will not be found. With it not being a real LO23 and just a 69.

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

some internet searching turned up two pics. one is of the red/silver version of Mancini's car and the second looks to be Larry Griffith's '68 turned '70. Griffith's '70 would be the same one that's restored today back to mostly it's '68 configuration?

Dave

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Pics did not work, Dave.

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Daryl,
I'm checking on the rear-end installation for the 68's.
Trying to find the article, which stated that there was a
shortage of Dana rear-end units for the A-Body.
No way would there be a shortage of B-Body Dana units.

Also, back in 2003, great article and pictures in magazine describing the test runs for the Mule Car at Irwindale.
The car got a little out of align when going through the traps.
OK up to 120 MPH. Original thought, was that the hood scoop had an effect.
Paul