Re: Original hemi dart information
He did albeit briefly. If memory serves me correct, I recall reading about this in Mopar Action circa early 1990s. There was an article on an unrestored 1968 Hurst Hemi 'Cuda called Psychotic Reaction. It was painted black w/lace panels.It was on display at the Chryslers at Carlisle event in 1993 (25th anniversary for those cars).
In the article it mentioned Bobby Harrop originally bought the car but sold it soon afterwards. I forget if he raced it or not at all. I still have the issue. I'd have to go looking for it to get the exact details. M68 |
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Check out the rear wheels!
"Like wow, man." http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/8...460337lqqo.jpg (photo courtesy Bill "Redman" Floyd via Bob Rice) M68 |
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http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/951...icreaction.jpg “Psychotic Reaction,” has never been tubbed, and it still wears its original psychedelic paint scheme from 1968. It is very original and was raced only a few times. Bobby Harrup was a partner in the original deal, and he drove the car down the track a couple of times. The partnership then dissolved, and the car sat until the 1980s. Jim Kramer is the current owner. As Jim was getting the car ready for the show, he found the original Certicard above the glovebox. http://www.moparaction.com/Article/S...ock/index.html M68 |
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Yes, you're right. Coronet for sure, but Dart, no... Can you remember when, or about when, Lebanon Valley opened? WJ
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I believe the 'Valley opened about 1961...which I think was also true of Dover and also Connecticut Dragway....
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Also Niagara in Upstate NY...I'm no expert but I think a lot of tracks opened about this time. Drag Racing was really growing! Might have been the Detroit/Super Stock movement that caused this!
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What the hell were we thinking when we painted our cars like that? Must have been some goooood stuff! JimR |
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What an era... M68 |
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I'm so old that I remember Car Craft and several other magazines having articles on painting your car with lace table cloths as patterns.
I'm sure I still have those magazines....heck, I've got over 3000 in boxes in the garage. It was a great time! JimR |
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Hello Paul,remember story that Gene O'Neill's Dart came from So. Conn. dealer that had an elevator in storage building,car was in basement ,can confirm with a friend that I think may have been present with Gene when car picked up.Too bad Bill Flynn not with us anymore,he would know, according to Gene,Flynn helped him locate Dart which was one of the last ones still available.
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Yes Dart was painted metallic tangerine orange with white pearl down side centers,originally lettered with Gene"s auto racing equipment,later changed to Gene"s Speed shop.Car was originally 4-speed,later changed to automatic.Car ran super stock,mod. prod. and possibly pro stock,not positive on Pro Stock.Will have to check my photo's,do know car did run with 69 grill.Would like to find more photos if you can look,thanks, SteveO
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Flintstone :),
Gene's car, Was it lettered with "Gene's Auto Racing Equipment", or "Gene's Speed Shop". Tracking down a photo of a Tangerine colored 68' Dart at Connecticut Dragway in 1970, versus a 69' AMX "American Rat". Both cars were in A/MP. Many Hemi S/S racers jumped into the A/MP fray then, if they didn't want to update the trim work to go Pro/Stock. OH, Gene's located on Chandler Street, Worcester, Mass. Getting a little crazy, but I wonder if anyone wants to contact Otis Elevator Corp, in Yonkers. To find out what Dodge dealerships had car-load rated elevators:eek:. Looks like Chorches Motors, Manchester, Conn. is not on Gene's list. Paul |
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Hi; This is Liteweight here.It's been about a year since I posted this thread & I thought it had pretty much gone stagnent. A good friend of mine Dave McDade (Marfen) suggested I should have another look. Wow!!!! The renewed responses are outstanding. Many thanx to the guys that are bringing their knowledge to this thread.The information that is being put out here is amazing. These factory built race cars are a very special piece of Mopar history & because they were built in such limited numbers (with alot less today surviving) makes it that much more important that the correct history is documented on them. With this in mind, I am looking forward to getting back into the thick of it & hopefully we can get an accurate history of this car. For now I am going to try and disect the info in the last 14 pages, & see where that leads me,but please keep those threads coming as any & every piece information can be helpfull,not just to myself but possibly another Hurst car owner. After all, it is the people that made these cars what they are today!!!!!! Here's a couple shots of my car as it sits today. Thanx again!!!!!
Liteweight Daryl Klassen |
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Oops; Sorry about that. I attatched the same pix twice.Let's try it again
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Daryl, It sure looks like you've done a 1st class job w/that car. What's the color? Sure looks close to my old '02 Camaro SS coupe that was GM's Sunset Orange Metallic...Best wishes. WJ :)
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Hey Liteweight, better tell them the story about the paint job on the Little Red Car 'cause it's a good one!
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Daryl & Dave, Good to hear from you. How is Don's car coming? Daryl, I have a lead that I am going to try following up on next week. Paul, Any chance you found the photos of the Pomona Speed Shop Dart? I really think that this could be a key to this puzzle. I had a guy email me some time ago that he thought that the Pomona Dart came from one of the sons of the owner of the Orlandi Crane co in NY/NJ. I called and the sons now own the company - I spoke with one of the sons and he said that his brother used to race some cars but he didn't remember a Dart - he said he had mostly Fords???? Ring any bells? Could this possibly be where the Castaldo story comes in? Castaldo also had a Crane co. ???
Mark J dart4261964@yahoo.com |
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WJ
Thanx for the kind words. I appreciate it !!!. I can't take all the credit for this tho as it was Tim Hennessey who was the one who did the restoration on this worn out old work horse back in the mid 80's. I acquired the car in 2000 & did a mechanical overhaul on it as it had too many years of show car duty. The paint is still the same as it was applied in 1986. As Marfen has asked; this car was sandblasted from front to rear on jackstands on a driveway & then painted in a double car garage on a rotissire. No high end down draft paint booths required here.Just a real good paint & body guy.No clear applied,just old school acrylic enamel. I drive this car every chance I get,& it sees alot of street miles. I'm a believer that these cars were built to be used, so it does frequent the race track when the need arises. Liteweight Daryl |
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Jack Arnew is right, the black car that was sold to the Centolanza Bros was a Baltimore car restored by Sonny Nicholson. Sonny never raced anything he ever owned. He was famous for making them pretty and then selling them. He built the Cuda with all NOS parts, and even put NOS thin glass in it at a time when nobody could find it. He told me at the time he got the glass from someone at Chrysler that found it in a warehouse. The car had a slick black laquer paint job. Hope this helps.
Tom Young |
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More mystery to the Centolanza Cuda.
They were regulars at Dover Drag Strip. But Dover closed in May 76'. Not sure if that SS/A made it to the track before it closed. Jack, Found some stuff on your car at Dover. You said it was the Sox & Martin car (on your thread; "Where's Jack Arnew") you got after the 69' season, with Sam Pannuty. I think that car you took the keys to won the 69' SpringNationals, 69' Indy Nationals and 69' World Finals. The photo's from Dover appear to be from 1970 (possible early in the season), as all the spectators are wearing jackets. Looks a little cold. Dover Drag Strip got the Division 1 Pro/Stock circuit events for 1970, but in early 71' lost it's NHRA sanctioning, due to safety issues with the shut-down area and return road protection. But in 1970, there were some good S/S ($$$) events. Was it 1970? Paul |
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Daryl (Liteweight)
Mark J (68hemiss) I've been on the D-Dart thread for awhile. "I'm Back Over Here Now".... I'll post some good info later today, after work. I'm closer to Daryl's car than you think. I'm grew up in Mahopac, NY, and I was born in Mt. Kisco, right off Maple Avenue, a stones-throw from Ritchie Mattoni's old shop "Professional Machine" Got to go to work, will post mucho info later. Daryl "Awesome A-Body":D Paul |
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Daryl and Mark,
The 68' Dart that was supposedly an Eddie Smith Dart from Mt. Kisco. There was definitely a Dart (black paint, no lettering) at the gas station (Shell, If i recall) in the center of town. The movie theatre was to the left of the station, and Hankerchips, a pub to the right. Murphy Brothers Moving Company and the Mt. Kisco Fire Dept. were opposite the gas station. I knew that area very well. That Dart was there probably around 77' thru 79' (most likely). It definitely had a 68' Hemi hood. Saw the car many times, and pretty sure it was a 440 in the car. It may have been an original factory car. It did have a fiberglass front-end assembly. But I'm not sure on the windows and interior components. Do remember dial-in times (shoe-polish) on the side window (11.30's ???). The car did sit their for awhile, Not sure on when it left. Since dover was closed in 76', i would bet that the car campaigned at E-Town and Island in New Jersey, and possibly Lebanon Valley, NY, during those times. Part I. Paul |
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Part II,As for the "Two-Scoop-Lido" phrase.
Note sure on that, pretty sure the car had a conventional 68' Hemi Hood. Now there is an ice cream parlor in Mt; Kisco called "Scoops" and there is the Lieto family in Bedford Hills, that have a business called Lieto Appliances A/C & Refrigeration, on Main Street. Not sure if the two go together. As for the 1977 NHRA Bracket decal/sticker. The NED championships were held at US30 York that year. The championship sticker would indicate that the car was there??? PC |
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Part III.
Somewhere around 82'/83' (note sure if was earlier or later) my father heard of a 68' Dart for sale in central Westchester, NY. He went to see it and it was a 68' Dart (black w/fiberglass front-end and Hemi hood scoop). Yes, he bought it. The car was located in North White Plains, NY The engine was out, but the car came with (2) engines, a 440 and a 426 Hemi (not sure if the aluminum cross-ram and Holley carbs came with the Hemi). Paul |
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If I am not mistaken, Sox and Martin had 2 Cudas in 1968, the car Sam and Jack bought had a all white hood with a blue stripe. The second car
had a blue hood with a white stripe. The Cuda Jack had was raced in early 68 and at Indy. In 1969 Sox and Martin had at least 3 Cudas, the car Jack ran was at the Winters and then sold to Sam, as they then ran the blue hooded car which won the 69 Nats and worlds final, This is the Cuda that is now been restored and owned by Clark Rand. The third Cuda was also run at 69 Indy as a B / gasser with injectors to showcase Pro Sock for 1970. This Cuda may have been bought from Don Carlton, as he drove this car at the 70 Winters in Pro Stock. Pictures available in Hot Rod mag, MOPAR 62 - 72 Winter 2006 Collectors Archive Series, page 68, 69, and 75. |
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I spoke with Tim Hennessey at great lengths today about my Dart.Tim is the gentleman that did the extensive restoration on it in the mid 80's. Here's some of the conversation as told to me by Tim :
-Lou Vignogna purchased the car in the early 80's (82 or 83??) from someone in Mt. Kisco.It was parked in an apartment complex parkade.The car was complete including engine. -It was painted silver with either a red or bronze inlay on the sides. -Lou told Tim that this car was once campaigned by Charlie Castaldo. -There was a 3 point Lakewood rollbar installed. -The original inner wheel tubs were replaced with aftermarket ones.Outers were left alone. -Lou removed the drivetrain & sent the car to be repainted in white to Paul Pittman. -Tim purchased this car in 85 as a roller. -It had a Jenkins style of hood scoop mated on top of the original hood scoop. -The trunk lid had no hinges on it,& was retained by hood pins.It was a steel lid. -Tim removed the Lakewood rollbar & sold it to a friend. -stripped all the external white paint & sandblasted the rest,including the complete chassis & interior. -replaced the aftermarket inner wheel tubs with original tubs that were cut from a donor car.A 3"section was installed between the outer & inner tubs to allow for a large tire. -reinstalled hinge mounts in the trunk. -repaired a 2"x 2" square hole on the top of the trans tunnel.The rest of the floorpan was not damaged or modified. -welded in the holes left behind from the bolt in rollbar. -removed the Jenkins hoodscoop & repaired the original scoop. -no other sheet metal repairs were needed or done to it. -Tim completed the restoration in 87. I spoke with Paul Pittman (the guy who painted the car white for Lou) & he does remember doing the paint job.He's not sure of the colors before hand, but he thinks it was silver & red. This is where the confusion starts on this car. As far as I am aware Charlie Castaldo had only 2 cars.The first one was a 4 spd. that he rolled at E Town in 69.The second was an auto car that he won the Super Stock Nationals at York in 69. I believe this is the car that is now owned by Brooks Lee,it is painted a georgous black with no lettering,& competes on a limited basis in SS/AH today. In speaking with Tim today, he remembers going to York as a kid & seeing Castaldo's cars in the pits.He said there were at least 2 of them there at the same time. If the 4 spd. was wrecked,then what other Dart or Darts did Charlie have with him???? Anybody have some input here???????? Liteweight Daryl |
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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.
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This is fascinating stuff to read. Dave Wren brought his old SS/AA Cuda out to race at Mission a couple times this year.
I hope you get to the bottom of that history. With the small number of cars produced you hopefully have a list of all of the ones built and known history of the ones that still exist and are known to be destroyed. That shouldn't leave too many unknowns. That's how the Thunderbolt guys are able to authenticate any new finds. The old track stuff intrigues me.... i've never heard of this place. Is it known under other names? "The Deb's group also ran at Les Cadres Drag Strip, Quebec, Canada" |
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Tom P,
The "Deb's: group also made treks to Napierville in Canada, Just across the New York State Border. Back to Daryl, (Part IV) What intrigues me is that the Dart my father bought at that time, was that the rear quarter panels were replaced with stock-type, and the inner fenderwells were tubbed. A roll-bar loop was installed, not the 4-point units that became popular in the 70's. The car, to my recollection was an automatic, but may have had minor modifications to the floor board. That I'm not sure of. Paul |
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I saw the Sox & martin 69 cuda at Cicle county Md. in 69 it was an acid dipped car an was built to run match races. I talked to Buddy that night about the car. It was the first of there cudas to have a roll cage extending to the rear frame rails.The cage was necessary as the dipped body had no structural strength and no safty factor. Now guess the drivers name that night. None outher than a young Don Carlton.
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Daryl (Part V)...............Jack, more info on your Dover visit later:)
Talked to my father on the N. White Plains Dart, When they picked up the car, the nose was off. The car was in a co-op garage?? Both engines were complete, sitting next to the car. The owner wanted more $$ for the cross-ram and carb set-up, which he passed on. He wasn't interested in the Hemi, and wasn't concerned with the authenticity of the car, he just wanted an A-Body bracket car, for a 440. My father and his friend had to rig the front fenders to the car with only a handful of bolts. And the hood was rigged with wire to the body pins, by his friend, to hold it down, before loading it on the trailer, to transport it home to Mahopac (40 minutes away). PC |
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Dary (Part VI)
On the way home, my fathers frined was transporting the car on his trailer, and my father was following behind in his truck. Heading home on Route 117, in Mt. Kisco, directly in front of the Mt. Kisco Country Club, the fiberglass hood flew off the car. The air got under the scoop, and hood lifted, pulling through the make-shift wires looped through the hood-pin posts. My father said the hood flew up about 30 feet in the air, and landed right in front of his truck. Luckily no one got killed. The hood itself stayed intact, but the scoop portion was damaged pretty bad. Coincidence.... Hemi Dart, 1980-ish, Mt. Kisco, damaged hood scoop. Paul C |
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Mark J |
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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 |
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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 |
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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. :confused::confused: Jerry was closer. Paul C |
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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.
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