Re: Original hemi dart information
 

I don't think it has a dropped nose, the rear of the hood is lifted. From what I understand this was formerly Ron Mancini's Beeliever big block Dart

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Hope this isn't a repost.

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Sort of a "Back to the Future" moment.
One day.........

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/6287/sdart.jpg

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

The picture of the THAT DART is my Uncle Jack Toms who just recently passed away last year. My Uncle Pete Toms who was co owner now is sole owner of the car. The car is one of only a few that is still all original and certified. My Uncle Pete just had the car repainted in its original style car colors as it was many years ago. The painter who did the striping almost 46 years ago did the repaint. It is in mint condition as everything they had that they have owned. The car visits several car shows on the east coast when my Uncle feels the need to get away. It is a original 1968 Hemi Hurst. Still have the original tires and paperwork from the factory. The car has never been rebuilt and still sports all of the original mint conditon seats andd items that it came with. If you can find another one like it it would be interesting to know were it is. My Uncles aquired this one from a dealership up in Michingan I beleive in 1968. They were and are the original owners. Raced the car in the time period alot at the Hagerstown track in Maryland and in York PA.http://classracer.com/classforum/images/attach/jpg.gif

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Glad to hear the car has stayed in the family all these years. Perhaps some current photos of the car as it is could be posted. I know many of us would enjoy seeing another historical piece. Take care.
Danny Durham

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

You're correct.

Really? What a sin.

http://112.imagebam.com/download/DAF...%20Mancini.jpg

M68

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Allright guys. Contrary to popular belief I have not fallen off the face of the earth. Not even incarcerated. I needed to take some personal time off social media. Self imposed. It's been taking up WAY to much of my so called "spare time". So, I appologize for going AWOL, but just needed to get some s....t done that needed to get done. Thankyou to all for looking after this thread!!!!!!! Now,.... back to catching up on the 1,600 + emails that have accumulated since June.

Nothing new to report on information on my Unknown Soldier as I haven't spent any time at it either. Once I catch up on a few things, I'll get back on it

I'll be back

liteweight

A herd of Elphunts just waiting to rumble the earth

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/...psde6e7247.jpg

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Who are you and what do you want here? :)

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

I can surely do that gearhead 55. I look forward to seeing the new paint job myself. He is putting the tires that he had on in earlier days with crager mags and all. Mopar sponsored them back in the day and he has several original 426 hemi engines also from era that he has kept. they blew a few back in the day. They won alot of races back in there days SS/AA. Mopar would like to buy the car someday if he were to ever sell but i am really close with him and I know that will never happen. They will have to bury him before that ever happens and even them I am not sure it will ever leave the family. It is worth alot of money though and you know what that can sometimes do to people. I watched them race as a kid back in the 70's and they are times I will never forget. Being in the pits and being near the christmas tree at the start was the best. Mopar rules!

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Just some Canadian guy on a mission,....... that gets side tracked on occassion.
Ya, I quess I deserve that. Thanx for the perspective C

kstoms
Welcome here. Thanx for sharing. Great stuff man!!! I have never seen this car in person, but from what I've heard, it's a great, great car. I've never seen this car in Cragars, I always thought it wore Keystones in the early days.

liteweight

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

hey Gary
It's always great to get my car out, always meeting great new people. Kinda funny tho, most don't realize what it really is.
Went driving around with both those other hemi cars that night. Couldn't hear them beside me, even with 4 mufflers on mine.
Man it doesn't take long to go through over $100.00 of race fuel

liteweight

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

LOL !!!! I call it making a living.
Gotta do what we do to do what we like doing. :D

Ok......lets get back to that Dented Dart Dilemma!

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Yes you are right it did have keystones. My bad. At my age I can think of one thing and mean another. The logo That Dart has also been changed back to a prior style. I am just curious to know if another one of these cars exist in its original state. I think they only made 50 of them. Anyone know?

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

there are a very few left in their original state. The one that comes to mind first is the Lloyd McVey Dart. Anyone else care to add?

Chrysler made 2 separate runs of these cars. The first run was 50, the second run was 30 to complete the orders that kept coming in from the first lot.

liteweight

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Loading for Indy. This is number 50 of first 56 according to my info. Feb 18, 68. Anyway, this car will be used at Indy US Nationals all weekend by MOPAR so check it out. Hemi shootout parade, racers banquet etc. Not too cobbled with original ball peened hammer tubs. Fla. car with Lucy in the Skies with Diamond paint job in late 70's. Like Liteweight, would love to meet early owner. Have records from 1978 until now. See you at Indy.

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Frank Spittles old car? Stick or auto?

Care to share a few more pics? It would be great to see some in it's old "war" time paint scheme & colors.

Thankyou for sharing spyphish. Great to see another one here. Congrats on the Exposure specially coming right from Ma Mopar. Very cool!!!!!

your going to have a blast I'm sure. A few pics shared here after the Nats would be very fitting too. Wish I could attend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

liteweight

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

A stick car was ordered and delivered to Dependable Dodge in Vero Beach Fla. I have been in contact with them and they purged all the old records two years ago. A long time shop hand remembers a car coming in long ago with no paint on it. May or may not be? We are going DMV route as my buddy is State Police car theft dude. It will happen, thanks to this thread.

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Was this it?


http://www.classracer.com/classforum...3&d=1340651192

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

YES That's it sitting in Fla. in 1978ish. Who owned it in Fla.? Cool paint for the era.

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Article I found says Frank Spittle bought it from C.K.Spurlock and indicated it was the former "Nix" car. You probably know that much already.

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

I think that's the FX car. I will know more after Indy as all these guys are coming for 50 year Hemi deal at US Nats.

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Yep...old age brain fade. This would be the Jimmy Nix car mentioned:

http://moparmax.com/features/2006/im...s2_Display.jpg

It is a shame Daryl and his Dart can't be at Indy with all of you.
With all that knowledge present SOMEONE would have to know something about the history of his LO 23.

"Envious" is my word. :D

You guys have a GREAT time and someone post some pictures here when you can.

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

VERY ENVIOUS are my words also Charlie.
This thread I believe has helped a few people with pictures & information on their LO23's. Altho, not why I started it, but I am glad it has helped. It's also been a wealth of very kewl information & pictures for all of us. I know I've learned alot from shared info from many people. Thankyou to all!!!!

Now if I could only have some luck..........

I think I'm going to put some decals on the doors soon that say "Unknown Soldier" soon if this keeps up.

For those heading to Indy this week. Have a great, great time, & pass along some info or questions about my old war horse.

Thanx
liteweight
Daryl

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/...psbdf939f2.jpg

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5e6a00ad.jpg

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/...ps28f58206.png

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Indy 2014

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

The 'other' Fast Eddie. Btw, what is his last name?

http://111.imagebam.com/download/Y4k...fast_eddie.jpg

M68

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Daryl,

The door and quarter damage, I believe , are the strongest clues to the I.D. of your Dart.
But, it seems that of all that were built, you have the one that no one has any knowledge of. Suppose that may be because no one "Big Name" owned it so few if any took pictures of it at any track.

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/...psbdf939f2.jpg

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Charlie.
I agree with you 100%.
Kind of a catch 22 deal tho. The above reason is probably why my car never recieved any of the major mods most of the other cars did, to stay competitive with the ever evolving class, or changing the car up to run M/P or Pro Stock. The limited info I have on it so far is that the car never ran well back then. It probably never saw a race track on a regular basis. Maybe only a couple times? Would definately explain the lack of pictures & info on it.
So, even tho I may not have a car with any of what I call "pedigree" history, that may have been what saved it from the sawzall

I can't find any info regarding which dealership it was purchased through. Doesn't look like it came out of any NY dealership @ this point anyway. Possibly one out of Mr. Norm's????? I believe the numbers of the cars from him was rumored to have been 13???. I have spoke with Norm a couple times about this, but there is no way of tracing that theory either because he had that fire back in 68 or 69 that destroyed alot of the paper work he had, including the sales slips to these cars.

In short, I haven't given up on finding this cars background, as I sure would like to get some names attached to it previous to 1980. But, because of it's no name status, it sure isn't making it easy. I NEED THAT ONE NAME TO GO THE NEXT STEP. That one name, I'm sure, will break open a whole new avenue of possibilities.

liteweight

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Daryl,

I've searched ever nook-and-cranny, and I can't find any other information for another LO23 Dart.

No more names and no other leads.

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Paul

Thankyou for your time spent on this. I truly appreciate it. This I know for sure, there is at least one LO23 that is unaccounted for. I am so close!!!!!!! Pick up your suspenders & tighten up your jock strap. Your not getting off this easy.

It's kinda funny tho that a car that nobody knew anything about back then, is probably the most recognized car across the globe today. And all because of the input from this thread that everyone has contributed to. I can't go too many places with it without someone coming over & asking if this is the car from the classracer forum & if I'm "liteweight" ;)

liteweight

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Daryl,

I'm still going with Alan Carroli's LO23 Dart out of Florida.

That car has never been accounted for.

Paul

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

liteweight

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

http://i1115.photobucket.com/albums/...psbdf939f2.jpg

That name is on the 1968 Super Stock Magazine Nationals entry list! Someone has to have it! Or was it discarded a long time ago? Therein lies the answer. Besides the 1968 Super Stock Nationals program (which is about as rare as hens teeth), which may or may not contain the entry list of cars and drivers, where else would that list be? Who else would have had it besides the track? Find that entry list and your long search will be over--at least as far as who owned it at that point in time. That's what I would concentrate on.

M68

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Would that have been Argus Publishing back in the day that owned Super Stock magazine?
I know they have been gone for a while now but does anyone know anyone that would have worked for them in that time period?

Maybe some old documents in storage with whomever bought them out?

Grabbing at straws here but that really is all we have left!!!!

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Manhattan Speed Shop 'Dart'

Raced at;
* New York National Speedway {Center Moriches, Long Island}
* West Hampton Dragstrip {Westhampton, Suffolk County, Long Island}
* Islip Dragstrip {Islip, New York}
* Englishtown {Madison Township, New Jersey}
* ATCO {Atco, New Jersey}
* Dover Drag Strip {Wingdale, New York}

It was gone by mid-late 1969

Re: Original hemi dart information
 

Argus published Popular Hot Rodding and a few other related magazines. Lopez Publications published Super Stock & Drag Illustrated.

M68

P.S. Gone by mid-late1969? Or just parked (or street raced)?