Whither 1966 D Darts for Stock

bill dedman · 03-02-2009, 02:38 AM

Jim,

It took me two weeks of phone calls, and talking to three different people at NHRA Tech, back in November, to finally get an answer on the "Stock = NO, Super Stock = YES" question.

Their answer after all of that?

'WE DON'T KNOW." (The "now, leave us the F**** ALONE" was implied....)

The main problem, I think, is time. None of those people were BORN yet when the D Darts were released.

I would imagine that if somebody who has some clout with NHRA decided to build one of these little jewels for Stock Eliminator, there's a good possibilty that they could get NHRA to come off their current position (since they can't even explain how they got there), but THAT's not gonna happen unless NHRA takes some HP off it.... like about 30-40. The 340 Dusters and Demons would eat it alive at its current factor of 275...

So, it's probably just going to slip into obscurity;a failed project that could have made some waves if the people responsiblle for the program had REALLY wanted to to succeed. But, obviously, they didn't.

And, so it goes....

Bill

mtkawboy · 03-02-2009, 11:49 AM

Jim Wahl, was that Dynamic Dodge in new Smyrna ? A guy I knew named George Nelson who was the service manager built the engine for the Little Damn Ram but I thought it was a 235hp car. I recall a guy who worked for NASA building the headers. I was away in the service after it was built and run once or twice. Dont know what happened to the car. George died 2 years ago in Daytona of cancer

mtkawboy · 03-02-2009, 11:57 AM

Jim Wahl, was that Dynamic Dodge youre talking about ? A guy I knew, George Nelson was the service manager there in 1965/66 and he built the Little Damn Ram car but I thought it was a 65 273/235. I left for the service shortly after it was done and only got to see it the first time out. He died of cancer in Daytona a few years ago. Id sure like to hear any info you have about the car. I dont know what happened to it. I recall a welder for NASA built the headers for the car at night

Jim Wahl · 03-02-2009, 03:50 PM

mtkawboy,
Wow! you remember? It was called New Smyrna Dodge at the time. I loved that car. The car was an original factory D/S package car. I saw the paperwork with my own 15 year old eyes! Bill Patton was the G.M. then and he drove the car before my dad bought the place in '66. We used to drive it to the air strip and the Daytona Timing Assn. races there every Saturday night. I don't remember the header deal you spoke of but I do remember George. I have pictures somewhere. We should talk! Jim

mtkawboy · 03-02-2009, 04:20 PM

Sorry about the double post, I tried to edit the original and ended up with two posts. Email me at mtww55@msn.com or 406-259-1059 mst {2 hours earlier then Fl.}. We almost wadded the car, trailer & Georges 56 F100 coming down the big bridge over the St Lucie canal on the turnpike. The f100 had a built 312 and he floored it and finally got it straight again. I has wondering what the hel# he was doing because the trailer was trying to pass us and was winning !!

ron bretemps · 03-02-2009, 11:08 PM

Bob Banning Dodge had one of these at Capitol Raceway in 66. I heard it was BBjr's 1st racecar.

AMXRON

Bret Kepner · 03-02-2009, 11:22 PM

When I first heard of the "D Dart" package, I was running a reasonably competitive '66 273 Barracuda in AHRA L/SA. When I asked AHRA Tech Director Vance Brady if he would allow the "D Dart" package as a legal combination, he replied, "Sure! In F2 D/HR!"

Unfortunately, I think only the old AHRA guys will enjoy that one.

03-02-2009, 02:38 AM	#1
bill dedman VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Conway, AR Posts: 1,739 Likes: 0 Liked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Whither 1966 D Darts for Stock Jim, It took me two weeks of phone calls, and talking to three different people at NHRA Tech, back in November, to finally get an answer on the "Stock = NO, Super Stock = YES" question. Their answer after all of that? 'WE DON'T KNOW." (The "now, leave us the F**** ALONE" was implied....) The main problem, I think, is time. None of those people were BORN yet when the D Darts were released. I would imagine that if somebody who has some clout with NHRA decided to build one of these little jewels for Stock Eliminator, there's a good possibilty that they could get NHRA to come off their current position (since they can't even explain how they got there), but THAT's not gonna happen unless NHRA takes some HP off it.... like about 30-40. The 340 Dusters and Demons would eat it alive at its current factor of 275... So, it's probably just going to slip into obscurity;a failed project that could have made some waves if the people responsiblle for the program had REALLY wanted to to succeed. But, obviously, they didn't. And, so it goes.... Bill __________________ Bill Last edited by bill dedman; 03-02-2009 at 01:17 PM.

03-02-2009, 11:49 AM	#2
mtkawboy Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Billings Mt Posts: 282 Likes: 186 Liked 54 Times in 18 Posts	Re: Whither 1966 D Darts for Stock Jim Wahl, was that Dynamic Dodge in new Smyrna ? A guy I knew named George Nelson who was the service manager built the engine for the Little Damn Ram but I thought it was a 235hp car. I recall a guy who worked for NASA building the headers. I was away in the service after it was built and run once or twice. Dont know what happened to the car. George died 2 years ago in Daytona of cancer

03-02-2009, 11:57 AM	#3
mtkawboy Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Billings Mt Posts: 282 Likes: 186 Liked 54 Times in 18 Posts	Re: Whither 1966 D Darts for Stock Jim Wahl, was that Dynamic Dodge youre talking about ? A guy I knew, George Nelson was the service manager there in 1965/66 and he built the Little Damn Ram car but I thought it was a 65 273/235. I left for the service shortly after it was done and only got to see it the first time out. He died of cancer in Daytona a few years ago. Id sure like to hear any info you have about the car. I dont know what happened to it. I recall a welder for NASA built the headers for the car at night

03-02-2009, 03:50 PM	#4
Jim Wahl Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Central Florida Posts: 5,844 Likes: 667 Liked 683 Times in 129 Posts	Re: Whither 1966 D Darts for Stock mtkawboy, Wow! you remember? It was called New Smyrna Dodge at the time. I loved that car. The car was an original factory D/S package car. I saw the paperwork with my own 15 year old eyes! Bill Patton was the G.M. then and he drove the car before my dad bought the place in '66. We used to drive it to the air strip and the Daytona Timing Assn. races there every Saturday night. I don't remember the header deal you spoke of but I do remember George. I have pictures somewhere. We should talk! Jim __________________ Jim Wahl....NHRA #2239 S/SS - IHRA # 8 Stock, D2 Stock Champion (forever I guess) 2019 Baby Gators Stock Champion 2009 NHRA D2 National Open Stock Champion 1982 NHRA D2 West Palm Beach LDRS SS Runner Up Past President, Southern Stock / Super Stock Association.

03-02-2009, 04:20 PM	#5
mtkawboy Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Billings Mt Posts: 282 Likes: 186 Liked 54 Times in 18 Posts	Re: Whither 1966 D Darts for Stock Sorry about the double post, I tried to edit the original and ended up with two posts. Email me at mtww55@msn.com or 406-259-1059 mst {2 hours earlier then Fl.}. We almost wadded the car, trailer & Georges 56 F100 coming down the big bridge over the St Lucie canal on the turnpike. The f100 had a built 312 and he floored it and finally got it straight again. I has wondering what the hel# he was doing because the trailer was trying to pass us and was winning !!

03-02-2009, 11:08 PM	#6
ron bretemps Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: maryland Posts: 4 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Whither 1966 D Darts for Stock Bob Banning Dodge had one of these at Capitol Raceway in 66. I heard it was BBjr's 1st racecar. AMXRON __________________ none

03-02-2009, 11:22 PM	#7
Bret Kepner Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Saint Louis, Missouri, USA Posts: 418 Likes: 1 Liked 11 Times in 2 Posts	Re: Whither 1966 D Darts for Stock When I first heard of the "D Dart" package, I was running a reasonably competitive '66 273 Barracuda in AHRA L/SA. When I asked AHRA Tech Director Vance Brady if he would allow the "D Dart" package as a legal combination, he replied, "Sure! In F2 D/HR!" Unfortunately, I think only the old AHRA guys will enjoy that one. __________________ Bret Kepner BRETKEPNER@Prodigy.net Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

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