Original hemi dart information

[Hemi Moose]

Originally Posted by Charlie A

Wonder if the Playmate ever met the Hustlin' Hemi?

Probably many times as the Playmate Hemi Dart was originally from Division 1 and the Hustlin' Hemi Dart was from division 3, see the old decal on the front fender...

[68hemiss]

Guys,
I was fortunate to have met Chuck McJury a few times before he passed. He told me that he ordered an automatic Dart but when he picked it up he got a stick car - although he always ran it as an automatic. The second paint job with the black top - he wasn't happy with so they changed the top to white. Dave, I do not have the McJury car documented - I understand that it is still around - I have gotten the same story from 3 different sources. My favorite memory of Chuck is from the Hemi Reunion. I was checking trailers at the time and on my way back to the strip - they were taking photos of the cars going down the track - and I ran into Chuck & his wife coming from the strip - Chuck had this big smile on his face - he Thanked me for inviting him and complimented the event - he told me that one of the Hemi Dart owners - who had just bought his car told him that he had never been on a dragstrip and was a little nervous going down the track - Chuck told him that he was one of the original owners of a Hemi Dart and offered to drive down the track for him - the owner agreed and got into the passenger seat. Chuck launched the car and banged second gear - then backed off and drove down the track - He told me the owner almost fell out of his seat when he banged second. He was all smiles - how often does a guy get a chance to do this agian almost 30 years sfter he sold his car - Good memories!
Mark J

[68hemiss]

The Gold Seeker Dart was originally from here in WI. Jim Wick told me that it was bought from Mr Norm's and brought directly to the track. He warned the owners that they couldn't race the car as delivered - knowing that the front ends were not aligned and often times there wre loose parts on them. The owners ignored him and on the very first pass launched the car and it went directly into the guardrail at Great Lakes Dragaway. Mostly superfical damage but later owners confirmed that the repairs were still there. The first two owners were some black guys from Milwaukee who street raced the car on occasion. The third owner told me that when he went to buy the car the Hurst shifter was broken off and you had to shift it with a vise grips (sitck car) to get the car on the trailer!
Mark J

[68hemiss]

The Dallas Hemi became the light blue THT car - there were two - the original was the dark blue car. The dark blue car is accounted for. I have an old Drag News that mentions that a guy in SC had bought the THT Dart and was trying to sort it out in 1971ish- unfortunately this owner has passed and I do not have any other info on which car this was. The dark blue car went to AL.
Mark J

[Charlie A]

Hustlin' in black and white.

[Hemi Moose]

Originally Posted by Charlie A

Hustlin' in black and white.

Here's another shot of the '68 Hemi Dart called the Hustlin' Hemi...
...notice the rear spoiler molded onto the trunk lid.

[Hemi Moose]

Originally Posted by Charlie A

Last one for tonight. Who is this? My old eyes are not that good.

While I'm not positive, but I think that might be the '68 Hemi Dart called 'Wild Fire'...
...see a name on front fender.

[Liteweight]

Originally Posted by Hemi Moose

While I'm not positive, but I think that might be the '68 Hemi Dart called 'Wild Fire'...
...see a name on front fender.

you may be right on that HM
I remember the long shackles also being on that car. Don't remember this paint scheme when the original owner had it tho. First paint was blue & white, second paint red & silver




liteweight

[Liteweight]

Originally Posted by 68hemiss

Guys,
I was fortunate to have met Chuck McJury a few times before he passed. He told me that he ordered an automatic Dart but when he picked it up he got a stick car - although he always ran it as an automatic. The second paint job with the black top - he wasn't happy with so they changed the top to white. Dave, I do not have the McJury car documented - I understand that it is still around - I have gotten the same story from 3 different sources. My favorite memory of Chuck is from the Hemi Reunion. I was checking trailers at the time and on my way back to the strip - they were taking photos of the cars going down the track - and I ran into Chuck & his wife coming from the strip - Chuck had this big smile on his face - he Thanked me for inviting him and complimented the event - he told me that one of the Hemi Dart owners - who had just bought his car told him that he had never been on a dragstrip and was a little nervous going down the track - Chuck told him that he was one of the original owners of a Hemi Dart and offered to drive down the track for him - the owner agreed and got into the passenger seat. Chuck launched the car and banged second gear - then backed off and drove down the track - He told me the owner almost fell out of his seat when he banged second. He was all smiles - how often does a guy get a chance to do this agian almost 30 years sfter he sold his car - Good memories!
Mark J

thanx for that Mark
Marfen (Dave McD.) sent me a couple pictures of Chuck he took while at the Hemi Reunion in 2008. The first one is Chuck getting comfy in Dave's LO stick car. The second is of him with the AFX he was the second owner of.



liteweight

[Jared Jordan]

I'm not sure if this photo has been posted anywhere in this thread. Admittedly, I didn't start following it until somewhat recently and haven't got through all the pages yet.

This is the Hemi Countdown II. Circa 1970 @ Pomona. The car is currently owned by Mickey Weise. There was a Hot Wheels "Motor City Muscle" series replica of the car made around '02 with the paint scheme MIckey's had on the car.