Connecting Highway

[art leong]

Originally Posted by cammer427

It blows my mind how serious this whole business was. Art, did you and Heavy have a lot to do with each other? You mention him backing you guys a lot of times (putting up money). Did you approach Heavy about the guy in the silver Charger, or did he just find out and decide to get you guys the money back.

Even though the competition was pretty fierce and there could be a lot of bickering back and forth setting up a race, it sure seems there was a good level of respect amongst the parties involved. It seems most of you guys were real class acts, real professionals.

We only knew Heavy from racing. He put up a lot of the side money. We could run someone for $1000 but there may have been $20,000 in side money. He never put up our part of the money. He and his guys got our money for principle/honor. We didn't really know him good enough to ask. We were working on getting to the guys that welched but Heavy beat us to it. And he was a lot more convincing.
With the arguing about spots etc. you would swear a race riot was going to breakout at any second. I can't count how many times I was called a "hymie jew boy" I called them things I won't repeat. And non of us were Jewish. LOL
But it was all business and nobody took it personal.

[cammer427]

Originally Posted by art leong

We put Froggies car together with the Dart in mind. We ran it against a few other cars in the previous month. One was a 66 or 67 silver dodge charger. That took off and didn't pay up. Thats when Heavy and crew got involved. And got us the money the next week.
If I remember right the Dart had a small block and I know it was a 4 speed. It was quick and had made a lot of money on the street.
I believe that race was heads up. I remember telling Froggy to make sure the Dart left (when 2 cars pass the starter it was a race). To make sure we didn't show what we were capable of. He almost waited too long. There was a tape recorder (early data logger) in the Dart And you didn't hear Froggy till the very end of the race.

Did Froggy own the Belvedere? Was it really a real A990 car, originally?

[art leong]

Originally Posted by cammer427

Did Froggy own the Belvedere? Was it really a real A990 car, originally?

The car body belonged to Froggy. It was just a plain jane street car no aluminum anything.
I'm pretty sure we had the hemi in Froggies car, So it would have been similar to a SS/BA car of those days. but I can't remember exactly. I killed a lot of "brain" cells back them.
I think I had the Dart figured for 11.0's and I figured the plymouth was good for 10.60's FineSpline was I about right on the Dart?

[Paul Ceasrine]

cammer427,
I misunderstood. On the S & K Dart.
S & K (Bryan Higgins & Ernie Krieg) had the Dart through the 68' season. I believe it was at the 68' Springnationals (June at E-Town),
Super/Stock Magazine Nationals (July at New York National) and Indy Nationals (September). Not sure which event, but I think they blew the engine and sent a rod-bolt through the front bumper??? I have to check my data file. It was sold at the end of 68' or early 69', to the Mutt Brothers with a factory Race Hemi replacement engine.
The AMX came in early 69' (March, I think).
PC

[cammer427]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

cammer427,
I misunderstood. On the S & K Dart.
S & K (Bryan Higgins & Ernie Krieg) had the Dart through the 68' season. I believe it was at the 68' Springnationals (June at E-Town),
Super/Stock Magazine Nationals (July at New York National) and Indy Nationals (September). Not sure which event, but I think they blew the engine and sent a rod-bolt through the front bumper??? I have to check my data file. It was sold at the end of 68' or early 69', to the Mutt Brothers with a factory Race Hemi replacement engine.
The AMX came in early 69' (March, I think).
PC

Thanks for the details on the Dart - I've always wondered when they (the Mutt Bros) purchased the car from S&K. Do you know Bryan or Ernie? If you have any more details you could share about the car, please feel free. I'd love to learn more about it.

[chris ok]

Thanks for correcting me and explaining the Dart pictured.

Westbury Rambler aka now Westbury Chrysler/Jeep now has a replacement AMX like the one SK and them built in 69. They got it in the early/mid 90's. Don't know anything else now about it.

Brian at SK is building a recreation of their Hemi Dart, I wish him only the best w that project. I will ask him for more details on the original car when I go out there this week.
Ernies son is doing machine work for me now.

Best news is NYC is "still Alive and well". Stang beat a Malibu last night.

[cammer427]

Originally Posted by art leong

We put Froggies car together with the Dart in mind. We ran it against a few other cars in the previous month. One was a 66 or 67 silver dodge charger. That took off and didn't pay up. Thats when Heavy and crew got involved. And got us the money the next week.
If I remember right the Dart had a small block and I know it was a 4 speed. It was quick and had made a lot of money on the street.
I believe that race was heads up. I remember telling Froggy to make sure the Dart left (when 2 cars pass the starter it was a race). To make sure we didn't show what we were capable of. He almost waited too long. There was a tape recorder (early data logger) in the Dart And you didn't hear Froggy till the very end of the race.

Another shot of Froggy's '65 Belvedere in another magazine at the time. Art, that looks suspiciously like a silver '66-'67 Dodge Charger - is that the same car?

[art leong]

Originally Posted by cammer427

Another shot of Froggy's '65 Belvedere in another magazine at the time. Art, that looks suspiciously like a silver '66-'67 Dodge Charger - is that the same car?

That is the one. And thats the race. I believe it came from Redhook.

[Paul Ceasrine]

cammer427,
The 'Brooklyn Heavy' 68' Dart sure looks right. But if I recall, a
Tunnel-Ram was added. The rear wheels are properly set, indicating that it had a proper Dana rear (for the A-Body).
Joe Jill of Speedwin Automotive (Hauppauge, L.I) who prepped the
'Brookyln Heavy' Dart also had a 68' Hemi Dart (SS/BA car).
The 69' Cuda (not an original 68' Factory Hemi) Hemi was
Sox & Martins A/MP car, that Billy 'The Kid' Stepp drove.

As crazy as this sounds, only 3 (original purchased) 68' Hemi Darts ended up in the Long Island and Southern New York area.
Charlie Castaldo (4-speed), Scarsdale, NY
S & K Speed Shop (4-speed), West Babylon, L.I., NY
Joe Jill 'Speedwin' (Automatic), Hauppauge, L.I., NY
* One other that came through the area, but not accounted for
Cy Greene Dodge, Manhassett.
Paul

[FINESPLINE]

I don't know if the car was originally delivered to long island but george baptiste bought his 68 cuda in the jamaica,queens area.