Connecting Highway

[Casey Miles]

Originally Posted by 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

Joe Jill's Dart was origianlly called "Ram Rod" which was owned by Joe Armor.
Also there was a Cuda SS/A bought by George Baptiste, he bought it from a private owner somewhere in Brooklyn after some kid told him about the car sitting in a garage. Talked to George at Indy 1994.
BTW, Manhatten Speed used to have a hell of a Cristmas party! Food, drinking and naked women. If you wanted a BJ, all you had to do is have it done in front of everyone as a show. LOL!

[Paul Ceasrine]

Casey,
How do I get invited to that party?
I'll bring the chips.
Can I use the line from Sheriff Bart in 'Blazing Saddles'.
'Excuse me, while I whip this out'.

On the Joe Jill "Speedwin Automotive' SS/BA car.
They had a shop in Hauppauge, L.I., and off Jericho Turnpike in
Mineola. That car came through Ebbets Field Dodge, in Brooklyn.

Paul

[mopar68]

Originally Posted by Paul Precht

Hi Ed, were you there at the E town Nats that misty Friday night when George almost hit the wall. Knowing how unmolested that one owner car is could anybody guess what it's worth, Paul.

Worse than almost hitting the "wall" was that George cut-up an un-cut, original factory 'Cuda for SS/A! I can see someone doing that in the 1970s and to a lesser extent in the 1980s--but the early 1990s? Don't get me wrong, I like George, he's a very personable fellow. Why, oh why, didn't he cut-up a wedge or six-cylinder A-body???

George told me and a buddy (circa 1991) during a Mopars at Englishtown event about the car. So intact and original it was, he said Chrysler offered him $250,000 for it (for their museum) but he declined; so he definitely knew what the car was worth before the transformation began.

Oh well, it's his car...



M68

[cammer427]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

...
68' Hemi Dart; Code; LO23
68' Hemi Cuda; Code BO29
...

Thanks for the correction, Paul. I must have been having a brain fart at the time...

[cammer427]

Originally Posted by mopar68

Oh well, it's his car...
M68

Mmhmm, I'd be saying that through gritted-teeth, too.

[cammer427]

I know a lot of famous street racers from NY/NJ ended up buying famous race cars to race professionally themselves, but I'm not sure how many of these cars actually saw time on the street. I'm fairly certain Tab Talmadge's '65 A/FX 427 SOHC Mustang he purchased from Dyno Don saw a lot of big money street action. Other cars that may have been raced on the street during the early-mid-'70s: Levi Holmes purchased Bill Blanding's 1969 "MiMi" Camaro, Tab Talmadge purchased Dyno Don's 1965 A/FX 427 SOHC Mustang, James & Will Smallwood purchased two ex-Sox & Martin cars (were they just "shop" cars, built and sold by S&M, I wonder?) which were a 1969 "Notchback" car and a '72 Barracuda, Willie "Cam Rod" (sp?) Campbell purchased Hubert Platt's (Platt & Yates) '70 Maverick, "Fast Earl" Mitchell's '69 Camaro was possibly owned by Wally Booth before he purchased it (the engine was at least Booth-Arons-built).

[hemicop]

You have to understand & remember that "street" car was a VERY broad term. These high-dollar races were usually set-up during the week & come the week-end, the car flat-towed to the location & ran. If the race was near one's shop, so much the better or if you were smart you'd set-up the race, tow several miles from the spot, then unhook your car&race your "street" car against a guys track car, often asking for a spot since "all" you had was a street car. Some guys "scouted" the drive-ins with their tow-car, set up a race then go get the car.
Now slower guys like me or a few others mentioned here did have legitimate dual-purpose cars and we didn't try running guys like "Heavy" or the others. We knew what they had & couldn't afford their kind of race. But other's like my friend who owned the speed shop DID have the bucks & would run for a grand or so with "backers" driving the bet up to five figures or so. But the average guy would only run for what his paycheck could safely tolerate.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Hemicop,
Also, some street-racers would buy a race-ready track car, sand off the lettering and re-paint it with primer or paint it badly (usually black).
Pull off the mag wheels, and pop on steel wheels. And almost always, pull off the front bumper.
The goal, to make it look 'ratty'. Bait your opponent for cash.
THEN BLOW HIS DOORS OFF!
I think the term used for those cars was 'suckermobiles' or 'sucker-cars'
Paul

[hemicop]

I've heard the term "sucker car" or more popularly "sleeper" and even the true racecars could draw someone in. My friend's '66 Impala wasa just an ugly version of Nick Scavo's old Impala but without the juice. I have a similiar motor in my garage I got from Schafiroff I'm hoping to use in my next project. "Sleepers" aren't popular here and I'm sure I can get it into the 10s (for here that's pretty quick.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Some Sleepers,
Usually, a 57' Chevy, with different colored doors, dented fenders, body-rot on the rear quarters, missing the bumpers, hanging head-liner.
Equipped with a tricked up 331c.i., Mondello Heads, and few other Goodies. Probably a 12.30 car.
PC