Original hemi dart information

[mopar68]

Originally Posted by Liteweight

I've spoke with Charlie Licata, Crew member for Castaldo) on several occasions about the possibility of Castaldo having a 3rd Dart. Every time has the same outcome "NO he didn't". Looks like I gotta contact him again to see what he remembers about that press statement.
What we have is several accounts of people remembering Castaldo's name on the doors of this car, (to the best of their recollection (( BUT, there are several)))

Perhaps Charlie Licata was not aware of Charlie Castaldo's third Hemi Dart? Jimi Vignona certainly remembers seeing his name on the doors of the Dart (that you own) when his dad owned it. Residing in New York and all, it is a very good possibility that C.C. purchased the Manhattan Speed Parts Dart, had it repainted and lettered, with little or no track use. That would explain Jimi's explanation. But that would also mean his crew member(s) would be involved with the project.* Or were they? One thing however, that I am convinced of is, your car is the former Manhattan Speed Parts Dart based upon the unique dent and repair work.

Very puzzling. This is a case for Sherlock Holmes.

Pete

*Daryl, you contact all of Charlie Castaldo's former crew? Or just Charlie Licata?

[mopar68]

So, to the best of my understanding, the above can be construed as::

1) SS/AA Hemi Dart (second Hemi Dart--first one wrecked)

2) SS/DA Hemi Challenger

3) SS/AA Hemi Dart (third car?)

4) Pro Stock Dodge Challenger

or

1) SS/AA Hemi Dart

2) SS/DA Hemi Challenger

3) Pro Stock Challenger (i.e., 3rd car)

Any lawyers out there?

Pete

[mopar68]

Daryl,

On the quarter panel of Charlie's Challenger it reads:

Competition & Sports Cars Ltd
Greenwich, Conn.



I did a Google search and came up with the following address:

Name:Competition & Sports Cars Ltd
Address:355 W Putnam Ave
City:Greenwich
Zip:6830
State:CT
Phone:(203) 661-1725
Fax:(203) 869-2707

Maybe someone there knows something. It's worth a shot.

Pete

[Paul Ceasrine]

Never saw Charlie with '3' Cars at the Track.

In 1970,

Charlie was running the 1970 Challenger '426 Hemi' in SS/DA.

That was the 'primary' Race Car from 1970 thru 1972.

[mopar68]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Never saw Charlie with '3' Cars at the Track.

In 1970,

Charlie was running the 1970 Challenger '426 Hemi' in SS/DA.

The 1968 LO23 Dart {2nd Dart} that he bought from Tim Crutchfield
{Palmer Dodge} was run in SS/AA.

In 1971,

The LO23 Dart was run in A/MP, and was also entered into Pro/Stock
with a 'Clutch-Flite' and 1969 trim.

Was that Dart ever found?

Pete

[Liteweight]

Originally Posted by mopar68

Was that Dart ever found?

Pete

The different transformations of Charlie Castaldo's Auto DArt












Current in NY

[Paul Ceasrine]

Charlie Castaldo

Campaigned 'primarily' the 1970 Challenger '426 Hemi' in SS/DA in
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972

The Challenger was a very successful car.

There was 'talk' of Charlie campaigning a 1971 Demon in Pro/Stock
for 1971, but he never did.

Charlie made his first 'true' Pro/Stock ventures in 1973.

[Frank Castros]

It was originally a Dodge and BMW dealer on Mason Street in Greenwich and eventually became exclusively a BMW dealership on West Putnam Avenue.

Originally Posted by mopar68

Daryl,

On the quarter panel of Charlie's Challenger it reads:

Competition & Sports Cars Ltd
Greenwich, Conn.



I did a Google search and came up with the following address:

Name:Competition & Sports Cars Ltd
Address:355 W Putnam Ave
City:Greenwich
Zip:6830
State:CT
Phone:(203) 661-1725
Fax:(203) 869-2707

Maybe someone there knows something. It's worth a shot.

Pete

[Paul Ceasrine]

1970

At the start of the year, Charlie ran the 1968 LO23 Hemi Dart in SS/AA.

By April, he was running his 'new' 1970 Challenger '426 Hemi' in SS/DA.

Charlie also did run the 1968 LO23 Hemi Dart in SS/AA, but at the
end of the year he did enter the Dart in Pro/Stock for a few go's before closing out the 1970 season.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1971

Charlie was back campaigning the 1970 Challenger in SS/DA.

He also ran the 1968 LO23 Hemi Dart in A/MP.

They also installed a 'Clutch-Flite' in the Dart, but quickly abandoned that idea.

By May 1971, the car was raced with a 'For Sale' sign in the rear
side windows.

Charlie was 'under-the-gun' by the Factory {Regional Office} to run a
Pro/Stock car for 1971.

[hemid68]

I guess I didn't know as much as I thought about the Hahnenkamp and Tite Dart-imagine that! Bret has forgot more about drag racing in the St. Louis area than I ever knew, and evidently Paul knows something about this Dart. I do know that when I looked at it, during my college years (and NO I wasn't under the influence of anything-it's just old age now!), it came with hemi parts (like maybe a short block), and when Schneider and England ran it, as the Music Room (Rich Hahnenkamp's dance hall) car, it did have a Hemi in it, and then it went to Dale Baker.
Bret, if you have a picture of the Music Room car, or anybody else, it would be kind of neat to see it on here. I know they ran a lot at I-55 in Pevely, MO.
Sorry for any mistaken memories of a teenager.
Dan