Original hemi dart information

[Bill Rolik]

OK, I have two more vintage 68 cars in the archives:

First up, look at the car on the ramp truck behind Don McElroy's 74 360 Cuda. It is called the Little Critter. The permanent number looks like 3395. I took this at Indy in 1976.

Bill Rolik

1514 SS

[Bill Rolik]

Last, but certainly not least:

Ron Mancini's SS/A car.

I took this at the Summernationals here in NJ in 1971.

Bill Rolik

1514 SS

[Ecurb]

Very cool pictures Bill...Hemi Darts are just too cool.

I like the shot of Grumps camp and the Hedrick Yenko!

[W J]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

OK, W J
Hope the parachute opens. Nose first is always the best way to go.

3) Gene O'Neill, Worcester, Mass. (SS/B)
The hardest one to find info on.
Maybe the Natick Dodge car. Natick Dodge, (Worcester Road),
(Route 9?), Natick. Whats that about 20-minutes west of Boston?
Possible Canadien-connection to car collector Dave McDade.
Don't think this car made it Dover or New York National.

4) Bob Ramstrom, Worcester, Mass. (SS/BA)
Another possible Natick Dodge Mystery.
Possible Mr. Norms' dealership-broker deal.
A little back history. Bob Ramstrom ran an original 65' Dodge S/SA
factory Hemi car (1 of the original 110). Name, "BloodHound"
Sponsored by; Yates Dodge, Park Avenue, Worcester, Mass.

5) Chick Brignolo, "PlayThing", Norton, Mass. (SS/B)
Possibly Connecticut-based at one time. Chassis/Frame specialist.
Possible Mr. Norm's dealership-broker deal.
Ran 11.00 @ 127.03 (1969), New England Dragway
Ran 10.61 @ 126.40 (1969), New England Dragway

Paul, The Hits Will Keep Coming

Paul, hopefully Steve O'Neill (flintstonecharger) will clear things up w/the Bob Ramstrom "Bloodhound" 65 Coronet and the Gene O'Neill "Flintstone Charger" Coronet. Let's await Steve's reply......and Paul, always pack your own chute! I can remember having them stop action at Orange, Ma. dragstrip for a stray jumper to land right on the track! Best wishes. WJ

[Paul Ceasrine]

Bill,
For your postings, I owe you about a dozen Shrimp & Pasta dinners at the "Hilltop Inn", Nyack. The best eatery around (1977 thru 1985).
If you left Spring Valley Dodge, and headed east on Route 59 you would run into the place in West Nyack. I'm sure you remember that place.

I was working on the Northeast Darts first. Ron Mancini (Gratiot Auto
Supply) SS/AA NHRA champ (3 times). We ordered our first set of gears from Gratiot in July 68'. 4.56 gears, complete with a 42 case.
and assembled. $140 (Ouch, Boy have times changed).

More Northeast Darts (Originals)

6) S & K Speed Shop, West Babylon, L.I. New York (SS/B)
Dark Red w/black horizontal "V" shaped arrow on door w/ S & K
Speed Shop Lettering. Owners; Bryan Higgins and Ernie Krieg
A liitle history. S & K had several speed center shops around Long
Island. Good reputation. Jack Merkel was involved building some of
engines. They ran the car only a couple of months July 68' thru
maybe October 68'. Competed at 68' S/S Magazine Nats. Didn't
do to well. Struggled with the car. An article quoted Bryan Higgins
as saying, "The car couldn't get out of its own way". Friends saw it at
New York National Speedway a couple of times, running 11.20's.
They were looking to unload it, to get involved with the 69' AMX
Super Stock program. Car was sold to the famous Brooklyn street
racers "The Mutt Brothers". John and Ron Lyle. Car was re-painted
black, and raced primarily on the street (Conduit Blvd), near JFK
airport.
* There is a photo of this car ? at Englishtown in 69' or 70', with
Charlie Castaldo's Dart on the opposite side, on the starting line.
"Manhattan Speed Parts" is lettered on the front fender of the
black Dart. Manhattan Speed Parts was located on Varick Street,
NYC. On the other side of the Williamsburg Bridge, which connects
Brooklyn and lower NYC. Coincedence or ?

Paul, More hits to come this morning.

[Paul Ceasrine]

W J,
Your telling us that when you went down the track at Orange, you had to dodge para-troopers landing near the traps.
Closed in 1970, at the pinnacle of drag racing. Shaky management, or was there more money in Piper Cub and Cessna landings.

7) Joe Jill, "Speedwin Engineering", Happauge, L.I. New York
Off Jericho Turnpike.....(SS/BA)
Purchsed new from Ebbett's Field Dodge, Brooklyn, New York
Paid $5146 (MSRP) Manufacurers Suggested Retail Price
Ran primarily at New York National, and WestHampton (Suffolk), L.I. NY, Mostly local S/S stuff. Beautifully detailed car. White-base w/blue-green lacing down the sides. Ran a best of 10.66 in 69'.
Pictures in many S/S Magazines 68' thru 71'.
Joe Jill, also had another Speedwin location in Mineola, L.I., New York
Co-sponsored by Action Transmission
Joe Jill built, the Hemi engine for Charlie Castaldo (first SS/B car).
Also, was with Charlie Castaldo at the 1968 NHRA Springnationals
in Englishtown (6/14-6/16).
Was Charlie's engine tech. Photo's of the two of them at E-Town
in Nov. 68' Cars Magazine article.

PC

[John Leichtamer Jr]

the late John Wetling owned an uncut dart and a clone cuda. both were sold, the dart said Humin Hemi on the doors John was from the Ft.Lauderdale area. Anybody know where these cars went??

Hammer

[Bill Rolik]

Well, I told a white lie. One more photo!

I have a copy of a photo given to me by long-time NJ friend "Hemi" John Pierson, who purchased this Cuda from a Chicago area owner. The photo shows the original paint scheme, but when John acquired it, it was repainted, as I recall, orange and white. It was called the "Instant Cuda". John sold it years ago, and it is reported to be somewhere in western PA, existing as a Pro Street car.

Paul,

I was closer to West Nyack than you think: Before Spring Valley Dodge, I worked at Rockland CP on 304, which amazingly is still a Chrysler store. All of my "road tests" of performance cars in for service were "conducted" on the lower end of 304 by Lederle Labs. Also, my pasta choice for the meal will be farfalle (bowties).

Bill Rolik

1514 SS

[John Mason]

How about the 2 "Huckleberry Hound" Mopars out of Jersey, 63 aluminum nose max wedge and 65 race Hemi?
Frank Johansen (Huck) driver and Andy Zimmerman wrenching.They used to bring both cars to a race and try to pick the 1 that had a chance of winning to race in elims. Never did anything nationally but had some success locally. Real low buck racers, spent all their $ to buy the cars and nothing left for parts.
Both cars were sold in 1968 and Huck bought a 427 Camaro for SS.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Bill,
Too many Cuda's too list just yet. My old girlfriend lived in Blauvelt.
I just headed south on Route 303. A couple of Canoli's will do just fine,
before a little test-n-tune down Route 303 (Orangeburg-strait)
See you had/have a small block mopar. We ran a 68' 340 Cuda in SS/I, in 72' and 73'. Lettered "The Shadow". Won everything in our class at Dover. Just trophy hunting. Didn't run that much in S/S eliminator. Had to get home early Sunday for the pasta meal.

Upstate New York Darts,

8) Chuck McJury,"PLaymate II" Schenectady, NY. (SS/BA)
As you posted earlier Bill, dark-blue with black painted top.
Sponsored by Cicero Dodge (Cicero, NY) and Stevenson Garage
(Syracuse). Pretty much stayed in the NED-1 circuit. Did hit the S/S
Magazine Nationals at New York National 7/68, at York 8/69 and
York 5/70. Ran 10.70's at Dover. Was at big S/S meet their in late
September 69', Battling Charlie Castaldo (downstate-boy). Eventually
went Pro/Stock 71'. Heard he sold the car cheap in 73'?

9) Charlie Lendrum, Westerlo, NY (southwest of Albany), (SS/BA)
"Northern Shaker" May have been sponsored by Albany Dodge.
Ran at Lebanon Valley primarily. Did hit the western New York circuit.
Ran in S/S until 70'. In 71' Retro-fitted the grille to a 69', to classify for Pro/Stock (2-year NHRA-rule). Ran 10.80's in SS/AA in 1970.

(2) To Go. Please pass the anti-pasta' Bill