Original hemi dart information

[Liteweight]

Paul- Since the last time I was on here, Paul came up with a possibility of his father owning my car back in the 80's. I have not seen a picture of that car yet,but he mentions that it had the regular Dart quarter panel openings. I double checked on my car, & looked at every possible area in which they would have been replaced or repaired. I now know 100% that these are the original quarter panels that this car was manufactured with when new & Hurst modified in 68. Paul, I would still like to see some pix of that car tho,if you wouldn't mind.

M68- Quote- "I remember years ago seeing an actual photograph taken by a former friend at Raceway Park (circa 1975) of a brown (candy apple red?) 1968 Dodge Dart that ran in D/Gas with Costello Bros. on the doors.Is this the same guy"
Yes this is the same car that Ralph Costello owned, formally campaigned as the auto Castaldo car.
The Wildfire car was a possibility for me about a year ago,but as Mark J. has stated,this car is in OH. Great pictures!!! I haven't seen some of them before.

Matt- Welcome to this forum!!! I am not exactly a regular either,but,sure am glad I posted this thread here.The amazing info that is coming out of it is great!!! Hopefully I can find the origin to this unknown soldier.Thankyou for the info on that Magazine article,but, I do have several copies of it already.It was done shortly after Tim Hennessey restored this car back in the 80's. I am honored that you want to build a replica of it in 1/25th scale, & I will help you out in whatever way I can. PM me with your email address & we'll see what I can help you with. Maybe,you can help me out with the Model Car forums you belong to, by asking some of these race car historians about this cars origin .

Mark J-- Good to hear from you again my friend. Glad to see your back in the hunt for this thing.If it weren't for your persistance & knowledge, it sure would make this an unsermountable task.( As if it wasn't hard enuff already). The Landy car was a breeze compared to this thing !!!! Keep it up

Liteweight
Daryl

[Paul Ceasrine]

Daryl and Mark,
Got to hurry hear.......Work,
If you want, post your address, and I'll send you photo of the black Dart.
It may or may not be Daryl's.
But for one thing, it must have been someones.
As for the Hemi engine that came with the car. It was definitely an
original factory Hemi unit.
The 12.5 -1 pistons (heavy factory-slugs) standard-bore were part of the
assembled block. But were fly-cut for the valve reliefs. The camshaft was an Isky unit, the same recommended by the factory (ie; Dick Landy).
The cast iron heads were not molested, (no porting or hogged out).
The only modification to the engine was the Milodon deep pan and
sump lines, and engine component balancing. Looks like the same engine from 68' (That is a little bizarre). How I remember this from
1980 or so, I have no idea.
More info on Bill Davitt later.
Kudo's to Bill on the Jeff Seligman 67' valiant 273/235 (K/SA)
Talk to you later today
Paul

[SAL PIACENTINI]

Don't know if this helps but in the 60's the only MOPAR dealer I remember that had an elevator was Blue Ribbon Garage in Bridgeport,CT. This is in southern CT,{Fairfield County} & was about 25 mins from Bill Flynn's shop in West Haven.It was in the downtown area & storage in basement & service on 2nd floor.

[Paul Ceasrine]

SAL,That info is for WJ on the missing Gene O'Neill Dart.Blue-Ribbon Garage, Bridgeport, CT.Also, trying to research several others;Fisher-Lowe, West Hartford, CT.Chorches Motors, Manchester, CT.Norwalk Dodge, Norwalk, CT.Campbell Dodge, West Haven, CT.G & B Motors, Stamford, CT.Colonial Dodge, Bridgeport, CT.Whipple Motors, Hingham, Mass.It looks like every one of those places tried to get one, but only one Lottery-winnertheir.....Lucky GenePaul

[Liteweight]

Paul;
I'd really like to see that pix of the black Dart your father had. I have sent you a pm with my email address.I also sent you a message on your private email address. Was there any silver on that car somewhere that you remember ???

Daryl

[W J]

Originally Posted by SAL PIACENTINI

Don't know if this helps but in the 60's the only MOPAR dealer I remember that had an elevator was Blue Ribbon Garage in Bridgeport,CT. This is in southern CT,{Fairfield County} & was about 25 mins from Bill Flynn's shop in West Haven.It was in the downtown area & storage in basement & service on 2nd floor.

Much thanks Sal....your contribution to this thread is much appreciated by everyone. Last Saturday I attended a "Gene's Speed Shop Reunion" (Gene O'Neill's original place of business when he was racing these things) up here in Webster, Ma. right near Ct. state line. It was great. People I knew from 40 yrs. past came out of the woodwork and showed up, some driving great distances. Again, thanks for your comments. WJ

[Paul Ceasrine]

Daryl,
As for as the Dart. my father got it black and thats it they way it was
sold. He did nothing to the car.
I wish I had checked the car out in detail. But I didn't. It was at my parents home, not my home. My father only had it about 3 months.
I'm doing somemore digging, but maybe the Murphy boys did the next project on the car.
Paul
Oh, Mark J (Bill Davitt stuff on the next post).

[68hemiss]

Paul,
You know I am interested in hearing about Bill davitt and the Pomona Dart. I will send my address. Feel free to call- we might be able to peice this thing together.
Mark

[Paul Ceasrine]

Mark,I talked at length with Daryl today. About an hour or so. Gave him a ton of info.Since there is no way that Daryl's car was Charlie Castaldo's second car (possibly Tim Crutchfield's; Palmer Dodge car), it looks like another direction.I sent photo's to you and Daryl. The Black Dart that my father had for a brief period in80' or so, doesn't look to be Daryl's. The Dart my father got, had the rear quarter-panels(factory modified) replaced with standard 68' units. But still the mystery continues.The odd thing, the Dart my father got had the rear-end narrowed for the slicks to fit under the conventional rear fender-wells. Daryl's car had a narrowed rear too. UGH!!More questions than answers.Paul

[Paul Ceasrine]

Daryl, Check into Chuck McJury's Playmate II. It was an automatic car. Chuck was fromupstate New York (Schenectady area) 30 Minutes west of Albany. Raced atLebanon Valley Drag Strip, which was about an hour east, away from his home base.Lebanon Valley is about 30 minutes, southeast of Albany. NHRA track. Paul