Original hemi dart information

[Jimmy R Parker]

I was in the teardown barn at the '78 Nationals watching a Dart go thru teardown and there was an issue with his wheelbase. He had adjusted his wheelbase to the Cuda demension and was expaining to the tech guys that he had permission from NHRA to do so. I don't remember if he got thru tech or not. I also can't remember the name of the driver but I believe he was from North Carolina and ran Division II. Was this modification ever legal and does anyone remember this incident?

Jimmy Parker

[Paul Ceasrine]

Jimmy,
If you check the early ET and MPH times, you will see that the Cuda's had the lower ones. Whether it was aerodynamics (as some claim) or
slightly longer wheel-base, who knows? Those Darts got a little shaky going through the traps.

10) Gil Clark, Toronto-based, Ontario, Canada (SS/B & SS/BA)
AHRA-contracted racer. Ran primarily at Detroit Dragway (AHRA),
across the border. Also, St.Thomas Dragstrip, Sparta, Canada.
Also, AHRA national meets at New York National. Won a couple
of S/S Eliminator meets at Detroit. Ran 10.87 @ 127, 6/69.

PC

[W J]

Originally Posted by 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", Mineola, L.I. New York (SS/BA)
Purchsed new from Ebbett's Field Dodge, Brooklyn, New York
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'.
Recently located and re-stored.

PC

Yes Paul, believe-it-or-not, sometimes race action had to be stopped at the Orange, Ma. (NHRA cert.) track back in the late '60's to let a sport parachutist land who had blown off course when trying to hit his landing target at another area of the airport. I believe new housing being built in the area, and airport/dragstrip problems between the FAA and Orange strip promotors is what closed the track. Connecticut Dragway was also becoming very popular w/ New England area racers. Orange was 1 of 3 tracks run by the New England Timing Assoc., others being a track at Sanford, Me. and also a track at Charlestown, Rhode Island. A couple of NETA people ended up buying the property in Epping, NH and building New England Dragway, I believe. Regarding Bob Ramstrom's '65 Hemi Coronet SS/BA "Bloodhound": Car's name was changed to "Flintstone Charger", then sold to and campaigned by Gene O'Neill, owner of "Gene's Speed Equipment" of Worcester, Ma. Gene's '68 Hemi Dart came shortly thereafter. There's a great full color 4 page article on the "Flintstone Charger" Hemi Coronet in the July 2008 issue of "Musclecar Enthusiast". My good friend, Steve O'Neill, now owns this beautiful piece of early Hemi-history. Keep the hits coming, Paul...... WJ

[flintstonecharger]

Hello Paul,Ramstrom's Dart definately tied to Natick Dodge when new,heard that sponsorship short lived,have pics. of car with Natick Dodge across the doors,car was red and white,later pics. show Natick Dodge covered with masking paper,later had Ramstrom & McCabe across doors.He may have ran car for 2 years?? His 65 A990 car was originally the Bloodhound in 65.In 66 repainted orange and white,renamed Flintstone Charger.Car went to Gene O'Neill and he ran the 65 car from 67-68.Gene bought his Dart late and had help from Bill Flynn to locate car.It it came from a southern Ct. dealer that had an elevator in garage and the Dart was in basement.Car was 4-speed car and broke lots of stuff.Gene told me he would simply floor the car when staged and sidestep the clutch to launch,and this broke parts?? Also launched car early on and car was in reverse,shot the driveshaft right out the back.I met Dave McDade @ Hemi reunion in 08 and between myself,Mark Janacky and Dave we think Gene's old Dart is now owned by McDade,not 100% sure but strong possibility it is the car.Not sure how far Gene travelled with Dart but vague memory of stories from Vermont,Canada,and of course N.E. dragway,Lebanon Valley and Conn. Dragway and of course Orange Ma.Brignolo and Gene O'neill still around but Bob Ramstrom passed about 3 years back.Chick Brignolo still has his Dart and a nice pile of paperwork on car and some vintage pics.Hope info helps,Later,SteveO'Neill

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

[68hemiss]

[QUOTE=Jimmy R Parker;141572]I was in the teardown barn at the '78 Nationals watching a Dart go thru teardown and there was an issue with his wheelbase. He had adjusted his wheelbase to the Cuda demension and was expaining to the tech guys that he had permission from NHRA to do so. I don't remember if he got thru tech or not. I also can't remember the name of the driver but I believe he was from North Carolina and ran Division II. Was this modification ever legal and does anyone remember this incident?

Jimmy,
Any chance that this was Herb Sexton?
Mark J

[68hemiss]

Originally Posted by 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

Yep!
The car spent a few years in Chicago and recently was for sale in MN.
Mark J

[68hemiss]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Jimmy,
If you check the early ET and MPH times, you will see that the Cuda's had the lower ones. Whether it was aerodynamics (as some claim) or
slightly longer wheel-base, who knows? Those Darts got a little shaky going through the traps.

10) Gil Clark, Toronto-based, Ontario, Canada (SS/B & SS/BA)
AHRA-contracted racer. Ran primarily at Detroit Dragway (AHRA),
across the border. Also, St.Thomas Dragstrip, Sparta, Canada.
Also, AHRA national meets at New York National. Won a couple
of S/S Eliminator meets at Detroit. Ran 10.87 @ 127, 6/69.

PC

Paul,
This became Ron Mancinni's first (and only original) Hemi Dart. Gil and his wife came down to the Hemi Reunion last summer. The Mancini car was sold and last I heard it was being restored in his old paint.
Mark Janaky
1968 Hemi S/S Registry

[68hemiss]

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.

Paul,
Chuck's car is still missing but I have some leads on it. Chuck was also at the Hemi reunion. Charlie Lendrum's Dart is in FL. I am looking for some early photos of it.
Mark J

[68hemiss]

Originally Posted by 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

Bill,
I sent those pics to John! Any idea who owned the S/S 68' Hemi Barracuda from Idlewild Motors in Springfield Gardens, NY or the one from Brodlieb Motors in Woodmere, LI, NY? These wree bought new there.
Mark Janaky
Dart4261964@yahoo.com

[Jimmy R Parker]

68hemiss,

I'm pretty sure it was Max Hurley that was having wheelbase issues in tech.

I apologize in advance to Mr. Hurley if I'm wrong. Max was one of the heavy hitters at the time and I'm sure he did not go to Indy unless he was convinced his car was legal.

I brought it up because I was curious if the wheelbase modification was performed on other Darts at the time.

Jimmy