Original Hemi Cuda Info....... - Page 36

Ronnie Hamlin · 06-01-2014, 08:40 AM

Herbs pro stock number was 211 if my old memory is working correctly today

Terry Drinkwater · 06-01-2014, 09:28 AM

Not trying to knock anyone off subject here, but I would like to share my Hemi Cuda story with you. Back in about 1980 or so my brother and I purchased a Hemi Cuda from Billy "Big Deal" Jacobs in Enterprise, AL. It was maroon and was lettered "Chopper" in faded gold leaf at the time if I remember correctly. It was represented to us at the time as as ex-Sox & Martin car. It was possibly a factory Hemi car as it had the fiberglass front end, lightweight doors with pull-up lexan windows and the lightweight van seats. We didn't really care about that, we were just mopar bracket racers at the time, ('68 Roadrunner) and wanted to move up in the food chain! Back then the whole Hemi car thing was not the huge deal it is today. My bother owned a small business and I was a line mechanic at a GM dealer and the price was right, so we jumped at the chance to campaign a Hemi car in the IHRA combined eliminator classes, which were popular in the southeast at the time. The car was a leaf spring set up with auto trans and ran 6.50's in the eight mile and 9.90's in the quarter with nothing but routine maintenance and fresh tires and plugs.( a lot of plugs!) After a couple of years, money got tight and the car was sold to Frank Barnett who turned it into a 440 wedge Super Gas car. I have no idea what happened to it after that, just wondered if anyone has any info. It was painted white with a red Chrysler pentastar under our names on the doors when we raced it and I think Frank kept it white when he had it. We ran into Warren Barnett a few years ago and in the bench racing that followed, totally forgot to ask him about it. Wish I had known then what I know now and I would have bought my brother's half and put it in storage. Big regret in life right there. Sorry for the long first post, but I could have rambled on even longer!
Thanks,
Terry

Stewart Way · 06-01-2014, 02:51 PM

Terry
I am likely riding with Frank to Mississippi this week to pick up a toter and trailer. I will try to remember to ask about the car.

Charlie A · 06-01-2014, 04:22 PM

Terry Drinkwater · 06-01-2014, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stewart Way

Terry
I am likely riding with Frank to Mississippi this week to pick up a toter and trailer. I will try to remember to ask about the car.

OK, Stewart. Also ask him what they did with that fresh motor(never fired) that was in the car then. He did very well on that deal! LOL!

68hemiss · 06-03-2014, 12:07 AM

I am not sure what the deal was aside from what I was told - if you see pics of this car and Gary Ostrich's Cuda from Indy - I think that this was 69 - Chrysler had them run in the gas classes - an auto & stick car with fuel injection - Chrysler was probably trying to sweep the sportsman classes at Indy - Ronnie also ran an S/S Barracuda at Indy that year.
Mark J

I'm pretty sure that Sox & Martin wanted to run this Barracuda in A/MP, but it weighed in 'too' light.

So, they swapped on a Hilborn Injector System {short tube} and ran it in B/G.

[/QUOTE]

68hemiss · 06-03-2014, 12:10 AM

Terry,
I PM'd you about this - I know of a red Hemi Cuda that was supposedly sold to Billy - I am guessing that this was the car - if so, it was an original S/S car - I have the history back to the original owner. I would really like to hear more about this car and any pics if you have them.
Thanks,
Mark Janaky
1968 Hemi S/S Registry

QUOTE=Terry Drinkwater;433381]Not trying to knock anyone off subject here, but I would like to share my Hemi Cuda story with you. Back in about 1980 or so my brother and I purchased a Hemi Cuda from Billy "Big Deal" Jacobs in Enterprise, AL. It was maroon and was lettered "Chopper" in faded gold leaf at the time if I remember correctly. It was represented to us at the time as as ex-Sox & Martin car. It was possibly a factory Hemi car as it had the fiberglass front end, lightweight doors with pull-up lexan windows and the lightweight van seats. We didn't really care about that, we were just mopar bracket racers at the time, ('68 Roadrunner) and wanted to move up in the food chain! Back then the whole Hemi car thing was not the huge deal it is today. My bother owned a small business and I was a line mechanic at a GM dealer and the price was right, so we jumped at the chance to campaign a Hemi car in the IHRA combined eliminator classes, which were popular in the southeast at the time. The car was a leaf spring set up with auto trans and ran 6.50's in the eight mile and 9.90's in the quarter with nothing but routine maintenance and fresh tires and plugs.( a lot of plugs!) After a couple of years, money got tight and the car was sold to Frank Barnett who turned it into a 440 wedge Super Gas car. I have no idea what happened to it after that, just wondered if anyone has any info. It was painted white with a red Chrysler pentastar under our names on the doors when we raced it and I think Frank kept it white when he had it. We ran into Warren Barnett a few years ago and in the bench racing that followed, totally forgot to ask him about it. Wish I had known then what I know now and I would have bought my brother's half and put it in storage. Big regret in life right there. Sorry for the long first post, but I could have rambled on even longer!
Thanks,
Terry[/QUOTE]

Terry Drinkwater · 06-03-2014, 07:10 AM

Mark, your mailbox is full! But, no I don't have any pics of the original paint job when we got it. As best I remember, you could call it red, a very deep red (sorta faded) with Cragar Super Trick wheels. I do have some as we raced it, but will have to get them scanned before I can upload.
Thanks,
Terry

mike koester 66 nova · 06-03-2014, 07:08 PM

the pictures of the sox and martin cuda running b gas at indy in 1969 and then don carlton driving the same car in pro stock at the winters in 1970, the first year for the new class. i do believe this was the little thumper cuda that s/m bought from carlton. also one reason s/m ran b/ gas at indy with injectors instead of carbs is for an advantage as jenkins and schartman were also in b/gas along with jim zakia who won the class.they were running
to showcase pro stock for the next year for nhra and fans. this was the same year as mini class runs to determine the class winners in s/s. as a young 18
year old i was at indy and saw this first hand.

mike koester 66 nova

Terry Drinkwater · 06-03-2014, 07:15 PM

What ever happened to the Steve Bagwell Hemi Cuda? I know it went out to California to Jimmy DeFrank and Cohen. Where now? It was sitting in the shop at Barnett's when I went to get the motor freshened. The difference between his stuff and our low buck operation was depressing! I got to look over all three of his cars and realized there was no way we could ever compete with cars like that. That probably led to the decision to sell ours and I went back to driving for some of the local bracket racers and outlaw pro stockers.

06-01-2014, 08:40 AM	#351
Ronnie Hamlin Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Chalybeate Springs, N.C. Posts: 129 Likes: 17 Liked 24 Times in 6 Posts	Re: Original Hemi Cuda Info....... Herbs pro stock number was 211 if my old memory is working correctly today

06-01-2014, 09:28 AM	#352
Terry Drinkwater Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Alabama Posts: 68 Likes: 1 Liked 9 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Original Hemi Cuda Info....... Not trying to knock anyone off subject here, but I would like to share my Hemi Cuda story with you. Back in about 1980 or so my brother and I purchased a Hemi Cuda from Billy "Big Deal" Jacobs in Enterprise, AL. It was maroon and was lettered "Chopper" in faded gold leaf at the time if I remember correctly. It was represented to us at the time as as ex-Sox & Martin car. It was possibly a factory Hemi car as it had the fiberglass front end, lightweight doors with pull-up lexan windows and the lightweight van seats. We didn't really care about that, we were just mopar bracket racers at the time, ('68 Roadrunner) and wanted to move up in the food chain! Back then the whole Hemi car thing was not the huge deal it is today. My bother owned a small business and I was a line mechanic at a GM dealer and the price was right, so we jumped at the chance to campaign a Hemi car in the IHRA combined eliminator classes, which were popular in the southeast at the time. The car was a leaf spring set up with auto trans and ran 6.50's in the eight mile and 9.90's in the quarter with nothing but routine maintenance and fresh tires and plugs.( a lot of plugs!) After a couple of years, money got tight and the car was sold to Frank Barnett who turned it into a 440 wedge Super Gas car. I have no idea what happened to it after that, just wondered if anyone has any info. It was painted white with a red Chrysler pentastar under our names on the doors when we raced it and I think Frank kept it white when he had it. We ran into Warren Barnett a few years ago and in the bench racing that followed, totally forgot to ask him about it. Wish I had known then what I know now and I would have bought my brother's half and put it in storage. Big regret in life right there. Sorry for the long first post, but I could have rambled on even longer! Thanks, Terry Last edited by Terry Drinkwater; 06-01-2014 at 05:48 PM. Reason: spelling

06-01-2014, 02:51 PM	#353
Stewart Way Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Atlanta Posts: 475 Likes: 15 Liked 70 Times in 21 Posts	Re: Original Hemi Cuda Info....... Terry I am likely riding with Frank to Mississippi this week to pick up a toter and trailer. I will try to remember to ask about the car. __________________ Stewart Way 2424 SS

06-01-2014, 04:22 PM	#354
Charlie A VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast Posts: 2,483 Likes: 68 Liked 87 Times in 63 Posts	Re: Original Hemi Cuda Info.......

06-03-2014, 12:07 AM	#356
68hemiss Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 167 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Original Hemi Cuda Info....... I am not sure what the deal was aside from what I was told - if you see pics of this car and Gary Ostrich's Cuda from Indy - I think that this was 69 - Chrysler had them run in the gas classes - an auto & stick car with fuel injection - Chrysler was probably trying to sweep the sportsman classes at Indy - Ronnie also ran an S/S Barracuda at Indy that year. Mark J I'm pretty sure that Sox & Martin wanted to run this Barracuda in A/MP, but it weighed in 'too' light. So, they swapped on a Hilborn Injector System {short tube} and ran it in B/G. [/QUOTE]

06-03-2014, 12:10 AM	#357
68hemiss Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 167 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Original Hemi Cuda Info....... Terry, I PM'd you about this - I know of a red Hemi Cuda that was supposedly sold to Billy - I am guessing that this was the car - if so, it was an original S/S car - I have the history back to the original owner. I would really like to hear more about this car and any pics if you have them. Thanks, Mark Janaky 1968 Hemi S/S Registry QUOTE=Terry Drinkwater;433381]Not trying to knock anyone off subject here, but I would like to share my Hemi Cuda story with you. Back in about 1980 or so my brother and I purchased a Hemi Cuda from Billy "Big Deal" Jacobs in Enterprise, AL. It was maroon and was lettered "Chopper" in faded gold leaf at the time if I remember correctly. It was represented to us at the time as as ex-Sox & Martin car. It was possibly a factory Hemi car as it had the fiberglass front end, lightweight doors with pull-up lexan windows and the lightweight van seats. We didn't really care about that, we were just mopar bracket racers at the time, ('68 Roadrunner) and wanted to move up in the food chain! Back then the whole Hemi car thing was not the huge deal it is today. My bother owned a small business and I was a line mechanic at a GM dealer and the price was right, so we jumped at the chance to campaign a Hemi car in the IHRA combined eliminator classes, which were popular in the southeast at the time. The car was a leaf spring set up with auto trans and ran 6.50's in the eight mile and 9.90's in the quarter with nothing but routine maintenance and fresh tires and plugs.( a lot of plugs!) After a couple of years, money got tight and the car was sold to Frank Barnett who turned it into a 440 wedge Super Gas car. I have no idea what happened to it after that, just wondered if anyone has any info. It was painted white with a red Chrysler pentastar under our names on the doors when we raced it and I think Frank kept it white when he had it. We ran into Warren Barnett a few years ago and in the bench racing that followed, totally forgot to ask him about it. Wish I had known then what I know now and I would have bought my brother's half and put it in storage. Big regret in life right there. Sorry for the long first post, but I could have rambled on even longer! Thanks, Terry[/QUOTE]

06-03-2014, 07:10 AM	#358
Terry Drinkwater Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Alabama Posts: 68 Likes: 1 Liked 9 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Original Hemi Cuda Info....... Mark, your mailbox is full! But, no I don't have any pics of the original paint job when we got it. As best I remember, you could call it red, a very deep red (sorta faded) with Cragar Super Trick wheels. I do have some as we raced it, but will have to get them scanned before I can upload. Thanks, Terry

06-03-2014, 07:08 PM	#359
mike koester 66 nova Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 20 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Original Hemi Cuda Info....... the pictures of the sox and martin cuda running b gas at indy in 1969 and then don carlton driving the same car in pro stock at the winters in 1970, the first year for the new class. i do believe this was the little thumper cuda that s/m bought from carlton. also one reason s/m ran b/ gas at indy with injectors instead of carbs is for an advantage as jenkins and schartman were also in b/gas along with jim zakia who won the class.they were running to showcase pro stock for the next year for nhra and fans. this was the same year as mini class runs to determine the class winners in s/s. as a young 18 year old i was at indy and saw this first hand. mike koester 66 nova

06-03-2014, 07:15 PM	#360
Terry Drinkwater Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Alabama Posts: 68 Likes: 1 Liked 9 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Original Hemi Cuda Info....... What ever happened to the Steve Bagwell Hemi Cuda? I know it went out to California to Jimmy DeFrank and Cohen. Where now? It was sitting in the shop at Barnett's when I went to get the motor freshened. The difference between his stuff and our low buck operation was depressing! I got to look over all three of his cars and realized there was no way we could ever compete with cars like that. That probably led to the decision to sell ours and I went back to driving for some of the local bracket racers and outlaw pro stockers.