Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

Hi guys,Im new on here,although been browsing for a few years.
I have purchased a S/S 74 Challenger which was bought new in December
1973 by Joe Allread,It was in car craft magazine,November 1974,titled
"Brown Baggin".
The challenger was painted by Dave Skroch sometime between 74-75 in
Green and white,and has a 360ci,4 speed and Dana 60.
Joe sold the car to Dave Hendricks in August 1976 who continued to race it
until 1979 and then parked it.
Theres a picture of it,in the 1977 direct connection parts catalog,with Dave
Hendricks name on the door.
Fast forward to december 2017,Dave sold the challenger to Duncan Watts
here in the UK,and I got it November 2018.
It still wears the Dave Skroch paint job,although it is badly cracked,but the rest of the car is a time warp,Factory interior,360 with thermoquad,4 speed,dana etc.
Im trying to find as much information and pictures as possible on this car.
I know Joe Allread passed away a few years ago,and I have only seen one picture from the Bill Truby collection.
Any help will be greatly appreciated,thanks,Dave Billadeau

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

I remember that car well when it was brown. We raced at the same tracks. I may have some pics of it. I will have to go into the storage boxes. He did a burnout across the scales at a points race and got suspended for a while. His stuff was always top drawer. I heard that right after he sold it the new owner banged the pan and blew it up. I know for sure I have pics of the 72 SS/K 400 4bbl Roadrunner. Allread and Glover.

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

Thanks for reply Rod,I will try to upload some pics

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

from the Bill Truby collection

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

Here in the UK

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

Some more pics

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

Hoped I may have had some more feedback on here on,regarding this car,is there any other sites/forums that may be worth a look,Thanks in advance.
Dave

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

Thanks Charlie,hopefully somebody will recognize the challenger,come on guys,stories or pics,I know it only race for 4-5 years from 74,thanks

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

What is the blue Mopar in the backyard? 🤔
You hiding something? Lol

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

Thats a customers 64 Dart,I built him a 408 small block,he races in a class over here called Nostalgia Super Stock,
I currently have a 67 belvedere wagon that run 10s,a 69 A12 super bee
clone and a 86 Ram,I like my Mopars.
Check out my website"Billadeau-Speed.co.uk"
regards,Dave

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

Hello Dave UK. I think I can help with some additional information about your Challenger. I doubt everyone here is interested in much of what I have to offer, but you can send me an email : 1david711@gmail.com and I will share all I can. I am the guy who bumped the pan at the 78' Winters and we spun three bearings on the motor. (somehow the bump stops got removed from the car between Irwindale - Butler Racing - and the Winters and we didn't know it until we heard the crunch".) I was fortunate enough to get to spend some time with Joe and his wife at their home before we decided to buy the car from him, and I will tell you everything that he shared with us (including the "scales" incident when he got DQ'd up north. Not certain what you got from Duncan, but drop me a line and I will get back to you.

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

[QUOTE=Uncle Dave;585179] I doubt everyone here is interested in much of what I have to offer, [QUOTE]


I think I speak for a lot of folks on here, we are interested!


Rick Thomason
GTOMayhem

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

OK GTO, here goes nothing.

My last post was the first and only post I have ever done. I'm 71 this year and don't have any accounts on any social media sites and never felt that I had much to contribute of interest to anyone else. Although I have been visiting and enjoying this site for a long time, it is the first site that I have joined and mostly to try to be able to let Dave UK know more about the car.

I have been racing since the mid 60's. My first "fast" car was a 47' Ford coupe with a 55' Buick V-8. Loved it but it was a major pain to keep a tranny in. I've had so many cars but never on a truly competitive scale.




My first visit with Joe was in the early 70's. We talked about everything from the JR stock wagon he built (and how Jon Diana was there late nights gathering all the undercoating they had scraped off the underside of the car, to weigh it for the article he was writing) to the number of people he had and was still building Hemi motors for. He even took me over to Butch Leal's shop to show me things that were being built there. He once took me to Butler's to show me a Pro-Stock Plymouth Arrow they were finishing for "someone" back east. The quality of work and attention to detail that came out of that shop was astounding.

I ended up buying the Challenger and my cousin actually bought the Road Runner. I could listen to Joe's stories for hours. He remembered things in such detail. He shared the DQ story and how mad he was at the NHRA people. Joe had qualified fast enough to set a new class record. He said that the scales were off significantly and NHRA and everyone else knew it. Everyone was adding weight. Joe had added weight in the spare tire in the trunk (remember when you had to keep that tire in it's original place??) and when the tech guys ask him to remove the tire for them to check it, he told them the weight was there and almost without any question or consideration they DQ'd him. I won't go into the narrative part of Joe's story but that was when he told NHRA that he would never personally race another NHRA event. He went home and parked the Challenger and it stayed there until I bought it.
I'm not sure how much history of the car any of you are interested in and where to actually start, so I'll stop here. I'm would be pleased to share as much as I know about the Challenger, and all that came directly from Joe if anyone is interested. Just let me know where I should start.

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

This is fantastic Dave,Im thrilled you have made the effort to reply on here.
I got the challenger off Duncan with everything you sent with it I believe.
CarCraft magazine,original paperwork,decals,rear seat,spare headers & thermoquad carb.
Ive had the engine running,but have done nothing else since purchasing it.
I plan on taking it to a event here in July,Dragstalgia,at Santa Pod raceway.,Just as a static display in the Marquee.
Over the winter I plan on restoring the Paint,refreshening the motor,maybe a few updates to the running gear,then race next season in various nostalgia classes we have here.
I have built and raced lots of Mopars over the last 30 years,and I am excited to own yours and Joes challenger,it is a tribute to you guys.
Im sure everyone on here wants to here all your stories.
Thanks,Dave Billadeau

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

Ive been in contact with Dave Hendricks,and slowly getting to know some of the challengers history.
The 360 engine in the car is one from Ed Hamburgers Dusters SS/K motor which he purchased after banging the pan on his old motor.

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

Dave, I just saw your post about Joe Allred’s Challenger. You might be interested that while running my NOVA in the SS/O class at the 1974 Winter Nationals some local California guys were lobbying us to ask NHRA to delay class run offs until Joe could get there with his New Challenger. They stated he was close to getting it finished and was on the way to the track. NHRA wasn’t interested in delaying anything and we ended up losing to Troxell in his Olds Cutlass. If I also remember correctly Dave Wren our Northwest MOPAR factory sponsored racer told us Joe’s Challenger was factory supported also.
I did see it run a few time and as with all of Joe's stuff it was nicely detailed and quick.
Jim Parsons

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

Thanks Jim,I am of the understanding that Joes challenger was factory backed,after conversations with Dave hendricks.
I have the original Joe Allread 360 motor now,and a pair of new direct connection cylinder heads still in boxes,that came from Mopar.
There is also a picture of the challenger in the 1977 direct connection parts book,regards,Dave

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

Hello Dave UK .. with your future restoration if needing any period correct contingency decals I mite be able to help you with stuff ,, I have about 7 Rubbermaid tubs of stuff starting from early 70 ''s ... Prostockpete1@gmail.com

Re: Allread / Hendricks Challenger
 

Thats great to know Pete,Dave Hendricks sent quite a few decals with the challenger,I will make a list of what I dont have,regards,Dave.