Original hemi dart information

[Jason Oldfield]

OK, here's the story right from the horse's mouth:

My uncle was racing the Dart, and sometime after Indy but before the last Division 1 points meet, he blew the motor in the car racing at our local track, Lancaster Dragway. Lancaster ran on Thursday nights, and as part of his contract with the Erie County Dodge Dealers he had to race the car at least once a week at a local track. Lancaster worked out well for him because he could race there on Thursday night, and then leave for the big race for the weekend right after.

Anyway, my uncle had a voucher from Chrysler for a free motor, so he called to get the motor, but they told him they didn't have any more. However, they did say that they had a CAR for him to drive, if he was interested in that. The deal was that if he took the car, he had to also agree to race the car at the World Finals in Dallas too. My uncle was near the top of the Division 1 S/S points standings, and he thinks it was the points meet at Atco that was that weekend, so he felt like he didn't have much choice. So, he drove to Detroit to pick up the car from some guy named Ted Spehar. When he picked up the car (the Iron Butterfly), it was the first time he met Ted. He then took the car to NJ, and Ted and Tom Hoover flew there a day later.

Wally Booth was driving the Iron Butterfly prior to my uncle, including at Indy. It was sometime at or after Indy that Wally and Ted had some type of falling out and split up, which was why the car was available.

A note about the run with Mancini - my uncle had him covered, which is why Mancini tried a neutral start with the car and blew the transmission. I couldn't immediately find the picture, but there is a famous picture that most of you have probably seen before of the carnage of that explosion.

So, there you have it - the story of my uncle and the Iron Butterfly...

[Mopar Steve]

Thanks Jason. I thought I had read somewhere that he was driving the IB at Indy in '69. Dick would know better than I, lol.

Here's the pic you mentioned of Mancini's car and the damage it caused...

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ge/mancini.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...kdodge/015.jpg

[Mopar Steve]

I just found my copy of the entry list to Indy in 1969. Wally Booth is listed in the SS/E 1969 Dodge. Dick Oldfield isn't in the list at, but the Iron Butterfly is under the name "Jeg Spehar" with the same competition number Dick ran on the car at Dallas later on that year, #1341.

I don't mean to confuse things, but I'm still pretty sure Dick was in the Butterfly at Indy that year.

[mike koester 66 nova]

Mopar Steve, I saw the Butterfly race several times in the fall of 69. At Indy Us Nats and at the Drag News Open @ Columbus were Vanke set
the SS/C record with his 65 car while Grumpy sat in the stands just a week or so before the finals at Dallas. I Think. Its all a blur.

[mike koester 66 nova]

Question? Where is the Butterfly now. Question? Could this car be the same car raced by the Fink Brothers / Rod Shop, Then DeFrank and Cohen, now Rick Johnson. A few changes , motor, fenders, hood and grill would do it. I sure would like to know for certain. Anybody got pictures of Ray Wilkes 65 Dodge Hemi car.

[Mopar Steve]

Originally Posted by mike koester 66 nova

Question? Where is the Butterfly now. Question? Could this car be the same car raced by the Fink Brothers / Rod Shop, Then DeFrank and Cohen, now Rick Johnson. A few changes , motor, fenders, hood and grill would do it. I sure would like to know for certain. Anybody got pictures of Ray Wilkes 65 Dodge Hemi car.

No clue where the Butterfly is now. Ted has tried chasing it in the past. Not the same car as Fink's, DeFrank's, or Johnson's. I think I have a pic of Wilkes' car on my other computer.

-Steve

[mike koester 66 nova]

Question? Where is the Butterfly car now. Question? Could the Butterfly be the same car raced by the Fink Brothers ? Rod Shop owned. Then to DeFrank and Cohen and then to Rick Johnson. A few changes, motor, hood, fenders, and grill. I sure would like to know. Anybody have pictures of Ray Wilkes 65 Dodge hemi car they can post.

[Liteweight]

Thought I would post an update on my quest to find the history of my car,since it's been awhile . I have been in doing alot of emailing back & forth with Jimi Vignogna, Lou's son, in regards to getting past the stigma of my car being being either one of Charlie Castaldo's Darts. Well, after showing him MANY pictures, & comparing them to the mods. that have not been done to my car,I can finally say,that Jimi & I are on the same page.He believes that 100% my car can't be a Castaldo car. Now, with that behind me, I can continue forward. Jimi says he's got a bunch of pictures of my car when his dad purchased it in the early 80's.I can only hope he can find those!!! Jimi, any luck yet??? It would make this a whole bunch easier!!! Paul Ceasrine & Mark Janaky have been a wealth of information on this also,& sure is appreciated. Anything new with you guys??.
I'll keep you posted as I get more.

Liteweight
Daryl

[Chuck Norton]

[QUOTE=Mopar Steve;155433]Good question, like I said, I know he ran the '64 Dodge at Indy as well. Possibly a few divisional races too, I had never asked about the divisional entries on the car. Note that he is running a Division 1 number.

As a point of reference, permanent competition numbers were not assigned by NHRA until the 1974 season. Prior to that time numbers were assigned for individual events with no regard for a particular division.

c

[Barnstorm]

Rick Johnson does owen The Butterfly and has run the car very successfully in SS/Ba since the late 80's. We had a great chat with Larry Morgan at Brainerd about the car.