How A Stolen Car Became NASCAR's Fastest - And Ended Up In A Field Decades Later

"SteveLehto" (stevelehto) 03/08/2016 at 10:00 • Filed to: None

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In 1968, Chrysler shipped two brand new 1969 Charger 500s to Hot Rod magazine for a press preview. One was a B-5 Blue 500 equipped with a Hemi and a 4-speed. The magazine took the two 500s to a drag strip where the B-5 knocked off a quarter mile in 13.48 seconds.

Shortly after Hot Rod brought the cars back from the drag strip, the B-5 was stolen. Later, it was found in a bad neighborhood missing its Hemi, its interior and driveline. The write up in Hot Rod was nice but Chrysler could not repair and sell the B-5 car. They decided to turn it into an engineering test car. The shell was shipped as essentially a body in white to Nichels Engineering in Griffith Indiana.

Nichels rebuilt the car to NASCAR standards, including all of the knowledge Chrysler racing had developed for the Charger. They raked the body nose-down. They installed the bars inside the engine compartment from the firewall to the radiator support to stiffen the front end. They put in a roll cage, a race Hemi and matching drivetrain. Nichels then shipped DC-93 back to Chrysler. Incidentally, it was Nichels that designated the car “DC-93.” Indiana required cars to bear some sort of identification number and many of the cars in Nichels’ shop did not have VIN tags. Nichels simply numbered them sequentially with the letters designating the manufacturer and sometimes the model. “DC” stood for Dodge Charger.

As the 1969 Daytona 500 approached, Chrysler racing engineers were certain DC-93 was state of the art. They painted the car blue and put #99 on it. They offered to let Nichels Engineering field the car for the race. Paul Goldsmith drove it. It did not run on pole day but NASCAR had gone to its dual qualifying race format. Goldsmith ran it in the second qualifier where Bobby Isaac, Charliet Glotzbach and Goldsmith completed a 1-2-3 sweep in Charger 500s. Things looked promising. DC-93 ran the fastest laps that weekend but crashed out of the main race on lap 62.

It was at this point that Chrysler decided to go to the next level and install the ultimate aero package – the nose cone and the wing, making it a Charger Daytona.

All through 1969, DC-93 was used for testing the aero package. Many configurations were first tested on a “low speed” DC-74 and then tested on DC-93. Much of the testing was performed by NASCAR drivers like Charlie Glotzbach and Buddy Baker (above).

The team of engineers working on the problem now included rocket scientists from Chrysler’s missile division, some of whom had moved over and were working full-time on the aero cars. John Pointer fabricated and experimented with shapes of the nose cone and the wing at Chelsea. Bill Wright installed instrumentation on the cars, much as he would a rocket. Wright drilled a hole in the dashboard for the buttons and switch to control the instruments.

The test results convinced Chrysler higher ups to make the winged cars and sell them to the public so they could be raced in NASCAR. While Chrysler worked out the logistics of building the 500 cars necessary for the public, Chrysler racing made the wings and nose cones available to teams racing the Charger 500s. None of the teams would race actual Charger Daytonas; they would merely add the modifications to the 500s they were already running. The newly configured cars would make their first track appearance at Talladega in September 1969.

Larry Rathgeb brought DC-93 to Talladega for testing. Rathgeb would eventually bring DC-93 to every major track where the winged cars raced so Chrysler racing could gather its own data on setups for the cars. Once optimal speeds were achieved, the information was passed along to the race teams. Rathgeb feared that his creations would be shut out of the first big chance they had to race because of a threatened driver boycott. To make sure there was at least one wing in the race, he talked Nichels into entering DC-93 with Glotzbach at the wheel. Technically, a Chrysler-owned car could not race in NASCAR. As he had at Daytona, Nichels entered the car at Talladega as if he owned it. The car was outfitted to look like a Nichels-owned racer and the number “88” was applied to it.

The first day of practice at the track led to the headline: “200 MPH Certain At Talladega Track.” Practice laps by Glotzbach and Isaac were faster than 195 MPH. Isaac was driving the K&K Daytona and Glotzbach was driving DC-93. The qualifying speeds were blistering. Glotzbach led the way in DC-93 at 199.466 MPH. He predicted he would be even faster on race day. He was slated to sit on the pole – and then the Professional Drivers Association walked out. After reshuffling the starting lineup to account for the 30 drivers who were missing, Bobby Isaac was on the pole on race day. His 196.386 speed seems impressive – NASCAR’s previous top speed had been set that July at 190.706 – except that it had been slow compared to drivers who were sitting out the race. His qualifying laps were only sixth fastest at 196.386.

Richard Brickhouse won the race in another Nichels Engineering car – not DC-93 – leading a top-five sweep by Chrysler products. Only Brickhouse and Isaac were driving the new Daytonas, however. All of the other Daytonas at the track had been parked because of the boycott. DC-93 had sat the race out.

On March 24, 1970, DC-93 !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! where it broke 200 MPH with Buddy Baker at the wheel. The speed was a NASCAR record and world record for a closed course. After the Talladega record runs, the car was sent to Chelsea where Chrysler continued using it for tests.

For the rest of the 1970 season, Rathgeb continued bringing DC-93 to the major races where winged cars would run. A driver like Baker or Glotzbach would run practice laps with instrumentation in the trunk and engineers would crunch the numbers to find the best race setups for the cars at each particular track. DC-93 did not ever race again, however.

In May 1970, Bill France thought he might like to have DC-93 donated to the NASCAR Museum of Speed. He asked Chrysler if they were willing to donate it to his museum. It was an interesting question. Chrysler was still using the car but there were some people within the department who were less than happy with how France had treated Chrysler. France had never been all that welcoming to the winged cars and now he wanted one donated to his museum? There was already grumbling that France wanted to outlaw the winged cars altogether.

Chrysler racing also still had DC-74, the “low-speed” car from Chelsea which had been raced at one point as a 1968 Charger by Isaac. It had been given the Daytona treatment but was not being taken to NASCAR tracks for testing. It had been put out to pasture. Rather than commit to giving DC-93 to NASCAR, Chrysler decided it was more expedient to pull a fast one and donate DC-74, pretending it was DC-93. An internal memo described the plan.

[W]e will take our old No. 71 car, DC-74, paint it to look like the Engineering car No. 88 which was used in breaking the 200 mph speed record, and present it to NASCAR. This No. 71 car has outlived its usefulness and would be scrapped in the event we weren’t to use it for this purpose.

The memo noted the limited cost to Chrysler: paint and shipping. The upside: promotional benefits. “The car will be of considerable interest in the future as a part of the overall speed museum.” No explanation was given as to why NASCAR was being tricked. There is no question that some of the men who made the decision did it because they were unhappy with how NASCAR had treated Chrysler in the recent past. Years later, one of the men involved in the decision told this writer that the move was indeed intended as a way to give France “the finger.”

DC-74 was painted blue. In February 1973, at Daytona, a ceremony was held on the infield of the track to note the donation of the first 200 MPH car to NASCAR’s Museum of Speed. Chrysler vice-president Bob McCurry posed with France next to the car, along with Richard Petty and Buddy Baker. The shiny blue paint job hid the red paint on the former 1968 Charger.

Press releases of the event were distributed, accompanied by a confusing montage of photos. Along with the picture of McCurry, France, Petty, Baker and the car, there was one of a mock-up of a street Charger Daytona, white with a red stripe. Below that was a picture of DC-74, when it still wore red paint. The press release described the 200 MPH car – which was not in any of the three pictures – and the K&K car which set records at Bonneville. It, too, was not in any of the pictures with the release.

But that left the question: What happened to DC-93?

Don White was a driver best known for his USAC presence – he was USAC champion in 1963 and 1967 and that circuit’s winningest driver with 53 victories – he also raced occasionally in NASCAR for Nichels engineering. White was good friends with Chrysler racing’s Ronnie Householder and wondered what would happen to DC-93 after it had outlived its usefulness to Chrysler. Householder offered to give the car to White. White accepted and took delivery of the car in late 1970.

Because USAC allowed cars to be run for one more year than NASCAR, White could race DC-93 in its Daytona treatment through the 1971 season. White’s racing operation was not that big and he had to be a bit more economical. On a shorter track, he would remove the wing and the nose cone and run DC-93 as a Charger 500. A couple of times, he even raced the car on dirt. Then, when he went to a bigger track, he’d reinstall the nose cone and the wing.

When the 1971 season ended, DC-93 could no longer run as a 1969 model. For the 1972 season, White removed the wing and also the front fenders and nose cone, which were welded together. He dumped the front end sheet metal in the weeds behind his shop. He put a 1970 Charger front clip on the car and raced it, even though the back window was wrong. NASCAR might not have allowed that but USAC didn’t complain. He raced his “1970” Charger for a couple of years in USAC.

He completely reskinned the car as a 1973 Charger when the “1970" could no longer run. The later year Chargers were a bit wider than the 1969 Charger, so he had to finesse the sheet metal to make it fit. After a few more years of racing, he parked DC-93 by his shop and left it.

A Chrysler technician named Greg Kwiatkowski was fascinated by Chrysler’s racing legacy and often asked his coworkers about their knowledge of the company’s history. He spoke with Rathgeb and others who had been instrumental in the field. One day, Rathgeb mentioned to Kwiatkowski that the “88” car at the NASCAR museum was not the 200 MPH engineering car.

Where was the real DC-93? He eventually heard that Householder had given it to Don White. Kwiatkowski called White, introduced himself, and asked if he knew what happened to the car. Of course he did; it was sitting right outside his shop.

White described the car to Kwiatkowski and told him how it was now configured as a 1973. It had been parked since 1976 but was not for sale. Kwiatkowski told him that was fine; he was happy to learn as much as he could about the car and that it survived. He stayed in touch with White and during one conversation, White asked Kwiatkowski what he thought the car was worth. Kwiatkowski said he had no idea but if White ever sold it, he’d be happy to buy it. How much did he think it was worth? White said – after noting that the car was still not for sale - $5,000. Kwiatkowski told him he thought it was a fair price and to keep him in mind. A few months later, White offered to sell him the car.

Kwiatkowski had no doubt the car was real but he realized he had no idea what the car looked like. He asked White if he would take some pictures of it for him. He sent down some disposable cameras and some money for postage so White could mail them back. Kwiatkowski told him to just take as many pictures as he could of it. A short while later White sent back the cameras, along with the change from the money Kwiatkowski had sent for postage. After developing the film it was clear: the car was in rough shape but it was the right car.

Rathgeb had given him photos from the 200 MPH run and Kwiatkowski scrutinized them alongside the pics he’d gotten from White. Key details matched. The main hoop of the roll bar had flaking paint, underneath was blue paint. Kwiatkowski called White back and said they had a deal. He offered to send him a deposit even though White said it wasn’t necessary. He sent a money order for $500 and began making arrangements to get the car.

When he got to White’s Iowa shop three weeks later, White told him that another person had come by shortly after they had struck their deal and offered him $10,000 for it. Don told the man the car was already sold. The car was in rough shape from sitting outside. It was 1998 and the car had been outside for more than twenty years.

Kwiatkowski asked White if he had any of the old parts for the car. White suggested checking the woods out back. There, he found the front clip. The fenders and nose cone were welded together and now plants were growing up around them. It took four men to haul it out. It was awkward and heavy, more so because animals had stuffed the nose cone full of nesting material.

Kwiatkowski trailered the car back to Michigan and began the long task of dismantling and restoring the car. In 2001, the Aerowarriors held a reunion for winged car enthusiasts in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Kwiatkowski attended as did Rathgeb, Pointer, George Wallace and a few others who had worked on the program. He invited the men to his garage to see DC-93. There, they saw the car dismantled – the 1973 body panels were removed – but they recognized it. Wright recognized the hole he had cut in the dash for his instrumentation.

George Wallace was kind enough to draft a letter of authenticity for Kwiatkowski. Although all of the men positively identified the car, Wallace was a good candidate for the letter. He had been at Talladega to see Glotzbach qualify the car and then at the track when Baker broke 200 MPH. He also spent time inside the car as a passenger, sitting on the floor and writing notes while clinging to the roll cage as the car ran at speed on various tracks.

Kwiatkowski is now in the process of a full restoration of the car to its configuration as it was on the day it broke the 200 MPH mark at Talladega. He has even located an engine which can be documented as having been used at one time in the car during its time with Chrysler. Meanwhile, NASCAR still has DC-74 in its collection. It is still painted blue.

Follow me on Twitter: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

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Steve Lehto wrote !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , from which this was excerpted.

This website may supply general information about the law but it is for informational purposes only. This does not create an attorney-client relationship and is not meant to constitute legal advice, so the good news is we’re not billing you by the hour for reading this. The bad news is that you shouldn’t act upon any of the information without consulting a qualified professional attorney who will, probably, bill you by the hour.

All photos courtesy of Greg Kwiatkowski except for the “Hot Rod” clip and the blue 88 in the museum (by the author).

TractorPillow > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 10:11

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Great read as usual! Love a good story to start the day.

SteveLehto > TractorPillow 03/08/2016 at 10:12

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Thanks!

Birddog > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 10:22

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Perfect compliment to my morning Coffee!

“No explanation was given as to why NASCAR was being tricked”

France deserved every slight of hand he was dealt.

SteveLehto > Birddog 03/08/2016 at 10:23

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The engineer who told me that story (about giving France “the finger”) was giggling like a school kid when he told it to me.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 10:29

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Damn wing cars are cool.

SteveLehto > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 03/08/2016 at 10:30

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I concur.

Future next gen S2000 owner > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 11:07

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This is good kinja.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 11:57

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The thing about pissing off an engineer is that they’ll figure out a way to screw you.

Great read as always.

SteveLehto > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 03/08/2016 at 12:02

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Thanks. And they’ll figure out a CLEVER way to do it, too!

shop-teacher > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 12:24

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Steve, I knew this was your article just by the title :)

Axel-Ripper > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 03/08/2016 at 12:35

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Yep.

Dr. Strangegun > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 12:37

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“When he got to White’s Iowa shop three weeks later, White told him that another person had come by shortly after they had struck their deal and offered him $10,000 for it. Don told the man the car was already sold.”

Huh. Kwiatkowski had a mole; the ones living in the nose cone weren’t the only dirty rats scurrying around...

RedWhine > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 12:45

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This is good Jalopnik. Excellent article!

Zoom > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 12:49

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This is soo frickin cool.

Hey ricers, if you can put 500 pounds in your rear wing, its for aero. If not, you’re a poser.

Driver > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 12:50

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200 MPH in production cars is nuts! Love it! Bring it back!

alan > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 12:51

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NASCAR was so awesome back then! i do not think a single thing today could make me read a article this long about todays nascar

1995droptopz > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 12:53

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Awesome article. I recognized the oval track as the one at Chelsea Proving Grounds, and was happy to see it in photos since I used to work there.

CaptainWompus > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 12:57

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What a great read! Thanks Steve!

AfromanGTO > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 12:59

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Awesome story! What is the progress on DC-93? Is it getting a race restoration or a full on Concours one?

Anthony McClinton > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 13:00

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That was a fantastic story. I really enjoyed reading it. Good job!

Foo2rama > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 13:03

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Man just when you think one of the coolest stories in autoracing could not get even cooler...

Mike Ramsey > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 13:10

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I grew up 20 miles from where they found this car. I'm pretty sure that Don White is somehow related to me on my moms side but I don't know if I've ever met him. That town where they found this car (Keokuk, IA) has a couple other USAC legends living there besides White. Ramo Stott and Ernie Duer were both top ten finishers in big super speedway races back in the 60's. Ernie Duer used to buy firewood from my grandpa when I was a kid. He's a super nice guy.

veblenesque > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 13:10

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Very well written and researched story Steve. A great reminder of America’s gold age of engineering.

I’d like to see more stories of automotive history like this on Jalopnik. I’m a huge fan of Ate Up with Motor and Hemming’s Sports and Exotic (a must read for Jalopnik readers). This would be a great forum for knowledge that needs to get shared with younger car buffs.

Mr Joshua > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 13:10

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Hard to know whether to laugh or cry. DC-93 would have been in original condition had the switch not occured and it would only perhaps be DC-74 found rusting. Bittersweet.

SteveLehto > shop-teacher 03/08/2016 at 13:12

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I would hope so!

SteveLehto > Dr. Strangegun 03/08/2016 at 13:13

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And White is an upright guy, obviously.

MrMcQueen21v2 > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 13:13

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Great story Steve, thanks for bringing it up. I’m actually related to Buddy Baker, and he always enjoyed telling people about the winged cars and the 200mph lap.

SteveLehto > 1995droptopz 03/08/2016 at 13:15

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You need to read my book. We have a TON of pics taken at the proving grounds and some of them have really cool cars in the background - which were driven to the track by the engineers.

shop-teacher > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 13:16

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Great article by the way. I enjoy the “middle finger to Bill France” as much as anybody :)

SteveLehto > AfromanGTO 03/08/2016 at 13:16

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Just so it looks like it did on the 200 MPH day. Probably a little of both.

SteveLehto > Mr Joshua 03/08/2016 at 13:17

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But DC-93 got to keep racing - at least a bit longer. That part is cool.

SteveLehto > MrMcQueen21v2 03/08/2016 at 13:18

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Cool. I met him as well (along with many of the other guys in this story). In fact, I talked to Charlie Glotzbach at length in October. Another very nice guy.

OversteerMyBagel > Mr Joshua 03/08/2016 at 13:19

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While I can see where you’re coming from, Look at it this way. The fact that BOTH cars survived is a bit of a miracle (mind you, DC74 is now a spectacularly beautiful paperweight). However, the fact that the car wound up getting shipped off to race some more, just to spite Bill France is the stuff legends are made of. Now, the car’s led a double life as a NASCAR legend AND a successful USAC race car. It’s got all sorts of interesting battle scars, including a full-ish spare set of sheet metal.

Now the car’s being restored by someone familiar with the team who built the thing in the first place, with parts that were originally used in the car during its racing days. I can’t imagine that story having worked out any better.

SgtFancypants > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 13:25

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man, that's a great story. Thanks for sharing.

Hirsch > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 13:29

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That was a really good story, I especially like the back story about the animosity between Chrysler and NASCAR.

Thanks for the history lesson Steve!

MrMcQueen21v2 > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 13:30

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The car guys of that generation were just great all the way around. That picture of the guys standing around the car reminds me of my grandfather and his two brothers. All the way into their 70s they’d get together and hang around their old 50s/60s Fords and swap stories of the old days. I really miss hearing those stories.

nighttimeistherighttime > Driver 03/08/2016 at 13:31

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It’d be great if NASCAR still used actual stock cars.

jimz > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 13:38

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what is it with people who buy cars then scatter them in parts in forests? Hoarders?

Mark > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 13:38

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What a great story! I’ve never been a NASCAR fan but I’ve always loved the Superbird and Daytona winged warriors. It’s great to see one with such a rich history being saved.

PeteRR > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 13:55

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I’m glad Chrysler tricked NASCAR. They screwed Ford and Chrysler over by banning the aero cars so as to entice Chevrolet into coming back to racing. They also banned the 426 Hemi and the 427 cammer for the same reason. Rather than Chevy doing some real engineering to match what was currently running, they fucked over the existing companies and mooted all of their winning technology.

SteveLehto > PeteRR 03/08/2016 at 13:57

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In my opinion, this is when NASCAR went bad. It was no longer about racing. It was about putting on a show.

MoparMap > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 14:00

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It’s funny sometimes to see the other side of the story and how cars are valued. When it’s your race car, it’s just a tool and you’ll do whatever you can to keep it going and competitive. From the outside looking in, I’m sure people would be screaming at them for taking apart a legend and “ruining” it. Back then though they were just cars. There was always something faster coming out.

Braking-Dad > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 14:00

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Great read!

SteveLehto > Braking-Dad 03/08/2016 at 14:01

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Thanks!

DrPain55 > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 14:12

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Pretty good read. Just watched a 30 minute spot on NBCSN about the Ford Talladega and the Daytona Chargers. Different times of racing.

Takuro Spirit > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 14:12

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Wow. Can’t believe that even in 1998 the car was bought that cheap, and that all the main parts were still accounted for. Gotta love the kinds of people that don’t throw anything away.

brandall binion > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 14:23

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This is why I still come to this site. All the crappy clickbait articles from Raphael spewing something the internet just told him was cool try their damnedest to turn me away... but cool articles like this one keep me on the hook.

tr6rtiger > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 14:28

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What a fantastic read! I definitely need to pick up this book!

SteveLehto > tr6rtiger 03/08/2016 at 14:29

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Not to be a shill or anything, but if you want one signed - email me directly and I’ll get one to you cheaper than Amazon.

lehto@kennon.com

IronSchramm > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 14:32

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Could anyone else take advantage of that offer Mr. Lehto? Thanks -Jim

TXNIL > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 14:35

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I’ve been following this story via the Allpar forums, it’s quite interesting! Those in the know can spot the tell-tale differences between DC-74 and DC-93 easily. The thread highlights many of them, and delves into the authentication of the cars.

I also know that they are in search of a very specific carburetor for the car. I’ll have to see if I can find that post - maybe someone here has one in their shop...

SteveLehto > IronSchramm 03/08/2016 at 14:36

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Until I run out of books, it’s open to any and all.

COME ON DOWN!

SteveLehto > TXNIL 03/08/2016 at 14:37

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I talk to Greg (the current owner of the car) all the time and I know he is fanatical about getting everything right about the car.

IronSchramm > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 14:39

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e-mail sent, thank you sir!

TXNIL > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 14:47

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With a car so significant, I think some fanaticism is warranted. I hope he’s able to find the parts he’s looking for.

Here’s the details on the carb/carb parts he’s searching for:

http://www.allpar.com/forums/threads…

Greg is on the Allpar forums as “DC-93” if anyone is interested in reading even more about the car and/or project.

first time talker long time listener > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 14:48

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I guess my 73 Charger is in much better shape, granted it’s slightly more plastic than the original...

Jonee > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 14:52

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I love stories like this. Great read, Steve, thanks. I definitely want the book now.

SteveLehto > Jonee 03/08/2016 at 14:57

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I mentioned it elsewhere - if you want one signed, I can get it to you cheaper than Amazon. Just email me directly.

lehto@kennon.com

Jonee > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 15:02

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Done. Thank you. How long did it take you to research and write?

SteveLehto > Jonee 03/08/2016 at 15:09

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Tough question. I have been researching and writing about these cars for some time. But from when I signed the contract to write the book to now is about a year and a half or so.

Tohru > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 15:40

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I support anything that gives the finger to the France family.

Eddie Brannan > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 15:43

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Terrific post, Steve. I love stock cars from the era when they were actually based on stock cars.

That shot of the wooden dash and what looks like a stock sedan steering wheel is nuts!

ateamfan42 > Jonee 03/08/2016 at 15:52

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Get yourself a copy for sure. I’ve started reading mine, and it is great.

ateamfan42 > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 15:58

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IMO, this wasn’t long before they began to deviate from stock cars as well, which is one of my major complaints about modern NASCAR.

Until I can go into my Toyta dealer and buy a tube frame Camry with RWD, 4-speed manual, and a pushrod V-8, please stop calling them “stock” cars.

mad.anthony > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 15:59

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I think I got Hantavirus just from looking at the picture of the nose cone.

Prof.X > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 16:57

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If you take in to account all the racing and testing this car did it has accumulated some crazy millage for a racing car!

SteveLehto > Prof.X 03/08/2016 at 17:01

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Yes, and it actually raced (as a “Charger 500") at Daytona. Then it ran test laps at all the other big tracks - before Don White owned it and raced it at all the USAC tracks and so on. This one HAS been around the block.

psychedelicode > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 20:01

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This is badass kinja. Thanks Steve!

SirRaoulDuke > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 21:12

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Thank you for another great article.

SteveLehto > SirRaoulDuke 03/08/2016 at 21:41

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Any time, my friend!

DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 22:04

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I really need a copy of your book soon-ish. It’s next on my purchase list, after a ‘91-93 Fifth Avenue interior in tan...

(I may have a slight Mopar bug)

sdwarf36 > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 22:10

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Great story-and very well told. When did Nascar find out they had the “understudy” car-and was there any blow-back?

SteveLehto > sdwarf36 03/08/2016 at 22:12

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They found out a few years ago but last time I saw, they had left the signage up on the wrong car. I suspect they may have taken it down now (that was a few years ago that I saw it).

I have not heard an official reaction to the story from NASCAR. They might just stay quiet - there’s not much they can say, really.

sdwarf36 > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 22:17

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I know a guy that make Museums fix their signs....

SteveLehto > sdwarf36 03/08/2016 at 22:20

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Funny point. I am just not sure how the car is displayed these days . . .if someone had recent pics confirming, I’d be all over it.

jeffco > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 22:33

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Great article! This-

When he got to White’s Iowa shop three weeks later, White told him that another person had come by shortly after they had struck their deal and offered him $10,000 for it.

-is a common ploy....I’ve heard it myself from sellers who agreed to a price and then must have mentioned it to someone that told them they were out of their mind and could probably get twice that much for it...but when I say ploy, I don’t mean in a bad way....it’s a sign of a person who sticks to a deal, even though they have some reservations. They are just politely fishing for perhaps a re-negotiation. I applaud that. Because I’ve also been stiffed by asshats that sell it before you get there, saying “it ain’t a deal until money changes hands”...well maybe, legally...but it’s a character thing. I have also been on the other end of this equation, and held to the deal even when I could have done better. But I like to be able to sleep at night.

SteveLehto > jeffco 03/08/2016 at 22:46

5

Hey - he sent back the change on the money for postage! You gotta love the guy.

jeffco > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 22:53

2

True dat.

XJguy > SteveLehto 03/08/2016 at 23:11

1

Bravo!

majorbloodnok > SteveLehto 03/09/2016 at 05:36

1

Great story! But, but, Chrysler had a missile division?!

michael proulx > SteveLehto 03/09/2016 at 06:27

1

When nascar was great , when men drove without power steering , bias ply tires , I sure do miss those days.

Bashton > SteveLehto 03/09/2016 at 08:52

2

Great story! I am looking forward to reading your book and also having you join us at the MCACN show in Chicago in November. I have known Greg for many years and can tell you that he is definitely the right caretaker for this piece of Mopar history. Now if we could just get him to bring it to the show....

FiveLiters1 > jeffco 03/09/2016 at 10:00

1

A similar thing happened to me when I bought my car 22 years ago. Looked for a very specific one, and found it (though the dealer was closed every time I went to look at it). Finally went on an off day,drove it,liked it,put money down on it. Went back the next day to finish the sale, was sitting at their desk,signing papers,and they get a call from someone else who wanted it as well. I could sort of hear the conversation,and the dealer said “sorry,the guy is here signing the papers as we speak”,to which the caller said “well,could I pay you a little more and get it?” The dealer laughed and assured them that no,they couldn’t do that, and proceeded with the sale to me. Still have the car ;0)

AUDACIA > SteveLehto 03/09/2016 at 14:48

1

The funny thing is any guy selling a busted former rallye AE86 now seems to think their car is worth 5k

Great write-up, love these stories from Mopar’s glory days

Cobranut > SteveLehto 03/09/2016 at 23:14

1

This was one of the most entertaining and informative stories I’ve read recently. Thanks!

Deep. > SteveLehto 03/13/2016 at 14:09

0

Very cool story, and written well too.

I’m curious what DC-93 would bring at auction. Can any Mopar heads venture a guess?

SteveLehto > Deep. 03/13/2016 at 16:41

0

Thanks.

That’s a tough call; it’s a museum piece. One of a kind, piece of history. I’d bet 7 figures.

Apollonick > jeffco 03/14/2016 at 22:15

0

Or when you explain I have so and so on this day and leading up to it they act like they never heard it I had one guy call me a week before the money saying you wanna come look at it before I sell it to this guy who offered 1000 less I said do what you want to do you know the date and the amount guess what he called on that day I said wow I guess Mr 1000 didn’t buy it and got a 86 corvette from a chp guy

CommonSenseIsn'tCommon > SteveLehto 03/17/2016 at 10:06

1

Off topic I know, but have you ever considered writing an article or a book about the 427 Cammer from Ford of the same era?

SteveLehto > CommonSenseIsn'tCommon 03/17/2016 at 10:08

0

I don’t know as much about Ford. I wonder if anyone has done that yet?

Shiyal > SteveLehto 03/17/2016 at 10:42

2

To me this is very near the optimum rubber-to-rim ratio.

Maybe a bit wider in the rear, but still.

Or maybe I’m just a sucker for the fat tired era.