History Bonneville Record Car / NEED HELP!

Hello guys,

I need some help! I recently purchased a very cool old car with a ton of history... but I need help getting some of that history documented.

I am wondering if you guys can dig through your old 1958-1959 magazines and look for articles, announcements and advertisements that may feature this car??? So far I have seen the car in 3 advertisements, but I am hoping to find more.

The car was driven by Norm Thatcher of Van Nuys. There is a ton of documentation of his later stuff, but I obviously want things that pertain to this car. Norm drove this car to a record breaking 156.387 at Bonneville in '58, but I suspect he ran this car at El Mirage too (since he did both in his other cars).


Can you guys offer any help???

Thanks,
Josh



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contact the scta they may be able to help!

 

Hot Rod Magazine did a full multi-page feature on this car in one of the 1959 issues.

 

i know i saw a video on you tube about this car and norm it was a sponsor deal..

 

Got pictures of the car as it is now?

 

I refuse to help on the basis of jealousy!

But I would love to see some current pics of the car.

 

Awesome!! got any recent pics?

 

nice!

 

300C or 300D, on my list of cars I'd love to own. One with history would be a bonus.

Of course we need pictures, lots of 'em.

 

We need pics man!!!!!!

 

Ok guys...

Here is a low quality photo. It still has factory paint, carpeting, seats etc. It is also fully documented and the real deal. All numbers matching and confirmed by Chrysler. Only 2 manual 300Ds were made in 1958. One for Daytona Beach racing, the other for the Bonneville salt flats. It's kind of funny that they were luxury performance cars and yet this car has factory-delete on every luxury item.

So... anyone have any old magazines to go through?

Anyone have any specific leads?



Thanks guys,
Josh


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Check over on landracing.com.....

 

Jim Miller, www.ahrf.com

DW

 

Thats got to be the sweetest barn find ever!!!

 

some guys have all the luck......

 

I'll be the first to say it, you suck! Must be nice to hit the auto lottery like that.....

 

The jealousy grows.

 

Did Doug Odom help you with this find? SLO county?

 

Very neat find! Manual as in Pont a Mousson manual?

 

check with Sumner

http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php/topic,2080.0.html

 

Yeah ditto !!

 

No, this was still the three-speed manual that was the base transmission during this year.

I gave my magazines a first-pass last week but came up empty. I am in Mexico on vacation and will be back tomorrow, I'll look again. Car looks beautiful! I do seem to have more information on Norm's 1959 and 1960 Dodges than this Chrysler though.

 

Definitely the Landspeedracing forum, scta and AHRF. If you can't get a lead from those places your not turning over enough rocks. Awesome find.

 

wow it looks like it surive well. is there any rot under the body? does it still run with the original race engine?

 

Great find. I think I have looked in over 1000 barns and only found spiders,scorpions and rat turds.Some guys have all the luck! Good luck on finding all the information you seek!

 

More pictures please. I was always a fan of the letter cars.

 

wow , great score !

 

I'm almost out of photos... well, one more with the gentleman who owned it since 1959.



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I made a ton of progress yesterday thanks to a few hambers!

Please check your magazines and photos!!!!


Thanks,
Josh

 

thats an awesome car with a great story , and if your happy its well worth it , id be forced to drive it though lol

 

Under the body is absolutely spotless. Never any rot. As you know these are rust prone, but this one is in unbelievable condition underneath. Yes, it is the original engine. It made thirty-seven 150mph+ runs at Bonneville. I am betting it ran El Mirage too, but nothing found yet.
It ran 8 carbs at Bonneville, but had the factory dual quads put back on in 1959.

Anyone else got anything????????

Any old magazines (1958-1959) to go through or any additional suggestions?

Thanks,
Josh[/QUOTE]

I'm not doubting what you have but-
How does a car that made at least 37 runs in bonneville over a period of time and have a spotless under the body and never any rot. Many of us have seen first hand what bonneville salt will do even when you think you got all the salt off.