History Help! Chrysler 300 Racecar (Daytona Beach)

I've looked under all the carpets and underneath seats, but no luck yet. I know the '58s sometimes had them taped behind the glove box but, I've never heard of anyone finding a '55 sheet in the car. If anyone has, I'd love to hear about it.

 

That thing looks like it will be a blast to drive! There is a Gentleman local who has a clone of Vin# 002. Great looking car and a neat guy. I'm all for clones of lost racecars. You're free from the moral shackles that come along with the actual car.

 

I don't think I ever posted this original press release on this thread...

 

Well it is possible that the build sheet is not in the car.After all,it was a special so it would not do for the build sheet to fall into the hands of corporate spies from Ford or GM!

 

I will say that build sheets can be found almost anywhere inside the car, and sometimes more than one. My present S55 had one buried in the sound deadener under the carpet on the right rear floor. Doing some window regulator maintenance uncovered another one taped to the inside of the right door trim pad, giving me one that I could read. I have found them stuffed in the rear seat springs on all models, sometimes in the rear side window wells, one under the console (71 Barracuda convt.), and many under rear seats and rear carpets. I guess what I am trying to say is dont give up on finding one until you have pulled everything from the interior, trunk mats included if applicable.

 

Chrysler always referred to them as "delta" air filters. "Batwing" being a General Motors term.

 

Of the numerous pictures under the hoods of various Kiekhaefer race cars, there is an assortment of air cleaners shown. I wouldn't rely on a scale model car photo to provide authentic history though.

 

First startup in nearly 40 years.

 

Yeeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

 

Awesome!

 

It’s been a long day. I’m beat... I’ll get some video up after I get some much needed sleep.

 

Well here she is. She's back on the road.

It was a marathon day yesterday. There are some clues about this car's race history regarding the engine. It's spirited. The Brodys both insist the engine is something special, not run of the mill '55. Do you think Richard Petty would fess up if it was?

The car runs and drives like a 40K mile car. Which is surprising considering the look of everything. The transmission shifts very firm and positively. The engine sounds extremely solid and there's absolutely no creaks, moans or clunks in the suspension and body. Everything is tight and surprisingly good. I'm surprised.

 

Thank you for sharing these photos! Warren is my grandfather and it’s so great to see them

 

As many of you know, Josh @Hyfire Ackerman ended up selling this car (& his Norm Thatcher '58 300D Bonneville racecar) to Mike McCandless (son of Herb "Mr. 4-Speed" McCandless).

Mike had Whitehall Auto Restorations bring the Vin #1 '55 Chrysler C 300 back to its 1955 Daytona Beach racecar configuration:

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... and the restored car debuted at last weekend's Muscle Car And Corvette Nationals show in Rosemont, IL:

images by Whitehall Auto Restorations





images by Noel Hastalis



image by Jim Jungwirth


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Very cool to see it unveiled at MCACN. A 1,000 point car.

 

Isn’t Vicki Wood still alive? She would have been nice to have there.

 

Vicki passed away on June 6th 2020:

• Racing Pioneer Vicki Wood Dies at 101: Fastest Woman on the Sand of Daytona Beach (Autoweek)
• Detroit-born Vicki Wood, who set speed record on Daytona sand, dies at 101 (Detroit Free Press)
• NASCAR’s Grande Dame of speed Vicki Wood remembered (Daytona Beach News Journal)
• Vicki Wood, ‘fastest woman in racing’ who set Daytona Beach record, dies at 101 (The Washington Post)
• Vicki Wood (1919–2020), record-setting woman NASCAR driver (Legacy)

 

Cool stuff.....thanks for the updates...........

 

Thanks, Hemi32. I did not know if she was still alive or not. Too bad she did not get to see the car done.

 

Oh man it sure looks good restored but ......