70-442-W30

Took the W-30 to show a local guy here today. When I was first going to be making the trip down from PA to NC, I was in search of used tires because the ones that were on the car were all dry rotted. So, I stopped by the local used tire store in search of 14 inch tires what would fit those ET mags he had on the car. The older guy there, named Dallas, didn't have any 14 inch in stock, but he gave me some places that he thought might be a possibility. I told him about the W-30 and he sounded both familiar and excited about it. Also showed him a few pics of it in the garage and he liked seeing those. He had other customers in the shop though so he had to get back to them. I went on my merry way, on the endless quest which eventually was a failed quest.

Anyway, fast forward to today. I had some time and since the car was looking good, sounding good, and driving good...I decided to take the car back to his place and let him see it. I ended up spending about a half hour there because he didn't have any customers. I let him sit in the car and he revved it up for a second. We looked under the hood and then he started asking me questions about the engine, which were technical questions a racer would ask. I wasn't too familiar with his language, so I asked him if he ever owned anything like this.

He told me to come inside and go back into his (air-conditioned - thank you) office. There were tons of pictures of him drag racing his late 60s Camaro, on the desk and walls. Vintage stuff...you know the pics you just can't take your eyes off of. He mentioned Nickey Chevrolet and how he (or his brother, can't truthfully recall now as he was going back and forth) bought their car there. They drag raced their cars all over the states of Indiana and Ohio. Looked like some major sponsors on those cars too. Was barely a blank spot for paint on them.

The cool thing is he still has his M-21 out of the car, sitting in the shop and also he has the engine, a 396. When he finally decided to sell the car, he couldn't get enough out of the whole car, so he sold the body and kept those. And there they sit...

I didn't feel comfortable taking any pictures, but I sure wish I had some to show you guys. He is such a great and humble guy. Was telling me how amazing of a person I am for doing what I have done with the car...etc. I just told him I'm trying to do the right thing with it, and he put his hand on my shoulder and looked pretty straightforward at me and said "You know not many people would do what you are doing, but it is the right thing for sure." And right there, I just felt like all of this work was justified. It felt really nice to hear that from someone.

So, Dallas...I'm not sure if you ever get online or not, but I did mention the ClassicOldsmobile website to you while you were there. So if you are by chance reading this, it was certainly great seeing all of your pictures and your car parts. What an amazing story and I'll send any business I can send to you.

oldolds88

great story.thanks for sharing

jensenracing77

Stories like this is what makes the hobby so fun for me. Thanks for sharing.

70-442-W30

I am definitely happy to share it. If anyone around Charlotte ever needs used tires, please give this guy a call. He is definitely one of the good guys and will go out of his way to help you.

Here is his contact info: https://plus.google.com/110001542459119899346

Stefano

I founded the NicKey Reistry in order to help find, authenticate and keep track of NicKey Chevrolet built Supercars as well as muscle cars and Corvettes.

I would very much like to have a conversation with him, in my spare time of course 😎

Kool story.

70-442-W30

You call him up and I'm sure he'll talk to you. Probably at length. I told him that I knew someone that is with Nickey and I could see his jaw drop a little. Sometimes things have a reason for happening. Maybe you two were supposed to connect.

Toms cutlass

Great story, thanks for sharing. We love these old time machines.

I have very fond memories of Nicky Chicago on Milwaukee Ave. Hard core speed shop Chevy dealer.

Stefano

Irving Park was the Chevy Dealership, which closed in 1973. Milwaukee Ave was the NicKey Chicago speed shop and Super Car build center. It closed in 1977.

Don Swiatek and Ronnie Kaplan who were two of the key surviving members of the original NicKey performance crew race team, helped us relaunch the brand and new business in the early 2000s.

70-442-W30

I talked to him a little more this morning and I wanted to post a correction. He informed me that he only bought parts from the Nickey dealership. He didn't have a car from there. It was loud in his shop when we were talking the other day and there was a possibility that I misheard him.

Just browsed his name using my newspapers.com account before my subscription expires and there are many articles about him running in the Super Stock class and winning. His sponsor was MALCO and eventually Wynn's. Racers talk about him here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/t...5#post-6809001

Toms cutlass

"Mr. Norm's Grand Spaulding Dodge" was another iconic Mopar custom super car dealer in Chicago (like NicKey Chicago). Known in the 60's for stuffing a crate 383 c.i. into a new Dodge Dart at his dealership, proving to Detroit engineers it could be done, and then it went production known as the Dodge Dart GT Sport. Had a dyno at the dealer to specially performance tune all new cars for "free." Another legend.

Diego

The 383 was being installed in the Barracuda but the Dart GT didn't have the 383. Mr. Norm was the one who got Dodge to do it by showing them how his dealership did it.

Of course, the next year, Mr. Norm did it with 440s.

Toms cutlass

My recollection and Hemmings are both wrong?

https://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/...mopars-faster/

Diego

I didn't say that at all.

But the Barracuda had a 383 right out of the gate, if not soon after:





Note the date at the bottom of the second document.

Compare it with the release of the same engine for the Dart GT:

Toms cutlass

You were adding to my post, not contradicting it ... it wasn't clear.

The 440's in the Dart the following year were production I thought, inspired by Mr. Norm.

Diego

I was merely pointing out that Mr. Norm didn't invent the 383 A-body, as Plymouth had one already. Why this was the case, I dunno, but I believe Dodge and Plymouth often functioned as adversaries.

I do think you're correct about the 1968 GSS being the impetus for the 1969 GTS 440.

Stefano

All '68 440 Darts went to Mr. Norm's as did a bunch of the '69s.

rocketraider

Cool stuff and good to know.


I remember hearing somewhere that the 67 Barracuda redesign was done partly to accommodate Mopar's larger displacement engines. Hey, Mustangs were getting 390s and 428s and Camaros had 396s, so the Chrysler camp had to do something to stay competitive.


Yes, Dodge/Plymouth relationship within Chrysler was not unlike Olds/Pontiac and Chevrolet within GM. Which was a little strange seeing as both Divisions were using the same powertrains, unlike GM where every Division had its own.

Diego

The 390 and 396 pony cars were both introduced in 1967, just like the 383 Barracuda. The 428 came out mid-year 1968.

Stefano

The 428ci was available with Shelbys in 1967.

Diego

True, but I don't consider it a Mustang, but point taken.

tru-blue 442

A British cobra with Carroll Shelby as the snake charmer.

rocketraider

Yeah, but I can about promise Big 3 all had spies after what happened to GM and Ford with the 57 Chrysler lineup and 64 when Ford caught everyone britches down with the Mustang. Never mind the Barracuda beat the Mustang to market, the Ford marketing campaign beat the Cuda back.