Specifications:
- Engine: 426 Stage III Max Wedge
- Transmission: 727 Push Button Automatic
- Color: Red w/ White Stripes
- Accomplishments: NHRA Super Stock/EA National record holder.1971 NHRA Winternationals winner- SS/EA, featured in serveral National Dragster articles, Hot Rod Magazine 1971, Hooker Header Advertisement 1972, Mopar Muscle March 2009 in the "Rare Finds"
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As the guy in the neighborhood with eight Mopars, Vince Lockyer is often approached with leads about where to find old cars. While most turn out to be dead ends, Vince is glad he followed up when his neighbor told him he had an "old Mopar race car" on a trailer in his backyard.
Making the deal even sweeter, the '64 Plymouth came with a fully documented winning race history. This is just one example of the many documents that were kept with the car over the years, verifying its heritage.
Once the hood was popped, the Max-Wedge intake manifold gave Vince the first hint that this car was something special.
Though the car had been repainted at least once, the words NHRA record holder are still visible through the faded paint.
Having been parked since 1973, this car is a time capsule with many of its original modifications still intact. Notice the period-correct instrumentation as well as the re-arranged push-button shifter for a reverse shift pattern. Also, note the provision for a manual transmission floor shifter even though the car was raced as an automatic. It was common during this era to switch between manual and automatic transmissions to race different classes at different events.
As a car builder and driver, Bob Small found himself thinking more about the mechanics of the car than the driving. Hiring Bill Ellerman to do the driving turned out to be a good decision as the team went on to multiple national event wins.
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