1984 Mopar Nationals

[Imperial One]

My buddy Tim from England (TiMopar on FBBO) sent me these photographs today of our road trip to the 1984 Mopar Nats in Indy.

Here's a photo as we just crossed into Indiana. I was sure skinny then! On the far right. Tim is beside me. He's wearing one of those "Plan a Head to Win" Direct Connection T shirts. He is also wearing what I am nearly certain is one of my dad's hats. Bill Veens is beside Tim. To the left of Bill is Stan (Stanton on FBBO). It kind of looks like Stan is wearing a "Plan a Head" t shirt too. On the far left is Stan's dad who is now racing cars with the cosmic all stars.

That's Stan's '69 Road Runner on the trailer. He STILL owns the car. Can't remember for sure, but it might have had Bill's 440 race engine in it at that time. That was my dad's Ramcharger pulling the trailer.

Here's a photo of Tim with the Ramcharger at a service station somewhere. The Ramcharger's timing chain broke when we were in Indy so it got a field service. There were only four seats in the Ramcharger so someone got to sit in a lawn chair that wasn't secured somewhere in the back (yep, "safety first" was always our motto).

 

[gkent]

I still have that T-shirt !!

 

[randys4406]

Cool Pictures. What color is the Road Runner? Hard to tell from the picture.

 

[gkent]

My dad was in his early 50's then. That seems so young now that I'm in my late 60's !!

 

[Imperial One]

Cool Pictures. What color is the Road Runner? Hard to tell from the picture.

It's that pale yellow (I forget the paint code number). Stan: do you have a proper picture of your car?

 

[gtx6970]

Cool pictures.

I was at the same show. I was driving the blue GTX in the front this picture

Ive been to just about every Nats from the very beginning until the past 3 or 4 years

 

[gkent]

Cool Pictures. What color is the Road Runner? Hard to tell from the picture.

Y2 yella.

Here's a more recent photo:

 

[gkent]

Summer of '73 - could only afford the rear wheels and tires. Got the fronts a few weeks later.

 

[qkcuda]

Drove this car down there in about that time frame.

 

[Billccm]

I was there with my 69 Coronet. Tried to buy a Duster that Saturday. Couldn't get the guy to drop another $50. I only had $400 cash.

 

[gkent]

Bought in Feb'73. Rebuilt the engine winter '74 but had many issues - mostly starter motors. Pulled the engine in '76 and went through it again. Pulled the whole front end off in'76 and painted from the firewall forward. Replaced the front fenders with NOS which I bought for $77. each from the dealer (still have the bill!). Assembled everything in spring of '77 and moved 500 miles west and put the car in storage. The photo below is circa 1980. Got it running, got it painted and then blew the motor in'83. The last year it was driven was '85. Then life got in the way !

 

[gkent]

The Nats in '84 were held at the Motor Speedway. The swapmeet area was in the mall across the street. I don't think we had access to the Speedway grounds until Sunday.

 

[Nevada dan]

love the pictures, Ive got a red ramcharger just like that

 

[TiMopar]

I remember miss Direct Connection, the tarmac melting in the swap meet car park, chipmunks on the golf course inside the race track, a ride in nasty dark grey 70 hemi Road runner, a beautiful F8 Daytona with a hood tach and buying my 69 Coronet R/T roller for 600 bucks (which I still have) . Oh, and accidentally taking a trip around the 'bad' part of town in the ramcharger, oops.

 

[gkent]

I remember miss Direct Connection, the tarmac melting in the swap meet car park, chipmunks on the golf course inside the race track, a ride in nasty dark grey 70 hemi Road runner, a beautiful F8 Daytona with a hood tach and buying my 69 Coronet R/T roller for 600 bucks (which I still have) . Oh, and accidentally taking a trip around the 'bad' part of town in the ramcharger, oops.

I thought that hemi 'Runner was blue !!

 

[gkent]

But the highlight was crossing the border !!!

 

[Imperial One]

I thought that hemi 'Runner was blue !!

That hemi Roadrunner was grey. It belonged to "Jim" (as I recall - last name is gone). He was a dairy farmer from Michigan. Would sure like to say "hi" to him again.

 

[TiMopar]

 

[64BEL]

I still have that T-shirt !!

Me too!

 

[Imperial One]

View attachment 1060558

This was a beautiful car. Did it belong to Dave Jones?