Chrysler Engineering Charger Daytona #88 restoration at Big Iron Garage

[odcics2]

Correct. Car was B7 as a 500, updated to a Daytona in late June, 69.
Got the Petty blue first week of September, 69, right before the first Talladega race.
They masked all the glass and rear wing, including the stripe.
Restoring it as it was done.
The word “DAYTONA” remained B7.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Great work, keep the pictures coming!!!

 

[khryslerkid]

Don White got in a wreck in 1971. Though it best to not fix it, being part of the history of the car.

In the article it states "In spite of its storied history as one of the fastest racecars of its day, the car never competed in a NASCAR race." So what sanction or racing did it participate back then?

Also it was supposably changed to a "73 body at one point. Was that the way it was found and the original metal that was found is now being used?

Thanks for posting

 

[odcics2]

The car sat on the pole for the first Talladega 500 race in Sept. 1969 with a speed of 199.446 m. Because of the tire boycott, it didn't run the race.

The car ran USAC stock car races when Don owned it from 1971 until 1976. He won with it at least 4 times. He then parked it behind his shop, in plain view!

Don skinned it to a 73 body at the end of 1972 so he could keep running the chassis.

Yes, when I found it, it had the 73 Charger body on it. Don had painted the interior, under hood and underneath black. His pale yellow was on the outside.

More info and photos here: https://www.allpar.com/racing/NASCAR/daytona-development.html

 

[khryslerkid]

The car sat on the pole for the first Talladega 500 race in Sept. 1969 with a speed of 199.446 m. Because of the tire boycott, it didn't run the race.

The car ran USAC stock car races when Don owned it from 1971 until 1976. He won with it at least 4 times. He then parked it behind his shop, in plain view!

Don skinned it to a 73 body at the end of 1972 so he could keep running the chassis.

Yes, when I found it, it had the 73 Charger body on it. Don had painted the interior, under hood and underneath black. His pale yellow was on the outside.

More info and photos here: https://www.allpar.com/racing/NASCAR/daytona-development.html

Great Stuff! Those were the days that kept you on the edge of your seat when watching them. Not like now days when it's hard to keep from falling asleep.

Subscribed!

 

[odcics2]

Originally, DC-93 had the stripes applied in late June, 1969.
Wing was body color for the first test at Chelsea, July 13th.
Second test July 20th had the wing painted white.

Wing was painted on the car, covering the hand cut gaskets.

 

[BeatersRus]

please forgive my ignorance,but
wasnt this a common thing to reskin the cars back then?
i i sort of remember a big old 7-1-2-3? charger being over in the UK racing back in the day
and didnt that turn out to be a reskinned 69 ?
i was always amazed at the amount of work that must have been needed to reskin one of those.

 

[odcics2]

please forgive my ignorance,but
wasnt this a common thing to reskin the cars back then?
i i sort of remember a big old 7-1-2-3? charger being over in the UK racing back in the day
and didnt that turn out to be a reskinned 69 ?
i was always amazed at the amount of work that must have been needed to reskin one of those.

Yes, almost every car out there was reskinned or had parts swapped around to keep the car looking more current in order to keep running it, per the rule book. Most sanctioning bodies had a 3 year rule. After that, time for a new body to keep running the chassis!

A reskin was cheaper than an entire car.

 

[odcics2]

All the glass is in. Now ready for masking and "petty blue" paint.
The paint is being matched from the original left headlight door that Don White
had kept, perfectly intact. My buddy Scott found a box at Don's Shop with original parts in it. Stuff like the headlight door, seat headrest, battery hold down/dry sump bracket, etc. The door is a little bit lighter than current out of the can "Petty Blue" mixes.
You'd have to have samples side by side to tell. But, why not do it exact??

Hey, maybe the current Petty Blue mixes are wrong??

 

[Richard Cranium]

Awesome!

 

[SgtSuperbird]

As everyone asks me, I'm asking you: "You gonna drive that thing?"

 

[odcics2]

Yes!
How fast is TBD.

 

[odcics2]

Seldom seen pic of a race Daytona: under the nose.

The #88 is flush back to the K frame. Straight across, tire to tire.
Rathgeb said this was VERY important to lower the aero numbers on the race cars.
The pan behind the cone is galvanized. Note the "X" crease for some strength, just like a heating duct. Keeps it from oil canning at 200 mph.
And yes, the car is "petty blue" now. Notice it's dull under the cone, just like unbuffed lacquer would appear.

 

[Richard Cranium]

These old race Daytonas & Superbirds are sex on wheels and I'm really looking forward to seeing the finished product.

 

[odcics2]

The Petty Blue over the B7 makes the word DAYTONA now appear black, when it's really B7.

 

[odcics2]

Notice from this angle the bottom of the car that
nothing hangs below the rocker panels in front, just part of the torsion bar anchors.

Look at a production B Body and see how much was changed for a Nascar stock car built in late 1968.

 

[Begood03]

Any updates?

 

[odcics2]

Getting closer....

 

[Richard Cranium]

How do the door shells (or what's left of them) get fastened onto the body?

 

[odcics2]

How do the door shells (or what's left of them) get fastened onto the body?

Right side is a complete door. Left split in 1/2. Most used inside to use for the glass.
Outside is a shell.