Nearly a quarter-century later, the flared wheel openings crafted by customer Dean Jeffries remained intact in this 1988 photo. Tom Jones did the sanding that uncovered candy-red paint applied by Jeffries way back in 1964. (Photo ©Mark Bruederle) |
From 1966 to 988, Mopar fans feared that all three cars were gone. Then Tom Jones discovered the true identity of the beat-up bracket bomber in his garage. His suspicions were aroused by the large, square slab of bondo piled onto a flat tray cut into the center of the rear body, protruding into the trunk. Then 38 years old, Tom remembered the Dodge
Chargers, and dug out some old magazine photos. Imagine his excitement when the parachute enclosure, blue roof stripes, chrome roll bar, steel fender flares and remnantsof candy-apple paint all matched!
Coincidentally, an historical article on the Chargers appeared shortly thereafter. Authored by yours truly, this 1988 Drag Racing magazine story included the fresh interview with Nix, wherein he described cutting out the floor in preparation for a fuel-Hemi transplant that Chrysler executives halted. Jones contacted the author, who put him in touch with Nix, who was happy to verify other unique components of the Charger he’d toured in 1964.
“When I got this car home,” Jones recalled, “I had $2500 invested — my last $2500! My wife was ready to leave me.” Instead, the couple was able to sell the semirestored body to collector C.K. Spurlock “for enough money to finish building our house,” said Tom in 1989.
Seventeen years later, Mrs. Jones may want to reconsider that divorce when she learns that their old Dodge could fetch a million bucks for the man who would buy it from Spurlock and finish the restoration. In next month’s Mopar Max, current-owner Frank Spittle shares some current photos and tells the rest of the story of this sole survivor.
Illustrating the wildly-dissimilar Funny Car approaches of 1965 are Ed Ranchanski's injected, altered-wheelbase, gas-burning, four-speed Comet vs. the Guzler team's supercharged, stock-bodied, fuel-burning, high-gear-only Dodge 330. Yes, Ranchanski is grinning widely! (www.HotRodNostalgia.com photo ©John Lacko)
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