Anybody know a site about the history and original members of this late 50's early 60's Mopar Hor Rodders/Drag racers ????
[FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]The “Ramchargers” were a famed drag racing team that help developed the funny car class in the sixties and well into the seventies. The “Ramchargers” were a group of Chrysler engineers that raced on the side using the best of Chrysler engineering. The team ran a series of race cars including an altered ‘49 Chrysler to a plethora of stockers and super stockers. Within the group of the Ramchargers that included Dick Maxwell, Tom Hoover, Phil Goulet, Don Westerdale, Jim Thorton, and many others, began the early development of the funny car.[/FONT] [FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]The Ramchargers were one of the first teams to have the 2% Super Stockers. The 2% led to the next stage of the radical altered wheelbased funny cars. The Coronet in the photos is said to be one of the first FCs into the eights, if not the first ever! Jim Thorton drove the car to a great 8.925, 150.75 at Cecil County in 1965. The Coronet was feared by many and rightly so. The car was one of the first well-known funny cars and one of the stars of the first Super Stock Nationals at York, PA, in 1965. (Photo provided by Drag Racing Memories; info provided by James Ibusuki and [/FONT][FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]www.draglist.com[/FONT][FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif])[/FONT]
I am the owner of the only surviving RAMCHARGERS team car. It is a 1970 Hemi-Cuda. I recently also purchased the trademark name: RAMCHARGERS. Chrysler was asleep at the switch. I also bought the RAMCHARGERS.com website. It will soon be up and available for the exchange of information about the cars and team members. Look for posting before Christmas 2006.
The Ramchargers' '64 AFX car still survives in Indiana. It also is the first 426 Hemi car built. It is currently being restored and having it's wheelbase returned to the factory altered position. When Eddie Smith bought the car in '65 he moved the rear wheels way up like the factory '65 cars. The '64 AFX cars had their front and rear wheels moved from the factory, but nothing like the '65 cars. The four factory '64 AFX cars are sometimes referred to as 2% cars. Three of the four are known to survive today. I look forward to seeing your website up and running. Have you been in contact with Tom Hoover or any of the other Ramchargers?
http://www.60sfunnycars.com/index.htm WOW!! Awesome site. Thank you very much for that one. Funnycars are something near and dear to me. Fascinating. So very true to the tradition of hot rodding and drag racing.
After researching sites on the debacle in Dallas (see the Unique Performance thread) I found the ramcharger site. I'd like to know more about this car... in it's current state and condition. I love the AWB's! Thanks! Jay
He only made the one post and then moved on If memory serves, that went across the block at BJ last year so, maybe he don't even own it any longer ?
That's kinda what I was thinking. If you search the car, it went for $350K... and it was at a "later" period level- ie "as raced in 1986". Either way, it was local to where I was, and never saw it. Well, maybe once at the WPC museum, but I can't be sure. Jay
Just before Tom Hoover retired I worked with him here in Michigan. He and I used to go to the local car shows together where very few people ever heard of him or the Ramcharges. One day I talked him into going to taking one his his old drag cars to a local show. I forget now which car it was but I know that it was a former record holder with some really cool history. It was in original condition and if you know old drag cars that means rather crude construction in some areas. Well of course nobody knew what a piece of drag racing history they were looking at and proceeded to criticize the car. Tom got pretty pissed and never took the race car again. Here is a picture Tom took of me and my wife in our old Mustang and Tom's old Mopar in front of it. He would much rather be just another old car guy in his old Chrysler product than Mr. Hemi and the center of attention.
That would have been cool, both hanging with him, and seeing his car. Thanks for sharing. I did that once at a car show (actually, the Mopar Nats) when I was about 16. I was telling my GF about how "crappy" the paint job was because of the orange peel, sand scratches, etc (we know it all when we're young, eh? ) and her stepdad pulled me aside and explained that no matter how crappy I thought it was, it was somebodies pride and joy, so STFU. I took that lesson to heart, and consider it a valuable one. Jay
When I was younger the Ramchargers shop was on my way to the dentist office in Ferndale. We used to go by there and check out what was parked outside. I always wanted to stop and see if they needed a broom pusher or some kind of help. Never did stop, but always enjoyed seeing their cars and watching them at the strip too. Back then we didn't really notice paint scratches etc. but I agree about criticizing when it's someones pride and joy. Paint scratches etc. are part of the cars history, and people who don't know the Ramchargers and their history should STFU. Red
I believe there are a few other team cars out there but this slap ass ether won't allow the use of the Ramchargers name or wants a shit load of money to do so.
Wow, Hoover drives a '57 DeSoto, the guy was a hero before but now he's a god. You just have to shake your head at ignorant people. Great story, thanks for sharing.
The "Golden Commandos" were not another team car of the Ramchargers; they were a Plymouth group. Ramchargers was a Dodge group. One member of the 'cargers rarely mentioned is Barnes Daniels. Come on, somebody out there knows him!
Oh boy. The lawyers are buying history now... "At the present time it is the only car in existance that is both, an authenticated Team Car, and authorized to display the trademark name: RAMCHARGERS" Not the use of "team car" and "authenticated" Trademark claim: The name RAMCHARGERS is protected by trademarks issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office under Registration Number: 0894934 and Registration Number: 1729752. This trademark is owned by David L. Clabuesch and the names RAMCHARGERS, RAMCHARGER, Candymatic, Candystick and RAMCHARGERS.com, as well as the distinctive candy-apple red and white stripe pattern are considered to be part of the Trademark and Trade-dress owned and protected on a proprietary basis by these registrations. Any use of any of these names or trade dress without the express written consent of the holder of the Trademark is strictly prohibited. SO THERE!
I remember seeing a documentary on the early hemi drag cars and the guy being interviewed ran a 62 super stock chevy, and he was telling the story about when his dad saw them roll the first hemi cars off the truck at the dragstrip and fire one up. He went back over to his son and said "Boy, you might as well go ahead and sell that 'ol 409 'cause IT'S OVER." Classic.
The Hemi 'Cuda was owned by Dean Nicopolis, and run well after the Ramchargers race team was disbanded. Ramchargers only sponsered the car. I worked at Ramchargers during 1978-83, and remember the car and Dean well. Steve
Saw them run many times at U.S.131 Dragway in the 60's along with all the other greats of the time. One memory of them that always comes back is in 63 I was at Indy for the Nationals and driving around one night I came across them out on the xway testing the car. You sure wouldn't see that now.
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