I had this Ch***is Research dragster with a small block Chevy engine, early Ford side shift box,Olds rear end. The frame was painted with Cadillac blue engine paint. When the Vietnam war started I was called up for the draft and I put this dragster in long term storage with our household effects in a Bekins Van and Storage Co. warehouse in Dallas,Texas. It was stored in an overseas shipping container in a locked and fenced lot behind the storage warehouse. When I returned from the war and went to get our stuff out of storage,the shipping container was empty. The thief turds had visited while I was off defending their freedom. Nobody knows exactly when it was stolen. Did any creeps that any of you knew suddenly turn up with a dragster about that time? It's likely it was easily repainted black like most were. With as many racers and hot rodders that are on this forum it is possible that someone saw it and knows who the perp's were. They didn't take the trailer. The moving & storage guys said it was probably just rolled into the back of one of the empty moving vans some weekend or night by some of their truck drivers that had access to the lot and knew it was in storage there. Thanks...Mickey Davison McKinney,Texas
mickey and i talked about this dragster awhile back, its been along time ago but sure would be kool if he could get it back.
That really ****s. It had to have been an inside job. They had to know that it was in there and had the access to get it out. Best of luck in finding it.
Whoever did it is a senior citizen now,but you should still beat the **** out of him if you ever find him.
Man thats ****ed up. I hope somethings turns up for ya, Would be nice if you could at lease get the rail back... I got my fingers crossed for ya .......
Thanks for the good words guys.Somebody probably has it and doesn't know it was stolen. There's some real selfish pigs in our world!
That's a real good point.Whoever has it now(if it still exists)probably has no clue it was ever stolen.So what happens if you find it? Did it have a ***le?Could you prove it's the same car?That could be very interesting.
Nope, no ***le. Not even a bill of sale. I bought it from a guy who had it in his back yard retired. Don't even remember his name. It was in Duncanville,TX. in a corner backyard that I would p*** on the way to a buddie's house. I had a C/A Anglia and wanted to run a dragster at the AHRA Nat's in '65. I pulled the Chevy out of my Anglia ans sold it to buy the dragster,plunked the Chevy in it,ran at the nationals, and then got my draft notice for the Vietnam fun. It's OK...I survived it all and am still building hot rods at 67!
Did the storage company have insurance that paid out back in the day? If you did find it, it would technically be owned by the insurance company. Also, statute of limitations would have long since run out, so no legal recourse... Add to that, the chance that the current owner probably has no clue it's hot merchandise, and you could just be opening up a big nasty can-o-worms... Personally, all the legal munbo-jumbo aside, I think it would be cool if you could get it back, but I'm just saying........
Do you remember the mans general age? Street? anything? I have a sister and brother-in-law that are from Duncanville and were into hotrods. My b-i-l ran a car at the 65 nats himself. Pm me with as much information as you can remember . We still have lots of family there. Was the car off of a corner lot on Main by chance?Were you from Desoto? TP
Sure hope you get the "Digger" back. BTW I lost an 18yr old little brother in that war and you guys are all heros to me. TOM (Tired Old Man)
Might have been a "Friend" of yours that knew it was in there and knew you were preoccupied doing your national service. I had a "Friend" once like that, he resides with the devil now.
Definately sounds like an inside job. I'm wondering if it was stolen just for the engine, which may have been repainted and found its way into another drag car? It's not like the perps would repaint it and go dag racing. If it was parted out, the ch***is may have been cut up, s****ped or dumped. Hopefully, it's intact and setting somewhere. As mentioned, the unique rollcage would I D it. Maybe post on some of the vintage drag sites.
66-69? Man, that's a bummer, but a hell of a long time ago. Alzheimer's might have taken over by now. Hope you get it back. If anybody does know about it, they are probably on here.
Not to be cruel, BUT.......... I'm a firm believer in karma, maybe the theif hit the wall in it and spent the rest of life in a wheel chair?
Yes the moving and storage company was insured and did pay my claim for the dragster. Unbelievably it was listed on their pickup papers as "racing car on trailer". I could have said it was an Indy car and really have ****d them. I chose to be honest and only put in a fair claim(they happily paid it!). However, it's kind of like getting paid insurance for the wrongful death of someone. It doesn't make it all OK.
Lucky me, only thing stolen from me while I was in "Nam" ('67/'68) was my girlfriend! Still got the hot rod.
Hey Mickey,,I didnt notice the name of the storage place it was missing from...There were two brothers whos family have a moving and storage business in Oak Cliff...sounds like one of their tricks..and letting the family business insurance pay for it... I wont mention the two brothers names here,but if you email me I will give you their names.......
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