Original Little Red Wagon A-100?

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http://www.moparmax.com/columns/magnante/vi_2-3.html

Speaking of the IMC Little Red Wagon plastic model kit, here’s a mysterious photo that’s reported to have been taken somewhere near Toledo, Ohio in 1965. Yes, the hefty Dodge D800 six-wheel tractor is cool, but we have to ask what’s Maverick’s wheel stander doing up on the cargo trailer with a factory fresh ’66 Coronet 4-door sedan? No plastic model, this LRW is a bit of a puzzler. LRW fanatics know there were several built over the years.

The very first one was started by Jim Schaeffer and John Collier - a couple of Detroit area hot rodders – but finished by Dick Branstner and Rodger Lindamood. Its debut was made at Cecil County Drag-O-Way on Sept. 19, 1964 with Ramcharger Jim Thornton at the wheel. The puzzler is how numerous period photos depict the first LRW as lacking the cab corner windows seen on this one. If not for the corner windows, we’d say this was the first LRW – after it had been re-assigned to southern California Mopar drag racer Bill “Maverick” Golden. Can anybody shed some light on the identity of this particular LRW?
 

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http://www.moparmax.com/columns/magnante/vi_2-3.html

Speaking of the IMC Little Red Wagon plastic model kit, here’s a mysterious photo that’s reported to have been taken somewhere near Toledo, Ohio in 1965. Yes, the hefty Dodge D800 six-wheel tractor is cool, but we have to ask what’s Maverick’s wheel stander doing up on the cargo trailer with a factory fresh ’66 Coronet 4-door sedan? No plastic model, this LRW is a bit of a puzzler. LRW fanatics know there were several built over the years.

The very first one was started by Jim Schaeffer and John Collier - a couple of Detroit area hot rodders – but finished by Dick Branstner and Rodger Lindamood. Its debut was made at Cecil County Drag-O-Way on Sept. 19, 1964 with Ramcharger Jim Thornton at the wheel. The puzzler is how numerous period photos depict the first LRW as lacking the cab corner windows seen on this one. If not for the corner windows, we’d say this was the first LRW – after it had been re-assigned to southern California Mopar drag racer Bill “Maverick” Golden. Can anybody shed some light on the identity of this particular LRW?

The first one didn't have corner windows. I have it sitting in the shop or at least what is left of it after the Canadian wreck
 
Post #43 asked about the drive shaft. The Dart Charger by Branster was built with the same sub frame as the the LRW. At one point it was direct coupled - trans output to differential? Bill Golden is said to have given a thumbs down to Garlits' '65 rear Hemi Dart version prior to crash. Garlits then obtained the Howell driven Dart Charger and that was flipped and destroyed. Anyway there are pictures of the Dart Charger sub-frame set-up. Garlits pulled the tranny and moved the engine back another 13" for a direct drive set-up? in the then Garlits Dart (direct drive).

http://www.hotrod.com/features/history/1531-don-garlits-dart-games/

LRW Truck # 4 was in the possession of Bill Maverick until ~2008 when sold. A Chrysler clone truck was in the Garlits Museum?
 
Subframe detail:

To Beef up the unibody truck, Schaffer and Collier put together a 75 inch long, 36 inch wide subframe to house engine, transmission, and rear axle. Welded steel tubing three inches deep by two inches wide and having .110 inch wall thickness was used. Engine mounts and transmission support members measure 1 1/2 X 1 1/2 inches. With this subframe arrangement the entire drivetrain may be easily slipped in and out for maintenance.

The truck was first run at Cecil County, MD Drag-O-Way on September 19, 1964 with an out of the crate Hemi:

The wildly enthusiastic thousands who poured into Cecil County Dragoway, Bayview, Maryland, to witness CARS Magazine's All-Star Super/Stock Invitational meet were trreated to a big bonus. For Dodge Division of Chrysler Corporation chose our meet to introduce its latest drag racing conversation piece, which it calls the "Little Red Wagon."

When run for the first time at the CARS meet, the Wagon was powered by a right-out-of-the-crate Hemi without the benefit of blueprinting, etc.

Ramcharger Jim Thornton made one run in the little bomb and dialed his way to a very creditable 11.2-second ET.

http://www.sweptline.com/hist/lrw.html
 

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WOW! Long read, but well worth it for those of us wanting to know for whatever reason, model building or not!

THANKS
 
The many stories were so intertwined and interesting. The sport was changing so fast. I would build up several engine versions, play Jay Howell ( supercharged, injected,... Dual quad) and change them at will. So the early photos you found may be from the initial Cecil run. Wow! We crashed three Red Wagons and had the fourth one in Bill Maverick's possession until sold in about 2008. A fifth Chrysler clone truck was in the Garlits Museum until 2008/9 or so what's left of the first three trucks truck #3 in a shop. Plus found a guy living on a boat! And we crashed two mid engine darts.
 
The many stories were so intertwined and interesting. The sport was changing so fast. I would build up several engine versions, play Jay Howell ( supercharged, injected,... Dual quad) and change them at will. So the early photos you found may be from the initial Cecil run. Wow! We crashed three Red Wagons and have a fourth one in a museum and one of the first three in a shop.

Actually none in a museum any more ? unless it appeared in one. The one from Garlits is long gone.
The one I have is the first when you look in the bed you see the bright red, the original color.
 
http://www.moparmax.com/columns/magnante/vi_2-3.html

Speaking of the IMC Little Red Wagon plastic model kit, here’s a mysterious photo that’s reported to have been taken somewhere near Toledo, Ohio in 1965. Yes, the hefty Dodge D800 six-wheel tractor is cool, but we have to ask what’s Maverick’s wheel stander doing up on the cargo trailer with a factory fresh ’66 Coronet 4-door sedan? No plastic model, this LRW is a bit of a puzzler. LRW fanatics know there were several built over the years.

The very first one was started by Jim Schaeffer and John Collier - a couple of Detroit area hot rodders – but finished by Dick Branstner and Rodger Lindamood. Its debut was made at Cecil County Drag-O-Way on Sept. 19, 1964 with Ramcharger Jim Thornton at the wheel. The puzzler is how numerous period photos depict the first LRW as lacking the cab corner windows seen on this one. If not for the corner windows, we’d say this was the first LRW – after it had been re-assigned to southern California Mopar drag racer Bill “Maverick” Golden. Can anybody shed some light on the identity of this particular LRW?

Just a guess but wasn't there a Hemi car like the Corronet in the back of Dons Museum that he said came from the FBI or one of the Fed groups.
 
So truck #3 (Canada crash 1975) the combination of the remains of truck #1 (crash 1969) and truck #2 (Albequerque crash - hit sand and rolled 1971)?

http://www.rmsothebys.com/rw09/icon...dge-a100-pickup-truck-little-red-wagon/391311

(I'm guessing 2009 auction truck= show truck converted to truck #4, and the Former Garlits Museum truck was the Chrysler clone?):
"The adage that racing evolution is written in blood proved true in the wheel standing business as well. The original 1964 truck was destroyed in Albuquerque in 1969, its replacement (supercharged with center steering and the first hydraulic rear gate) was wrecked in 1971, and a third Little Red Wagon built from those remains almost killed Golden in a high-speed flip in Canada in 1975. Once he recovered, he took the show truck out of mothballs and converted it to active duty. This would be the truck that raced as the Little Red Wagon for the next three decades."
 
Thanks GTG. I appreciate your input. Albequerque crash - darkness, debris on the track and crowd to close to the track.

So the fellow that bought truck #4 from Bill ~2008 and who I guess also bought the Chrysler Clone from the Garlits Museum still may have the Chrysler clone? I am guessing truck #4 went to the RM Auction ~2009?

Anyway thank you for taking care of the "original" LRW!
 
Thanks GTG. I appreciate your input. Albequerque crash - darkness, debris on the track and crowd to close to the track.

So the fellow that bought truck #4 from Bill ~2008 and who I guess also bought the Chrysler Clone from the Garlits Museum still may have the Chrysler clone? I am guessing truck #4 went to the RM Auction ~2009?

Anyway thank you for taking care of the "original" LRW!

I believe there was two different buyers. The one guy was going to buy both. The original one was in the RM auction. I think they both are in Fla.,
The pic of the LRW on the trailer was for the Chy dealer show that would explain the other two Dodges the tractor and the sdn.
 
Early video

[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tWTG-oXbjNU[/ame]
 
The cross helps to identify the fourth truck, ~1975 - 2003

[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NqTpZJROzCU[/ame]
 
Just a guess but wasn't there a Hemi car like the Corronet in the back of Dons Museum that he said came from the FBI or one of the Fed groups.

Museum (Don) indicated the Hemi Coronet was a U.S. Treasury car out back.

Maybe Bill's truck and the clone will pop up again?
 
Did anybody notice the windshsilds were in with the shot from Hyper-pak I herd they left them in untill they kept bouncing out . I have a pic ,, somewhere ,,, before it was even lettered. The dual quads, and windsheilds would lead to its true base as a a/fx unit. If you really want authantic....
 
Did anybody notice the windsheilds in the pics Hyper-pac posted. I had read, they had them untill they kept bouncing out. The dual quads and windshelds give truth to its history of a true a/fx roots. I have a pic.,,, somewhere w/ windshelds, and no lettering. No injector stacks visable.
 
did anybody notice the windshsilds were in with the shot from hyper-pak i herd they left them in untill they kept bouncing out . I have a pic ,, somewhere ,,, before it was even lettered. The dual quads, and windsheilds would lead to its true base as a a/fx unit. If you really want authantic....

maverick could use some cheer send him a get well card
 
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