43 Jr

[vntned]

So most of you guys know about Petty's infamous "43 Jr" barracuda drag car. Mechanical mishap and an unfortunate crash ended up relegating the car to being buried under the ground. I've heard multiple stories about the cars whereabouts through the years and always really assumed it had long since been scrapped and everything was just legend.


And then today, I spotted a crumpled up mess of an early barracuda at an undisclosed Mopar junk yard. As I looked at it sideways, and asked in curiosity, "Was that a '65 Barracuda Formula S?!"

The owner of the yard replied. That's Petty's 43 Jr.

 

[Hellrats]

 

[Avispa]

Was in Dallas Ga that day, saw it all. sad

 

[Garrett Ellison]

Was that first picture taken at Bristol?

 

[my68barracuda]

If the radio delete plate is there I would be interested in it.

 

[RAT ROD AL]

 

[JDMopar]

That is indeed 43jr #1. It was buried behind Petty's shop for years, and then when a lot of stuff was unearthed for new construction, it was given to the late founder of the junk yard where you saw it. The man who owned the junk yard was good friends with the Petty family, and a very competitive drag racer in his day. His descendants still sell stuff out of the yard, but they never say "We've got 43jr, wanna see it?" Just like they did you, they will say what the carcass is if someone recognizes it and asks. It has been laying in that spot for several decades, and 43jr #2 is restored and supposedly in the Chicago area. Props to you for not disclosing the location. They are very private people, and not just anybody gets in the junk yard anymore.

 

[vntned]

I spent most of the day there yesterday. They are some great people. I had a blast!

I even managed to make a deal on another Abody!

 

[Hyper_pak]

I don't think it was a Formula S.
Petty has recently built his own replica, so I guess he has come to terms with it.

 

[JDMopar]

They are very nice people. Is the late owners widow still alive? It's been several years since I've been there. There used to be a ton of stuff there! Most of it never left because prices were !

 

[vntned]

Sadly she has also passed away. There is still a lot of stuff there, but it's been picked over pretty thoroughly since the owner passed about 12yrs ago.