1974DartSwinger
Well-Known Member
So I found out the coolest thing the other day. My dad was talking with a friend of his that he met since my folks moved upnorth in Michigan, his name is Pete McNichols. My pops told me this guy was one of the original Ramcharger members, he actually made the intake and exhaust for the old "High and Mighty" car. This was the team's first build together. He is also known as the slant six king, holding many NHRA records drag racing the ol' 225.
Anyways, this is where it gets really interesting. . . .
My dad was telling Pete about our recent trip to the Mopar Nats and about the '66 Barracuda I bought this summer. Pete mentions that he had one back in the 80's that he restored with a 360, blue S-car. All the pieces started falling into place, and when he said he originally bought the car from Layson, OK. I couldn't believe it . . .He restored my car!!! It was crazy, and to make it even better, he still has the original 273 block and heads in his garage, numbers matching! Pete said that he had a rusted out Michigan S-car that he re-bodied with the rust-free OK car, swapped out the interior from the S-car and built the 360 with the S-car intake. Its great to finally have the whole story about my car now.
I got to meet Pete last week and he is such a cool guy. Has a sweet collection of cars and crazy one-of-a-kind parts collection. I was just blown away that the car I'm driving is actually one that he built and restored. It was also a too-cool-for-words experience to sit down and talk cars with someone who was actually "there" through all the early days of the muscle car era and Mopar drag racing. Wow, really cool stuff.
Heres some pics that he gave me to scan,
Shot of Pete after he restored my car in 1987:
The '66 when Pete first bought it from OK in 1986:
Pete's collection of Barracudas (note the one on left):
Anyways, this is where it gets really interesting. . . .
My dad was telling Pete about our recent trip to the Mopar Nats and about the '66 Barracuda I bought this summer. Pete mentions that he had one back in the 80's that he restored with a 360, blue S-car. All the pieces started falling into place, and when he said he originally bought the car from Layson, OK. I couldn't believe it . . .He restored my car!!! It was crazy, and to make it even better, he still has the original 273 block and heads in his garage, numbers matching! Pete said that he had a rusted out Michigan S-car that he re-bodied with the rust-free OK car, swapped out the interior from the S-car and built the 360 with the S-car intake. Its great to finally have the whole story about my car now.
I got to meet Pete last week and he is such a cool guy. Has a sweet collection of cars and crazy one-of-a-kind parts collection. I was just blown away that the car I'm driving is actually one that he built and restored. It was also a too-cool-for-words experience to sit down and talk cars with someone who was actually "there" through all the early days of the muscle car era and Mopar drag racing. Wow, really cool stuff.
Heres some pics that he gave me to scan,
Shot of Pete after he restored my car in 1987:
The '66 when Pete first bought it from OK in 1986:
Pete's collection of Barracudas (note the one on left):
