Dave,
Great stories!
I can imagine serious Mopar guys finding that kid's car today and trying to figure out how it got that equipment on it. Nobody would ever figure it out.
Strickler was one HECK of a driver, but he didn't understand engines very well. If the Grump wasn't doing the work himself, he was directing one of the other guys to do things. I heard from one of the original crew members that they had to change transmissions pretty often. They usualy had a couple spares with them at every meet. And shifters too, before they allowed Hursts. Strick kept bending and breaking them.
Correction on my last: A friend forwarded a pic of a Mopar Profitt drove to the '62 title "Mr. Stock Eliminator". I never knew he was driving TWO makes in '62!
I spent some time with him at last September's 409 convention in KC. It was an honor. He's a great guy!
Verne