1967/1968 Dick Harrell funny cars

[sYc]

Jeff, some neat pictures on those sites you posted. I had seen some of them, but there were several new ones. Man, what an era. Wish they had taken more pictures though, and all in color. Some really creative painters back then. The part that bothers me the most about not always thinking to take more pictures (I am the world’s worse) is all of the history lost, such as what was sitting in the shop of the guy I bought my car from. Not only my car, but two more vintage funny cars, tons of vintage speed parts and some cool stuff back of the shop in the weeds. Kind of reminds me of the stash in Wisconsin that just sold. The first time I did not take a camera along as I had no idea that I was about to walk into a time warp. When Mo and I went back to pick up my car, Mike was tied up with some other business, so all he had time for us to put the rear wheels from the other car on mine and load it. And as you guys who have helped me wheel push it around know, hard to do with just your self and 2 others. guy. Good thing Mo was there.

One of the rides that I remember out back was an old ambulance/hearse, the paint all faded and such, but clearly on the side was painted Barry Grant. We were told this was Gary’s first support vehicle.
As you walked inside the front door of his shop were several engines on stands (W shaped heads), 2-3 blower setups and a couple injection setups, complete with stacks. Once in the main area of the shop, stacked along side the walls were piles of alternators, distributors, intakes, wheels, on and on. We did not go up into the loft, but he said he had some where over 300 engines up there, and by the looks of it, may have been so. Supposedly there was a complete DZ engine up there. Mike told us he had turned down 1 mil for the whole lot.
In the center of the main shop were several cars, including a sweet ‘66/’67 Nova, day two with Cragars, wide tires, etc, his daily driver.
The other three cars in the main shop were funny cars. The one I bought, another was a mid year Corvette, ‘64 I believe he said. It had a flip top one piece body, was white at the time and Mike was unsure who’s car it was. He asked me to do some research on it, which I did, but was unable to find anything. It would be a neat car to have, as I have yet to see another vintage funny car like it. At the time, same as with the car I bought, it was not for sale.
The only car for sale at the time of our first visit was another other flip top funny car, similar to mine. A ‘67/68 Camaro, long nose, front bumper ?, funky spoke front wheels (sort of looked like motorcycle wheels), and as I said above, the rear wheels that are on my car now. I will never forget who he said he thought once drove the car, Dickie Montoya. Dickie because it made me think of Dick (Dickie) Harrell and Montoya because of the road race driver, Formula 1 maybe? Because at the time this was the only car he was willing to part with, I did some research when I got home, but was unable to find anything. Later on, when I met Bob Gibson, he told me he had heard of him. Some sort of regional racer, I believe he said Nebraska, Texas, ? Another interesting fact about this particular car, as with many others (remember the ‘68 DH Chevelle most of us passed on), it was shopped around at SCR2. Mike lived near Rogersville and showed up at the track to see if we were going to race. He told me he visited with some one there who had a Harrell race car there (Porterfield). Bill, as well Howie, have told me about meeting Mike. As my luck goes, I was in Springfield watching it rain instead of at the track where the sun was out. BP still ribs me about not racing that day. Mike did his best to sell him the Montoya car to Mo. Mo still tells me it would have made a neat pulling rig.

And by the way guys, a few months after all of this, I tried geeting a hold of Mike to see about getting a set of Halibrands for the rear of my car, the phone had been disconnected and heard the stuff was no longer there.

[sYc]

From the DH site.

<font color="red"> #1
68TopStock
Forum Member


Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 28 1967 Nickey Camaro FunnyCar by Bill Thomas

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I found this ad in several fall of 1967 AHRA DragWorld newspapers. In another post on this Nickey forum, there is mention to Dick racing a Nickey 1967 Camaro 440" funnycar, the article is dated late 1966? From what I have read in the literature, Dick left Nickey Chevrolet in early 1967, and from what I think is known, his first Don Hardy Camaro funnycar was under construction in early 1967.

This car was built in CA, and powered by Bill Thomas. Is much known about what transpired regarding this car, and who ended up purchasing and racing it?
</font>

Bill Thomas in CA. was involved. Could explain why the first picture of any DH fuuny car is of the red car in Califonia, and still under construction (no spoiler, funky parachute attachment, etc)

[sYc]

Also from the DH site.

<font color="red">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nickey Funny Car
Date: 12/27/2004 12:52:00 PM PST
From: tstephani@cus......

Hi,
My name is Tom Stephani and my Dad (Jack) was one of the
owners of Nickey. I am the unofficial historian of Nickey and its
racing exploits due to the fact that I ended up with all of the
archives from the dealership. The funny car that you are inquiring
about was built for Nickey, but never ran as a Nickey car. All of the
Nickey's 1967 racing plan was abandoned due to financial reasons.
I have no idea where the car ended up.

Best regards,
Tom Stephani
__________________

Val </font>

[Belair62]

So does this validate the 2 car theory ? Seems like it to me..

[Rat_Pack]

Bob, Dick had Bill Thomas build him an injected Camaro funny car that he was goig to run in the 67 season. Before the car was finished Dick parted ways with Bill Thomas and Nickey and formed a relationship with Don Yenko which left Nickey and Bill Thomas holding the bag on the Camaro funny car. I have attached a copy of the ad where they were trying to sell the car which did not sell until sometime around 1969. This is the car that is referenced above and it never was a Dick Harrell car. Bill told me that he did not know where the car ended up at as it was sold by Nickey..............RatPack..............

[Belair62]

Hmmm... That is sinister looking...

[nuch_ss396]

Hi everyone,

I have been following this debate from afar on this site as
well as the DH site. This is really getting a lot of people
hot under the collar. I am not a Funny Car expert in any
stretch of the imagination, so forgive my ignorance. But,
I do have an observation I would like to share.

If there were indeed two 68 DH FC's, would it not make sense
that there have to be pictures showing both cars together?
Did I miss something on that? Also, don't you think that
the Harrell organization ( Val included ) would have some
old pictures of all the Funny Cars together? Would that
not make the debate about a second car go away? Or, do
members here feel that possibly these possible proof
pictures are being kept burried for a reason?

One last question for the more knowledgeable. I believe
that Funny Cars were of a work-in-progress nature, weren't
they? If so, could it be possible that there were two
fiber-glass bodies and one frame? Just a hypothesis......

Steve

[jerry67]

Is this car 1 or car 2 or neither
https://www.yenko.net/attachments/260...%20wheelie.jpg
https://www.yenko.net/attachments/260...67wheelie2.jpg

[Stuart Adams]

Cool pictures.

[moparts]

that is the 67 steel body car