July

Gas Light
www.richmondaaca.com
The Official Newsletter of the Richmond Region AACA
July 2014
Volume 62, No. 7

Inside the Cover
By Greg Glassner
All of us who have collector cars, regardless of
vintage and cost, consider them pretty special.
Few of us make our antique car a guest in our
home, however, and even fewer can claim that
our car was the model for a US Postal Service
stamp.
Hugh Hawthorne and his Son Scott can make
these claims.
Hugh parks his ex-Richard Petty 1970 Plymouth Superbird in his house and Scott’s 1969
Dodge Charger Daytona was the very car used
for the popular Muscle Cars stamp series.
The names of famous race tracks have been
applied to car models for many years as a way
to attract customers to the showrooms. Many
manufacturers have applied the names Le
Mans, Monaco, Indy, Bonneville, Daytona,
Carrera, Targa, Talladega, etc. Some of these
cars had only a tenuous relationship, if any at
all, to the track in question.
Not so with the Dodge Charger Daytona.
In the late 1960s, Chrysler’s Dodge and Plymouth brands were getting their butts kicked in
NASCAR by Ford and Mercury. Even Richard
Petty was driving a Ford!
The folks at the Dodge Division decided to do
something about it.
The result was the very limited edition Dodge
Charger Daytona which was designed specifically to achieve breathtaking speeds on NASCAR’s high-banked Super Speedways. In order
to qualify as a “Stock Car,” they had to build at
least 500 of these slippery, road-hugging
Dodge Chargers and sell them to the general
public.
The Charger’s “B” body was restyled in 1968
and was already a sleek shape, with hidden
headlights, sculpted “Coke bottle” flanks and
“flying buttress” rear roof treatment. But looks
were not enough. A winner on the short tracks,
at speeds above 180 miles per hour the NASCAR Dodge Charger 500 was getting creamed
by the factory-backed Ford Torino Talladega
and Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II. (What great
names, eh?)
Even today, the 1969 Charger Daytona looks
like a radical departure from run-of-the-mill
Dodges.
It features a wind-cheating fiberglass nose that
also provided 1,200 pounds of road-holding
down-force on the front end. Even more striking was the tall airfoil at the rear that added
600-pounds of down-force and directional
stability at high speeds. (A lower rear wing
actually worked better, but the tall wing allowed the trunk lid to open on street versions –
and it just looked so cool.)
Only 503 1969 Dodge Charger Daytonas were
delivered to dealers, 433 of them with the 440
Magnum (wedge head) engine (139 4-speeds
and 294 automatics; 70 with the 426 Hemi (22
of them 4-speeds and 48 Torqueflites).
The 1969 Daytonas were made more collectable when corporate gurus remade the car as
the Plymouth Superbird for 1970. Only two
Dodge Daytonas were built in1970, along with
1,935 Superbirds for U.S. dealers and several
dozen for the Canadian Market.
In addition to making the Dodges rare, the
decision was made to lure Richard Petty back
to the Plymouth fold, which is why many Superbirds are painted “Petty Blue.”
“Richard told them, ‘The only way I’m gonna’
drive for you’all is if you build me a car like
the Daytona,’” said Scott Hawthorne, adding
that there are many differences between the
Charger Daytona and the Superbird, even
though they look similar.
When NASCAR handicapped these superior
“Winged Warriors” by imposing a weight penalty and cutting displacement to a paltry 305
cubic inches, production ceased. For 1971,
Chargers and Roadrunners reverted to more
conservative styling.
The high-wing Charger Daytona won the first
NASCAR race it entered, the controversial
1969 Talladega 500. (Many leading drivers
said speeds were too high for tire safety and
boycotted it.) A Dodge Charger Daytona was
the first stock car to lap a track at over 200
miles per hour.
The Daytona won another race in 1969 and
four more in 1970. The Superbird added eight
victories in 1970. In a bit of irony, the 1969
Charger Daytona won at Talladega and the
1969 Ford Torino Talladega won at Daytona.
Today, NASCAR race cars bear only a superficial resemblance to street cars (grillwork and
headlight housings are decals). In the late
1960s there were many similarities.
How did one Central Virginia family wind up
with examples of both the Superbird and
Charger Daytona?
Scott said that his dad had built race cars back
in the 1960s and their family business, Alpine
Construction Co., had been involved in several
racetrack projects, including the 1988 expansion of Richmond International Raceway to
three-quarters of a mile.
Over the years, the Petty and Hawthorn fami-
lies became close. “We all kind of travelled
together as kids.” Scott said.
Hugh obtained his No. 43 Plymouth Superbird
from the Pettys in the late 1970s. It was one of
three cars that Chrysler gave the racing family
when the model was introduced in 1970 and
carried the first three serial numbers. Hugh
traded a bulldozer and backhoe for the car,
Scott noted.
“Dad bought the Dodge Charger Daytona in
1973, when nobody thought it was worth
much,” Scott said. Dad got it from a guy in the
military being shipped out. It had been
wrecked. The nose was caved in. It was stored
in a barn.
“I pulled it out in the late 1980s and started
dismantling it. But I got nervous about restoring it myself, so I sent it to a guy in Harrisonburg and had the body done and had it painted.
“The value of the car kept getting higher and
higher.” Scott said. He realized the restoration
should be done by experts.
“By that time Petty’s Garage (a restoration and
hot rod shop in Randleman, NC) had opened. I
took it to Richard and I told him to work on it
‘when you’ve got nothing else to do.’ That was
six or seven years ago.”
The Daytona was nearing completion when
Petty was contacted about providing a car for
the postage stamp series. Petty asked Scott if it
was OK to use the Daytona.
“It was taken to Daytona about two years ago
and posed at the Speedway. I’ve got a picture
of my car with Richard and Kyle (Petty) and
the Postmaster General,” Scott said.
Although immaculate, Scott’s Daytona is no
trailer queen.
“I was brought up believing if you don’t drive
them, you can’t enjoy them. I’ve got about
2,000 miles on it since the restoration. I drove
it back from Petty’s Garage.”
That blew away the folks in North Carolina,
Scott admits.
“I drove it around the shop a few times and we
tightened a few lines before setting off. It ran
great all the way back,” Scott said.
The only addition to make the car more drivable in traffic is a concealed electric fan to
assist cooling.
Because the Daytonas and Superbirds have
spawned many clones, the first thing Scott is
asked is the car’s authenticity. He simply
points to the “XX” on the serial number.
Members
Richmond Region AACA Past Presidents
1952-1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958-1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971 -1972
1973
1974 -1975
1976
David Garriques
Frantz Hershey
Jerome Powell
Kenneth Adelstein
David Garriques
Warner Hall
Harold Via/John Adams
John Adams
Charlie Kidd
Ellis Walton/Jerome Powell
Jerome Powell
George Taylor
Donroy Ober
James Brannon/Fred Singleton
John Glisson
Gary Greene
Reggie Nash
Hugh Hawthorne
Bill Bowman
Jimmy Jones
Jim Whittne
1977
1978-1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988-1989
1990-1991
1992
1993
1994-1995
1996
1997-1998
1999
2000
2001-2002
2003-2004
Hugh Hawthorne
John Puryear
Hugh Hawthorne
Lee Crenshaw
Morris Cameron
Robert Smith
Morris Cameron
Fred Phipps
John Adams
Fred Phipps
Morris Cameron
Dayton Leadbetter
Morris Cameron
Wendel Bowles
Dayton Leadbetter
Richard (Dick) Ivey
Mert Fowlkes
Alice Cameron
Kenney Baker
Dayton Leadbetter
Tommy Nolen
2005-2006
2007-2008
2009-2010
2011-2012
George Duke
Peter Francisco
Morris Cameron
Andy Fuhrman
In Loving Memory of Dick Ivey
By: Budd Lacy
As many of you know by now that the club lost an outstanding
member. On June 23, Dick Ivey passed away.
Many of you also know I was very close to Dick and Lois. They
always said I was their adopted grandson, and I did consider them
as my adopted grandparents.
Dick and Lois were one of the first people to greet me and my
family when we joined the club in 1987. When I got older and
moved to Ashland I became closer to Dick and Lois. Dick and
I would work together a lot. Whether it was
in his shop working on antique cars, or whatever honey-dos
Lois had for him to do.
Working over there was a free education, because he could fix
anything mechanical. Dick was also a big supporter of me to be the president of the Richmond Region. When I was asked about being president of the ODMA in 2016 Dick was the first person I
called for advice. He told me that he believed I would do very well with that and I should pursue
the opportunity.
Dick always said I helped him more than he helped me. That isn’t true because being around him
helped me to be a better person. I will miss him terribly, but don't feel sorry for me because I got to
be a part of his life. That's just a few thoughts on how Dick Ivey touched my life.
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President’s Message
Well, June is over and July is upon
us. That means summer is here,
which means it's the time of the year
the club eats a little more (and you
know we have to eat).
OFFICERS
First up is the 4th of July picnic at Robious Landing
Park at 12:00. The Camerons will supply the meat
(I hope it's Morris's chicken) so bring a side dish or
dessert, and enjoy the the fellowship of the club.
Now, in June the club stayed busy. We hosted our
45th annual show which I thought was a success
( more to follow later).
The club also had its June Fun Run. Read more
later in the Gaslight).
Budd Lacy, President
13294 Greenwood Road
Glen Allen, VA 23059
804-252-2196
Tommy Nolen, Vice-President
5805 Centralia Road
Richmond, VA 23237
804-586-2892
Alice Cameron, Secretary
PO Box 588
Ashland, VA 23005
804-798-8125
Mert Fowlkes, Treasurer
106 Gaymont Road
Richmond, VA 23229
804-288-4439
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Doug Moss
804-550-9781
Tony Smith
804-353-4224
Jim Wilson
804-285-4486
Andy Fuhrman, ex-officio
804-467-1458
Legislative Representative
Reggie Nash
804-320-2636
10670 Cherokee Road
Richmond, VA 23235
Public Relations
It is with great sadness I write that the club lost long
time member Dick Ivey. Everyone that knew him
knows what a wonderful man Dick was and will
miss him very much.
Darlene Hatcher
804-598-1962
Youth Coordinators
Andy & Mary Beth Fuhrman
804-467-1458
I have July's fun run date tentatively scheduled for
Saturday July 26th. I haven't worked out all the details yet, but an email or phone call will be made
once I get it straight. So let's get the cars out and enjoy the hobby. See you down the road Budd
Jerry Andres
2401 Grey Oak Drive
Richmond, VA 23236
Budd Lacy
Bruce Woodson
Joe Guckert
Car Show
Co Chairman
Co Chairman
Co-Chairman
804-252-2196
804-264-8551
804-530-0461
Gas Light Editor
Budd
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804-675-0206
Calendar of Events
July 3
There will be no Business Meeting in July
July 4
Richmond Region July 4th Picnic
1:00 P.M. - Robious Landing Park
3800 James River Road
Midlothian, VA
July 26
July Fun Run
Details to be Announced
Annual Car Show, Swap Meet & Corral
With the improvements that
were made this year the
45th Annual Show was a
great success.
Bruce Woodson & Joe
Guckert took over the
Chairmanship with fresh
ideas and some . I hope
they realize that this is a 30
year position with no fringe
benefits and even smaller
pay.
There were Model T rides
the Wounded Warrior Program.
Richmond Ford sponsored
a large tent where spectators and participants could
get out of the sun to enjoy a
soft drink or a sandwich.
They also provided several
new Mustangs for display.
We thank Richmond Ford
very much for their sponsorship.
The involvement of the
The Model T's of Tony
Smith and Morris Cameron
were used for this. I would
watch Morris give rides
out, and come back with
him in the passenger seat
giving instructions on how
to drive the car. Or maybe
they heard about his driving I'm not sure.
In recognition of the 50th
year of the Ford Mustang,
there was an awesome display of Mustangs at the
show this year.
with the proceeds going to
6
youth in our club was impressive. Tommy, Jansen,
Wyatt, Cole, Clay, George,
Donna’s two Sons and
George Duke’s Grandson
pitched in big time.
The Flea Market & Car Corral Area was greatly expanded with many vendors
with a lot of people searching for those perfect automotive bargains.
The youth program headed
up by Andy Fuhrman was
again a remarkable success.
We are already looking forward to doing the show
again next year.
Andy was like the Pied
Piper with his large contingent of youth show judges
following him around the
field.
The quality of the cars on
the show field was very
nice.
We are already looking forward to doing the show
again next year.
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There are additional photos
along with a complete list of
the
winners
at
www.richmondaaca.com.
Recent Richmond Region Events
Fun Run to Gloucester
Was A Perfect Day
The June fun run carried us to
Gloucester, and we piggy backed
with the Model T club.
Several members of the Richmond
Region are also members of The
Central Virginia Model T club.
I rode with Morris Cameron on the
trip, so I had my own personal
tour guide as he and Alice are
from there. Morris pointed out
several things that the others didn't
get to see. Such as where he was
drag racing with another guy and
he hid from the police ( It's a good
thing Alice brought him to Ashland and got him straight).
After lunch we toured to Brent and
Becky's Bulb's, followed by a stop
at the ice cream shop because it
had been almost two hours since
we ate (and you know we have to
eat).
A big thanks goes to Morris and
Alice Cameron for planning this
tour. Also, thanks to Budd Lacy
for the photos and nice article.
Our first stop was the Rosewell
ruins which at one time was a
12,000 square foot plantation.
Sadly it was destroyed by a fire
in 1916, a preservation of the ruins
was started in 1979. After that we
toured to lunch at Olivia's (and
you know we have to eat).
If you are ever in the mood for a
great story about Gloucester, ask
Morris about him, his Grandfather,
and an electric fence.
8
Heard through the Grapevine
By: Bob Richmon
This photograph was was taken last week over at Mike &
Raylene Harton's House.
Morris Cameron & myself had volunteered to help Mike
put a starter on his 1915 Model T which he inherited from
his Dad. One thing has lead to another and a day job has
turned into a much bigger project!
We have pulled the engine so that we can rebuild the
transmission. Always remember "No good deed goes
unpunished"!
We're hoping to get Mike back on the road this Century
so he can join us on some of our events.
__________________________________________
Welcome New Members!
Bonnie & Nick Nicholson
Tommy Galiant
Amy Lacy & Jimmy DeKraft
Steve Goff
Ernie & Jansen Rogers
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MarketPlace
For Sale by Richmond Region: Name
Badges for Club Members are available
for only $4.00 each. They attach to your
clothing using two magnets instead of
that pesky old pin clasp.
FOR SALE:
1955 FORD THUNDERBIRD
Order your New Name Badge today.
Debbie Nolen 804-839-5405
[email protected]
FOR SALE : 1955 PACKARD CARIBBEAN
CONVERTIBLE
TRI-COLORS WHITE/LIGHT BLUE/DARK
BLUE; TORSION LEVEL RIDE; COMES
WITH DUAL QUAD INTAKE AND AIR
CLEANER; DIAMONDBACK RADIALS;
PAINT IS NOT CONCOURSE, BUT IS VERY
PRESENTABLE; MECHANICAL COMPONENTS REBUILT; ENGINE EXTREMELY
QUIET -- NO NOISES, SMOKE OR LEAKS;
ENGINE WAS REBUILT BY A RACE SHOP
AND DINO-TUNED, PORTED AND POLISHED; CAR IS EXTREMELY MECHANICALLY RELIABLE; ALL GAUGES AND RADIO WORK; CLOCK DOES NOT WORK;
NEW CARPET. NO RUST.
CALL BOB POWELL FOR PRICING AND
DETAILS 804-389-2555
VIN: 5588-1240 WITH MATCHING NUMBERS ENGINE
MILEAGE SHOWS: 76,800
EXTERIOR COLOR: CODE MDF
INTERIOR COLOR: CODE 92
CURRENT OWNER SINCE
5/1970!)
V-8, AUTOMATIC
HARD TOP AND SOFT TOP
RED EXTERIOR, BLACK INTERIOR
GOOD CONDITION - REPAINTED 1986
ONLY 36715.4 MILES
BODY 40A, COLOR A, TRIM A,
PROD.CODE 21DOL165
RADIO NOT WORKING AT THIS
TIME
$19,500 OR BEST OFFER
LOCATED IN NY-POSSIBLE VA
DELIVERY
ANDY FUHRMAN 804 467 1458
[email protected]
10
11
National AACA Events
June 15-21
Reliability Tour
Lancaster, PA
June 26-28
Central Spring Meet
Lincoln, NE
July 31-August 2
Central Fall Meet
Oconomowoc, WI
August 14-16
Central Division Tour
Texas Panhandle
September 8-12
Sentimental Tour
ME, NH, MA
September 18-20
Western Fall Meet
Big Sky, MT
September 21-26
Glidden Tour
Defiance, OH
October 8-11
Eastern Fall Meet
Hershey, PA
October 20-24
Founders Tour
NJ
12
Casual.
Small Town.
Chic.
Friendly.
Atmosphere
For your business.
If your retail business could benefit
from being located on a major
thoroughfare near a major upscale
tourist destination then you should
consider The Hub or Lakeside Town
Center.
The Hub is one of Richmond’s oldest
shopping centers and Lakeside Towne
Center is a new complex anchored by
a restored vintage Esso Service Station.
Recently expanded, The Lakeside
Farmer’s Market operates at the Center
on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Both locations are highly visible on
Lakeside Avenue and within view of
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.
Small and large retail spaces are
available starting at $695 per month.
Peter L. Francisco Co.
Owner/Agent
804-262-6593
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Jerry Andres, Editor
2401 Grey Oak Drive
Richmond, VA 23236