Some MOPAR /Drag Racing History, or a challenge to your building skills ?

[Greg Myers]

Something a little different for a Charger build. http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/08/14/restoration-begins-on-big-willie-robinsons-last-charger-daytona/?refer=news

[1972coronet]

'Big' Willie Robinson's "King Daytona" !!!!

How old's this photo ?

[Greg Myers]

I don't know , doesn't it say in the blog ? http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/08/14/restoration-begins-on-big-willie-robinsons-last-charger-daytona/?refer=news

[Mark]

Not the original King (red) or Queen (green) Daytona. Big Willie had several of these cars, this one supposedly has a few parts from the King. The red King Daytona is said to still exist as a shell (it was acid-dipped but not properly neutralized). The green Queen Daytona was wrecked years ago.

[Rob Hall]

'Big' Willie Robinson's "King Daytona" !!!!

How old's this photo ?

Pretty recent, I would say looking at the vehicles in the background, before the restoration started. This is the 'Duke and Dutchess' Daytona according to the article, Big Willie's 3rd Daytona..

Edited August 15, 2013 by Rob Hall

[Greg Myers]

Great, you guys read the blog. It's all there.

[Greg Myers]

Kinda reminds me of this Sox and Martin car. Back in the day there were a bunch of cars run by different people that became icons in their own right. And some were even kitted :

Edited August 15, 2013 by Greg Myers

[Greg Myers]

Ok, here's a quiz for you, you know who's on the left. Who's car is on the right ?

[dieseldog1970]

I am game....car on the left is a street Superbird.....B5 Blue.....the one on the right is Marty Robbins car....not sure if it is original or a clone? I don't recall seeing any articles on this car in the magazines I constantly buy....unless i missed one? LOL He was a well respected driver who raced just cause he had the cash and wanted to....one way for him to get away from the music industry for awhile.

Now..regarding the white Daytona...I seem to recall an article about this car a couple years back...(Mopar Collectors Guide or Mopar Action??) It was bought buy a gentleman from the eastern part of the U.S(?) only member who joined the Brotherhood who was not from California area. And if memory serves me well....the Queen Daytona was wrecked while racing...and King was acid dipped to death!! The white car is the only one left that Big Willie had....when purchased...Willie gave this gentleman both helmets that Tomiko and he wore back in the day. Now if I could only find the article..I could post sum pics.....I only have around 2000 MOPAR magazines to search through!!!

[Greg Myers]

Speaking of winged icons :

[Greg Myers]

the one on the right is Marty Robbins car....not sure if it is original or a clone?

I'd guess it's a clone.

[dieseldog1970]

Speaking of winged icons :

LOL!!!! Now that movie had some memorable lines!!! This one was rented off a couple California brothers...(last name of...Maccadio....spelling is probably wrong) who are quite heavy into the winged cars and have been long before they became 6 figure investments. This one was going to be Plum Crazy Purple when done...but got snagged for the movie....one of the brothers has a video on Youtube with his primered Daytona clone doing a burnout...something like 350-400 feet long!!! They also have a clone done up in Neil Castles colours....I think there is video of them racing both cars at an event in Cali.....primered Daytona going through the dirt sideways!!! Yeah..I know.....I read wayyyy too many magazines!!

[Greg Myers]

Here's some more inf on the car : http://www.californiaclassix.com/archive/69_Joe_Dirt_Daytona.html

Plume Crazy it is

[dieseldog1970]

They sold this car for $18,000.00!!!!!????? Now that is surprising....I would have thought with the car being tied to the movie that it would get more than that...looking at the VIN tag....I think it was originally powered by a 318 c.i. small block....Real Daytonas have XX as the beginning of sequence number. I would definately have to do some digging to find a 2001 issue of Mopar Collectors Guide, I knew that it was one of them!

[tubbs]

Now..regarding the white Daytona...I seem to recall an article about this car a couple years back...(Mopar Collectors Guide or Mopar Action??) It was bought buy a gentleman from the eastern part of the U.S(?) only member who joined the Brotherhood who was not from California area. And if memory serves me well....the Queen Daytona was wrecked while racing...and King was acid dipped to death!! The white car is the only one left that Big Willie had....when purchased...Willie gave this gentleman both helmets that Tomiko and he wore back in the day. Now if I could only find the article..I could post sum pics.....I only have around 2000 MOPAR magazines to search through!!!

haha, i thought i was the only person to collect EVERY mopar magazine out there.... you are right, it was just a few years ago. great article too.

the question is, do you restore that car, or leave it? do you restore it to original or with all the markings and modifications done to it?

[1972coronet]

This is the first time I read that Willie had more than two Daytonas ; the third one was one which I wasn't aware of .

I *believe* that Earl Ike Dodge was the dealership which Wille got the cars from ; the dealer was in Inglewood (or was it Lennox) , on the east-side of Los Angeles Int'l Airport .

BTW ; I had the pleasure of meeting Willie a few years ago at Spring Fling XXV (an annual all-Chrysler show in the San Fernando Valley) . While he was physically emeciated by 2011 , his vibe and aura were still strong . I had a great time talking to one of my local heroes !

[dieseldog1970]

Here is some random trivia I came across regarding the "King Daytona"....most of these cars were built pretty much the same, only difference being the transmission and motor. Two car were built that had every option that could be ordered on the Daytona, one still exists, this one has the vinyl roof from the factory (removed at one point and then returned back to factory stock), Mopar Collectors had an article on this one. The only other Daytona that had more options was the "King Daytona"...optioned exactly the same except for the high impact paint. Imagine what that car would be worth right now....EVERY option available and with a history of being owned by Big Willie Robinson.....!!!!

[Craig Irwin]

I have wanted to build a 1/25 King Daytona for a LONG time, but theres very little info on it out there.

Movie trivia, Big Willie and his King Daytona are in the opening street race in the film "Two Lane Blacktop".

[JasonC]

They sold this car for $18,000.00!!!!!????? Now that is surprising....I would have thought with the car being tied to the movie that it would get more than that...looking at the VIN tag....I think it was originally powered by a 318 c.i. small block....Real Daytonas have XX as the beginning of sequence number. I would definately have to do some digging to find a 2001 issue of Mopar Collectors Guide, I knew that it was one of them!

It was in one of them, I remember they saying that the back window was out of a Vega.

[69NovaYenko]

For those that have an intrest in replicating Big Wille Robisons`s race cars did you know that before he ran the `69 Charger Daytona`s Wille ran a 426 Hemi `64 Cuda/Valiant with a Daytona Wing and Nose. Here are a few pixs of the car.

Edited August 18, 2013 by 69NovaYenko

[69NovaYenko]

Now..regarding the white Daytona...

I belive the colors of Big Willie Robisons three `69 Daytona colors were Yellow, Charger Red and Rallye Green.

[Modelmartin]

For those that have an intrest in replicating Big Wille`s race cars did you know that before he ran the `69 Charger Daytona`s Wille ran a 426 Hemi `64 Cuda/Valiant with a Daytona Wing and Nose. Here are a few pixs of the car.

It must have been later than the Daytonas judging by the Lenco, Cragar Super/Trick wheels and the strut front end. I never saw pics of that car before. Thanks for posting them. Very cool.

[gtx6970]

The 3 look like the diecasts from Super Car Collectables

[1972 Satellite]

http://public.fotki.com/1972-Satellite/2013-mopar-nationals/059.html

[69NovaYenko]

It must have been later than the Daytonas judging by the Lenco, Cragar Super/Trick wheels and the strut front end. I never saw pics of that car before. Thanks for posting them. Very cool.

The obscure article I stumbled across was very short and did not indicate a specific timeline inwhich Big Willie owned/ran the `64 Cuda. However, your observation is on point and leads one to conclude that it was later than the Daytons.

The 3 look like the diecasts from Super Car Collectables

Yes, the three Dayton`s are 1:18 limited addition die-casts from Super Car Collectables.