Re: [FWDLK] D 500 air cleaners

Guys,

I need to clear up something. We are discussing 2 separate cars.

The Golden Lancer from Barrett Jackson was an original D500 Golden Lancer from California that was restored in Phoenix. The dual quads were added and the whole thing advertised as a legitimate D500-1 option, even though it had not a single dash one part on it. Other than that, the body, chrome, and interior are excellent. It was built for resale and profit.

The car restored by Mopar Mel was also a legitimate D500 and all Mel did was restore the bare body, paint and bodywork only, to his customer’s specifications (White and Coral). Mel did a solid job on a good body. I saw it before, during, and after the work was done. Bill Allen, the owner, wanted to create a replica of Lee Petty’s 56 Dodge NASCAR, one of the most famous 56 Dodges ever. He has done an excellent job, with extensive research, with correct parts, as possible. He has NEVER tried to pass it off as the original or falsely advertise it! As far as I know, he built it for himself and has no plans to sell it. In my opinion, he has done a good thing that helps promote the recollection of the famous and winning Mopars of the 50s among the ignorant unwashed mobs of brand X owners who think the SBC was the greatest engine ever built.

It should also be known that Lee Petty got his car for free, about Christmas 1955. It was a dash one chassis (HD brakes and suspension) and a standard D500 260 hp single 4 bbl engine. The “double 4 bbl group” of parts was not defined until January 56 and the intake parts were not available until mid/late Feb 56, just in time for Daytona. The exhaust parts may have come along shortly thereafter. So even Petty’s original car was an evolving thing with upgrade parts as they became available. It did not roll out of the factory in the final D500-1 form. After all the parts were available, as Tim says, I am sure the later dash ones rolled out complete.

Dave Homstad

56 Dodge D500

-----Original Message-----
From: Forward Look Mopar Discussion List [mailto:L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Brent Burger
Sent: Saturday, November 24, 2007 2:56 PM
To: L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [FWDLK] D 500 air cleaners

-------------- Original message --------------

From: DupontTim@xxxxxxx

This Barrett Jackson car is ranking in the very top reaches of unethical restoring practices that has plagued rare cars of the 50's. Built by someone (a total @$$ # */?) who disregards research and basically pumps the system full of misinformation. Yes, the Barrett Jackson car is at the pinnacle of deception and if the restorer doesn't know it he is still guilty of gross ignorance, I don't care how nice the car looks it is a huge fabrication of monumental forgery. The only grey area here is wether the restorer is lazy and didn't care to get the facts or is knowingly exploiting the uneducated public. I have nothing but disgust for this cars of this ilk and it is easy prey for anyone who turns a critical eye, Neil Vedder could and has ripped it to shreds in less than a minute, mere child's play for him. Is Neil the only other person who gets it? collectors must understand what's at stake here or perhaps apathy is now regarded as a v! ertue. To me it boils down to the fact that if you are building a car for yourself take all the liberties you want, and please if you sell it disclose the facts..... if you are a person or company that wants to restore rare and complicated vehicles for sale as investments to the public DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!!! A car hobby or Auction House that awards such total crap are nothing more than parasites that exploit unsuspecting hosts and there activities have no foundation in value, I don't know how it isn't considered criminal. I am trying to be restrained but if you want to know how I really feel.............Tim in Golden

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OK, ...... I'll go out on a limb here since no one else likes talking in real terms. Feel free to hit me backchannel if so inclined.

Earlier it was stated this 56 Golden Lancer had the body "restored" by Mopar Mel. The work being done for a Bill Harris (?) in Atlanta, Ga.

It wa also stated by that poster that an impeccable job was done in the restoration, to which our own Mr. Vedder quickly shredded as being far from the case.

In my limited exposure to cars handled by Mopar Mel, all have been screaming examples of cobbed-together cars, using parts from the most random of sources. A 60 Dodge might have an Imperial motor, or whatever it took to slap it together and get it up for sale. The interiors were atrocious. A recent thread over on the other side had a long line of members raving about this man and his ethics.

I do not know the guy. Never dealt with him. Only seen a few cars that the owners claimed they bought from him. I see him posting here regularly looking for impossible parts and wonder how this duality exists within the "community".

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Tim, I am with you on your points above. Build a car as you please. Just don't lie about it when it comes time to sell. That is fraud. As evidenced by recent B-J showings, a well done clone or Day Two restoration does not suffer for bidders because it is not a flawless factory numbers matching original or restoration. A person does not need to be fraudulent to reap the big bucks.

I have really enjoyed the banter regarding these 56 D-500 and 500-1 cars. We have a messy, one owner original D-500 ourselves. Keep up the study and sharing. Education is the only way to stop fraud.