Random Hemi E-Body of the Week

[RzeroB]

Anyone have any history on this cool Hemi I saw today?  Looked to even have the original tires on it.

VIN BS23R0B226991

Knew of it, but never seen it ... before today ... thanks Cody!! 

1 of only 2 sold new in Saskatchewan. The other being the TX9 auto 221317.

So where did you come across this one ... who's the lucky owner ... what else about it could you share?? 

[6bblgt]

FWIW I know a guy here in town who's owned his T/A since around 74, an original 450 wheel car & it had brushed rings when he got it....

I also know of an original owner T/A in a nearby town also a 450 wheel car & also wears it's original brushed trim rings...

I believe that was the case with the STANDARD set-up on a Challenger T/A

One of the problems with trim rings, wheel covers & hub caps is that they arrived at the dealership in the trunk of the car.  Many dealerships removed them at "pre-delivery inspection" (PDI) & instead of installing them, placed them in storage 'til the car was sold (to prevent theft or other reasons?) and the "correct" parts were not always installed at a later date.

[Cuda Cody]

Saw it today at a car show.  The owner (who I think said his name was Stu) bought it off the original owners wife (or brother?).  He said she kept the build sheet and will not give it to him.

The TX9 column shift auto Hemi Cuda you mentioned was purchased by the brother of the person that originally purchased the purple one.  Yes, both sold new in Saskatchewan.  They each bought a Hemi Cuda brand new.  One got a purple and one got a black one.  The guy told me that when the original owner of the purple Hemi Cuda ordered the car he did not want the shaker hood.  He argued with the dealer to try to get him to place the order without the shaker hood.  The dealer said he would swap it out once it got to the dealer.  But when the Hemi Cuda showed up at the dealer they told him it would be another $500 to change out the shaker so he said just leave the shaker on it. 

Knew of it, but never seen it ... before today ... thanks Cody!! 

1 of only 2 sold new in Saskatchewan. The other being the TX9 auto 221317.

So where did you come across this one ... who's the lucky owner ... what else about it could you share?? 

[ScottSmith_Harms]

Yes, that's Stewart Smiths car from Woods Lake B.C. Nice car. here's the tag. What Stew told Cody about the cars history is accurate. The original owner drag raced it in it's early days and kept it pretty much stock other than headers and slicks, it was never rusty, wrecked, or beat up, he kept it nice. The original wheels were MIA due to the racing so as Dan surmised, those are replacements.

[RzeroB]

Thanks Scott!

[RzeroB]

All the buzz about the recent solar eclipse got me thinking about something else that created a lot of "buzz" - the Yellow Jacket!! What's one got to do with the other?? Both were created in August. Both are (were) yellow and then black at some point ... ok, it's a stretch!! Anyway, I know we touched on the Yellow Jacket before, but since it is an August car, I'm posting it up ... again ... so bear with me.



JS27R0B100022 was the first of what would be only 12 Hemi Challenger R/T convertibles ever made. Originally the car was a loaded triple-black (TX9 Black with a black leather interior and a black top) 4-speed car and reportedly the only one of the 12 to come from the factory with a Shaker hood scoop.  It never made it to a dealership. When it rolled off the assembly line, Chrysler retained it and sent it off to be transformed into a factory concept car which at first was the Yellow-Jacket which later morphed into the Diamante.



The Yellow Jacket two-seat concept Chrysler show car on display at one of the big auto trade shows (Detroit? New York? Chicago?) in late 1969. Word had it that the female models Chrysler hired to show the car garnered more attention than the car itself!! Note the rear deck wing / spoiler how it is adjustable and appears to be deployed in the "up" position.



The original Yellow Jacket did not create enough consumer buzz for Chrysler on the 1969 show car circuit, So in 1970 Chrysler decided to do a more extensive remodeling of the Yellow-Jacket and the end result was the Diamante show car as shown here.



The Candy Tangerine Diamante shown here is the same car as the Pearl White one. The original Pearl White Diamante's paint was damaged in transit to a car show and the car was subsequently repainted in the Candy Tangerine shown here. Note how the tail lights look very similar to those that would be on the '72-'74 Challengers. The Diamante continued to tour the show car circuit through 1970 and into 1971 before it was retired. Chrysler placed the car into storage for several years before it was finally auctioned off in 1978. The car eventually found its way into the hands of noted Mopar restoration specialist and collector Steve Juliano.



Steve Juliano had owned this unique car for a very long time and it was one of the centerpieces of his very remarkable collection. When Bob Ashton put on the extraordinary Hemi E-body convertible invitational at the 2015 MCACN show, the Diamante was notably absent. Steve Juliano had brought parts of his collection to MCACN shows before (the picture below is of it at the 2011 MCACN show), but some reason the Diamante skipped the big Hemi E-body gathering in Chicago.



I later found out from a very knowledgeable source (who owns some exceptional Hemi E-bodies himself), that Steve Juliano no longer owned the car and that he sold it in a private transaction. What?? That was certainly kept on the down-low!! Who exactly owns it, and where it is my source didn't say. I hope that it "surfaces" again somewhere as I would love to see it in person ... maybe someday??

Here is a good little read on the Yellow Jacket / Diamante  http://www.moparwiki.com/index.php?title=1970_Dodge_Diamante_Show_Car 

[Cuda Cody]

I hope it resurfaces again soon.  Such a cool car!

[6bblgt]

I believe the Diamante currently resides with Daroo II & Supercharger  other DODGE 2-seaters

[ScottSmith_Harms]

The first time I saw the Diamante was on a Hemi poster (same one we all had back in the 1980's). Around 1984 I lived in Mesa Arizona and I visited a Classic car dealer in Scottsdale, his name was Leo Gephart (RIP). I didn't realize it at the time but he was a true classic car pioneer. He was a super nice guy and let me test drive a B5 blue 1969 Hemi automatic Road Runner he had for sale. I was still in my early 20's and I admitted to him that I couldn't afford it (around $7,500.00 at the time) and that I just loved Hemis and wanted to drive it. He graciously said "no problem" and tossed me the keys! Cool guy for sure. Anyway, at the time he owned the Diamante and it was still painted orange. What a magnificent car it was! Years later around 2005 I got the chance to see it again at Steve Julianos place in California, now painted white, sure was cool to see again after all those years, I'm sure Steve chose a good home for it, he really liked it.

[RzeroB]

The first time I saw the Diamante was on a Hemi poster (same one we all had back in the 1980's).

I never had that poster ... I don't think I have ever even seen it before until now. 

Around 1984 I lived in Mesa Arizona and I visited a Classic car dealer in Scottsdale, his name was Leo Gephart (RIP). He was a super nice guy and let me test drive a B5 blue 1969 Hemi automatic Road Runner he had for sale. I was still in my early 20's and I admitted to him that I couldn't afford it (around $7.500.00 at the time) and that I just loved Hemis and wanted to drive it. He graciously said "no problem" and tossed me the keys! Cool guy for sure. Anyway, at the time he owned the Diamante and it was still painted orange. What a magnificent car it was!

So that's Leo?? He must of really liked you to toss you the keys to the Hemi Road Runner!!  Or maybe it was a preemptive move so you wouldn't ask to test drive the Diamante!! 

Thanks for your contribution Scott ... love hearing little back stories like this!! 

[anlauto]

I had that poster....I might still have it rolled up somewhere

[750-h2]

I had that poster....I might still have it rolled up somewhere

Same here!

[Brads70]

I had that poster....I might still have it rolled up somewhere

Me too, spent a lot of time dreaming about that Challenger and Superbird! 

[anlauto]

I remember seeing the EL5 71 Cuda convertible just driving around the show field at the Nats and freaking out.....That's the "poster car"...I remember saying

[fc7cuda]

I have that poster too,    Owned the 64 for awhile and saw the 69 500 a lot since it's local.