This beautiful '68 LO23 Lightweight Super Stock Hemi Dart will be auctioned off at Mecum Chicago this coming weekend (Saturday at 2:15 p.m.). It is one of only 80 to be built, and was one of thirteen sold new out of Grand-Spaulding Dodge in Chicago, Illinois. Throughout the purpose-built drag car's racing career, it was sponsored by Dodge and driven by Max Hurley of West Jefferson, North Carolina, in SS/B competition.
The car was created as part of a program in which the Chrysler Corporation built Plymouth Barracudas and Dodge Darts powered by 426 Hemi engines "for use in supervised acceleration trials" - i.e. Super Stock drag racing.
With sale comes the original bill of sale and racing photos from days past. The car is also listed in the Chrysler registry. It was delivered new in 1968 painted primer with black gel-coated fiberglass front fenders, scooper lift-off hood, lightweight steel doors and bumpers, and trunk-mounted battery. It now sits, as it has since the beginning of its career, finished in the Metallic Orange paint with black interior. The fiberglass lift-off hood conceals the 426 cubic-inch Hemi engine with a Cross Ram intake manifold (with dual Holley 4-barrels), a high-flow oil pump, roller timing chain, solid-lifter cam, transistorized dual-point ignition with solid core wires, Hooker headers, and a heavy-duty cooling system. A 3-speed manual transmission is paired with a Hurst shifter. It is void of outside mirrors, sound deadening and a heater, but is fitted with a roll cage and retains lightweight side glass and bucket seats as it did when it was new. Crager SS wheels and rear slicks attest to its long life of racing.
For more information or to learn how you can bid on this fine piece of Chrysler history, visit www.mecum.com.
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