HEMI - the word excites the senses, rekindles
visions of the various cars that incorporated the legend
in their engine bays. Chrysler produced a variety of cars
wrapped around the "Elephant" motor. Street cars, special
built factory Super Stock cars, and circle track cars.
Richard Petty, Don Garlits and Ronnie Sox are a few of
the people made legends by the Hemi.
But to me, the most outrageous creation was the HEMI COLT.
Outlawed, crippled and never really competitive in NHRA
ProStock, but as an Outlaw Match Race car or in Competition
Eliminator - it ruled the roost and was beyond compare.
In my opinion, the best example of this Beast was the
Colts created by "Logghe Stamping Company." Dual frame
rails, ladder bars or four-link, Ramchargers Mag rear
end, orginally built for a 4 speed but later adapted for
the Lenco transmission.
Using motors displacing 366 to 488 cubic inches of displacement,
sit down, strap-in, and hang on. Ninety inch wheel base
of pure adrenaline rush. At that time, the BADDEST import
on the planet, and even today, looked on as pure insanity.
The most fun I have ever had with my clothes on!!
I bought my Colt from Sox and Martin, it was their first
Hemi Colt and was built by Logghe. The aluminum work was
done by Al Bergler and the whole car was a work of art.
As I discovered later, the body was completely removable
- held on by numerous machine screws. With two batteries,
four wheel disc brakes, stock window glass, steel doors,
a fiberglass front end and trunk lid, and an aluminum
headed 396 cubic inch steel Hemi block it weighed 2450
pounds. This was originally designed and intended for
ProStock racing.
After I acquired this jewel, it was immediately transformed
from the Sox & Martin colors into the BLACK BEAST,
and set up for Match Racing and Competition Eliminator
racing. I did run it at the National Challenge in 1974
- it weighed 2673 and had a weak 396 cubic inch motor.
It ran 9.01 - not quick enough to be any threat.
At the end of 1973, NHRA decided that ex-ProStock cars
were taking away from the show in Comp. Eliminator (you
figure that out)? Therefore, as usual, we got a special
rule for us. There after, we were limited to a three speed
planetary transmission. So being the ingenious masterminds
that we were - take one case off the Lenco and instant
three speed. Also, during those winter months we embarked
on a massive weight reduction campaign. If we were going
to run B/A, then we would meet all the rules and weights.
We took the car completely apart, took the body down to
bare metal, removed the front brakes, one of the batteries,
made fiberglass doors and with input by some engineering
types from you know whom, we made and installed Lexan
windows in all places except for the back glass. With
the help of Kenny Youngblood we also came up with a new
paint scheme. Also a new 438 cubic inch steel Hemi was
built and installed. The only thing that time prohibited
were new 4" collectors instead of the massive 5"
ones on the car. So, go west young man, go west and off
we went.
Our first stop was the AHRA Winternationals at Beeline
Dragway. Oh wow - the car will not hook, just blows the
tires off - my first experience with tire shake. All that
work and still 9.0's - this is not gonna cut it. Now another
mad dash westwards, this time to the shop of Sherman Gunn
to do some rear suspension work. Double frame rail cars,
if not planned for originally, do not have many adjustment
points. Therefore we had to breach one of the rear cross
member frame rails and plug it so we could make an adjustment
hole, lower, for the ladder bars. Will it work ??? Big
question of the week.
Now comes the real tale of the tape, the Chrysler test
session before Pomona at Irwindale. First run, BAM - HOLY
MOLEY- wheels up, motor pounding, snatching Lenco levers
at 7200 - 8.58 at 162.41. One small problem, they LIED
- they assured me that the 1/8" Lexan windshield
would not be a problem. WRONG!! My exciting life continues
- blasting thru the finish line and the windshield comes
in. Picture this, the Colt had a 12" steering wheel
as there was no room for knees and legs in the beast.
Now back to the problem at hand - windshield collapses
in the lights - oh by the way, where does the 160 mph
breeze go? Well it takes out the side windows and they
in turn split the fiberglass doors down the seam and here
sits some doofus, trying to steer with his knee, hold
the windshield in with one hand, try to reach the parachute
release with the other and with the third hand try to
keep the door from completely self destructing. Sound
like fun to me!
After getting the car stopped and waiting for the tow
vehicle, what is the first comments I hear? "Why you tearing
the car up"? Well excuse me but how quick was it? Answer
8.58 - YAHOO!!!
NHRA had just gone to the index system and our index was
8.75 - we were in the ball game with lots to spare. Now
hook up the beast, drag her back to the scales and then
on to start patching her up. Interesting how many people
are now standing around the scales? How much it weigh?
How big is it? 2200 pounds and 440 cubic inches, RIGHT,
SURE. Well we will see how she runs at Pomona is the major
comment from the peanut gallery. Now back to the motel
to fix the doors and windows, put some screen door hooks
on the windows to keep them in place. Pretty classy huh?
Got the doors and windshield fixed and now on to Pomona,
and the infamous tech line. Surprise, surprise no problemo
- but the fun has just begun.
Day one qualifying for Competition Eliminator. Ready,
willing and able to rock and roll now, drop the clutch
and rotate the Earth. Whoops, forgot the politics, seems
the powers that be like the index the way it is (if you
really kill the index you can expect an "adjustment"
which is not a good thing). Main topic of concern is RPM,
meaning launch and shift. Now my suggestion is 8000 (I
was looking for some high 8.40's) but that is met with
a two word comment - might have been "shut-up"
but that is not what it was. I wanted to close all mouths,
crush all the doubters - not to be.
Now we can get to the business of qualifying - we were
one of the first groups of cars to take to the track -
I cheated a little, 7000 launch, 6900 shifts, wheels up
all the way thru first, straight as a string.
In the lights I am watching the windshield, she held and
the rocket ran 8.61 - 159.61 - ended up 3rd qualifier
in a 16 car field (.13 under the index). Later as we are
sitting around the truck, here comes some tech guys. Whoops!
"Oh, by the way, we are randomly P&Ging some
of the Comp cars and you got picked" Imagine that!
Here we are, the car is in the box, our pit area cleaned
up, hands washed, and we are getting ready to go eat and
now we get to P&G the Beast. Drag her out of the truck,
take off the front end, remove spark plugs - remove valve
covers - choose a hole to use and she comes out 431? My
first comment is, can I run at that weight? (I had claimed
440/2200 pounds). A very resounding NO! Oh well, I tried.
After that wonderful enlightening experience, put her
back together, back in the box and escape from the race
track. I later asked how many other random P&G tests
were done? Guess what? They forgot to get around to the
others! RIGHT !!
Race Day - the day I have waited for a long time, finally
I am someone to contend with. I can see 8000 now - adios
index, ME HERO. Actually the hero part is not the whole
deal, what I am looking forward to is the triple x lip
lock I am going to plant on the luscious Valveoline girl.
A real woman - YES !! Us small time guys get very few
chances for glory and here it comes.
First round - ho hum - the Beast eats a B/ED dragster
- I love dragsters, they taste just like chicken. He has
the same index, so the race is heads up - 8.83 to 8.84
- not even close though, so far out in front of him I
slowed down.
Second round - yes another B/ED --- same result but more
obvious - 8.69 at 143.53. This is getting to be fun.
Third round - Me versus the big dog at this meet, the
number one qualifier (we also are on the same index so
this is another heads-up race) - this should be it, put
him away and I am home free. Surprise time folks, here
it comes. I do the burnout at 8,000 this time -- a new
exciting sound emits from the monster - KILL - she is
ready - I back up preparing to stage and when I stop to
move forward she is stuck in reverse. NO NO NO - not now.
I bang, and jiggle the lever - rock the car - the crew
rocks the car and during this time he stages and brings
the RPM to the limit. Finally she pops out of reverse
and I jump to the starting beams, quickly staging - bring
the RPM to 8500 - the light comes down, I let the clutch
out and she launches so hard I can not breath, as I pass
the tree I can see that he is not there but my light is
RED. First gear runs out and I shift at 8500 - I am gonna
kill the index - second runs out at 8500, good bye index
- then common sense takes over. I ease off - we both run
8.68 and he is not in sight. He goes on to win the Eliminator
and I go home. Long ride home.
Well that brief glimpse of fame was the start of the end
for my drag racing. Due to business interests, family
issues and various other intrusions including a move to
Minnesota from Florida, my days of glory were fleeting
and now gone. After that, I did win numerous match races
and a few points meets (I qualified for the World Finals
that year but did not go - I gave up). The end of 1975
ended my search for fame and glory - I sold the Colt to
another guy, he did very well with it also and then sold
it and she disappeared into oblivion. I know not where
she is or even if she is still in one piece. I miss the
Beast! If you see or know of a Hemi Colt, let me know.
She deserves respect, a place in the history of Mopar
Drag Racing, because at one time she was the BADDEST BEAST
around.
