What was before Direct-Connection?

[Badvert65]

So, for 1965 I was wondering if Mother Mopar had any sort of racing parts program. I don't think Direct Connection started until the early 70's. Was there any sort of parts program around in '65?

 

[WileE]

I recall Hustle Stuff.

 

[POMONAMISSEL]

rapid transit was plymouth , ramcharger was dodge ?

 

[BeepBeepRR]

Here ya go the history of Mopar. https://www.allpar.com/cars/mopar/index.php

 

[POMONAMISSEL]

 

[POMONAMISSEL]

the one book i have on early 60's performance called them golden commando's and ramchargers performance parts . not sure what it was call but boy it was working , lol . from making it more powerful to making it lighter .

 

[Photon440]

Somewhere I still have a Hustle Stuff catalog, I think from 1973 or '72. (looks like this but this isn't mine)

 

[Mike Gaines]

I started racing my mopar (1963 Max Wedge Lightweight) in 1963 and raced all the time until 1969 I don't recall any specific program for the drag racer. But
maybe the stage coach did not bring the news to my little town in central Illinois from Detroit. I know they were handing out all kinds of information to the Detroit drag racers and to California guys and to Sox&Martin, Landy, etc, etc, but NOT to us nobody drag racers in the little towns around the country. We read about all the stuff in National Dragster, Super Stock & Drag Illustrated. etc. In fact....I read an article (with lots of pictures) about a California Racer name Al Vanderwoode (The Flying Dutchman) who altered the wheelbase of his 1965 2 Door Post Car. I called the shops in Detroit and they wanted $2500 to alter the wheelbase on my 1963. That is when I decided I would just tackle it myself the in the back room of my Speed Shop. It turned out just fine. Then the next thing I did was to install the tube front axle, set the motor back 26" and put in the full aluminum interior...etc,etc, then Hilborn Fuel Injection and buying Nitromethane in 55 gallon drums from a chemical warehouse in St. Louis.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

Man these are some kick *** history pictures.. Love the altered wheelbase cars..

 

[biomedtechguy]

I started racing my mopar (1963 Max Wedge Lightweight) in 1963 and raced all the time until 1969 I don't recall any specific program for the drag racer. But
maybe the stage coach did not bring the news to my little town in central Illinois from Detroit. I know they were handing out all kinds of information to the Detroit drag racers and to California guys and to Sox&Martin, Landy, etc, etc, but NOT to us nobody drag racers in the little towns around the country. We read about all the stuff in National Dragster, Super Stock & Drag Illustrated. etc. In fact....I read an article (with lots of pictures) about a California Racer name Al Vanderwoode (The Flying Dutchman) who altered the wheelbase of his 1965 2 Door Post Car. I called the shops in Detroit and they wanted $2500 to alter the wheelbase on my 1963. That is when I decided I would just tackle it myself the in the back room of my Speed Shop. It turned out just fine. Then the next thing I did was to install the tube front axle, set the motor back 26" and put in the full aluminum interior...etc,etc, then Hilborn Fuel Injection and buying Nitromethane in 55 gallon drums from a chemical warehouse in St. Louis.

View attachment 694665 View attachment 694666 View attachment 694667 View attachment 694668 View attachment 694672 View attachment 694673 View attachment 694674

 

[hemiman426]

seen direct connection is making a return in 2019

 

[Lefty71]

Seems to me that the Max Wedge and Gen2 Hemi programs were promoted as parts available through your local dealership (in addition to the obviously very special cars), yet the naming specifically did not exist as far as I know.... They put out a "special parts bulletin" listing all the Mopar part #'s for the maxies so you could pick and choose what to buy for your BB B-body. I'm sure I have a '63 or '64 dealer only NASCAR manifold for maxies that was not sold on any production vehicles, yet could be ordered only at any dealership. I would assume their thinking has always been that you have to keep your customers close to the dealership, as that's how they sell you a new car (ultimate goal). HTH, Lefty71

 

[rumblefish360]

seen direct connection is making a return in 2019

Where did you read that?

 

[hemiman426]

Where did you read that?

seen on facebook was on the side of leahs challenger,the name is coming back

 

[rumblefish360]

Wait, you “Just seen it on Leah’s Challenger” and assume it’s coming back or you read it is in the works. She could have put it in there herself as a “Nod to the past.”

Just sayin, looking for Clarification.

 

[Budnicks]

Ramchargers & Superstocks

Chrysler Performance MoPar
Tom Hoover with the 62 413 max wedge

1953 Lucille Pieti, Chrysler Engineeering

Ramcharger/Dodge racers 1963

 

[Dipstick]

I don't recall any specific program for the drag racer.

You mean no publicized program.

 

[Budnicks]

this is a cover of the 1968 Chrysler Hi-Performance Parts cat.

Plymouth had clinics not sure what they were named
with Ronnie Sox & others from Chrysler teams teaching
I know as early as 1966

he did clinics at tracks too
IIRC he did one or more at Fremont raceway

I went to one with my step dad Bob (Plymouth & Pontiac guy),
on manual transmissions,
I was really young like 7 y/o, it was in 1966
I don't remember much of it

the above mentioned clinic, by Plymouth
It was at South Bay Chrysler Plymouth (SF Bay Area) IIRC

here was a bulletin from the 68 Hi-Po parts
given to the parts dept.s at dealerships IIRC

cover example

here's page 10

 

[Mike Gaines]

this is a cover of the 1968 Chrysler Hi-Performance Parts cat.

View attachment 699554

Plymouth had clinics not sure what they were named
with Ronnie Sox & others from Chrysler teams teaching
I know as early as 1966

he did clinics at tracks too
IIRC he did one or more at Fremont raceway

I went to one with my step dad Bob (Plymouth & Pontiac guy),
on manual transmissions,
I was really young like 7 y/o, it was in 1966
I don't remember much of it

the above mentioned clinic, by Plymouth
It was at South Bay Chrysler Plymouth (SF Bay Area) IIRC

here was a bulletin from the 68 Hi-Po parts
given to the parts dept.s at dealerships IIRC

cover example
View attachment 699555

here's page 10
View attachment 699556

Send me 6 of those $1500 Hemi Short Blocks and 50 of those $10 Road Runner Wheels...LOL

 

[Budnicks]

Send me 6 of those $1500 Hemi Short Blocks and 50 of those $10 Road Runner Wheels...LOL

Yeah I wish I had a damn time machine...

all the 10 pages I got from Hamtramck Historical
"Product Planning"
strange name