Jim Vandiver #31 Daytona has a VIN tag on it's dashboard!

[odcics2]

A rare race wingcar converted from a production car or he just grabbed a dashboard and stuffed it in??  
It's NOT a typical Nichels Engineering piece.

[hemigeno]

... and a 1968 dashpad too...

[wingcar builder]

Jim told me years back the wing car was never a Nichels car. Him an his brother built it from a Charger 500 he bought but did have Nichels parts on it. Also, his brother had a 66' Chevelle SS 396 that was Marina Blue. Jim said he loved the color and that was what he put on the Daytona along with Daytona yellow.

[Aero426]

Jim told me years back the wing car was never a Nichels car. Him an his brother built it from a Charger 500 he bought but did have Nichels parts on it.

Are you saying it started as a street Charger 500 and he built it using some Nichels parts?    Or are you saying it was already a race car that was configured as a Charger 500 when he bought it?   

The '68 dash pad would seem to disqualify it from ever being a C500 to start with.

[odcics2]

I wonder if a super hi rez scan of the negative would show the vin number?  

Here's the ebay info - https://www.ebay.com/itm/1970-NASCAR-Jim-Vandiver-DODGE-35mm-Auto-Negative/132665433529?hash=item1ee379ddb9:g:~F8AAOSwWw1bJKyU

[wingcar builder]

Jim told me it was a street Charger 500 he and his brother bought and built the Daytona from it. he never said it was a 68' converted or it being a prior race car. He was very adamant that it was a new car with Nichels support. as far as the dash that is trivial as it is just a bolt in item kinda like the Dave Duncan Daytona that Jim Malloy drove at Michigan. it also had a 68' dash in it. So going by our conversation this is all I know until any build photos surface.

[wingcar builder]

defrost vents still in place to.

[wingcar builder]

how do you post pics on here? 

[held1823]

how do you post pics on here?  

the file has to be under 200mb.  there are a number of editing programs to resize with 

[odcics2]

how do you post pics on here?  

the file has to be under 200mb.  there are a number of editing programs to resize with 

Actually, it's 400mb.   The one I posted is over200kb.   At some point, they raised the limit.

[odcics2]

Any other good clear pics of this car from different angles out there?
If anyone has any, please get them posted.

[held1823]

how do you post pics on here?  

the file has to be under 200mb.  there are a number of editing programs to resize with  

Actually, it's 400mb.   The one I posted is over200kb.   At some point, they raised the limit.

well, hell. i've been resizing most of mine for no reason, ever since that happened

i even see, NOW, that yours is 244mb. sigh

[white]

So some factory cars were used and converted to race cars?

[odcics2]

So some factory cars were used and converted to race cars?

Very few, by guys with limited funds.   

[white]

That does make sence. It would be great if there was a list of cars used for racing with Vin info.

[Aero426]

That does make sence. It would be great if there was a list of cars used for racing with Vin info.

No such list.    There isn't even a list surviving of the cars professionally built by Nichels Engineering.   There was supposedly a card file of Nichels chassis information, but it was tossed in the 1970's.    Not important at the time, and unpleasant old business after Chrysler left him high and dry in 1971.  

The other known owner built cars would seem to be (and we can add others to this):

John Soares Superbird   (that one actually seems to be from a real Superbird)
Dick Bown #02 Superbird
Kevin Terris #32 Road Runner / Superbird
Jim Malloy #26 Dragcraft Daytona (stock dash with vents)

Almost all the pro-built wing cars originated at Nichels in some fashion.    They could be 68, 69, 70 chassis, all built from bare unserialized bodies.   Nichels provided kits of parts for conversion to C500 and later Daytona.    So a 1968 car could be a Daytona or Superbird later.    

[wingcar builder]

So some factory cars were used and converted to race cars?

Only factory wings I know of were John Soars, Dick Bown and Gary Sigmon But had limited support from Chrysler. John told me Ray Nichels was good to him tho. Ray sent him blueprints, jigs and parts. He even made a trip out to his place he said and went over some things. Ray Elder and Jack McCoy got more support than anyone and had complete Nichels chassis'.  Other drivers like Hershal got Petty cars and some parts.

[wingcar builder]

Doug S, we would have to add Jim Welty to the list as well even tho the Superbird was not completed. it was a factory Superbird when he made it into a race car.

[Stevearino]

how do you post pics on here? 

Easiest way I have found is if you have a microsoft os usually there is a basic paint program. You can press the print screen button then paste to the paint program. Crop and save as a jpeg. It will automatically save it at the resolution of the screen which will be low res enough to post here.

[odcics2]

When you make a reply, just hit "browse" and select a 400kb or less pic from a file on your laptop.   
Click and it's done.

wingcar builder has a lot of awesome pics.
There was a TON of great stuff lost on Randy Ayers Nascar Modeling site when it crashed.

[wingcar builder]

When you make a reply, just hit "browse" and select a 400kb or less pic from a file on your laptop.   
Click and it's done.

wingcar builder has a lot of awesome pics.
There was a TON of great stuff lost on Randy Ayers Nascar Modeling site when it crashed.

I've tried but keeps telling me to big. to post. Yeah a lot was lost on Randy's I've never been back since it come back tho. 

[odcics2]

When you make a reply, just hit "browse" and select a 400kb or less pic from a file on your laptop.   
Click and it's done.

wingcar builder has a lot of awesome pics.
There was a TON of great stuff lost on Randy Ayers Nascar Modeling site when it crashed.

I've tried but keeps telling me to big. to post. Yeah a lot was lost on Randy's I've never been back since it come back tho. 

PM sent.