Tragic debut

[hemigeno]

It's not the car's fault that it wasn't able to keep it's occupant alive.

Put an asterisk by that thought.

Tab's car had an oil line come loose, and he spun out in his own oil - then got T-boned in the door.

I'm glad I don't have to worry about making the decision about what to do with a car like that.  There are pro's and con's no matter what you would do with it.

[Shakey]

It's not the car's fault that it wasn't able to keep it's occupant alive.

Put an asterisk by that thought.

Tab's car had an oil line come loose, and he spun out in his own oil - then got T-boned in the door.

I'm glad I don't have to worry about making the decision about what to do with a car like that.  There are pro's and con's no matter what you would do with it.

Wonder who was in charge of installing / checking the oil lines that day?

[hemigeno]

It's not the car's fault that it wasn't able to keep it's occupant alive.

Put an asterisk by that thought.

Tab's car had an oil line come loose, and he spun out in his own oil - then got T-boned in the door.

I'm glad I don't have to worry about making the decision about what to do with a car like that.  There are pro's and con's no matter what you would do with it.

Wonder who was in charge of installing / checking the oil lines that day?

I shouldn't have said that it came loose - it may have broken instead of worked its way loose.  I don't recall the exact circumstances, but I remember reading about oil from an oil line causing the spin.

Most of these independent small-time guys did not have professional pit crews, and a lot of times their crew consisted of friends or family members who could attend the race.  Tab had purchased the car from James Hylton, who was another independent owner/driver.  Hard to say how much real prep work that Tab or his crew had to do to the car, as it was the same car James had campaigned under #48.  Back then, it wasn't nearly as difficult to make the race if you had half-way decent equipment (and a race Daytona qualifies as halfway-decent equipment!).  There were probably about a dozen cars that were truly capable of winning the race, and the rest were essentially field-fillers. 

[Shakey]

It's not the car's fault that it wasn't able to keep it's occupant alive.

Put an asterisk by that thought.

Tab's car had an oil line come loose, and he spun out in his own oil - then got T-boned in the door.

I'm glad I don't have to worry about making the decision about what to do with a car like that.  There are pro's and con's no matter what you would do with it.

Wonder who was in charge of installing / checking the oil lines that day?

I shouldn't have said that it came loose - it may have broken instead of worked its way loose.  I don't recall the exact circumstances, but I remember reading about oil from an oil line causing the spin.

Most of these independent small-time guys did not have professional pit crews, and a lot of times their crew consisted of friends or family members who could attend the race.  Tab had purchased the car from James Hylton, who was another independent owner/driver.  Hard to say how much real prep work that Tab or his crew had to do to the car, as it was the same car James had campaigned under #48.  Back then, it wasn't nearly as difficult to make the race if you had half-way decent equipment (and a race Daytona qualifies as halfway-decent equipment!).  There were probably about a dozen cars that were truly capable of winning the race, and the rest were essentially field-fillers. 

I know how this works.

A few years back I was on the crew of the # 1 Canadian Tire Chevrolet in the CASCAR series up here in Canada.  Getting ready for the big race at the Molson Indy in Toronto, with many reps from CTC there to witness us run for the checkered flag, the driver's brother / cousin (can't recall) didn't seat the drive shaft in properly and it spun out on the warm up laps.  Didn't even get a chance to start the race.   

[Ghoste]

That sucks.  Way, way, way better than dead obviously but it still sucks.

[69_500]

I'm still in awe of who is posting under 2 different IP addresses, and for what reason.

[Ghoste]

Well, it isn't me either.

[Highbanked Hauler]

id think id get it for being a daytona but restore it and sell it , im with ghost it would just creep me out that princes last moments on the earth were in this car-MATT

               Absolutely EVERYTHING on that car would be bent.The shock wave that went through that car would have been unbelievable.         Hold  a steel bar in one hand and hit the bar with a hammer and you get the idea of what an impact does. I've done crash work forever and anything can be fixed,it depends on how much money you want to spend and what you can get for parts.  Al

[Mike DC]

Owning that car would be in interesting question.

Off the cuff, it's easy to read this thread and say: "Well, I sure wouldn't want that thing.  Too creepy."

But then again, we're talking about a REAL VINTAGE NASCAR DAYTONA here.  One that raced.  One that was owned by miltiple recognizeable drivers.  One that (because of its history) might be selling for a lot less than the typical going rate for such things.  It's enough to make a person re-think the superstition and maybe reason with themselves that the car is still an interesting historical item worthy of care & preservation.

 

[Ghoste]

It's only partly superstition for me (and susperstition doens't seem tome the right word but I don't know what is).  The other question is what to do with it.  Restore it to as raced?  Restore it to as wrecked?  Leave it alone and undisturbed like the Titanic or something?  And then what?  Send it to Talladega for display with Wellborns collection?  Sell it at B-J?  Too many questions.  I won't lie, if it were cheap I'd buy it but it will never be on my must acquire at any price list.

[69_500]

I would just want it because it is a race Daytona. Nothing more nothing less. Then again I'd take any street version of a Daytona too.

[Ghoste]

So what would your preferred course of action be with that one?

[69_500]

Purchase it, and restore it to as race trim. I'd put it back the way it was at the start of the race.

[arrow]

Maybe Doug Schellenger will chime in on this - Im pretty sure this car was up for sale awhile back , but I cant remember the details

[Mike DC]

     
Smart money says it'll probably get restored back to "un-wrecked" condition as the Hyton car.  That would be more recognizeable/likeable and easier to minimize the connection to the fatal wreck.   

Although I wonder if it's more interesting as it was sitting wrecked.  Seriously, how many Daytonas that are unrestored and still essentially in 1970 race-day condition?  "Survivors" in the old-car hobby are as rare & interesting as anything else.  It's not like a lot of 1969/70-era NASCARS are still sitting around ignored and in original shape.

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But the death in the car can't be ignored.  I wouldn't put the car's hulk very high on my want-list. 

If I was in control of it, I might try to approach the family/survivors of Prince and see if they had any thoughts on the issue of the car.  Who knows?  Maybe they'd say they're sure he would have wanted it restored, or racing again, or if they'd rather see it preserved, etc.