anyone recognize this #6 Daytona - Not Buddy Baker's

[69_500]

Putting it all together, gathering stories, photographs, connecting the dots.   Hope to see the last guy that owned it in a few weeks to see if he remembers who put the latest skin on it.   On the other end, trying to find the first driver-owner, after it came out of Nichels shop in 1968.

Hope to have it all the history together in Feb. 

So I am hoping that the current owner of the car is planning to take it back to the Daytona skin?

[odcics2]

Possibly...  would have to find a complete race Daytona front end, rear plug, plexiglass rear window, and a race wing.

[Redbird]

Correct me if I am wrong, but were not the sheetmetal parts of race Daytona and race Superbird front ends converted from factory pieces? As has been shown the race Superbird front fenders were supplied w/o the interior front piece and braces. Were not the nose cones converted from the street pieces too? As shown on the Petty cars, at least the Petty cars had fabricated cone bracing. There seem to be sources of pictures for reference on cone supports. I get that the valance panels may have been custom fabricated.

It would seem that if someone were going to fabricate a race front end it would be fairly straightforward, especially compared to getting the frame and cage of the old race car straightened out.

Back window plug, it seems like folks have figured out how to build a repo plug.

[odcics2]

Correct me if I am wrong, but were not the sheetmetal parts of race Daytona and race Superbird front ends converted from factory pieces? As has been shown the race Superbird front fenders were supplied w/o the interior front piece and braces. Were not the nose cones converted from the street pieces too? As shown on the Petty cars, at least the Petty cars had fabricated cone bracing. There seem to be sources of pictures for reference on cone supports. I get that the valance panels may have been custom fabricated.

It would seem that if someone were going to fabricate a race front end it would be fairly straightforward, especially compared to getting the frame and cage of the old race car straightened out.

Back window plug, it seems like folks have figured out how to build a repo plug.

In my opinion, there are two ways to do it: Correct, vintage parts or reproduced/modified 70 parts.     
   
The front rails, cage, floor pans, rear rails of this race car are fine, all things considered.  Just have to add some wheelbase back in!

Some Daytonas used street cones, some were 'race' w/o headlight doors punched out from the factory.
Hoods used were real Daytona hoods, not just a chopped up 70 Charger hood, in most cases.
Most had real Daytona fenders, again, not cobbled from '70 fenders.
I have found out that the updated parts were all bought from Nichels Engineering, when the car was updated
to the "#6". Considering this was done in the summer of 1971, it's very possible the parts came from another car
that was converted back into a regular "70" Charger for the Nascar circuit. Think the Bobby Allison Charger, for an example.
Or, it was stock that Ray had in the loft.   
 

[Redbird]

Thanks Greg!

I would guess if someone were to consider doing this project, at best they would come out even cash wise-if they counted the labor to build it and searching time at $0.

It is never going to be the car that won the Daytona 500, or the other blue car that was in the garage next to it. Or the car that sat at the 1970 and 1971 auto shows. My guess is that it will always be kind of a second tier car in terms of historic value, and the amount of $ someone would put in it would reflect that. If it got restored, all the sheet metal behind the firewall back would probably have to come from a 318 or 383 Charger shell. Would it be better or worse than the Marcus car redone in the 1970's, I don't know?

It seems from past history that a race wing is findable.

It would be a cool car one way or another.

[odcics2]

Still waiting for the 1970 Daytona 500 car to be found!   

Yes - need to find a 318 Charger for the roof, doors, 1/4 panels and back end. 

[odcics2]

 Been finding a dark red or maybe burgundy paint in the interior of the #6 Bettenhausen car.
Anyone know of a 68 Charger with that color interior on any circle track circuit??

By looking at the car closely, it appears to have been a Nichels built 68 Charger short track car.
Who had it first, before Darnell, is the question. Bay got it in 1970, after his Coronet crashed and burnt.
So, it was already a 2 year old car...   

[wingcar builder]

Well, here is the rest of my theory on this Chassis. I'll have to Call Joe and ask him again about the time frame.but couple years ago he told me on the way back from Riverside he left his Charger at Nichels to have it made into a Daytona. he said when he got back his old car was sitting there and his #18 was sitting there all ready to go. a whole new chassis. Like I said let me double check the time frame. it could be the chassis being the color Joe run back before the Daytona.

[odcics2]

With the weather getting better, I'll take off some of the Aspen body and check out the original outer rockers, by the lower cage. That should help identify things by colors.