Factory Lightweights - Dave Stricklers 1965 Dodge AWB

This is the famous “Dave Strickler” car that set drag strips on fire in 1965 with unforgettable performances at the York US30 Super Stock Nationals and 16 AHRA F/X victories. Along with eleven other factory-commissioned Mopar “altereds,” Strickler’s car created the term “Funny Car” when they were first introduced to the press in early ’65.

Fabricated to Chrysler’s blueprints by Amblewagon, a custom coach builder in Detroit, the first obvious feature was the radically altered wheelbase. Rear axles moved forward 15", front wheels forward by 10". The result was over 52% of the weight shifted to the rear wheels for dramatically improved traction. The bodies were acid dipped for weight reduction, and fiberglass components and gutted interiors further contributed. Though quickly outlawed by NHRA as being too radical, Strickler, Dick Landy, Bud Faubel, and the Ramchargers became a sensation and pulled in capacity crowds wherever they raced.

Highlights of the Dave Strickler car:

One of only five remaining of the original twelve Mopar factory altereds. Six Dodges and six Plymouths were constructed at Dick Branstner’s Amblewagon shop near Detroit. These radical vehicles spawned the term “Funny Car.”
Though built with the Race Hemi cross-ram intake, Strickler and crew chief Bill Stiles converted to Hilborn injectors only weeks after delivery. The four-speed cars ran short stacks while the automatics utilized taller versions that extended through the hood.
One of the most successful and recognized names in drag racing history, “Strick” and his Hemi Dodge won throughout the U.S. against the biggest names in the sport.
This car was on special display at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Detroit from 1999 until 2007.
Documentation includes authentic Chrysler paperwork, Dave Strickler’s original Pennsylvania title, and photographic history from day one.
Painstakingly restored by “Hemi Eddie” Strzelecki using all available original components along with NOS parts and faithfully replicated fabrication.

Price on Request