First Registered Hot Rod with Chrysler HEMI Engine

[The Hemi Guy]

Hi All

Looking to determine who in Australia had the first HEMI powered Hot rod with a Chrysler HEMI V8 engine ?

Any thoughts ?

Kind regards

- Rob

[HOT ROD FRED]

Probably not the first,but the first I can remember personally seeing was Tony Hunt's Dodge pickup in 1975 (reg;IKZ 301).Came from Bayswater,Vic

[The Hemi Guy]

Thanks Fred

Much appreciated.

I reckon Graham Bush's black T bucket with a 354 HEMI may have been one of the first or a red T-bucket built by a guy ( Surname MacDonald ?) in Victoria (with an injected 392 HEMI). I think he still has the car but he has fitted a Generation 3 HEMI in it now.

These cars may have been built earlier than 1975.

We will find out eventually from someone !

Kind regards
- Rob

[Oldcol]

....the T you're thinking of was originally built by Gary Teitz and it was up and running in 1971, but I don't know how long prior to that it was actually built. It got bent some time later and Bruce McDonald bought it and eventually got it back on the road in full fendered style , it never looked as good as when Gary had it .

[Outback]

Any pics Col?

[Oldcol]

No Glenn, the only time I ever saw it when it was owned by Gary was at the scrutineering for the '72 2 State run to Mt Gambier ( which would have been late '71)....and I wasn't quick enough with the camera.....

[Extreme E]

Bob Dillon's 40 van "Coyote" had a Dodge red ram hemi in it when it came to WA in about 1975, from NSW.
Not sure when it was built. I recall it was featured in an old aussie magazine either AHR or AHRR back then.
It must have been one of the first hemis in an aussie hot rod.
EE

[Carps]

Any pics Col?

Sorry I'm not Col, but I did found this when packing some old stuff today, it is the t of which the old codger spoke and the photo was taken waaaay back whenever it was Col said the car was first set loose at the hands of Gary T. I probably have more but I'm trying to pack my house up and I seem to be wasting way too much time saying, "Geez, I forgot I had that….." and then reading old forgotten magazines from cover to cover, or looking through piles of equally old photos and negatives etc.

[Oldcol]

You've done well "founding"that shot, Young Carps ....'zactly how I remembered it

[rx4ord]

Do you know the 'zakt whereabouts of it now Col?
Does it still exist in some form or 'tother ?

Dave

[Oldcol]

It's still here in Melbourne, owned since the 70's by the same person,Bruce McDonald...no rello to THE McD bros....tho he does have a bro,Alan,who for a long time had Doug Carters '32 Fordor.

[35coupe]

Col, do you know if Bruce has maintained it? A Very nice ride.

Did his brother own my Dad's coupe?

[Carps]

You've done well "founding"that shot, Young Carps ....'zactly how I remembered it

No Glenn, the only time I ever saw it when it was owned by Gary was at the scrutineering for the '72 2 State run to Mt Gambier ( which would have been late '71)....and I wasn't quick enough with the camera.....

Just as well you finally got some glasses then, coz on the day I shot the picture shown there was a purple '39 Ford Fordoor parked only three cars away, or maybe the driver of that car couldn't see the T through his 'cousin it' style hair do?

[Oldcol]

...nope, I knew it was there,just didn't have the camera around my neck like you

....and Brett,yes,same Alan Mc Donald . His brother rebuilt the T into a full fendered car, not to my taste but it ain't my car so it doesn't matter.....looked far tougher in it's original format tho.

[HOT ROD FRED]

If that's now red,I've seen it at the Knox Cruise Night a couple of times in the last 2/3 years.There was a small thread on here a few years back that I think was put up by his son