7 monster Mopar race cars from the Todd Werner collection
The mother lode of Hemi-powered Mopar race cars is going up for sale at Mecum’s 2019 Harrisburg sale when the Todd Werner collection hits the auction block July 31–August 3.
Werner’s collection contains some of the most iconic muscle cars ever built, from all sorts of manufacturers, but for now we’ll focus on his 7 selections from his amazing collection of historic drag and NASCAR racers, which were used in competition by some of the most well-known figures in motorsports. Don’t bother stifling your drool—I’m working on a nice puddle here.
1971 Plymouth Road Runner
Estimate: $1M–$1.5M
This is the car that Richard Petty drove to the checkered flag in the 1971 Daytona 500. Petty would rack up 20 more wins that season and take his third NASCAR Championship with the 426-Hemi-powered car. We know a certain Mopar collector who’s fond of Dodge version of the 1971 B-body; perhaps he’ll be taking a close look at this wonderful example.
1970 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda
Estimate: $1.5M–$2M
The only Sox & Martin E-body with a factory Hemi VIN, this American Hot Rod Association champion also has a unique engine. Its 426 Hemi V-8 is topped with an experimental Chrysler intake manifold that has each port lead directly from the cylinder head to one of the throttle bores. Essentially it’s an individual runner intake despite the fact that it uses twin Holley Dominator four barrels. Driven by Ronnie Sox and Herb McCandless, this specimen is unique among high-end drag racing teams and is sure to draw lots of attention.
1964 Dodge 330
Estimate: $350,000–$400,000
With aluminum fenders, hood, scoop, doors, front bumper, and grille, and a trunk-mounted battery, Dodge gave its lightweight 330s all the help that it could to get it down the quarter-mile strip as quickly as possible. Not that the 426-cu-in Hemi V-8 with its aluminum cross-ram intake needed it. The 12.5:1 compression, solid-lifter race Hemi in this particular 330 was race-prepped and dyno tested by none other than Dick Landy and was raced in the 1964 and ’65 seasons. It has since been restored to its as-purchased condition to represent the best in early 426 Hemi performance from the factory.
1970 Plymouth Superbird
Call for estimate
Plymouth built the winged and streamlined Superbird with the express purpose of winning Richard Petty back from rival Ford. It worked. In his long, championship-filled NASCAR career, perhaps no single car is more associated with the King than the Petty-blue wing car that he used in the 1970 season. Although Petty didn’t win the championship in 1970, he did claim 18 victories, nearly half of the 40 races he competed in that season. This car was restored by Petty Enterprises, and the engine was rebuilt by long-time crew chief Maurice Petty and his son Timmy.
1965 Plymouth Belvedere
Estimate: $800,000–$1,000,000
In wonderful red, white, and blue livery, this drag-strip beauty is the only surviving altered wheelbase car from Sox & Martin’s 1965 fleet and the earliest surviving Sox & Martin factory Hemi car. It’s equipped with mechanical fuel injection, headers, Keystone Klassic wheels, and four-speed manual transmission—as if Ronnie Sox would have it any other way.
1964 Dodge 330
Estimate: $400,000–$600,000
Dick Landy was a match-racing legend and the father of altered wheelbase cars. This 1964 330 was among the earliest Hemi cars produced, and Landy used it to capture the 426 Hemi’s first drag race win at a sanctioned event by claiming victory in the A/Modified Production class at the Hot Rod Magazine race in Riverside on June 12, 1964. Soon after, Landy swapped in a Dodge van’s solid front axle, moving the front wheels forward in the process. Moving the rear wheels up to match created what would be known as the world’s first funny car, months before the factory altered wheelbase cars were built. A hallmark of ’60s innovation, this car is a significant piece of drag racing history.
1968 Dodge Dart Super Stock
Estimate: $800,000–$1,000,000
Only around 80 1968 Dodge Darts were equipped with 426 Hemi engines, each with drag racing in mind. This example is one of two used by Dick Landy as part of his factory-backed drag racing and performance clinics and the only one with a four-speed transmission. Campaigned form 1968–70 in various livery and trim, it has been restored to match its appearance in 1968–69.
Hello, my name is Jeff Haggard. I have a car here that is special to the current owner, multiple families, and my current business. Which is named around the owner and build. This car has all but supported my business up to now. All that being said, my friend and customer has had a lot of health issues for many months now and this car is time sensitive, only God knows how sensitive. I have been contacted today and have been told he needs to sell it. This car is a 1966 charger that is well on the way to being sculpted differently than any I have been able to find online, television , or in magazines as well as word of mouth. That was the point. It has been formulated around a piece of Mopar drag racing history. (Documentation can be provided) Names like Don Perdome and Dave Zeushel are attached to it. The car has many features that make it desirable from many platforms in my opinion. I was told near the beginning of this build this magazine was contacted along with a few others. This is just a brief description conducive for an email. The reason for it is that I would like to be able to see this build through and have my name and business attached to it, however I have to consider that his family may sell it before I get the word out that it is for sale. I need help in some way if possible. I cannot absorb the cost of the profile build this car will be, but it is the reason I started this business, and my family somewhat depends on its completion. Since my friend has been sick, we have taken on another project to make ends meet, however we still feel the loss of income this build provided. I know this is not what your magazine is out there to do, but I thought who could better reach out to Mopar enthusiasts the fastest. Please pray about how you may be able to help our families. (Employees as well.) If you can email me back or contact me by phone, I’d love to talk more about the details of what I have here. no way you can get the scope of it by this email, but I do not think anyone out there has accomplished what we have with this one. That was the whole idea. It would be so nice to find someone to help me pick up where my friend is leaving off. Please reach out if you can for tons more detail, I think I can open your mind with. My land line number is 865-253-7440. I hope this finds you well this evening or morning whichever the case may be. God Bless.