Best of Show Automotive
7700 Tyler BoulevardMentor Museum of Speed, Mentor, OH, 44060, US
Phone : 440-350-1480
Email : joseph.carroll@bestofshowautomotive.com Mind Bending 1965 Plymouth Belvedere A F/X 472 HEMI!

In the mid-1960s, Chrysler needed to keep its edge. Unable to squeeze the fat Hemi into the early A-body cars, the B-body was the only choice. So with a handful of standard Super Stock race cars in hand, Chrysler engineers set out to raise the bar even further by building not only a much lighter car, but also one that would provide vastly improved traction with the front and rear wheel positions moved ahead several inches. These single-purpose cars became known as altered wheelbase A/Factory Experimentals (A/FX) and were a hit for their power and performance, while also gaining notoriety for their unique appearance. Almost immediately, these funny-looking, altered-wheelbase cars became the first "Funny Cars," and, thus, the term began.

The AWB cars evolved quickly to fuel injection, nitro, and blowers, all within a short two-year period. By 1968, tube chassis cars with flopper bodies retired the AWB cars to history, but those who witnessed these cars in action will never forget them.

This 1965 Plymouth Belvedere is a one-of-a-kind recreation of the world's first funny car, the "Ramchargers" A/FX. Built by Richard Lefebvre AKA "Mr. Rich The Performance King," it is part of a growing movement known as Match Bash. Match Bashers are essentially Hemi Super Stock clone cars that have been sent to the funny farm for altered-wheelbase surgery. They're streetable, but pack serious Hemi power and are loaded with period-correct details. They're not clones, copies, counterfeits, or moldy nostalgia acts. They're simply respectful tributes to early factory and independent funny car match race heroes from every camp: Ronnie Sox, Doc Burgess, Melvin Yow, Dick Landy, Lee Smith, Cecil Yother, Dick Brannan, Don Nicholson, Russell James Liberman, Pete Seaton, and countless others who introduced drag race spectators to the wild spectacle of "ordinary" family cars packing insane power in an escalating arms race that culminated in the modern, four-second, Top Fuel funny car (many of which are still Hemi-powered, by the way).

This Belvedere was built from original A/FX plans and dimensions, and every detail is period correct. Instead of ill-fitting fiberglass panels, however, this car is 100% steel, and even in black, all those body mods are invisible and flawlessly executed. Front and rear fenders were modified, with the wheel openings moved forward ten inches in front, and fifteen inches in back, but you would never know that it was cut apart and spliced back together like a giant jigsaw puzzle by looking at it today. After all, that's how the factory boys at the top-secret AmbleWagon A/FX conversion shop did the real ones back in 1965 before their revolutionary Beeline Dragway debut party. An original Coronet grille was modified to accept a vintage 3-gallon Moon tank, as external tanks like this appeared as the factory A/FX teams began playing with nitro mixtures. It's a critical part of the Match Bash look.
Of course, you can't miss those eight velocity stacks sticking out of the hood, doing their very best impersonation of a vintage Hilborn injection system.

Underneath, you'll find a monstrous 472 cubic-inch 1965 Hemi block and heads running 10.5:1 compression, a solid roller camshaft, and modern EFI that only looks antique. Match Bash happily embraces modern electronic fuel injection, as long as it is subtle and hides in plain sight. In fact, the only other "correct" choices are Holleys on a factory-style cross-ram (to replicate early stage, NHRA-obedient, legal '65 FX cars) or a 6-71 supercharger (used later on the all-out '66-'67 match-racing circuit). On the dyno, this elephant cranked out 671 horsepower, yet thanks to that modern electronic fuel injection system, it remains docile and totally streetable. Drive it to the track, click off some 10-second runs, drive it home. Is there anything better?

The engine is delivered to the relocated rear axle via a built HD 727 TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic with column shift and a reverse manual valve body. A custom-built driveshaft with heavy-duty yokes and U-joints powers the narrowed Dana 60 rear packing 4.56 gears and built by Dutchman Motorsports. It all hangs on a set of relocated leaf springs augmented by a set of adjustable air shocks so you can fine-tune the suspension to track conditions. The tires are 29x11.50-15 Hoosier Quick Time Pros hugging a set of 10-inch steel wheels.

Up front, there are two period-correct ways to get the 10-inch forward push dialed into the suspension: torsion bars or a straight axle. Extra-long torsion bars and relocated K-members and control arms were part of the factory '65 A/FX hardtop recipe, though in 1964, Dodge released a factory bulletin detailing the installation of narrowed Dodge A100 van axles for NHRA acceptance in Factory Experimental. The conversion of Dick Landy's '64 Hemi sedan to a straight axle was documented in several high-profile magazines of the day, and the restored car still exists, beam axle and all, in the collection of noted Mopar collector Pete Haldiman. This particular Belvedere runs a straight axle with period-looking aluminum skinnies sporting 7.75-15 4-ply BFGoodrich Silvertown bias-ply tires for a real '60s look.

Inside, there's a complete A990 Super Stock interior by Gary Ball that closely replicates what you would have received if you had ordered one of these cars back in '65. It's bare-bones, no doubt about it, but the detailing is authentic and execution is first rate. The gauge cluster and original steering wheel have been fully restored, there are three auxiliary gauges hanging under the dash for keeping an eye on that big Hemi under the hood, and a period-correct Mooneyes tach sits on top of the dash. In the glove box, you'll find the controls for the modern SDS EFI system, including an air/fuel monitor. But when you're sitting behind the wheel, it's awfully easy to imagine you're back in 1965 again.

Match Bash is all about that vintage vibe, and this car has it in spades. Like the original A/FX cars, their primary mission is to go fast and everything else is secondary. That's why the modern EFI is here—it makes the car work better without detracting from its mission. Wherever possible, period parts and techniques were used to duplicate the feel of the '60s when cars like this were tearing up tracks all over the country. Today, you can drive this car anywhere with confidence, rip off low-10-second passes, and draw a crowd anywhere you go with the wild yet accurate "funny car" look. Someone spent more than $100,000 building this car, and it might be one of the nicest examples of Match Bash available anywhere in the world. Put it in your garage today and feel the history come alive.

FACTS & FIGURES Year:1965 Mileage:86995 VIN: Transmission Type:Automatic Type of Vehicle Title:Clear Number of Cylinders:8 Primary Color:Black Interior Color:Gold About this auction & Best of Show Automotive

Convinced that collector car values are plummeting? Don't be fooled! While the value of mediocre cars has been steadily sliding with the economy over the past two years, the value of incredible cars has stayed level and, is rising. In times of economic uncertainty, capital flows to the highest quality assets which contain the least amount of risk and the classic car market is no exception. The lesson is simple: buy the very best you can find!

Please note that all sales are binding and final. Our cars are sold "as-is" with no warranty expressed or implied. Please carefully read the terms & conditions of the sale before bidding. Winning this auction does not entitle you to come inspect the car and decide if you want to buy it, but obligates you to complete the purchase! A $1000.00 deposit via PayPal is due within 24 hours of the auction close ... NO EXCEPTIONS.

We do not release our reserve prices, as this would be unfair to the other bidders, so please don't ask!

Note that our cars are on display in our showroom in Mentor, Ohio, in national print advertisements, listed for sale on our website, and listed for sale in multiple, nationally known, online dealer showrooms at all times. Since our cars are for sale in a number of other mediums, we reserve the right to cancel the auction at any time.

Best of Show Automotive sells approximately 40 cars each and every month to collectors worldwide. Each and every one of these cars is listed on Ebay, but only one sale, on average per month, actually occurs on Ebay. Accordingly, if you see a car you like, don't wait! Call us! When you see it disappear, it means that it sold to someone who saw it somewhere else. Lastly, note that we do not change our pricing on any car based on Ebay auction activity. Ebay is a wholesale marketing platform, which we use primarily for marketing purposes.

If you have ZERO feedback on Ebay, please call or email us to request our authority to bid on our vehicles. And, for you con-men and women out there, while you may think it's cute to create a user account and click the Buy It Now on a high dollar car you can't afford, note that we will track you down and we will recoup our costs for fraudulent bidding activity.

This car can be inspected at our 60,000 square foot office complex and showroom facility, operated as the Mentor Museum of Speed, located at 7700 Tyler Boulevard, in Mentor, Ohio, six days per week. Museum hours are 10 am to 5 pm daily, Monday through Friday, and 10 am to 4 pm Saturdays. You may stop in at any time during museum hours to view our collection. If you would like to make a sales appointment (and avoid paying the ten buck admission fee), we would be happy to schedule a personal appointment with you. To do so, contact Joseph Carroll below. For those of you who need to fly in, we can provide transportation to and from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. We can also provide accommodations within walking distance of our facility.

We can transport your new vehicle to you in one of our enclosed car haulers. Cost depends on mileage and location. Our Transportation Manager, Ron Meek, stands ready to help you with your transport needs. For a quote, call Ron at: (440)350-1480. Ron's direct email address is: class="wmatterbold">For those international buyers, note that we've shipped cars to collectors and classic car fans world-wide for years. You can feel confident in our representations, and post-sale service. Our Transportation Manager, Ron Meek, stands ready to help your transport & shipping needs.

A common question we receive is: "do you accept trades"? We do accept trades, but will only consider #1 or #2 condition vehicles. If you would like us to review a trade, please send detailed pictures of the entire car, including the underside. Also send a detailed description which includes all specifications, facts, figures, history and documentation present with the car. Lastly, give us a clear idea of what you are seeking in trade value. Email information on your trade directly to Joseph Carroll. Joe's email address is: class="wmatterbold">Best of Show Automotive, LLC has a valid Ohio Used Car Dealer's License. Our showroom, located at 7700 Tyler Boulevard, in Mentor, Ohio, is open to the public from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturdays, with viewing by appointment only Monday through Friday. We 100-140 incredible cars on display, and there's always something new. Feel free to stop in and meet our staff, and, more importantly, see the Greatest Showroom on Earth! Each and every one of our 25 member staff is an absolute car nut and we do this because we love cars!

In addition to our main showroom in Mentor, Ohio, we own two secondary facilities, including a restoration mechanical/assembly facility and a restoration body/paint shop. We perform complete restorations for classic car fans around the globe. Best of Show car have won numerous national weekends and our cars won their classes at both the 2009 Mopar Nationals and 2009 Pontiac Nationals. We own all of our facilities and have a significant investment in our business. We stand behind our work and value long-term relationships with our customers! For information on your restoration project, our Restoration Manager, Tim Wilhelm, can be reached at: (440)354-3279. Tim's direct email address is: class="wmatterbold">Do you want your car customized? New wheels? Air conditioning? We have a full service shop staffed with veterans who have been there and done that …we can give you what you want! For a quote on customizing or add-on products, contact our Inventory Manager, Doug Croxford, at: (440)350-1480. Doug's direct email address is: class="wmatterbold">Check out our feedback from other customers who have purchased cars from us in the past. Here's what some of customers have to say: We pride ourselves on describing our cars accurately, and, our cars really do look better in person than in the pictures! Bid with confidence!

For general information, call us at: (440)350-1480. You can send an email directly to our President, Joseph Carroll, at: Joseph M. Carroll
President/Sales/Purchasing

5782 Heisley Road
Mentor, OH, 44060

Best of Show Automotive, LLC
Phone : (440)350-1480 Fax : (440)350-1638 Mobile : (440)313-8091 /> www.bestofshowautomotive.com Greg Chismar
Transportation Manager

7700 Tyler Boulevard
Mentor, OH, 44060

Best of Show Automotive, LLC
Phone : 440-350-1480 Fax : 440-350-1336 Mobile : 440-840-4081 /> www.bestofshowautomotive.com Tim Wilhelm
Restoration Manager

5782 Heisley Rd.
Mentor, OH, 44060

Best of Show Automotive, LLC
Phone : 440-354-3279 tim.wilhelm@bestofshowautomotive.com
www.bestofshowautomotive.com G. K. Kerr
Vice President of Sales

7700 Tyler Boulevard
Mentor, OH, 44060

Best of Show Automotive, LLC
Phone : 440-350-1480 Fax : 440-350-1336 Mobile : 440-413-5149 george.kerr@bestofshowautomotive.com
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