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Re: Official Joe Pappas Q & A Thread. **Joe's Da' MAN
[Re: Mopar Missile JP]
#160729
01/13/09 10:30 PM
01/13/09 10:30 PM
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 12,129
Cleveland
sunroofgtx
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 12,129
Cleveland
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Joe, words cannot express the loss this community has just undergone. He truly was an ambassador of good will and spirit. He , I think, was one of the driving forces around Moparts lately. His kindness, charisma, thoughtfullness and great attitude seemed to be really catching on around here. My thoughts and heart go out to Michelle , Sierra, his nephew and close friends and family . I am deeply saddened. He seemed to really spark a lot memories for "the older folk" around here.  Meaning, guys with stories of the good ol' days.. I think Fred and you, Joe, got to be especially close to him. I'm very sorry. Rick G
Join the quickest team in motorsports. Team FireCore. CustomWiresets.com
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Re: Official Joe Pappas Q & A Thread. **Joe's Da' MAN
[Re: Mopar Missile JP]
#160730
01/13/09 10:35 PM
01/13/09 10:35 PM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,031
Raleigh N.C
hemiparts
"Missile Pilot"
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"Missile Pilot"
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,031
Raleigh N.C
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Quote:
I just got word that Kevin Christner passed away last night. It was Kevin who put this thread together and got it up and running. Words do not express how I feel. We have lost probably one of the most enthusiastic Mopar guys that I have run across in a long time. He wanted more than anything to see his MOTOWN MISSILE run down the track vs Hemi Fred and put on a show for all his fellow Mopar friends. Godspeed Kevin, Godspeed.
Joe Pappas
  
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Re: Official Joe Pappas Q & A Thread. **Joe's Da' MAN
[Re: sunroofgtx]
#160731
01/13/09 10:49 PM
01/13/09 10:49 PM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 67
Howell, MI
Mopar Missile JP
Back To The 70s With J.P.
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Back To The 70s With J.P.
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 67
Howell, MI
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Quote:
Joe, words cannot express the loss this community has just undergone. He truly was an ambassador of good will and spirit. He , I think, was one of the driving forces around Moparts lately. His kindness, charisma, thoughtfullness and great attitude seemed to be really catching on around here. My thoughts and heart go out to Michelle , Sierra, his nephew and close friends and family . I am deeply saddened.
He seemed to really spark a lot memories for "the older folk" around here. Meaning, guys with stories of the good ol' days.. I think Fred and you, Joe, got to be especially close to him. I'm very sorry. Rick G
Rick,
If it wasn't for Kevin's boundless curiosity about all the history and stories, I probably would have never taken the step to pass on the "old" stories and experiences to the Moparts members. Kevin will always be part of this thread - he was it's inspiration.
Joe Pappas
Joe Pappas
MOPAR MISSILE
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Re: Official Joe Pappas Q & A Thread. **Kev's DaMan
[Re: Mopar Missile JP]
#160733
01/14/09 02:12 AM
01/14/09 02:12 AM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,031
Raleigh N.C
hemiparts
"Missile Pilot"
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"Missile Pilot"
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,031
Raleigh N.C
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Joe, As hard as it is for me to write this it also give me a little comfort to share a few "Kevin Moments" I remember one afternoon Kevin called me on the phone, he was so excited he could hardley talk. "Joe Pappas has joined MOPARTS" he screamed. I'll bet in the 5+months I knew him we burnt up 1/2 a million cell phone minutes and at least that many e-mails.He savored every tidbit of information or picture he could find of the "Old Missile Days" as he called them. Another phone call came in 1 afternoon " Joe Pappas wants to Drive the Missile" ( he was beside himself and talked abouth it for days) when he told me that I would be sharing the seat of the Missile with you have I have to admit I was in awe myself @ the possible chance to get to meet you in person. Kevin loved that car and all the history it held, maybe somewhere down the road our paths will cross and I'll get to meet " Joe Pappas" and maybe you and I can set down and swap "Kevin Stories". Chris
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Re: Official Joe Pappas Q & A Thread. **Kev's DaMan
[Re: hemiparts]
#160734
01/14/09 08:55 AM
01/14/09 08:55 AM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,607
KYbywayof WV
Frito
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,607
KYbywayof WV
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I found this thread only last month. After only a couple of post I got a PM from Kevin. He had noticed in my profile I lived in KY and ask where? Believe it or not, he was born and raised only a few miles from me in Ironton, Ohio. He was a lot younger (43) but we knew some of the same people and I even knew one of his high school teachers. He was VERY curious as to the old Super Stock mopars I had owned or been involed with. He was going to help me find some history of X pro stock Duster we had in the early seventys. It had came out of the Carolinas and was lettered in gold lead as Starduster on the quarter panels. So much on the rambling, I would just like to say it was a pleasure in the very short time I had spoken with Kevin that I can say he was a friend and I will miss him>
Last edited by Frito; 01/14/09 08:55 AM.
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Re: Official Joe Pappas Q & A Thread. **Joe's Da' MAN
[Re: Mopar Missile JP]
#160736
01/16/09 07:01 PM
01/16/09 07:01 PM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 67
Howell, MI
Mopar Missile JP
Back To The 70s With J.P.
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Back To The 70s With J.P.
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 67
Howell, MI
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I know that Kevin Christner would want this thread to continue. He was instrumental in getting it going and out of respect for him, his efforts, and his enthusiasm - I will do so. He had asked me to try to get Dick Oldfield involved as well. I had spoken with Dick briefly about that a few weeks ago without a real yes or no but rest assured that if I cannot answer one of your questions - I know that Dick will help me out. I speak with him quite often (he's retired and I still work so I fund his Social Secruity...he owes me)so we can get answers.
I will be in Melbourne Florida next weekend at the MOPAR SWAP MEET and will once again lay my hands on the MOPAR MISSILE Duster that was driven by Don Carlton during our pretty successful 1973 Season. It is currently owned by Ben Donhoff who I believe lives somewhere in Florida. Between myself and Stewart Pomeroy, we plan on taking a lot of photos to document the current status of the car and hopefully we can find a way to share some of those with you.
Joe Pappas
MOPAR MISSILE
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Re: Official Joe Pappas Q & A Thread. **Joe's Da' MAN
[Re: Mopar Missile JP]
#160737
01/16/09 11:05 PM
01/16/09 11:05 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,168
Wichita Kansas
B Dartman
master
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master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,168
Wichita Kansas
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Joe, When looking at the pictures of the Missle with the data collector, wheel speed sensors, airflow evaluation (strings), etc.. did the competition know the degree of testing that was going on and do you know if the competition was also testing to the same degree. When I first saw the pictures a year or two ago, I was in awe at the amount of information being gathered for the era. Bill 
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Re: Official Joe Pappas Q & A Thread. **Joe's Da' MAN
[Re: Mopar Missile JP]
#160738
01/16/09 11:31 PM
01/16/09 11:31 PM
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,102
Melbourne, Florida
Florida_70Bee
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,102
Melbourne, Florida
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Quote:
I know that Kevin Christner would want this thread to continue. He was instrumental in getting it going and out of respect for him, his efforts, and his enthusiasm - I will do so. He had asked me to try to get Dick Oldfield involved as well. I had spoken with Dick briefly about that a few weeks ago without a real yes or no but rest assured that if I cannot answer one of your questions - I know that Dick will help me out. I speak with him quite often (he's retired and I still work so I fund his Social Secruity...he owes me)so we can get answers.
I will be in Melbourne Florida next weekend at the MOPAR SWAP MEET and will once again lay my hands on the MOPAR MISSILE Duster that was driven by Don Carlton during our pretty successful 1973 Season. It is currently owned by Ben Donhoff who I believe lives somewhere in Florida. Between myself and Stewart Pomeroy, we plan on taking a lot of photos to document the current status of the car and hopefully we can find a way to share some of those with you.
Joe,
I am the chairman of Mopar Super Swap X. It is honor and privilege to have both you and Stewart come to our clubs swap meet next weekend, and hopefully share some great stories about Don Carlton and the Missile program.
Ben Donhoff is a friend of mine and lives in Melbourne. I think it is great that Ben will be bringing the Missile out to share with everyone. I hope I get to meet and thank you and Stewart personally for coming to our meet.
I never got to meet Kevin (I was hoping to at the meet) but I know you along with many of us are hurting with his loss. I hope next weekend will spark the "Mopar Enthusiam" in all of us that Kevin seemed most famous for. I know he seemed to bring alot of his enthusiam to many topics here on this board and it was much appreciated.
If you need anything let me know!
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Re: Official Joe Pappas Q & A Thread. **Joe's Da' MAN
[Re: B Dartman]
#160739
01/17/09 12:53 PM
01/17/09 12:53 PM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 67
Howell, MI
Mopar Missile JP
Back To The 70s With J.P.
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Back To The 70s With J.P.
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 67
Howell, MI
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Quote:
Joe,
When looking at the pictures of the Missle with the data collector, wheel speed sensors, airflow evaluation (strings), etc.. did the competition know the degree of testing that was going on and do you know if the competition was also testing to the same degree. When I first saw the pictures a year or two ago, I was in awe at the amount of information being gathered for the era.
Bill
Bill,
I am sure the competition knew full well that the Missile car was the factory test car from Chrysler. There was never any doubt about that. At a great number of the races we attended we were joined by Tom Hoover, Tom Coddington, Al Adam, Ron Killen, and John Baumann. It didn't take much to put two and two together... In the PS community, the secrets were few and far between - but we all managed to keep a few things close to the vest.
The Ford and GM teams all worked very hard to find an edge just like us but I think that their drag race programs were not as sophisticated, staffed, funded, or organized as was the Chrysler program.
That does not mean they did not exist, rather they existed on a different level. I know for a fact that Ford did wind tunnel testing at the Dearborn wind tunnels for the race teams back in the 60's and 70's. I had friends working there. The cars came in on the night shifts so as not to disrupt normal production development work. Also, I used to sit with a friend of mine from Dearborn on top of some schoolyard playground equipment at the elementary school located a the corner of Oakwood and Rotunda in Dearborn watching drag cars and road race cars go through their paces on the Dearborn Test Track.
Chrysler did limited wind tunnel work - mostly with NASCAR teams at Lockheed in GA and you saw how we did the poor man's version with our yarn tufts and documented our tests through photos. We later analyzed the photos and decisions as to the effectiveness of a change would be made.
Joe Pappas
MOPAR MISSILE
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Re: Official Joe Pappas Q & A Thread. **Joe's Da' MAN
[Re: StewartP]
#160744
01/25/09 02:44 PM
01/25/09 02:44 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,329
NC
DCM71cuda
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,329
NC
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Quote:
I am sure that Gary co-authored a SAE paper back in those days outlining the aerodynamic properties of the Daytona and Superbird based on his wind tunnel work. Rathgeb gave me a copy of it some years ago and it makes for some very interesting reading.
There was a paper published on this. I had a copy of it floating around a few years ago. I was very interesting and detailed some of the aerodynamic details of the car. I think the paper was written specifically about the Daytona.
I think the authors were Marcell and Romberg.
A few minutes w/ SAE..... SAE 700036
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Re: Official Joe Pappas Q & A Thread. **Joe's Da' MAN
[Re: B Dartman]
#160748
01/25/09 10:34 PM
01/25/09 10:34 PM
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,031
Florida
StewartP
Mopar Vintage Picture Guy
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Mopar Vintage Picture Guy
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,031
Florida
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