Learning while I reading whith my coffee this morning (I stayed up til 1 reading this and Engel's 'complete book of stock-bodied drag racing).
What I surmise is in early 64 only mw stIII were available to the thinned heard of ss racers as many moved up to afx cars.
The hemi came out in february 64.
Rhonda and Leal chased the Hot Rod series and Rhonda ultimately was the points leader and won a Barracuda.
As the 64 season wore on lightweight hemi mopars turned the tide on the thunderbolts.
A speculative question here: What happened in the void of the approval of hemis for racing and the production of factory hemi cars?
My guess is that chrysler did not have a line-up of cars in the back lot, but did have crated motors available to quickly retrofit into the existing fleet already in the racers hands.
I don't have any of DD's books, are the production dates of the earliest 64 hemis available?
Were the earliest race hemis sold only with a bill of sale (not for street use?).
P>S> In the book i refrenced above ramchargers 980 car is pictured as well as mayflower V, both sedans.