My Canadian export T/A has a real unique story to tell,
with the most current update March 07 I'm able to put together dates from all sources to account for it history back to
1973.
Built April 15 1970 at the Hamtramck Assembly plant in Detroit,
Michigan she was exported to Westend Chrysler Dodge of Fort Frances,
Ontario Canada. I'm not sure when she was sold for the first time I
assume sometime in 1970.
UP-DATE (Mar 2007): Robin D. from Canada reports seeing the car on the
used car lot sometime in October or November of 1973 at Westport
Chrysler Plymouth of Winnipeg, MB Canada. He recalls the car being in
"Mint" condition and said the only reason he did not buy her was "it did not have
bucket seats and/or a console shift an absolute must for me back then as I was 18 and had to be
cool." Robin recalls the price being around $2495.
I received an e-mail from Greg Shaak,
he is a good friend of one of the owners.
From his information we assume that the T/A was sold
off the Westport Chrysler Plymouth lot to a fellow we think goes by
the name Bob Clark sometime after Nov 1973.
Greg S. sent me an e-mail explaining how he was friends with a gentlemen named Rob Smith (Smitty), and that Smitty had
purchased my T/A in 1975 from a Bob C for $2500. At that time the car
sat in the backyard of Bob C's house (location
Winnipeg Manitoba Canada) and had been off the road for a while,
which both Greg S and Smitty thought was odd "for a car only 5
years old." Reports have the car being wrecked prior
to Smitty's purchase. The story goes she went through a three way intersection
straight into a curb with the wheels cranked to the right. This
may account for the damaged lower radiator support, front valance,
bumper and argent grille. At that time the T/A still had the factory
automatic on the column and bench seat, although the auto was slipping.
The car was pretty much complete with the exception of the T/A exhaust
system which had headers and glass packs installed. It was
during this time that Smitty replaced the factory auto and bench seat
with a four speed and bucket seats.
In Greg Words: "You have to keep in mind
that when Smitty got the car we were 18 year old kids I worked at a
local service station and at that point this was the first Challenger
that I had ever seen without buckets and console we knew the
production numbers of T/A's back then but that didn't seem to mean
much then plus alot of people doubted it's authenticity because of the
bench seat and column shift. We had recently seen the movies Vanishing
Point and Two Lane Blacktop and the rage back then was the funny-car
look so in goes the four speed on go the N50/15's out back and the
scrawniest bicycle tires up front all on cragar s/s mags, air
shocks for tire clearance.
Smitty sold the car to Mark Jones about 1978 or 79 for $3000?
Mark Jones sold the car to Brian Rawsthorne. Brian R who it
is believed eventually took the T/A to Alberta. Brian R was the
owner who installed the trailer hitch on it and used the T/A to pull a
Glastron speed boat with it.
Another source of information, Pat K. also from Canada,
knew the car back to 1984. Pat remembered putting gas in it when he
worked at a filling station, at that time a tow bar had been installed. (you can
clearly see this tow bar in the photos in the second E-Bay add)
I'm speculating the Brian R sold the
car to James G. sometime around 1989 from the information in James G
e-bay adds.
Some time around 1989 the car was sold to James G.
of Winnipeg. James
went to school (Law School) in Edmonton but kept the car in Winnipeg sitting along side his parents house.
James did not drive the car much according to his adds. He also went on to
say...the T/A
sat behind his parent’s house for nearly 13 years. His dad started it
once a year while James was at law school. James attempted to sell the car
twice on E-Bay, eventually the car was sold sometime around May 2002. I
have been able to track James G to Corpus Christi, Texas, but all attempts to
contact him have gone unanswered.
FIRST E-BAY ADD PHOTOS (James G.
Aug 2000 and May 2002)
Reg Friesen, a friend of Pat K, bought
the car from James, and from all accounts had the car only a short amount
of time before selling her to Jason L. around Sept 2002.
Jason also posted the car on E-bay for the third time where it was purchased
and returned to the states by Brett D. in Nov of 2002. Jason L. posted 40
some pictures, recently I've been able to locate digital copies (Thanks Ken B.)
SECOND E-BAY ADD PHOTOS (Jason L. Nov 2002)
Brett D. started driving and showing
the car, correcting many of the major problems including converting
her back to an automatic on the column as she came from the factory. Brett finally decided to put more money into
his housing project and listed the car on E-bay Aug 2003 and again in Sept
2003 when I finally bought her. 5 owners in little over one year,
thankfully little miles were logged and not much wear and tear were put on our
little forgotten FT6 GATOR T/A.
THIRD E-BAY ADD PHOTOS (Brett D,
Sept 2003)
Oct 2003, This great T/A into
storage again while I continued my overseas tour.
Jan 2006, My long awaited reunion
with my Gator T/A. Over the hoildays we pulled her out of another barn and
brought her home.
My present plan calls for us to drive her a few years while I source
parts and funds for a full blown "nut and bolt and bumper to bumper" restoration. This great car is long over due some "MOPAR TLC" including all the right
parts to go along with her nearly perfect numbers matching (transmission is the only number
off) low mileage "ONE OF ONE" Gator Grain top T/A title.
Although some of the dates are
rough or as best as 30 years of memories can be here is what I believe to be the
most accurate history of m y FT6
Gator T/A. Well until someone else chimes
in....if you know anything about the car contact me.
Thank you
Brian
cledawgs @ cledawgs home
. com (take out the spaces)
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