Lot #1018.1 - Engine is 426/650hp HEMI V8. Wheelbase is 108", length is 192.8", weighs 3005 lbs and quarter-mile performance is 10.6 seconds at 130mph. In 1968, Chrysler hired Hurst Corporation to stuff the legendary 426 HEMI into the lightweight Plymouth Barracuda and Dodge Dart to create unbeatable Super Stock racers. Hurst's prototype was destroyed, this is the second HEMI 'Cuda built and the first to leave the Hurst shop. It was given to Philadelphia area drag racer Jack Werst, whose 9 to 5 job was East Coast Regional Director, Chrysler Warranty Program. In those days, Chrysler's warranty was five years and 50,000 miles, so from 1968 through 1970, Werst ran this famous factory-supported HEMI 'Cuda as "Mr. 5 and 50." NHRA required manufacturers to build at least 50 identical cars to be eligible for Super Stock, so Hurst created just over 50 HEMI 'Cudas. The Barracuda body was stripped of seats, sound deadener and anything else extraneous to winning drag races, including the rear view mirrors. The doors were acid-dipped, the front fenders and hood fabricated from fiberglass, all windows replaced with thin Corning glass and the seats with lightweight Dodge van buckets mounted on special aluminum brackets. The HEMI was race-tuned with a cross-ram manifold, Hooker headers and 12.5 compression ratio. It was mated to a manually shifted 727 TorqueFlite automatic with Hurst floor shifter. The sure-grip differential had a 4.85 ratio. It takes a whole page to list all the other performance mods, from deep-groove fan pulleys to heavy duty axle shafts and the battery relocated to the trunk. The final touch was a disclaimer on the dash that read, "Not for use on public highways. Supervised acceleration trials only." This particular HEMI 'Cuda is the recipient of a six-figure restoration by the experts at Muscle Car Restorations and is precisely as raced in 1968, right down to the 24 carat gold leaf lettering and lace pattern paint. Jack Werst's race shirt and helmet are included, along with a Chrysler Certificate of Origin, Galen Govier documentation and all restoration paperwork. "Mr. 5 and 50" could be the brilliant keystone to any Mopar, HEMI, muscle car or Super Stock collection and a sure crowd pleaser in nostalgia drag racing. **From the Jim Mangione Collection**