Chrysler was dominating with their Hemi powered lightweights,
and they carried this over into 1965 (see the A990 Hemi).
The NHRA had a Factory Experimental class with less restrictive
rules, so Chrysler took the opportunity to build a really
outrageous factory race car. Unfortunately, the NHRA found
these cars to be unacceptable for this class, so the cars
actually debuted in the AHRA in Phoenix, Arizona.
They were an instant success with the fans!
(12) factory A/FX cars were built; (6) Dodge and (6) Plymouth.
* Other racers made an unknown number of copies.
Dodge
- Bobby Harrop, The Flying Carpet
- Bub Faubel, Hemi Honker
- Dave Strickler
- Dick Landy
- Jim Thornton and Mike Buckel, Ramchargers
- Roger Lindamood, Color Me Gone
Plymouth
- A/FX Test Mule (for Plymouth)
- Al Eckstrang and Forest Pitcock, Colden Commando Club Car
- Butch Leal, California Flash
- Lee Smith
- Ronnie Sox, Sox and Martin
- Tom Grove and Cecil Yother, Melrose Missile
The bare bodies were constructed at Chrysler's Los Angeles
assembly plant, and shipped to an outside vendor for acid
dripping. This process allowed the body weight to be reduced
by 200 pounds. The A/FX mods were pretty extensive, so they
could not be done on the regular assembly line. The bodies
were then shipped to Amblewagon -- a Troy, MI contractor
specializing in ambulance conversions.
Obviously the forward relocation of the front and rear axles
caused considerable sheetmetal work (unibody construction).
The front wheels were moved forward by installing special
lower subframe rails and sectioning the inner fender panels.
The upper control arm pivot and shock mount were moved 10"
forward. A lightweight stainless steel K-member also bolts
on the new frame rails 10" farther forward. The steering
linkage was extended and longer torsion bars installed to
compensate for the relocation.
To move the rear axle forward, the floorpan was sectioned
and a 15" section removed. The floorpan "kick pan" was
moved forward to the area formerly housing the rear seat.
The quarter panels were sectioned and the stock wheel
openings moved forward the appropriate amount. Sheetmetal
filler panels were added to th sectioned areas and
everything was welded back together. A cross braced
four point roll bar was installed for chassis stiffening.
Finally, fiberglass doors on lightweight hinges were added
to the already light body. A fiberglass deck lid with an
OEM latch and fiberglass hood with a slightly taller version
of the A990 tyep scoop were installed. The fixed windows
were thin Chemcor Plexiglas. The front bumper was also
fiberglass, wich molded in mounting brackets. The rear
bumper remained steel to maintain rear end weight.
Inside the car was the roll cage, a fiberglass dashboard
replica, lightweight Bostrom bucket seats on aluminum
mounts and carpeting. The radio, heater, arm rests, sun
visors, dome light, rear seat, carpet padding and sound
deadeners were all removed.
The cars weighed 2800 pounds when delivered.
Weight distro was excellent, with 56% on the rear.
The power for these A/FX cars was the same engine as the
1965 A990 Super Stockers (the A990 426 Hemi). Actually,
an atual A990 S/S car was cannibalized for the engine,
driveline and interior for each A/FX car. The A990 426
Hemi cranked out over 500 horsepower.
During the 1965 season, Chrysler engineered a fuel injection
system using Hillborn injectors with reworked mid-range and
high-speed circuits. The velocity stacks varied depending
on the transmission type. 13-1/4" stacks on TorqueFlite
cars and 7-1/4" stacks on 4-speed cars. Performance was
increased with this system over the dual Holley carbs.
High 9s at 140-mph were not uncommon near the end of 1965.
