More listings by Rory Ward

Own a piece of Off Road Racing history! Challenger III actually started out as ORMHOF inductee Larry Minors vehicle that he had built by Smokey Allerman back in 1975. This car was built to compete against friend and rival Parnelli Jones and his Big Oly Bronco and then the Chevy Blazers. Minor and fellow ORMHOF inductee Roger Mears raced the "Smokey SSI" chassis in a few races in 1975 including the Baja 500 and Baja 1000. In 1977 Mickey Thompson bought the car from Minor and changed the suspension and body to closely match his desert racer (Challenger IV). Challenger III was used solely as Mickeys short course racer but was also used at the 1977 Riverside world championships as a camera car with another ORMHOF inductee Johnny Johnson at the wheel.

Challenger III was built like a sprint car with a straight axle, but also supporting a VW styled beam front suspension with torsion bars and dual MT gas shocks. Steering is a Chevy Saginaw box attached to a center mounted "slider". Halibrand knock off hubs were used with Airheart calipers. The motor is one of 33 (we were told) custom aluminum blocks designed/built/raced by Thompson with aluminum brownfield heads and Holley 4 barrel carb. The motor is original, spins freely and is attached to a B&M 2 speed power glide transmission. The seat is suspended in the chassis with dual motorcycle shocks and a panhard bar. The rearend is a Henry's Magnesuim Dana 60 with titanium axle tubes, 3 link style suspension with Rick Hasselo 43" long custom 2.5" coilover shocks, summers brothers axles, knock off rear hubs and Airheart calipers. The small short course fuel cell is located in the rear in front of the rear sway bar/bump stop.

This car was torn down to the frame, cleaned up, located hard to find parts to get it back in the condition it is in now. This is a museum build but could be easily be made a runner if the new buyer wanted. This car is a true collectors vehicle because it is hard to find an off road vintage car this original, with the number of ORMHOF inductees tied to it and in such good shape. The racer was professionally appraised by Gary Haugley (Classic Auto Appraiser of San Diego) at $317,000 last year in its current condition.

Check out the complete on-line build here:
https://www.race-dezert.com/forum/threads/mickey-thompsons-challenger-iii-project.136555/

$165,000.00
Willing to negotiate, give me a call and lets talk. Serious inquires only please