Mopar Joe Girdelman

**SamLBInj** · #1 05-25-2005, 06:03 PM

Anyone know who Mopar Joe is, From NJ, Last Time I saw him was around 1983, He was driving a 1971 or 72 Hemi Super bee , Green and White, In amazing condition....
Sam

442w30 · #2 05-26-2005, 01:03 AM

Is he the guy with the Daytona with the transplanted Hemi and chrome wheels?

Verne_Frantz · #3 05-26-2005, 01:10 AM

I know Joe. He's alive and well in So. Jersey. Currently owns Connie Kalita's '62 Bounty Hunter dragster, restored by Bob Hendickson. The first dragster to break 150 (with Garlits at the wheel)

Verne

**Dave Rifkin** · #4 05-26-2005, 01:37 AM

I have a friend who used to run a T/A dragster (Cliff Bozelli) who is good friends with Joe. He tells me that Joe has numerous Hemi cars as well as many Hemi engines just laying around. I have seen the restored Bounty Hunter in person and it is awesome. The orange Daytona os his isn't too bad either although I could do without the extra chrome he added under the hood.

**SamLBInj** · #5 05-26-2005, 05:26 PM

Dave, I was born about 3 weeks before you and live about a mile away in West Creek, are you originally from here? did you go to Southern?
Sam

**SamLBInj** · #6 05-26-2005, 05:30 PM

Hey Verne, Did you know Eddie Eliason also? If you see Mopar Joe ask him about Eddie Eliason from Barnegat light, he will give you many stories. Does Joe still have a house in Surf City?
Also ask him about Rolfe Engelson from Barnegat Light also, they use to call Rolfe the General,Way back they hung with Garlets and the others, he had a dragster called the Toilet(didnt have the money for good paint so he painted it turd brown) It had an old 392 blown hemi.
Sam

442w30 · #7 05-26-2005, 06:25 PM

OK, now that I know I'm thinking of the same guy, HPM did a profile on him maybe 10 years ago.

Verne_Frantz · #8 05-27-2005, 12:17 AM

Sam,
I don't know of the other guys you mentioned. I don't see or talk to Joe on a regular basis. Really only met him a couple times. Bob Hendrickson is a good friend of mine and I watched the Bounty Hunter get restored at his place in Pleasantville. I went with them and the dragster to the first NHRA Hot Rod reunion in Columbus several years ago. Connie Kalita flew in and squeezed himself back in the seat in front of the stands for a photo-op.
Fun trip.

Verne

**Dave Rifkin** · #9 05-27-2005, 01:21 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Dave, I was born about 3 weeks before you and live about a mile away in West Creek, are you originally from here? did you go to Southern?
Sam

[/ QUOTE ]

Sam, I was born in Piscataway and have migrated to Little Egg Harbor over the years. I am very familiar with West Creek. I went to AC High School.

ss427copo · #10 09-22-2005, 08:23 PM

Joe is a personal friend of mine. He lives in Hainesport, 2 minutes from me in Mt Laurel. Great guy! I've known him for 30 years. He's got the Green ProStreet Hemi, the Orange Daytona, a purple Hemi Cuda convertable and a neat yellow prostreet hot rod! We go to all the local shows together, him with his MOPARS, me with my Yellow 69 SS427 Camaro! Wait till he see's the 67 SS427 I bought last Friday!

Jeff

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