This year’s Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction is shaping up to be a jaw-dropper. In addition to the Ron Pratte Collection going across the block, the surviving “Duke and Duchess” 1969 Dodge Daytona owned by Big Willie Robinson and his wife Tomiko will be crossing the stage as well.
The story of Big Willie, Tomiko, and the Brotherhood of Street Racers is well-known, and honestly, I would do the story a disservice to rehash it all. Robinson, a 6’5″ ex-Special Forces Vietnam vet, was essentially given permission to hold barely-legal street racing on Terminal Island in the hopes that the violence in the L.A. area would be tempered. For around thirty years, Big Willie and Tomiko presided over the Brotherhood Raceway Park, which gave anyone who wanted to race an area to race while at the same time Big Willie worked behind the scenes with gang leaders and officials, acting as a diplomat of sorts between all factions. Tomiko passed on in 2007, Big Willie in 2010.
The “Duke and Duchess” Daytona is the third car that the couple ran. Originally there were two other Daytonas, the “King” and “Queen” cars, which ran Keith Black Hemis and Clutchflites. The “Duke and Duchess” car, originally red but resprayed cream before getting it’s lettering, was originally a 440/automatic car. When Big Willie sold the car in 2002, he denied the car was raced and claimed it was used as a tow vehicle, but with the “King” and “Queen” cars retired by 1973 (the red King car had grown weak from acid-dipping, and the green Queen car was totaled out in a racing crash) and modifications showing typical racing tweaks present on the “Duke and Duchess” car, it’s hard to believe the car wasn’t raced. The Keith Black Hemi and Clutchflite, believed to have been one from the King or Queen cars, is gone, but the factory 440 is under the re-created fiberglass hood, stock except for a hotter camshaft. Reportedly, the whereabouts of the Keith Black Hemi is known, but the owner of the engine has put an unobtanium price on it.
We could talk about the value that Big Willie’s Daytona has or will bring, but to most of us, that’s a moot point. There’s plenty of valuable Charger Daytonas that are restored to perfection and sitting in museums and garages. Corey Owens, the man who undertook the restoration of the “Duke and Duchess” after realizing that preserving the car as-found wasn’t viable, hopes that whoever the next owner of the car is recognizes the value of the history behind the car and will exhibit and use the Daytona, instead of letting it languish on it’s slicks as a showpiece. This Dodge should be rolling up to the starting line with anger and power thumping out of the pipes, not dusted in a room somewhere. Sending the Daytona to Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale then sounds like an ill-advised choice, especially when the car will be offered at no reserve. The fate of “Duke and Duchess” will be seen during the auction. “Duke and Duchess” will cross the block as Lot 1290 on Saturday, January 17, 2015.
This is the same one that was in the begining of Two Lane Blacktop, right?
With there having been three its kind of hard to know whether this was the one in the movie . Hollywood not exactly being known for their accurate and complete records when it come to movie and TV ‘ props ‘ … which is what all the vehicles on film are in their minds regardless of iconic status .
The one thing that hits me as being a potential deal breaker and very disingenuous on this car though being the fact that it is NOT as Big Willie intended … having had its KB Hemi removed and a 440 from god knows where put in its place . The fact that the owner is holding back the KB makes me very suspicious of this car [ and the owner ]
Very suspicious indeed … seeing as how the owner is trying to sell something that in its current state … is NOT what its supposed to be
Caveat emptor …. indeed !!!!! 😉
I do not think that this Willies original Super Bird. I had a shop on South Street in North Long Beach and I rewired the whole car. I only put in the wires that were needed fpr street racing. Engine, gauges, head and tail lights. That was in I think 1973 or 74. All of the other wires were gone. This picture has wipers and washer. That crap was all ripped out. If anyone here doubts this, look up Gordie Swearingen. If his memory is still anygood after becoming an old man he will verify this…
Did you consider that they added some things to make it street legal like they do a lot of cars for high end auctions. Most people put those vehicles in their personal collection for looks, but there are some that actually drive them from time to time.
Why do people think that every MOPAR with a wing is a Superbird? It says, in big letters, DAYTONA on the side!
It clearly states in the article that this is not an original Hemi car but does have the original 440 and TorqueFlite in it. It’s not being auctioned as raced.
‘ Big Willie ‘ Now there’s a legendary character from drag racings past I hadn’t thought about in years . A man definitely deserving a hell of a lot more coverage than he ever got ! [ or still gets ]
Fact is Bryan … with a bit of work Big Willie could make for a hell of a feature here !
But the car ? Well …. in light of all the recent Auction House travesties ..[ ‘ East Rider ‘ chopper , Buddy Holly’s Ariel etc etc etc etc etc ]
Personally I wouldn’t trust the provenance of this car to save my life . Especially coming from BJ !
Simply reality check folks ! They’re not ! The auction houses digging into the ‘ realities ‘ of the cars , bikes , art , antiques they’re placing on the block that is . From Christies all the way down to the dregs … Fact checking and genuine research /investigation are a thing of the past when it comes to the auction houses .
So when it comes to the auctioned items ? Caveat Emptor [ buyer beware ] and go in knowing …. whether due to deficiency … or volition
Everybody Lies !
One being wise to take Jay Leno’s advice when it comes to collectables . Buy direct … from the owner ! The ‘ original ‘ owner that is ! 😉
I would be VERY leery about hat car
No way was one of Big Willy’s cars ever to look that good. Shortly before he died he was grand Marshall at a Mopar show in L.A. He posed with a POS Daytona that barely ran supposed to be one of his cars.
The one time I came across Big Willie that car was pretty rough. Also bizarre, and bad ass nasty. It really fit him…either him or the car all prettied-up would not be worth as much as the original, too bad that couldn’t be saved.
I made my first pass down quarter mile at Brotherhood Raceway. I met Big Willie, too. Heck of a nice guy. We need more like him,
Me too BigDogSS , Mar. 1980
BJ has done nothing but made a mess out of the vintage car market. The average guy can’t afford these cars anymore. Millionaires collect them, sit on them for a few years, and sell them in hopes of making an even bigger profit. Nothing wrong with making money, mind you. But, the final destination for these cars is in some guys garage, never to see the light of day. BJ makes me sick to my stomach. The current owner of this car is a first class a-hole. Put the original engine and transmission in the car! Nope,won’t do that. Figure’s it’s worth so much more money sold separately. I can’t wait to watch it flop.
Don’t count on it flopping . . .Look how well that Burt Reynolds owned Trans Am did and it wasn’t in the Smokey & The Bandit movie. It was just owned by him.
It would be worth double with the race hemi in it.
Last time I saw a picture of it It was looking pretty sad ! I vaguely remember seeing it at the Richfield station, pretty ragged even back then. We used to meet behind Zody,s Dept store, Then go out to Etiwanda For the street races.. I use to love going to terminal Island.. Sunday Mornings you could make 5-6 runs before lunch..
Intuitively,something just doesn’t feel right about this one.
Not sure,but have to say no on this one.
Barrett Ripoff at ‘er again. Once again I put it out there that someone should do a follow up on cars that have crossed the block there and how much they have decreased in value since. Visited there years ago and the you couldn’t have driven a ’71 Centurion wagon through the egos in the place.