AUSTIN DICKERMAN
Money Talked, Nobody Walked


It seems like I remember something to do with peanuts on the Dickerman's Motor City sign.

     When you search the internet, there almost nothing that comes up on Austin Dickerman, except some Civil War soldier and an occasional mention of some car he bought for Eddie Delmolino. That doesn't seem fair, somehow, with the flamboyance of his life, with the number of years he was a businessman in Brandon, Vermont, and with the role he played in 1970's racing in the Northeast. Hence, this page on Austin, with all that I have on him.
      For those who read all this, I am still looking harder for the Cabana - built 1964 Chevelle that Dickerman bought from Jack DuBrul and eventually sold to Ray Richards fro Bob Ellis. I have it as the DuBrul #1 and the Ellis #76, but not the 57 or 357, blue and yellow version Austin had for Ed Foley.

THE BANANA WAGON ERA


Courtesy Leb, Valley Classics
A while after Norm Scarborough built
the infamous "Cagle Killer" sedan,
Dickerman took it over, retaining
Norm and Vince. The car was
renamed The Banana Wagon.

Courtesy Arnie Ainsworth
Vince Quenneville with the
Banana Wagon on some track -
not the Bowl or the Valley.

Courtesy of Rob Davis
A closeup of Vince in the
car as it is 357.

Source Unknown
VInce and the Wagon
at Granby, Quebec.

                           
Courtesy of Marty Kelly, Jr.
The First Banana Wagon Hauler

Credits on Photo
...and then later...


From the Fonda Book
This was the only good shot I have of Austin, whose legacy seems inevitably intertwined with Joe Leto.


Bob Frazier Photo via Mike Richards
I call this shot The Devil's Bowl Mafia. It is six very important figures in the history of
the place.
 Austin [far right] is joined [from left] by car owner Ray Richards, Bowl
legend Eddie Allen, sign painter Mal Brown, car owner and builder Norm Scarborough [behind],
and car owner Al Ryan. All but two are gone now.


Photo via Otto Graham
Austin [ctr] with Vince Quenneville and Norm Scarborough in yet another Victory Lane somewhere.

THE STATION WAGON ERA


Courtesy of Wayne Dempster
The Banana Wagon was replaced by
the Station Wagon, Vince was replaced
by Butch Jelley. Even the hauler was
overhauled.

Chuck Ely Photo
Courtesy of Bob Ely

Butch is snapped at the Valley
by bro - in - law Chuck Ely.


Joe Cryan Photot
Courtesy of A. Ainsworth

The 357 on some track.

Courtesy of Arnie Ainsworth
Butch and the Wagon arrive
at Syracuse.
 
Devil's Bowl Program article
Courtesy of Neal Davis

The team is featured in the D Bowl
program.

 
Credits on Photo
The strong combo.
 
Courtesy of Mike Richards

The team in Quebec.

Schenectady Collection
Otto Graham Site

Jelley and the wagon
again.
 

Probably John Grady Photo
Butch Jelley with the
infamous station wagon
that ran Fonda, among
other places.

 
 
Courtesy of Mike Laduc
Contributor Mike Laduc was working
on a tribute version of this car.
Now that he is moving, someone else will take over the project.

 
 
Courtesy of Mike Laduc
Contributor Mike Laduc provided
a photo of  the project.
 
Courtesy of George Biancosino
The team arriving at Fonda.
   
Courtesy of Arnie Ainsworth
Butch and the car at the Valley.
 
Courtesy of Arnie Ainsworth
The car at the Valley.
 


Courtesy of Wayne Dempster
The next generation hauler.

    


Photo via Otto Graham
Austin [ctr] with Vince Quenneville and Norm Scarborough in yet another Victory Lane somewhere.

THE FINAL ERA


Courtesy Arnie Ainsworth
Eddie Foley,
Leicester, VT
 

Courtesy Arnie Ainsworth
Vince Quenneville with a
357 they ran in
Canada in the '70's.

Courtesy Arnie Ainsworth
Quenneville with same
Canadian Gremlin and
Stan Wetmore in background.
may or may not be a Dickerman.

 

Courtesy John Grady
Don't know who this
is but the Dickerman
hauler is in the background.
 

Courtesy Chris Companion
Eddie Delmolino with a
Dickerman Vega.
 

Courtesy Arnie Ainsworth
Vince Quenneville with a
Gremlin.

Courtesy Arnie Ainsworth
Eddie Del with a
yellow 357 Vega.

Courtesy Arnie Ainsworth
Eddie with what I consider
to be classic Dickerman colors.
   
Courtesy Arnie Ainsworth
A Delmolino / Dickerman entry,
appropriately framed by
Delmo's billboard in background.
Said to be a Tobias chassis.
 
Courtesy Arnie Ainsworth
A Delmolino / Dickerman entry,
tha looks quite a bit different.
 

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