Chaparral History
Here’s the background on how Harry became the caretaker of this historic car. It all started while Harry was driving through the town of Laytonsville Maryland and he spotted a unique 3 wheeler sitting outside a repair shop called Erdle Automotive. Being the 3 wheeler enthusiast that he is, Harry stopped and started asking the shop owner about the 3 wheel car and who owned it. The car was a Spi Tri (pictured below). It was owned by a gentleman named Larry Barker. Harry was able to connect with Larry and the two of them became friends. Larry soon learned about Harry’s love for 3 wheel vehicles and about Harry’s growing collection of 3 wheel cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and other 3 wheel vehicles. All of this happened around the year 2009 or 2010 at about the same time that Harry started the Laytonsville Cruise In. Larry soon became close friends with Pat and Harry and he was a regular at all of their holiday parties.
Fast forward to the year 2017. Larry asked Harry to meet him at Julliano’s Brick Oven Pizza in Laytonsville to discuss something important. Larry showed Harry a notarized letter that was leaving (as part of Larry’s Will) the Spi Tri to Harry, along with the manufacturing company that made the Spi Tri, and a few earlier prototypes, a Jaguar, and a race car known as a Mini Chaparral or Spi Race Car. It wasn’t until late 2021 that Larry shared some details with Harry on the Chaparral race car. And by the year 2023, the two of them were discussing moving the Chaparral from the Museum of the Gulf Coast to Maryland. The car had been at the Museum of the Gulf Coast since around the year 2003. Larry had plans to get the car running and perhaps race it. The car does have some racing history and was once driven by A.J. Foyt.
Larry passed away in early October of 2024 before the Chaparral was moved to Maryland. He never had a chance to drive the car. Pat & Harry Kraemer were informed of Larry’s passing by one of Larry’s neighbors that used Larry’s cell phone to contact them. The neighbor knew of Pat & Harry since Larry did talk about them a lot. Since Larry was never married and had no blood family (Larry was an orphan) or children, Larry’s neighbor and the Kraemers met to discuss plans and to try to determine if Larry had a Will. Team Barker was the name given to this group. As Team Barker discussed with to do with Larry’s assets, one of the neighbors asked “What do we do with a 3 wheel car?”. This is when Harry mentioned that he believed that Larry had left the 3 wheeler to him with some other vehicles and that all of this was in a notarized letter that Larry had tucked away.
By late October, neighbors did find the notarized letter from 2017 and Harry was contacted by an attorney saying that Larry left him the white Spi Tri 3 wheeler. Harry thought that this was odd/strange since Harry had seen the letter from 2017 and Larry reviewed the letter with him. Nevertheless, Harry was happy to care for the Spi Tri.
This is where the story gets even stranger. Larry’s funeral was planned for October 31 and after the funeral, Pat & Harry hosted a gathering for Larry’s friends and neighbors, plus Larry’s cousins from his adopted parents. One of Larry’s closest cousins, Richard was sort of taking charge of dealing with Larry’s estate. It was at this gathering that Richard told Harry that Larry left him the Spi Tri 3 wheeler and to go pick it up when you have time. Richard also told Harry that he could have the race car that was in the museum and the 3 wheelers and other items in the trailer in Oklahoma. All of this information from Richard was also a little puzzling, since Harry knew that Richard had the 2017 letter from Larry that outlined everything that was to be given to Harry. Needless to say, this was exciting, confusing, and sad at the same time for Harry.
By early November, Harry & Richard were communicating via text about the cars. And it was in these text messages in early November that Richard asked Harry to make an offer on the race car and the items in the trailer in Oklahoma. Again, this was all very confusing to Harry since he had seen the 2017 letter and at the October gathering, Harry understood that Richard gave him everything. Harry agreed to do some research on the race car and make an offer to Richard. A few days later, Harry gave an offer to Richard which Richard accepted.
By mid November (November 14 2024), Harry was in touch with Tom, the director of the museum where the race car was on display. Harry proceeded to tell Tom that he was purchasing the car from the estate of Larry Barker. Tom was very puzzled. Tom went on to say that he never heard of Larry Baker and did not know who he was. Tom also told Harry that a guy named Andy Green built the race car and gave it to the museum. Harry was shocked to hear all of this news. Harry went on to share this information with several of Larry’s neighbors and close friends. They were all puzzled and confused. They all thought that perhaps Larry was embellishing the truth.
And just when you thought this story could not get much stranger, by November 15 2024, the story takes another twist. Harry receives a package in the mail from Larry’s cousin Richard. In this package is the 2017 letter stating that Larry left everything (the race car, the white Spi Tri, and the items in the trailer in Oklahoma) to Harry. By this time, Harry was focusing on trying to find proof that Larry did own the race car in the Texas museum. Harry sorted through about a dozen boxes of Larry’s files on his cars. Slowly, Harry started to put together a timeline on the history of the race car. Harry did find some magazine articles and emails that stated that Larry owned the race car. Armed with all of this information and the 2017 notarized letter, Harry once again spoke to Tom, the museum director. By November 24 2024, Tom told Harry that the museum had no record of how the car got to the museum and Tom also told Harry that the museum does have a magazine article that states the car is owned by Larry Barker.
In early December 2024, Tom had agreed that the car now belongs to Harry and Harry had started making plans to visit the museum on December 18 2024. Harry was proceeding with the understanding that Larry left him the car and since Richard sent Harry the 2017 letter, Harry assumed that Richard was agreeing that Harry was to get the car (he did not need to purchase it from Richard). When Harry arrived at the museum in December 2024, there was a sign by the Chaparral with information about the car and who built it, etc. And on this sign it states that the car is here “courtesy of Dr. Larry Barker”. After reading this sign, Harry thought why did Tom tell Harry that he never heard of Larry Barker. It was very clear after reading the sign that someone at the museum knew that Larry Baker owned the Chaparral. Read on, there is still a few more bizarre twist in this story.
On December 17 2024, Harry receives a text message from Richard. Richard says that someone wants to buy some of the items in the trailer in Oklahoma. Richard was asking Harry if he is still interested in the items and if Harry was not interested in them, Richard was going to sell them. This text message came in while Harry was at the museum with Tom discussing the plans to get the car to Maryland. So Richard and Harry play phone tag for a few days. By December 19 2024, Richard and Harry finally talk on the phone. Very politely, Harry tells Richard that he is a little confused. Harry was proceeding with the assumption that Larry left the race car and other items to him. Harry also assumed that this was what Richard thought as well since Richard sent Harry the 2017 letter. Richard did not remember sending Harry the 2017 letter. So Harry emailed Richard a copy of the letter and by December 20 2024, Richard calls Harry and tells him that he is sorry for the confusion and that he does agree that Harry does get the race car and all of the items in the trailer in Oklahoma.
Fast forward to January 2025, Harry makes plans to go back to Texas and meet a transport company to get the car started on it’s journey to Maryland and join Harry’s collection of rare cars and motorcycles.
Click here for the story covering Harry’s trip to Texas to get the Chaparral race car.
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