Just finished an extensive restoration/modification of a 70 340
4-speed Challenger. Here are some before, during and after pictures
of the car. It came to us as a rolling body with no engine and
trans. It still had the 8.75 rear housing, manual drum brakes and
steering. After closer examination, the car had damage in the past,
to the point of having the radiator core support, K frame and most
of the front sheet metal replaced. Did the normal lower quarter
replacement but the rest of the car was solid, yet tired. Mice had
lived in the interior for decades and it was stripped and steamed.
Seat frames and foam needed a lot of work and it was flawlessly
handled by Evans Upholstery in Cottonwood Falls, Ks (620-273-8557).
Interior was insulated from the cowl at the windshield to the back
glass before installing the new headliner and carpet.
Engine is a 380 horsepower (actually 409 HP) with a holley
Commander 950 throttle body fuel injection system, TTI polished
headers and a complete reproduction T/A exhaust from there back.
Installed a Keisler 5-speed with the hydraulic throw out
bearing and Lakewood scattershield. Rear end got a 3.91 suregrip
and a set of green bearings. Front end was rebuilt with a
complete Just Suspension polygraphite kit, and both the front
and rear received Addco sway bars. Replaced the front drums with
disc at this time also.
Tires are 245/60-15 on the front with 7" rims, rears are
255/60-15 on 8" rims. Wheels are a hand made set of
factory rallyes that are all chromed and widened. They
can be made totaly chromed in both 14 and 15" as well as a variety
of offsets and widths. McWheels does them to order and you can call
Kurt at 515-685-3397. We have had several sets of his wheels and
never had any problems.
Overall, the car came out better than we had mental pictures of.
It landed somewhere between 'exceptional driver' and 'trailer
queen'. The most difficult part was programming the fuel injection.
Before you put one of these things on, give me a call. There are a
bunch of things that all the advertisements and catalogs dont
go in to that you need to know ahead of time. Nothing bad by
any means.
