MM Muscle - 1971 Dodge Challenger

[Jeff]

Pics from this past week! Got the engine in on Friday.





The last time (hopefully) this will be empty until I have a big block to stick in.


YAY!


New brake MC and refinished lines.


Mopar Performance Underdrive Pulley Kit.




Coming along very well. So we met our engine back in by Memorial Day goal. Now lets wee if we can get the "car done by August" goal.

[Jeff]

Engine is running. Small water leak on the top dooms me to tear the intake back off and replace the gasket again. LAST TIME I EVER but a non OEM gasket. Open headers sound BEAST. I also got the disc brake conversion installed. Waiting on a caliper and new lines. Advance got me two right side calipers! Pics coming sometime soon.

[Kaan]

I'm expecting a burn out video and a woodstock police high speed chase by Nov 1st!

[Jeff]

Burnout video maybe...I'm not sure about the police chase video though. I need to get me a SureGrip diff!

[Jeff]

Wow so lots of progress and no updates! WTF!

So as mentioned above the engine was running and it had a water leak at the intake manifold to head. Little did we know it was leaking as much in as it was out. I had to drain the milkshake oil and replace that after doing the new gasket. I got a genuine Mopar gasket this time, much nicer. Here is a shot of the leak location.


Electric Fan Install

I eliminated the mechanical non-clutched radiator ran in favor of the no-drag and modern look of an electric fan. This is a 16in fan I got of ebay for $40 shipped...beats the 12in fan I got for the Jeep at Autozone...$75!


Relay is close to the radiator


Custom Accel Super Stock wires




Looks sexy doesn't it? Now for the big mod....

If you recall most everyone bitched about the drum brake front end. Well some quick research showed that many later model Chrysler RWD cars can be donors for front disc brakes. So, this led me to my buddy Phil's house, and to his 1976 Dodge Aspen wagon.





From that I got a decent set of 10.5in disc brakes. Single piston calipers. I ordered new calipers from Advance Auto and after 3 tries got the right ones.

Original drum came off.




Then I noticed the first problem... The black is the drum brake lower knuckle, the rusty is from the Aspen.


However, the bolt holes are the same, so I simply used the nut/bolt combo from the drum setup. The disc setup used a threaded lower knuckle.


Then came the second issue...the brake lines were far to long. We ended up having to order 3 different brake lines to find one that worked right. The source was a 1979 Dodge St. Regis sedan.





Two far off shots just cuz!




It's Bawlin.

[CaptainHenreh]

It's Bawlin.

[Jake]

It's Bawlin.

Yup.

What are you doing for wheels on it when everything is complete? I really dig the bawlin' chrome ones you had on it in one of the first posts (from a Charger maybe?) and the stockers look pretty teeny.

[JustinG]

DONKED OUT WHIP!

[Jeff]

It's Bawlin.

Yup.

What are you doing for wheels on it when everything is complete? I really dig the bawlin' chrome ones you had on it in one of the first posts (from a Charger maybe?) and the stockers look pretty teeny.

Well, wheels are a bit of a question still. We are going to repaint the stockers at least for a bit. The Charger wheel won't fit over the front hubs so they are out. I'm thinking...

[Goodspeed]

Hell......yes.

What are you doing for wheels on it when everything is complete?

[Steve85]

Don't know what the wheel budget is and I like torque thrusts, but maybe something similar just a little more updated :dunno:

[Jeff]

not such a huge fan of those wheels.

Anyway. Exhaust shipped yesterday and will be here on Tuesday of next week. Aircleaner and the other carb shipped from Texas today. Moar pics coming when I have something cool to show!

[Jeff]

Well we got our thermoquad carb in the mail from Texas. The carb that is on it a loaner to get it dialed in and running. Anyway this TQ is a 1979 truck version so it has lots extra emissions BS on it that gay it up. So instead we are opting to a Holley 6711 (4165 series) 650cfm. It was designed by Holley to replace TQ's on 340 and 360 applications. So it is spreadbore and already has the correct holes and all that, so no need for an adapter plate. I'm excited to get the exhaust so we can dial the carb in and set the timing.

[Jeff]

Exhaust is here...pic to come.

[Jeff]

Some good progress and time for the picz Y0!

Exhaust came in from Pypes. I like the kit, good quality and easy to put in. All stainless steel for under $400 shipped.





The problem however, it was supposed to be "header back" and work with "most any full length header." Apparently I don't have most any...I have "other." So I had to have it towed the quarter mile up the road to have the exhaust shop finish the install. I had it all in but not connected to the headers. I drove it back the following day...as it is. Anyway, pic of the engine with the orange air cleaner. The air cleaner was painted the wrong tint of orange, its hard to tell in the pic but obvious IRL.. I have removed the vac. valves from it (they are still on it in this pic) and we will be painting it wrinkle black.


Refinishing the trunk.




Stripped the trunk and a whole bunch of the original color showed its ugly shit-brown face.

[V1GiLaNtE]

Project is coming along nicely Jeff! Keep up the good work! :thumbup:

[fiveoh2go]

Any updates?

[CaptainHenreh]

Any updates?

Plus juan, need more pics of Joker Henchman car.

[Jeff]

Body shop has been busy and I have had a bunch of things on my mind (and my wallet) so for right now nothing new. Chrysler at Carlisle was a great success as far as selling stuff but I couldn't find any good buys.

[Gs dewd]

If those street pro mufflers seem to loud for you, the Race pros are queiter. Don't know why pypes did that, but that is the way it is.