MM Muscle - 1971 Dodge Challenger

[Jeff]

I thought I had a thread in here but I guess not. The time has finally come for our 1971 Dodge Challenger to come out of storage and finally get restored. There has been some progress here in the past few weeks so I figured I would post up here so you guys could check it out!
This car as many of you know was my FatherÔÇÖs car when he went to JMU from 1974-1978. It has received its share of JMU parking tickets and IÔÇÖm sure seen its share of drunk college girls. It languished in a barn on my uncles property from the middle 1980ÔÇÖs until sometime around 1998 when we removed it and its long winded restoration began. It is a 318 equipped with a 3-speed automatic transmission. It was originally Copper in color with a white interior but was painted green in 1975 by my Father and some of his friends.
The first try:
During the initial ÔÇ£restorationÔÇØ most of the body rust was fixed. Many parts were ordered and put in storage. The engine was rebuilt and bored .030 over. It however was fitted with its stock 2 bbl carb and stock exhaust. It was also pained a horrible enamel yellow color (partially). Around 2001-2 it was put in storage had little has been done with it until about 3 weeks ago.

The engine sporting its tired chrome valve covers was timed and started.

The electronic ignition conversion from Mopar Performance was installed.


Then it was pulled over the body shop where they began work on fixing up some of the dents and dings from being in storage for 8 years. The decision was also made that yellow and white really just do not go together and we needed to go with another color. One of the body shop guys suggested 2010 ÔÇ£Plum CrazyÔÇØ Purple. He shot a test panel. You should also note the 2005 Charger 18in wheel sporting one of RexÔÇÖs old 18in tires from the speed 3.





This car was a base model but it did have a few options. The 318 V8 was the basic V8 but the car was available with a 225 slant six engine. Also it was equipped with Rally seats and the smaller 14in Rally wheels.



The decision was made that the color would be changed (no decision on color yet, just that it will be done) so the engine, now running and driving, needed to be removed again for painting. This of course fell to me so this past Sunday I yanked the old beast from its lair. It took me two hours.



Horrible stock exhaust. I just got some full length headers for it and I am trying to select an exhaust.


Washed up the engine bay and pushed it back to the body shop.


Hopefully progress will be strong and stuff will get done relatively quickly. I will update as I can.

[Goodspeed]

F'in f-i-n-a-l-l-y

You did have a thread somewhere where I did suggest purple. I think that entitles me to a ride 8)

[Kaan]

yes you had a thread... this one is more betta...

i suggest the new orange with the modern decals but thats the ricer in me.

[Jake]

I can't wait to see how this turns out. +1 on the Plum Crazy - and those Charger wheels if you have a full set. Ballin.

[Steve85]

Verrry cool. Great story, good luck with the project!

[.RJ]

Paint it red. Red is faster.

[ScottyB]

YES

paint it white...i think it would look killer with the bandit grille

[fiveoh2go]

Me thinks you should build it into a T/A clone...

[TorinoCobra070]

Do it the original copper color. If it is the color I'm thinking of, I really like it. Plum Crazy isn't a bad choice either. Can't wait to see this thing done :thumbup:

[JustinG]

I am trying to select an exhaust.

Exhaust.....what exhaust, straight pipes or turn downs directly off the headers. No one is gonna pull it over except to maybe look at it.

[fiveoh2go]

I am trying to select an exhaust.

Exhaust.....what exhaust, straight pipes or turn downs directly off the headers. No one is gonna pull it over except to maybe look at it.

Any set of long tube headers with a 2.5" diameter intermediate pipe run between a pair of chambered mufflers (MAC or Flowmaster) will sound good.


Trust me. :mrgreen:

[TorinoCobra070]

I'm pretty sure these antique cars don't have to meet emissions regulations anyway.

[Kaan]

it needs a custom bend... start buying pipe and bends and flanges... dust off the welder!

[Maengelito]

Do it the original copper color. If it is the color I'm thinking of, I really like it. Plum Crazy isn't a bad choice either. Can't wait to see this thing done :thumbup:

if this is a "restoration" with a few modern updates, then +1 on the original copper color. If you decide to go all out then +1 on the plum. looks like a pretty cool project though :thumbup:

[Jeff]

I would say this is a "Resto-mod" project car. Its not a valuable configuration of the car (when its done I don't expect it to be worth more then 25-30k tops) so we figure we should build it into something we want to run around in and take to cruise ins. I wanted to do a T/A clone car...but technically there was no T/A model in 1971 (only 1970) and dad hates the exhaust that comes out in front of the tires. Plus the T/A hood is expensive as hell. I think I am going to buy a Pypes exhaust kit from summit. The only questions is "though the valance" or "under the valance."

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[Dave]

Do it the original copper color. If it is the color I'm thinking of, I really like it. Plum Crazy isn't a bad choice either. Can't wait to see this thing done :thumbup:

if this is a "restoration" with a few modern updates, then +1 on the original copper color. If you decide to go all out then +1 on the plum. looks like a pretty cool project though :thumbup:

Maeng nailed it.
The plum is also a cool idea considering the family JMU lineage; some yellow/gooooooold accents would be a nice touch.

I am also happy to see this project coming along finally.

[TorinoCobra070]

If you go Plum Crazy, it has to be with white stripes and white interior

[fiveoh2go]

If you go Plum Crazy, it has to be with white stripes and white interior

[TorinoCobra070]

Not quite the same, but you get the general idea:

[Jake]

Chad and I have the same remarkable taste. +1 on what he said.