Snake Skin Green Challenger Restoration

[magoo426]

That looks real good 70chall440!

I like that, I may look into doing something similar to mine when all the other major steps are finished.

[Mpdlawdog]

I found some wheels that right now in first place for putting on my car. 

2-1/2" TTi exhaust has been installed and sounds good.

Wilwood brakes are installed and have been bleed.  Brakes still feel slightly spongy to me.  But if the weather is decent outside tomorrow I will take it outside for a quick drive up and down the 15~20 yard lane.

Love those rims but damn $1000 a piece!   

[dfrazz]

Love those rims but damn $1000 a piece!   

   I looked at those wheels too, but way out of my budget.  If you are that far in, might as go with the Forgeline ZX3.  Better quality 3 piece wheel and look killer!

[Challenger in NC]

Beautiful job, green looks fantastic.

[magoo426]

On carid.com I think I was able to find them for about $700~800 a wheel.  It's still damn expensive, don't get me wrong.  It just seems like that I can't find what I like for lower price.  I guess I have what you might say champagne taste on a beer budget I guess. 

I'm going to keep looking around.  Maybe a few of the local tire shops around my area can do better than the price that I've found so far.  I don't know. 

[magoo426]

Took some photos of the exhaust system.  Still need to remove the license plate bracket on the rear valence.

Next up is to start bolting the doors, fenders, hood and trunk lid and get everything lined up for paint.

[70chall440]

Very clean; looks good.

[loco340cuda]

Looking good!

[magoo426]

Thanks guys. It's a long time coming for this car. Glad I can finally see the finish line in sight. Im ready for this one to be done so I can enjoy driving it. A few days ago I drove it up and down the lane and on a little side street. Felt good to finally feel the car move under its own power. Brakes worked, no leaks I'll keep an eye on them. No leaks from the engine, the hydraulic clutch, or power steering.  I made an agreement with the future Mrs and since she got a ring, I asked that I be allowed to restore a 70 Barracuda once this project is over with. It will probably be another 5 years before I do that but I'll keep my eyes open for a Barracuda project if it comes up. I would love to own both a challenger and Barracuda togehter. I think I will clone the Barracuda into an AAR, love the style of that and its  kick butt hood.

[70chall440]

That is funny because it is exactly the same thing I did except my Challenger is hemi orange and my Cuda (actually a Barracuda) is Sublime and AAR'ish. When I was younger I had a 74 Challenger that I spent a lot of time and $ on and made it into a 440-6 style RT; it was hemi orange with a white top and interior. The later on I got a 70 AAR which was sublime that I never finished because I got orders for overseas and was getting divorced. When I retired and got back into the hobby, I wanted a BB 4spd Ebody and came across the Challenger (real RT 440 AT AC PS PB EK2 TP). Then when my son was turning 16 I asked him what he wanted as his first car, he said a "Cuda". We found a very derelict although running 73 with a 340 (original 318 AT); we bought it but it was so beat it was far beyond a 16 yo ability to work on. Subsequently I gave him my 91 Stealth RT and took the Cuda and decided to make something I had never done; modern suspension, stroker motor, 4 spd, etc and make it look like a AAR. In short; I wanted the Cuda to be a test bed for me to do things I never had. Almost 40K later and over 10 years and it still isn't done...

[magoo426]

Haha, good point 70chall440. It seems like these cars take a lot of time for sure! !!

[magoo426]

The passenger side is finally bolted together, gaps and flushness is set.  Now on to the driver side....  With everything going on I hope to tackle that sometime this coming weekend.

[TelisSE440]

Looks like it's ready for paint

[magoo426]

Its getting there slowly.  Once everything is bolted on ill double check the fit of the grill again and make any necessaryadjustments to it. Then I should be about ready for paint.

[70chall440]

Kind of where I am with my cuda, fitting all of the panels. Not sure I want to take it all back apart though.