Matching #'s 340, 11.5-1 360, date coded 440, 400 block, World Hemi Block, 4.5 stroke crankshaft, 4.15 stroke crankshaft. What to do?

Sheldon

The car is looking good, great color on a chally.

Thanks Super: How's yours coming along lately?

Sheldon

Driving in the what??

Looking great Sheldon. Glad to see your getting it together. I vote for hemi small crank (don't want to twist car up to badly) a new passon 5spd. and a B-body dana to help fit a little more rubber under there. It all bolts in . Throw the #340 and #tranny under the work bench for later date when you want to slow down. Torq thrust wheels would be my choice and look great.

Hudson

Yes: I think I'll even run a Passon OD 4 speed if I find one cheap enough, I was going to do the B-body rear but have decided against it for now.
Been polishing stainless the last few days, looks like I don't have to hunt for any pieces. The wide windshield trim was a bit rough but I've been carting one around for 30 years that cleaned up nice and will be going on.
I'll be trying to get the dash installed this weekend and the glass next week the way it's going.

Sheldon

Man: This REM stuff is crap. I waited about a month to put my headliner in waiting for the REM sailpanels and they were nowhere near being right (clearly labeled as 1970 Challenger too), I ended up throwing them away, then I go to bump the firewall nails in and they're absolute crap too. Off to NAPA to see what they have..
The Rally dash stuff is sure minty on this car though. Not much work there at all.

Sheldon

Thanks Troy: Dash and column are apart and cleaned and painted. A pretty good day again. I think I'll hit PickNPull tomorrow to see if the Dodge trucks have firewall nails like the E-bodies, they probably do, I can usually get them out without damaging them. I need a couple of heater cables too. I recycle lots of Dodge truck parts into musclecar parts. Much better luck with 30 year old Dodge parts than new repro parts.

Sheldon

A bit more progress between doing fixits on the wife's Honda and necessary stuff around the house. The dash is in for the final time, thankfully. The 1970 Challenger rallye dash is my favorite by far, when I had my 70 HemiCuda it always looked second best to me. The 71's are even worse.

Sheldon

Lots of delays on this. I recycled insulation nails out of junk vans at PicnPull. Then I had to redrill some firewall holes that had been welded up by mistake (I'd sooner deal with that than welding up holes that didn't get filled before paint).

Sheldon

Steering column is ready to go in as soon as I finish underneath the dash. This was quite exciting too as the steering wheel puller butchered the top of the shaft before I figured out I better run a nut on to keep the puller centered. I have never had that happen in using that tool for the last 35 years, maybe the shaft was damaged before, oh well.

Sheldon

Hood is getting changed although my bodyguy didn't fix the hole in this one. I'll just live with it I suppose.

Sheldon

Pistons came this week and they're about .5 too big to fit in the 340 block so I'll have to make some allowances there as well.

Sheldon

Thanks: If I wasn't so busy at work I'd take a week off and blast this thing together, but it'll take a bit longer for sure. It's all fun now though.

Sheldon

Looks great Sheldon. Very similar to the car we are just finishing up right now. It's a '71 Cuda with a 340, 4 speed, 3.91, factory B5/B5 with white billboard and console. Added a shaker and rear wing. Also going day two on this one. It's not numbers matching so it made the engine decision easier. Stroked it to 408 making 450hp and 500lbs. Cragars and tti headers and exhaust. Should be a fun all around car.

That sounds great. I like day 2, you can add a few items that make it easier to enjoy the car and no foul as long as you don't cut up the car. My Hemi Charger was matching #'s and the way I drive my stuff it was always in the back of my mind I didn't want to hurt that block.
I'll lose a bit of momentum on the car this month. I have to do a few items on my sweptline for the new owner then the MATS in a few days but I'm still doing small items to the Challenger at night and the body should be ready by the time the engine machining is done.
I rebuilt the heater box this weekend, got the cables and wiring harnesses I needed from friends, (Thanks Ron and Pete) and a few more trinkets ended up getting bolted on.

Sheldon

Nice work Sheldon, that is a most excellent color combination. Hope to see it in person some day. Any chance of the Mopar show in Langley this July?


Mark