Daylight at last

[Weldguy]

Power washed 18 years of dirt off her today. Long time being stored. I've owned it 38 years.

 

[moparlee]

Congrats for getting your Challenger out of hibernation. Now you need to tell us the details.

 

[Weldguy]

I bought it in 1982 to build for bracket racing at National Trails Raceway, only 20 minutes away. Setback number one was finding two large cracks in the 383 block (freeze damage) on each side above the camshaft. Not knowing what else could be lurking, I scrapped the block and eventually found an HP 440 engine with 53,xxx miles.
Over the next two years, I gathered parts and built the engine first using the "Bible" (Direct Connection Performance Manual) to spec out a 13 second car with reasonable street manners. With access to gear-head tool and die guys who would machine Torqueflite parts on their lunch break if I bought lunch, I eventually had a "hemi" version Torqueflite (B&M parts and 36 pages of instructions).
With slicks, it would run 13.05 all day. My best time was 12.95 at 112 MPH.
After taking early retirement from my engineering job, I started a metal fabrication shop, so the Challenger (minus the built Torqueflite) took a low priority. Today, I'm totally retired and making time to get her back on the road (and occasionally to the track ).

 

[Chryco Psycho]

Cool that you are now backing working on it .

 

[hdwrench]

congrats, she’s a beauty!

 

[DetMatt1]

Nice car, love the Keystones! Was the 383 it’s original engine?

 

[Weldguy]

Nice car, love the Keystones! Was the 383 it’s original engine?

Yes it was.

 

[Diesel1276]

Where did you get the side stripe? Thats different and its 70s cool!

 

[6PKRTSE]

Congratulations on digger her back out. I like the stripe also and the Keystone wheels as well.

 

[Weldguy]

Where did you get the side stripe? Thats different and its 70s cool!

It's my design. Thanks!

 

[cuda joe]

it;s great you got her back on the road dig the fuzzy dice

 

[Challenger RTA]

Nothing like shower and a breath of fresh air.