340SHAKER
Well-Known Member
OK, here is my story, I have been a Challenger guy most of my life. It all started in the early seventies when I got a model (assembly required) for Christmas. It was the Sox & Martin Challenger. Some of you older guys may remember it. As I put that plastic model together I couldn't help thinking how cool it would be if I could someday build a REAL Challenger. In 1977 I was working my first job and drove past a local used car lot and saw this red 73 Challenger sitting on the brake rotors and drums. Someone had stolen the wheels & tires as well as both of the exterior mirrors off of it. I just had to stop and take a look. It was a 340 automatic on the column. I figured since the wheels and tires were gone maybe I could get a good deal on it. I went in and bought it for $1200. I installed a set of Keystone classic on it and I thought it was the coolest car in town! Later that summer I was at the beach and when I came back to my car I found this hot young girl in a white bikini sitting on the hood. The first thing I said was "get off my car!" We talked for a little while and went our own separate way. That evening ony my way home I stopped at the neighbor's party for a beer (legal age was 18). I came out of the house and guess what? There she was sitting on the hood of my car again, and again I told her "get off my car!" (I married her 4 years later) The next summer a guy showed up in town driving a 71 Challenger R/T. It was a triple black 340 4 speed car with a shaker hood! Now there was a new coolest car in town and I really wanted to have it. I dealt with him every time I saw him but he never sell it to me. He then moved away and I thought I would never see that car again. A number of years later I did managed to track him down. He still had the car but it had been sitting in a barn in pieces since 1982 and it was NOT for sale. I did my due diligence and called him once or twice a year just to check if he would sell it. After bothering him for about 12 more years he finally sold it to me. I have been building my dream "REAL" Challenger ever since. I am finally getting the car close to back together. I was looking online for how to install this part and that part when I came across this forum. I figured I should join as I'm sure I will be asking you guys for some help sooner or later. I have added a couple of pictures of what I have gotten done so far. Forgive me for the last picture of the car, for some reason it wants to be upside down and I can't figure out why.
I don't have that Red 73 anymore but I just celebrated my 35th wedding anniversary with that hot young girl in the white bikini.
I don't have that Red 73 anymore but I just celebrated my 35th wedding anniversary with that hot young girl in the white bikini.
