Not So Mean Green 1971 Challenger

[h0wb0y]

I have always loved cars. When I was very young (five or six), I would always beg to be taken to any car show I heard about. My step-father was a bodyman and I enjoyed learning everything I could from him - but everything I learned was mostly at car shows because my family could not afford a project car.

At the car shows, I always wanted to head to the MOPAR section first. I think at that age, I initially just really liked that the colors were always so much brighter than most of the rest of the pack - but I started to learn that most of the older guys that would take the time to answer my questions in great detail were the old MOPAR guys. I think this began to grate on my step-father's nerves - partly because these guys knew more than him - or maybe because they had more patience then he did - not really too sure. My favorite car was the Challenger. When I told my step-father this, he made it very clear to me that talking with the MOPAR guys and even looking at the MOPARs was a complete waste of time - because I would never be able to afford one anyway.

I remember thinking, "f*** this dude" - that day. Let's just say I made a good call that day.

Mowing every lawn I could find - I finally saved up enough money (when I was about 12) to buy --- a rotted out old 1966 Mustang. BAHAHAHA - it was no Challenger - but it was mine. It took me a few years, but I figured a lot out on that car - and I just kept on finding different cars and building them when and the best I could. I guess I just lost that somewhere.

Fast forward to a few months back (I am almost 30 now), I was talking with some guys at work about some of the projects I have had in the past - and that I really missed having a project. One of the guys mentioned that his dad has a few older cars sitting around in his field. He had no idea what Make/Model any of the cars were - but he said that he didn't think there was anything out there worth more than scrapping really.

Being that I was kind-of leaning towards doing some sort of rat-rod, I thought - sure - why not go take a look at this old graveyard.

When I arrived, it was basically what I expected. A bunch of older trucks and mid-eighties generic cars. And then I saw it. I mean - it's not any super high-end trim package or anything - but - it was a Challenger nonetheless. And I was lucky enough to buy it for very little.

It will be a long road, and it may have taken me 20 years to get one, but by God I am building my damn dream car. --- and so it begins.

1971 Challenger
318
Automatic - Column Shift
Green on Green on Green
Drum Brakes
40,000 Original miles
All numbers matching
Just about 100% complete car
Never wrecked that I can tell
Rust in floor, a little in quarters and fenders, but no rust (besides surface rust) everywhere else - rockers, subframe, torque boxes, towers, windshield track, etc. all seem to be pretty good.

The day I got it:

(After 20+ years of animals got it)

Progress pictures to come.

 

[h0wb0y]

Back.

Engine.

Free friend that came with the car (probably the cause of most of my wiring being gone).

 

[h0wb0y]

Mileage - kinda makes me wonder why it was parked in the first place.

Pulled off the air cleaner and was a little taken back by how clean most of the metal inside of the filter was:

Then I started noticing some factory labels - which was pretty neat that they survived all these years.

 

[h0wb0y]

And this one:

And this one:

So I looked - and, not that it means much for a 318 auto on the column car - but it was numbers matching.

I pulled a wrench out and the engine was not seized - so I was pretty happy at that point. I was just going to go get a new battery, plop it in, and cross the starter relay to see if it fired - but, I have been down that happy-high road before that usually just ends in immediate disappointment and many more trips to the parts store --- so I went ahead and picked up new battery cables, starter relay, starter (for a 93 Dodge Dakota), coil, points, condenser, cap, rotor, plug wires, plugs, oil filter, fuel filter, air filter, some fuel line, starter fluid, Seafoam, carb cleaner, degreaser, PB Blaster, so on and so forth. I was determined to get this thing fired up off of one trip to the store.

Well, going piece by piece, I was able to get it fired up! BUT - it would die immediately. I checked and checked everything I could think of. Fuel pump was pumping fuel when line was disconnected from carb. Carb jets were squirting fuel. I had compression on all cylinders. I had TDC - and the rotor was pointing right at it. The firing order was correct and I knew I was not 180 degrees off. I had power to the coil and over the coil. I had spark in the cap. I had spark at the plugs. Spark plug gaps were good. Points gap was good. My wiring was all new - and only what I needed to start and run the motor for a quick time (I was not even about to go buy a harness, voltage regulator, ballast resister, etc. just to get this thing to run). Still - it would just fire up immediately - and then immediately die.

Everyone I talked to kept telling me that I had one of those things wrong - because, if I had all of those things rights, it would fire and run - period --- which I knew --- and that's why I had it that way! I must have checked everything about 30 times. When people were telling me that I was wrong - I started inviting them over to see if they could get it started and running. Nobody could. I even re-rebuilt the carburetor in front of someone that swore up and down that the issue was the carb. Nope. Everyone just would stand around with a red face and say - well - you definitely have everything right --- not really sure why it won't run (and then run away). I mean - these guys are usually the BEST type of people to have in this situation - several farmers, two mechanic shop owners, several professional mechanic friends, and several car guy friends (and myself) could not figure this thing out.

After basically getting nowhere for a good month, I left it sit a month while I moved and some other things. I was not really avoiding it - but I was.

About a week ago, a random memory popped into my head as I was falling asleep. When working on an old 41 Chevy Panel motor that had been sitting in the field a long time, I found that mud dabber nests inside of the cylinders (on top of the piston and below the heads) were stopping the engine from turning - and it acted like it was completely seized up. I chuckled to myself as I dozed off.

The next morning, I was kinda thinking about that old Chevy Panel and it hit me like a ton of bricks. The one thing I had NEVER thought to check was the exhaust. I went outside, pulled the manifolds loose, connected the battery and bridged the starter relay. BOOM. That motor fired right up and ran like a top for about 5 seconds (before I killed it for fear of wrecking my exhaust valves from cooling down to fast with no manifolds on). Mud dabber nests in the exhaust manifolds the whole time!

Important lesson re-learned: All an engine needs is proper air, spark, and fuel to fire. Correct. HOWEVER, if it can inhale, it must be able to exhale - because otherwise it can't inhale again!

I made sure to let all those guys that tried to help know that it was the exhaust the whole time so they could share in my embarrassment. I am sure glad I was the one that ended up figuring it out though!

It was sure a good re-charge on motivation though!

 

[h0wb0y]

Haven't even put the valve covers back on from checking all of the lifter/rocker/valve movement - but she runs!

Now I have both fenders, doors, hood, and most of the front end off. Got the windshield trim off with an old body mess index measurement tool without damaging any of it - and the windshield out. Not sure why that was laying around - but it was! (I guess fender and windshield are still in at the time of this picture)

Most of the interior is out:

 

[h0wb0y]

Here's the back seat area:

I now have the dash out. I was working on getting the column out tonight, but I am not sure if it matters which way I tap from to get the roll pin in the steering shaft coupler out of the gearbox. (Asked in another thread - but will hopefully figure it out tomorrow)

Got my blasting media on the way (5 bags of StarBlast Ultra for $12/50lbs bag and 3 bags of StarBlast XL for 17/50lbs bag).
Ordered a few spot weld cutter bits
Ordered the floor and trunk pans I need (Auto Metal Direct)
Ordered the laser cut sub frame connectors from US Cartool
Picked up a good 360 block to hopefully build it into a 426 small block stroker motor. All in all - I had a pretty productive week since I got that old 318 running!

 

[h0wb0y]

Alright - I think that is a pretty good start on my "Project Thread". Hopefully you all enjoy it with me!

Until I make some more progress, I will leave you with the best picture I have taken during the project so far:

 

[DetMatt1]

Great story, great car, congrats! What are your plans for the car besides the engine mods, factory correct in appearance?

 

[h0wb0y]

What are your plans for the car besides the engine mods, factory correct in appearance?

I haven't quite decided yet. It definitely will not be factory correct as far as keeping exactly the same as it was. I will be, at a minimum, changing the color of the interior to black and the exterior to two tone - black and a deep dark version of Plum Crazy. I will most likely have a spoiler - because I think they just look so good on these cars. Might have to get a different hood if I end up with clearance issues. All that cosmetic stuff is just a long ways out, so I haven't really put a whole lot of thought into it.

Right now I am just going to try to get it down to bare metal and see what everything looks like.

I will probably be stiffening up the subframe more, stiffening up the suspension, converting at least the front to disk brakes, moving the shifter from the column to the floor (if not converting it to a manual entirely), and throwing in some stout gears in the rearend. Maybe a mini-tub eventually?

I think I would say that the plans as of right now are a medium-extensive resto-mod.

 

[EV2-70]

I haven't quite decided yet. It definitely will not be factory correct as far as keeping exactly the same as it was. I will be, at a minimum, changing the color of the interior to black and the exterior to two tone - black and a deep dark version of Plum Crazy. I will most likely have a spoiler - because I think they just look so good on these cars. Might have to get a different hood if I end up with clearance issues. All that cosmetic stuff is just a long ways out, so I haven't really put a whole lot of thought into it.

Right now I am just going to try to get it down to bare metal and see what everything looks like.

I will probably be stiffening up the subframe more, stiffening up the suspension, converting at least the front to disk brakes, moving the shifter from the column to the floor (if not converting it to a manual entirely), and throwing in some stout gears in the rearend. Maybe a mini-tub eventually?

I think I would say that the plans as of right now are a medium-extensive resto-mod.

Pretty neat story on how you finally got a "MOPAR". I'm finishing up on my 71 Challenger, should be ready for paint in a week. Curious Yellow.... Anyway. Don't forget to install a small pipe through the frame connectors for you parking brake cables... Instead of mini tubbing the car, put a "B" body axle in it with offset spring perches. This will get you more tire space with less work etc.

 

[EV2-70]

Oh Yea,,, I'm not sure which state your from etc. I Live in Wisconsin, and although I don't drive it in the rain or snow etc. I decide to protect my investment by spraying the outside of the inner fenders, the floor pans, wheel houses and bottom of the trunk with SEM truck bedliner. I thinned it out and it sprayed on very nicely. That stuff will never come off and I'll never have to worry about rust again. Just a thought. Good luck on your project.

 

[EV2-70]

If you need a floor shift steering column, I have one but it is for "Manual" steering. You can always cut it shorter and use it. With regard to driving out the drift pin. It doesn't matter which direction you pound it out...

 

[DJ1967Dart]

Great car along with a great story. Good luck with the build - love the color combo.

 

[h0wb0y]

Don't forget to install a small pipe through the frame connectors for you parking brake cables... Instead of mini tubbing the car, put a "B" body axle in it with offset spring perches. This will get you more tire space with less work etc.

Oh man. I am so glad you mentioned the parking brake cables - that never would have crossed my mind until it was about to be a pain. B Body axel with offset spring perches, huh - I like that idea and will have to now do some research down that path! Thanks again!

Oh Yea,,, I'm not sure which state your from etc. I Live in Wisconsin, and although I don't drive it in the rain or snow etc. I decide to protect my investment by spraying the outside of the inner fenders, the floor pans, wheel houses and bottom of the trunk with SEM truck bedliner. I thinned it out and it sprayed on very nicely. That stuff will never come off and I'll never have to worry about rust again. Just a thought. Good luck on your project.

Yet again - great advice. I live in Kansas - so we get plenty of rain, humidity, heat, snow,ice, salt, etc. I was planning on doing something very similar with some type of undercoating, but I had not started looking into branding and product recommendations. Thinned out SEM truck bedliner - thanks for the recommendation!

If you need a floor shift steering column, I have one but it is for "Manual" steering. You can always cut it shorter and use it. With regard to driving out the drift pin. It doesn't matter which direction you pound it out...

Hmmmm - maybe PM me with a price you had in mind and a few pictures? I would like to do a column to floor shifter conversion - and, ideally, I would like to do an automatic to standard conversion --- but, with my budget, I am really trying to pick and choose my priorities and whatnot.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

Great project !!

 

[340challconvert]

Cool Project.
Good luck with your restoration/modifications.
Always great to see another ebody saved.

 

[mmissile]

What happened to the rabbit?

 

[DetMatt1]

From the looks of it probably just a little indigestion...

 

[Dillon]

Body doesnt look to bad .we have to remember these cars are almost 50 years old!

 

[gf7cuda]

Good luck with your project, should be sweet when finished.