RE: Gas Filler Cap
I had posted when we first started on the Forum a three part story about first cars and Thunderbirds and kids, and Mopars. They seem to be lost from the forum archives. However, my articles run in a variety of club newletters and magazines so they stay on file in the computer.
Ah Ha!! And here it is for you. Thank you for asking, and I hope you enjoy the story.
RESURRECTION CHALLENGER
It was a small ad in the Detroit News that caught my eye. “1970 Dodge Challenger, 440, orange, and a phone number.” On one hand, the brief ad described a car I had wanted for 24 years, on the other my building was crowded with projects and my list of unfinished tasks was long. I clipped the ad and set it aside. The small clipping haunted me for two months. One day, curiously, I dialed the number. A woman answered. She did not know any details about the car, only that they still had it and yes, it was still for sale. I left her my phone number and told her I was in no rush. A few minutes later, her husband, Mike returned my call. We spoke a bit. Mike assured me that the car was a gem, that he’d been working on the car, that it was an early build with a double data plate that had been decoded by Grovier himself. From his description, the car sounded “just right.” His small rural Michigan community was far from home and inconvenient for me to go for a look. We left it at that. More than a month later, I had occasion to visit Lansing, Michigan, and would be passing close enough to look at the car, if it was still there. When I called, I learned that the Challenger was still available, that there had been no other calls, and he had been hoping I would call back.
At the agreed upon time, I met Mike and he pulled aside the large sliding pole barn doors. Indeed, there sat an orange Challenger. It’s grill was askew, the vinyl top tattered. It sat deep in the dirt floor, the right front tire was flat. Still the Challenger was clearly muscular with its belt line kick as sassy as ever. His description of the car had not been untruthful, it was however optimistic.
He had worked on the car from time to time, taking off the door handles and draining the fluids. It sat nearly axle deep in the dirt floor of the pole barn. Rust was everywhere, the upholstery in shreds, the windshield was cracked. There was no way to tell what worked and what did not, every component needed attention. There was however the RB 440 stuffed into the K member and 2 data plates riveted to the inner fender. We haggled over price. “Do you know what this will be worth when it’s done?”, he asked. “Yes, and I know what it will take to get it there,” I countered. “I’ll cut it up and sell it for parts!” He screamed. “You can’t sell a broken windshield or a bent hood.” I explained. I offered to buy the block and the data plates if he threw everything else in for free. “Get off my land!” he exclaimed. “It’s been for sale for four months, I’m the only looker and the only offer, there is no one in line behind me,” I countered. A deal was struck with the stipulation that I’d move the car within a week.
Arranging a tow, among my car buddies was an easy task. But actually moving the Challenger was another altogether. Mike was supposed to arrange some friends to help push the car out of the dirt and onto the trailer. At the appointed time, Mike and crew were replaced by his wife carrying her newborn infant son. Mike had instructed her not to let me touch the car or have the title until she had the money in hand ($2,000). I counted out the $100.00 dollar bills on the fender, and she produced the title and keys. With her baby in one arm and her purse over the other she took a position, her hand on the trunk, ready to help push. Thoughtful, yet ridiculous.
Together, Jay and I wrapped a heavy chain around the Challenger’s underbody and to the hitch of Jay’s truck. The aging Challenger groaned as it lifted out of the dirt and creaked into daylight. Car guys do dumb and unsafe things and live to tell about it. We had no winch to pull the Challenger up onto the trailer. Compounding the Challenger challenge was the flat front tire and 500 pounds of dead engine weight. The property there was on a hill side, the driveway on a steep slope. We decide to position the trailer at the bottom of the drive and push the car downhill gaining enough momentum for it to load up the ramps an onto the trailer at the bottom of the hill. I got in to steer and Jay pushed the car to get it rolling, flat tire and all. Picking up speed and going down the hill aiming the car at the two ramps, I wanted more control and applied the brake pedal, which immediately fell to the floor. Among the fluids drained from the car was the brake master cylinder. Quicker and quicker I approached the ramps, tighter and tighter I gripped the wheel, bracing myself for disaster. The Challenger jumped up the ramps and centered itself on the trailer, not at all the airborn General Lee fly over I had imagined would happen.
Once at my shop and on the hoist, disassembly began. I worked at everything from using a torch to cut off the front bumper bolts to using solvent and an old toothbrush to degrease small components. The body was prepped and sent for media blasting. I replaced no full panels. Instead I painstakingly fabricated patch panels and welded and ground them in. The engine had one cylinder wall rusted and would not turn. The engine was overhauled and bored .030 over. The entire brake system has been replaced. I checked each electric circuit, including the overhead console and Ralleye dash on this RT/SE 440 Magnum. The gas tank was blasted and sealed, all new fuel and California emissions lines were fabricated and installed. The broken front window removed, the fiberboard headliner board pulled and recovered and reinstalled. In short everything was taken off, fixed, detailed or replaced. A trim fabrication company contacted me. I sent them the bent and banged stainless rocker panel covers, and they used them to model new reproduction pieces, and gave me a new replacement set for my help. The car is not quite finished. A pesky brake line drip, clock overhaul and block sanding and paint remain to be done.
What about this Challenger’s pedigree? The car is an RT/SE 440 magnum, September 69 build with high options including AM 8 Track radio, trunk mount luggage rack, air conditioning, leather interior, ralley dash and overhead console. It has California emissions set up. It had the reflective white side stripe and black vinyl top.
In its history the car had been drag raced hard. The pinion snubber had plowed through the sheet metal under the back seat, and the rear axle seals were shot. One front unibody arm was cracked and I had it welded for repair. Both front shock tower mounting holes were ripped open and the rear shock mounting attachment broken off altogether, which I fabricated and welded in. My Uncle is a retired quality control manager from Chrysler’s Trenton, Michigan Engine assembly plant. He ran the engine serial number. Sadly, the car is not numbers matching. The current 440 came from a 1972 Dodge motor home. Sounds dowdry doesn’t it? But not when you fire it up with no exhaust attached, then that Mopar 440 heritage comes alive!
Current plans are to continue work over the winter and spring and have it ready for the launch of the new 2008 Dodge Challenger celebrations.