The Dodge Challenger Message Board

Great site... and cool members pics! Heres mine..

1970 Dodge Challenger 4 speed T/A. ORiginal engine was gone when I got it. I've got a rebuilt AAR engine in it now! ORiginal paint with some thin spots touched up. It could really use a paint job, but its a ton of fun as is!

Taking them off the road for bodywork sometimes keeps them off the road to too long. I should know.
Keep driving it!

i agree with you there dave it take forever there is always something else to do
cheers ian

Thanks guys! I will take that good advice!!

So you have an correct engine in there now? AAR cuda 340 sixpack? Very,very cool,man. I would leave it as is. Looks great. I read a story about Dave Koffel,(koffels place), that the MoPar racers were scrapping as many T/As and AARs as possible to use the thick wall 340 block for MoPar pro racers! Thats why those cars are so rare with the original engine in them,(MoparMuscle magazine Aug.99).

airfuelEddie wrote:So you have an correct engine in there now? AAR cuda 340 sixpack? Very,very cool,man. I would leave it as is. Looks great. I read a story about Dave Koffel,(koffels place), that the MoPar racers were scrapping as many T/As and AARs as possible to use the thick wall 340 block for MoPar pro racers! Thats why those cars are so rare with the original engine in them,(MoparMuscle magazine Aug.99).

WoW! INteresting. I'll have to hunt that copy up!

My favourite car you've got there!

Which colour is your interior? Looks green or black maybe?

finoke wrote:

airfuelEddie wrote:So you have an correct engine in there now? AAR cuda 340 sixpack? Very,very cool,man. I would leave it as is. Looks great. I read a story about Dave Koffel,(koffels place), that the MoPar racers were scrapping as many T/As and AARs as possible to use the thick wall 340 block for MoPar pro racers! Thats why those cars are so rare with the original engine in them,(MoparMuscle magazine Aug.99).

WoW! INteresting. I'll have to hunt that copy up!

Aug. 1999 E-bodies! Interview with Dave Koffel Part I part two was in a later not sequential issue. This isnt an official quote but according to Dave Koffel, the MoPar racers,(drag and circle track), were having problems with the stock LA engine block, this was around 1972-73, the stock block would crack around #5 and#7 cylinder as we approached 600 h.P. everytime! It was particularly frustrating as we had to get 340 T/As and AAR to get a strong enough block that would hold the power, we scrapped many cars, it was ridiculous! it went something like that! It also said Chrysler didnt have the money to develop a new block because of the Jap invasion,(cheap,reliable,efficient cars, sounds scary to some of us yanks cause history is repeating itself literally). New Challenger on horizon, nation at war, economy outlook bleak, no jobs,muscle cars are back for how long?

New Challenger on horizon, nation at war, economy outlook bleak, no jobs,muscle cars are back for how long?

Chrysler seems to always be late on their releases. Happened back in 70 and I see it now. The new mustangs are everywhere here in Califonia. Too bad Dodge didn't release the new Challenger earlier to give em some competition.

Jon wrote:New Challenger on horizon, nation at war, economy outlook bleak, no jobs,muscle cars are back for how long?

Chrysler seems to always be late on their releases. Happened back in 70 and I see it now. The new mustangs are everywhere here in Califonia. Too bad Dodge didn't release the new Challenger earlier to give em some competition.

I agree Jon. Is it true you can go down to the Ford dealership and purchase the 500 h.P. Shelby? Mustang GT, the one in the german autobahn Commercial? I thought that was down the road. Dodge needs to get that baby out now. I wonder if moPar enthusiasts were saying the same thing in early 1969?

Dodge started to design the 1970 Challenger early in 1967 at least. Not sure when the prototype came out.

Yeah Dave I think you are right on that one,67 sounds right. BTW the gentleman that designed the Challenger,(Carl Cameron?), I think just passed away.

Carl designed the Charger. He did some work on the Challenger but it was his boss (Bill Brownlie) who's design it was that won the day.

Carl did make one suggestion.

Originally the Challengers wheelbase was to be 3 inches longer than the Barracudas at 111 inches. This made it the same as the Dodge Dart. Remembering that Plymouth had been criticized for using the Valiant platform in 1964, Carl Cameron suggested that the Challenger wheelbase be reduced, by one inch to 110 inches, just to make it different. Bill Brownlie liked the idea and got it changed.

Thanks Dave cool info. So which one passed away, Mr. Cameron? I think I read it on the news stand in Hot Rod or Car Craft, I know, but I was bored. Not to get off topic too much, but I sure hope the New Challenger sales dont parallel those of the 70-74 models! With the global outlook virtually the same as it was in late 1969. Also FINOKE how does your T/A run? Does it drive thru the corners pretty good? Are you gonna do any suspension mods? I modded my R/T's suspension pretty good and with a lot of aluminum parts on the engine the front end weight has been reduced by at least 100 Lbs! The T/As and AARs had the best balance and bias according to Sam Posey.

airfuelEddie wrote:Thanks Dave cool info. So which one passed away, Mr. Cameron? I think I read it on the news stand in Hot Rod or Car Craft, I know, but I was bored. Not to get off topic too much, but I sure hope the New Challenger sales dont parallel those of the 70-74 models! With the global outlook virtually the same as it was in late 1969. Also FINOKE how does your T/A run? Does it drive thru the corners pretty good? Are you gonna do any suspension mods? I modded my R/T's suspension pretty good and with a lot of aluminum parts on the engine the front end weight has been reduced by at least 100 Lbs! The T/As and AARs had the best balance and bias according to Sam Posey.

The T/A runs great! No problems at all and fast as or faster than the 383 magnum Challenger that I owned. Its got a black interior and 4 speed! By the way, I have a picture of myself and MR Cameron beside the 383 Challenger about a year before he passed. Real nice guy!

Cool Finoke! I bet he was an interesting man. He didnt look that old in Daves story link,(Thanks Dave, I saved that page and printed it), man I want to meet and try to talk to Tom Hoover and Bill Weertman,(hemi designer), before they too pass oh and Arlen Vanke cause he is the true master. Maybe make a trip to Elkton, Minn. Thats were them old racer dudes go every year but I think its an invite only. Oh and glad to hear that T/A is a strong runner! Its an awesome machine.