Hey there!

[Drivun]

Just joined to share in all the e-body love!

I am a Canadian who is smart enough to move to warmer weather in Atlanta where I can enjoy my cars comfortably year round. While I appreciate all sports/muscle/race/classic cars my focus is more resto-mod oriented as I am a 10 time Long Hauler on the Hot Rod Power Tour in a 66 Sting Ray coupe, accompanied by my daughter in her 1972 El Camino (an 11 x LongHauler). The Ray has been fun but I decided I wanted a roomier tourer without sidepipes in 2018 that can haul parts/luggage /tools in case my daughter eventually backs out of the tour.

My 72 Challenger was a California B5 blue 318 automatic that was painted Plum Crazy with a black vinyl roof and interior when I bought it. I have completed the suspension: 17 x 8 and 18 x 9 1/2 KMCs with Michelin Pilot SS 245/45/17 and 275/45/18's, Hotchkis tubular a-arms/springs/shocks/sway bars/connectors, Firm Feel stage 3 steering box/pitman arm. Interior has had a first round upgrade: Recaro seats, Personal Steering wheel, Speed Hut gauges in a copper veneer dash. As I move to finishing up the drivetrain, I am running a 408 Magnum stroker (dynoed 460hp 530tq ) backed by TTI headers and exhaust. And my current project is to go 3 pedals with a Silver Sport Tremec TKO 600 conversion.

I look forward to future conversations with you.
Best Steve

 

[rbbruno3]

Welcome aboard Steve. Nice Challenger you will like the TKO

 

[AUSTA]

Great looking car ,the black vinyl looks good with the stripes
just ordered the speed hut gauges did you use 3.5 inch or 4 doing a wooden sheoak overlay on the laser
My TKO 600 turns up monday full kit with clutch & flywheel whether you will use the second overdrive will be a test & see.
Do you have a pic of your dash would be interested to see did you make it 1 panel including switches or kept the 2 piece.

 

[Drivun]

Thx rbbruno3.. the 600 has been great in the Ray although its 383 stroker has 100 ft lbs less torque!

Austa, I kept with two pieces. I "tried on" several cardboard mock ups to try to optimize gauge placement around my smaller 14 1/2 steerring wheel and long torso. Ultimately went with 4 inch for the Tach and Speedo, and 2 5/8 for everything else. I converted the switch panel to include a manual over ride for my electric fans. I gutted a broken Rallye dash to keep the framework, and then put an abs overlay on it with the holes cut out to support the gauges. Then the copper veneer overlay followed by the gauges. Just installed yesterday so no finished dash pic but here is the two panels.

 

[AUSTA]

Looks great ,the fan switch is a good idea i use a turbo timer set to 5 mins to allow the engine to cool a bit

 

[Drivun]

I am using a Dakota Digital controller with preset triggers but since overheating is the number 1 issue on power tour, I always have built in redundancy in case the controller fails. Still remember my first tour when every hotel had several cars each nite changing rads and fans!

 

[Grady Cain]

Welcome from NW CT. Great looking car - show us more!

 

[Drivun]

Hi Grady. Only garage shots for now. That will change when the drivetrain gets in and I hit the Power Tour!

 

[DetMatt1]

Welcome to the site from the Motor City!

 

[340challconvert]

Welcome to FEBO from New Jersey!
Really nice mod work on the Challenger; car is looking great.
Atlanta metro is a nice area to live. Beautiful lake areas north of the city.
Look's like you will have to become a Falcons or Braves fan.

 

[Drivun]

Thanks paharamia. Wish Atlanta still had a NHL hockey team!

 

[moparleo]

Welcome aboard. Nice Challenger !

 

[Drivun]

Thanks Leo. Anxious to get her running!

 

[Chryco Psycho]

Welcome Steve
Great looking chall & good to see you get out & drive them !!
From experience I am not a fan of the TKO swap unless you are going to a T 56 magnum .
Jamie is actually cranking out the 855 5 spd bolt in now & his hemi 4 spd with od is a great choice too

 

[Drivun]

Thanks Psycho. Its a tko 600 5 speed. Used the same tranny for 35,000 Power Tour miles in my 66 Corvette without problem so I don't envision any surprises/problems in the Challenger. Although it was a bolt in to the little Ray vs a tunnel cut in the big Challenger. I ordered it from SilverSport in 2015, as Passon's was still a dream. Other than media stories/hype, I haven't seen anything on the web that any regular enthusiasts have actually gotten the Passon 5 speed. If it were not for some family health problems( not mine!), I'd already have 7000 Tour miles on it.

As a 10x LongHauler on Power Tour, I have also found that while new technologies/products are intriquing, when I am 3000 miles from home on a Power Tour, its good to have parts/expertise available in Little Town USA. Tremecs are pretty common these days, have strong parts network, and both Tremec and SilverSport are usually represented at each stop.

Passon's no cut approach is a great concept, and I sincerely wish him great success.

 

[mopar steve]

Welcome from New York , you might be interested taking the nice Mopar on The Rapid Transit Tour

 

[Drivun]

Hi Mopar Steve. I will have to think about it in the future, but it usually conflicts with a family re-union we have held in Canada for 27 years. Don't want to become the black sheep, but I am building it with the thought that one year i could drive it north to Ontario !