JCG Restoration & Customs 70 Challenger 2nd Test Car!

[Rick D]

^^^ as Marty stated!! ZL1 #1 the first one ever built went right under the knife.

[MarkM66]

Originally Posted by Scott Smith

Don't get me wrong, this isn't about me being happy or unhappy, more like disgusted, and while I am definitely a Mopar person, I also appreciate all makes. No, I wouldn't ever put a GM or Ford engine in a Mopar, but if someone else chooses too that's fine by me. However I do find it illogical to throw away money and a historical object for no substantial reason.

Think of it this way, would any of you GM guys cut up and modify a similar car starting with a nice original COPO, Yenko, ZL-1, etc. Camaro?

What's done is done. Would I? No. I don't like loosing money. But it obviously doesn't bother some people, so more power to them.

Back to the build thread...

[intocarss]

Originally Posted by Scott Smith

Ok, so which car did you do that too? A COPO? A Yenko? Or a ZL-1? What condition was it in when you started? Got any pics?

Next question, why would you do that?

Yes some were in good condition. One was a Yenko one was a 68 Z/28 and a 70 1/2 Z/28.. a couple of true SS & RS cars and one friend did a ZL1.. This was back in the late 70's thru early 90's and they were turned into street race cars or drag cars. Plus a whole lot of circle track cars.. That's why. I also know of a lot of Mopars that were cut up to make drag cars ..

Let it go dude

NOW BACK TO THE TOPIC ON HAND

[MoparCar]

For record I am not a tree hugging Mopar purist since I visit this site and not a dozen Mopar resto forums, but I just gotta say in this day and age---why why why cut up a V code (440+6) car when as mentioned you can purchase a complete new body shell. I am building a pro-touring 71 Challenger, mini-tubbed, DSE Q-Link rear suspension, etc. so I do understand the desire, but mine is a car without any heritage, it has a state assigned VIN (factory VIN could not be proven), no build sheet, etc. and could never prove what it was since nothing is numbers matching.

I've been holding off from responding to this since Cris and his shop do excellent work (!!!) and I admire their projects and skills and also want to see what he is producing for Mopar suspension options, but the customer should have been given options including a repro body or a normal non-rare car. Sell it to someone at BJ who would appreciate the rarity, take home a trunk load of money and build it from a non-rare car..... oh yeah, too late! Seems like most guys who spend the money on a pro shop to build a car of this caliper just sell it in a few years anyway, without remorse or connection to the car once the photo shoots and spreads are over. Where's Sickfish, most of the Ring Brother's builds, etc. Most have gone over the auction block.

I have a hard time looking at the build knowing what was cut up. These cars are not on every corner. Production numbers of this car vs. a camaro are staggering low.

I dreamt of owning an original 440+6 car since I was 15 some thirty plus years ago but they were always at the time to much money or in bad shape since I lived in the midwest rust belt at the time.

Not stirring the pot, the customer can do what they want but a car like this is truly in the league of COPOs, Yenkos, Boss 302/429s, 427 Sideoilers, 455 TAs, GTO Judges, etc. and should have been saved. As far as people previously cutting up these cars, yes they did. Now they shouldn't. Everyone knows better.
Nuff said.

Can you put it back to original---please

Cris and crew-love your work! Top notch, just have a hard time with this one since there are so many other options out there.

Wes

[Tuske427]

This thread is proof that you can't make everyone happy.... It's really irrelevant (especially at this point) what the car started out as- this car is receiving a high quality build and will be a better car in every sense of the word when it's done. I think it's great that the owner is willing to do this- the car can be enjoyed now on the street, on the track, etc. and will pave the way for many more cars to be enjoyed just the same.

A plain stock car is boring. They're too "rare", "valuable", and in many cases too fragile, temperamental or unreliable to be driven on the street let alone track. All you can do is look at them, take them to a show (usually trailored)/ put them in a museum or trade them like stock at the next BJ/ Mecum auction.

Purists: Look at the bright side- there are more original parts available now to restore your cars with.

And what's the big deal with using another brand of engine? It's been going on for far longer than any member on this board has been alive. This isn't the first MOPAR to get an LS engine, and it won't be the last.

[intocarss]

Originally Posted by Tuske427

And what's the big deal with using another brand of engine? It's been going on for far longer than any member on this board has been alive. This isn't the first MOPAR to get an LS engine, and it won't be the last.

HELL installing any bowtie engine into a Mopar is only going to increase it's value!!

[Tomswheels]

if Dunn is driving this car it will be tough to beat, but by slapping the Mopar guys in the face by tearing apart the 440/6, you have put a target on this car, pure and simple. To beat it in a Mopar powered Mopar would be sweet justice....

[DOOM]

How bout this maybe, just maybe its not a real 440 6PACK car ???? Did anyone think of that??? That Cris guy is a trickster . I don't believe its real that's my take! Hey my car was a ''ORIGINAL'' Z/28 and I cut it up! That's what the guy told me who I bought it from and it was in writing in the EBAY add

[Mr.Yuck]

Is what that is. Thats a great way to waste money. Lets see take a 70k car, drop 100k in mods to make me a car worth 40k. What couldn't find a 318 car to start with? and a Cheevy ingion? New Hemi not strong enough?

[Cris@JCG]

I have been watching the responses over the weekend & holding back .. I knew this build would not be popular due to the fact of the cars original vin & trim tag.. but we have made the modifications with no regret.. This build.. is a joint build between Karl & I.. I have a personal investment of time & money on this 70 Challenger… There are designs & prototype components that I have not shared with the community till I proof their fit & function..

A car is only “ORIGINAL” once in its life time.. Starters, Alternators, Radiators, get replaced.. Motors get blown up.. Transmissions get swapped, Rear ends get ripped @ the spring perches due to heavy launched from drag racing.. Qtr panels or roof skins get replaced due to body rust.. Now I am going to talk about my restoration days.. I have restored some of the nicest 67 thru 69 Z28’s in the West Coast.. but also have been asked to build clones.. GM produced about 20K Z/28’s & now all of a sudden there are 40K Z/28’s.. There are some pretty talented people out there that can stamp engine pads with original numbers.. even seen it on the transmission cases with the rough texture on the sand casting.. Stamping date codes on rear-end tubes.. I know guys right now that have Trim Tags with vins & titles that have donor 69 shells to re-body a Camaro into a Z/28… Guys that convert their open eye Camaros into RS/Z28.. I have always told my customers of cars that I have restored that if they ever claimed that they car was original in drive-train.. & I knew that it was not.. I would disclose the truth .. I can keep going on about this subject.. but now we will get back to the Mopar.. But one of the main reasons I got out of restoring cars.. people were driving me nuts looking for a correct date coded alternator or starter..

This car is an Original 440/6 Pack car.. But certain parts of the drive-train were replaced & certain components were not the factory suspension components… Certain body panels were replaced.. We knew that when we got the car.. It was disclosed to us.. In the end.. we traded a car & got some cash.. Sold parts.. We did very well with that.. It justified the cost of all changes we have made to the car… This car will not be show car! It will be daily driven & raced to the boundaries the car will allow us..

To the Purist: I apologize for cutting up a Mopar that has a vin & trim tag that is a 440/6pack.. but in the end we are doing what we think is right for us.. We are building this car to meet what we like to do.. Build board line race cars that are daily driven! I just got lucky that we can build a car like that & have a driver that can complement the build…

To the supporters of the build: Thanks guys! Here are some pictures of the car finally on the ground…