70 R/T #Match Tasteful Mods or Not?

J.horseman · Jan 20, 2020

70 Charger R/T # matching 440(Needs Rebuilt) auto 8 3/4 Power nothing, Fender tag no build sheet. Needs rust repair trunk, quarters, rear valance and fully restored from what I see now without opening the can. I wanted a 69 R/T roller but after a year of trying I never landed on the right car for right price and impulse bought this car close to me when the opportunity came. Am I crapping on this car if i pull and store the matching RB and do the following.
1) Mini Tub
2) Convert to manual
3) Fabricated 9" Rear
4) 1000hp and supporting Structure
5) Fuel Injection
6) Power Steering and Brakes
7) Not repaint to Top Banana

I could trade for the right car but I certainly don't want to sell it and go back through the same time I spent looking before. I have had the car for just shy of two years while I was building my shop. I wont settle for a non R/T as I have wanted one for 20 years. Thanks for any input.

Beekeeper · Jan 20, 2020

Nice score on the R/T I say do it the way you want it’s your car. Welcome to FBBO!
BTW head over to the welcome wagon and introduce yourself.

WP29440SE · Jan 20, 2020

this is my opinion on the matter. if you are trying to restore the car and maybe flip it down the road , put it back together the way it was built, and that's not to say you wouldn't possibly end upside-down in it anyway. if this is a car you will go to your grave enjoying, build the **** out of it exactly the way you want and drive the wheels off it. it's just a car and it's to be enjoyed in a way that makes you happy. it's refreshing to see people building them to drive instead of just trying to profit

vintage chromoly · Jan 20, 2020

I “Day 2’d” my numbers matching (engine, trans was replaced very early on), 40,000 original miles, zero rust, Coronet RT. That includes a 4 speed and Dana swap. It hurt to cut the floor (couple vodka tonics helped), but i saved the plug and it could easily be returned to OE.

Things I wouldn’t do (and this is, of course JMO):

-Color change a car
-resto mod a car
-Use rims larger than 15”
-Modify the interior other than a -column tach and maybe a few gauges
-cut the tubs in

BDF6 · Jan 20, 2020

Your car, your choices. Enjoy the build & welcome!

davek · Jan 20, 2020

Hello and welcome,some pics please

J.horseman · Jan 20, 2020

Some Pics

chargervert · Jan 20, 2020

70 Chargers are my personal favorite Mopar, good luck with your new project!

flypaper · Jan 20, 2020

there isn't much left that is original to that car
from the 71 steering wheel on down..
for that reason
do as you please

Don selleck · Jan 20, 2020

make it your own, its your car and your cash. somebody will always bitch no matter what you do.

R413 · Jan 20, 2020

Sounds like you don’t like the car much and since it’s numbers matching with a fender tag and pretty solid then sell it and get a roller to modify. Please.

Not too hard to find a 1970 steering wheel, seat covers and a carpet kit.

Why do you need an R/T? You are going to get rid of all the R/T except the emblems to make your statement. Also do you have the money for all those mods? Sounds like big $$

Welcome.

70Polara440 · Jan 21, 2020

Normally I tend to agree with the whole, it's your car do as you want thing...but a numbers matching 440 RT? No. Sell this car to someone that will restore it to Day 1 or Day 2 and find a solid shell 69 charger to build the crap out of.

Derwud · Jan 21, 2020

I am not the one to ask..

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P.S. That is the Numbers matching block behind the car.

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Derwud · Jan 21, 2020

This is fun, more pictures

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Cncguy1 · Jan 21, 2020

Lets ask Greta.

chargervert · Jan 21, 2020

I would say,that other than the mini tubbing,everything thing else is pretty much reversible. Chargers have much larger wheel wells than other B body cars. I would just modify the outer wheel houses so the tire dosen't bottom out. The outer wheel houses were extended several inches from the factory B body wheel houses, so I would modify that verses tubbing the car.

J.horseman · Jan 21, 2020

I appreciate everyone that chimed in with opinions. I have a few more weeks to think about it while I finish up my shop. The reason for originally posting this thread was from an interaction i had with a few people in the cafeteria at Chrysler Carlisle. When it came my turn to talk, I stated my intentions to make big power and drive the hell out of it. They met me with some hate and got up and left. Not that I give a flying hell about those people in particular, but it made me question my investment as well as if I will be trying to justify my choices every time I am standing beside it. Don's post above seems accurate to my past and possibly future experiences. I am going to throw a post in the New Member area and sit back and keep learning from all the knowledge on this site until its time to start.

flypaper · Jan 21, 2020

if your after investment
your return on restoring it vs resto modding it
there isn't much difference
people will pay as much for either.
so there is no real advantage either way money wise
for that argument.

the issue here is that you care too much
about what other people think..

R413 · Jan 21, 2020

flypaper said:
if your after investment
your return on restoring it vs resto modding it
there isn't much difference
people will pay as much for either.
so there is no real advantage either way money wise
for that argument.

Until the resto mod phase dies out (and it will). Then it’s a cut up worthless car that was numbers matching at 50 years old.

Remember the custom chopper phase that is now vanished? All those retail shops closed and gone. Same thing here, same type of people.

Not trying to offend anyone here, so don’t go there. We are all different.

Simple solution, go buy a non matching car and cut it all up like you want. Don’t ruin the cool piece of history you have now.

flypaper · Jan 21, 2020

you are not offending me
it might die in the future but that's the market right now today in 2020
its not going away any time soon
with movies and pop culture supporting it..

to restore that car righteously would run up to 6 figures now
anything less heads towards half ***
and half *** cars don't get the big money these days.

my point was
no matter what he does to that car
his ROI or wallet will not be hurt either way.
I think
he will lose more in the end by OEM restoring it.
nice oem Parts ain't cheap or easy to find for
one year only applications. the well is drying up.

the only argument you have is the history angle

70 R/T #Match Tasteful Mods or Not?

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