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welcome to FBBO
Decision
- Thread starter Lloyd Braun
- Start date
64fury74charger
Well-Known Member
Welcome aboard from the Pacific Northwest.. 
The decision on what you do is yours and this will come from many different things that you will discover once the car moves to the front of your list. There really are no rules that dictate what you must do and for me I build my cars to be safe, reliable and ready to drive anywhere we choose to go.
People seem to enjoy seeing these cars out and about and the smiles are always good to see. When our cars are passed along after we are done my son will know that we definitely used and enjoyed all of our cars. He will do the same and keep on making people smile. Please keep us updated on your progress . Another thing to consider is vinyl wrap once the body is sorted out, protecting the body and looks good going down the road.
The decision on what you do is yours and this will come from many different things that you will discover once the car moves to the front of your list. There really are no rules that dictate what you must do and for me I build my cars to be safe, reliable and ready to drive anywhere we choose to go.People seem to enjoy seeing these cars out and about and the smiles are always good to see. When our cars are passed along after we are done my son will know that we definitely used and enjoyed all of our cars. He will do the same and keep on making people smile. Please keep us updated on your progress . Another thing to consider is vinyl wrap once the body is sorted out, protecting the body and looks good going down the road.
65wgn440
Well-Known Member
Can't help but think, in this situation, how nice ( and possibly easy) of a restoration starting point you could have had, with currently one of the most sought after Mopar models around, if there had been almost any thought about storage prep/care. Not saying that to be a jerk, just kind of thinking out loud, because of the crazy *** prices I see these things bringing today. Probably $500 in storage prep products and some periodic attention throughout the years, and the car is worth, what, maybe 40-50 grand if driveable ??
My thoughts FWIW, I'd clean it up, if it has disc brakes I'd fully go through the system, If not I'd add discs to the front & go through the rear system....
Me being me I would put all new rubber bushings in the front suspension, I'd use the offset users to max out caster & I'd use the steel lined strut rod bushings....
I would evaluate the ball joints & tie rod ends... I'd have Firm Feel rebuild the steering box to Stage 3
Add a set of Bilstien Shocks & a 1 1/8" front sway bar
I would probably pull the engine & re-gasket everything, at the very least replace the freeze plugs & while they are out I'd flush the block throughly...
Have the radiator rodded out.. New water pump, belts & hoses..
I wouldn't waste time flushing the varnish out of the fuels system, instead I would order a Tanks Inc Fuel Injection ready tank & pump along with the tube style sending unit
I would replace the fuel line front to back, actually I would use two lines a supply & a return
I'd get either a FiTech or a Holley Sniper system...
Then go drive the car for a few months & see how you like it...
Late model Hemi Crate engines are cool but totally change the car...
Me being me I would put all new rubber bushings in the front suspension, I'd use the offset users to max out caster & I'd use the steel lined strut rod bushings....
I would evaluate the ball joints & tie rod ends... I'd have Firm Feel rebuild the steering box to Stage 3
Add a set of Bilstien Shocks & a 1 1/8" front sway bar
I would probably pull the engine & re-gasket everything, at the very least replace the freeze plugs & while they are out I'd flush the block throughly...
Have the radiator rodded out.. New water pump, belts & hoses..
I wouldn't waste time flushing the varnish out of the fuels system, instead I would order a Tanks Inc Fuel Injection ready tank & pump along with the tube style sending unit
I would replace the fuel line front to back, actually I would use two lines a supply & a return
I'd get either a FiTech or a Holley Sniper system...
Then go drive the car for a few months & see how you like it...
Late model Hemi Crate engines are cool but totally change the car...
After reading your above post a little more to add on the late model engine swap..
Most times when a late model Hemi is added the whole front suspension is also swapped some folks think this is great getting rid of that 60 year old technology... Well my take is your getting rid of the best suspension design available in the 60's & trading it for take your pick 3-4 current suppliers new system that isn't really new at all, it's based off the Mustang II suspension which in reality is the Pinto suspension... So the best 60 year old tech designed & engineered for the car or the stuff adapted by a guy with allot less engineering skills than an OE, from an Econo box design from 50 years ago...
Lotta guys say they drive fine, I've driven two Mopars with replacement front suspensions now and both had similar problems, at low speed turning fairly sharp not full lock but fairly sharp you can feel the vehicle binding taking more power to move forward till you feel the inside front tire bind to the point the tread "steps over" then the car rolls free for a foot or so till things start to bind again.....
This is due to the fact the inner tire follows a smaller circle path... That requires a different angle on the steering knuckle... Well a Pinto has a different wheel base and track width than a Mopar B body so.... Also because of that binding the steering wheel can't return to center, you need to steer back to center...
There's plenty more negatives and at the same time late model swaps certainly have advantages.. My point being I suggest you do allot of research before committing to that change...
Oh, If you stay with the 383 consider a 5 Spd trans swap... https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopa...-5-speed-conversion-in-a-1970-charger.209725/
Most times when a late model Hemi is added the whole front suspension is also swapped some folks think this is great getting rid of that 60 year old technology... Well my take is your getting rid of the best suspension design available in the 60's & trading it for take your pick 3-4 current suppliers new system that isn't really new at all, it's based off the Mustang II suspension which in reality is the Pinto suspension... So the best 60 year old tech designed & engineered for the car or the stuff adapted by a guy with allot less engineering skills than an OE, from an Econo box design from 50 years ago...
Lotta guys say they drive fine, I've driven two Mopars with replacement front suspensions now and both had similar problems, at low speed turning fairly sharp not full lock but fairly sharp you can feel the vehicle binding taking more power to move forward till you feel the inside front tire bind to the point the tread "steps over" then the car rolls free for a foot or so till things start to bind again.....
This is due to the fact the inner tire follows a smaller circle path... That requires a different angle on the steering knuckle... Well a Pinto has a different wheel base and track width than a Mopar B body so.... Also because of that binding the steering wheel can't return to center, you need to steer back to center...
There's plenty more negatives and at the same time late model swaps certainly have advantages.. My point being I suggest you do allot of research before committing to that change...
Oh, If you stay with the 383 consider a 5 Spd trans swap... https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopa...-5-speed-conversion-in-a-1970-charger.209725/
