It's HEMI time !!! Compliments of NJSteve

[bashton]

[ QUOTE ]
I saw my old orange 1971 hemicharger sunroof car I sold back in 1994. Still looks good. It was kinda funny, the current owner Tim W was giving me grief that even after all these years everyone who walked by would stop and say: "Hey isn't that Steve's old car?"



[/ QUOTE ]

WOW Steve, I gotta say that car has been one of my all time favorite Mopars ever since the first time I saw it back in the 90's when you were still the owner.

If memory serves me correctly, we had a brief discussion at Mopar Nats back when you still owned the 71 Cuda, shortly before it found its new "home" in Oxnard.

I enjoy reading about the history you are able to dig up...keep it coming!

[njsteve]

I am looking for a pair of 15x8 or 15x9 Cragar SS rims. I am thinking about going back to the originals that were on my Charger when the original owner had it back in 70. I had the sense to keep the 15x4-1/2 fronts but cant seem to remember who I lent the rears to 20 years ago! These are the 4-1/2 bolt pattern (not unilug) versions. Anyone have a pair? I will end up sending them out to be restored with my fronts. Here is a shot of them way back when...

[mockingbird812]

Good call Steve. Concur they look terrific!

[olredalert]

-------Have you got the "Parnellis" to go with the Cragars???......Bill S

[njsteve]

Unfortunately, I passed on a set of recapped Parnellis earlier this year that were in the attic of that old speed shop. They might have worked for a static display but they were harder than concrete and unsafe to drive on. And I cant seem to find a set of F78 15 black walls other than the vintage pair I have on the front rims at the moment. And there about 35 years old...and bald.

I might go with a set of bias ply N50x15 Pro Tracs/ 215/75x15 front runner front tires

http://store.coker.com/product.php?p...t=0&page=1

http://store.coker.com/product.php?p...t=0&page=1

http://store.coker.com/product.php?p...t=0&page=1


Now that I think about it,I should have kept the tow tabs on the front bumper. I remember torching them off back in 1987 and grinding the brackets back down to get rid of the evidence.

[GTO_DON]

Steve I have a set of f78 blackwalls that are perfect!

[njsteve]

Don, pm me your phone number and what you want for them. How old are they?

[njsteve]

I checked the Charger websites, I think a 15x10 will also fit. (This car has some huge wheel wells!)

[njsteve]

Happy Birthday Charger! It was built 38 years ago today: Dec 8, 1969. I bought her a birthday present. I found a pair of 15 x 4-1/2 wide 4.5 inch bolt pattern Crager SS wheels on ebay that went rather cheap. The even had an NOS set of 205-B78's on them. Now I dont have to try and rechrome the original set of front rims.

The new pair are the two in the center. My original 1970 dated rims are on the outside.



Here's a closup:



The tires still have the tags on them. I will probably replace them since I dont feel too safe driving on 30+ year old tires.



Here's the back side. It looks like they have never been mounted on a car.



And the date code on my original rims. It looks like a grid with "70" for the year and an block date for the month from "J" to "D". The rims I just bought do not have the same date coding. They have a "RA252" stamped into the outer spoke flange in the same general area as my 70 rims. I dont know if that translates into a date code. Anyone out there know? They have to be rather old since Crager stopped making the single bolt pattern rims and went to the uni-lug in the late 70's (I think).



Now I just need to find a nice set of 15x8 rears to match!

[njsteve]

I got an email from John Ehnat today. He sent this "obituary" out to his friends. Looks like the Charger's dealership is finally gone:

"Every year the number of friendly, small town dealerships gets smaller, while the number of automotive multi-plex superstores grows at an alarming rate. McDonagh Dodge in Metuchen New Jersey is the latest casualty in the David vs. Goliath type battle. Prior to being renamed about 5 years ago, McDonagh Dodge was known as Suburban Dodge. Suburban Dodge proudly served central New Jersey for more than 40 years. Known for their great service and terrific deals, Suburban was THE Dodge dealer to deal with. Suburban Dodge could also boast parental rights as the original selling dealer of arguable the most photographed and writting about Dodge Charger on the planet. The Red 1970 Hemi R/T SE owned by NJSteve. This Hemi Charger has graced the pages of numerous magazines, and can be seen on the covers of the HEMI book, by Steve Atwell, as well as several other how to books. Suburban Dodge will always hold a soft spot in my heart for the fact that since 1967, there has always been at least one of my family members employed there. My Grandfather, father, uncles, brothers, cousins and myself have have worked in the historic dealership. The building will be used for storage of cars and equipment, and the bodyshop will remain in operation for the time being. However, it will no longer be called a Dodge dealer since Chrysler pulled the dealer code. So...personally I feel like I have lost a friend."
-John Ehnat



RIP Suburban Dodge