#Dodge Super Bee 426ci Hemi

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1970 Dodge Super Bee 426ci Hemi

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1968 DODGE HEMI CORONET SUPER BEE

This 1968 Dodge Super Bee is powered by a period-correct 426ci HEMI V8 engine topped with two Carter four-barrel carburetors and backed by a matching-numbers TorqueFlite A727 HP 3-speed automatic transmission with Chrysler's 8.75-inch axle and 3.23:1 Sure-Grip differential

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Resto and Custom Muscle From the 2019 Detroit Autorama

A Sure Cure for the Late Winter Blues

For many, the Detroit Autorama is first and foremost about the Ridler Award, which is viewed as the most coveted trophy for custom-car builders. The award was created in 1964 in memory of Don Ridler, who had been commissioned by the show’s organizers to make the Detroit Autorama the greatest automotive extravaganza in the world. The success Ridler enjoyed prior to his untimely death at just 54 years of age prompted the creation of the Don Ridler Memorial Award.

One of the wildest cars in the building, and one of the Great 8 contenders for the Ridler Award, was Sonny Freeman’s 1965 Chevelle named Reflection. Built at Mike Goldman Customs, the Chevelle had such body modifications as a 1967 Chevelle roof, extended rocker panels, machined door handles, lowered wheel openings, a custom billet grille, and lengthened 1967 Chevelle SS hood bulges with custom machined vents. Power comes from an LS7 engine with a Bowler Tremec T56 transmission.

Each year, eight cars are selected to be in the running for the Ridler Award prior to the public opening of the show. The Great 8 are displayed at the main entry doors to Detroit’s Cobo Hall. The entire weekend is abuzz with debate as to which car deserves the Ridler. It was of little surprise when the late Steve Barton’s spectacular Cadillac/Nomad mashup, Cadmad, was declared the Ridler Award winner for 2019.

Harold and Pat Ehlert are the original and current owners of this 1970 Plymouth Superbird. The Limelight wing car was parked in 1973 and restored by Nathan and Paris Ehlert in 2016. A 440ci four-barrel engine rated at 375 hp sends power through a four-speed manual transmission.

Muscle cars have a presence at the Detroit Autorama, but they are not the main attraction. That said, there are enough of our 1960-1974-era muscle cars on display to warrant making the trip to Detroit. The 1970 Monte Carlo SS owned by John and Connie Fifer was remarkable, as was the 1965 Tri-power, four-speed GTO that belonged to Scott Tiemann’s parents, which was looking assembly-line fresh following its restoration. There was a number of original, unrestored muscle cars on hand, including a 4,495-mile unrestored 1969 Z/28. Check out some of the other muscle cars and a few of the wild hot rods that were at the 2019 Detroit Autorama.

The big-block A-body Mopars have been tearing up the dragstrips for decades. Darin Gehr restored his 383-powered four-speed 1968 Dodge Dart GTS to perfection. Paint work was handled by Pat O’Connor.

One of the most incredible restored muscle cars at the Detroit Autorama was John and Connie Fifer’s 1970 Monte Carlo SS. The drivetrain consists of the 360hp, 454ci LS5 engine; M40 Turbo 400 three-speed automatic transmission; and 12 bolt 2.56-geared differential. The Fifer’s Monte Carlo was researched and restored to make sure all numbers and date codes are matching and correct. Every bolt, nut, clip, and clamp was cleaned and replated. All factory chalk marks and paint code markings were accurately reproduced.

Charlie Pate owns this restored 1970 Chevelle SS. The LS5 454/360hp engine, M21 four-speed transmission, and 12-bolt 3.31 Positraction rear provide the ultimate muscle car driving experience. The Cranberry Red SS454 has only travelled 34,482 actual miles and is well equipped with Cowl Induction hood, air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, SS five-spoke wheels, bucket seats and console, gauge package, AM/FM radio, and power windows.

Scott Tiemann’s parents, Jerry and Carolyn, purchased their Fountain Blue 1965 GTO at Royal Pontiac on May 21, 1965. The car is absolutely loaded, with options that include the Rally gauge package, wood steering wheel, padded dash, power windows, power steering, mirror group, lamp group, console, AM radio with rear speaker, and rear window defogger. The GTO’s Tri-power 389 is joined to a M20 four-speed transmission and 3.55 Safe-T-Track axle. Scott handled the entire restoration at his shop, Supercar Specialties in Portland, Michigan. Fantastic provenance, history, and restoration make this car a standout, and easily the one car I would have loved to drive home from Autorama.

The 1968 Hurst/Olds owned by James Kryta is one of 515 produced. The Peruvian Silver H/O is powered by a 455ci engine that produced a factory-rated 390 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque. A Turbo 400 transmission and 3.90-geared differential finish off the powertrain. Paint and bodywork were performed by Nyle Wing at Wings Auto Art. Scott Tiemann handled the restoration detail and assembly. Chrome work was from A&W Chrome.

Fritz Helmuth owns this one-of-100 1970 Trans Am Javelin, which was restored by Lavine Restorations in Nappanee, Indiana. The 390ci engine is restored to absolutely new condition. A ram-air hood provides fresh air induction for increased horsepower. A BorgWarner T10 four-speed transmission and 3.91 Twin Grip AMC 20 differential combine for spirited acceleration. Dealer-installed Sidewinder pipes and an eight-track radio were hot items in 1970.

For 1970, AMC built 4,116 AMXs. Joe Papelian owns this Golden Lime example, one of 1,632 built with the 390 Go Pack. The AMX features a Ram Air hood, a four-speed T10V BorgWarner close-ratio transmission, a 3.54 Twin Grip rear, and leather seats. Rob Eppler and Willie Shaw performed the mechanical restoration of this outstanding AMX.

Diversified Creations brought out this red 1970 AMX modified with an AMC 401 engine with a 3/4 racing camshaft and a high-rise intake manifold. Also onboard are a 700R4 GM four-speed automatic transmission and a Vintage Air A/C system. Smart updates make for a great-driving AMC with plenty of visual pop.

Mark Bonnet doesn’t mind the manual steering and manual brakes found in his 1964 Dodge 440. The 426ci Wedge engine and 727 TorqueFlite transmission make a perfect combination for street/strip speed and reliability. This Mopar was built at Geno’s Custom Paint and Moe’s Body and Paint.

The Cream, a 1966 Dodge Hemi Charger, is owned by Mark Kersher. It was restored by PSI in Sterling, Michigan, with a numbers-matching 426 Hemi engine built by Ted Spehar. The car originated from the Chrysler Lynch Road Assembly plant.

The 1966 Dodge Charger owned by Mark Lavelle is powered by a 383 V-8. The GG1 Dark Green Poly Charger was restored in loving memory of John Quinn at After Hours Restorations LLC. A 727 TorqueFlite three-speed automatic and a 3.23-geared 8 3/4 rear were the bread-and-butter combination in 1966.

Black Betty, a 1967 Chevelle SS396 owned by John and Felisha Marecki, was looking strong in day-two attire. The engine is a modified 396/402 big-block with LS5 heads and a Holley 770 Street Avenger carburetor. John thanks John Marecki Sr.; Alex Baydoun and David Garnett of Alex & Dave’s Auto Repair; Nick Lutomski; and Matt Brabeau.

It’s all about stance. Debra Borsos’ 1967 RS/SS Camaro had plenty of it with the vintage American Racing 200S wheels and BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires. The Camaro was looking ready for comfortable cruising with its rare fold-down center armrest and column shifter.

This unrestored original 1969 Z/28 Camaro has 4,495 original miles on its DZ302 engine. Diversified Creations had the car on display. An original 2×4 cross-ram manifold was found in the trunk.

This unrestored original Wimbledon White 1969 Ford Fairlane Cobra only has 33,000 original miles. It is equipped with the 428 four-barrel engine, four-speed Top Loader transmission, and bucket seats. The rare Cobra was purchased at Dils Motor Company in Parkersburg, West Virginia.

The Ford guys were happy to see Kevin Shelton’s restored 1970 Super Cobra Jet Mach 1. The Shaker hood and Magnum wheels looked great. The highly detailed engine compartment was sporting all the right stickers, details, and factory markings.

Cadmad, a custom 1959 Cadillac, was the 2019 Don Ridler Memorial Award winner. The stunning two-door Nomad-style wagon is powered by a twin-turbo 632-inch big-block Chevy built by Nelson Racing Engines. Jordan Quintal Sr. and his crew at Super Rides by Jordan in Escondido, California, built the car. Owner Steve Barton passed away prior to the completion of Cadmad, but his brother, Craig, displayed the finished car in his memory.

Another Great 8 winner was ZL69, a customized 1969 Camaro owned by Pat and Debbie Moran. The original taillights were replaced with 2012 Camaro taillights in reverse position. A Camaro SS roof was grafted on and chopped 1 inch at the A-pillar. A 6.2L LSA supercharged engine rests comfortably in the Schwartz Industry G Machine chassis featuring rack-and-pinion steering, Ride Tech adjustable coilover shocks, and Baer Brakes.

Brace yourselves, muscle car buddies! This is a real A12 liftoff-hood 440 Six Pack car. But when it was found, it was a cut-up and butchered drag car with the original drivetrain long gone. For that reason, owner Brian Storm decided to build a killer Hot Wheels–style 1969 Super Bee. He had legendary chassis builder Jim Homier of Speed & Custom in Woodstock, Georgia, build the car, with help from Noah Storm. Beautiful paint and bodywork were done by Newberry Bodyshop. A 572ci aluminum Indy Wedge powers the radical Mopar. Gargantuan Budnik wheels complete the radical Hot Wheels theme.

The Doctor’s Orders 1965 Dodge Coronet Hemi two-door sedan is owned by John and Kim Barich. They started with a one-owner Florida car with factory tinted glass and heater delete. The rear springs were relocated, and subframe connectors were installed. Bodywork and paint were handled by PSI Automotive in Sterling Heights, Michigan, while the Hemi was built by Automotive Machine in Fraser, Michigan. The engine features an original 1965 magnesium cross-ram intake, Holley carburetors, Stage V aluminum heads, and TTI long-tube headers.

The Shadowoods Auto Center 1968 SS/A Hemi Barracuda is owned by the Tignanelli Brothers, Jim and Tom. Both brothers have shared driving and wrenching duties. Tom was a Chrysler engineer who helped catapult Chrysler drag racing into the spotlight in the 1960s and 1970s.

Since Chrysler built only 83 LO23 Hemi Darts for 1968, Jerry Helfman decided to build his own Hemi Dart clone car called Red Beauty. The 580hp 426 Hemi features aluminum heads, cross-ram intake, and two 770 Holley carburetors. A Passon Performance A833 four-speed transmission with Hurst shifter sends big torque to a Dana 60 4.10 rear. Special features include a lightweight front end and doors, Lexan windows, A100 seats, and original-style steel wheels with dog dish hubcaps. Helfman thanks Brian Dickey from Motor City Solutions for his help with the construction of the Rolls Royce Tudor Red Hemi Dart.

Gorgeous EW1 white paint and V1W white vinyl top set off this 1970 Challenger R/T, equipped with a 440 Six Pack, a Shaker hood, and a four-speed. According to the owner, the Track Pack with Dana 3.54 rear, R/T stripe, and other options make this E-body a “one of one known to exist.”

The post Resto and Custom Muscle From the 2019 Detroit Autorama appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

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New Post has been published on http://fastmusclecar.com/best-muscle-cars/how-much-would-you-pay-for-a-classic-dodge-charger/

How Much Would You Pay For A Classic Dodge Charger?

By Dave Ashton

The classic Dodge Charger shape which we are all familiar with first came out in 1966, but it’s only a short few year’s from 1968 – 1971 which fetch the big prices. In pecking order you could even argue it’s only the second-generation models from 1968 to 1970 which ask the most money.

It’s not just because second-generation models arguably look the best, but with the help of exposure from TV shows like the Dukes of Hazzard, the second gen. models are etched into our consciousness, being almost the poster boys for classic muscle cars. Simple, elegant, straightforward looks denoted raw power and with the rumble of a hefty V8 engine, these cars looked and sounded the business. Nowadays, if you want to ’68 to ’71 model you’re going to need deep pockets. If you want a vehicle that is in pretty good condition, driveable and needs minimal work, you are likely to pay anything from $45k upwards.

If you want to opt for a restoration project, depending on the engine that comes with the car, prices can be very subjective. You also have the added headache of a full restoration build, sourcing the parts and making sure everything is working correctly at the end. But for simplicity we are looking at vehicles which are in at least #4 fair condition, going up to #1 concours condition. Something you can simply drive away and happy to take to a car show.

The special words you need to hear to bump up the price include, 426ci. Hemi V8, 400ci V8, 500, R/T, Rallye, Super Bee and numbers matching powertrain for starters. Buying from a dealer you will pay a bit more, but should also have more peace of mind for what you are buying and if there is any comeback. The 1968 Dodge Charger R/T HEMI below is asking just under $135k. It’s got a replacement 426 Hemi engine, but everything else is original and spotless. I saw an all original ’68 Charger with numbers matching 426 Hemi J code for $149,500.

This 1968 Dodge Charger in KK1 Light Turquoise Metalic is also in top-notch condition with a 440 V8 engine. Non-original powertrain and lots of replacement parts, all built to a very high standard. This one is asking $51k. A big price difference between the two, but this is all down to originality, rare options and overall condition. If you want to ’68 charger with an all original 440ci. powertrain, then pay are more like $110k+.

1969 Dodge Chargers we found in the price range from $47k – $139k for a mint condition base model 383ci. V8 to an all original R/T Hemi and A833 transmission. I also found a 1969 Dodge Charger 500, 1 of 392 all original for just under $90k.

For 1970’s Charger the top price online was for this 1970 Dodge Charger R/T 440 6 Pack, all original automatic for $140k. A base version with a 440 V8 engine, which looked fantastic was going for $45k.

Depending on the year, how original it is, how many rare option it has and overall condition dictates a wide range of prices. Most of the decision-making comes down to your budget, but the takeaway here is that if you’re willing to spend over $45k, you’re going to land yourself a Charger in very good condition, which is going to be a very good investment piece for the future which you can also enjoy the driving experience. In order pay the most for a Hemi engine, then a 440ci. and then a 383ci.

More Muscle Cars For Sale – http://fastmusclecar.com/muscle-car-for-sale/

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1969 Dodge Super Bee

The 1969 Dodge Super Bee: A High-Performance Benchmark

The 1969 Dodge Super Bee represents a quintessential example of the American muscle car genre. Positioned as a performance-oriented derivative of the Dodge Coronet, the Super Bee embodied a potent blend of power, style, and affordability.

Equipped with a standard 383 cubic-inch V8 engine, the Super Bee offered robust performance. However, it was the optional 440 cubic-inch Magnum and legendary 426 Hemi powerplants that truly elevated the vehicle's capabilities. These engines, coupled with a sturdy platform and performance-oriented suspension components, enabled the Super Bee to excel both on the street and the drag strip.

The 1969 Super Bee's exterior design was characterized by a muscular and assertive stance. Distinctive styling cues, including a blacked-out grille, hood scoop, and the iconic "Bee" emblem, contributed to its high-impact visual presence. The interior, while focused on functionality, incorporated sport-oriented elements to complement the car's performance-oriented character.

The 1969 Dodge Super Bee has secured its place as a coveted collector car. Its potent performance, distinctive styling, and historical significance have contributed to its enduring appeal. Models equipped with the rare 426 Hemi engine are particularly prized by collectors.

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1970 DODGE CORONET HEMI SUPER BEE RE-CREATION

This 1970 Dodge Coronet Hemi Super Bee re-creation is finished in code B5 Blue Metallic over a white interior. Power comes from a 1967 date-coded 426ci HEMI V8 engine topped with a Holley 750 carburetor and paired to a 727 heavy-duty TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic transmission with a 3.23:1 rear-axle ratio.

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This 1968 Dodge Super Bee is powered by a period-correct 426ci HEMI V8 engine topped with two Carter four-barrel carburetors and backed by a matching-numbers TorqueFlite A727 HP 3-speed automatic transmission with Chrysler's 8.75-inch axle and 3.23:1 Sure-Grip differential

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1970 Dodge HEMI Coronet "Super Bee" ..426ci 425hp 4speed... All #'s matching restored to original.

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Lessons Learned About Doing Your Homework Before Buying a Rare Muscle Car Like This 1969 Dodge Hemi Super Bee

He was another baby boomer on a trip back in time. Richard Boeye, like so many of us, got swept away with the thought of buying a 1960s muscle car, to such a degree that he bought a few before realizing he hadn’t done his due diligence.

One of those cars was a member of Dodge’s Scat Pack team in 1969, all too alluring with a twin-scooped hood, cartoon bee mascot medallions, yellow paint with black wraparound “bumblebee” tail stripe, and most of all that dual-quad 426 Hemi engine backed by a four-speed transmission. A little piece of Mopar heaven.

Today, years after the purchase, Richard admits, “I relied on visual inspection” and “their representations,” which, he says with obvious understated poise in his voice, were “very inaccurate.”

The Hemi was a real J-code, and several years later Mopar restorer Frank Badalson would verify the “13-digit VIN stamped in the side of the block, like it should be,” and the same for the transmission. “Super rare” is how Frank described this Bee, as he dug out from one of his myriad reference books a production quantity of 38.

“And, to be numbers-matching with a four-speed? That’s harder because easily half of those are going to be non-numbers-matching.”

The paint, Frank said, “was pretty good,” the interior was “generally okay.” Overall the Super Bee looked inviting—on the outside.

Richard says he did not want to sound sarcastic when he told us, ���It can be very expensive for a buyer over 50 to revisit his youth by buying a car he doesn’t know anything about.

“I probably put two miles on that car in four or five years, and I knew something was wrong,” he adds. The shifter was “locked” in reverse, and the Hemi clearly did not “run right.”

For help with his Boss 429, Richard had turned to Bob Perkins, the best in the business for Boss Mustang restorations. For help with his Super Bee, he turned to Frank, one of the top Mopar restorers on the planet.

“It all started with Richard wanting me to look it over in some pictures,” Frank says. But there’s really no way to authenticate numbers except in person, what Frank calls a “forensic examination.” Eventually, Richard shipped his Dodge from Denver to Frank’s shop, American Performance in Richmond, Virginia, for what turned into one surprise after another. Frank raised the car on a lift for analysis, and mighty Casey stepped to the plate.

“Whatever outfit the H-pipe came from,” that piece of the exhaust was scraping paint off the driveshaft, which had been “bead-blasted and then sprayed silver.” Frank called that the “easy way out” and not correct. The speedometer cable wasn’t routed or secured and was “melting away” against that H-pipe.

“Everything was painted silver” on the transmission, which Frank referred to as “the amateur way.” This paint was “chipping and rusting away because all they did was bead-blast,” which to him was “unbelievable” on such a valuable muscle car.

According to Frank, “Original transmissions were not painted.” The 30-minute cast-gray spray-bomb paint job done on this car’s transmission was not the proper procedure: boiling and cleaning at the engine shop, followed by treatment with metal prep to look natural, applying color codes, and finally assembly to create an authentic look.

The more Frank examined the car, the more problems he found. There was incorrect hardware making up the transmission rods, and a generic idler arm with a grease fitting. It was surprise after surprise.

“Original idler arms didn’t have that. This is something cheap they found. Lower control arms are not supposed to be painted black. They are supposed to be Cosmoline-coated.”

The tie-rod adjusting tubes were also aftermarket and painted silver. The dust shields for the disc brakes had been painted black, when stock is a natural galvanized finish. The U-joints were generic replacements with grease fittings. One of Frank’s pet-peeve infractions is washers welded onto the driveshaft, another “easy way out” for balancing, clearly not factory. The driveshaft had been desecrated by the “spray bomb monster” with silver paint.

The block was numbers-matching, with a final assembly date of 2387. (On the 10,000-day calendar, that corresponds to February 9, 1968.) But it was painted what looked like Chevrolet orange. “Technically it’s supposed to be early Hemi Orange.”

There were more surprises for Frank: “Why would somebody put a pitted leaf spring bracket on a so-called restored show car, when this is available for 70 bucks? We make them. Why would you go through prepping, priming, and painting this? Imagine the labor spent, rather than ordering the correct part? It’s just a joke.”

But the worst travesty had to be inside the Hemi, where pushrods were “banging and chipping away at the rocker arms.” Frank sounds mystified when he says, “Of course the poor guy said his car doesn’t run. It doesn’t run because it has all this wrong stuff in it. He told me he just simply could not enjoy the car.”

The big question, then, is what should be done? A restoration? Richard had already paid for a car that was “restored.” Was there a way to correct the mistakes without a complete restoration? Some problems were serious, such as the engine not running. Same with the transmission. Those had to be fixed. But how many other problems did Richard want to deal with that were not so serious?

Richard had managed to get his Super Bee into Frank’s shop. He didn’t want to stop now. He had been in the hobby long enough to understand that being “underwater” on a car is not uncommon. Yes, he had made a bad purchase, but he was still enamored with the Hemi Super Bee (and will provide full seller disclosure if he sells the car). He cited the principle of increasing and decreasing returns in real estate, where investors pour X-number of dollars into a property they own and discover that the money spent is less than the value added.

“For comparison, a house buyer applies for a loan, and the lender requires an appraisal which has an adjustment grid for the comparable sales to indicate the value of the subject property. A similar process can be used to adjust for the differences in the descriptions of the sold car auction results (including commission) to indicate a range in value of the car being evaluated.”

Richard recommends hiring a mechanic technician to inspect a car on a lift or displayed before auction, and to ask the seller questions about the car. He says, “Remember that you may have to spend thousands on the car after your purchase to cure the postponed maintenance.”

Over the next two years, Frank did a partial restoration in the sense that he didn’t have to start over. The paint and bodywork were good. Instead, he fixed the mistakes in the last restoration, which might have been done by different owners. Nobody knew.

In the final analysis, more important than the extra money Richard Boeye spent was getting what he wanted, a restored Hemi Super Bee and “thumbs-up at a red light.” After Frank Badalson’s labor, this Bee is certainly worthy of that and a maybe a show trophy or two as well.

At a Glance

1969 Hemi Super Bee Owned by: Richard Boeye, Denver, CO Restoration repair: Frank Badalson, American Performance, Richmond, VA Engine: 426ci/425hp Hemi V-8 Transmission: Chrysler A833 4-speed manual Rearend: Dana 60 with 4.10:1 gears and Sure Grip Interior: Black vinyl bench seat Wheels: 15×6 steel with dog dish hubcaps Tires: F70-15 Goodyear redline Special Parts: Black tail stripe, 26-inch radiator, Super Track Pak (Dana axle, Sure Grip differential, dual-point distributor, heavy-duty 4-speed with Hurst shifter, and heavy-duty cooling)

This Super Bee is one of 38 coupes built in 1969 with the Hemi engine and four-speed transmission. Seen here after Frank Badalson fixed most of the car’s restoration mistakes, the Hemi Super Bee looked this good from the outside when Richard Boeye bought it five or six years ago.

The matching-numbers 426 Hemi runs like Chrysler intended now, plus it is painted the stock color. Badalson rebuilt and restored the engine and engine bay, which to him means to put back as delivered from the factory, circa 1969.

The air cleaner is topped by this “Ramcharger” ram-air system mounted beneath the hood.

The bench seat is classic muscle car. The four-speed shifter rises high out of the floorboard.

The functional hoodscoops are manually operated with this lever under the instrument panel and to the right of the steering column.

Dog dish hubcaps and redline tires pop out against the stock yellow rims.

Richard is far from a newbie today. He is very knowledgeable on how to buy a muscle car. Here we see him at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale auction in January 2017, with luminaries in the hobby. From left to right are Dave Steine, Bob Perkins, Karl Roepke, and Richard Boeye.

Seen here looking over a Corvette at auction, Richard laughed when he told us, “If I went to buy a car today, the seller would probably say, ‘We need to get Richard the heck out of here. He’s asking too many questions.’”

Photos: Frank Badalson

Mistakes Corrected

These are just some of the restoration mistakes Frank Badalson spotted—and corrected—while working on Richard Boeye’s Hemi Super Bee.

Washers welded onto the driveshaft are clearly not factory but rather an amateur method of balancing. Frank has seen this before.

Frank removed the shifter boot and found shims that had been cut and fabricated to stiffen the shifter mechanism.

The carburetor linkage was “absolute junk” that somebody fabricated and was a “calamity of amateur work.”

Inside the Hemi, Frank found pushrods split from banging against the rocker arms. If Richard had driven the car, he would have caused more damage, as those pushrods were too long. When Frank got through with his rebuild, the 426 ran as it was intended. Touch the key, and the Hemi fires up and stays running. He said, “Hemis were never designed to be bucking broncos.”

The speedometer cable was melting against the H-pipe.

The top shifter handle is correct. The bottom handle is the one that was in the Super Bee.

The idler arm was generic with a grease fitting.

“Everything painted silver” on the transmission was clearly not stock and a surprise on such a valuable muscle car.

The post Lessons Learned About Doing Your Homework Before Buying a Rare Muscle Car Like This 1969 Dodge Hemi Super Bee appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

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Ultrarare 1967 Dodge Coronet R/T Hemi Convertible Bought, Sold, Then Bought Again 20 Years Later

The 1967 model year was pivotal in the North American specialty car market. Chevrolet and Pontiac introduced their Mustang-fighters. Mercury rolled out the Mustang-based Cougar. Over at Plymouth, the Barracuda was redesigned to compete better with the Pony.

The year also marked the introduction of the Coronet R/T. After the 1964 GTO’s auspicious start, plenty of competitors rode on its coattails, but not Dodge. When Dodge finally introduced the Coronet R/T in 1967, it was beyond being fashionably late, but it certainly arrived in high fashion.

It’s not like Dodge was lacking in hardware. Chrysler Corporation was famous for engineering prowess but was playing it safe in the mid 1960s after several missteps. For example, 1957 started out with the highest of highs with the “Forward Look,” only to lead to quality control woes due to production and labor issues. In 1961, new lows were reached thanks to atrocious style, as if someone forgot to tell Vice President of Styling Virgil Exner that the 1950s were over. The final straw came in 1962 thanks to redesigned fullsize Dodges (Dart and Polara) that were slightly downsized due to faulty intelligence. General Motors was rumored to have a smaller Chevy in the works, but the product of the speculation ended up being the compact Chevy II, not new fullsize models. This led to an 11th-hour redesign that bastardized Exner’s original designs and resulted in somewhat goofy styling.

The upside to this was the all-new 413 Ramcharger Max Wedge, which helped bring Dodge to the forefront at the drags thanks to a fortuitous combination of lighter weight and prodigious power. Mopar fans like to think of the Ramcharger Dodge and its Super Stock Plymouth twin as the first muscle cars, which makes sense when you compare a 1962 Dart with the 1964 GTO: 116-inch wheelbase versus 115; 202-inch length versus 203. By the time the GTO debuted, fullsize Dodges featured a wheelbase bump to 119 inches and length up to 209.8, much closer to competitive fullsizers at the time. Dodge offered a 330hp 383 and an all-new 365-horse 426 High Performance Street Wedge that were more in spirit with the GTO, but the GTO initiated a shift in the performance market. Not only did Pontiac take it from the track to the street, but Pontiac gave the GTO a distinct identity.

And then came the copycats. Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, and Buick, plus Ford and Mercury, offered their own versions of the GTO by 1965-1966, but Dodge continued to play it safe with the new midsize Coronet (itself related to the 1962-1964 Dodges). It could be said that the introduction of the Street Hemi in 1966 gave Dodge the image it needed, but total sales between the Elephant Motor and the more affordable 325-horse 383 barely registered on the radar.

For 1967 Dodge felt it was time to use the GTO’s formula, and the Coronet R/T checked all the boxes. Inspired name? Check. Hoodscoop? Check. Prominent badges? Check. High trim level? Check. Horsepower? Impressive check. Image and style? In spades! Not only did the Coronet R/T have a name that implied a car suitable for road and track, but it also featured the largest performance engine in the industry—standard!

The 440 had been introduced in 1966 for the fullsize Polara and Monaco, but Dodge upgraded it in 1967 specifically for the Coronet R/T (and as an option for the fastback Charger). While the basic 440 featured 350 hp, the R/T’s new 440 Magnum featured larger exhaust valves, a longer-duration camshaft, a special four-pot carb, and low-restriction exhaust manifolds (something the 1964-1965 426 Street Wedge lacked). Horsepower was an impressive 375, which dwarfed the optional offerings from GM save the Chevelle’s 396/375. FoMoCo offered an underwhelming 390 and a sweet 427 for the Fairlane and Comet, but that’s where the Hemi came in. Dodge went all-in with the transmission selection too, making the esteemed TorqueFlite three-speed automatic standard, with a four-speed manual a no-cost option (although it required several mandatory options like Sure-Grip). Clearly the Dodge Rebellion was in full swing.

Inside, the Coronet R/T featured premium appointments with standard bucket seats available in black, white, dark blue, gold, red, or copper; a buddy seat or console was optional to fill the space in between. Reflecting the R/T’s sporty pretentions was a standard 150-mph speedometer, but the optional tach required the console. All power and convenience options were available on the R/T aside from typical incompatibilities like air conditioning with the Hemi or four-speed. All told, more than 10,000 were built, including 628 convertibles—not plentiful, but when combined with the Plymouth GTX, the image adjustment certainly paid off in reputation.

This white 1967 Hemi Coronet R/T convertible was originally bought by Rydal, Pennsylvania, resident M.S. Rubin from Jenkintown Dodge. He painted it green not long after buying it, then sold it to owner number two by 1970. It happened to catch the eye of a teen named Bill Weissman.

“I recall seeing it parked a few times at my high school parking lot in 1970-’71 in Northeast Philadelphia where I grew up,” Bill recalls.

By the mid 1970s, third owner Mike Addario gave the R/T its second repaint, now a green metalflake with red flames. He also added 12.5:1 pistons, a big cam, headers, a fuel line cooler, a big oil pan, a B&M floor shifter with a locked-out valve body, Line Lock, 4.56 gears, a three-point rollcage, and of course mags and slicks. The R/T now led a double life at Atco Dragway and World of Wheels shows.

In 1977, Bill bought a worn-out 1970 Hemi Challenger R/T. After getting it back on the road, he thought he’d try to find the owner of the Coronet R/T and see if he was willing to part with it. They couldn’t agree on a price, but several years later the R/T appeared in Trading Times and a deal was worked out. Bill’s R/T arrived home on Christmas Day 1983.

Over the course of two years, Bill worked to bring the rare R/T back to stock specs. Since the Coronet had been garaged, the body and interior were nearly perfect, needing only carpet replacement and a repair to one section of the rear seat where it had been cut for the Lakewood rollbar.

By contrast, some work was needed under the hood. Typical of the time, the engine compartment was painted black and holes were made for the aftermarket accessories. Bill stripped the paint, brazed the holes, and rigged up a makeshift paint booth in his garage to spray the engine compartment and fenderwells back to their proper Mopar selves. The body itself went to a paint shop where the correct Code W White was sprayed.

Bill says, “The chrome and brightwork were all so nice that nothing but the front bumper needed to be replaced because it had been modified so it could be flat-towed to the drag strip.” The original Hemi was tired, but a valve job, new pistons, and a factory-spec replacement cam ended up being all that was needed. The 4.56 gears had to go, but Bill went one step further because “every Hemi deserves a Dana.” Out went the original 8 3/4 rear (which originally held 3.23s), and in its place came a 3.54-geared Dana 60 plus driveshaft. By selling all the race parts at the flea market at Raceway Park in Englishtown, Bill was able to cover the cost of the engine rebuild and still have money left to purchase stock exhaust manifolds and a Hemi H-pipe.

Thanks to his membership with the Northeast Hemi Owners Association, Bill met fellow Hemi aficionado Anotol Vasiliev, who owned a 1969 version of the same car. Both men began participating in several regional and national events, such as the National Mopar Gathering in Ann Arbor and the Supercar Showdown in Quaker City. Bill also attended the East Coast segment of the MCR-sponsored Musclecar Nationals at Atco.

Says Bill, “My best timeslip was only a 14.2 at 99 mph, mostly due to the small tires and an untrained right foot.”

As with many of us, Bill found himself moving on to other projects. In the early 1990s he sold the R/T, but in 2014 he began to feel the itch for another Hemi. Nothing caught his eye until he stumbled upon a certain white Hemi Coronet R/T convertible on eBay, becoming its owner for the second time. Little had been changed by the three previous owners aside from a new coat of paint around 2010 and a fresh convertible top. Bill subsequently sorted out a few new things he didn’t do the first time around.

Currently showing under 30,000 miles, the R/T resides in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, where Bill is able to “give the old girl a little exercise on sunny days.” That included a trip to the “50 years of the Hemi” invitational at the 2016 Carlisle Chrysler Nationals.

For 1968, Dodge introduced a performance model that dressed down for the occasion: the Super Bee. This, along with the Plymouth Road Runner, demonstrated that although Dodge was initially slow to the punch, it rose to the occasion and began to dictate high-performance fashion that others simply had to follow.

At a Glance

1967 Coronet R/T Convertible Owned by: Bill Weissman, Egg Harbor Township, NJ Restored by: Owner Engine: 426ci/425hp Hemi V-8 Transmission: 727 TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic Rearend: Dana 60 with 3.54 gears Interior: Black vinyl bucket seat Wheels: 14×6 Magnum Tires: G70-14 Goodyear Polyglas Special parts: Less than 30,000 miles; one of three Hemi R/T ragtops known; current owner is both the fourth and eighth owner

The 1967 Coronet received a gentle facelift from the year before. The partially hidden taillights and trim, shared with the more pedestrian Coronet 500, mimic the Charger-influenced grille. Dodge’s signature delta theme shines through when the signals are illuminated.

The Coronet’s R/T badges suggested there was a 440 or Hemi sitting behind, with the latter receiving badges on the front fenders.

Despite having a true image car for 1967, Street Hemi production was less than half of 1966’s output. Records are incomplete, but it is known that at least four Hemi R/T convertibles were built.

Like all midsize muscle models at the time, the 1967 Coronet R/T featured premium furnishings. Buckets and a column-shifted automatic was the base configuration.

Owner 4 and 8

As sometimes happens, Bill Weissman bought, sold, and then bought this Coronet R/T again as his life circumstances changed, making him both the fourth and eighth owner of the Hemi-powered convertible. He shared with us some photos from his previous years of ownership.

Here is the ad third owner Mike Addario placed in an Atco Dragway flyer in 1978.

Bill dismantled the car’s racing mods and redid the cowl before sending the R/T to be repainted.

By 1986, the R/T was carrying Bill to events as far away as Michigan.

Here, Bill is parked next to “Mr. Hemi” Anotol Vasiliev’s 1969 Hemi R/T ragtop at the 1986 Mopars at Englishtown.

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[itsworn]

For a GM Guy, He Owns Some Incredible Hemi-Powered Mopars

John Wingle grew up in a loyal GM household and was raised with the dream of one day owning his own GM-branded big-block hot rod. The New Jersey native was surrounded by Chevys and other GM products from as far back as he can remember, with family members flaunting their high-caliber rides in front of him, a young, impressionable car guy in training. So it was only natural that when John grew old enough to drive, a Chevy would occupy his spot in the family driveway.

John was in good company for sure. His dad and brother Rich were big influences on the youngster. The father-son combo owned an assortment of muscle cars, including 409 Impalas, 442s, big-block Vettes, and even some cool GTOs. His sister was fond of Corvettes, driving them since getting her license. And Mom was lucky for sure; she got to drive them all! This all-encompassing environment of GM muscle no doubt had a lasting effect on what John would drive for years to come.

Once out of school and earning a steady living, John started to run through a bevy of Bowties, mostly with big-block power. Over the years he has held title on more than a half-dozen Chevelles, a quartet of C2 Corvettes, and even a Nova and Camaro. If it was fast and brash and built by GM, this guy wanted it. But strangely enough, soon a car would grab John’s attention and change his thinking on what the ultimate muscle car could possibly be.

Pentastar Search

John started to have mixed feelings when he spotted an interesting ride peeking out of a garage on his way to school one day. It was a 1970 Plymouth ’Cuda. He was instantly taken by the aggressive stance and menacing grille of the potent fish. That Plymouth was a model that John rarely came in contact with over the years, growing up behind a wall of GM muscle cars he could hardly see past. It definitely piqued his interest in the Chrysler brand, and was a precursor for what was about to happen.

Over the years, John started straying from Chevy products and seeing what the other brands had to offer. During this time he met Craig Ostertag, a local hot rodder who had recently purchased a 1970 Challenger. Craig was in the throes of a complete resto of the E-Body when they met, and often purchased bead-blasting material from John’s business. He became a major influence in John’s impending muscle car diversification.

Soon after they met, the guys decided to hit the Mopars at E-Town show at nearby Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey. That’s where the barriers were officially broken down for good. You see, an intoxicating green-hued tractor beam grabbed John’s attention at the show and almost instantaneously erased more than 30-odd years of GM loyalty. The new object of desire: a 440-motivated 1970 Dodge Coronet, basted in Chrysler’s alluring Sublime green. That was it. He was hooked.

From that moment on, John was on the hunt for top-of-the-line offerings from Mother Mopar. He was after the models with the biggest and baddest motors Mopar offered, rides that also possessed the typical muscle car add-ons that make them all the more interesting, and thus more collectible.

It’s a Runner

John hit the ground sprinting, and soon found a contact that knew of several Mopars for sale. One was a very low-mileage 1969 Hemi Road Runner. With about 10,000 miles showing on the odometer, it was particularly enticing to John. It didn’t have its original Hemi, but the rest of the car was there.

The Scorch Red Plymouth was sold new in Philadelphia and lived a year with its first owner before being sold off. It bounced around and then sat comatose for almost 30 years on a lift in the back of a truck mechanic’s shop. It was sold to another individual who was ready to pass it on after starting a restoration. New owner John decided to have the current shop finish the work before bringing it home. The car was finally shipped to New Jersey four years later unfinished. It was then that John sent it to Steve’s Garage in Stillwater, New Jersey, where it became the head-turner you see here.

John tracked down several of the previous owners, one of whom (the second owner) told him how the Road Runner lost its original engine. His name is Earl Fennell, and he cared for the car deeply and always told his wife that whenever she filled up the car with gas, she should have the oil checked as well. One night while she was behind the wheel, she stopped for gas and had the oil level checked. Unknowingly, the attendant pulled the dipstick tube out of the motor while checking the oil level. Big mistake!

Oil poured from the engine while she drove down the highway, until the Road Runner’s Hemi went bone dry. The Road Runner ended up blowing the engine a few miles down the road. After that incident, the owner decided to get a replacement block, which seemed like the easiest thing to do at the time. Repairing the damage just seemed out of the question. Wow, how times have changed!

Now, 45 years later, the red Road Runner is a beauty to behold. It is driven sparingly, but whenever it’s out and about it’s a definite head twister. And to top it off, the title John received with the car was from the second owner, Earl Fennell, as the car was flipped several times without anyone registering the car since 1970. Bee Real John’s 1970 Hemi Super Bee came about by accident. Turns out the same previous owner of the Road Runner called John and said he had a really nice restored and rare 1970 Hemi Super Bee for sale. John was definitely interested after he found out it had a Pistol Grip between the buckets. With only 21 Hemi four-speed Bees made that year, this was already looking like one rare ride.

Add in the color options—B5 blue exterior with white guts and top—and you’re looking at possibly the only one in existence. John worked out a deal, trading a few Brand X cars he had for the stunning ride. And luckily this one was a turnkey car, ready to hit the road with just 14,000 original miles.

There is some history on the car. The Super Bee came out of a dealership in Rhode Island, and the first owner traded in a 1967 Camaro for the B-Body. Another interesting fact is this car came pretty loaded with cool options, an interesting diversion from the typical stripped-down Super Bees you usually see out there. It gives this beautiful Dodge another helping of collectability, to say the least.

Mopar or No Car

These two stunning examples of Ma Mopar’s greatest work now sit in a collection of topnotch Dodge and Plymouth rides, including a cool 1969 Mod-Top Barracuda that lived not far from his house. It is still a project, but it isn’t far from being roadworthy.

Looking to the future, John sees possible change on the horizon. “I might start off fresh again, maybe build me a Pro Touring car,” he says. But for now these two Elephant-powered B-Body beauties will be the cornerstone of a bevy of hot rides in his collection, two of the biggest guns from the Mopar Kingdom!

At a Glance

1969 Road Runner Owned by: John Wingle Restored by: Owner Engine: 426ci/425hp Hemi V-8 Transmission: A833 4-speed manual Rearend: Dana 60 with 4.10 gears and Sure Grip Interior: Black vinyl bucket seats Wheels: 15×6 steel Tires: F70-15 Firestone Wide Oval reproduction Special parts: Woodgrain shift knob, chrome exhaust tips, power front disc brakes, N96 Air Grabber hood

John Wingle traded several Brand-X cars to pick up this blazing Scorch Red 1969 Hemi Road Runner. He doesn’t regret it one bit.

A true 10,000-mile car, the Road Runner lost the original Hemi in its first year of life, but everything else survived. The car recently underwent an extensive four-year restoration.

As a budget street brawler, the Road Runner’s interior is basic: bucket seats, Hurst shifter, and a woodgrain steering wheel.

John really loves painted steel wheels. Luckily, both of these Hemi B-Bodies came with them as original equipment. Each now runs on correct repop rubber.

At a Glance

1970 Super Bee Owned by: John Wingle Restored by: Previous owner Engine: 426ci/425hp Hemi V-8 Transmission: A833 4-speed manual Rearend: Dana 60 with 4.10 gears and Sure Grip Interior: White vinyl bucket seat with buddy seat Wheels: 15×7 steel Tires: F60-15 Goodyear Polyglas reproduction Special parts: White vinyl top, power disc brakes, power steering, wood steering wheel, AM/FM stereo, N96 Ramcharger hood

John’s stunning 1970 Hemi Super Bee not only shows only 15,000 original miles on the odometer but also sports a Hemi/four-speed combo (1 of 21 made) and a super-rare white vinyl top with matching interior to contrast with the vibrant B5 blue paint. This combination of engine, trans, and color makes it possibly the only one in existence.

Unlike its Road Runner stable mate, the Super Bee still has the original Hemi drivetrain. Both cars have the N96 fresh air package to feed their respective Elephant motors cool fresh air from outside the engine bay.

The Super Bee has a higher level of appointments than the Road Runner, boasting an AM/FM stereo, white vinyl buckets with a buddy seat, a wood-rimmed wheel, a Tic-Toc-Tac, and a cool-as-heck Pistol Grip shifter.

Some find the 1970 Super Bee’s grille a little bizarre, while others say it’s the best-looking front end Chrysler designed during the muscle car years.

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[itsworn]

1968 Plymouth Hemi GTX Has Traveled From Michigan to Hawaii—More Than Once!

It is a given that rare coins travel, but so do collector cars. We first encountered this pristine Medium Dark Turquoise Metallic 1968 Hemi GTX at St. Ignace, Michigan, back in 1999. It was our intent to photograph the car, but due to inclement weather we missed the opportunity.

Fast-forward to 2012. We are on the Big Island of Hawaii attending the 10-day cross-island cruising extravaganza known as Cruise Paradise. Parked in the registration area at event sponsor Kama’aina Motors Dodge-Ram-Jeep was a very familiar metallic turquoise 1968 GTX with a black vinyl top. It said “Hemi” on the front vanity plate and on the rear Michigan license plate. Thinking that perhaps one of the locals may have purchased the Mopar stateside (a common practice in the 50th state), I went off in search of its current owner. Then someone introduced me to Michigander Dan McGladdery.

Dan grew up in Detroit. His father Bill worked as the sales manager at Dearborn’s Bob Ford back in the day when the hottest Henrys from Ford’s Total Performance Era rumbled through its doors. Now, young Dan may have very well gone on to become a Ford man had it not been for the fact that his dad managed to acquire controlling interest in Grand Rapids, Michigan’s Wonderland Dodge, and that is where Master McGladdery learned the ins and outs of Mopars. On the weekends, he and friend Tom Russell learned the fine art of drag racing out at Martin, Michigan, “practicing” with Danny’s 273ci, 1965 Dodge Dart.

“Tom coached me how to cut a light,” Dan recalls. “I won my first trophy with that car. In fact, I beat the local hero who had been undefeated in class for the last six weeks.” Dan continued working at new car dealerships from the 1970s into the new millennium with stints as the parts manager at local GM, Volkswagen, and Datsun dealerships, all the while keeping an hand in the Mopar side of the collector car hobby with cars like a 1969 Charger, a 1969 Super Bee six-pack, and a big-block 1972 Duster. Then in 1998, Dan bought his prized street Hemi. Dan says, “Mopar collector Lewis Kannellis had the car listed in Hemmings along with a Plymouth Road Runner, which I had originally been keen on buying. But once I saw the GTX, which listed for $16,000, had 35,000 miles on the odometer and sported the original numbers-matching Hemi under the hood, I said ‘I’ll take it!’”

Upon closer inspection, Dan found the GTX to be a “50-foot car,” as he describes it. The front fenders had come off two different cars, and the driver-side door and decklid had been replaced, too. “The thing had definitely been ridden hard and put away wet.”

Dan and his son Martin began work on the GTX by rebuilding the 3.23-geared, 8 3/4-inch rearend and the torsion-bar front suspension, adding items like a Sox & Martin solid pinion snubber and heavy-duty, gas-charged shock absorbers. The wheels on the GTX are Ford-bolt-pattern 15×8 Magnum 500s because, in Dan’s opinion, Mopar didn’t offer a 15-inch wheel that year that looked good enough.

When it came to the engine, father and son and a friend, Mike McDonald, were largely responsible for bringing the old Hemi back to life after it expired after three years of faithful service. The numbers-matching block was line honed and balanced, and the stock street Hemi crank was micropolished to perfection. A new set of 10.25:1-compression TRW forged-aluminum pistons was matched to the reconditioned street Hemi connecting rods. A Ray Barton street Hemi camshaft was also installed. Muscle Motors street-ported the OE Hemi heads and installed all new Mopar Performance valvetrain hardware.

The entire bottom end was reconditioned using a new Melling high-volume oil pump and pickup inside a Mancini Racing 8-quart oil pan. The OE 2×4 Carter intake was likewise blueprinted, and the street Hemi ignition system has been upgraded to fully electronic components. Engine cooling was enhanced with the inclusion of a Flow Kooler high-flow water pump. And lastly, TTI headers and exhaust were installed. Backing it up is a Chrysler 727 TorqueFlite transmission using a Dynamic torque converter and a combination of Mancini Racing and A&A internals. Credit for smoothing out the GTX’s mismatched sheetmetal goes to local body man Jeff Klekota. Once ready for paint, the GTX was resprayed in the original code-K Medium Dark Turquoise Metallic hue with multiple coats of clear.

When it came to the interior, McGladdery installed a YearOne OE black vinyl upholstery kit. Other upgrades include an Auto Meter tachometer and gauges, and an RJS driver-side lap belt. Completed just in time for the 1998 running of the St. Ignace Car Show, Dan’s GTX has been a feature car and the winner of Top 40 honors twice. But you may still be wondering how the Hemi get all the way over to Hawaii.

“I had read about cruising the Big Island of Hawaii as far back as 2007, and had seen an installment of My Classic Car with host Dennis Gage covering the 2009 event,” says Dan. “That’s when I started emailing people trying to find out more about the show. I latched on to fellow street Hemi owner Darryl Turner, who ran the local Dodge dealership, and found out that the event only ran every three years.

“In 2012 my son Martin and I made our first trip over with the car and discovered what the Aloha Spirit truly meant. The GTX was an absolute ball to drive around the Big Island of Hawaii, and everybody loved it. We won back-to-back Long Distance Awards in 2012 and 2015, and we’ll be back again in 2018. She may be old and kind of cantankerous, but she certainly makes people smile!”

At a Glance

1968 GTX Hemi Owned by: Dan McGladdery, Grand Rapids, MI Restored by: Owner; Martin McGladdery; Mike McDonald; Jeff Klekota Engine: 426ci/425hp Hemi V-8 Transmission: 727 TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic Rearend: 8 3/4 with 3.23 gears Interior: Black vinyl bucket seat Wheels: 15×8 Magnum 500 Tires: 225/70R15 BFGoodrich Radial T/A

Both Dan McGladdery’s Hemi GTX and your author are well traveled. I shot the B-Body along the Grand River near Dan’s Grand Rapids home. The GTX is a regular at local events like St. Ignace, the Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise, and the Traverse City Cherry Festival. It has also visited the Big Island of Hawaii a couple of times.

Dan and the GTX enjoy a little liquid sunshine while on the Big Island’s Cruise Paradise, heading south on Interstate 11 toward Keaau.

The numbers-matching street Hemi was expertly rebuilt by Dan, his son Martin, and Mike McDonald. The rebuild included a Ray Barton cam, Muscle Motors street ported heads, a Flow Kooler high-flow water pump, and TTI custom exhaust.

Dan jokes that during the interior’s revamp, he consulted with the countermen at YearOne by telephone so many times that the employees got to know him by voice. Interior upgrades include an Auto Meter tachometer and gauge trio, and an RJS Safety lap belt for the driver.

Described by its owner as “ridden hard and put away wet,” the GTX had been in a few fender-benders. Both front fenders, the driver-side door, and the decklid had been replaced. Local body man Jeff Klekota smoothed everything out prior to repainting the GTX in the original factory shade of Medium Dark Turquoise Metallic.

The trim tag decodes as a real-deal GTX hardtop Hemi car with the automatic transmission, built on December 14.

Two more shots from the Cruise Paradise trip on the Big Island: Chugging over Luapahoehoe Gulch without even the slightest (mechanical) complaint; pulling into Big Island Candies, one of the tour’s most popular stops.

Dan says his GTX gets maybe 12 mpg “downhill,” but we applaud him for using it the way it was intended!

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