Making it right.

[RUNCHARGER]

GDrill's post on his original engine reminded me of my own story that happened quite a while ago. I thought I would share for the entertainment of those interested:
The year is 1978 and I decided I wanted a better Challenger to start with than the rusty, eastern 71 R/T I had. I knew of a 70 Challenger R/T in it's original, ugly pink paint but it had a terrific body. I searched my city of 60,000 people until I found the car parked in a carport. I knocked on the door, talked to the original owner and yes the car was for sale. It was all original, in great shape other than a stretched timing chain in the original 383 and badly faded paint. I made the deal and drove the car home Friday afternoon. I didn't care how the 383 ran because I had other plans.
Saturday morning I got up at 0600 and started the swap, by noon I had the pink car running with a built 440 I had been running in my 71. The 383 was runnning in the 71 by about 1600k and I took the pink car for a drive. That night I was street racing the car and made a few bucks with it the first night. After that there were multiple upgrades over 18 years. the 440 got a six pack then was swapped for a Hemi, Dana 60 was swapped in then a Shaker went on. The car was legendary in my city and I loved owning it.
18 years later I am in a small auto parts store and a fellow that had owned the 71 after me owned the store and we struck up a conversation. I asked him "I know this is a long shot but I just have to ask, do you know what might have happened to that 383 that was in the 71 Challenger when you bought it". He replied that yes as a matter of fact, he had put a new timing chain in the 383 but later spun a rod bearing and removed the engine. Then he shocked me by saying he still had the engine and it was sitting at his farm, Wow! I couldn't believe it, needless to say I was at his farm that night and loaded the engine up as fast as I could.
I felt really good about building the stock engine, installing it and putting the other stock parts back on. As the saying goes, no damage was done to the car over the two decades it had been lightly modified.
The only downside was after having a 500HP Challenger all those years now I had a 335 HP Challenger and I found it a bit dull. However at least when I sold the car it was as it left the factory and I felt great about that. This is a photo of it's last ride as I owned it, the black stripes should be pink but everything else was right including the factory installed spoiler, 390 wheels etc.

[71GranCoupe]

Cool story, RUNCHARGER, thanks for taking the time to share. Good read with my first cup of joe. 

[Cuda Cody]

Cool story!!   

[Chryco Psycho]

Love it 

[gdrill]

Great story! Love it. Just goes to show, you never know. 

[Spikedog08]

Very cool!   

[Timbbuc2]

Good story, enjoyed reading it.

[anlauto]

Did the car ever get pink stripes put back on ?

[RUNCHARGER]

It did Alan, I sold the car into Spokane then it went to Fla. I believe and I think Mo. now.