Random Hemi E-Body of the Week

[Chryco Psycho]

I wonder if Nicolas Cage will join the site & enlighten us 

[Jim AAR]

I bet they were both his as in 2009 the IRS went after him.

On July 14, 2009, the Internal Revenue Service filed documents in New Orleans in connection with a federal tax lien against property owned by Cage in Louisiana, concerning unpaid federal taxes. The IRS alleges that Cage failed to pay over $6.2 million in federal income tax for the year 2007.[85] In addition, the Internal Revenue Service has another lien for more than $350,000 in unpaid taxes dating from 2002 to 2004.[86] Cage filed a $20 million lawsuit on October 16, 2009, against his business manager, Samuel J. Levin, alleging negligence and fraud.[87] The lawsuit states that Levin "had failed to pay taxes when they were due and had placed [Cage] in speculative and risky real estate investments 'resulting in (the actor) suffering catastrophic losses.'"

And he went on a bit of a shopping spree in 2007.

"In his filing, Levin says that in 2007, Cage's "shopping spree entailed the purchase of three additional residences at a total cost of more than $33 million; the purchase of 22 automobiles (including 9 Rolls Royces); 12 purchases of expensive jewelry; and 47 purchases of artwork and exotic items."

My 

[Cudino]

I was at the Russo and Steele auction in 2009 when BS23R0B184309 sold.  It most definitely was touted as being owned by Nic Cage, and they said he had an affinity for black cars.  So I'm not sure if the one at Indy was also owned by him, but it's certainly possible.  Back to this Russo car, I remember it being absolutely gorgeous.  This was January 2009, when the economy was at its worst, but with all the hype and shine this stunning car sold for what I thought to be a very strong price of $440k.

- Wade

[RzeroB]

Hmmmm?    Interesting points ... There may even be a third Cage-car as I remember seeing another all black HemiCuda that was advertised as having once been owned by Mr Cage but it was different than these two in that it had the standard dash instead of the Rallye dash like these two have. I concluded that it must of been some kind of a typo, error or something so I dismissed it. Maybe it wasn't?    Maybe Nic actually had three near identical all black HemiCudas?   

[GQ234]

1970 Challenger RT/SE
4 speed
Super Track Pack
Gator Grain
Yea it's a Hemi

[RzeroB]

Okay, enough about Nic Cage ... he's last months news ... onward to those March built (scheduled that is) cars! 

March 5th ... 48 years ago today a '70 Hemi Challenger RT was scheduled to be built at Hamtramck. As it turned out, it is 1 of what would be only 19 '70 Hemi Challenger RTs built to Canada specs. Here's the fender tag so we can see how this Canadian spec Hemi Challenger RT was put together.



When it finally rolled off the line and was loaded up on the transporter, it headed off to a dealership in "The Queen City", "Hogtown" ("Hogtown"??), or more simply, "T.O." (Toronto, Ontario). In Canada it stayed until some 40 years later down-state New Yorker Bob Conca learned that it was for sale. Bob, a long time Mopar guy with some cool E-bodies already in the garage, had been looking for an original Hemi Challenger, so he wasted no time heading north to Canada to meet the owner and see the car. When he got there, the car wasn't quite what Bob had expected ... it had been disassembled for a restoration and was literally in boxes ... hundreds of them! Undaunted, Bob and the owner struck a deal and Bob trailered the Challenger's shell and all of it's associated boxes back to New York.

For metal work and paint Bob sent the body off to Ken Mosier's The Finer Details in Danville Indiana. For the Hemi, Bob sent the elephant off to Martin Wimberly's Performance Plus Cylinder Heads in Odin Illinois. While I'm at it, I am going to throw some "props" out to Martin and his wife Jody. Every year on the third Saturday in September they put on a super fantastic Mo-Party BBQ picnic and car show. It's not a big event, you might even say it's small, as Odin itself is a very small town just northwest of Mount Vernon IL. However, the Wimberly's put Odin on the map with their hospitality, so if you are ever in the area around the third Saturday in September their Mo-Party is a must!!

When the body came back from The Finer Details and the Hemi from Performance Plus Cylinder Heads, Bob started the tedious process of emptying the boxes and putting it all back together. Eventually the last piece was installed and the results are spectacular. Say hello to Bob and his beautiful '70 Hemi Challenger RT!



As a side note, I wonder if Bob wound up with a small box of bolts and stuff that he couldn't figure out where they went - doesn't that always seem to happen? Anyway, if you would like to see more pictures of Bob's Challenger bang it here to read Scotty Lachenauer's great article as published on the Hot Rod Network   http://www.hotrod.com/articles/1970-dodge-challenger-crated-hemi/   

 

[Cuda Cody]

Hello Bob!  Nice Challenger.   

[RzeroB]

1970 Challenger RT/SE
4 speed
Super Track Pack
Gator Grain
Yea it's a Hemi

Hi Greg!!

Happy to see you here on the thread! I was kind of going by SPD, but even though your car is a November build, feel free to throw up more pics and the story of your car here any time!! 

[autoxcuda]

This car was restored in the 80's by Pete Haldiman. Well known car and car guy for old school'ers in So Cal. A bunch of his other past Hemi car are featured in the Anthony Young book. This car was on some old car posters and on the cover of Car Craft.

Seeing this car at Pete's house and on the cover of Car Craft got me hooked on Challengers.


Hardly any repro parts on this car.... there wasn't any then! Original sheet metal. Was re-painted another color (yellow?) very early in life because FC7 paint did not last very well.

70 Hemi FC7, auto, super track pack, N97 California spec turn-down exhaust. Note the California "Exempt" sticker on the passenger front window corner.
The shaker was added. But it's real.

I heard the car is in the Detroit area now.

These scanned photographs are dated November 1990. I believe at a WPC show.

[anlauto]

......and Bob never would have found that car if it wasn't for another crazy Canadian named Alan Gallant 

[GQ234]

I figured since I missed November's post, that you guys wouldn't mind too much. Lol.

[RzeroB]

I figured since I missed November's post, that you guys wouldn't mind too much. Lol.

Not at all! Yours is a great story, by all means post away!!

[Chryco Psycho]

1970 Challenger RT/SE
4 speed
Super Track Pack
Gator Grain
Yea it's a Hemi

Awesome & 1 of only 23

[RzeroB]

1970 Challenger RT/SE
4 speed
Super Track Pack
Gator Grain
Yea it's a Hemi

I was hoping that Greg would post up some pics and the story behind his '70 Hemi Challenger RT/SE ... but he hasn't ... yet.

You have probably already recently seen it at the 2017 MCACN show, in Mopar Collector's Guide, the Detroit Auto Show and in some of Greg's posts on Facebook. Even though it is a November built (scheduled that is - I have to keep putting that in there for Dan!  ) car, I'm going to post up here in March anyway.

JS29R0B193271 is 1 of only 59 Hemi Challenger RT/SE's made for the U.S. market, and of those 1 of 22 with a 4-speed. It is finished in TX9 Black with a V1G Gator-Grain vinyl top, V9W white Bumblebee stripe and a H5K9 black and white "houndstooth" interior.



A pampered trailer-queen this is not. It is an unrestored "survivor". It's been driven with 45K miles showing on the clock. The paint is worn with 48 years worth of little dings and scuffs here and there. One can only imagine what kind of mischief this bruiser has been up to over that time 



The car was originally purchased by Greg's dad Godfrey, a Vietnam Army veteran and later a Detroit Police officer. Greg has some great display boards showing all sorts of original documents and pictures of his dad and the car.



Greg's car is loaded with great options to include the A01 Light Group Package, A34 Super Track Pack 4:10 Dana Axle Package, B51 Power Disc Brakes, C16 Center Console, G31/33 Chrome Sport Mirrors, H31 Rear Window Defogger, R35 AM/FM Radio, S77 Power Steering and a S83 Rim-Blow Steering Wheel among other things. But the thing that really sets it off and makes it very unique is the V1G Gator-Grain vinyl top. This car has the most deeply textured Gator-Grain top that I have ever seen. Greg has said that the top is still original to the car. Maybe all the other Gator-Grain tops I have seen are reproductions and lack the deep texture of the original?? You can spot that Gator-Grain top form across the parking lot. Check out how deeply textured it is ...



Greg and I assume that might be his son with him? Maybe someday his son will acquire the Challenger from Greg, like Gred did from his dad?



Hopefully Greg will chime in and provide some cool "insider information" that perhaps we haven't heard before. Greg, the mic is all yours ...

[750-h2]

I wonder if it came from the factory with the wheel well mouldings? Neat car!!!!