Lets Get Personal .....

[Cudajason]

@Cudajason  great story.  I've always liked your Cuda paint, but now that I know your dad painted it I LOVE it!     Don't ever re-paint it.  When you son or daughter own it one day it will mean a lot that their grandfather painted it and their dad drove it.   

Thanks @Cuda Cody.  To be honest the paint is much more subdued than what I wanted, but dad sort of went his own way.  It all worked out though.  I love it!  The problem is that pictures lie!  the body, which has never had any panels replaced, is in much worse shape than it appears.  It really needs at least a passenger fender, truck drop offs, and at least lower quarters.

The plan is to redo it before I hit 50!  I would consider repainting it the same way, with some tweaks.  The one thing I can guarantee, it will stay pink!

@Cudajason That's not the first time I have heard that!  LOL  You should hear me talk sometime.  Growing up around a bunch of Canadians has definitely rubbed off.  So now I have to ask you my standard question I ask all Canadians that I meet...........  What's your favorite Stompin' Tom tune?   

Wow Stompin' Tom!  True Canadian! Favorite song...come on, the Hockey song.  LOL, to be honest, I am not really a fan, but what hockey fan has not heard that one! I have always been more of a Tragically Hip fan.

Fun Fact...Stompin Tom's memorial service was held in my home town of Peterborough Ontario.

[RusTy/SE]

Hello Timbbuc2! Yep, I'm just down the road aways in Montgomery. 

[Jay Bee]

Jay Bee's bio...

John Bolvari, with those initials (J - Challlenger, B- Barracuda) I was destined to own an Ebody.
Both parents were immigrants from Hungary.
Lived in Niagara Peninsula all my life except for a 4 year stint in Toront0.
Graduated as an Electronics Technician from Niagara College (1976).
Started career at 20 with Canada Post as a Maintenance Technician.
Retired in 2011 after 35 years (Freedom 55 baby).
Divorced, 2 sons (32 & 24), 1 granddaughter (6 months).
Owned my car since 1979, it's been through a ton of changes since the first day of ownership.

That's all I can think of to say for now, here's some pics.

Early 80's


2013


Christmas 2016

[Cuda Cody]

Great photos @Jay Bee       Thanks for sharing.   

[YellowThumper]

Guess I will role call into this as well.
Mike Fust here. Wife Tami. Married for 30 years. I met her while cruising the local blvd. She was younger sister of a friend's girlfriend. Couple of years and girlfriends later we finally got together. From date one back in 83 we were a couple. She had a 68 Mustang I had a 74 Challenger. Same ones we still own. Many years and a few houses later we had our only kid. She is 16 and on a high profile school basketball team. D1 state champs the year before when a freshman.
For me, my trade is plastic injection toolmaker. Went thru the ranks of manual building. Then to CNC operating and programing. From there cad designing of the molds. Mastercam, Pro Engineer and now Solidworks. Ran the shop for 12 years but got burned out from too many hours every day because of too many duties forced on me. Abruptly walked out after 27 years. Took another for 3 years. And then... first place called me back. In my absence they realized I was an asset to them. Current new/old job is a Program Manager for all their offshore molds being produced. Less work more pay. win win.
Thanks for playing along.

[Cuda Cody]

Cool story.... and very cool you both still have the same car and each other.  Pretty lucky guy you are.

Guess I will role call into this as well.
Mike Fust here. Wife Tami. Married for 30 years. I met her while cruising the local blvd. She was younger sister of a friend's girlfriend. Couple of years and girlfriends later we finally got together. From date one back in 83 we were a couple. She had a 68 Mustang I had a 74 Challenger. Same ones we still own. Many years and a few houses later we had our only kid. She is 16 and on a high profile school basketball team. D1 state champs the year before when a freshman.
For me, my trade is plastic injection toolmaker. Went thru the ranks of manual building. Then to CNC operating and programing. From there cad designing of the molds. Mastercam, Pro Engineer and now Solidworks. Ran the shop for 12 years but got burned out from too many hours every day because of too many duties forced on me. Abruptly walked out after 27 years. Took another for 3 years. And then... first place called me back. In my absence they realized I was an asset to them. Current new/old job is a Program Manager for all their offshore molds being produced. Less work more pay. win win.
Thanks for playing along.

[Shane Kelley]

I have to agree with Alan. It is nice to put a face to someone posting.
Guess I'm up. Shane Kelley age 51 and I have lived in Southern Illinois all my life. Been into fast cars, fast boats and high end audio equipment pretty much my whole life. I also enjoy cool signs for my shop/man cave.

I have been the Collision Center manager for the last 22 years. Bodyman/painter before that. Started out a mechanic but the need for paint and body kind of moved me to that direction in my early 20's. I just seemed to have the natural knack for it. I still restore other vehicles on the side to finance my projects. And I truly enjoy building Mopars. I have restored many other makes and models in the past but my passion is Mopars. So that's all I will be doing from now on. It just more rewarding that way. My first car in high school was a orange 69 Road Runner with a air grabber and 4 speed. Blew up plenty of motors with that one. I would work on it all week long just to street race it on the weekends. Owned a few cool Mopars in my life. My favorite motor is a 340. Great all around light weight motor with excellent power when built right. I currently have a 71 340 4 speed Cuda nearing completion and 71 340 automatic Road Runner (good 20 footer). I usually drive the RR to work a couple times a week (90mile round trip). I love driving these old cars. Currently restoring a 69 383s 4 speed Barracuda for a customer.

Been with my lovely wife Rosemary for 10 years. Have a 31 year old son from my first marriage. Live in the country and have 3 dogs (Hemi, Chief and Buddy) and a bunch of chickens.

[Cuda Cody]

Thanks for the intro @Shane Kelley     There must be some good living up there is Southern Illinois as you do not look anywhere close to 51 years old.   

Cool dogs and some awesome cars man.  You have a great life buddy!  keep up the good work. 

[stevec]

Here is my history.
I started into Mopars with my second car, a 1972 Plymouth Satellite Custom. After seeing the movie 'Vanishing Point' (first national broadcast in 1978) I wanted one. Drool. I was working for a restaurant in Washington, and my new manager mentioned his 'baby' a 1973 Dodge Challenger, it was partly customized, the TA spoiler was blended into the body, wheel well flares molded (excellently done and the nicest I have ever seen), a small hood scoop (on a powerbulge) and a pontiac Tach on the hood, a rollbar on the inside. The car had only 18,000 miles and was cool. Drool #2. I wanted one badly. I swore that I would have one and soon.

Well, I was a senior in high school, working, bought cars and motorcycles, so getting a loan wasn't a problem. I had six loans approved, but which to get. Kompact Kar Korner (still in business) had a 70 R/T 440-six pack 4 spd, black, the 73 Rallye, Doug's Lynnwood Dodge had a 70 R/T, another 440 4BBL, 4-spd. BBC Dodge in Burien had a god awful (paint job) 70 R/T 383 4 spd, and a 74 Green 318 Auto, a private party had a 74 360 Auto. I was like a kid in a candy store, which one! Well I bought the fastest one I could, and it was the 73. OMG, that was a bullet.

I loved that car, and it was a few months after I got it, I was in the Navy (well, my last year in high school I was already in delayed entry, since I was 15, I knew I was going into the service), missed the car when I was away, used to cruise in Everett Wa, Colby Ave, Golden Gardens, Lake City, etc. Great times.

Needless to say, my girlfriend hated the Challenger, way to fast, had a lope behind the rumble, etc. Not to mention it got 6 mpg on a good day. I was also on the police radar. I was followed and watched. A lot of stories, and all true. To that end I was number 3 from Tacoma to Everett to watch out for. They had a picture of my car in every police station, and when I got home from boot camp was followed from downtown Bothell all the way home. The cop flipped on the PA and said "Hi Christensen, nice to have you home again". Another side story in a moment.

Well, with 6 months, left in the Navy, girlfriend, possibly getting married, I traded the 73 in on the 82 Challenger. Even with the car payment I was saving money. The 1982, may not get a lot of respect, but I will tell you, it's a stealth beast in it's own right. I left Fife, Washington at 9:15 am with stops for lunch and gas, I was in Treasure Island, San Francisco, at 10:07 pm, average speed 69 mph. in 1981, national speed limit was 55. The guy, who had the 1973 that was customized, we left snoqualmie falls at 5:35pm and went blasting through maple valley and were back in Lynnwood washington, parked in his driveway at 6:15 pm. Maple Valley we were doing better than 85 with the speedo buried.

Well needless to say, I got out of the Navy, broke up with the girlfriend and after a few months, wanted another Challenger, the bug bit me again, and wanting (no more like longing) to see the road from the Powerbulge hood and Rallye dash was fire in my blood. I started looking.

Working as a Correctional Officer in Monroe, Wa, I spied a Challenger in the back yard, After shift I went and spoke to the owner, and bought the car. (paperwork posted on FB). Anyways wanting to restore the car, and with little information available, I bought the dealer manuals and began decoding all parts that I could, I then got in touch with Chrysler Historical and worked with them for over 18 months going over the option codes, production figures, etc.
The main Challenger, became my Vanishing Point clone. I guess I had one of the first VP'ers in the country.

I stated E-Body Specialties, and was being contacted all across the country for parts and information, I started doing Insurance appraisals and dealers were calling me to look at their cars. With no real hard facts and only pretty pictures in magazines, I produced a book on the Barracuda and Challenger, all the option codes, production figures, misc, including the TV cars and a chapter on Vanishing Point. It was during this time I was able to get in touch with Barry Newman and ask some major questions about the movie. While everyone else was concentrating on the car, I wanted other things answered. I was writing a Vanishing Point II novel, had a story outline and partial script. Which I sent to Barry for his approval. To that end I was given all material for Vanishing Point II, and am the reason why the remake wasn't released on Nov 1995, but Jan 1996 and was called Vanishing Point, I called Fox. Letter posted on FB, etc.

This went on for a few years, I started restoring cars, buying and selling parts, connecting people and generally having a great time.
Was heavily involved with the Seattle Mopar Club, even ran into a meeting when I was back for my 20th high school reunion. (Ok, what are the odds, of being at a pizza joint (any pizza joint) the same night as a monthly MOPAR meeting! (and they say GOD has doesn't direct).

Well, after getting married, boys and their toys must at times part ways. Moving to another state, etc, life goes on.

Remember that meeting that I stumbled upon, well I must have gotten bite. Lightening struck again. We (wife and I) were at a church dinner group (Dinner for eight - 4 couples) and we drove up with my wife's Subaru. Well there it was, parked under a tree, car cover covering it up. I noticed the crease line down the trunk (you can't hide it from me, I can smell Challengers). I got out, pulled up the car cover to reveal inset rear quarter lights (it's either a 70 or 71) I called out Dick- any plans for this? He said naw, a guy offered him $1500 for it but never came through. I just about screamed, my hands were shaken. I said, 'If you want $1500, consider ii in my garage'. I went home listed an old Fireball XL5 (1960's TV show) playset and bought the Challenger. It's the green one that I posted.  Well I get the car home, rip out the standard dash cluster, put in the Rallye one that I had tucked away with the Tuff steering wheel. Working in pest control, I knew some local folks, and traded some stuff for a set of road wheels for the 71. It wasn't looking bad. Got a lot of thumbs up and oh, well, it was a Challenger.

Added: As a side note. When I bought this Challenger. I drove it to my in-laws in Boise. My Mother-In-Law (MIL) asked if I had ever seen a Movie called Vanishing Point. It seems like a good friend of hers, used to date Barry Newman. I sent Barry a picture of my latest Challenger and (below) is the letter back. Edited due to personal stuff. But there from Kowalski - "Drive that Challenger", so it seems I have multiple connections to the movie 'Vanishing Point'

Then after several hard winters, no garage, not enough money to keep her up and do repairs, I sold the 71 on Ebay. It went to a guy in Indiana who was thrilled with the condition. Bought it for $1500, sold it for $4500.

With the age of unhealthy gas, etc, I have always wanted another Challenger. Name runs deep in some souls.
I started looking and by this time. the prices were like saturn V's off the launch pad, to high for me. But I found a 1982 Challenger in Lynden, Washington on craigslist. Called the guy, made the plans and flew up to buy it and drive back to Boise.  I left Lynden at 10:30 an, stopped in Stanwood to see my brother, stayed for a while, had lunch with my sister in Everett, and then blasted to Boise, Idaho and was there by 10:20 pm. There was a grim from ear to ear, blasting from three states in a Challenger.

I'll attach a picture of my 1973 that the guy who bought it after I traded it in on the original 1982, had to sell it. I had caused so much trouble, that he couldn't drive it around without getting pulled over, etc. PS: I still have a warning ticket from the navy, where they clocked me coming out of a stop at 33 in a 25 mph zone.

In closing, yes, the 1973 did in fact come with the dana rearend. One time I punched it too quick and torqued the yoke, before the universal busted. The 1973 had the oats behind the wheaties.

Well, there is my life with Challengers. Glad to be here.

[Spikedog08]

That's a great story Steve!  Certainly you will fit right in around here!   

[stevec]

Thanks,
I could probably write a book of all the stuff. It has been really nice over the years with the groups.
I was on the Vanishing Point Yahoo group, I remember posting how I teared up seeing the 71 go, knowing that it might be my last one.
Thanks again.

[Cuda Cody]

@stevec  that is a great introduction and very cool story.     You are a true Challenger man.   

[stevec]

I just added another tidbit, to my history.

Added: As a side note. When I bought this Challenger. I drove it to my in-laws in Boise. My Mother-In-Law (MIL) asked if I had ever seen a Movie called Vanishing Point. It seems like a good friend of hers, used to date Barry Newman. I sent Barry a picture of my latest Challenger and (below) is the letter back. Edited due to personal stuff. But there from Kowalski - "Drive that Challenger", so it seems I have multiple connections to the movie 'Vanishing Point'

and posted a scan of the letter.

When I was in the Navy, I had some T-shirts made of my Challenger, I'll pull it out and post it. There is also a blue T-shirt that says The Challenger Man. I'll post that also.

[Cuda Cody]

That letter just raised the definition bar of cool!   

[soundcontrol]

Supercool story Steve!
Vanishing Point also started my interest for Challengers.