New Member with two Challengers

[Vaanth]

Hello,

My name is Gary and I've been working on Chrysler products since I was eight years old and have been driving them almost as long. I have several Mopars and also recently joined For A-Bodies Only and For B-Bodies Only. I'm a retired engineer that has worked in the defense industry, satellite communications, telecommunications, computer systems administration, data center builds and operations, and my last 14 years were at Google as a hardware test engineer and technical writer.

I have two E-bodies:

- 1970 Challenger T/A: I have owned this T/A since 2021. The previous owner found it sitting partially disassembled, missing a lot and looking rough in ~1987 without the original engine, transmission, or rear axle. I helped with the restoration, mostly the mechanical side. He drove it to some shows, but it sat outside in the dirt until he moved, then he parked it at his new place. It sat in a garage, never cranked, for 25 years and then I got it. It needed a lot to clean up to the undercarriage and other things. I got it running and have it running fairly well now. It's a 1972 340 built to 1970 specs with a Direct Connection .455" cam and electronic ignition, with a Trans-Go equipped 1972 727 transmission that I did in 1989. It had late 80s reproduction mufflers from Year One on it which I replaced with NOS mufflers I bought in 1979. These sound much better now. Suspension is mostly stock with urethane sway bar bushings, 440 torsion bars and gas shocks. It came with regular power steering but I've added my T/A steering box and fast ratio pitman arm from my other T/A, plus a 1970 C-body idler arm. Brakes are stock with NOS Mopar semi-metallic pads. It was originally equipped with a 3.55SG rear axle, but has a 3.91SG now. The wheels are the original 15x7 Rallye wheels from my other T/A replacing the 15x6.5 Rallye wheels that were on it when I got it. Although okay at this point, it's slated for more work.










- 1970 Challenger T/A: I got this T/A when I was a senior in high school in 1976. The previous owner, with whom I worked, heavily abused it. He offered it for sale when it began running badly. I did not know what the T/A indicated. I wanted the 340 Six Pak to swap into my 318 Duster, so I bought it. I quickly learned what the car was, so I fixed the bad running engine, and started correcting the abuse and it was my daily driver for several years. Over time, it went through many changes. I got a 1973 Twister for my daily driver, which I still have, and at this point the T/A had Appliance headers, Direct Connection Hemi grind cam and electronic ignition, plus homemade side outlet exhaust, but not the T/A exhaust which was damaged and missing a tailpipe when I got it. The cam wiped a lobe, so the car got parked and disassembled, and sat for years while I acquired and worked on other things. Now it's freshened up, painted, and has a 440 Six Pack in it. I have the original engine, but the original transmission was case damaged by the previous owner with maximum RPM neutral drops and replaced by a shop. I built the 1969 440 and 1973 Trans-Go equipped 727 transmission in it now in the early 90s with dual quads for my brother's 1966 Belvedere with 4.30 rear gear. That car became something else and I've held onto the combination. The 440 is mostly stock with a Direct Connection .484" cam. It originally had a 3.91 Sure Grip, but that entire axle went into the green one, and it now this one has a 4.10 Sure Grip 8-3/4 axle. Suspension Gabriel Pro-Shocker adjustable shocks. My T/A steering box and fast ratio pitman arm is on the green T/A. This one has a rebuilt steering gear with police reaction springs, ProForged fast ratio pitman arm, and a 1970 C-body idler arm. Rear brakes are stock and the front has been upgraded to 11.75" rotors with 80s Bendix semi-metallic pads. Wheels are Super Coupe 15x8 rear and Magnum GT 15x7 front with Rallye center caps. I repainted and hand "flaked" the wheels and caps. The paint and some body work did not turn out well. I plan to try to improve the paint some, and put on some 10 year old reproduction stripes for now while I do other projects. I have NOS stripes I bought in 1984 for it, but I'm not sure if the adhesive is still good on those. I'll hopefully rework it better later.








Both of these are not real original, but like all my others, they are mostly stock or stock appearing with certain improvements.

Although not E-bodies I also have these two Challengers:


The Granite gray one is a 2021 R/T Shaker Scat Pack with 392 and 6-speed manual transmission with red/black leather interior. The Pitch black one is a 2017 T/A 392 and automatic transmission with black leather interior. I ordered this one in 2017. It has my name on the original window sticker.


My user name is Vaanth. A few of you may have seen it before. I have used it on several things and several places since I coined it in 1979. In 1998, I wrote a document called "A Carter Thermo-Quad Guide" which has become known as the "Vaanth Thermo-Quad Guide". Although it contained a fair amount of information, it was incomplete and had some errors. I have since re-wrote it, expanded it, and corrected it. The new simple text version, like the original, plus two web style versions can be found at Vaanth Thermo-Quad Guide Site. If you found the original useful, you'll find these even more so. When/if time permits, I may build a Version 4 which will have real pictures, diagrams and more information.

[cuda hunter]

Those are some great cars! Sure like the breakdown and story's for each ride.

I'm very curious to know what the original options were on the two of them. 
Colors and such. 

[Brads70]

Welcome to the site! Great looking rides you have! I like that granite grey color!

[cudamadd]

Welcome Gary great cars 

[jimynick]

Welcome from Ontario,    Gary! Great cars and great provenance. You'd be a guy that I'd enjoy sitting down for a few beers and stories. 

[dodj]

Nice first post!
 
Nice cars