1971 Demon 340 T/A build help
- Thread starter J.B.
- Start date
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No I understand, its not a t/a challenger nor is the block a T/A stamped 340 or heads unless you bought the Challenger, im just trying to build as close as possible tribute to that or exceeding, my block is cammed and dyno’d at 385 horses which surpasses t/a numbers, and sway bars are 1” hellwigs chromemoly which far exceed the factory t/a style sway bars at .95” as well, so restomodding on improved items that are available while also retaining some of the classic elements of the package is the goal overall
plumkrazee70
Well-Known Member
Personally, I think the "tribute" is out the window. Just build a resto-mod car with T/A stripes. You e already gone the way of modern with the wheels, torsion bars, etc. just drive it and enjoy it.
Scody21
Just send it
The T/A race car motors were de-stroked to run under 305 cid. Here is a true a body T/A car that ran in period
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Why not its a fun build and concept that others havent done with a resto mod.
In all honesty alot of the Demon 340 will stay. The goal is to make a baby out of the two, everyone will have an opinion on what that should look like or have and thats why I am looking forward to hearing responses. Im not investing $5,000 going from my original 4bbl edlebrock to six pack parts thats obsurd even though i would like to its not finically practical until they reproduce the intake again. Like i said adding the components from the T/A to the already existing performance styling and mechanical performance the Demon 340 currently has is the goal. I like to hear others opinions on what it should have or not have because it may give me a different perspective or idea to help build or change my thoughts. In my opinion the car should do what the initials are for “Trans Am”. The car should have the components capable of Trans Am racing. The challenge T/A is the representation of that in a street trim option from the factory. So using that as reference the main options i outlined at the beginning of the post are those things needed.
In my opinion so far what is needed to make that T/A baby is
Exterior
1.Current Demon dual scoop hood blacked out
2.Hood pins
3.T/A side stripes
4.Current Demon Rear Go Wing black
5. Current Demon 340 fender decal and decklid decal
6.Chin Spoiler
Performance components
1.340 4bbl motor with 2.02 port heads as highest performance option as part the Demon 340 model
2.A833 4 Speed as part of current 340 Demon switching from ball shifter to an A body pistol grip shifter as the challenger T/A had.
3.Large front and rear sway bars
4.heavy duty shocks
5.T/A Side exit exhaust
6.Hiperformance manifolds
7.power disc brakes
8.8-3/4 suregrip 3.55 which demon 340 has which is same as T/A
9.Fast ratio power steering box
In my opinion so far what is needed to make that T/A baby is
Exterior
1.Current Demon dual scoop hood blacked out
2.Hood pins
3.T/A side stripes
4.Current Demon Rear Go Wing black
5. Current Demon 340 fender decal and decklid decal
6.Chin Spoiler
Performance components
1.340 4bbl motor with 2.02 port heads as highest performance option as part the Demon 340 model
2.A833 4 Speed as part of current 340 Demon switching from ball shifter to an A body pistol grip shifter as the challenger T/A had.
3.Large front and rear sway bars
4.heavy duty shocks
5.T/A Side exit exhaust
6.Hiperformance manifolds
7.power disc brakes
8.8-3/4 suregrip 3.55 which demon 340 has which is same as T/A
9.Fast ratio power steering box
Who cares? It's his car and he can build it like he wants. If it doesn't meet your "standard" to call it a T/A tribute then that's your opinion, but the "rules" on tribute cars are pretty loose so it doesn't really matter does it?
Personally I'd like to see it with a T/A hood and ducktail rear spoiler. The T/A hood would have to be custom though.
Showcars out of Canada makes a bolt on and a bond-on version of the T/A scoop.
bolt on
Showcars Challenger TA Hood Scoop Bolt-on | eBay
bond on
Showcars Challenger TA hood scoop Bond - On | eBay
And yes, I know that Showcars does not have the greatest business reputation. However, I have bought stuff from them through eBay and other than a long ship time (it's coming from Canada) I didn't have any issues with getting the reproduction ducktail spoiler they also sell. For me the additional buyer protections that eBay and PayPal offer made it worth the risk, if something went sideways PayPal has pretty strong buyer protections.
Thank you for that info you have helped me a bunch including my awesome wheel setup, @72bluNblu there is only one problem lol the trunk will have to be repainted and holes from go wing filled so i agree would be cool with that
No worries, I figured that's probably why you wanted to keep the go-wing!
Since your trunk lid is already painted I'd be more inclined to buy a different lid if you wanted to run the ducktail, buying another lid would be cheaper than the welding/bodywork needed to fill the holes on the other one. Heck here's one in Florida
1971 1972 1973 1974 Plymouth Duster Trunk Lid Used | eBay
And hey, it's your car so you can do whatever you like. I thought about making a T/A hood for my Duster (Demon tribute), but I have one for my Challenger. The Challenger will have the T/A hood, ducktail and probably T/A stripes, but that's probably where I'll stop. The side exhaust reduces ground clearance (the T/A and AAR cars were actually raised in the back) so as much as I like the side exhaust I don't think I'll run that on any of my cars because they sit too low to be giving up clearance.
Thats a good point i have 2” geometric drop springs from eaton wandering if i will have room
No where in your original post do you call it a tribute car. You mention checking off what is needed to make a T/A or AAR package.
The side exhaust will definitely end up pretty low to the ground. Whether or not that works for you will depend a lot on how and where you drive.
You can see the side exhaust in the pictures of the DustAAR, that car looks like it sits pretty high overall.
Well they never made a T/A or AAR A-body, so, that would make any effort to make a T/A Demon a tribute car, because it can’t be a clone of something that was never actually made.
junkyardhero
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it's kind of inferred, no?
I love how people are losing there **** over making a fun T/A styled car.
junkyardhero
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i know, who would think it was such a divisive issue? people get all up about the stupidest ****.
anyway, let the haters be the 'maters that you squash on the road while rolling along in style and all that.
Agreed, yer not turning it into a chopped up clown car wtf?? One of the nicest 2nd gen cudas I've seen on here was from cudaspaz. He has/had AAR strobes on it with a Stinger hood( before they turned their hoods into crap). And it looked awesome cudaspaz ain't here anymore lol.
Your car, YOUR $$, YOUR WAY! Glean what you can from here and elsewhere. I didn't watch the whole YouTube video on the AAR Duster, but man it looks sharp.
Have fun.
Your car, YOUR $$, YOUR WAY! Glean what you can from here and elsewhere. I didn't watch the whole YouTube video on the AAR Duster, but man it looks sharp.
Have fun.
Purists will get knotted up over anything. When you said you were adding factory T/A options it fired them all up. Rather than understanding that it’s an A-body and therefore can’t be factory correct they immediately went into nit picking mode. Add some large diameter wheels and they’re breaking out the pitchforks.
What’s really funny is that if you actually bought original T/A stuff the A-body purists would be in awe of your one of none, while the E-body purists would be lining up to burn you at the stake.
Just build your car the way you want!
And remember, if you say “factory” three times in the mirror, you’ll be slowly nit-picked to death by a horde of angry purists with no life of their own.
No, not the same - same casting but machined like this with canted pushrod holes and pushrods.
The heads came with the same pinch from the factory, as they were still "as cast" heads - the canted pushrods allowed the ports to be opened up without hitting the pushrod holes - but they had to be modified to reach that inherent potential.
dirty white boy
50 yr old Juvenal delinquent
youll be happer shifting a 71 and up B body pistol grip in a A body than the E body pistol grip shifter....ether way your choice...DWB
I bought an hurst pistol grip shifter from Brewers that is made for the A body specifically
I couldnt agree more, hey @72bluNblu remember than rear fender lip issue well found a decent solution looks haven’t decided if im gonna to do all 4 fenders or just rear two. Its 3m double taped hard rubber so if i dont like it i can peel it offPurists will get knotted up over anything. When you said you were adding factory T/A options it fired them all up. Rather than understanding that it’s an A-body and therefore can’t be factory correct they immediately went into nit picking mode. Add some large diameter wheels and they’re breaking out the pitchforks.
What’s really funny is that if you actually bought original T/A stuff the A-body purists would be in awe of your one of none, while the E-body purists would be lining up to burn you at the stake.
Just build your car the way you want!
And remember, if you say “factory” three times in the mirror, you’ll be slowly nit-picked to death by a horde of angry purists with no life of their own.
dirty white boy
50 yr old Juvenal delinquent
pretty sure he recommends the 71 up B body shifter for A bodys....
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