Steve's 70 Gen III Hemi Build

[HemiDenny]

Love your methodical approach....


Please make sure you test fit for trans clearance. As you are aware, more than likely have to do a little modifying for the bigger (than a 727) trans.

I have updated the axle shafts and would be more than happy to send you the updated versions...no charge. To save me some time, please PM me your address. It appears you do not have the optional rear brace....correct?

Please let me know if I can be of any assistance on your outstanding build.

Denny

 

[SteveAle]

It appears you do not have the optional rear brace....correct?

Denny

If you are referring to the bar that connects from control arm to control arm. Yes I did opt for that.

 

[HemiDenny]

10-4.....goes out Monday!

 

[SteveAle]

10-4.....goes out Monday!

Thank you very much..

On a side note I kinda hate going to car shows.... I just got home from a show in a local town. Now I am full of inspiration, ideas and wanting to work all night long..

But I have no parts, no room to work and still not done with my motor :???:

 

[Old Man Mopar]

Fantastic build and mad skills here. Body work is something I could never do.
This type of project should be an inspiration to everyone. What color will it be?

 

[SteveAle]

Fantastic build and mad skills here. Body work is something I could never do.
This type of project should be an inspiration to everyone. What color will it be?

I have no clue haha, I have been toying with several options but I cant make up my mind. I thought about the factory plymouth color for 71 Sherwood green, A silver/charcoal two tone, A burnt orange color I just dont know. I have some color books I been thumbing thru and plan on doing some dealership cruising to check out some new colors in the sunlight.

And bodywork is not my cup of tea either. I have a friend that owns a local body shop that likes to do some stuff on the side for cash

Taking stuff apart, putting back together I can do.. The smoothing and making purty I leave to a better person haha

 

[76orangewagon]

I have no clue haha, I have been toying with several options but I cant make up my mind. I thought about the factory plymouth color for 71 Sherwood green, A silver/charcoal two tone, A burnt orange color I just dont know. I have some color books I been thumbing thru and plan on doing some dealership cruising to check out some new colors in the sunlight.

And bodywork is not my cup of tea either. I have a friend that owns a local body shop that likes to do some stuff on the side for cash

Taking stuff apart, putting back together I can do.. The smoothing and making purty I leave to a better person haha

I vote for the Sherwood Green (with White stripes)

 

[SteveAle]

Stripes is another thing I am having issues with. I cant decide between factory looking stripes with some twist on the end to include either the Hemi name or the Cubic inches of the Hemi or go with something completely custom. I like the look of the rear panel decal on the Cudas and the slashed stripe from the AAR

Who knows haha

 

[SteveAle]

Still working in the spring of 2014 at this point I am finally going to put the wheel tubs back in. I have added my extensions and welded them up, smoothed the metal back out. I will still need to do some final sanding and working them to get ready for paint, but for now they are good.

One side went together real nice, but the other side looks like I messed up cutting it back to frame. Will have to add some metal back in and grind it back smooth. I see some seam sealer in my future.

 

[SteveAle]

I forgot to include a very valuable lesson I learned while building this car. Once I had it on the rotisserie I loaded it on a roll back and took it to the blasters. I picked it up from blaster and took to body shop. Once they were done I loaded and took back to the shop so I could work on it.

With all these loads and unloads. I didnt once recheck the bolts on the rotisserie. Not once #-o

Lucky for me it happened when unloading from rollback last time and we still had it chained so it kept the damage to a minimal. Only thing damaged was the spare tire well and thats ok cause it will be getting cut out more than likely, but talk about having a heart attack ops:

 

[SteveAle]

After I got the tubs and before I hard welded in the subframe connectors I tried test fitting the K member in the car. I ran into another problem it wouldnt fit :???:

I took several measurements and found the front clip was tweaked a bit from a earlier wreck in its like. So I sent it back to my buddies body shop for a little untweakage.

I hung the doors and fenders on it for reference they were by no means ready to be there haha.

The Z28 emblem was a cruel joke played by the frame guy.#-o

 

[SteveAle]

After they got frame straight and k-member would bolt up. I had them to weld in my new radiator support that I got from XV Engineering.

This worked out good since my factory one had to be removed due to slight destruction from rust and front end collision.

 

[SteveAle]

Here is a photo of the Awesome Hemi-Denny K-Member bolted in place finally rayer:

I love it. Thanks Denny !!

 

[SteveAle]

Now Summer of 2014 and the shop is closed for the week of the 4th of July. Now the shop is my playground. I can leave my junk all over the place

Time to put some parts on...

I did a good wash and etch primed all my suspension pieces. They will all get powder coated later but for now I am still in mock up phase.

 

[SteveAle]

Some front end pieces primed and installed :cheers:

 

[SteveAle]

I didnt have plans of making a super fast race car or a pro street or even calling mine a pro-touring. So I opted to stay with conventional disc brakes.

I used the mustang 2 dropped spindles from Speedway I bought the brackets to used GM style metric calipers and I bought a set of drilled and slotted Ford Granada brake rotors. Talk about a hodgepodge of parts. :???:

QA1 coil overs added a nice look to the whole set up. :cheers:

 

[SteveAle]

Here is a shot of the front end all complete and with the Addco sway bar kit installed.:cheers:

I used a power rack for a Ford Thunderbird since from what I have researched it will work well with the pressure the power steering pump for the Hemi supplies.

You can also see my new radiator support all welded in and primed.

 

[SteveAle]

I vote for the Sherwood Green (with White stripes)

I love that color and think it looks good on those cars. I also like this color cause its the factory color my dads Duster was back in the earlier 80s. His was the first car I think I actually remember and that is why I like the Duster so much

Dads was a work in progress when he had it, but I remember it was pretty strong. His was a 340 car. I love those widened rally wheels on the rear

 

[SteveAle]

Here are some pictures of the rear suspension going in. I went with the Hotckis rear spring lowering spring kit.

 

[Old Man Mopar]

Extra sweet! Thanks for posting all of the pics!

 

[SteveAle]

I ended up narrowing the Ford Explorer rear end to 55 inches WMS. I had the ends changed out for 9" bearing style ends. Everything was fitted to maintain the factory rear disc brakes and e-brake set up. I had it all centered up and the tubes full welded.

Once all mock up is done I will get it all powder coated and make it purty

 

[SteveAle]

I hated picking out my wheels and tires.

#-o:???: ale:

 

[SteveAle]

At first I was going to go with the new all aluminum version of the original rally wheel. I wanted somthing big and wide. I thought about buying those and having them widened another inch or 2 and putting a huge tire under the back.

After pricing the wheels, shipping them off to have them cut and widened and then tires I decided not to go that route #-o

Then I started looking at wheels and then more wheels and finally some more wheels. I finally found some I liked and then I found some tires I liked. I measured the backspace of a friends wheel, since they looked awesome and was nice and deep.

Once I got them thou they were not as deep looking as his wheels :???: they measured the same but his wheel had a flatter design so it appeared deeper..

 

[SteveAle]

Here is the wheels installed on the car. The rearend will need to be lower more to satisfy my taste. The wheels should look good with the car setting a little lower on them.

I will keep them for now

 

[HemiDenny]

..... I tried test fitting the K member in the car. I ran into another problem it wouldnt fit :???:

I took several measurements and found the front clip was tweaked a bit from a earlier wreck in its like. So I sent it back to my buddies body shop for a little untweakage. .........

The F bomb went IMMEDIATLY thru my mind....I started breathing again when I read further.

Thanks for the great pictures (HDK or not).....always fun to follow builds.