Words: Tommy Parry
Rusty’s project started around 2013, when he offered his friend, then looking for a new car, a chunk of change in return for this running ‘70 Challenger. Covered in lime green primer, it was far from a looker, but it was strong enough to serve as a foundation for his new build.
For the first couple years afterwards, he made a few small steps at a cushy pace. These modifications included a new hood as well as a few interior touches. Recaro-style leather buckets and a prominent AutoMeter tachometer gave the cabin a definite sense of purpose.
As Rusty wanted the car to be usable on long-distance hauls, he looked at the suspension and motor next. Hotchkis-tuned Fox shocks and tasteful Boss 338 wheels gave it an athletic stance, while the 400 block with a 500 stroker gave it more than enough oomph for any stretch of highway.
His next order of business was to design a custom steering shaft, because a previous owner had welded the old manual stuff solid. The heavy steering effort required was fine, though eventually his arms grew tired and he installed a GM power steering kit. To fit it, he needed a smaller battery. Even then, real estate was limited in the crowded engine bay.
He then installed an MSD distributor, ordered some inner fender supports and a lower radiator brace from XV and added a set of Magnum Force coil over mounts so he could install his DSE coilovers. For a greater confidence from the front end, he went with a Unisteer rack and pinion kit.
When prepping the Challenger for paint and body, he filled in the moulding covers, cleaned out a bit of rust in the quarter panels and replaced the floor pans. Then he replaced the rear valance, attached the subframe connectors and laid down a layer of sound deadening. It was then ready for a coat of mint green.
Unfortunately, during its stay at “paint jail,” it only received a coat of primer and some minor bodywork. It had given him the time to find a more economical motor — a 5.7 Hemi from an ‘07 Ram, which would give him better mileage than the 6 miles per gallon the old big block offered. So, motivated by frustration, he took matters into his own hands and finished the primer job, then sandblasted it to his liking.
The build has a long ways until it’s up to Rusty’s standards, but it is running and rolling. To keep tabs on this eye-catching Challenger, you can view the build thread here.
