My 71 Super Bee :
I have been looking for another project for a while and have been interested in doing a Dodge Charger. I have researched a number of cars including a '75 Vette. a '68 Galaxie 500 convert, and a '69 Triumph Spitfire. I am presently working on an '86 Corvette convert. Which I race in auto cross events. (Rob needs a bigger shop). I have missed chances at a few good Chargers in the past year, very disappointing.
Shortly before Christmas of this year, '06, I found an add for a '71 Dodge Charger on our local bulletin board that stated this car had to be sold buy the 23rd of Dec. I called this fellow and he described the car as all apart and sitting outside in a snow bank. We went to look at it, and after looking under the tarp and finding the big hole in the middle of the hood, I became excited (I didn't know of a Charger with that type of hole in the hood). Removing more of the tarp I found the body was not bad, rust wise , and inside the dash was intact with the Super Bee emblem . (SOLD)
I had seen this car three years before when it was at a dealers yard. I was told it was not a Bee back then and he wanted way too much for it anyway. (It was running and driving with a 360 auto). It changed hands locally about three times and in between it lost and gained parts and was stripped and a friend of mine ran into it doing some damage to the front end. I have been told it was brought here from Alberta and there it was drag raced with a 440 under the hood backed by an auto trans. (what a life for a classic car)
I found this web. site (Thanks John Bober) and have done some of the numbers and found out that my car is a Canadian 383 four speed Green Go car with front bench seat and stripe delete. I have buckets for it, so it won't be " to the numbers " built and I am throwing around the idea of a 440 under the hood.
I am presently amassing, and freshening parts, to reassemble it. I am in need of the standard shifter (4 gear without console) a good transmission, motor (383) radiator. For the motor I am hopping to find a '71-donor car that runs good. As for the small misc. parts, ebay is a great source.
UPDATE AUGUST 15, 2007
I have welded in the new rear quarters and have the body 75% in primer . Found a 383 that is rebuildable and a four gear that will work fine . Most of the major parts I have found, now all I have to do is assemble the works.
UPDATE NOVEMBER 15, 2007
It is looking a lot greener in my shop these days ,I have the base coat almost done just some wet sanding to do today and some touchups then I will shoot the clear (hopefully by the end of the day) And I have started the 383 build ( short block is done and I have ported and polished a set of heads) I'm not sure if I will use these heads or get a smaller chamber head ,as a friend of mine has a set of 68 vintage heads ,,,,,,hmmmmmm more power.
Robert
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