When I was 16 in 1976, my first car ever was a 71 Challenger 383 Magnum RT I bought for $ 1,000 from my brothers friend Luke. It was originally a plum crazy purple car that he painted blue; don’t ask me why I have no clue. Hey that rhymes, anyway I remember driving that car to high school for the first day and when I returned from classes there was a note pasted to my drivers side window saying “if you want sell this car call me at this number, this is the finest car in school” and there was easy 3000 kids that went to Bonnable High in 1976. That is when I knew I had a bad ass car. I put cragers, traction bars and spacers in the front end to lift it up, it was a head turner. My best friend lived across the street and was a big Chrysler guy and was jealous as all get up. I would start her on cold mornings and let run a while to warm up and you could see the cold condensation coming out of the dull exhaust, my friend would just look with envy, we laugh about it now, but as stupid teenagers are I sold it about 2 years later for $1,600 and though I did well being that I only paid $ 1,000.

Fast forward to Oct of 2010, I am 50 and had been looking for either that car or one like it for several years. I found a 70 Challenger in Rexburg ID paid $10,000 and it was just a shell, but the add online said “the most amazing rust free challenger you will find” and he was right. I had been telling my brother that if I find one I hope that sucker is in Canada, because I would enjoy the road trip to get her, well Idaho is not too far from Canada, you know what they say be careful what you wish for.  When I told the guy I was coming to get it, he said “I could ship it to you”, I told him no way that will take all the fun out of this long process I was about to take. So the trip was set, me my brother and our wife’s headed out to Rexburg ID in Oct of 2010. Nine days and 5000 miles later we return to Kenner, LA.

I started taking her apart in January of 2011 and turned her over to Bruce Switzer (the best Mopar guy in town); 6 months later I am now driving one bad ass 70 challenger that won Best E Body at Mopars on the Lake in Kenner, La in March of this year. She has a 440 Magnum that came out of a 69 Road Runner, dynode at 439 hp with 500lbs of torque, with aluminum heads and 410 gears.  

I hope you will consider her for your magazine.