Hey, I have been thinking about getting a 70 challenger, But i plan on making it look like a clone R/T also putting a 440 or a hemi in it. As you can see i am not going for original, I have in mind making it a good looking powerful car, This is my first time so as you can imagine i have been doing alot of research, but i like to hear it from guys who actually have done it. what motor does the car need to have started out with to make the 440 or hemi fit realtivily(sp) easy. Also what transmission need to hook up to that being that I want a manual, Also what makes A r/t, a r/t. Thank you



BNB

 

You can basically make any E-body's K-frame work for the 440 conversion. If the car was originally a 318 car, you can still use the factory K-frame if you use Schumacher Creative's engine mounts for a 440: www dot engine-swaps dot com. For a manual transmission, you'd be looking at an A-833 for an E-body if you wanted a four speed or you could look into Keisler for their aftermarket five speed transmission. As for making a '70 Challenger an R/T clone, it's basically just the big block engine and R/T badges as many options varied depending on what the customer ordered. I own a '73 myself and know just about everything there is about '72-'74 Chally's, but I'll try to help you out some with the '70 model year. I know the R/T's received a HD suspension consisting of front sway bars, larger torsion bars (440-6/Hemi's used .920" dia. bars), and usually larger shocks, a 150 Rallye dash with woodgrain panel was standard equip., either an 8 3/4" (Standard for larger V-8's) or Dana 60 (440/6/Hemi) was used, and they had either a shaker hood or an R/T bulge hood.

 

A 440 fit's fairly well, but the Hemi is a tight squeeze to the point you cannot fit a stock brake booster for power brakes. The parts are also far cheaper for a 440 than they are for the Hemi.

 

Money for money, a 440-6 will put a 426 Hemi to rest. Though I'd love to have a Hemi myself, I'd suggest going with a 440-6 if you plan on doing an R/T clone.