Steve's 70 Hemi Charger makes front cover!

[1969chargerrtse]

Looks like one of our new members ( njsteve ) makes another cover shot.  Pick up a copy soon.     March 2008

[Magnumcharger]

Beautiful Car!!
Is that Stephan Siegels' ride?

And what is it with Hemmings Muscle magazine? Does it just seem like there's a new issue out every two weeks??

[rav440]

 

[1969chargerrtse]

Beautiful Car!!
Is that Stephan Siegels' former ride?

And what is it with Hemmings Muscle magazine? Does it just seem like there's a new issue out every two weeks??

That's the Charger Steve S has owned for many years, and still owns.
They have different magazine titles like, Muscle car, Classic, etc...  So it seems that way.  Trust me I had a subscription to the Muscle car edition and it did not arrive every two weeks.  I think Bi monthly?

[Chris G.]

Steve's car has a ga-gillion documents. Nice to see it make the cover. 

ps- Any non-numbers car should be flogged every day of the week. 

[resq302]

Steve's car has a ga-gillion documents. Nice to see it make the cover. 

ps- Any non-numbers car should be flogged every day of the week. 

Sheesh, Chris.  Honestly, I would have kept the numbers matching motor in my charger if it weren't for the fact that 3 of th 5 mains were spun bad enough to ruin the block prior to me buying my car.  However, I still have a period correct 383 HP block in it.  

Also, I can't wait to get my new issue with the Charger on the cover!

[Hemidoug]

Steve's car has a ga-gillion documents. Nice to see it make the cover. 

ps- Any non-numbers car should be flogged every day of the week. 

HEY!!!!! I resemble that remark! It is fun to flog after all....

[1969chargerrtse]

Steve's car has a ga-gillion documents. Nice to see it make the cover. 

ps- Any non-numbers car should be flogged every day of the week. 

I had a great link of him telling the unreal story about how he obtained all the documents.  I can't find it, but wrote him to send it to me then I will post it here.

[Hemidoug]

Hows this....

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=rides&Number=82224&page=0&fpart=all


You sent it to me a few weeks ago!

[1969chargerrtse]

Hows this....

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=rides&Number=82224&page=0&fpart=all


You sent it to me a few weeks ago!

Your unreal!  I was watching Gladiators on t.v and thinking    didn't I send that link to someone?   Thanks so much, and you saved it!   Steve has sent that to me like 5 times already.

[Hemidoug]

And to think....I had a chance to own that car almost 30 years ago.....story of my life back then, always a day late and a dollar short. It went to a good home. I missed out on like 10 hemi cars back in the day....Always short on cash  (hey 10 grand was a lot of money back then) or too late.  I can't complain....I finally scored one and haven't looked back (not to mention picking up a 71 6 pack along the way)!

Glad I could help with the link!

[1969chargerrtse]

And to think....I had a chance to own that car almost 30 years ago.....story of my life back then, always a day late and a dollar short. It went to a good home. I missed out on like 10 hemi cars back in the day....Always short on cash  (hey 10 grand was a lot of money back then) or too late.  I can't complain....I finally scored one and haven't looked back (not to mention picking up a 71 6 pack along the way)!

Glad I could help with the link!

Uh?  Not for nuttin, but you look like you're doing fine.

[Hemidoug]

Yea...I am, but the journey was long and arduous.....those things didn't exactly fall into my lap as you see them. Lots of work and $$$$ still going into those two (not to mention another one on the way LOL).

The cars that slipped through my fingers back then......if you only knew....

[Charger_Fan]

The '70 still looks beautiful. That's cool that it's made yet another cover.

That's a cool story on the Yenko link, too. I've gotta wonder though, when the wheels finally get switched to Cragers...is anyone gonna recognize it??

[moparstuart]

 are those hemi letters on the hood really a factory option ?

[Charger_Fan]

are those hemi letters on the hood really a factory option ?

Of course they are, that's yet another reason why it's widely known that '70 is the best model year.

[moparstuart]

 a 70 r/t top banana blk top blk bb stripe was the first mopar i ever owned  loved it , but 68 's are still my favorite charger
now 70 plymouths they are the best

[hemi-hampton]

What ever you do dont say Steve's last name. I did that once & he insisted I some how remove it? I guess he likes to keep a low profile, even though everybody knows who he is LEON.

[472 R/T SE]

are those hemi letters on the hood really a factory option ?

And they're in their correct location too.  Not at the bottom of the scallop. 

What ever you do dont say Steve's last name. I did that once & he insisted I some how remove it? I guess he likes to keep a low profile, even though everybody knows who he is LEON.

I remember that.    I always thought it was because he was the pony tailed bad arse.

[1969chargerrtse]

What ever you do dont say Steve's last name. I did that once & he insisted I some how remove it? I guess he likes to keep a low profile, even though everybody knows who he is LEON.

Yea, he said his name is different in the article.

[1969chargerrtse]

are those hemi letters on the hood really a factory option ?

Of course they are, that's yet another reason why it's widely known that '70 is the best model year.

I believe our poll showed 68 as the favorite year?  Obviously being a typo as 69 is surely known as the best.  Soooo that would mean 70 would have to be #3, but that's not bad. 

[Goldfinger71]

NICE!

[njsteve]

I remember that.    I always thought it was because he was the pony tailed bad arse.

If only I had that much hair! 

[bzabodyn]

Crazy story - awesome car...  and I thought "I" had a story!

BZ

[Vainglory, Esq.]

Very nice.  Remove the hood perf treatment, and (maybe) the Hemi callouts, oh, and make it a clone...and you've got my car.

[moparjohn]

Welcome aboard Steve!  I can tell you guys first hand this car is as nice as they come, for that matter so is Steve. We get to hang out every so often at cruises and the like. John

[1969chargerrtse]

Welcome aboard Steve!  I can tell you guys first hand this car is as nice as they come, for that matter so is Steve. We get to hang out every so often at cruises and the like. John

I grew up in the same town as Steve.  I remember him driving around in an Orange superbird as a kid and a 69 camaro Pace car.  I followed him home and that's how I got to know him. That was some 25 years ago.  Great kid back then, nice guy now.  I remember him working at a body shop and restoring one of his Cuda's.  I must of missed the pony tail years.  Nice to have him on the site, extremely knowledgable, and funny.   

[JerseyJoe]

Hemmings seems to like the '70's..... 'cause they're the best!!!     Wow, I guess I need a "tongue-in-cheek" smilie     Great car, Steve 

[69_500]

I don't know about Hemmings prefering the 70's over another year. I seem to recall a HEMI 69 Charger 500 being in Hemmings, as well as a 68 that was on the cover a few years back, as well as a Daytona that graced the cover.

[nascarxx29]

I seen that car In Flemington NJ .And meet Steve he also formerly owned 71 hemi cuda conv Y2 hemi daytona 71 hemi sunroof charger and more.And that 70 Hemi charger sold from Surburban Dodge Metutchen NJ

[Ghoste]

I don't know about Hemmings prefering the 70's over another year. I seem to recall a HEMI 69 Charger 500 being in Hemmings, as well as a 68 that was on the cover a few years back, as well as a Daytona that graced the cover.

Not to mention the 69 RT and the 3rd gen. in their last issue.

[hemi68charger]

Flog,,, someone say flog?........ I'll say, "Two broken driveshaft thanks to a 4-speed"............ 

[69_500]

Yeah but your doesn't count in this thread Troy. As it was in a car that wasn't a HEMI> 

[Hemidoug]

Flog,,, someone say flog?........ I'll say, "Two broken driveshaft thanks to a 4-speed"............ 

You must be using the wrong driveshafts.... I have had to replace 3 pinion snubbers however...snapped off the bolts!

[njsteve]

OK, now here's an absolutely un-freakin-believable story:

I have been posting on various sites recently about how I am looking for another set of rear Cragars in 4-1/2" bolt pattern to replace the rear rims that I stupidly gave away 21 years ago to someone, I can't remember who. At least I was smart enough to keep the front 15x4 skinnies.

Well, I just found MY OLD RIMS AND TIRES on ebay and bought them! They were 40 miles from my house in Jersey! They are the rims with the same Parnelli Jones L60x15 Firestones on them. I paid $78 for the pair and they are now back home and ready to be cleaned up. The guy said he picked them up from a friend of his in town, about 15 years ago and that guy had them for a few years before that.

I guess I have yet another bizarro story to add to the archive now.

[andy74]

that is so kick ass man! love your car,not bad looking for a second gen!

[njsteve]

I spent the past few days cleaning the old rims. They are not in the best of shape, they are rather "patina-fied" as most Cragars are. Since I can't seem to find anyone that will rechrome them, I figured I'll just run them as is. I used a lot of Simichrome and cleaned up the chrome (where I could find it) as much as possible and then masked off the center lug nut areas and sprayed them flat black. Works for me. So I guess I am returning her to her "Rat Rod" beginnings.



Here's the finished product. While the 38 year old rear tires are not safe to drive on, they look good enough for show. For the fronts, I ended up using a pair of NOS F78x15s that came with a wrongly described set of front skinny cragars I bought last month and just sold last week on ebay.  (They were advertised at 4-1/2" bolt pattern but were actually 4-3/4") So they ended up being useful afterall.

[Daytona R/T SE]

I spent the past few days cleaning the old rims. They are not in the best of shape, they are rather "patina-fied" as most Cragars are. Since I can't seem to find anyone that will rechrome them, I figured I'll just run them as is.

Steve, I believe Stockton Wheel can rechrome your Cragars for you : 


             http://www.stocktonwheel.com/ 

[njsteve]

I just called them and they said they do rechrome Cragars at $185 each with a 30-45 day time span. Has anyone had any experience with their work?

[mtr]

Steve's car has a ga-gillion documents. Nice to see it make the cover. 

ps- Any non-numbers car should be flogged every day of the week. 

HEY!!!!! I resemble that remark! It is fun to flog after all....

you flog your what?

[hemi-hampton]

Can't you buy new ones for that Price, I thought Cragar was remaking them again? LEON.

[Daytona R/T SE]

I just called them and they said they do rechrome Cragars at $185 each with a 30-45 day time span. Has anyone had any experience with their work?

A friend of mine had some Rallye wheels widened by Stockton wheel about ten years ago, he said he was very pleased with their work...

$185 a piece doesn't sound bad to me...

[njsteve]

Can't you buy new ones for that Price, I thought Cragar was remaking them again? LEON.

Cragar does not make the single bolt pattern wheels anymore. All they make is the uni-lug version that fits 3 different bolt patterns. Also the spoke and rim design is slightly different and the chrome is blue-er. Other than that they're a perfect copy. ;-)
They also dont make the 15x4 width anymore, their version is a 15x4-1/2. The 15x4 was initially a racing-only wheel. When I dismounted the old front tires, inside the rim was stamped "FOR RACING USE ONLY, NOT FOR HIGHWAY USE". So, I guess I have to race it again.

[Magnumcharger]

That is good information that should be used by another member of this board -Sites-, the guy with Dick Landy's 1970 Hemi Charger.
I recall that his original Cragar rims were pretty well peeled and rusted to decrepitude.

Here are some pics of NjSteve's ride at Carlyle 2006, courtesy of BeepBeepDave.

[Magnumcharger]

Some pics of the documentation that were on display at that show.

[FJMG]

    Wow great paperwork! I didn't know that 14" wheels were available with the hemi.

[Daytona Guy]

All I can say is WOW - Love that car.

Dane

[njsteve]

    Wow great paperwork! I didn't know that 14" wheels were available with the hemi.

1970 was a weird year for hemi B-bodies. There was no mandatory 15" wheel like on the 1970 E-bodies or the 69 or 71 B-bodies. I tried driving the car on a set of 14x6 rallyes...once. It felt like a Pinewood Derby car - it wouldnt turn, it would just go straight ahead and then skid when you tried to make a turn. Very scary!

[Magnumcharger]

Looks WAY better on those classic Cragars anyway!

[njsteve]

Well it's only been five years give or take a day since the last post on my car. I figured I'd give a heads up in case anyone is interested:

I have consigned the Charger to the Mecum Indy Auction coming up in May, 2013. Here is the link in case anyone is interested in the car or knows someone who is.

http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=SC0513-154173

Thanks guys,

NJSteve

[resq302]

Steve, so sorry to hear that you have to sell it.  Hope you get what you want for it at the auction.   

[njsteve]

And to think that I've had this car for more than half of my life: more than 26+years so far.

I figured it's time to let her go to someone who will appreciate her as much as we do. I haven't even driven her since the MCACN show in 2011. And we all know sitting is the worst thing for one of these dinosaurs.


I'm also looking at some other future car projects...and I've been playing with Pontiacs recently, too.

[resq302]

Ain't that the truth, Steve.  I wish I had the finances to feed this thirsty beast more so I can drive it more.  Wish I could drive the charger everyday, but with the price of gas, I need something that can get better than single digit mpg's. 

[Ghoste]

It's hard to imagine letting go of a special car after owning it that long but they do say we are just temporary stewards and never really "owners" of these things.  I hope it goes well for you Steve.

[Mytur Binsdirti]

I remember your car from the old Papa's Dodge shows in Farmington CT back in the 80's. Those shows were great; it's too bad they had to end.

[BrianShaughnessy]

Good luck with the auction.   Beautiful car.

I remember when this car won Musclepalooza up here at LVD. 

[bill440rt]

Well, that kinda sucks. Steve, your car has been a staple here in the northeast for years. I'll miss seeing it for sure.
Best of luck with the auction. I'll be watching out for it. 

[njsteve]

I remember those old Papas Dodge shows. Those were the days! Every May there was a show and every year I'd try to get my car done just in time for it. The Charger was the last car I brought to that show in 1990 before I moved down to Florida with it...and eventually back here to New Jersey.

Here's a photo from 1990 when I still had the hemi Daytona and the 71 Hemi sunroof Charger (Tim Wellborn has it now). That Daytona was the car that had the engine that was 21 VIN numbers higher than the R/T-SE. I swapped them both so the Daytona ended up with a correct 1968 date-coded engine and the R/T-SE ended up with the correct 1969 date-coded engine that just so happened to be 21 numbers higher than the car's VIN. According to the records we could find, no hemi cars have ever surfaced between those two VIN numbers, making it literally the engine from the next hemi car built.

[Beep Beep Dave]

Did youever have a 1968 Charger to goalong with your 69, 70 and 71? It can't get much better than those 3
Is there going to be a reserve on your Hemi?

Dave

[tan top]

I remember those old Papas Dodge shows. Those were the days! Every May there was a show and every year I'd try to get my car done just in time for it. The Charger was the last car I brought to that show in 1990 before I moved down to Florida with it...and eventually back here to New Jersey.

Here's a photo from 1990 when I still had the hemi Daytona and the 71 Hemi sunroof Charger (Tim Wellborn has it now). That Daytona was the car that had the engine that was 21 VIN numbers higher than the R/T-SE. I swapped them both so the Daytona ended up with a correct 1968 date-coded engine and the R/T-SE ended up with the correct 1969 date-coded engine that just so happened to be 21 numbers higher than the car's VIN. According to the records we could find, no hemi cars have ever surfaced between those two VIN numbers, making it literally the engine from the next hemi car built.

awesome line up


yeah i remember reading about your charger in a mopar magazine long time ago , & when you noticed the numbers deal

[RIDELIKEHELL]

Love that car and all the history with it! Sad to see you sell it...good luck

[Blusmbl]

Sorry to see you let it go, but man your '70 is bitchin'.  I've had a Hemi book with your car on the cover for easily 15 years now, and your Charger is easily the coolest '70 I've ever seen.

[njsteve]

Thanks for the compliment. (Now I feel REAL old)  

[Blusmbl]

That's the one!

[Ghoste]

I haven't had it for nearly that long if it makes you feel better Steve.

[68RT4ME]

What a great car with an equally great story behind it. It's a shame you're parting with it and hope it's next owner (Stewart) takes as good a care for it as you have done. A question on the '71 Hemi in the photo, Is that the car that was featured and the show "My Classic Car" with "Dennis Gage" a couple of yours ago? I thought he drove it or one nearly like it in the show when he visited T. Wellbourne's Museum.

[njsteve]

Yes, that was my old car. I sold it to Pittsburgh Stealer linebacker Kevin Greene on 1995 and he eventually sold it to Tim Welborn.

[njsteve]

If anyone wants to see the original dealer file docs and other stuff, the Mecum auction site just added a downloadable PDF of all of the stuff. Here is the site link. Near the top it says "additional information". Just click on that and you can see it all.

http://www.mecum.com/auctions/lot_detail.cfm?LOT_ID=SC0513-154173

[Homerr]

Interesting to see the paperwork, thanks!