The Saga of Purple Haze
The year was 1988, I was nearing the end of my tour of duty in Honolulu HI. I had been stationed there nearly 2 yrs, and had previously purchased a 74 318 auto Challenger from one of the local dealers (Pic's to follow) when I was first stationed there. I had done a lot of work to her, I first found a 69 340 long block in one of the local junk yards which I rebuilt and did some mod's to. I first installed it with a TCI street fighter 727 trans and converter, and then later converted it to 4spd with pistol grip. Put a 3.55 sure grip 8 3/4 rear end and some gauges tires and some other things. A lot of this was done with the help of a couple guy's I meet there, who hooked me up with all the stuff needed to convert to the 4 spd. The car was pretty nice, but it was a bit heavy I thought for the 340. It was also starting to show signs of blistering filler, and I latter found where they had repaired rust improperly in a bunch of places. I though to my self, what I would like to find is a Duster or Demon. I had mentioned this to one of the guy's I knew and he said he had a Demon. We took a ride to go look at it but it was in ruff shape. He had asked me what I was going to do with Challenger, and I said sell it as a roller. He then told me he also knew where he could get a 70 Duster in pretty good shape, and would I be interested in a deal (swap). I told him it depended on how the Duster was and that I would not trade the Engine with the car. He said we could swap motors as the Duster was a 340 car. I said it sounds good when can I look at the Duster, He said he would let me know. A couple of days later he came to the base and told me where I could go to see the Duster and I got his number so I could let him Know. Went that day after work to check it out, the car was just what I was looking for except it was an auto. I gave him a call and told him the car was good but I needed it to be for a stick. He told me no problem he would throw in the stuff needed to convert it. With this I said its a deal. He then said who was going to do the engine removal, since I was in charged of the Motor Pool I said no problem that I would pull both engines and swap them out. So that is how I came to get the Duster now know as Purple Haze. Here are some pic's of the Challenger and the 340, in the next volume you will get to see the Duster as it is getting ready to go have the back half done.
STAY TUNED FOR Volume 2
The year was 1988, I was nearing the end of my tour of duty in Honolulu HI. I had been stationed there nearly 2 yrs, and had previously purchased a 74 318 auto Challenger from one of the local dealers (Pic's to follow) when I was first stationed there. I had done a lot of work to her, I first found a 69 340 long block in one of the local junk yards which I rebuilt and did some mod's to. I first installed it with a TCI street fighter 727 trans and converter, and then later converted it to 4spd with pistol grip. Put a 3.55 sure grip 8 3/4 rear end and some gauges tires and some other things. A lot of this was done with the help of a couple guy's I meet there, who hooked me up with all the stuff needed to convert to the 4 spd. The car was pretty nice, but it was a bit heavy I thought for the 340. It was also starting to show signs of blistering filler, and I latter found where they had repaired rust improperly in a bunch of places. I though to my self, what I would like to find is a Duster or Demon. I had mentioned this to one of the guy's I knew and he said he had a Demon. We took a ride to go look at it but it was in ruff shape. He had asked me what I was going to do with Challenger, and I said sell it as a roller. He then told me he also knew where he could get a 70 Duster in pretty good shape, and would I be interested in a deal (swap). I told him it depended on how the Duster was and that I would not trade the Engine with the car. He said we could swap motors as the Duster was a 340 car. I said it sounds good when can I look at the Duster, He said he would let me know. A couple of days later he came to the base and told me where I could go to see the Duster and I got his number so I could let him Know. Went that day after work to check it out, the car was just what I was looking for except it was an auto. I gave him a call and told him the car was good but I needed it to be for a stick. He told me no problem he would throw in the stuff needed to convert it. With this I said its a deal. He then said who was going to do the engine removal, since I was in charged of the Motor Pool I said no problem that I would pull both engines and swap them out. So that is how I came to get the Duster now know as Purple Haze. Here are some pic's of the Challenger and the 340, in the next volume you will get to see the Duster as it is getting ready to go have the back half done.
STAY TUNED FOR Volume 2
