Kicking around some ideas for my Demon

[451Cuda]

Thanks for your thoughts. My son is basically not interested in doing anything on the car with me. Ironically, my 12 year old REALLY want to help me build it. Unless I can get a 360 for free, I don't think I will go that way. The 340 is still most appealing to me. I am going to talk to the guy that I know with one for sale and see how serious he is about getting rid of it. Hopefully I can pick it up cheap enough.

Solution: build it with the 12 year old son

 

[adriver]

Is the car going to be one of your sons in the near future?
Go with the free one.
I did this same thing with my son and a Swinger for high school.
The theory is that by helping build the car he will understand the mechanics enought to have a healthy respect at 55 miles per hour.
And not go 80.
You do not want a teenager in a powerful car.
That's asking for trouble.
No matter how responsible.
A free 318/904 is bullet proof.
Put a cast iron Chrylser spread bore intake and a 4V on it.
(I prefer Q jet.)
And it shouldn't be cold natured.
Lastly don't even think about a 440.
It will be nose heavy, drink gas and is presents installation problems.

 

[Mo-Par]

Thats cool and all, but its a Demon. :glasses7:

lol. ops:I guess I should have said Demon.

 

[challengergary]

Is the car going to be one of your sons in the near future?
Go with the free one.
I did this same thing with my son and a Swinger for high school.
The theory is that by helping build the car he will understand the mechanics enought to have a healthy respect at 55 miles per hour.
And not go 80.
You do not want a teenager in a powerful car.
That's asking for trouble.
No matter how responsible.
A free 318/904 is bullet proof.
Put a cast iron Chrylser spread bore intake and a 4V on it.
(I prefer Q jet.)
And it shouldn't be cold natured.
Lastly don't even think about a 440.
It will be nose heavy, drink gas and is presents installation problems.

Per my original post - my son is not interested in the car, I am building it to sell and will some of the money to buy my son a more modern beater. Otherwise, I'd build it and keep it for a while.

At this point the 440 is out. It's between the 318 and the 340. As I get closer to that point, I will be putting the pen to paper to really figure out the best ROI. I've done a lot of cars for sale through the years and have only lost money on one - a Furd Rustang convertible that I put WAY too much money in and over estimated the value of the car when done. Never lost money on a Mopar. Broken even on a few but have honestly never lost money on one.

 

[Oldmanmopar]

I know I posted this picture before. But I always think of this car bought by the father for the son. He wanted his son to have a cool car at 17. A fathers dream. Don't be foolish. I always thought of this happening to my son as he was growing. I knew some day he would have one of my cars.

So what I did was put him on the track at a young age. TT nationals from 13 to 20. Then a sprint car. and MX racing. After many crashes and injuries where safety crews are present now has respect for the power.

I was 16 in 1971 and lost many friends in muscle cars over the years. My best friend in a 69 Coronet. My daughters , Fiance 3 years ago. These crashes and many others I towed put a scar on my brain. I will do everything in my power to leave this world before my son. I saw what happen to fathers that lived longer then their sons.

So know you have to decide which motor. You can always go bigger as more power is justified . To all who have children Keep this in your thoughts. You will live with your decisions forever. Better yet show this to your wife.

 

[2 Darts]

The 318/904 is best for ROI. While the other power teams are desirable, I don't think you can recoup the additional expense. I would say put a mild cam and a 4 bbl on the 'teen and a dual exhaust. The other stuff you propose is great, but I don't think you can justify it at this price point.

Here's a photo of the Autodynamics Challenger that Sam Posey drove in the 1970 TransAm season. If you like the front spoiler, but don't want to make your own, look at spoilers by Randy. http://www.spoilersbyrandy.com/Pages/7072DartDemonspoiler.aspx

 

[Oldmanmopar]

The spoiler is almost exactly the same as the one that came on my demon in 71 pictured above. I still have it . I think The one you have pictured is a nicer fitment . I am going to look into it for my Demon. Thanks

 

[Captain Canuck]

I know I posted this picture before. But I always think of this car bought by the father for the son. He wanted his son to have a cool car at 17. A fathers dream. Don't be foolish. I always thought of this happening to my son as he was growing. I knew some day he would have one of my cars.

So what I did was put him on the track at a young age. TT nationals from 13 to 20. Then a sprint car. and MX racing. After many crashes and injuries where safety crews are present now has respect for the power.

I was 16 in 1971 and lost many friends in muscle cars over the years. My best friend in a 69 Coronet. My daughter , Fiance 3 years ago. These crashes and many others I towed put a scar on my brain. I will do everything in my power to leave this world before my son. I saw what happen to fathers that lived longer then their sons.

So know you have to decide which motor. You can always go bigger as more power is justified . To all who have children Keep this in your thoughts. You will live with your decisions forever. Better yet show this to your wife.

Those are very wise words of advise! I will be keeping this in mind as my 16 year old son and I go out looking for his first car/truck this spring.

 

[moper]

I also own a '72 slant Demon. They are not investment grade as projects. If it was me I'd simply sell what you have for all you can get. You will never get return on investment paying anyone to do anything and in regard to that car, you will struggle to get the investment in materials doing everything yourself.

 

[challengergary]

I also own a '72 slant Demon. They are not investment grade as projects. If it was me I'd simply sell what you have for all you can get. You will never get return on investment paying anyone to do anything and in regard to that car, you will struggle to get the investment in materials doing everything yourself.

I don't pay anyone to do anything on any of my projects (except for machine work when needed). I do all of the work myself. I do it because I love to and have a pretty good track record as far as return on investments go with old Mopars. I've owned over 50 in the past 20+ years and have never lost money. The last /6 Demon that I owned, I ended up selling for well over 20K. Granted, it was top shelf (winner of A-Body Modified at Mopars at Don Garlits' one year) and had a sweet 440 Six Pack in it. I even made money on the last /6 Duster that I left a /6 and used a daily driver.

 

[moper]

I'm in the same situation as you interms of doing work. As a result of my own feelings and what you state about doing it "for the love" I'm guessing you do not put any value on your work. If it's a car for me, whether resale or to keep, I tend to do that too and final value really is only important to me. I couldn't get what I really have into it because the market doesn't support that much. Not with regard to much of any car these days with the exception of special pedigree vehicles, and slant Demons are low on that totem pole. I'm not trying to argue because I am routinely in the same boat. I'm just trying to make the point that sales price, in order to be equitable for both parties, needs to include something for your labor time. That's why I automatically compare to paying someone to do everything when I look at doing something for resale.

 

[bp46]

can you tell me what size yrones those are? they look really good on that Demon!

x2...

If anything I think the 340 might be the best choice in a close stock Demon for reselling.



I do like the Demon T/A idea...

 

[challengergary]

Sadly - the Demon got shoved in the corner for the past few months. No funds to do any real build work plus trying to "pay the bills" in the meantime. Hope to start back on on her in the next few weeks.

 

[2 Darts]

I have to agree that with those that say you won't get your money out of it. Unless someone shares your vision, modifying the car will not recoup the cost. Even 100 pt. restorations tend to cost more than the car is worth upon completion. IMHO, the best ROI is to get it running well enough to put a tag on it, assemble as complete as your parts stash allows, make sure all systems are safe and sound, and sell it.


If you're going to do the side stripe I have a few suggestions for your consideration:

1. Delete the T/A and put the Demon character in its place. Do not put the Demon character in the stock location. You may not even want to put the "Demon" name on the car at all.
2. Rather than break up the stripe, put the T/A at the rear of the stripe like Dodge did on the R/T Challenger in 1971. http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=1971+R%2fT+challenger+decal&qpvt=1971+R%2fT+challenger+decal&FORM=IGRE#view=detail&id=0545005D6B15CA07F022B8A19673C33DB91DAE11&selectedIndex=12
3. Leave the T/A where it is or delete it and curve the rear of the decal so it mimics and extends the break stamped into the C-pillar.