AbodyAaron
Member
Hello all! I’m not gonna lie I don’t know how I ended up here, but I’m glad I did. I’ve been a life long Chevy fanatic and in my adult years I’ve built MANY Chevy trucks (specifically C-10s). Well there I was just minding my own Chevy business when I had recently posted my 1979 K30 Chevy dually for sale on Facebook marketplace. After a couple weeks I got a message from a somewhat local guy saying he’d like to trade for my truck and he had a cool car for the deal. He then a few minutes later sends a very descriptive synopsis of the car a TONS of pictures. He says it’s a 1971 Dodge Demon. Admittedly, as a car enthusiast I know what a demon is but I’d be lying to you all if I said I knew the cars well at all. What I do know is that the first car I can remember driving in as a kid was my dad’s red 340 Duster. I thought that car was so cool as a kid, and all I could think about looking at these pictures was that this car reminds of that car. Like any of us… I get over excited. He says he will bring the car over the next day for us both to check them out. He arrives and there it is… chopping it’s little cammed heart out. I’m trying not to act excited at this point.
He told me the car was restored in 1998 as a 340 clone (318 car originally) and the original owner had it painted and restored at that time. The 318 has been warmed up with a .30 over bore, forged pistons, port job on the heads/intake as well as 202 and 160 valves and a modern style Eddie intake. A Hugh’s whiplash cam was added and on the other side H-pipe 3” exhaust off the headman headers that seems very well done upon inspection. Electronic ignition and many more things were done maintenance wise on the car. The transmission is a slightly “built” 904 with a mild stall and reverse manual valve body. Then the real bummer… it has a peg legged 7 1/4 rear end. The fender tag confirms all of this and the numerous pictures and a STACK of records in a binder and pictures during the resto in 98. As I look over the car I can tell the people who have owned it clearly gave a ****. Very clean and nice for that old of a resto. I’m a little turned off by 340 tribute thing but after I drive it for the first time I’m immediately hooked. The car is pretty damn quick despite the 318 power plant. It handles like a go kart. Then…. It stops like absolute **** LOL. It has manual drums all the way around which I almost put through a tree on the test drive. Despite the drum situation I’m in love with the car. I want it. Bad. This is crazy to my surprise because of my previously mentioned Chevy fandom.
Well we both decide on making the deal straight up. I’m going to conservatively estimate my truck was worth 19k (probably 22 on a strong day to the right guy). I have no idea if I’m getting fair value in return. All I know at this point is this car makes me happy and I’m saying hell with it. We do the deal and swap titles. I take the car for its first venture to an impromptu “car show” with my buddies in Maryland this past month. An absolute hodgepodge of cars show up and the demon takes home the only “trophy” awarded that day that was picked by all the children. I feel like it’s rigged because the demon is the only car with paint that actually shines amongst all the patina trucks and hot rods. But man did I love it. The car is an amazing driver to and from the show and it gives me no **** whatsoever on a cold (38° F) winter day 1.5 hours each way.
Ive included some pictures so you can see the gamble I took. I’m sure I’ll find out it’s a horrible money “deal” from you guys who really know these cars but I cant remember caring less about the money when I drive this car. This past month I was able to hunt on marketplace and acquired an A body 8 3/4 rear complete brake to brake with a 3.23 sure grip center in a 489 carrier. The same guy sold me a set of later A body discs (which I learned from this forum!) to swap in. I got a power booster and these are the big upgrades I have planned for the car in the near future. I’m sure if you made it this far into the story you’re as crazy as I am . But I just wanted to share the story and proudly say I’m the biggest 40 year old Mopar convert you’ll ever meet! I look forward to the advice I’m sure going to need as well as I’m sure well deserved heckling!
Aaron
He told me the car was restored in 1998 as a 340 clone (318 car originally) and the original owner had it painted and restored at that time. The 318 has been warmed up with a .30 over bore, forged pistons, port job on the heads/intake as well as 202 and 160 valves and a modern style Eddie intake. A Hugh’s whiplash cam was added and on the other side H-pipe 3” exhaust off the headman headers that seems very well done upon inspection. Electronic ignition and many more things were done maintenance wise on the car. The transmission is a slightly “built” 904 with a mild stall and reverse manual valve body. Then the real bummer… it has a peg legged 7 1/4 rear end. The fender tag confirms all of this and the numerous pictures and a STACK of records in a binder and pictures during the resto in 98. As I look over the car I can tell the people who have owned it clearly gave a ****. Very clean and nice for that old of a resto. I’m a little turned off by 340 tribute thing but after I drive it for the first time I’m immediately hooked. The car is pretty damn quick despite the 318 power plant. It handles like a go kart. Then…. It stops like absolute **** LOL. It has manual drums all the way around which I almost put through a tree on the test drive. Despite the drum situation I’m in love with the car. I want it. Bad. This is crazy to my surprise because of my previously mentioned Chevy fandom.
Well we both decide on making the deal straight up. I’m going to conservatively estimate my truck was worth 19k (probably 22 on a strong day to the right guy). I have no idea if I’m getting fair value in return. All I know at this point is this car makes me happy and I’m saying hell with it. We do the deal and swap titles. I take the car for its first venture to an impromptu “car show” with my buddies in Maryland this past month. An absolute hodgepodge of cars show up and the demon takes home the only “trophy” awarded that day that was picked by all the children. I feel like it’s rigged because the demon is the only car with paint that actually shines amongst all the patina trucks and hot rods. But man did I love it. The car is an amazing driver to and from the show and it gives me no **** whatsoever on a cold (38° F) winter day 1.5 hours each way.
Ive included some pictures so you can see the gamble I took. I’m sure I’ll find out it’s a horrible money “deal” from you guys who really know these cars but I cant remember caring less about the money when I drive this car. This past month I was able to hunt on marketplace and acquired an A body 8 3/4 rear complete brake to brake with a 3.23 sure grip center in a 489 carrier. The same guy sold me a set of later A body discs (which I learned from this forum!) to swap in. I got a power booster and these are the big upgrades I have planned for the car in the near future. I’m sure if you made it this far into the story you’re as crazy as I am . But I just wanted to share the story and proudly say I’m the biggest 40 year old Mopar convert you’ll ever meet! I look forward to the advice I’m sure going to need as well as I’m sure well deserved heckling!
Aaron
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