1970 Plymouth GTX 440 - The Getaway Car

We like to reminisce about the days when having a car phone was a sign of prestige. Remember those original cell phones-big, cumbersome units that required a bulky battery to keep the phone charged for longer than three hours? For those of us who have been sucked into the modern world of digital communication, there is a slight tinge of envy when we meet someone who has somehow stayed clear of all the computer gadgetry. Don and Tracy Frank are exactly those people. When it came time for us to start working on this article, we realized the only contact information we had was a single home line . . . no cell phone number, no work line, no e-mail address. We had to send Don a copy of our fabled "tech sheet" questionnaire through the U.S. Postal Service and wait for its return. Don and Tracy aren't much interested in fancy frills and high-tech gizmos. That's why their '70 GTX is a zero-BS, all-but-perfect car that doesn't claim to be anything other than what it truly is-a musclecar.

Eight years ago, Don discovered the Plymouth in an Auto Trader advertisement in South Carolina. In rough shape, the original '70 GTX body lacked a motor, transmission, and most everything else. Frank's budget wouldn't allow for the car to be sent to an auto restorer. Rather, the husband and wife team decided it was going to be a hands-on project. Don scoured the swap meets and show fields at the Mopar Nationals and Chryslers at Carlisle events. He purchased several grilles, sets of marker lights, and taillight bezels. Tracy used her sharp eye to help Don find the best deals and parts, making the duo a bargain-hunting pair.

Since the Plymouth was in such dire shape, the Franks thought it was the perfect opportunity to build the GTX the way they wanted. The original fender tag was ignored as they began piecing together their ideal B-Body. Don disassembled the car, bagging and tagging along the way. The stripped shell and major parts were farmed out to be restored since Don had more faith in the body sculpting skills of professionals. Don and Tracy kept up the hunting and gathering duties to get everything the car would need upon assembly.

American Classic Restorations in Uxbridge, Massachusetts, was hired to straighten the body, eradicate any cancerous corrosion eating away the sheetmetal, and prep and paint the B-Body in B3 Ice Blue. After its panels were blocked flat, and the corners and edges sharpened, the GTX was shot with several layers of base and clear. Don had landed an original '70 Air Grabber hood, which was painted and highlighted with the factory-style longitudinal stripe and factory-correct hood pins. After the body was completed, it was returned to the Frank's garage where reassembly would commence. During the time it took for the bodywork and paint to be completed, Don had gathered together nearly everything they would need.