1970 Dodge Charger R/T - The Dream Part 2

Admit it. There's a car that you either used to have, saw around town, or just dreamed about when you were younger. And you've said to yourself that, given the right amounts of funding, time, etc., you'd have it (again). Include Bruce Clark in that category, and in the category of guys who got that dream car built.

Back in the day--when new Charger R/T sticker prices started just north of $3,700 and didn't go above Six Grand, even with a Hemi and every other available option on it--he had one. "When I was a kid in 1970, I had a yellow Charger with a white interior, just like the one you see in the pictures," he recalls.

Due to youth and a heavy foot, he sold the Charger but always had the idea in the back of his mind to have another one. "One of my dreams was, one day when I was financially able to, I would recreate the car of my youth," he says. "I guess everybody's trying to recapture some segment of that."

That dream stayed with him until he was in a position to make it come true. Enter this '70 Charger R/T, which he found in Florida and hauled up North for some major restification at Race Ready Technology's (RRT) shop in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

That Delaware Valley shop took off the aged and time-worn original parts and replaced as needed. "They basically stripped it down to the metal," Bruce says. "They rebuilt the entire car, using a lot of modern components." That included a coilover front suspension system, which replaced the OEM torsion bars, as well as Wilwood disc brakes at each corner.

Other master craftsmen contributed their talents to the Charger--most notably engine builder Ray Barton. "It's a 472ci engine, built by the man himself," Bruce says of the Hemi that sits under the R/T's stock hood. "The horsepower is rated around 650." Backing it is a Tremec five-speed manual transmission and a 3.70-geared Dana 60 rear end.

The nearly-40-year-old B-Body got a complete undressing, rust/crash repair, metal finishing, and smoothing before Classic Corvette sprayed on the High Impact Banana Yellow paint. "They've done a number of cars that have won at Pebble Beach and Amelia Island [Concours]," Bruce says. "One of the comments that I consistently get at shows is on the paint. That attention-getting finish is accented by a white "Bumble Bee" stripe in back and a repro vinyl top wearing the correct-for-'70 grain pattern.

Inside, you'll find Auto Meter "Phantom II" gauges set inside a real wood accent panel and a Grant GT steering wheel atop a Flaming River tilt steering column. An OEM-style "Pistol Grip" shifter sprouts from a custom-fabbed console flanked by a pair of Recaro leather custom bucket seats. There's also a Vintage Air A/C system. The seats and carpets were done in white leather by RRT.

Not only is Bruce's Charger an eye-grabber when he shows it, it's also an attention-getter for his business, New Clients Inc. "We're a marketing/consulting firm for accountants, and we thought it would be a great advertising piece," he says of his Charger. "We've used it for the past year-and-a-half in national accounting publications. There are a lot of car guys who are accountants, so we decided to take it around to shows and use it as an advertising piece, and it's worked out incredibly."

If you're thinking about recapturing your dream ride--whether by building it yourself or using "the secret of management" to get the right people for the job and letting them have at it--Bruce has this advice: "Really research the people and the company, and talk to a lot of people that they have built cars for. That would be the best advice that I can give." He adds that with this car, there were delays, which he says is just part and parcel with those who build and restore muscle cars. "A lot of times they make promises that they can't really deliver on. And then, they get behind the 8-ball. Ultimately, I was very happy with the car."

Bruce is, but his wife Kathy wasn't at first. "The first time she got in it, I hit the throttle, and her glasses almost flew off her head and out the window!" Bruce recalls.

Fast Facts
'70 Dodge Charger R/TOwned by New Clients Inc., Mullica Hill, New Jersey

Mopar Power
Engine: Ray Barton built the 472ci Hemi himself, which is good for about 650 hp. It's topped by two Edelbrock four-barrels, sparked by an MSD ignition and cooled by a big BeCool aluminum radiator.

Transmission: Tremec five-speed manual, with a custom-made "Pistol-Grip" shifterRear End: 3.70-geared Dana 60--the ideal match with the Hemi and Tremec.

Sure Grip
Suspension: The original front torsion bars are on permanent vacation, replaced by a Pro Flo coilover front suspension by Race Ready Technologies (RRT), Malvern, Pennsylvania. In back: Ma Mopar's Super Stock rear leaf springs.Brakes: Not just Wilwood disc brakes all around--big Wilwood discs all around--for stopping power to match the Hemi's power.Wheels/tires: Filling the fenderwells are five-spoke Budnik "Diamond Back" billet wheels (19 inches in front, 20 inches in back) on ultra-low-profile tires.

High Impact
Body: Original '70 Charger body taken down to bare metal and restored by Classic Corvettes, Tarpon Springs, Florida.Paint: High Impact Banana Yellow by Classic Corvettes, Tarpon Springs, Florida.Interior: Done by Race Ready Technologies, Malvern, PA. Includes Grant GT steering wheel, Flaming River tilt steering column, custom console, wood console/dash trim and Auto Meter "Phantom II" gauge cluster, Vintage Air HVAC and Sony sound system, custom front buckets by Recaro, and restored rear bench seat with upholstery by RRT.

. . . And Here's The Clincher: (Production figures per 1970chargerregistry.com)Total '70 Charger production (all series/engines): 46,576'70 Charger R/T production (all engines): 9,370With standard 440 Magnum: 8,574 (1,443 with A833; 7,131 with 727)With optional 440 Six Pack: 684 (347 with A833; 337 with 727)With optional 426 Hemi: 112 (56 with A833; 56 with 727)