- BODY: Auto World
- WHEELS: Vincent
- TIRES: Road Race Replicas
No matter how many times I do it (over 130 now, if you want to know), it never ceases to amaze me how much a set of custom wheels can dress up a Thunderjet. Going from the stock Auto World wheels to something customized makes a night and day difference in the look! This is actually a fairly big issue, because as I explained in one of my earliest posts on this blog (“CUSTOMIZE IT!”, 12/17/20), I know that the custom wheels and tires actually impair the performance of these cars, as the stock wheels and tires have been developed to have the best balance of handling and speed possible with a 2 sizes-fit-all platform. This is one of the reasons I’ve launched the new Trans Am fleet which will stay completely stock. But, over at the muscle car fleet, I have just taken the last remaining car running on stock wheels and transferred it over, taking it from a meh looking sleeper to a gorgeous custom job! She is dubbed “Striker” and is driven by Bart “BREAKOUT” Bernardi.
As for the car itself: the 1970 Chrysler E-body needs NO introduction, so I’ll just mention that this Challenger is one of the rare and desirable one-year-only “T/A” models equipped from the factory with the potent high-compression 340 small block with the “six pack” configuration, and since it’s on the track more than on the street, it is of course shifted via a 4-speed manual. Although finished in yellow, it’s a couple shades off that year’s “Top Banana” so it must be the standard yellow; this wasn’t offered on the T/A as far as I know, so maybe it’s a special order, but regardless of the shade, the yellow sure looks great with the matte black “Organisol” hood and side stripes! And those wheels? She now wears the Vincent “ATS” style and, while briefly fitted with standard blackwall silicones, she is in the tire shop as I write this being fitted for a set of Firestone “Wide Oval” RWL silicones from the fine folks at Road Race Replicas.
She has a linemate too; the pink ’70 ‘cuda is also a 340 six-pack 4-speed car, wearing Magnum wheels shod with Goodyear Polyglas GT rubber, so you can bet it won’t be long before these two kissing cousins will be facing off on the track!
It is amazing how the right wheels can really change and improve the look of these cars, both the models and the real thing. While I’ve never been as much into the muscle cars, I can certainly appreciate these are great looking and preforming cars. Always great to see.