The dent on the deck lid is the biggest one on the car but the whole thing is covered with little dings and scratches. The last owners were high school kids who didn't take great care of it except to keep it out of major collisions. Being a Stock Eliminator junky, I always like to see how a car will take a set of 9"X30" slicks. Obviously I won't be street driving on slicks but I am going to put a fuel cell, an electric fuel pump, and the battery in the trunk. It's also going to get beefy sub frame connectors and a chrome moly roll bar. A friend is going to give us a deal on a Dana 60 with 4.56 gears and a spool. I think we'll swap in a Sure Grip for street manners. 

It was a driver when I got it but someone needed the Leaning Tower of Power so we sold it. It will take no time to make the engine compartment tidy. The previous owner got started with a power disc brake swap. We'll keep the discs but upgrade the master cylinder to a modern manual unit. The '65 only steering column has got to go to someone who wants it. We'll fabricate something to get the job done. 
   
If you're reading MoparMax, chances are you are familiar with the history of the '65 Plymouth and Dodge B body Hemi drag cars, commonly referred to as A990s. If you had to pick the baddest factory hot rod of the sixties this might be it. Due to rule changes the big three stopped using fiberglass or aluminum body parts in '65 but these cars were actually lighter than their predecessors. They had thin gauge bumpers, radio/heater delete, battery in the trunk, one windshield wiper, aluminum heads and a magnesium cross ram on the big Hemi. Mopar was sitting out the '65 NASCAR season so they had deep pockets for the program. They were handed out to just about anyone who dared to cross the finish line in ten seconds at 130 mph with a 1965 single pot master cylinder braking system. Butch Leal, Sox & Martin, Landy, and many other hot shoes beat on the Super Stock competition for the first half of '65. Then they started hacking on them and began the whole altered wheel base match racing phenomena that many believe is the tap root of modern funny cars. Uncut original A990 cars are currently selling for around $200k! Fortunately, thanks to artists like Mosher Motors (http://www.moparsbymosher.com/) and Rocket Restorations (http://www.rocketresto.com) there are a few very nice "clones" out there. 

As much appreciation and respect as I have for them, I don't want a race car or a clone A990.  I want something that I can drive and maybe not even run down the track. My friends are always poking fun at me for converting perfectly good street cars into racers. It's not my fault if a car is too good for the street! I want to keep the "patina" on this one for a while and half finish it from the inside out. I'm getting to be too old and spoiled by newer cars to put up with a really funky interior so I'll put carpet in and reupholster a set of van buckets that I have hanging around. I'll keep you posted.