Vehicle Description
Legends are never small, and Chrysler's "wing cars" were the most
outrageous pieces of muscle ever built. Practically sales-proof
when they were new, today they're the hottest Mopars on the planet
which is why this nicely built 1970 Dodge Daytona tribute is such a
cool find. Hemi Power, the same NASCAR-beating look, and a price
tag that's 25% as big as a real one. Hard to go wrong.
Admittedly, it's really tough to build a fake Daytona, but this one
delivers better than most. It obviously has the look, with a custom
nose cone, fiberglass fenders, and towering rear wing, all from
American Sports Car Design in Florida. But look closer and you'll
see that they managed to duplicate the Daytona's sloping rear
window, oversized chrome trim on the windshield, and appropriate
badging. It's nicely assembled and the Hemi Orange paint looks
right, although it would really pop with a professional buff to
wake it up. The blacked out tail, Daytona bumblebee stripe, and
flip-up gas cap complete the race-ready look that Chrysler was
aiming for. You'll note that the headlights are operational, which
is unlike most fakes, and those HEMI badges aren't just for show.
This sucker's a runner!
The interior is standard Charger, and that's a great feature no
matter what you do with it. High-back buckets, those cool door
panels, and a factory center console with a pistol grip shifter on
the TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic transmission all make it feel
very authentic. You'll also note that this one has an aftermarket
A/C system, which wasn't available on the original, as well as an
upgraded AM/FM radio in the center of the dash. AutoMeter gauges
were neatly installed in the original gauges' openings, looking
almost like they were born there, and everything works like it
should. Under the dash you'll find the toggle that opens the
headlight doors and the wood-rimmed steering wheel looks almost
like the factory installed it. And despite the giant wing out back,
the trunk is still large and usable, coming complete with a
reproduction mat and full-sized tire assembly.
There's a genuine Hemi under the hood, a 392 cubic inch mill that
was rebuilt less than 1000 miles ago. It gives up 34 cubes to the
one that might have lived here originally, but with twin Edelbrock
4-barrel carbs up top, you'll never notice. Detailing is fairly
correct, from the big oval air cleaner to the Hemi Orange paint on
the block to the crinkle finish on the valve covers, and at a
glance, most folks won't know the difference. To help with the
brand new Vintage Air A/C system (which was just installed and
never charged), there's a giant aluminum radiator up front along
with polished aluminum accessory pullies to dress things up a bit.
A new Flowmaster dual exhaust system sounds suitably vicious for a
bright orange car with a giant wing and the front suspension has a
lot of new components. The 727 TorqueFlite feels snappy through the
gears and the 8.75-inch rear end has reasonable gears that make
this a good all-around driver. It starts easily, idles well even
with two carbs on top, and you'd better believe it feels punchy on
the road. It's quite tidy underneath and the stance is just about
perfect with those Magnum 500 wheels and recent Firestone
radials.
Nicely built, quite convincing, and ready to enjoy or upgrade to
make it a real show-stopper, this is a very reasonably priced way
to own a legend. Call today!