[WW58Bandit]

Hello all here is my project, me and my wife have owned it for around 3 years after we brought it as a part built project.

It is a fiber glass body on a boxed and shortened dodge d100 chassie, straight front axel. The car has gone throght after changes since we have owned it. Here are a couple pics from before we brought it and when it first arrived with us.

 

[WW58Bandit]

It had a 440 low comp engine with a tunnel ram and twin holley 660s to start with, ignition was taken care of by accel coil, 727 torque flite, and a 9" ford rear end with a spool . 9" was mounted by chrome ladder bars. The front was a straight axel on leaf springs with ford transit spindles and brakes..

 

[WW58Bandit]

8 months after arriving at ours the car was ready for its 1st trip to the strip. At this point we found out the issues we had with the car. 1st we thought we had care issues so fitted 2 new holley 600 carbs. We later diagnosed the issue down to a faulty dizzy so the accel was replaced with a full msd system. The open single pipe heads went to for a custom set of headers with cherry bombs. We also fitted headlights at this point too. We then headed to strip again, this time car run along better but after lot of messing with the carbs still couldn't get it running 100%. After may hours on Internet I came across an article about balancing vac secondary with a balance tube, so In went an order for 2 spring kits and quick change tops. Then we headed back to the track. The car ran best it ever had running p.b of 16.01 @82mph. At this point we made the choice to put car away for a year. (This was end of 2019 be we know moat people wouldn't be out in 2020)

 

[WW58Bandit]

Original plans for car were to have a mild build involving new pistons to up compression ratio, new heads and a general refresh so we pulled and stripped the engine down. One day sat on Facebook and a friend tags me in a reconned 440 block with fully forged rotating assembly. 48 hours later the block was in my garage. Now a mild refresh is a complete engine build. This is the first engine I've ever had built but instead of getting someone else to get the parts I wanted to spec it so following many hours of reading reviews and reading up of technical stuff I ordered the parts over a 2 month period, then found a builder. Only issue he ran into was I ordered incorrect cam bolts. Only thinks I left for engine builder to order was main bearing, piston rings and push rods (this was because I don't have tools to mesure)

The next issue was will a 727 that the power then new engine has the potential to make, simple answer to that was no. So in the middle of country wide lock down the gear box as loaded on a pallet and shipped off for a rebuild.

 

[WW58Bandit]

Next decision was to weather keep the tunnel ram or uses the single plane we had. At this point we had a tunnel ram, a tonker 2 and a trick flow manifold. We choice the trick flow meaning we needed a new carb, we choice to go efi root. After more hours of research a holley sniper x flow was ordered with a new billet regulator and fuel pump. Then the msd system was sold to as we have some for a hyperspark system to compliment the xflow.

 

[WW58Bandit]

Full engine spec

493ci mopar big block
Eagle crank and H beam controls
Domed Diamond pistons
440 source gridle, damper and sump
Trick flow 240 heads, cam and intake
Harland rockers
Howard cams hyd roller lifters
Arp head studs, and main cap bolts, cam bolts
Holley sniper x flow efi
Hyperspark dizzy, coil and control box
Msd spark plug leads
Smith bro push rods
Milidon external oil system and pump
Fti torque converter.
Trick flow valve covers with summit racing valve cover baffles and t.f.s oil cap.
Moroso catch can
All none load bearing bolts are stainless, all hoses will be braided hose.

 

[WW58Bandit]

Next was the need for a brake upgrade. Unfortunately we couldn't find anything to fit our spindles so new 1929-1948 ford spindles were ordered and some big 6 pot willwoods.

 

[WW58Bandit]

The front wheels have always been shelby cal 500 with white wall tyres, the rears are 9" slot mags that had slicks.on then replaced with hoosiers. The 9" slot mags will now be used as road tyres as we have got a set of 11" shelby for the rear with mickey Thompson et streets.

The next question i needed answers to was what spline are my rear half shafts. I pulled them to find out they are 31 spline but had a weird ware marks this lead to the 3rd.member being pulled only to find out that none of the 4 bolts on the main caps were tight. So now the standard 9" rear end is going to be replaced with a hd pro alloy third member hosing a strange s track and 35 spline half shafts all housing in a new braces housing.

 

[1946Austin]

What an amazing transformation! You and your wife are certainly doing it up right with everything you've done to the drivetrain! Thanks for the story and pictures!

 

[WW58Bandit]

Thank you 1946austin. Next is rear axel and 8.5 second tag cage then re build it. 🙂

 

[mmhotrod]

Wow what a great project. I’m having problems opening some pics.

 

[kellynacy]

.goodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgood

 

[sbauman2]

Hey Mario

I've had trouble with many of them too. The ones that won't load I right click and then click on "open in new tab" and it loads.

 

[1946Austin]

Have to try that trick Steve. None would enlarge for me.

edit-Worked perfectly Steve!

 

[sbauman2]

I can't

believe that I knew a computer move that Mario our resident computer guru didn't know!!!!

 

[1946Austin]

believe that I knew a computer move that our resident computer guru didn't know!!!!

You must mean Mario? I'm far from a guru with computers!

 

[sbauman2]

I

thought I'd put Marios name in there. I went back and edited it to include his name; thanks for the heads up Vall. My senior moments seem to be coming fast and furious these days.

 

[mmhotrod]

Show me the move. Lol
Well very well done cowboy. I take a back seat when deserved. I applaud you.

 

[Road Angels]

Steve you just figured it out....damn...with all that abuse that your right hand gets I would think a right button click would be second nature................lol

 

[RTS1]

Wow, very interesting build! Great to see and hear of all your trials and the resulting improvements! Thanks for sharing and I can't wait to see the next segment on this outstanding transformation! Good luck!