The Dodge SRT8 Crate Hemi is in place, and the crew at Hotchkis Performance East kept the stock passenger-side offset.
When we visited the shops of Hotchkis Performance East last time they had just begun working on a 1976 Dodge Dart they are building for Kevin Wesley. Lead fabricator Kevin Bryde says they are building the car as an all-around racer. Wesley plans to use the Dart on everything from hill climb events, to track days to rallying–maybe even a trip to Germany for a high-speed tour of the Nurburgring.
Progress on the Dart seems to be coming along nicely. And for a little history on the car, hit the link to see the first installment of this buildup and check back often as we follow this incredible build.
Bryde and his crew cut out most of the existing roll cage and fabricated a new one. Door bars with lots of gussets maintain great rigidity while still allowing easy access into and out of the car.Bryde says the transmission had to be raised to create more ground clearance. They are also making provisions so that it can be removed from inside the car if necessary in case emergency rapairs between rally stages are necessary.The weld plates that connect the roll cage’s down tubes to teh car have these flanges, or “fingers,” to maximize the welded contact area between the weld plates and the car for extra strength.The Dart lost it fenders while the front suspension and motor mounts are fabricated, but the original sheet metal will be going back in place.Here’s another shot of the bracing to stiffen the front clip.The inner wheelwells will be retained, but Bryde says that they will be moved inward and mini-tubbed to make room for much larger than stock rear rubber.
