RK Motors to Restore the Last 426 HEMI

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scottm
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RK Motors to Restore the Last 426 HEMI

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RK Motors to Restore Last HEMI
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/2 ... store-HEMI
RK Motors, one of the nation’s premier restorers, re-sellers and builders of classic, muscle and high-performance cars, has begun one of the most significant restorations in the classic car hobby – a complete, nut-and-bolt refurbishment of The Last HEMI car to roll off any Chrysler production line during the 1960s-‘70s muscle car era. The legendary HEMI-equipped 1971 Dodge Charger R/T will undergo a complete and detailed frame-off restoration by the expert hands of RK Motors Restoration team in Mentor, Ohio. Sponsored by NAPA Auto Parts and Passport Transport, the completed project will be unveiled at the Mega Mopar Action Show on Sept. 22-23, 2012, at Virginia Motorsports Park.

“Our team is honored to restore such a significant piece of automotive history,” said Joe Carroll, president and CEO of RK Motors Charlotte. “The current owner wants his HEMI to leave our facility in factory-fresh condition. We’re committed to exceeding those expectations. With decades of combined professional experience, there isn’t a better restoration shop in the country to handle such a special project.”

The story of this ‘71 Dodge Charger R/T HEMI starts at Glavic Dodge in Wickliffe, Ohio. A customer special-ordered the HEMI from Chrysler’s Lynch Road assembly plant in Detroit. Years later, 14-year-old Joe Angelucci spotted the HEMI languishing in a garage and immediately fell in love with it. After years of trying to buy it, Angelucci finally was able to own his dream vehicle in 1991.

“This HEMI is a legend,” noted Angelucci. “Its historical significance has made it very exciting to own and enjoy. When I was searching for a restoration team to bring this incredible piece of machinery back to life, there was no question. RK Motors will do an exceptional job because the staff truly cares about automobiles and are passionate enthusiasts like me. The Last HEMI will be re-built exactly as it would have rolled off the assembly line in 1971. This time it will be hand-built, not assembly-line built, and come with every HEMI sticker and badge available for authenticity.”

The white Charger R/T includes two well-preserved broadcast sheets and fender tag. These prove that it was the last HEMI car built by Chrysler, as it was built a full two weeks after the nearest late 1971 HEMI car.

To follow the restoration of The Last HEMI, enthusiasts can visit TheLastHEMI.com or watch “Cruise-In” television show, seen on Fox Sports Ohio and Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic. All 20 episodes will feature a segment on The Last HEMI project, following it from beginning to end.

Those interested in learning more about RK Motors Charlotte, its restoration shop or the vehicles available in the company’s inventory, can visit www.rkmotorscharlotte.com.

About RK Motors Charlotte

RK Motors Charlotte is the country’s leading retailer of investment-grade classic and collector cars. Founded in 2010 by Robert Kauffman, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, and Joseph M. Carroll, founder of Best of Show Automotive, RK Motors Charlotte’s 80,000 sq./ft. facility features a 200-vehicle, state-of-the-art showroom complete with digital media studio, full restoration / customization shop and a full service area. Additional information is available at www.RKMotorsCharlotte.com.
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Re: RK Motors to Restore the Last 426 HEMI

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The Alkaline Bath: Ridding the Last HEMI of Rust
http://rkmotorscharlotte.wordpress.com/ ... i-of-rust/
Car bodies tend to have a lot of small places that rust can develop in. These are areas that sandblasting and externally applied chemical paint removers simply won’t touch. To be 100% sure there was zero rust on the Last HEMI, we opted to have the car dipped. Since the body is fully immersed in chemicals, every inch of rust and shoddy bodywork is removed.

With all problem areas fully exposed, our team can repair those issues with genuine Chrysler pieces. The repaired shell will go through one more quick dip to clean off any oils left on the metal. From there, the shell will be E-coated to ensure every bit of the surface is protected from rust. In the meantime, our team is keeping busy with sandblasting small pieces and locating proper replacement parts to make sure the build remains on schedule.

There’s tons of work ahead. Stay tuned! Visit http://www.TheLastHEMI.com for complete info on the full restoration of the Last HEMI to roll out of a Chrysler plant during the Muscle Car era.
skyman51
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Re: RK Motors to Restore the Last 426 HEMI

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I have bought three cars from Joe Carroll and they have all been fabulous. My latest purchase was Joe's personal 1967 White/Bronze Hemi GTX. The car speaks for itself.

http://rkmotorscharlotte.com/sales/inve ... 063/179091
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Re: RK Motors to Restore the Last 426 HEMI

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The Last HEMI to be unveiled on April 4-7, see below...

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After Restoration, "The Last HEMI" to be Unveiled at Charlotte Motor Speedway's Food Lion AutoFair
http://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/m ... ofair.html
Mopar enthusiasts will rejoice during the April 4-7 Food Lion AutoFair at Charlotte Motor Speedway as the last documented car to leave any Chrysler plant with a factory-installed 426 HEMI engine will make its first public appearance after restoration.

The 1971 Dodge Charger, dubbed “The Last HEMI,” was restored by Mooresville, N.C.-based RKM Performance Center. The car will be unveiled to the public at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 4, as part of opening day of the Food Lion AutoFair.

The history of this 1971 Charger, believed to be one of only 33 from 1971 with the HEMI/automatic transmission combination, is certainly an interesting one. Records show the car was built on June 18, 1971, a full two weeks later than the closest documented HEMI-equipped car.

Ordered by a customer at Glavic Dodge in Wickliffe, Ohio, the salesman at the time told the customer the car would likely never be built as Chrysler had discontinued the HEMI. Against all odds and to the delight of the customer, the bright white car with full R/T striping was delivered just three weeks after being ordered.

In the late 1970s, a 14-year-old boy named Joe Angelucci noticed the car sticking out of a garage. Angelucci, the son of a racer, immediately recognized the car for what it was and tracked down the owner.

“After talking to my dad and finding out it might have a HEMI, my interest grew from there,” said Angelucci.

The car, which had changed hands once since it was originally purchased, wasn’t for sale at that point in time.

Fast forward to the early 1990s and Angelucci, now an adult in his mid-20s, found out that the Charger was for sale. The owner, who remembered the young boy from years past, agreed to sell the Charger to the young man.

“I didn’t find out it was the last HEMI for many years. I bought the car because I loved it. It had nothing to do with the value,” said Angelucci, who recently decided to get it restored. “I’d known of RK Motors for a while and had seen the kind of work they do. I knew that was where the Charger had to go.”

The car, with its 426cid HEMI V8 425-horsepower engine that features 490 foot pounds of torque, left its owner in Ohio and is now at RKM Performance Center. The skilled mechanics and technicians there were given orders to restore the car to better-than-new condition before its first public appearance at the Food Lion AutoFair.

Mike Velek, the restoration manager at RKM Performance Center, was unsure at first as to how the restoration would go after seeing the car for the first time.

“I initially had mixed emotions about the Charger,” Velek said. “While it was great to see an untouched original HEMI car, northeastern life had definitely taken its toll. I knew it was going to be a labor-intensive build.”

Tasked with returning the car to better-than-new condition, Velek put his team to work. They tracked down original parts, gave the car a coat of fresh paint and put in countless hours of work to make sure Mopar fans all around the world will be awestruck when the car debuts at AutoFair in April.

“Like any restoration, The Last HEMI came with its own set of challenges,” Velek said. “Sourcing NOS (new old stock) parts was especially difficult given the low R/T production numbers for the year.”

After hours of hard work on the 1971 Dodge Charger R/T, Velek expects the car to draw large crowds during AutoFair.

“In the end, I’m proud of the final product and can’t wait for Mopar fans to see it for the first time,” Velek said. “It’s been an honor to lead the restoration of The Last HEMI. I’m confident that, even without the car’s historical significance, it would be among the top ’71 Chargers in the country. There were absolutely no shortcuts taken anywhere.”

The Food Lion AutoFair annually attracts more than 100,000 visitors, features nearly 50 car club displays and offers a surplus of automotive parts and memorabilia for sale or trade. There’s also a collector car auction conducted by Dealer Auctions Inc. and more than 1,500 collectible vehicles of all makes and models will be available for sale in the car corral that rings the 1.5-mile superspeedway.

Food Lion AutoFair Tickets are $10 for adults and free for children 13 and under. AutoFair is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. For tickets or additional information about Food Lion AutoFair or other events at Charlotte Motor Speedway, call 1-800-455-FANS or visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.

Follow Charlotte Motor Speedway on Facebook at www.facebook.com/charlottemotorspeedway or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cltmotorspdwy.
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