From the seller's description:
1994 Dodge Stealth RT. 75K original miles. With original window sticker listing all installed options. This is laminated to protect it. Exterior color is Emerald Green Pearl with beige interior leather bucket seats. Engine is 3.0L DOHC 24V V6 MPI, and transmission is 5 speed manual, 222 hp at 6K rpm. Original am/fm radio with CD (5 disc) changer in trunk. Sun roof, keyless entry, power windows, doors, etc. Fog lamps and projector headlamps. 16” Cruiser Alloy (906C Raptor) wheels with Michelin 225/55R 16 tires, both installed new at 68K. I also have the original factory wheels. Timing belt, and water pump replaced at 69K. Have all maintenance records since purchase in November 2009. I am the second owner and have a copy of original title, owner's manual, and carfax from 11-23-2009. I also have documentation that this is the 409th car out of 680 made for the 1994 model year. The car was built in the 2nd week of December 1993, and the VIN number makes it rare as a 1994 Dodge Stealth R/T Luxury. The RT Luxury model was only made in 1994. The car is not show quality, but is a solid daily driver.I have over 16K invested, asking $6,500.00.
There are many more installed equipment options that are not mentioned, some are: anti-lock brakes, security package, electronic controlled suspension, console power outlet, heated outside mirrors, radio controls on steering wheel, power antenna, power bucket driver seat with power lumbar support, and power seat back wings, and there are more items, these are listed on the original window sticker and, goes with the car.
I have had this car garaged since I owned it, and it usually sits in the garage with a fitted car cover. The car cover goes with the car.
1994 Dodge Stealth
Find more Dodges for sale on Hemmings.com.
Recent
Photo: Bryan McTaggart
Why Didn't Dodge Offer A Manual Transmission?
1978 Dodge Monaco A38 tribute
Photo: Hemmings Archives
Sure, the police vehicles still had teeth, but the muscular B-body offerings that Mopar had been known for were pretty much gone. Instead, the company had chased the Chevrolet Monte Carlo into personal luxury territory and the audience knew it. You could still order a watered-down 360 or even the 400-cu.in. big block, but you were pretty much stuck with the 727 TorqueFlight automatic transmission. Would you like your PRNDL on the column or on the floor, sir? It didn’t matter if you were looking at a Charger, a Road Runner, a Coronet or a Fury... the likelihood that you’ll find one with three pedals is about the same as finding a unicorn munching on the grass in your backyard. While production numbers aren’t easy to find, after 1974 a four-on-the-floor ceased to exist. If you wanted to shift for yourself in a 1975-1979 B-body Mopar, you were stuck with the A230 three-speed…on the column. Suffice it to say that there were few takers for a Slant-Six or 318-powered stripper Plymouth Fury, Dodge Coronet or Monaco.
This 1976 Dodge Charger Daytona is typical of what you would normally find: its asthmatic 360 small-block was mated to an A727 TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission. Solid, stable, bulletproof… and boring. As the owner of the Charger, I’ll admit that there was no real reason to even perform this swap aside from my usual reason of "because I can". The Charger’s long 2.41 rear gears made for excellent Interstate driving and returned surprisingly decent fuel economy in return. Why mess with what works?
Why Swap A Manual Transmission Into A Car That Never Came With One?
This 1987 Dodge Diplomat was a cop car from Austin that had been built into a stout performer. It featured a warmed-up 360 and an A-833 overdrive four-speed manual transmission.
Photo: Bryan McTaggart
To understand why I would take a 67,000-mile survivor and go straight under the knife with it, you need to know of another manual-swapped Mopar from my past: a 1987 Dodge Diplomat. Converted by Steve Knickerbocker, this AHB (police package) Dodge packed a warmed-up 360 and an A833 four-speed, a combination that Chrysler only put into maybe a couple hundred M-bodies prior to 1980, and without question not after 1983 in any market. I bought the car from him in 2005, had it painted Midnight Blue Metallic, threw on chrome wheels, and proceeded to drive it as if I had bought a stock car. Having owned seven other FMJ-body Chryslers throughout the years, the Diplomat was an absolute stormer by comparison. But it wasn’t so much that it had power…it was that I had control of that power with the four-speed that made the difference. I wasn't held to the lazy shifting patterns of 1970s Chrysler transmission engineers, and I had an overdrive gear to use.
The author's Charger, parked next to Matt Graves' 1983 LSX/six-speed Cadillac Coupe de Ville.
Photo: Matt Graves
Then there is a friend of mine: Matt Graves from American Powertrain. Matt is the owner of the “Chicken Coupe”, a 1983 Cadillac Coupe de Ville that is packing a 427-cu.in. LS mill, enough suspension tweaks to allow the big Caddy to keep up with a Corvette in the corners, 14-inch Baer brakes, and a six-speed. And it retains the plush velour interior that the original buyer was sold on. Call it Pro Luxury. It works better than it has any right to. It is hard to say that you own a Dodge Charger with positivity in your voice when a brougham-tastic 1980s Cadillac can stomp it into the dirt at a moment's notice.
At the end of 2023, having rid myself of the last manual-transmission car I owned (an absolute money pit of a Chevrolet Cruze) years prior, I decided that the Charger had to have a manual transmission. It didn’t matter if the car had 170-ish horsepower on tap from a smogger small-block… I can build the engine later. Having a third pedal became a priority. There is just one problem: this is a platform with about zero aftermarket support. How well would this work out?
Plan Out Your Transmission Swap Before You Begin
Before any transmission can be swapped in, the A727 TorqueFlite automatic transmission has to be removed. Overall, the automatic is in great condition. It just needs to be re-sealed anywhere a seal exists.
Photo: Bryan McTaggart
Before I was going to Sawzall a hole in the floor of my car, research had to be done. I wanted to know how difficult this swap would prove to be. I wanted to keep any kind of fabrication to a minimum, I wanted to keep the cutting to a minimum, and I wanted to keep the appearance of a “theoretically possible” look… In the end, I want the interior to look factory-possible instead of backyard butchery. I also wanted to have a minimum of five forward gears for the sake of Interstate drivability, regardless of what is going on in the engine bay. Your car can sound as mean as all get-out, but there are few things more irritating than getting passed by a Kia Soul doing 85 MPH while you are stuck in the slow lane, turning 3,000 RPM and barely doing 65 MPH.
Before anything got cut, numerous test-fits were made and patterns were marked using a nearly-dead shoe polish marker. The square is the hole for the shifter, the dot above marking the end of the tailshaft.
Photo: Bryan McTaggart
I leapt into this project with a lot of assumptions. I assumed that the 1975 re-skin of the B-body lineup was more-or-less a visual change and not a complete re-engineering of the 1971-1974 B-body platform. This opened the option of some parts from the more muscular Mopar nameplates, like Charger, Road Runner, GTX and Super Bee. Additional research suggested that the firewall of the B-body was shared with the E-body twins, the Dodge Challenger and Plymouth Barracuda. This project looked very plausible on paper.
A Malwood USA hydraulic clutch pedal and a manual transmission/brake pedal for an E-body (Challenger/'Cuda) compose the pedal assembly for the Charger. The pedals were fit prior to removing the interior, as we wanted to ensure that they would actually work before we began cutting holes into the car.
Photo: Bryan McTaggart
After some discussions with Graves, I made two purchases prior to any transmission purchase: a floor-shift column from a dearly departed 1979 Chrysler 300 and a set of 1971-1974 E-body manual transmission pedals. While I restored the column, I had the pedals shipped directly to Graves to see if they would play nicely with a hydraulic throwout bearing. By early December, I had a box filled with pedal parts and a Malwood USA Under Dash Hydraulics system dropped off on my porch. This was my cue, and for Christmas, I bought myself a TREMEC TKX with a 2.87 first gear and a .68 fifth gear.
How To Swap A Floor-Shift Column Into A Column-Shifted Car
Photo: Bryan McTaggart
As purchased, the Charger's steering column was exactly what you'd expect: big chrome shifter, PRNDL on top. We couldn't explain why the car had a Plymouth steering wheel on it, but we'd fix that as well. We began by removing the entire column, steering shaft, and shifting linkage from the Charger.
Taking Proper Measurements For Your New Transmission Before Cutting
Once we figured out where the shifter would be located, we drilled two holes for the "forward" and "rearward" shifter mounts underneath the car. With some measuring, we drew our cutting pattern in the interior and cut the floor out. Other than some minor clearance grinding on the sides, we were pretty spot-on.
Photo: Bryan McTaggart
In addition to the transmission that I had bought, American Powertrain sent other parts to see how plausible a 1975-1979 B-body manual transmission swap could be. Within a few days’ time, the pedals were installed, a process that only requires the lower HVAC vent tube and the front seat to be removed… both in the name of making space for you to work in.
My next task was to prepare the new floor-shift column for the Charger. To make a long story at least a bit shorter, here is what I did: I swapped the wiring, steering shaft, and ignition key cylinders from the original column to the new one, painted the outer body, and installed the Tuff Wheel adapter and wheel that I recently had restored by Craft Covers.
Here, we mocked up where the shifter would be for the two main shifter locations offered by the TKX. As you can see, the forward location was immediately ruled out due to interference between the Pistol Grip shift handle (and my hand) against the lower dash and the radio.
Photo: Bryan McTaggart
To properly begin the transmission fitment process, the carpet and the sound deadening that will be in the way of a shifter hole needs to be removed. Aside from presenting an opportunity to clean nearly fifty years’ worth of detritus from the carpet, it also brought to light the 99.5% complete broadcast sheet for the Charger. Having removed that little note of history, the Charger was placed upon 3-ton jack stands and ramps and the A727 TorqueFlite was removed from the car.
Numerous test-fits were performed to make sure that we had the optimal location for the shifter hole for our TKX before we broke out our grinder and started cutting. In the end, we cut a 12 x 4-inch hole in the floor that, while a bit oversized for the final product, allowed just enough room to very work from above and below. In addition, a section of a floor brace that was both in the way of the shifter and redundant due to the transmission crossmember was cut away as well. Once trimming was complete, a test-fit of the transmission with the bellhousing attached showed that while tight, the entire assembly would fit. With that, the new flywheel, pilot bearing, and clutch were installed, and it was time to bolt everything together for the last time.
1976 Charger TKX Installation Details
Photo: Bryan McTaggart
The Cost Of Swapping A TREMEC TKX
Photo: Bryan McTaggart
Putting a dollar figure to this build is going to be difficult. Part of this deal is an exchange with American Powertrain – for the help prototyping a potential new platform for them and provide post-installation advertising options, they supported this swap with parts. The other thing to consider is the “handshake deals” that were worked out between friends and contacts. Being up-front, I am not going to fully disclose every cost I paid, nor will I highlight everything that I did not pay money for. But for the sake of transparency, here is an idea of what you would expect to spend to get this project started.
- TREMEC TKX (Ford-style, 2.87 first, .68 fifth), from American Powertrain: $2,250
- Lakewood LK7000 bellhousing adapter: $358.95
- Lakewood inspection cover #50360: $51.20
- Driveshaft: $409
- SFI Flywheel: $279
- Underdash Hydraulic Clutch Kit, with reservoir, hydraulic lines, and Malwood Clutch Pedal: $625
- Hurst Pistol Grip shifter for 1971-74 Mopar B/E body #5388575: $348.95
- American Powertrain’s Oil Service Package, which includes break-in oil, Driven Racing Oil STF fluid, and DOT 3 brake fluid for the hydraulic throw-out bearing: $100
- Pilot bearing, SB Mopar to Ford TKO: $63
- American Powertrain “White Lightning” Shifter mechanism for TKX with offset shifter adapters: $339
- Hooker BlackHeart Transmission Crossmember BHS567: $196.95
- Differential Gear Upgrade: about $1,000
Gear Ratio Comparison
In addition to the transmission swap, we chose to upgrade the Chrysler 8.25 rear axle, swapping in a set of 3.73 rear gears and a limited-slip differential. Big thanks to Ron's Machining Service and Seth at Rears and Gears for their help with the re-gearing project.
Photo: Bryan McTaggart
STOCK: Chrysler A727 TorqueFlite
1st/2.54....2nd/1.54....3rd/1:1....Reverse/2.21....Rear Axle Ratio/2.41
MODIFIED: TREMEC TKX (Ford-style)
1st/2.87....2nd/1.89....3rd/1.28....4th/1:1....5th/0.68....Reverse/2.56....Rear Axle Ratio/3.73
Note: TREMEC TKX is offered in both Ford and GM-style bellhousing bolt patterns and is offered with close and wide ratios, with numerous gear ratio options. First gear can be as low as 3.27 or as high as 2.87 and overdrive can be as low as 0.81 or as high as 0.68. There are also two Reverse ratios: 3.00 and 2.56.
Sources
American Powertrain
931-646-4836
www.americanpowertrain.com
Mark Muffler Shop
270-781-6722
www.markmufflershop.com
Ron's Machining Service
800-694-3098
www.ronsmachiningservice.net
Rears and Gears
423-963-2671
Photo: Provided By Author
I had been into cars since childhood, so this was a magical job. I was part of a crew of six or seven that worked for tips, and we wore orange coverall uniforms so that we were easily seen at night. We routinely parked and returned more than 400 cars on a busy Saturday, with parties in the afternoon and then again at night, together with public dining.
Jockeying cars for position in shrinking lanes during return rush times made me a better and more precise driver. Another benefit was that I developed a higher appreciation for well-designed dashboards, budding smart controls, and quality upholstery. I preferred gauges to warning lamps, and I intensely disliked the flashing green and yellow dashboard fuel economy indicators that seemed unwelcome in luxury cars. The only way to make the annoying indicator stay green was to coast.
As a crew, we elbowed each other to park the hot imports, such as BMW’s 2002, Datsun’s Z variants, the first Honda Accords, Toyota Celicas, and less frequently, Volkswagen Sciroccos. These were all well-equipped, light, quick, and easy to park. It was also possible to shift them into higher gears for test drives by taking the long way around to the lower back lot. As far as I knew, none of us ever got a Porsche 911 out of second. Our boss knew the joyride risk, so we had to keep numbered dashboard tickets in sequence for assigned spaces that discouraged long drives around the property.
Photo: Hemmings Archives
I have many fond memories of the job. To start, the things people left in their vehicles were nothing short of amazing. There were open bills with private information in plain view, and mail of every other conceivable variety, as well as checkbooks, laundry, arts, and crafts in all stages of non-completion, sticky food wrappers, and other trash. I also quickly learned that a tip amount didn’t always correspond to the expense or condition of the car after one guest left a caged guinea pig in his 1967 Pontiac Le Mans when he arrived late for a wedding reception. Aside from needing to be washed and vacuumed, that car was quite fragrant. It was a dry day, so I lowered the side windows, and we took turns checking the pet as we ran to and from other vehicles. Later, the guest told me he was glad the party was over and was eager to reunite the guinea pig with his young daughter. Having noticed us checking on the pet, the car owner gave me the biggest tip I ever got to fetch a car.
Another unusual thing happened while parking a 1975 Buick LeSabre sedan. Two people got out and went inside for dinner and as I got in immediately noticed the aroma of freshly baked bagels emanating from two gigantic bags that took most of the rear seat, nearly reaching the headliner. After parking the car, I was spooked by a low voice from the far-right of the back seat that asked, “Howee doin’?” I had not seen the slight fellow partially hidden by one of the tall bags, and all I could ask was if he intended to go inside. He said he didn’t want a fancy dinner, just a nap. He offered bagels to the entire crew, which were delicious, and stayed in the car and slept for two hours.
Rare cars would roll up on occasion, including one almost everyone guessed was a Maserati, though I recognized it as a Facel Vega. The exhaust growl of the Chrysler Hemi V-8 was positively rhapsodic, and the grand tourer had polished wood throughout its interior. We parked it in a special spot on an outer aisle near the front door and overheard customers speculate what it was while waiting for their own cars. When the tweedy owner eventually came out, my boss, Ray, was determined to sound smart and amuse himself. He conspicuously and formally signaled, “Christopher, the Facel Vega, please.” Seeing where we placed his pride and joy, the owner gleamed. He may have enjoyed that moment more than his dinner.
Another story involved a regular customer’s Cadillac Seville during lunch hour, when Ray often let me work alone so he could get a break. Two County Sheriff’s detectives stopped to tell me they were looking for two inmates who had escaped from the local penitentiary wearing–what else–orange coveralls. They were last seen running on the neighboring golf course. Of course, we always left keys in the ignition of parked cars. The detectives asked how many cars remained from lunch, and whether I could account for each. To my dismay, the Cadillac (one of only three cars left in my charge) was gone! The owner was very classy when the detectives needed his license plate number and unselfishly said he was glad I had not run into the thieves. Luckily for me, the car was recovered unscratched at a nearby shopping center, but we never heard if the thieves were caught.
I rarely drove a car onto the open road, but one exception was a permanent resident’s 1976 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. The luminous dark red sedan was overdue for its annual state inspection and the owner’s wife “volunteered” me to drive it to the inspection station in the next town. The engine was so quiet and vibration-free that I had to concentrate to hear it. The interior was beautifully appointed with the finest leather I had ever seen or touched. Intuitive controls were set in burled walnut. In my opinion the steering wheel was somewhat primitive and too hard for an ultra-luxury auto, but it was a minor nitpick since the car was a magic carpet. It literally floated when put in drive. As expected, there were no buzzes, squeaks, or rattles. It handled well and predictably with adequate road feel, despite its considerable weight. Power came immediately at the slightest touch, suggesting ample reserve, and the Rolls-Royce stopped on a dime.
Photo: Hemmings Archives
Admittedly, I was very nervous driving it, even when it seemed other drivers stayed out of the way once I reached a multi-lane avenue. The inspection station was in a not-so-nice area on a narrow, bumpy street, and being near closing time the station was busy. I had to get in a line that snaked around the block and all I could do was hope nobody hit the darn thing.
As I crawled to the entrance, the inspection staff was laughing and pointing at me, still wearing my orange coveralls: “Hey kid, how did you get out of jail and where did you get that car?” Fortunately, my uniform sported a company crest. Seeking mercy, I said it was the boss’ car. Then the Rolls failed its emissions test. Adding to the insult, the dented, oxidized Volkswagen Beetle behind me passed with flying colors. In those days, a sticker with a big red circle signifying failure was affixed to the windshield’s lower left corner. You couldn’t miss it.
I finally relaxed when I pulled the Silver Shadow into the familiar driveway without incident. To my surprise, the owner’s wife was happy to see that the car failed, because now she could get it tuned up without further debate. Apparently, her husband was always working and neglected his cars. We were reminded of that later when we had to jump the battery in his seldom-driven Jaguar XJ12. The next time I saw the Rolls it had a proper inspection sticker.
After parking cars for eighteen months, I transferred inside to become a bartender as my college days progressed. I missed handling the cars, but not enduring cold winter nights or donning those orange coveralls. Over the years I have almost always insisted on parking my own car, but when valet parking is unavoidable, particularly in a city, I tip in advance. It’s remarkable how a few dollars will often gain a spot close to the attendant’s booth, sometimes with a safety cone next to our car.
Trending
╳