My 1977 DODGE ASPEN R/T is called ‘Orange Crate’ , and Yes, it is a TRUE R/T 1 of Only 2281 produced.
We are the second owner. I bought the car from a used car lot in 1986 for $1,000.00 dollars. The car lot was at Alma School and Broadway Rd. in Mesa, Az. On our way home after just purchasing my new (to me) Aspen, the car broke down, about a mile away from the car lot. My brother called it a Dodge Aspirin. Haha! I have owned my Aspin for 39 years.
Street raced the car during the late 80’s and early 90’s around Dear Valley Road and 19th Avenue. It’s what everyone with cool fast cars was doing. It was a huge thing to do back then, every Friday and Saturday night.
Blew the motor in 1993, leaving the car sitting for a few years. Then in 1996, I decided to fix it up, the car was rebuilt and repainted by Cliff Owesly, in his back yard. We hung all the parts from his tree and made a makeshift paint booth out of tarps. After the car was painted, the whole neighborhood was orange. The stripe and lettering on the car was also done by Cliff Owesly. The motor graphics were Cliff’s idea too.
The exterior is painted with Sherwin Williams “Toner Orange”; it is straight toner and is single stage acrylic enamel.
The interior is all original except for carpet on the floor and the front bucket seats. Bucket seats were reupholstered as they were torn and worn. And carpet was missing in many places but everything else is original.
The body is all original except for the cowl induction hood. It is the original steel hood with a fiberglass cowl molded to the hood.
The engine is a 318 “Stroker” motor. 10 ½ to 1 compression. Manley forged pistons, Milodon gear drive system, roller rockers, Isky 505 cam, 360 heads and a 360 crank, 850 Carter carb and exhaust is a set of Hooker Headers. The motor was built by Dan Hackenburg & Hackenburg machine shop, and is pushing about 450 HP. The car has the factory 4 speed manual transmission with a Centerforce Dual Friction clutch. Running a 4 -11 rear gear, the rear end was built by Doug’s rear end from California. Orange Crate sits on BFGoodrich tires and Crager ‘Dragstar’ rims.
I have been showing my Aspen since 1997. We love to show her off, we love to cruise her. Orange Crate is a two time ‘Hot Rod Power Tour’ survivor, 5 time ‘World of Wheels’ winner. She has won many big events like the ‘Mopar Nationals’, ‘Spring Fling Mopar’ show, ‘Mopars in May’, ‘Mopars at the Strip’. She has won over 350 shows (not bad for an old grocery getter) since we started showing her, and now, she is semi-retired as we now have a couple of Dodge Darts that we are now showing. Orange Crate, will be passed down to our grandson Noah, as soon as he can drive so he can cruise in style and be in a Mopar!
I would love to thank my wonderful wife Candice for all her patience. My kids James and Makayla for understanding about me being in the garage all the time. Cliff Owesly for his amazing paint job and bodywork. Robbie Shaffer for all his help and technical advice. I would also like to thank all the people that have looked at, and voted for her over the many years of going to car shows. Have made many awesome friends going to car shows, and have met so many wonderful people that we are blessed to know.
She is my “first born child” as my wife would say, and will always be part of our family. Orange Crate has been there for me in good and bad times. She has been a staple, and blessing in my life. Mopar for life!!!
– John Leep
P.S. (now its Noah Leep’s car) our grandson
Photos by
Rod Loveless