SRT-8 Daytona Clone

[71_Charger_R/T]

I've been following that one also (no updates for a while) I've been intrigued by your build equally as much!  You are both "master's of metal"! I have been thinking of the same type of project and have been gleaning ideas from both of you guys.  I like the idea of not changing the wheel base. Some I've seen look odd, But you pulled it off fantastic!  Maybe it's the addition/alteration of the nose cone........ whatever it is, yours looks GREAT! As always, looking forward to your next updates. 

[Stevearino]

I've been following that one also (no updates for a while) I've been intrigued by your build equally as much!  You are both "master's of metal"! I have been thinking of the same type of project and have been gleaning ideas from both of you guys.  I like the idea of not changing the wheel base. Some I've seen look odd, But you pulled it off fantastic!  Maybe it's the addition/alteration of the nose cone........ whatever it is, yours looks GREAT! As always, looking forward to your next updates. 

I don't know if you have seen this one but it is not a bad solution to getting the best of both worlds. Essentially what this guy has done is he has modified the existing unibody  on the old car to accept the engine cradle and the rear suspension cradle. This is a much simpler process that really just requires you to build the shock towers. The entire rear end and all of the suspension are affixed at 4 bolt up points. The entire engine cradle with all of the front suspension and steering is also just 4 bolt up points. Depends on how much of the new car you are determined to use.


http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/showthread.php?86463-Coronet-SRT-8

[JB400]

Looks like he's going to have hood clearance issues on the Coronet.

[Mike DC]

 
Yeah it looks likely. 

[Stevearino]

Looks like he's going to have hood clearance issues on the Coronet.

 
Yeah it looks likely. 

It looks like it will be close on the shock towers but since he is using an old school motor he should be fine there. Where I had my issues was both the tops of the shock towers and the height of the manifold.

[Mike DC]

I was referring to the shock towers too.  Those things look close enough to be biting into the hood's under structure.

[JB400]

It looks to me like the top of the shock towers are going to be above the hood. 

[Swampwing2]

I like your way better. There is a lot more to a swap like this than just installing later model suspension on an old uni-body. Chassis stiffness and driveability will likely be far superior on your car since you are using the majority of the later model chassis. The reality is that both methods will work fine for their purposes and neither will likely be driven to a point where stuff like chassis stiffness even matters. Keep up the good work. The challenges of the little stuff are what will stop a project like this cold for most people.

[XS29L9B2]

your job is always so cool 

[Mike DC]

 
I dunno which way chassis stiffness would be better.  The new car is probably stiffer in stock condition but the upper half would be contributing a lot.  And the old chassis was found to be decent even by modern standards when XV Motorsports tested it.

With a hybrid job it's a huge question of exactly how the two halves were joined.  Two builders might produce two very different results even if they were splicing parts in the same areas.

[moparstuart]

an yet here is a third method        http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/showthread.php?99675-SRT8-Roadrunner-conversion-NOT-a-body-over!!

[Stevearino]

an yet here is a third method        http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/showthread.php?99675-SRT8-Roadrunner-conversion-NOT-a-body-over!!

That's actually the post I put up that started this discussion Stu.

By the way I took the advice of another member here and made sure to have the car on its wheels when hanging the doors and fenders. I understand the original B bodies had a bit of flex in them when lifted  and so does this car. So there's that. There are 4 specific lift points on the 06 anyway. Try to jack it up anywhere else and the frame members will start to collapse under the weight of the car. One thing that was pointed out to me about the chassis rigidity was the massive trans tunnel is actually where most of the strength lies on this car so that is somewhat reassuring as I did not alter that in any way.

[moparstuart]

yup i have seen not having the motor and trans in it effect that also 

[Stevearino]

So I am down to finishing out the fit of the nose and the headlight doors and such. Hopefully I will be moving on to some primer soon  but I can't say when as I will be entertaining family next week so this goes on a little vacation for a while.  After that it will be time to tear it down again and prep and paint the door jambs, the under side of the trunk lid and hood , the insides of the fenders and the back side of the nose.

[winghawg]

wow awesome work

[djcarguy]

    great seeing progress an nose on..  lov 3rd pix of nose an drivers side with cabinets behind it looks like ya doing body work right in the kitchen,,,,wifes area,HaHa...

          great to see ya car an this site again,had no internet for 12 days,,withdrawal.....

[Stevearino]

I wanted to put some side markers in so I got the 06 side markers and worked them around so that I could fit them into the sides of the front air dam. At work we use .060 Carbon fiber panels and I got some cut off pieces and epoxied them together to built the front air dam.
I got the first coat of primer on the car and it showed up a lot of my body work short comings. I have a bit more work to do than I thought but it is getting there.

[garner7555]

Looking good 

[tan top]

  nice   

[70Sbird]

Great work Steve!

This car really is going to be a functional work of art!!!!

[XS29L9B2]

VERY NICE STEEVE

[Stevearino]

Thanks again for the thumbs up everyone. It was 3 years ago the second week of September right after we got done having my daughters wedding in my new shop building that I went down to Rock Mart Ga. to pick up the 68 Charger that became this car. While I didn't actually start work on it until after Christmas 2012 and I still have a ways to go I feel like some day light is coming to the project. As I said before I appreciate all the encouragement and hope this car ends up meeting expectations.

[Indygenerallee]

Looks great Steve! can't wait to see some color on it! 

[djcarguy]

    TONA is looking awsum..  air dam great too.   just my opin?  the shape of side marker?  i think only round showing thru to match driving lites or maybee the shape of stock 69 side markers the rest covered??   just my    lov the car an air dam.good to see new post.  

[djcarguy]

  my   opin,just that your ride,sorry.....