SRT-8 Daytona Clone

[Stevearino]

Details.....details......

So many little things needed to end up with a nicely finished car.

No doubt this car will be better then nice when finished.

That's if I don't run out of gas and end up doing the paint work with a roller.

[held1823]

That's if I don't run out of gas and end up doing the paint work with a roller.

you mean it won't get a vinyl wrap like the ones at work?

[Stevearino]

That's if I don't run out of gas and end up doing the paint work with a roller.

you mean it won't get a vinyl wrap like the ones at work?

[FJ5WING]

amazing work Stevearino
I really enjoy following along and wishing I had half the talent and patience.

[Stevearino]

amazing work Stevearino
I really enjoy following along and wishing I had half the talent and patience.

Thank you . I am just happy someone finds this at all interesting.

[JB400]

Came out looking good

[Stevearino]

Thanks JB.

[Charger-Bodie]

Extremely nice,clean work Steve . That's going to be an awesome Daytona.

[Stevearino]

Thanks again Charger.

[tsmithae]

I really like the detail you put into the trunk.   

[Troy]

I don't post in this thread a lot but I follow it religiously. Excellent work! It's an amazing car. Even if I had the skills to do the work I think I'd still miss most of the little things.

Troy

[Hemidog]

What Troy said. I check this thread every other day, looking forward to new pictures 

[Stevearino]

I really like the detail you put into the trunk.   

Thanks tsmithae. The fun part for me is trying to blend everything together. Sometimes it works. Sometimes not so much.

I don't post in this thread a lot but I follow it religiously. Excellent work! It's an amazing car. Even if I had the skills to do the work I think I'd still miss most of the little things.

Troy

Believe me from past experience that the first time I take it on the road about a dozen things I forgot will make themselves immediately know.

What Troy said. I check this thread every other day, looking forward to new pictures 

Man , That's a lot of pressure. I don't work that fast. Maybe every other week would be more realistic but thanks for the interest.

Well I decided since I was working in the back of the car I would tackle modifying the rear bumper. I wanted to bring it in closer to the body both front to rear and side to side. I puzzled over how to modify the standard mounts and decided to throw them over board. I set some long bolts in place where the rear bumper mounts through the rear panel. I then cut the heads off. I drilled out the bumper. (No nice Charger bumpers were harmed in this modification) and slid it over the bolts until it was as close to the rear pan as I wanted and then I welded it up and cut off the excess. I removed the bumper and welded up the back side and all of the now un needed bolt holes.

[Stevearino]

Next I trimmed the sides of the bumpers off and removed about 3/8" from the center section on each side and then re-attached the ends.  I pretty happy with the results. I was going to close the metal work in a little bit more around the corners but I think I will keep the spacing the way it is.

[garner7555]

Bumper looks awesome!

[moparstuart]

Details.....details......

So many little things needed to end up with a nicely finished car.

No doubt this car will be better then nice when finished.

That's if I don't run out of gas and end up doing the paint work with a roller.

brush  use a brush ,  the brush marks will be awesome

[Hemi Runner]

I like the bumper rework. Very nice. Would it be pleasing to the eye to reduce the amount of 'dead space' in between the bumper and the tail panel at the top of each end? Either up with the bumper end or down with the sheet metal or a little of each?

[472 R/T SE]

. And before anyone asks I won't be leaving what looks like rocket motors for exhaust. The resonator cans are way too big and hang to low so I will have to do some re routing to get  everything closer to the bottom of the car. Hopefully eliminating the afterburners won't make the car sound funky.

If you're talking about what I call "suitcases" right at the exhaust tip, removing them won't change the sound too much.  It gave my Magnum a more throaty sound.  The 1st mod was removing mine & adding chrome tips.

I don't know about '06 but in '05 you can remove the round headlight switch knob & file off a nubbin so the dial turns to the left of "off" one position.  Boom...automatic headlights.  2nd mod.
Imo, the Dodge rigs should have the opportunity to have the bells & whistles like their Chrysler counterpart to begin with.  It just seems like for instance the switch just cheapens the brand.  

[tan top]

 

[Montreal Wing Car]

The headlight trick works on 05-07, they modified the switch in 08...
http://www.lxforums.com/board/showthread.php/16999-FREE-Auto-Headlights-(no-parts-needed)

Lots of good stuff in the "knowledge"section for new LX owners!
Keep up the great work, I am one of the MANY people watching, but not necessarely commenting!

Ben

[Stevearino]

Bumper looks awesome!

Thanks. I thought of doing a mod like the F&F Charger where the bumper is molded in but when I saw it on that car I wasn't that crazy about it

Details.....details......

So many little things needed to end up with a nicely finished car.

No doubt this car will be better then nice when finished.

That's if I don't run out of gas and end up doing the paint work with a roller.

brush  use a brush ,  the brush marks will be awesome

[/quote]

I like the bumper rework. Very nice. Would it be pleasing to the eye to reduce the amount of 'dead space' in between the bumper and the tail panel at the top of each end? Either up with the bumper end or down with the sheet metal or a little of each?

I was going to leave it as is but I am now leaning towards what you just described. Probably will close the sheet metal down a bit towards the top of the bumper ends.

. And before anyone asks I won't be leaving what looks like rocket motors for exhaust. The resonator cans are way too big and hang to low so I will have to do some re routing to get  everything closer to the bottom of the car. Hopefully eliminating the afterburners won't make the car sound funky.

If you're talking about what I call "suitcases" right at the exhaust tip, removing them won't change the sound too much.  It gave my Magnum a more throaty sound.  The 1st mod was removing mine & adding chrome tips.

I don't know about '06 but in '05 you can remove the round headlight switch knob & file off a nubbin so the dial turns to the left of "off" one position.  Boom...automatic headlights.  2nd mod.
Imo, the Dodge rigs should have the opportunity to have the bells & whistles like their Chrysler counterpart to begin with.  It just seems like for instance the switch just cheapens the brand.   

That's pretty cool about the headlight switch. I will have to look at that. As far as the exhaust I am talking about the  7" diameter resonators  just ahead of the exhaust tips. I know the tips act as a resonator too but I was going to keep them.

The headlight trick works on 05-07, they modified the switch in 08...
http://www.lxforums.com/board/showthread.php/16999-FREE-Auto-Headlights-(no-parts-needed)

Lots of good stuff in the "knowledge"section for new LX owners!
Keep up the great work, I am one of the MANY people watching, but not necessarely commenting!

Ben

I haven't really got too far into the LX end of this car yet except to remove and replace crash damaged parts but eventually I will have to learn more about these rigs. Thanks for the link. That was a great save you gave me before on the shifter mechanism. I can't believe that a car that cost this much brand new could have such a weak link that could leave you stranded like that small plastic shifter cam. Thanks again for your help Ben.

[69bronzeT5]

Feel free to PM me if you have any LX questions. I'm pretty based in the LX/LC world. I used to have a 2005 Magnum R/T as well and now own my 2008 Challenger SRT8.

[Stevearino]

Feel free to PM me if you have any LX questions. I'm pretty based in the LX/LC world. I used to have a 2005 Magnum R/T as well and now own my 2008 Challenger SRT8.

[69bronzeT5]

. And before anyone asks I won't be leaving what looks like rocket motors for exhaust. The resonator cans are way too big and hang to low so I will have to do some re routing to get  everything closer to the bottom of the car. Hopefully eliminating the afterburners won't make the car sound funky.

If you're talking about what I call "suitcases" right at the exhaust tip, removing them won't change the sound too much.  It gave my Magnum a more throaty sound.  The 1st mod was removing mine & adding chrome tips.

I don't know about '06 but in '05 you can remove the round headlight switch knob & file off a nubbin so the dial turns to the left of "off" one position.  Boom...automatic headlights.  2nd mod.
Imo, the Dodge rigs should have the opportunity to have the bells & whistles like their Chrysler counterpart to begin with.  It just seems like for instance the switch just cheapens the brand.  

On my old 2005 Magnum R/T, I put full SRT8 exhaust on it with the resonator/suitcase deletes. It sounded AWESOME but had some drone between 1200-1300rpm. My Challenger has full Flowmaster 40 series cat-back exhaust with the resonator/suitcase deletes and it sounds amazing. Has NO drone either.


I also did the automatic headlights upgrade. My headlight switch crapped the bed so I just replaced it with an automatic headlight switch. Being as the car had factory dual climate control, the headlights use the sensor for that to decide when to turn on or not.

[Baldwinvette77]

Oh man thats pretty