SRT-8 Daytona Clone

[crj1968]

I don't think it can be said enough, incredibly incredible!! 

[farm966]

I was curious about the same question...how much would you charge if you were building the same car to sell...there is a local shop here in Florida that sold a 69 red Roadrunner on a late model Charger running gear that I saw a few years back. Granted, it didnt have anywhere close to the detail yours has, when I inquired about how much they sold their Road runner for they said around $100k. This was probably 5 years ago now. The car I saw was very nice, without a doubt, but your car is spectacular, plus its a wing car, so that adds a lot in my worthless opinion.

David

[Stevearino]

as always,, lookin great!!!  I loved Hot Wheels when I was a kid & still do, now your car is my Favorite Hot Wheels ever made !!!!!!! the wheels are AWESOME on your car, perfect!!!!

Thanks CDR. I hope to be styling and profiling like you soon.

Absolutely phenomenal work!   

I can't wait to see it on the road in all its glory.   

Thanks Dino. ME TOO.

Over the top cool ride. I wish I had your talent.  One of one....how cool is that     

Thanks out there.

awesome stuff        :popcrn:4

Thanks again Tan Top

How much to build me one?

I am going to assume you are kidding but I will give you a round about idea of what went into it so far. I am out of pocket about $35,000.00 for both the cars and all the bits and pieces and I am not 100% complete yet. The shop rate for this kind of work even here in N.C. is north of $100.00 per hour.  As of this weekend (and again I am far from done) I have about 2,500 hours into it so the math is a little ridiculous. I definitely could not afford to have this car built.  I also might do things a little differently but were I would save labor I would end up adding cost. All the effort to fix the old car both in metal and body work was out of necessity. I would start with new sheet metal  but that would add about $10,000 to the materials list.

I don't think it can be said enough, incredibly incredible!!

crj1968 I thank you for the compliment.

I was curious about the same question...how much would you charge if you were building the same car to sell...there is a local shop here in Florida that sold a 69 red Roadrunner on a late model Charger running gear that I saw a few years back. Granted, it didnt have anywhere close to the detail yours has, when I inquired about how much they sold their Road runner for they said around $100k. This was probably 5 years ago now. The car I saw was very nice, without a doubt, but your car is spectacular, plus its a wing car, so that adds a lot in my worthless opinion.

David

I know the car you are talking about. They had extensive build pictures on their facebook page when the build was underway. They might still be posted there. It was West Coast Restorations in Florida who did it. I don't know how they pulled it off for $100,000.00 They did stuff I did not do. They actually stripped the new car down to the bare chassis and shorted the wheel base 5". That is a ton of effort. They also painted the entire thing on a rotisserie. Beautiful pro job. They definitely built it for a customer because they had some pictures of him taking possession. I sold up here through a classic car dealer for $100,000.00 so maybe the owner took a loss on the project.

[farm966]

Maybe the shop was a little light on the price thinking they were going to sell me one or something?? It was a beautiful car, but I am partial to wing cars myself. I was there picking up a pair of quarter panels they had for sale, and you are correct, that was the shop, I had forgotten the name.

David

[XS29L9B2]

your work is really beautifull you are a magician 

[Charger_Fan]

I sure enjoyed catching up on this thread today, thanks so much for continuing to share your progress!

[Stevearino]

Maybe the shop was a little light on the price thinking they were going to sell me one or something?? It was a beautiful car, but I am partial to wing cars myself. I was there picking up a pair of quarter panels they had for sale, and you are correct, that was the shop, I had forgotten the name.

David

Either that or they pay some really talented guys slave wages.

your work is really beautifull you are a magician  

Thanks man. I appreciate the compliment.

I sure enjoyed catching up on this thread today, thanks so much for continuing to share your progress!

Well I am having fun sharing the experience.

This is a video clip of the front lighting test I did today. The nose is back on for the final time.





  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYNtKJ_-rS0

[lukedukem]

Dang those things open fast. Can't wait for burnout video. Jk, I can.

Luke

[Bobs69]

I wanted to include a close up shot of the attachment prop to the doors. I used two heim ends one right hand thread and the other reverse so that I could have a final adjustment to tighten up the doors. I used these also on the center actuating arm so as to relieve any binding through the range of motion.

I put the bug eyes back on the car for the last time in prep for putting the nose back on the car.

I sanded an polished the clear coat on the chin spoiler and installed it on the nose.
I also finished the fabrication to put the 06 side markers in the side of the spoiler.
Here is where I ran out of steam because it looks ready to put on but I realized I still have to make a box to cover all of the wiring and motor for the headlight doors as they are in the air stream and will get hit by road debris. It is always something.

In order to dampen any vibration between the nose and the fenders I added this 1/4" self sticking rubber gasket that compresses down to 1/8" to the face of the front fenders.

looks like you rolled a lip into the front fender.  Not bad.

[chrism]

This is your brother checking in. This build is fantastic and I want folks to know growing up your younger brother I had a front row seat, a witness to your many talents in music, carpentry, drawing, film, sculpture, entrepreneurship and the list goes on. A "Renaissance Man" you are. And your sense of humor is only surpassed by your humility. I can't wait to see this project "in the flesh" so to speak.
Happy Father's Day!

[Stevearino]

This is your brother checking in. This build is fantastic and I want folks to know growing up your younger brother I had a front row seat, a witness to your many talents in music, carpentry, drawing, film, sculpture, entrepreneurship and the list goes on. A "Renaissance Man" you are. And your sense of humor is only surpassed by your humility. I can't wait to see this project "in the flesh" so to speak.
Happy Father's Day!

Right back at you brother. Happy Fathers Day.

[Stevearino]

Dang those things open fast. Can't wait for burnout video. Jk, I can.

Luke

I hope the burnout is not in my wiring job.

looks like you rolled a lip into the front fender.  Not bad.

Thanks I was hoping it wouldn't look horsey.




Well the last thing I had to do before I could put the nose back on the car was to make up a cover for the headlight door motor and wiring. Since it is in the air stream I needed to protect it from debris. I bent up some .040 pre-painted matte black aluminum and fixed it into place .

Once that was done I installed the nose on the car. It was touch and go since the nose was now loaded with equipment and I had not had it on since I put the 1/4" rubber gasket on but I was pleased to see that it was just the right size to give the seam a finished look.

[Stevearino]

So I had posted a YouTube link for the video of the headlight door test. Here is the link again and also some screen grabs from the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYNtKJ_-rS0

[Stevearino]

Finally I got the heavy blocking done on the wing and the back bumper. They got a final coat of K2 primer and will get light blocking and hopefully some paint.

[Cha11engerD]

So I couldn't tell in the pics you showed us when you started this thread. Is the rear bumper going to match the car, or is it going to be chrome?

[Stevearino]

So I couldn't tell in the pics you showed us when you started this thread. Is the rear bumper going to match the car, or is it going to be chrome?

It will match the color of the car. I originally was going to do a treatment similar to the Fast and Furious Daytona but I was not thrilled with it when I saw how it looked on the movie car.

[Mike DC]

            
As for the cost of shortening the modern Charger's wheelbase - a builder could start with a modern Challenger instead of a Charger. They are old enough to be salvage material now.  

1968-70 Charger wheelbase:  117"
LX Charger: 120"
LX Challenger: 116"

----------------------------


I gotta catch up on this thread again soon.

[Stevearino]

           
As for the cost of shortening the modern Charger's wheelbase - a builder could start with a modern Challenger instead of a Charger. They are old enough to be salvage material now. 

1968-70 Charger wheelbase:  117"
LX Charger: 120"
LX Challenger: 116"

----------------------------


I gotta catch up on this thread again soon.

You would think that but I browse them all the time and they are still way higher for comparable power trains than you would expect for as old as they are. Unless of course you are looking at a 6 cylinder model. They seem to be holding their value for some reason even though there seem to be tons of them for sale.

[NYCMille]

This built is SO beyond impressive it's painful... 

[Mike DC]

           

You would think that but I browse them all the time and they are still way higher for comparable power trains than you would expect for as old as they are. Unless of course you are looking at a 6 cylinder model. They seem to be holding their value for some reason even though there seem to be tons of them for sale.

It's probably because the used market likes 2dr sports cars more "grown up" stuff like Chargers.  12yo V8 Mustangs have big demand but you can't give away a 12yo minivan.
 

I'm curious - do you know if the Chally's unibody is roughly the same thing (for this kind of project) aside from the wheelbase & door difference?  Is the dashboard/firewall structure the same as the 4dr Chargers?  What about the trunkfloor? 

[Stevearino]

           

You would think that but I browse them all the time and they are still way higher for comparable power trains than you would expect for as old as they are. Unless of course you are looking at a 6 cylinder model. They seem to be holding their value for some reason even though there seem to be tons of them for sale.

It's probably because the used market likes 2dr sports cars more "grown up" stuff like Chargers.  12yo V8 Mustangs have big demand but you can't give away a 12yo minivan.
 

I'm curious - do you know if the Chally's unibody is roughly the same thing (for this kind of project) aside from the wheelbase & door difference?  Is the dashboard/firewall structure the same as the 4dr Chargers?  What about the trunkfloor? 

I have done a cursory look at the Challenger. A guy at work has a 392 and it appears very much like the LX. Unless and until I got to take one apart I would no know for sure. I believe it is called an LS platform. I do know that there is not a lot of back seat leg room in the LX and looking at the Challenger it appears as if they don't care if anyone ever sits back there. That indicates to me that it may just be a shorted version of the LX.

[Mike DC]

  
The Challenger has always been created by shortening the Charger platform in the backseat floor area.  


The process starts with Mopar having a good midsize RWD musclecar platform like the Dodge Charger.  
The public wants a sporty ponycar version of it.  Mopar doesn't listen to them.  

Then Mopar notices that Ford is selling the heck out of their new Mustang.  
Mopar starts to think maybe Ford is onto something with their "build what people want" concept.



The same thing played out with the 1970 Chally and again in 2008.  

[Stevearino]

 
The Challenger has always been created by shortening the Charger platform in the backseat floor area. 


The process starts with Mopar having a good midsize RWD musclecar platform like the Dodge Charger. 
The public wants a sporty ponycar version of it.  Mopar doesn't listen to them. 

Then Mopar notices that Ford is selling the heck out of their new Mustang. 
Mopar starts to think maybe Ford is onto something with their "build what people want" concept.


The same thing played out with the 1970 Chally and again in 2008. 

People might jump to the conclusion that Chrysler wasn't thinking ahead enough when they did this but even now it is a much smaller company that Ford or GM and making risky calls on any model can sink a company. I guess we can all be thankful that they eventually came around in the end during both eras.

[DAY CLONA]

This built is SO beyond impressive it's painful... 

Agreed, total devotion to the project/build, it's more in-depth and worthy than any magazine coverage could possibly give it, more deserving of Big Muscle (hint, hint ) HotRod TV, etc,etc type of recognition rather than an internet forum

Mike

[cdr]

This built is SO beyond impressive it's painful... 

Agreed, total devotion to the project/build, it's more in-depth and worthy than any magazine coverage could possibly give it, more deserving of Big Muscle (hint, hint ) HotRod TV, etc,etc type of recognition rather than an internet forum

Mike