My home made steel rear window plug-NEW UPDATE 8/8/06 WITH MORE PICTURES !

[Daytona R/T SE]

After carefully pondering what to do for my rear window plug, I decided to make my own from 16 gauge cold-rolled steel, useing Ted Janak's fiberglass plug as a pattern. I decided to make it in sections, one at a time, since fabricating the whole thing in one piece would be a real bitch.  I've got the first section, what I'll call the "Dutchman" panel about 70% done...here's a few pics:

[Daytona R/T SE]

Here's a few more:

[hotrod98]

Impressive...

[daytonalo]

I HOPE AFTER ALL THAT WORK YOUR NOT GOING TO USE A LEXAN BACKLITE. WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS FOR MOULDINGS

[Daytona R/T SE]

Impressive...

Thanks, Larry!   

[hemigeno]

Impressive...

   

That really does look nice!!

[Daytona R/T SE]

Impressive...

   

That really does look nice!!

Thanks, Gene!   

[Daytona R/T SE]

I HOPE AFTER ALL THAT WORK YOUR NOT GOING TO USE A LEXAN BACKLITE. WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS FOR MOULDINGS

I've got the new reproduction glass rear window from Iowa Glass, and I'll be making the trim from pieces of the original charger rear window trim...

[Daytona Guy]

Very freaking amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How are you going to do the lip to hold the window. Again WOW

Hats off.

[Daytona R/T SE]

Very freaking amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How are you going to do the lip to hold the window. Again WOW

Hats off.

Thanks, Dane!     Coming from a guy that has already Cloned nine of these things, that's a terrific compliment! 

As far as the glass channel goes, I'll do just like I've done on the trunk drip channel--Form a strip of metal into a 90 degree angle on the press brake at work, then bring it home and form the compound curves by hand 

[daytonalo]

HOW MUCH WAS THE BACKLITE FROM IOWA GLASS. LARRY

[wetfeetmi]

You are a true craftsman...Nice!

[bull]

Excellent work. I think it will look great, it already does. One question though, I haven't seen a lot of these clone rear windows in process but don't you guys normally remove the inner portion of the sail panels? Seems like it would make things easier when it comes to doing the interior.

[Daytona R/T SE]

HOW MUCH WAS THE BACKLITE FROM IOWA GLASS. LARRY

Larry, The backlight was $675.   

[Daytona R/T SE]

You are a true craftsman...Nice!

Thanks, Feet!

[Daytona R/T SE]

Excellent work. I think it will look great, it already does. One question though, I haven't seen a lot of these clone rear windows in process but don't you guys normally remove the inner portion of the sail panels? Seems like it would make things easier when it comes to doing the interior.

Thanks, Bull. There is really no need to cut out the sail panels, They really aren't in the way and they make up much of the structural rigidity of the car. I did make a small notch where the sail panels meet the rear deck on the inside for clearance, but I could have made the notch on the plug instead if I had wanted to. I don't see any problems with the interior as long as I install the headliner mounting "teeth" before I weld the plug in.

[hotrod98]

Excellent work. I think it will look great, it already does. One question though, I haven't seen a lot of these clone rear windows in process but don't you guys normally remove the inner portion of the sail panels? Seems like it would make things easier when it comes to doing the interior.

Bull,
If you study an original daytona, it's surprising as to how little they actually altered. They left the inner sail panels, the back glass channel and even the dutchman panel is still there under the plug. They simply notched the original trunk opening where the new plug was welded in. Even the original trunk hinge mounts are used. The first time I saw one I was very surprised. It made me realize that converting a charger into a daytona was not rocket scientry. Here's a couple of pics that some one posted a while back showing the underside of the dutchman panel area.
larry
hotrod98

[BigBlockSam]

wow, that looks great!

[Charger Aficionado]

  Amazing...

[Daytona R/T SE]

I haven't had much time to work on my Daytona clone lately, but I did manage to get around to finishing the lower section (aka the "Dutchman" panel) of my homemade steel rear window plug yesterday... here's a few pics:

[Silver R/T]

nice work

[daytonalo]

A+ JOB , MY HATS OFF TO YOU , I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT I WAS  PRETTY GOOD,  BUT YOU MAKE ME LOOK LIKE ONE OF JERRY'S KIDS !  LARRY

[Daytona R/T SE]

Thanks, Larry! I just wish I had more time to work on it...

[Daytona R/T SE]

YOU MAKE ME LOOK LIKE ONE OF JERRY'S KIDS !  LARRY

[daytonalo]

JUST A THOUGHT AS I LOOK AT MY ORIG WINDOW FROM MY CHARGER , ITS NOT THAT MUCH SMALLER THAN THE DAYTONA . I USED A VEGA PLUG BUT MAYBE NEXT TIME I MAKE A PLUG IN WHICH I CAN USE MY ORIG GLASS AND THE BIG THING HERE IS NO MOLDING PROBLEM !  LARRY