Daytona Clone trunk drip rail?

[Daytona R/T SE]

You guys that are using the Vega hatches on your Daytona clones, what are you using for the drip rail/weather strip rail across the back of the plug ? I don't want to spend several hours fabricating this piece just to find out later that a drip rail hacked off of a 1973 Whatz-it from the junkyard will work just fine....

[Daytona R/T SE]

I could form something up in the pressbrake at work, the only problem is it needs to have a curve to it, I can't do that on the brake, so I'm hoping I can cut a section from a car in the junkyard and modify it to fit.  Guess I'll have to make a template and head out to the junkyard next weekend....

P.S. I'm not using a vega hatch-I'm fabricating my own plug.

[Daytona R/T SE]

I've gotta have the curve on it, to me it just doesn't look right with the trunk lid cut straight across, besides I've already shortened the trunklid, with the front curved, and I've fabricated the lower portion of the plug with the curve in it. I CAN make the drip rail peice, but it's going to be a lot of work to get the curve on it, so If I can save myself some work by cutting a peice out of a doner car, I will.  I just thought the guys using the vega hatch might have already figured which car in the junkyard I can rob the rail off of...

[BigBlockSam]

 

[daytonalo]

IF YOU WERE TO LOOK A FEW PAGES IN YOU WOULD SEE PIX OF THAT UNDER HEMI DAYTONA CLONE

[daytonalo]

DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHERE I CAN BUY THE METAL RETAINER THAT HOLDS DOWN THE FUEL FILL SEAL TO FLOOR . 
                                                                                                                                 THANK YOU , LARRY

[Daytona Guy]

I have done mine both ways - fiberglass or steel. In the early days I actually did one with fiberglass. I was surprised. I was frustrated and did not know what to do so I made my own mold and popped out a drip rail. I glassed it on and in. I sat back year after year just waiting for it to show stress and crack. It did neither. I honestly could not believe it. It never had a problem. That was done against my better judgement, but I was young.

There is a car out there, I think it is a 73 Coronet 4 dr. Do not quote me on that. I have also went the metal route and to get the curve I slices the pre-bent drip rail in about 7 sections and welded in the gaps and ground it down. I will not do that again. I would head hunt a car down and cut one out. What would be nice if someone who had the trunk radius could make a pattern out of card board and ship it to you. Or give the dimensions.

[Daytona R/T SE]

There is a car out there, I think it is a 73 Coronet 4 dr. Do not quote me on that. I have also went the metal route and to get the curve I slices the pre-bent drip rail in about 7 sections and welded in the gaps and ground it down. I will not do that again. I would head hunt a car down and cut one out. What would be nice if someone who had the trunk radius could make a pattern out of card board and ship it to you. Or give the dimensions.

I'm going to make up a template and hit the junkyard, probably next weekend. I've got a fiberglass window plug that I'm using as a pattern to fabricate the steel plug so I've got the dimensions/curvature figured out already.

I'm going to pay special attention to the b-body four doors, as you suggest, also the drip rail on my 72 Imperial looks pretty close, the curve is "rounder" than I need, but the cross-section shape looks good.

Wish me luck, I'll report back with what I find

[hotrod98]

I just placed my steel daytona deck lid reinforcement finish panel up against a 72 upper body panel and the radius looks identical.

[Daytona R/T SE]

I just placed my steel daytona deck lid reinforcement finish panel up against a 72 upper body panel and the radius looks identical.

Hotrod, A '72 What? Charger?

[hotrod98]

One track mind here....yes, '72 Charger. I was surprised, but it is identical to the radius on the daytona trunk piece that I got from Gene Gregory last week. You would need to modify the piece where the weatherstrip goes since it sticks out far enough to interfere with the ribs of the reinforcement, but I think that it would be fairly simple. A friend of mine is restoring a 72 rallye car and has two parts cars. I hope to end up with one of the dutchman panels for my dyatona project. As soon as I get it I can compare the lines with the charger to see if it can be used. All that I know at this point is that the radius is the same.
I'm just slowly gathering the stuff for both the bird and the daytona projects at this point.

[Daytona R/T SE]

Hmmm, Before I spend another minute thinking about fabricating this piece, I need to run over to my friend's barn where I've got both of my 72's stored and check this out...

Of course, I just HAD to scrap that rusted, stripped '72 shell I had   

I wonder if 71-74 Chargers are all made the same in the drip rail area?  Hotrod, can you try it out on your '74   I think I might know where there is a '73 being parted out...

[hotrod98]

I have the trunk piece here at the dealership. I'll take it home and match it up to my 74.

[hotrod98]

Exact same radius.  I still have no idea if the dimensions will match up with the 69 trunk lip though. I'm sure that it could be modified to work somehow.

[Daytona R/T SE]

WOW! That does match up exactly !  Thanks for checking Hotrod !...

[hotrod98]

I was surprised when I first compared them. The daytona piece in the picture is upside down of course, but the radius would be the same either way.
When I laid it on my buddy's car with the deck lid off and the daytona piece in the correct position, it interferes with the weatherstrip lip a little. If the 71 up dutchman panel will line up with the 69 drip rail, it still may require a little modification to work. I'm not going to start on my daytona clone until my bird clone is finished later this year so I won't be trying anything just yet. Hopefully, I can find another 69 charger to use for the daytona clone by then so I don't have to sacrifice my triple black R/T SE.
If anyone experiments with this 71 up dutchman panel, be sure and post the results, good or bad.
Inquiring minds want to know.

[daytonalo]

I MADE MY OWN WITH A BRAKE THEN PUT SOME RELIEF CUTS IN IT A THEN WORKED THE RADIUS INTO IT .

[wetfeetmi]

   It never occurred to me, I should consult the clone gurus more often. You guys are always thinking.
Keep ideas coming. Rick