My Daytona clone project...

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Barrett started to fix the old rear window channel problems.
He's making new panels where the sail panels/ window channels were.
The drivers side wasn't as damaged as the passenger side was. So he had to mimic what was a little better from the drivers side. A lot more fabbing involved there.
The last picture is the pile that's building up in the back seat area.
He informed me that was my job to clean up. 

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Barrett really got into the rear window structure/ Dutchman panel yesterday.
Again, this area was the worst area for rust. The whole structure under the Dutchman was swiss cheesy and rotted out. Surprisingly the package tray/ speaker shelf was in decent shape.
After much discussion, we decided to eliminate that whole deal.
We now have a Charger "Business Man's Coupe".  
Now before some say "There goes the strength!"... Barrett is going to add side to side bracing under the panel. And will box in the ends down to the wheel tubs. And it will have the roll bar tubes going all the way back into the trunk. Along with the full frame which extends just past the rear axle. Then it ties into the old rear frame rails under the trunk floor.
And he will then run a full panel down to the floor board from the Dutchman. This will also give me the firewall required by some racing associations.

First picture... The Frankensteining in of the old rusted out sail panel area. See the previous pictures.
Second... The clear shot into the truck area with all the old underside, rotted bracing removed.
Third ...  Where the fuel cell will sit.
Fourth...  The bracing behind where the back seat used to go. This will be gone too. I'm putting bucket seats where the bench seat went. They will sit back a little further. And there will be room behind them for luggage. Since my trunk has become a fuel tanker.
Fifth... another mock up shot with all the old, damaged metal removed.

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

I bought custom glass from a fellow who used to supply glass for movie cars. He did the glass for the Fast and Furious Daytona.  I broke a piece two years later and found out he had passed away but had sold his molds to another company when he retired. I was dealing with side glass but the new company as able to make me a new piece. I don't know if the rear glass is sized correctly but they probably have a mold. Anyway the company is Cinema Vehicles , 12580 Saticoy St. North Hollywood, Ca. 91605  1-818-780-6272.

Well, I've been talking with Tyler over at Cinema Vehicles. He said he thought they had that mold. After asking the glass guy he said it looks like they don't have it after all.
Bummer. Because he said their glass guy is a wizard with auto glass. Tyler mentioned he could mold the holes for the window bracing. That would have solved an issue I needed done.
Looks like I'm having the same issues with the wheels I wanted to run.
Sheesh!

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

I ordered a big chunk of the kit from the Janak's the other day.
Barrett is still working on the trunk area.
I was up at his "ranch" Saturday helping him hold the metal for the trunk firewall he's die forming for it.
Pictures will follow once he ties the dutchman and other assorted pieces together.

[tan top]

 

[hemi68charger]

Kurt.. Will the package tray structure be replaced? I would think it would supply additional strength and rigidity to the rear of the car...

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Kurt.. Will the package tray structure be replaced? I would think it would supply additional strength and rigidity to the rear of the car...

My son, Barrett, will reinforce that whole area by by boxing in the sides down to the new widened wheel tubs where the package tray tied in with the sides originally. See the picture above.
He's going to run some small square tubing under the dutchman panel attaching it to that boxed in area for strength..  
There will be a firewall also tying all those pieces together where there was nothing before. Stock just had the rear seat back there.
Not to mention, I now have a frame running from the front bumper area all the way past the rear axle that ties to the original rear frame area.
AND the roll cage will go trough that area tying the frame in the back.
We're removing the old V braces that were behind the rear back of the seat.
That all should make it stronger than stock.
All this will also give me some storage space for long trips. This is a good thing because the trunk is taken up somewhat with my fuel storage tank.  

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Barrett's been chipping away at the rear trunk support area.
He finished the boxing in of the old "package tray" area.
This action really firmed everything up.
And it's like "third row seating" back there now.
Soon to start... the rear window plug.

[mopar4don]

will this have a back seat?

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

will this have a back seat?

Yes. Going with two removable buckets.

[tan top]

 

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

More finishing out of the trunk area.
Those boxes are the "capping off" of the old package tray bracing.
If you look above at the last picture I posted, you'll see the inside portion of the same area.
Next he'll be adding a 2x3 rectangular tube piece from one side of the '"box" to the other side "box". This will give lots of support to the dutchman panel.

[tan top]

  looking good     

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Well, after months of delay, Barrett, my son,  is finally starting to work on my Daytona again. He really got busy with work and a bunch of other things. And he whined about not getting paid for doing this work on the Daytona. Of course, I had to remind him of the numerous things I've done for him the last 40 years. And just recently his windmill project that I helped put up in a 14 hour day.
I can understand not having money coming in while working for free on something. So we came to a compromise deal. He's going to really attack my car... unless something comes up where he needs to work on a project.
Progress...

He got the window plug welded in...

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

And fitting of the rear valance/ bumper/ tail light panel...

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Barrett almost has the rear panel area done. And started the fitting of the trunk lid.
With the Daytona rear window plug , obviously one must cut the depth of the original lid. Barrett has been fretting doing the cut on the trunk lid.
So he dove into yesterday and realized it wasn't all that bad.
He also started the process of cutting and filling the bottom of the trunk lid...

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Of course, I showed him a rear panel of a '68 Charger build in the latest Mopar Collectors Guide, and said I really like that setup. I think he's looking forward to doing it like that..

[DAY CLONA]

Just asking....but is there a reason for the base of the plug being so far forward (looks about 4 inches further up the roof line), past (in front of) the gas cap/filler?


MikeG

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Just asking....but is there a reason for the base of the plug being so far forward (looks about 4 inches further up the roof line), past (in front of) the gas cap/filler?


MikeG

Might be the angle of the picture?
Barrett mounted it flush to where the top of the sail panels ended at the roof line.
This plug is a direct replica of an original Daytona plug.
It filled the opening all the way down the sail panels from top to bottom.
Maybe your gauging the view from the open spot on the right side where he cut out some rust.

[DAY CLONA]

Just asking....but is there a reason for the base of the plug being so far forward (looks about 4 inches further up the roof line), past (in front of) the gas cap/filler?


MikeG

Might be the angle of the picture?
Barrett mounted it flush to where the top of the sail panels ended at the roof line.
This plug is a direct replica of an original Daytona plug.
It filled the opening all the way down the sail panels from top to bottom.
Maybe your gauging the view from the open spot on the right side where he cut out some rust.

Your plug is definitely mounted high....looks like the top of the plug was cut off? (which is about 4" in width) your trunk leading edge should be before the gas cap (I assume that gas cap is in it's stock location?) FYI: the finished trunk lid side edges should measure 21 1/2 ", the finished trunk opening along the rear qtr edges INCLUDING the rear qtr potmetal caps installed, should measure approx 21 3/4"+, I only mention this so you don't get too far along, easier to make changes now...MikeG

[70 sublime]

You can also see in the trunk lid that you made to fit the hole is too long
The edge of your new made trunk lid has part of the shape that starts to taper in as it gets closer to the back window of the car
The trunk lid should be short enough enough all the taper part is cut off the lid

[panhead]

Good day Kurt,

Here is some measurement's that I have taken off my C-500 in regard to your widow plug.

Photo #1 this is from the top center of the windshield opening to the top center of the rear window opening of the plug.
Photo #2&3 Is of the lower half of the window plug (center)
Photo #4&5 Bottom corner of the plug to the end of the quarter with extension

I hope this helps; no disrespect intended

Curt

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Yeah. My son cut off about 3.5 inches off the top of the plug. Something about the way it laid.  
This is a clone... so I'll live with this.
Sean Machado told me he wished his truck lid was a little bigger every time he puts something inside of it.  
Barrett said we will move the gas fill and no one will notice... except for you guys.  Oh well. I'm not running the stock fill lift off cap anyway.
Thanks for pointing out the errors.

Back at it.
Barrett's #1 welder is still up at the welder shop waiting for "The Factory" replacement switch.
He became such a squeaky wheel... they gave him a loaner welder. He has a few welders anyways, but the one he likes best for welding thin metal is still on the fritz.
So he started fiddling with the loaner and got it to work good enough.

He's attacking some of the skin cancer lately...

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Drivers side..

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

He figured out the correct way to get the hinges cut and put together before I took a picture of Sean's original Daytona.



And before you guys pointed out the error... Barrett already finished the truck area out... cleaned up the cancer around the truck area and finished up the trunk lid...