Possible Daytona Clone Build... need advice.

[NYCMille]

Hey guys -

I am starting to do a little research here as it is very possible I many building a Daytona clone in the VERY near future. Where is the best place to get the reproduction parts, i.e.: nose cone, wing, rear window plug? Also, is there one manufacturer that is better or worse than another? How is there service and prices etc.

Any and all information that everyone had would be great - also, if anyone is selling a Daytona clone I would be interested in speaking with you.

Cheers and thanks - Mike

[hemigeno]

Hi Mike!   

Would this be for the next BullRun car??   

If you're not able to swing a deal for Larry's car, here's several past threads regarding reproduction parts.  Some of them are more informative than others, but it's what I could come up with through scanning the forum threads.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,91.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,11329.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,12157.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,14645.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,19662.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,25243.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,25906.0.html


That's enough reading to make your eyes cross, I know.  Some good information and experiences in there though.

Good Luck!

Geno

[daytonalo]

  :popcrn:Beat you to it , RENE !!!!!!!

[NYCMille]

Thank you.

[pandamarie]

I have just started making a Daytona clone to use as my everyday driver. I researched all the vendors I could find to look for the best prices and the best quality parts for the moneyand this is what I have come up with.
Daytoalo, Larry for the A pillar trim, Trunk Hinges and Wing washers.
Hotrod98,Larry for the trunk lid part or have him modify your trunk lid for you, either way cheaper than anyone else and great part. also the wing braces for inside the trunk.
Im using a vega hatchback to save a grand since it looks so close and I only paid $10 for it.
The rest of the parts Im getting from Ted Janek in Texas, So far he has called almost every weekend to give me up dates on the progress. and everyone that I have talked to that has used his parts say the fit is great and they didnt have to do any work to make things line up. unlike what Ive read about the stinger parts. Right now I am waiting on a friend to move before I can get the vega plug welded in and reshaped to look a little more like the real thing.
My total for everything so far is 1025.00 Ted wont take your money till the parts are done but what I ordered comes to 5200.00 plus whatever shipping will cost. I will have close to 7000 into just the parts including the 70 front fenders and hood. I will post pics of Teds work when the parts come in which he said should be around the middle of august.

[daytonalo]

For the money spent with stinger , 650 for nose and 200 for valance , 200 for doors and buckets , Made the rest from steel and headlights operate as original , VERY, VERY few clones have headlights that function as orig . Ted make a great nose and headlight doors , valance , buy those items and not his fiberglass -z-brackets , fiberglass a -pillar [ what a joke ] and also f/g pivots .

[pandamarie]

Larry, for the money and time spent on making everything fit and work on the stinger parts would you say its a better deal than Teds parts??
A friend of mine just sold a superbird clone using Teds parts and said he didnt have to work on any of the parts in the nose everything bolted up and worked first time. I agree with you on the Z brackets but money is tight with me out of work with a broken back, another reason I want parts that I have to do as little work on as possible. Plus I can always get my friend to make me a pair out of steel once I have a set for patterens.

[pandamarie]

Anyone know of a place to get all the rubber seals that go into making the daytona??

[BigBlockSam]

Ted's parts fit great. nosecone and headlight doors but i believe you need metal z brackets . there under alot of stress and over time they won't hold up . plus all the moving parts in the headlight operations should be metal .  Dayclona sells a nice kit. just a little expensive. again , over time fiberglass might crack . try to get an aluminum wing  Daytonaguy is selling them . fiberglass wings shake at high speeds. i researched my replica for 2 yrs before i started building it. do it rite the first time and enjoy her.  . Rene

[NYCMille]

Guys this is all wonderful, thanks so much for the info. I will keep everyone posted on what ensues.

[PocketThunder]

Guys this is all wonderful, thanks so much for the info. I will keep everyone posted on what ensues.

Will Mr. Angry be going on the block soon?  Or are you gonna convert him?

[NYCMille]

MR ANGRY will still be in the garage - this will be an entirely new build.

[BigBlockSam]

will this one be called MR. HAPPY. 

[Charger1973]

Mr. Angry's sister.   

[Daytona R/T SE]

Mike, I'm in the middle of my Daytona project right now. I bought the whole kit from Janak.

http://www.wingedwarriorbodyparts.com/

( Before you ask, it took seven months -almost to the day from the time I ordered my parts to the time they showed up on my doorstep- almost exactly how long Ted said it would take ) Most of the parts I got from him I'm using as-is. Some of his parts are just being used as a pattern to fabricate my own parts in steel, like the rear window plug I made:

  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,10669.0.html

The nosecone fits real nice, and the headlight doors fit well too, I'll be making my own steel pivot brackets in the next few weeks, headlight doors will be operational.

I shortened my own trunk lid and used a steel cap from Gene Gregory:

  http://www.alhambracustomservice.bravehost.com/index.html

The fiberglass trunk cap is too flimsy in my opinion.

I made my own rear window  trim:

  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,21596.0.html

And I bought a reproduction rear glass:

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,8707.0.html

The wing from Janak has a steel reinforcement running though the horizontal part and the uprights are reinforced with aluminum. I've heard the horror stories of fiberglass wings shaking at speed, but this one's stiffer than a wedding night prick...not all fiberglass parts are created equal...

If you're not overly anal about your trunklid hinges appearing 100% original, I can show you how to make a pair for about $10.

[daytonalo]

I THINK YEARONE  HAS THE SEALS . YEARONE = BEND OVER

[BigBlockSam]

Mr. Angry's sister.   

Miss Angry , could paint her pink with flowers. 

[NYCMille]

Well, it looks as though we're going to go forward with this build which has offically been named: "PROJECT ANGRIER". Need an opinion on this though, what I am planning to do is will be pretty radical and I was wondering if it would be simply be easier to just start with finished clone (actually a finished body if I can find one) to be purchased and then revamp it as I see fit or do start from scratch with a 69' Charger and then build it up.

What does everyone think about this?

[BigBlockSam]

if it would be simply be easier to just start with finished clone (actually a finished body 

hey Mike
  i think it would be hard to find a decent clone for under $25-$30.000.

i believe the easiest way to do it, is to start with a 70 charger body. you need 70 front fenders and hood so the nose will line up . if you start with a 69 body you will have to change the front fenders and hood to 70 ones. then mount a nose with fixed headlights on it and throw a wing on the back , BAM! daytona clone. then you can spend your money on building the drive train , brake's and suspension .
when you buy someone else's clone . you don't know how it was built . there's alot of shitty work done to some of these cars out there . Rene

[NYCMille]

My biggest concern is the rear window plug. I am just trying to find out the best way to go about doing it - I know the vega hatch is one solution and I know that looks wise, it is VERY close. Also, the tail panal is a 69' unit. Would it be easier to go for a 70' and then graph on a 69' tail?

[daytonalo]

? THE TAIL PANEL IS THE SAME . MY CAR IS A 70 , JUST WELDED UP A FEW HOLES FROM TAIL LIGHT TRIM AND DONE DEAL . GO VEGA LIKE I DID AND SPEND 150.00 OR THE OTHER ROUTE FOR 4000.00 IF YOU CANT MAKE ANY OF THE PARTS LIKE DAYTONAGUY .

[BigBlockSam]

THE TAIL PANEL IS THE SAME   

yep, are you trying to build an accurate clone or a resto mod. most people don't use the rear window plug and 98% of the world will never know the difference.

[NYCMille]

I know most of the world won't know, but I'll know and although this is not going to be "perfect" clone I feel the rear plug is one of the best modifications from a asthetic point of view and really helps show the true lines of the car. The car will DEFINITELY be more restomod than replica, but I do want it to have all the KEY pieces in place.

[BigBlockSam]

I know most of the world won't know, but I'll know 

yep, thats how i feel. i would not be able to walk pass the car without looking at the wrong back window.

[PocketThunder]

Check this out.  Might be a good starting point..

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,29526.0.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,28897.0.html




Paul
in St. Paul