Daytona clone or leave it be?

[Indygenerallee]

Larry,Thanks for the trunk hinge template just got it in today!! Now to get some tubing!! Also what was the spec on the piece of channel that has the nuts welded to it that is welded into the decklid, I saw the hinges are slotted for adjustment. Just trying to get these pieces all lined out!

[Indygenerallee]

Just talked to Gene today so I have one of his closeout panels coming!

[hotrod98]

How much are they now? I might buy another one to stash in case I ever need it.

[Indygenerallee]

$300 plus shipping ($330 shipped to Indiana)

[Indygenerallee]

Well I just got my Stinger Daytona kit in today at 4:00!!!! Unpacked everything and everything was there and in good shape nothing was cracked or broke! (It came UPS as well!!! Suprise, suprise!!) I was kind of suprised as it came with the wing washers and they were not listed in the parts included!? Looks like the nuts in the wing are in a straight line and not offset like the originals but I can live with that, I was kind of disappointed the nosecone headlight holes were left uncut as I wanted but there is a major recess where the headlight buckets rest (bout 3/4 inch down from surface of nose cone, the headlight mounts, buckets are not as flimsy as I figured they would be, the nosecone spoiler is pretty thin but I am going to run a custom lazercut aluminum "Nascar" styled piece. I am still waiting on my closeout panel from Gene, Did order a AMD 71-74 B-body dutchman panel and have my original hinges I had rebuilt on their way back so I can mount the doors and start lining up the full quarters to start welding everything together!! I will post some pics tomorrow!!

[hotrod98]

Looking forward to the pics. I've been busy mounting the nose on a six pack B5 blue bird today. Kind of fun working on wingcars...

[Indygenerallee]

Sweet! Hotrod I did have a favor to ask of you!!  could you measure from the front window opening edge to the back window leading edge?? Rick at Stinger had a diagram and it said 69" but I think he might have been including the trim as well, also it stated cutting the sail panels and slipping the vega hatch into the quarters? I thought it just laid on top? mine lays right down and fits good on top? Is there a drawback? only thing I could see is roofline might not matchup? Any more pics from the Vega hatch gurus! 

[richRTSE]

this may help...

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,63115.0.html

[Indygenerallee]

Thanks Rich!! I bookmarked it!!!

[hotrod98]

If you left the inner frame of the vega plug for strength, you should have had to slit the sail panels for the plug to fit down flush. If you set the plug in and move it back and forth in the opening, you will find a place where the transition off of the roof looks right. I lay a three foot long aluminum ruler flat on top of the roof and bow it down over the plug to check the transition. It might vary from car to car. There really is no correct location. Just place it where it looks best.

[Indygenerallee]

Oh I skinned the thing completely!  after I did it I said wtf did I just do this is loose as a goose! But when I sat it on top of the sail panels the sail panels were so close to the vega pinchweld it seems really rigid so I don't think I will have a problem with it, Good idea on the ruler!!
100_1049 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr

[Indygenerallee]

I had a sheet of 14 ga. sheetmetal so I decided to use these fiberglass Z brackets that came with the Stinger kit to make a set of steel ones!! I broke the fiberglass ones and stacked 4 cinder blocks on top to trace the outline on the 14 ga. grabbed the ol' sawzall and cut the passenger side one out first, I don't have a sheetmetal brake so I used a stack of cinder blocks and measured out each bend and I have only done the passenger side so far (only took one hour to make it!!) fits in the nosecone perfect I take it on the metal nosecones they were flanged on the inside for these to bolt to? I was going to glass on a set of supports on the bottom and top of the cone and then bolt it to the end of the headlight buckets ( I think thats the way original Daytona was!) I will weld a re-inforcement lip around the perimiter of the steel brace to strengthen it even further. here are some pics!
100_1097 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr
100_1098 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr
100_1100 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr

[Highbanked Hauler]

 Looks great, what did you get for fenders ?

[Indygenerallee]

I have a lead on a set of 70 fenders out in California that are not rotted or banged up for $750 just getting them here to Indiana in one piece!! hopefully they can send them Greyhound. This other passenger side 70 fender that I bought on Ebay over a month ago I still have not received and it was coming from Iowa and the guy swears up and down he sent it Greyhound a couple days after I bought it, but I think he is yanking my chain as I had a General Lee roll bar shipped from Louisiana and it came Greyhound and came in a week!!

[Indygenerallee]

Well I made the driver side Z brace after I got back from the mother in-laws Easter get together this evening. I am happy with both of them! Now to start making the metal headlight bucket pivots I had a question on the headlight buckets, were the original buckets riveted into the nose or bolted to the Z bracesor both? I was thinking of bolting the fiberglass headlight buckets (they are pretty stout compared to the Z brackets and headlight pivots) and then when I bolt the Z braces into the nose and get the fitment right glass the buckets into the nose that way i can unbolt Z braces and install the headlight pivots, I will probably run a electric motor saw a couple cars in different threads with neat setups.

[Indygenerallee]

I found a color scheme I really like on a toy Daytona no less!! I really like black and the silver wing/stripe looks great and I have always like the 70 Charger hood callouts so I might run those big HEMI decals in silver! I think the Daytonas should have had those on them from the factory since the Nascar versions had the 426 cu. in. on the hoods.
blackdaytonacar by indygenerallee1, on Flickr

[Indygenerallee]

Played around a little after the customers came and picked up cars tonight! I sat the Z brackets inside the nosecone and to just see how far away the nose is to coming to these 69 fenders I sat it back in front of it to get a feel for it, I also made a template of the side of the Daytona valance panel and taped it to the lower bodyline and it looks good to me. I have finally decided to modify these fenders as all the good 70 fenders I find they are either trash or so far away and nobody wants to ship so I am going to make a filler panel for the bumper indention area and box in the front of the fender and add a sloped plate to the top edge, on the front leading edge I was going to box the leading edge in (say 1" wide all the way around where it contacts nosecone) and weld nuts behind the leading edge that way I can put at least 2 bolts per side horizontal bolting the nosecone to the fenders. Here are some pics!   
100_1105 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr

100_1104 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr
100_1103 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr

[Daytona Guy]

That front edge line of the fender needs to be perfectly vertical on a level stance. Can't wait to see this mod to the fenders. Also, your 70 hood will give you guidance.

Dane

[DAY CLONA]

[quote  I have finally decided to modify these fenders as all the good 70 fenders I find they are either trash or so far away and nobody wants to ship
[/quote]





WS Racing in Ohio makes fiberglass bolt on 70 Charger fenders, as does Stinger Fiberglass.......I have several pairs of used and NOS 70 Charger/Daytona fenders, I have one pair of 70 Charger fenders that I bought off one of my customer's whose Daytona project took a turn mid project, I'd be willing to part with these,... both fenders have been converted in the valance area, rather nicley too, but the side marker lights are still there (open) if you want to run 70 side markers, the passenger fender is NOS, that's been converted in the valance area also, they are clean, dent free, in primer, the drivers side has had a lower patch installed in the rocker area, but they are basically primer/paint ready, no body work needed, other than blocking,...$750 plus shipping takes them,...I'd estimate truck freight at $250-$350 minimum to Indiana


Mike

[BigBlockSam]

$750 plus shipping takes them,...I'd estimate truck freight at $250-$350 minimum to Indiana

I'd use 70 fenders before modifying the 69 ones . it's just a lot more correct .

[Charger-Bodie]

I would go with those from Mike, I almost went with them when I built mine until I found some fairly close by.

[Indygenerallee]

Well, I appreciate all the leads but I got a bug up my ass this afternoon and the bodysaw was calling my name  ,
100_1107 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr
100_1108 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr

[Highbanked Hauler]

 A sawsall is a deadly weapon in some hands

[Indygenerallee]

bodysaw, not sawzall there is a difference! 

[hotrod98]

The word "saw" pretty much says somethings getting ready to be cut up. 
I toyed with the same idea but found a set of 70 fenders just in the nick of time. A friend of mine has a 70 front clip that he would trade for a complete 69 front clip.