Daytona clone or leave it be?

[Indygenerallee]

Stuart, Thanks for those pics!! every little bit helps, I really appreciate it!!   

[hotrod98]

The Superbird latch tray support is different than the Daytona version. The Daytona support is flat.

[BigBlockSam]

I FINALLY found better pictures of the bird bracket off core support to hold the latch tray

that's exactly what mine looks like . definitely not straight

[Indygenerallee]

Here is a pic I have of a original Daytona latch tray setup, I wish the pic was bigger as it is kind of hard to see but to me it looks as if the piece that welds to the core support is slightly angled???


daytdetails127 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr

[Charger-Bodie]

Maybe the stinger z braces require the step down bracket. Mine is flat aswell as any original Daytona Ive seem.

[Indygenerallee]

I made steel Z brackets and I believe Stinger made them off original Z brackets because I can see the indentions for the holes near the headlight buckets.

[BigBlockSam]

do what works 

[Indygenerallee]

Yeah, I am still awaiting my pieces from Larry so no biggie when I get them I will tackle it 

[dads_69]

I need to ask, what condition is your 72' Swinger in? Any photos?

[Indygenerallee]

Super nice 72 Swinger!! Just putting the finishing touches on it! Arizona car, I painted it plum crazy (painted a black tail stripe and hood blackout) twin hoodscoops, new black interior, great running 318 4bbl,727  car it will be for sale as soon as I do a final buff and polish on it! I was meaning to take some pics of it the other day, I will see if I have any on the computer here.

[Indygenerallee]

Here is a crappy pic I took after I painted it last fall!! I will say this it was tough finding new front and rear window gaskets!!!


100_0485 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr

[dads_69]

Ha, way cool! I had a 72' Swinger years ago I painted it the same but with a white tail stripe. 340 auto was sweet also I had in it vs the 6 shooter that once powered it. Car is up north of me now used as a drag car only now. I'm a big A-body fan as well. Thanks for the info 
Mark

[Indygenerallee]

Yeah all the sheetmetal on the car is original!! floors, trunk, rails every bit of the sheetmetal on the car looks like it did when new!! It was that nasty baby poop green color, It's not a perfect paint job but for what I have in it I can't complain and everyone that has seen it loves it!! A-bodies don't bring huge money anyway (compared to B and E bodies) It's a fun car and will make someone a heck of a nice little Dart!!

[hotrod98]

Here is a pic I have of a original Daytona latch tray setup, I wish the pic was bigger as it is kind of hard to see but to me it looks as if the piece that welds to the core support is slightly angled???


daytdetails127 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr

The ends of the latch tray bracket are cut at an angle which gives the optical illusion that there is a break. The bracket that I sent you doesn't have the ends cut at an angle.  When I had these made, I used a set that Howie loaned me for the dimensions. I think they were made by Janek. I've been just cutting the ends before welding them into place. 
I have found that on some fiberglass noses, the lip is made in a way that has the latch tray mounting slightly further from the core support. With fiberglass, anything can go slightly wrong. I think in some cases, the fiberglass has shrunk slightly and in others it was molded incorrectly to begin with.
It's possible that you may have to add another piece or use this bracket as a template to make a wider piece. It really depends on how close your nose was made to an original nose. The older Janek noses had this problem but his newer ones have been corrected. Dimensionally, the correct way to solve this would be to cut and re-fiberglass the nose but it's also the most difficult.
Let me know how everything fits.
The valance bracket and the frame brackets have worked in all cases so you should be good to go on those pieces.
You should see those parts on Monday.

[Indygenerallee]

Larry, Thanks for the info I will post some pics once I get it mocked up!

[Indygenerallee]

I received the brace pieces from Larry today and they sure are nice!!! I am going to post a couple pics to see if this is the correct way they are bolted up! That lower brace is really going to re-inforce that lower valance to nose for sure!!


100_1228 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr
100_1227 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr

[hotrod98]

Glad you got them...finally.  They will make aligning everything much easier.  I found some more sets if anyone else needs them. Was hoping that I could find some more wing braces since I have a couple of people looking for some.  I might break down and make another batch of the wing braces.

[Indygenerallee]

Larry, If you make some more wing braces count me in!!

[Indygenerallee]

I just got my wing braces in I bought from Janek, I am glad I bought them instead of making them because I thought they were flat on both ends and now I see they are canted. Should look good with my wing when I get it from Dane!!!


100_1265 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr
100_1264 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr

[Lighthorseman]

  ...I might break down and make another batch of the wing braces.

Count me in too, please!  I'm still kicking myself for missing the last batch!

[BigBlockSam]

Should look good with my wing when I get it from Dane!!!

you will never regret buying Dane's wing . makes your car a better Machine  . it acts just like a real wing . i like to build Machines that work not just look good. 

[Highbanked Hauler]

I just got my wing braces in I bought from Janek, I am glad I bought them instead of making them because I thought they were flat on both ends and now I see they are canted. Should look good with my wing when I get it from Dane!!!


100_1265 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr
100_1264 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr

  Not being up on winged cars I am surprised that the factory didn't use the NASCAR type braces for the wings as they look easier to make than the sheet metal type.

[Aero426]

Extra labor would have been required to fasten the race style tubes inside the wing upright.   It would also create cosmetic work on the outside of the wing upright where the fasteners would be placed.

[hotrod98]

The sheet metal wing braces are much more complicated to make than they look. The dimensions have to be dead on or they wont fit together. There are stiffeners welded into the ends so there are actually ten different pieces that have to be made to make up a complete set.

BTW, you can use the daytona wing braces on a bird. I've done it before. The bottom brackets need to be bent slightly more to sit flat on the floor and bolt it in like a Daytona or you can cut the bracket off and weld it to the floor like a bird bracket. Then just add a thick washer on top to make up for the difference in quarter panel height. That's what they did on the birds.

[Indygenerallee]

I have not had a lot of time lately but I did a little trimming on the nose last night and got a really good gap where hood meets nosecone and I need to cut the sides of the Stinger nose and flare it out that way I get a good fender to nosecone fitment since there will be no rubber gasket.


IMAG0032 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr
IMAG0033 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr
IMAG0034 by indygenerallee1, on Flickr