Ok, is the new Challenger on a Charger frame or not

[ACUDANUT]

 I have read articles saying yes and NO. Consumer reports says yes and MCG Mag says no. The mag even went as far as saying Chrysler said they had to make a new frame. However some guy in California said it was not necessary and was a waste of time and money. He actually made a 'cuda on the Charger frame. So what gives ?

[Cooter]

There are MANY opinions on what is considered a "Frame" today...I'm of the opinion that all newer cars are Primarily Unit-body cars, meaning they have no FUll perimeter frame like the older (1950's) cars did...The "Frame" they are prolly refering to is more likely a comment of the sub frame assy's and how they differ from each other as the Challenger is built on the "LX" platform...

[dodgecharger-fan]

Maybe "platform" is the better term to use.

Chargers, Magnums, and 300s were based on the LX platform.
The Challenger is based on the LY platform.

According to this: http://www.allpar.com/cars/ly/
They will all be LY platforms in 2010.

Without digging into the actual dimensions, I'd guess that they are pretty close - maybe exact enough to allow for body panel swaps with just a little tweaking - a la the cuda on a Charger platform you mentioned.
but underneath it all - there were two different platforms. Whatever the total of differences, they are different.

[Ghoste]

What Consumer Reports know about cars probably doesn't amount to a cup of coffee IMO.  But I'm not all that bright either.

[Ponch ®]

The Challenger is an LC, which is a shortened version of the LX platform, so yeah, they're on the same "frame", albeit modified.

The LY platform is used for concept cars.

From what I've been reading, the LX platform will be replaced by the LD platform in 2011 or so (whenever the new Charger and 300 come out)

[b5blue]

My understanding is this current platform was developed so it could be re-configured into 2-4 door 2-4 wheel drive and front or rear driven. Anything they make or have made is just a configuration of the basic universal platform. 

[Mike DC]

  
They made the 2008 Chally the same way they made the 1970 Chally - they roughly took a Charger's unibody platform and chopped out a few inches of wheelbase in the backseat area.




Is a shortened wheelbase a different platform?  Sorta.  


Are the two cars 100% the same under there besides the wheelbase change?  No.  

But a 1970 Chally's undercarriage is not exactly identical to a 1970 Charger's undercarriage either.  Even among the areas/components that are "shared" there are minor differences.