My Daytona clone project...

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Cool project!  

Hi Kurt,                 07 October 2021

Finished reading this full thread. Fantastic project. You and your son are doing a fine job. Wishing you the best of luck with it.

What color have you selected for the body?

Thanks for the info you provided us.

Best Always

426 Hemi Chicks

Thanks for the kind comments.

My first choice was red. There's already 4 red Daytona's running around here in the Coachella Valley. Two clones. Two real ones.
I want this car to be obnoxious. So I'm going with one of the most obnoxious colors Mopar came up with... Citron Yella/ Curious Yellow with a red wing.
And to let all the purist know that this isn't a real Daytona.
That should be fairly obvious.    But the color should set that theory to rest.
And when my clone goes by someone, I want them to think "What the heck was that?"

And glad to be of help.

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

keep up the good work Kurt,

I did have a 73 Wagon myself too...
Wished I never sold her...

Do you know how many times I've heard that comment?
I always lecture the group over at Ramcharger Central to be wary about selling their trucks.
They say they get tired of this or that. Or there's too many things wrong with it.
I suggest they do what I've done to my truck these last almost 47 years when those thoughts come up to me.. Put a new radio in it! Reupholster the seat! Paint it! Put a new engine with more horsepower in it!
Anything but sell it!
Because in 3, 4 ,5, 6 years you'll be saying "I wish I never sold my old truck. Man I loved that truck!" 

[426HemiChick]

Thanks for the kind comments.

My first choice was red. There's already 4 red Daytona's running around here in the Coachella Valley. Two clones. Two real ones.
I want this car to be obnoxious. So I'm going with one of the most obnoxious colors Mopar came up with... Citron Yella/ Curious Yellow with a red wing.
And to let all the purist know that this isn't a real Daytona.
That should be fairly obvious.    But the color should set that theory to rest.
And when my clone goes by someone, I want them to think "What the heck was that?"

And glad to be of help.

Hi Kurt,               10 October 2021

Thanks for the info, we received the November issue of MCG Friday. Enjoyed the magazine, has a lot of good advertisers and articles. We subscribed for a year, will probably extend it once home in Laveen.

Your Daytona is coming along fine and looks great. Can't wait to see it when you have it finished.

Take Care.

Best Always

426 Hemi Chicks

[aerolith]

Too True Kurt!

I sold my 73 manual truck to a friend as he was struggling with life!
He actually worked at a famous UK 'USA' dealership for Ford.
Got to work on all the those nice GT40 thingy's...

But his boss was a 'skinflint' and he struggled to make ends meet.

So I sold him the 73 truck (cheap) and it brought a smile to his face!!!
He was very happy for a while and then, totally 'outta da blue' 'had a stroke' so life can be cruel in may ways.

Back to Charger 500's and Daytona Clones...

The guy I bought my Charger 500 from, had already built a Daytona '22' clone.
Vey nice too and wanted me to buy her for $35,000, a lot of dosh back in 2003!

But he also had a 69 rolling Charger shell and the Daytona moulds too, for another project.

But out of the THREE options 'available' the Charger 500 was the definitely the BEST!!! (at that time)

Now I'm thinking the Daytona project was 'more up my street' as an ex racer and NoN-resto kinda GUY!

Difficult to make the right decisions sometimes???

[aerolith]

For me it would have to be a Lunchbox clone lol...

I always let the wife help me with my builds...

Love the 'make-up' on the cheek...

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

For me it would have to be a Lunchbox clone lol...

I always let the wife help me with my builds...

Love the 'make-up' on the cheek...

Nice stories there!
That's a handsome couple there too!

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Well, after a really long wait my rear window plug finally showed up yesterday...

I'll run it up to my sons shop so he can start stitch welding into place.

[70 sublime]

For us vega hatch fools could you measure how much metal is above the glass , how tall the glass space is and how much metal is below the glass ?

Just trying to decide how much of a metal spacer I would need to add at the top to get the glass positioned as close as an original one would have been using the vega hatch

[panhead]

Well, after a really long wait my rear window plug finally showed up yesterday...

I'll run it up to my sons shop so he can start stitch welding into place.

Things are looking really good.

By chance can you post a picture of the under side. I'm curious if it has any under structure supports.


Curt

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

For us vega hatch fools could you measure how much metal is above the glass , how tall the glass space is and how much metal is below the glass ?

Just trying to decide how much of a metal spacer I would need to add at the top to get the glass positioned as close as an original one would have been using the vega hatch

I'll get that for you. Give me a day.

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Well, after a really long wait my rear window plug finally showed up yesterday...

I'll run it up to my sons shop so he can start stitch welding into place.

Things are looking really good.

By chance can you post a picture of the under side. I'm curious if it has any under structure supports.


Curt

Sure. I tried with the top view... but this dorky, old fashioned web site said it was too big...
The 2nd picture is some channels that also came with it. Looks like the window channels to me.
This is all unfamiliar to me. I have Sean Machado to help if I need it. My son says "Oh, we don't need him!" Will see.
This unit is supposed to be "an exact replacement" of what Dodge came up with originally.
Will see.

[70 sublime]

For us vega hatch fools could you measure how much metal is above the glass , how tall the glass space is and how much metal is below the glass ?

Just trying to decide how much of a metal spacer I would need to add at the top to get the glass positioned as close as an original one would have been using the vega hatch

I'll get that for you. Give me a day.

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

For us vega hatch fools could you measure how much metal is above the glass , how tall the glass space is and how much metal is below the glass ?

Just trying to decide how much of a metal spacer I would need to add at the top to get the glass positioned as close as an original one would have been using the vega hatch

Here you go. I hope this will help you...

[tan top]

 

[70 sublime]

Thanks 

[69 500]

Well, after a really long wait my rear window plug finally showed up yesterday...

I'll run it up to my sons shop so he can start stitch welding into place.
[
/quote]  i think I would dry fit the glass before welding in. and do not urathane it use betuel .

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Well, after a really long wait my rear window plug finally showed up yesterday...

I'll run it up to my sons shop so he can start stitch welding into place.
[
/quote]  i think I would dry fit the glass before welding in. and do not urathane it use betuel .

Thanks for the pointers.
I don't have the "glass" yet.
I'm going to run a Janik composite piece because I'm going to strap it.
And besides... glass is somewhat unattainable at the moment.

[cdr]

where did you get the rear window plug ?
Thanks Charlie

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

where did you get the rear window plug ?
Thanks Charlie

Hey Charlie!
If you go back to this post it should explain it all... http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,139275.msg1731666.html#msg1731666

Beware. This piece isn't cheap... not even close.
But it's a very accurate piece.

[cdr]

where did you get the rear window plug ?
Thanks Charlie

Hey Charlie!
If you go back to this post it should explain it all... http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,139275.msg1731666.html#msg1731666

Beware. This piece isn't cheap... not even close.
But it's a very accurate piece.

LOL, I don't know how I missed that part, Thank you

Well, my cast alum wing was $2300 shipped, plus the trunk braces, nothing is cheap to build one of these. GREAT build you have there !!! I could build a plug myself if I had a sample to copy, I could by a Janak one & copy it but then I would be stuck with it & the money spent, I really dont want to use a fiber glass one because of cracking, I drive my car a lot & drag race it.

[Stevearino]

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.

[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.

Hey! Thanks Steve!
Yes, i knew about that guy... if it's the same one. He actually was supplying that glass to AMD.
I called AMD over a year ago planning my moves. They told me about him. And why they weren't getting the back glass anymore.
If? Maybe? I go that direction... I will check out that lead.
Good to know anyway!

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

My son is starting to attack the plug.
We talked about the original window opening a while back, and we were thinking we'll just removing it... made sense to us.
After looking at some original Daytona's, including some on this site, we noticed that they retained that framework? Okay. I talked to Sean Machado about this and he said that was correct.
Something about strength. Pooh on that.
Barrett and I think it looks dorky. He said he'll surely put some reinforcement behind whatever he removes. And tie it all together.
Here's the first picture of the plug... just laying there... 

[panhead]

My son is starting to attack the plug.
We talked about the original window opening a while back, and we were thinking we'll just removing it... made sense to us.
After looking at some original Daytona's, including some on this site, we noticed that they retained that framework? Okay. I talked to Sean Machado about this and he said that was correct.
Something about strength. Pooh on that.
Barrett and I think it looks dorky. He said he'll surely put some reinforcement behind whatever he removes. And tie it all together.
Here's the first picture of the plug... just laying there... 

You really have some cool stuff going on there!!
Looking good 

Curt

[KurtfromLaQuinta]

Thanks Curt!
It's frustrating sometimes because I want this thing done NOW!
But, I realize it takes time for these kinds of projects. And I'm thankful my son is doing all the heavy metal work saving me tons of $$$ in the process.
I'm going to his "ranch" tomorrow to fix a couple of his trailers tail lights/ brake lights.
I work on his stuff... while he works on my stuff.   
Kurt