Shane Winn
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Now THAT is EXACTLY what I'm talking about!! Thank you!!
Build a Charger?
- Thread starter Shane Winn
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YY1
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Well, from a purely analytical standpoint the easiest path to this would likely be starting with a 66/67 car body.
The cowl and frame (unibody) are basically the same as 68-70.
On a 71-79, they are TOTALLY different.
On the 66/67 unibody, you would need to change the wheel houses and the gas tank/trunk floor configuration, plus for the Charger roofline, the C pillars.
Additionally, the dog house and doors would be bolt-ons, IIRC the dash as well. I'm sure there would be minor differences but nothing like starting with a 71-79.
The cowl and frame (unibody) are basically the same as 68-70.
On a 71-79, they are TOTALLY different.
On the 66/67 unibody, you would need to change the wheel houses and the gas tank/trunk floor configuration, plus for the Charger roofline, the C pillars.
Additionally, the dog house and doors would be bolt-ons, IIRC the dash as well. I'm sure there would be minor differences but nothing like starting with a 71-79.
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QOTHL
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My experience for what it's worth. There's a big difference between something that is cool and to be blunt, a 69 Charger. I usually show with a friend who has a 69 GTO. He gets a lot of compliments about how cool his car is,
and it is a beautiful car. I've never seen his car get the reaction my 69 gets: I've had a crowd of people follow me on to the show field so they could look at it when I parked (and I hate to say, it was pouring out) and just stare at it for 20 min. That's happened multiple times and finally they say: It's perfect. It is just a reaction of stunned silence and awe. It has a presence that can't be matched by anything, even another Mopar, in my opinion. That car has beaten new Challengers multiple times. When I've had the chance to look around after detailing the car, and look at the other cars, it is just so out of place compared to the bulky, ungraceful models especially Chevy. In my opinion, it can't be matched, ever. I HATE customizers who think they can improve on this body style. Can't be done.Here is a really cool conversion but it's not cheap. No original sheet metal was destroyed to produce this car:
Taking a Hellcat Redeye and putting a Charger Shell on it would be a great build!
That's the way to do it in my opinion. Do NOT take an original car and put all the hellcat stuff in it!
That's the way to do it in my opinion. Do NOT take an original car and put all the hellcat stuff in it!
QOTHL
Well-Known Member
I've seen some that are pretty nice and they didn't destroy the original body. Doing it to an R/T is a mistake in my opinion. My experience with the one 318 car I have is no one wants to see it. I'm putting an original Hemi in it eventually. The Challenger conversion above is done with customized panels made by the shop. I love my Challenger R/T and if I could afford it I'd love to have the car above.
cdr
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I wonder if it would be a profitable business to convert new challengers or chargers to 2nd gen charger look.
Even more accurate than the example above.
Maybe you could use fiberglass so you save weight and its relatively cheap and easy to use from what i understand.
I've seen people (father and son) doing it on german TV but they converted a mercedes.
So its probably not THAT expensive and doable with 2 persons only.
In my opinion this is better than putting everything from a new hellcat in an old charger.
QOTHL
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QOTHL
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I don't know how old you are but the thought occurs to me that you could easily spend 20K and then some. It might take some time and a lot of looking but what if that 15-20K real Charger comes along? It might take longer to get it built but it's going to take work either way. I almost settled for a 70 a couple of times because I couldn't find a decent 69 right away. It would have been a bit cheaper but I realized I would be settling for less than I wanted and it would take $$ away from the 69 I might eventually find. After sending an inspector to look at a 70 that turned out to be a big disappointment, within 2 weeks a listing came up that turned out to be a great 69 for decent money.
Some times people have to sell a car for less than they planned because they need the money for something like medical bills. I've heard that many times. I have also found that many people don't have the patience to look. It took me a year to find this car. A lot of Mopar is about looking and taking time. They're not like Chevy where there are a ton available and tons of cheap parts.
Outlawd
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The 69 charger is what it is...you either can afford it or not. Making a 69 out of anything else is really no different than somebody wanting a lamborghini and instead buying a kit volkswagen crappy look-a-like. Either way you will have to fess up to it.
Thats right but if you use a hellcat base for example you at least get a much better performing car.
So if you want performance this would be better than even the highest end restomods with less effort.
If you want the look and feel of a real 2nd gen charger, yeah than its just a replica. But can't have it both in just one car.
I got a real one and would never consider a crown victoria clone.
Hellcat clone is no replacement but would be a nice addition, though.
Outlawd
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Ya I get what your saying but the way the car performs and handles for it's age is part of the package. Mopar muscle cars.....you either have a real one or not, just my opinion, i'm just old school. its all good.
Thats right but if you use a hellcat base for example you at least get a much better performing car.
So if you want performance this would be better than even the highest end restomods with less effort.
If you want the look and feel of a real 2nd gen charger, yeah than its just a replica. But can't have it both in just one car.
I got a real one and would never consider a crown victoria clone.
Hellcat clone is no replacement but would be a nice addition, though.
Just like the car QOTHL posted in post #23, If I were in the market for a '69 Charger, I wouldn't even consider buying it. But if I were in the market for a modern Challenger, it would be at the top of my list (pending funds)!
QOTHL
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The 69 Charger handles really well considering the technology at that time. The 72 Charger is an awesome car to drive. Neither can hold a candle to the new Challenger. I like the seats of the two older cars and the roominess of the interior. Not a lot of insulation like new cars.
Shane Winn
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I hear you and don't disagree by any means. A real Charger would for sure be ideal. It was just a thought that was rolling around in my skull and wondered if it could be done (and how difficult it might be). It seems like most of the time for 25k a 68-70 is a basket case without a drive train and needs a bunch of panels replaced anyway. So, I just started thinking of an alternative and you guys opened my eyes to lots of possibilities!
QOTHL
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Many here have far more experience than I do but from what I do know, there is no rushing Mopar. If you're in a hurry and don't have $$$ to dump into a car that's in good shape or restored, it's going to take time. In some ways, I like the challenge of finding stuff I need and will confess it can be frustrating. If you think a one year only car like a 69 Charger is tough, try looking for parts for a 71 Cuda! Then try finding them for low $$.
70chall440
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You could spend a lot of time debating/discussing why G2 Chargers are in such demand but in the end, it is what it is. I have had a 68, 69 and a 70 and to be very honest was never a big fan of them, I much prefer the Roadrunner or GTX over the Charger mainly because I love the Air Grabber hoods. The lines are ok but again I much prefer the E body lines. IMO the G2 Charger has become so desirable due to the media and I remember a time when the E bodies were at the top of the ladder (Hemi ones still are).
All this said, if someone just loves the G2 Charger then its a better idea to get some money saved up and buy one bc if you construct one you will never be happy bc you will always know it isn't a true Charger. Then again, there are a lot of options out there and I absolutely think that many of the custom builds are viable, hell I think putting the sheet metal on a Crown Vic is very cool especially if you were going to make a truly custom car/racer. You could even dump the Ford crap and put in a G3 Hemi drive train, do a custom interior, etc. but in the end you would have a Crown Vic that looked like a Charger no matter how cool it was and perhaps that is enough...
All this said, if someone just loves the G2 Charger then its a better idea to get some money saved up and buy one bc if you construct one you will never be happy bc you will always know it isn't a true Charger. Then again, there are a lot of options out there and I absolutely think that many of the custom builds are viable, hell I think putting the sheet metal on a Crown Vic is very cool especially if you were going to make a truly custom car/racer. You could even dump the Ford crap and put in a G3 Hemi drive train, do a custom interior, etc. but in the end you would have a Crown Vic that looked like a Charger no matter how cool it was and perhaps that is enough...
440 PHIXX
The Island of Misfit Mopars
Damn it. I have the wrong years. A ‘70 Charger and ‘Cuda.
Good thing I prefer that year to the others.
QOTHL
Well-Known Member
It's really simple, it's visual. Tim Wellborn said it is a design/body style that was ahead of its time. I've already posted that it looks out of place among other cars of that era. I've had guys say stuff after staring at the car for awhile that I probably shouldn't repeat - it was a sexual reference. I had someone else say the car is so beautiful that it hurt to look at it. I know what they mean, if I could I'd park the car in my house. The problem would be that I'd never get anything done because I'd be staring at it most of the day.
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