Pietro Frua Challenger • The Dodge Challenger Message Board

by **dave-r** » 01 Jun 2004 20:44

Since the beginning of the year I have been in contact with a guy in Germany called Stefan Dierkes.

Stefan is a big fan of the Italian car designer Pietro Frua. Unless you are into small production, high dollar, hand made coachwork cars you may not have heard of Frua. Stefan’s web site is http://www.pietro-frua.de

Anyway. The reason Stefan contacted me was to ask if I had information on a Challenger that Frua fitted one of his unique bodies to. I had never heard of such a car but I asked him to keep me informed if he found anything out.

True to his promise Stefan got back in touch a little while later. Not only had he found some information but he had located the car itself!

We are still waiting to get details on the Challenger used for this one-off (such as VIN and engine) but here are some photos of it. Stefan will be doing a history feature on this car on his web site at some point in the future after he has seen the car for himself and got all the details. When he has his web site feature up and running I will fill you guys in on what he finds.

All I can tell you at the moment is that it is in the hands of the third owner. The car was originally commissioned by a bank director called Dr Chafer in 1969. Enjoy the photos.

by **Christer** » 02 Jun 2004 7:03

So

that I am

-ed.

To recognize the pedals, steering wheel center and the slap-stick shifter on an Italian car!? I can´t believe it is true.
Can someone wake me please?

by **dave-r** » 02 Jun 2004 7:22

It has a Rallye dash too. I already suspected that the donor car used would be a 383 R/T at the least. The Rallye dash I can now see in the photos underlines my suspicion.

Imagine. They took a brand spanking new R/T in 1969 and cut it up to do this. The final price cannot have been cheap.

by **Registro Pietro Frua** » 30 Jun 2004 7:22

I try in vain since March 2004 to find a date with the owner of the car (who is actually the second owner). He will participate at the Silvretta Classic Rallye in Austria, 8.-11. July 2004. The next possibility for a meeting date will be in September.

You can find more pictures on my website http://www.pietro-frua.de/1969_dodge.htm

by **dave-r** » 30 Jun 2004 7:27

Nice to see it up on the web site now Stefan. Thanks again for the information and I hope you get to see this car soon.

by **Registro Pietro Frua** » 16 Aug 2004 15:30

I finally managed to make a date with the owner last weekend. You will find about 80 pictures of the car on my website
http://www.pietro-frua.de/1970_dodge.htm. (Please note that the URL has changed).

by **dave-r** » 16 Aug 2004 17:40

VERY good photographs. THANKS!

So now we know that this is one of the Export Swiss spec Challengers like Jens.

The car was built at Hamtramck (and finish assembled in Switzerland) as a 1970 R/T SE with a 383. I wonder what they did with all the bits they took off?

by **Christer** » 18 Aug 2004 4:58

dave-r wrote: I wonder what they did with all the bits they took off?

Ebay?

by **Christer** » 22 Aug 2004 7:18

Stefan; Do you have any idea about how much it did cost to build in the first place? ....and an estimate of how much this one-of-one car is worth at the moment?

Have you added V8-idle-sound to your homepage recently? Niceeeee!

Max torque 576 Nm? I have always thought it to be 420 Nm (383" engine)or something like that.

by **Registro Pietro Frua** » 23 Aug 2004 16:43

Christer,

Frua billed about 200.000.000 ITL (ca. 100.000 Euro) for one-offs built in the arly 70s.

BTW I also added (after the pictures) a short video of the car driving back into the garage. But you have to be very patient until the 6 MB video file has been transfered. The video is ready when the car is visible instead of the black screen.

For maximum torque I found 425 lb-ft. @ 3200 rpm on page 124 of the 1970 show room order brochure (http://challenger.mpoli.fi/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=12892#12892; thanks to David for this link). This should equal to 576 Nm. See also http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/id/?id=46354.

Stefan

by **dave-r** » 23 Aug 2004 17:09

Registro Pietro Frua wrote:Frua billed about 200.000.000 ITL (ca. 100.000 Euro) for one-offs built in the arly 70s.

GULP!

by **Registro Pietro Frua** » 24 Aug 2004 15:46

Two questions:

1. What is the official fuel consumption of the Challenger R/T 383ci?

2. The owner of the car is looking for the ashtray which has been lost during restoration. I am wondering if it this very large ashtray was perhaps a standard Dodge Challenger ashtray. Please look at the picture of the remaining hole in the dashboard and let me know what you think (and if the ashtray might be available):
http://www.pietro-frua.de/graphics/pics ... -08_50.php

Stefan

by **dave-r** » 24 Aug 2004 16:44

I don't know for sure but I think it was averaged around 15 miles per US gallon.

He should be able to find an ash tray on ebay. It will need to be covered in matching leather of course. :wink:

by **Registro Pietro Frua** » 25 Aug 2004 18:44

Very good information (as usual)! Thank you!

by **Christer** » 25 Aug 2004 20:14

Have you noticed that they have moved the three control lamps (from the SE package)?
In the Pietro Frua Challenger they are placed below the ashtray! I didn´t notice it at first.

( See: http://www.pietro-frua.de/graphics/pics ... -08_50.php )

by **PaRoDy** » 25 Aug 2004 23:54

I'm having trouble with seeing the video. It just doesn't load... :cry:

I checked it on 2 computers. Is it possible to download it?