Hot Rod Project • 2 • The Dodge Challenger Message Board

by **Moparman1972** » 04 Oct 2008 16:11

Ok so this project has just taken a major shift.

Yesterday I bought a Porsche 944 from my neighbor down the street, a neat little car that I've wanted for years. He's a real nice guy, is very knowledgeable with cars, and has done some neat stuff. He's got an S-10 with a 350 and a Corvette IRS in it, and other neat little toys.

Anyways, I was telling him about this rod project and asking him questions about suspension stuff, because I really wanted a second Corvette IRS unit that was sitting in his shed. He says, well, this is going to be a lot of work to build a frame, body, start from scratch. I have a new Model A frame sitting in my shed. Why dont you just take that?

So I have acquired, free of charge, a shiny new reproduction Model A frame, fenders, and runningboards.

He's bringing the parts over tomorrow on a trailer, along with an extra engine for the Porsche. :biggrin:

I do not want to hack the Model A frame up, so I'm going to put my original CAD design on the backburner and try a less ambitious project to start with. I'll put the Model A together with a big block mopar and a custom body!

Man, what a start to the weekend!

by **Moparman1972** » 04 Oct 2008 16:14

Oh! These are pictures of some Porsche that showed up this morning......

It looks lost. I think ill give it a new home, eh?

by **fal308** » 04 Oct 2008 17:16

Very nice score :thumbsup:

I don't think you'll regret your decision to go a little less radical, though it would be cool to see something really different. At least you won't have to worry now about heckling from the bellybutton car owners about building something different :hmmm:

Glad you're going with a BB. At least you can give the bellybutton car crowd something to bitch about :s024:

I can hear it all the way here in Missouri..."why didn't you use a 350/350 :s021:

?'' screw 'em :s003:

by **dave-r** » 04 Oct 2008 18:09

She is wearing a black bra and no pants. Very sexy. :biggrin:

I think starting with something lass ambitious is the best way forward. You can gain a lot of experience and ideas from it.

by **Moparman1972** » 12 Dec 2008 23:04

So the hot rod project has been progressing slowly, as I have been acquiring parts and finishing and refining my CAD model.

I am torn now, because I have an opportunity to buy a GT40-lookalike kit car that is close to me. I have always LOVED the look of these cars, and it would only be the coolest thing ever if I could build one.

I would probably hook up my 318 small block to a spare porsche transaxle for drivetrain, as the kit car has a 4 cylinder fiero engine taking up space right now.... :s008:

Any opinions as to which i should pursue in the short-term? The kit car would mean i would start with a body and somewhat useable frame, something that is turning into my biggest challenge for my hot rod project. On the other hand, i would have to ditch my all-mopar drivetrain for this GT40 :oops:

These are both far from challengers, but I need a fresh start after half of my life, literally, spent on my beloved E-Body.

by **fal308** » 13 Dec 2008 18:53

Are you looking for something that you're comfortable with right now or are you looking to really challenge yourself?
It seems to me that the kit car is a quick workup and something you could enjoy shortly whereas the hot rod project is much more involved. It depends upon how involved you want to get at this time.
I would be happy with either one . Perhaps you could get the kit car and get it running and enjoy it while building the hot rod.

by **dave-r** » 13 Dec 2008 21:08

GT-40 kit car. If it is a good quality kit. :thumbsup:

I would hate to fit a 318 in one of those though. Stroked 340/360 would be better.

by **Moparman1972** » 14 Dec 2008 1:02

Ah, it appears I am back to the hot rod project for now.

With the help of some experts on a GT40 forum it was determined that the car was not worth a dime due to the great expense to retrofit it with a V8 and its current condition.

Any project is going to take quite a while, fal, but it would be a smaller leap if I had a body to start with. Then I could hide all my mistakes underneath! :s006:

Unfortunately, the market for GT40 kit cars seems to be geared towards people who also have a thing for private jets and maybe their own small nations. :s005:

I did get offered a ride in a 400 hp GT40 though! A US representative of a british kit car manufacturer, Tornado kit cars or something similar. I feel I should make him aware that I can't afford the $50,000 starter kit that they sell :oops:

Dave, I got the impression that there are actually quite a few of these on the road in England. Happen across any at the dragstrip?

by **dave-r** » 14 Dec 2008 13:02

Nope. Never see them except for a couple at our big national indoor classic car show every November. Saw one just over the border in Scotland at a show once. Saw it drive off the field the show was in. Everone was keen to here the 351 Ford in it fire up but it was an anti climax to me. It sounded lame compared to my 440. :wink:

A guy local to me that has a Charger inherited one (his parents were killed or something) that was a one-off hand made by some famous car designer? He sold that last year and I never saw it in the flesh.

by **Moparman1972** » 15 Dec 2008 1:38

Haha what's the point of all that money if it doesnt make noise?!

by **Moparman1972** » 16 Dec 2008 19:09

New photos- Shortened up the back end and have been refining the lines,
adding in actual pieces as I get them.

by **Moparman1972** » 16 Dec 2008 23:10

Floating ideas around in my head- more pics

by **Moparman1972** » 18 Dec 2008 17:29

New front clip...

by **fal308** » 18 Dec 2008 20:27

Don't know if it would look good or bad but what about smoothing the hood line/grille? A gentle s curve, so that the transition from grille to hood is seamless (ala one peice frontend). Just thinking out loud I guess.
Also, what are the holes in the lower rear quarter? Lightening holes?

by **Moparman1972** » 18 Dec 2008 23:01

Yeah, i wasnt sure I liked the front end on it at all, but the more I smooth out the lines, the more I like it. I'll try more of an S-Curve tomorrow.

And those holes in the rear are for the exhaust :s003:

They will be more ovaled and cooler-looking shortly.

by **fal308** » 19 Dec 2008 14:23

The car I would like to build would be very similar to a 1:18 diecast '34 altered coupe in the Pork Chop series. I have this diecast and it's my favorite. Here's a writeup of it http://www.diecast.org/diecast98/html/a ... iewpix.htm though the photos don't really do it justice. The grill is really laid back.
GMP made that one and another '34 http://www.jsssoftware.com/diecast/revi ... .htm#story They may give you some ideas about a radical '34

by **Eddie** » 19 Dec 2008 14:43

Do you drive that thing with a 'spotter' Barc,lol :thumbsup:

by **patrick** » 19 Dec 2008 15:43

I Love Pork Chop's! :biggrin:

by **fal308** » 20 Dec 2008 13:24

Who needs a spotter, I've got a big loud pedal :mrgreen:

by **Moparman1972** » 22 Dec 2008 18:59

Man, that first one is ridiculously cool looking!

by **fal308** » 23 Dec 2008 13:49

There actually used to be a street-legal '33 that was pretty close to the altered running around St Louis years ago. Don't know if it's still around. The guy had a mailslotted '33 with an old style blown Hemi in a very dark brown(almost black until the sun hit it) with dark metalflake paint. On the valvecovers he had engraved "My personal war against smallblock Chevys" Very cool. Somewhere I've got pics of it.

by **dave-r** » 23 Dec 2008 14:23

The '32 I have in my head to build one day looks like those only with a less radical chop and a vertical '32 grille.

Maybe when I retire and don't have a mortgage to pay...

by **dave-r** » 24 Dec 2008 20:51

This is a '34 a guy in my car club is building at the moment.

by **fal308** » 24 Dec 2008 23:40

Very nice Dave but it needs more chop :mrgreen:

Can you tell I like mailslots? :s003:

by **Moparman1972** » 29 Dec 2008 15:00

Looking at pictures of those '32's makes me feel better about having almost no space in the cab I designed. It's roomy compared to those old rods!