The Dodge Challenger Message Board

Hi folks this is my first real question here. This is a great forum and I look forward to learning a lot. So here is the question...

I keep reading in the documentation and history of the E bodies that the bigger fender openings on the front fender "hemi fender" featured a rolled lip or something to for the 15" tires. I have done a fairly exhaustive amount of online poking around and can't see is difference in the fenders. Is there a place any of you know that has a side by side comparison of the standard and hemi fenders?

How I can tell them apart?

Any help much appreciated!

If you look at the top center of the front wheel arch you will see that they all roll under a little where there is a support brace welded across the fender to the lip.
On hemi cars the rolled lip bit is supposed to extend further both ways along the top of the fender. Never checked this out myself although a hemi owner has told me this is so.

This was done because the extra weight of the Hemi caused the front suspension to crash down further on road bumps and catch the edges of the E60 X 15 tyres.

I've also heard that there's a difference in fenders between 14"-wheeled cars and 15"-wheeled cars, though I've never measured it.

well i really would like to know the truth to that one, and i will find a hemi challenger , and find the truth, i really wonder if they would go to the trouble to do this (bigger fenders) as torsion bars are different , sizes, to make up for the heavier weight , stay tuned

440 and hemis both got the same suspension. But the hemi is a good deal heavier.

ok its real simple, cars that came with 15 in wheels, have hade a crude adjustment,to the arch of the opening, on the inside flange they just cut it off and didnt even curl it up, i have made this adjustment to my car as it came with 14 in wheels, and i have much more wheel and tire than that, i just looked at 3 different cars all came with 15 inch wheels, one car was a 383 car another was 440 6 pac, and one 44o car , as far as the suspension well the hemi is a much heavier engine, and my sources say they came with a bigger torsion bars ,

drewcrane wrote:well the hemi is a much heavier engine, and my sources say they came with a bigger torsion bars ,

Your sources know jack shit then.
All B-body and E-body used 0.92 inch bars with the 440 and Hemi.

The Hemi fenders were modified by Creative Industries I think? The other cars with 15 inch wheels did not get these fenders.

thats nice dave obviously i have rubbed you the wrong way and i will simply find a better site, as you my be the first , but you are not the best, nor do you know as much as you think you do, im sorry for your ills , and wont bother you again!

You didn't rub me up the wrong way. That is what the smiley is for. To show I was making a joke of it.

Let me re-phrase that then.

I say old chap. I rather think your sources have got the wrong end of the stick!
All B-body and E-bodys used 0.92 inch bars with the 440 and Hemi.

Hope that does not cause offence my dear chap.

If the flange has been cut off on the wheel openings you saw then that must have been done by an owner at some point. It was common to do that when fitting wider than stock wheels and tyres.

Even with 15 inch wheels you still had to mount the fenderwell chrome trim to something. So I am told that Hemi fenders have about 10-inches of rolled lip at the top center of the wheel opening. The rest of the lip is left intact.

dave-r wrote:

drewcrane wrote:well the hemi is a much heavier engine, and my sources say they came with a bigger torsion bars ,

Your sources know jack shit then.

Ouch, Dave

Yeah I know. Me and my big mouth.

In my defense that is a common phrase here used without offence. Obviously not in the US.

dave-r wrote:Yeah I know. Me and my big mouth.

In my defense that is a common phrase here used without offence. Obviously not in the US.

I always thought it was a yank phrase JACK SHIT....

Anyway Drew chill out dude, you know what hes like...the gaffer that is!!!


I rub him up all the time...in fact I follow him around the web and rub him up...not in the queer sense mind you.!! ...


Dont be Humpy Drew.....have a coke sit back and have the craic!!!

So..do you guys want me to start practicing my 'rubbing'? I can use both hands mind you (On what I dont know). In the immoral words of Rodney,"I'm rich beotch" King, "Ca Ca cant we all get along"?

I am always putting my foot in it and upsetting people by accident. Not just on here. Almost every time I open my mouth.

I don't mean it 95% of the time. I upset a workmate yesterday when I asked him when he was going to go back to the task he had just did and do it correctly.
Well I don't like shoddy work. "Nee Femma" as we say around here.

Ya'll don't know Jack Shit except for Jack Shit. What is Jack Shit, anyway? Whether we,re we're from the north or south. East or West. That is World Wide, by the way. We are all Mopar Brother's. Let's show some Unity. Drew, come on back. We all want to hear what you have to say. I want to hear what you have to say. Patrick

Lets get this in perspective.

I never said Drew knew jack shit did I?

I was saying his source of information was wrong.

I never said a word against Drew or insult Drew in any way. I only said his source of information was wrong. I insulted his source whatever or whoever that is. So if his source wants to argue the toss about it then bring it on.

But there was no reason for Drew to be upset with me so I don't even know why I feel bad about it?

jeewizz im sorry for all the commotion, man really its kinda stupid, but all that said i feel that it aint worth talking about any more since it really doesnt apply to anything so im going to let by gones be bygones and bury it, i have bigger fish to fry if you know what i mean, so im done with it , i need a road race pan anyway anybody know of a good oil pan fro a 440?

drewcrane wrote:jeewizz im sorry for all the commotion, man really its kinda stupid, but all that said i feel that it aint worth talking about any more since it really doesnt apply to anything so im going to let by gones be bygones and bury it, i have bigger fish to fry if you know what i mean, so im done with it , i need a road race pan anyway anybody know of a good oil pan fro a 440?

Cool, Drew, have you looked at www.440source.com for stock internal feed/pickup oil pans? Milodon has some new ones at www.manciniracing.com or you could get a custom made aluminum pan from Matt Hensley at www.hensleyperformance.com all though Matt takes his time. Maybe Dave knows if Trevor the UK machinist could probably design an excellent road race pan, but the shipping might be kinda high. Another thing you might want to consider is a swinging pickup oil pan. This pickup stays submerged better than a stationary pickup for deep corners and abrupt acceleration/stopping. The pickup momentarily becomes uncovered and bad things can happen to the rod bearings then the mains. I dont know if you race this hard, but it's something to think about.

thanks ed i did look at those sites , milodon actually makes one , i hed to go direct, as summit didnt have it but nice pan good ground clearance 7 qt cap. i ordered it and it wil take a while but its winter and although i did drive mine today its still cold , and kinda crappy to work on cars thanks againd ed!

Yeah, it's freezin here too! -17 last night!

OK, my turn and I do have one coming........ If anyone on this board were to be offended over the use of the term "Jack shit" it would be my place to be at the head of the line. Drew, in these days of everyone being so quick to be offended, please don't go there with us. There was nothing ill directed your way by Dave. Remember that we are supposedly bonding on this site through our shared affection for our cars and we are all on the same side here. Dave, carry on, please. Considering what you have come back from, I'm just happy to have you still with us and as salty as ever!

I love a Happy Ending where everybody is getting along with each other again. Sometime's, I don't Know Jack Shit.

at least i know jack shit , instead on knowing no one!