SRT-8 Daytona Clone

[Stevearino]

This built is SO beyond impressive it's painful... 

Agreed, total devotion to the project/build, it's more in-depth and worthy than any magazine coverage could possibly give it, more deserving of Big Muscle (hint, hint ) HotRod TV, etc,etc type of recognition rather than an internet forum

Mike

                                                         

Thanks for the vote of confidence Mike and CDR. I am happy playing in this sand box right here. No need to get my head all swelled up.



Well I finally got some paint on the rear bumper.  I also made an EDPM gasket for the the drivers door mirror and mounted it.

[Stevearino]

Early on when coming up with ideas as to what I wanted to do on this build one of the features I had to give up on due to time and cost was a real carbon fiber wing. I had reconciled to just paint the wing. I final blocked it and sealed it but decided to try to wrap it with some 3M 1030 series vinyl wrap. If it did not go well I could always peel it off and paint it but I am pretty happy with the results. I was going to clear over it but to my disappointment I cleared a sample and it pretty much doesn't look like carbon fiber after you do that so here are some pictures of the results.

[cdr]

      I like it !!     

[Dino]

That looks great! You could always spray on a matte or satin clear but I have to say I love the way that looks as is.   

[funknut]

Wing looks awesome!

[garner7555]

I like the carbon fiber look on the wing!!   

[Daytona R/T SE]

The whole "Carbon fiber" look...

Yeah,

I don't get it.

[keepat]

Very cool! Are you also doing a CF Daytona stripe?
Pat

[Stevearino]

That looks great! You could always spray on a matte or satin clear but I have to say I love the way that looks as is.   

Unfortunately I sprayed a sample with clear and it obliterated the carbon fiber pattern so much as I would like to.

Wing looks awesome!

Thanks funknut. It definitely helps to have one to finish out the car.

I like the carbon fiber look on the wing!!   

Thank you garner7555. I only wish I could have afforded a real one.

The whole "Carbon fiber" look...

Yeah,

I don't get it.

Yeah. It can be an over done thing these days but so is Gun Metal grey. I am pretty happy with it though. Good thing is that the wing like the wheels are bolt on items and can be changed pretty easily if I get tired of either.

Very cool! Are you also doing a CF Daytona stripe?
Pat

I was never a big fan of the stripe so no.

[XS29L9B2]

very nice

[Stevearino]

very nice

Thanks. I see your project is coming along nicely.

Well as anyone who has worked on car projects knows the small BS eats up a lot of time and seems to go on forever. This weekend I had three days and was determined to just get all the work under the car done and get it down on the ground. I did but just barely.

First chore was to weld up my Frankenstein exhaust and install it under the car. I had to eliminate the resonator to fit it so I hope it doesn't sound goofy when I fire it up or have some weird harmonics.

Next I had to make a close out panel to cover the span between the end of the 06 under carriage and the rear roll pan. I made a cardboard template to fit the span and secured the 3/16 plastic panel with some stainless steel screws. The plastic is pretty tough stuff I got from work so it will take a beating under the car.

[Stevearino]

Here is the cavity before and after it was closed up.

[Stevearino]

The next little project was making an adapter for the licence plate light fixture from the 06 to bolt into the bottom of the 68 bumper. I used the same 3/16 plastic with some threaded inserts to make up the piece.

[Stevearino]

Exciting stuff......right?

My next project was under the front of the car behind the front air dam. The SRT-8 radiator is way taller than the 68-70 B body deal so there is quite a bit hanging down below. Fortunately when the car is on the ground you cannot really see this area at all. Never the less I had to make a panel to protect the lower radiator from debris and allow some air flow through it. I bent up some .040 pre painted black aluminum to create the cover. Since I don't have access to a louver stamp I went down to the home center and got an HVAC return air duct cover.

[Stevearino]

I attached the grill to the back side with some 1" 3M trim tape and a few rivets and painted the whole thing matte black.  Remember this piece is purely functional and really can't be seen so while it is not elegant it fits the bill.

[Stevearino]

More small but time consuming stuff. The wires to the front side markers in the front air dam were dangling so I put them in a little plastic harness cover , made a "P" clip and got them tucked up and out of the way.

I got all four of the inner fender tubs re installed for the last time.

I also got my tail lights, rear bumper and back up lights installed.

[Stevearino]

I messed around with a little badging on the rear wing. The SRT-8 logo that I ordered was cast metal and it was about 1/8" thick but fortunately it was hollow on the back. This allowed me to grind it off until it was only 1/16" thick so it lays nice and flat against the upright on the wing.

Under the front of the car just behind the front wheel tub there was a plastic cover to protect the E brake cable. I had to make an abbreviated one out of black aluminum  because of alterations to the chassis in this location.

[Homerr]

How much to build me one?

I am going to assume you are kidding but I will give you a round about idea of what went into it so far. I am out of pocket about $35,000.00 for both the cars and all the bits and pieces and I am not 100% complete yet. The shop rate for this kind of work even here in N.C. is north of $100.00 per hour.  As of this weekend (and again I am far from done) I have about 2,500 hours into it so the math is a little ridiculous. I definitely could not afford to have this car built.  I also might do things a little differently but were I would save labor I would end up adding cost. All the effort to fix the old car both in metal and body work was out of necessity. I would start with new sheet metal  but that would add about $10,000 to the materials list.

You'd have to be pushing for a million to get in the delusional seller thread.  I think your skill and creativity is worth $150/hr., but I don't write checks that big!   Of course it'd be a pretty select field of buyers in that realm, if you were ever to sell.  Just insure it accordingly!

[Stevearino]

How much to build me one?

I am going to assume you are kidding but I will give you a round about idea of what went into it so far. I am out of pocket about $35,000.00 for both the cars and all the bits and pieces and I am not 100% complete yet. The shop rate for this kind of work even here in N.C. is north of $100.00 per hour.  As of this weekend (and again I am far from done) I have about 2,500 hours into it so the math is a little ridiculous. I definitely could not afford to have this car built.  I also might do things a little differently but were I would save labor I would end up adding cost. All the effort to fix the old car both in met.al and body work was out of necessity. I would start with new sheet metal  but that would add about $10,000 to the materials list.

You'd have to be pushing for a million to get in the delusional seller thread.  I think your skill and creativity is worth $150/hr., but I don't write checks that big!   Of course it'd be a pretty select field of buyers in that realm, if you were ever to sell.  Just insure it accordingly!

I figured out long before I started this project that if you are going to do something like this don't be simple minded and think you are going to get your money out of this. Some things in life just need to be done for the love of doing them.  I know some would disagree but not everything has to be about commerce. And I will insure it for whatever I can afford to within reason. That is just a reality of my financial situation.

[Cha11engerD]

Oh MAN, I hope you're getting as excited as I am, Steve! Car is looking great!

Do you have one badge for each side of the wing, or just the one? Cause I think two would look better. (Just throwing in my )

[Stevearino]

Finally I wanted to black out the bottom of the rocker and the pinch weld to further define the side of the car. I decided to coat this area with spray on bed liner to also protect the area from road debris.

I did get the car on the ground and I hope to not have to put it on jack stands again before it is finished........ I said I hope.

[Stevearino]

Oh MAN, I hope you're getting as excited as I am, Steve! Car is looking great!

Do you have one badge for each side of the wing, or just the one? Cause I think two would look better. (Just throwing in my )

Yes I do have another badge for the other side of the wing. I try not to get excited. Experience has taught me that's when things tend to go wrong. So.....

[cdr]

Hey Steve, I just dont have words , well one word,,,,    AWESOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

[moparnation74]

Steve,

That last pic of your car sitting in the garage, WOW!  Now that is a Bitchin Ride quoting someone famous in the car world!

Tons of time and sweat in a build like this

[DonC1]

Best Daytona Ever Built!