Custom Daytona Project (New Guy)

[VT_Dart]

New guy here, although certainly not new to the Mopar world.  About 5 years ago I sold my last Mopar, a '67 Dart, and decided I didn't have enough time to enjoy my cars along with other priorities (coaching youth sports, starting a new job, etc).  That all changed when a friend called to ask if I knew anyone who might be interested in a Daytona clone project in a fab shop that had recently closed down.  I ended up purchasing the car simply because owning a hemi has always eluded me, and it doesn't get any better than a wingcar.

The car was originally a '70 R/T that had been stripped, cut-up, and gone through a couple owners in various states of disrepair.  All of the Daytona conversion parts are from Dayclona.  The engine is a 528 hemi built by Hensley Performance, with a TKO-600 transmission.  Most of the car was built buy an ex-NASCAR cup team fabricator, and as such it sits on a modified Laughlin-style chassis with a full-floating 9" and is setup to utilize circle-track parts.

To be honest, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the project.  Over the past year I've been plugging away at some assembly of parts and a little sheetmetal work.  Although I'd love to finish the car, I'm much more familiar with stock-chassis cars and this whole oval-track foundation is way out of my wheelhouse.  The motor is not leaving my possession  but the car's fate is still to be determined (hopefully I can talk myself into just biting the bullet and building it).

Anyway, onto some pictures, from where it started when I purchased it until now!

[djcarguy]

    Awesum project,looks like most of sheetmetal an chassis is lined out. With that big hemi this set up should bee safer and more able to handle the power. would bee a real show stopper an wild ride,finished up.
    There is afew guys here that can help with the race car info an questions. Aero426 an cbrestoration are knowlegable guys here.
    Hope you build it an show us the progress.All the best on your build.  ooh welcome,too.  DJ out west.

[farm966]

wow...she is meaty....looks cool for sure.

[Aero426]

Looks like very nice fab work.     Big bucks if you had to pay someone to do it. 

[BigBlockSam]

 

[Hemi Runner]

Great looking project! Keep it and finish it with the hemi!

[500Jon]

Cripes VT, that Daytona is so cool I nearly had an urge to offer you a trade on my Charger 500!

Whoever finishes her will be one lucky guy!!!

[69_Charger_RT]

Wow thats gonna be a sick build when done    Keep up the great work 

[Mopar Nut]

  Welcome aboard!

[tan top]

hello & welcome 

[VT_Dart]

Thanks for all positive comments.  The car probably won't get touched for awhile since I'm helping my son work on his future car right now, but it's not hurting anything sitting in the garage for the time being.  I'm sure I'm going to have tons of questions along the way, so thanks in advance!  Between all the knowledge here, and the very detailed instructions Dayclona attached to all the conversion parts (awesome quality btw), I'll be able to fumble my way through a lot of it.

I know a car like this isn't everyone's preference (it's way more wild than what I would normally do), but hopefully it turns into something respectable down the road.

Here's a link to my google drive with more pictures if anyone is interested in some of the more detailed parts of the build: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B1sF4zdKDYwqfmM0RTRWZURiOExPWXcxTjltWG0tVlB6UGNybWNQalRpVUF2R1l6N1hfSjQ?usp=sharing

[Highbanked Hauler]

 welcome,   good deal on the circle track aspect of it as being what it was designed for anyway.

[Dino]

If I had a ton of money to waste I'd try to persuade you to sell it to me. And I have zero use for a car like that! Don't let that puppy go, that car is going to be too cool for words.   

[cbrestorations]

I love it, I'm going to build the same tube chassis Daytona after my daisy project is driving. I've got a Nascar chassis to lengthen and use for the swap and a Nascar r5p7 for it

[Highbanked Hauler]

I love it, I'm going to build the same tube chassis Daytona after my daisy project is driving. I've got a Nascar chassis to lengthen and use for the swap and a Nascar r5p7 for it

   Where do you make a cut in chassis to lengthen it ?

[VT_Dart]

I love it, I'm going to build the same tube chassis Daytona after my daisy project is driving. I've got a Nascar chassis to lengthen and use for the swap and a Nascar r5p7 for it

   Where do you make a cut in chassis to lengthen it ?

Here's a build where someone is doing something similar to a Mercury Cylone:
http://www.pro-touring.com/threads/115005-Project-1968-Roush-Fenway-Cyclone?highlight=cyclone

An another one with a 69 Chevelle:
http://www.pro-touring.com/threads/40261-My-69-Chevelle-NASCAR-Project?highlight=nascar

I'd love to see a Daytona/Superbird done similarly... even more radical than mine will be and an absolute ton of fun.  The r5p7 will be awesome.  I have an acquaintance that does vintage NASCAR racing and wants to buy mine or build one with an r5.

[cbrestorations]

I love it, I'm going to build the same tube chassis Daytona after my daisy project is driving. I've got a Nascar chassis to lengthen and use for the swap and a Nascar r5p7 for it

   Where do you make a cut in chassis to lengthen it ?

i think majority of it will be added in front of the rear axle behind the drivers seat, basically adding the space where a back seat would sit

[RCCDrew]

That would be an awesome project!

[500Jon]

VT, ditch the 9 incher and and get a 9-3/4!

Real Mopars have err dana axles lol...

[RS23VOA]

That would make a cool drag car.

[cbrestorations]

VT, ditch the 9 incher and and get a 9-3/4!

Real Mopars have err dana axles lol...

dana is too heavy, can get an aluminum 3rd member with light weight gears and billet true trac for a for 9" and housing is lighter too. way more betters...lol

[VT_Dart]

VT, ditch the 9 incher and and get a 9-3/4!

Real Mopars have err dana axles lol...

I'm kind of digging the full floating axle setup on this 9".  Break an axle, pop a new one in without ever taking off the wheel.  In my defense, I've always run an 8 3/4" instead of a 9", never owned a car with the Dana.

[XS29L9B2]

Hello and welcome

[Bad B-rad]

Welcome. NICE CAR.Good Luck!!!!!!

[Highbanked Hauler]

I love it, I'm going to build the same tube chassis Daytona after my daisy project is driving. I've got a Nascar chassis to lengthen and use for the swap and a Nascar r5p7 for it

   Where do you make a cut in chassis to lengthen it ?

i think majority of it will be added in front of the rear axle behind the drivers seat, basically adding the space where a back seat would sit

     So it would be behind the door bar post ??