Dodge Challenger Drag-car build.

[Mopar 440]

Scary and most probably hairy!!!
Cool please pm my your number so we can make a plan for the weekend.

Cheers
Etienne

pm sent

Thanks

[Mopar 440]

This is the rhs fender with the rust damage.

We will cut it out and replace with this patch-panel.

[Mopar 440]

At this stage, all the work was starting to get overwelming. We decided to start at a point and work with some kind of plan to see some progress.

The first part of the plan was to get all the body work on the fenders and doors completed to final primer.



Some child labour for those low areas.

Lhs done.

Rhs in progress.

A month later, all compete. Now we are starting to see progress.(the patch door really came out well.)

[craigd]

Very well done young man...

You have balls of steel

Exceptional workmanship...

Cheers

[Mopar 440]

Very well done young man...

You have balls of steel

Exceptional workmanship...

Cheers

Thank you.

[Mopar 440]

Next, we block filled the water jackets of the block. This will give the block additional rigidity (better ring-seal) and strength. Because we only going to drag race this car, the loss of cooling is nominal.You can only fill one bank at a time. We filled the block to the bottom of the water inlet hole.

The other block is my brothers 454 Chevy motor that he built for his 1969 Camaro
drag-car. We mixed the hard block with a industrial paint mixer and a power drill to get into the correct mix and consistancy. We tapped the block with a brass hammer to get all the air bubbles out. Oh, and before I forget, you need to torque the main caps down.

Nice and level. Must say the chevy block was easier to do because the water holes are bigger.We did the other bank the next day, and let the lot cure for 7 days before machining.

[Mopar 440]

Next, we decided to do the firewall. We decided to move the engine back 5".
The main reasons for this was: Better weight transfer, clean up the bulkhead and make the tunnel bigger were the transmission goes, and we will then miss the steering rod, so we can have a back sump oil pan.(in drag-racing, thats were the oil goes on acceleration)
Marked the cut lines.

Cut the firewall and fitted motor to new position to check fitment.



We first cut cardboard to mock up, and then transferred sizes to sheetmetal.



Some more bodywork.We welded all the holes except the brake master cylinder and steering rack.

Finally finished. See how we temporally bolted the engine mount on the new position with threaded rod.

[jlebenon]

brilliant work , well done !

[Mopar 440]

brilliant work , well done !

Thank you.

[Mopar 440]

By moving the engine back, we had to manufacture new engine mounts. We did consider an engine plate but that also comes with its own set of problems.

The rhs was the easier of the two. We made it strong as possible as this side is under compression.

The lhs had its own unique set of problems with the steering rack and the pitman arm. (notice the cool aluminium steering box)

All done

We will make an additional torque strap that will fit to the back of the head and chassis.