Neighborhood Yard Find for me!

[njsteve]

In my Heckitty thread I mentioned a couple days ago that I wanted to find a manual transmission Challenger so I could teach my son how to drive a stick (if he ever wanted a chance at getting the Viper from me, he'd better know how to drive it).

So I guess the Mopar Dieties heard me beseaching them.

Last Friday, I was driving home and got 1/4 mile from my house when I see a Toxic Orange 2011 Challenger R/T parked on my neighbor's lawn. He was taking photos of it. I'd never seen the car before and like me, he has lived here 20+ years. I didn't think much of it until Saturday when I was perusing the facebook marketplace and I SEE THAT EXACT CAR in a listing that just popped up! And it's a 5.7 with a manual transmission, 3.92 Super Track Pack and the Boston Acoustic Stereo! And it has only 24,000 miles. And it is all of 6 houses away from our house!

It's completely original and stock other than muffler delete and a Mopar Performance cold air kit. Absolutely perfect condition. He is moving to Florida this week and needed to sell it NOW since he was building a new house there and had no place to park it while the house was being built. Great guy. His girlfriend was not happy he was selling it, but warmed up to us after we all got talking.

The car is perfect, other than the 7 year-old Goodyears (with 100% tread left on them). Luckily we happen to have my Redeye's original Pirellis and a new set of Brass Monkey Redeye wheels that should fit nicely.

He bought the car back in 2015 with 8,500 miles on it from a friend. No accidents ever. All original paint. Sold new at Dover Dodge in New Jersey in 2011.

My son has been sitting in it ever since I picked it up this morning, practicing his shifting and clutch pedaling in the garage. (and making fake engine noises)

BTW, this is the second neighborhood car I've bought in the past 15 years. The other one was a yellow 1987 IROC-Z parked under a carport, that I would jog past every morning for 5 years. The day I finally walked into his driveway was the exact moment he was walking out of his garage with a for sale sign in hand, to put in the window. I yelled "SOLD" from the end of his driveway and we both had a laugh. Got that one for a good price, too.

[AnthonyS]

Pretty cool!

[scuncio]

Cool car! You have great karma, Steve.

[WILMASBOYL78]

https://www.drivingline.com/articles/who-needs-a-scat-pack-the-57-liter-challenger-rt-is-the-best-bargain-in-modern-muscle/

Looks like you made a good choice :3gears:

[njsteve]

Thanks for the link! Yeah it's a great car and we paid a little over a $ a mile for it. Cool car with a 91 octane fuel requirement. The 376hp 6-speed, 5.7 engine is different from the 87 octane, 372hp automatic equipped version as it does not have the variable displacement cylinder shutoff that has plagued the 5.7 engines for years.

Here's a Motortrend test back in the day: 13.5 @106 mph for the 6-speed 5.7

https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2011-dodge-challenger-rt-test/

[Lynn]

"That thing got a Hemi?"

[Lynn]

Nice score.

[Crush]

Great story!!

[PeteLeathersac]

‘

Obviously all meant to be also awesome color too!
:beers:
~ Pete

.

[TimG]

What a great story, Steve. I still sit in my cars and make engine noises sometimes.......

[Charley Lillard]

I sit in my cars and forget why I'm there.

[TMagda]

Big bang for the buck. Congrats Steve. Nothing better than teaching your kids stick. Mine learned on a Wrangler and a 944.

[njsteve]

Today we did an oil change on the beast and bottled up a sample to send to Blackstone Labs for analysis. Gonna do the diff tomorrow when the limited slip additive arrives (amazon). We also installed the extra set of wheels and 275/40x20 Pirellis off my 2022. They look nice in the wheel wells and car rides a lot nicer than with the expired 8 year old 245/45x20 Goodyears. Interestingly they are the exact same rolling height so the speedo is the same. The only problem is that they have 2022 TPMS sensors which are not compatible with the 2011 ECM. So that low pressure warning light is blinking away.

Then I gave the boy 4.8 miles worth of driving lessons on the 1/2 mile long street next door. It was funny. Afterwards the wife asks us to rate his proficiency on a scale of 1 to 5. At the same moment, I said 1.5 and he said 1.6. So we were close! He has to get the hang of applying the gas only in the last two inches of clutch travel at the top.

The residents on that street know us and our crazy cars so by the end of the 20 minutes of lessons, the entire street was full of spectators. One of the guys had his toddler grandson standing next to him in his driveway. When my son, on his 5th attempt to get rolling in first, finally succeeded, the two-year-old started yelling, jumping up and down, and clapping his hands all at the same time. He was thoroughly entertained.

We then made it home safely just in time before it started raining.

Here's some photos;

[njsteve]

The boy says he wants to install the black gas filler cap I took off my 2022 since it would go better with the dark wheels. I think he's right. And here's some suspension shots. Damn, this thing is clean for a 12-year-old Northern car!

[olredalert]

----Maybe needs a similar color coded stripe as the Heck Kitty!.....Bill S

[njsteve]

The wife and I were thinking the same thing. The boy wants the correct 2011 R/T Classic stripe in black, like this:

[GM Powertrain]

Talk about luck finding one so close to your house! Looks like a great unit. Finally have a deal in place for a Hellcat after a loooong search (Nice used, unmolested examples are hard to find-especially for a reasonable price.) I love this platform. Lots of room, comfortable and of course the Hemi power. I'm sure my others will be mothballed when the 'Cat comes home.

[njsteve]

The Hellcats are fun. It's like driving a couch with JATO pods bolted on the back. Enjoy. The hardest part is finding one that has not been modified/tuned/abused. What year? Is it a stick (very rare) or auto? And depending on the year there were warranty issues with the superchargers similar to the ZL1 Camaros and their front hub problems.

[GM Powertrain]

One owner, Phantom Black/peanut butter Laguna 2015 A8 with just over 5000 miles. Owned by a 70 year old single guy who currently has two Raptors, a Shelby GT500 carbon fiber package car Ford used for it's advertising, and just sold his 1000 horse Trackhawk (guy knows his stuff!) Wasn't selling I just heard about the car from someone. NO tune, just a couple minor things I would have done anyway. Two years left on his transferrable 10 year FCA warranty (part of why I'm buying a '15.) Interesting side note: Not long after he took delivery of the car he was contacted by FCA asking if he could bring the car back as the first 10/11 cars that were dealer delivered got through making 13psi of boost and more aggressive tuning then the 11.6psi like they were supposed to have. The request was denied! I was told in no uncertain terms make sure its straight before you stand on it! To say I'm excited is an understatement.

[njsteve]

Awesome find! Make sure you get some Michelin PS4 tires for it and throw away the Poorellis if they are still on the car. The Michelins are THE go to tire for these cars and can handle the horsepower with predictability. The Pirellis are fine for a 300 horse car but not a 700-800hp car. Totally unpredictable in their traction and handling characteristics at higher power levels. And yes he was right: Make damn sure you're pointing in a straight line before releasing the horses, otherwise those horses head straight for the forest, or the guardrail, or the nearest telephone pole.

[GM Powertrain]

Awesome find! Make sure you get some Michelin PS4 tires for it and throw away the Poorellis if they are still on the car. The Michelins are THE go to tire for these cars and can handle the horsepower with predictability. The Pirellis are fine for a 300 horse car but not a 700-800hp car. Totally unpredictable in their traction and handling characteristics at higher power levels.

That's the plan along with taking the necessary safety precautions necessary to avoid the car from being stolen (not that it's going to be out of my sight when it's out.) Sadly these cars are dwindling in numbers due to theft and crashes. Get 'em now while you can.

[njsteve]

Here is the 2015 TSB on the RF Hub lockout procedure that blocks any future keyfob cloning (the current easiest way they steal them) that applies to your car. The thieves plug into the dash and with a laptop and then add a new key to the system that starts the car. With the TSB done that ability is forever blocked. The downside is that if you ever lose your keys they have to replace the RF Hub module and keys and charge you around $500 plus the cost of each keyfob. You have to sign a waiver when you have this done that you are aware of that possible future cost not covered by warranty.

You also need to get some RFI blocking pouches (mini Faraday bags) to carry your keyfob in (and the other keyfobs stored in your house). This is the other way they steal them: with an antennae that captures the signal your keyfobs are putting out 24/7 and they then clone your keyfob. There are Youtube videos of people walking around houses where hellcats are parked, while holding up a big metal ring. All they have to do is walk close to your front door, where you have the key hanging on a hook inside and they can capture the signal. The Faraday pouch blocks the signal from going out.

These are the ones I just got. And make sure you test them. If you can sit in the car with the keyfob in the pouch and the car refuses to start and says "no key present", then they are working. I bought another brand set and one of the four pouches allowed the car to start while the fob was inside. I immediately threw that one in the trash. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MDF5TX9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Also, make sure you turn off the option for "keyless entry/auto unlock on approach". That reduces the amount of signal being bounced up and back between the car and the keyfobs.

Oh, and one last thing. DO NOT let any dealer try to charge you for the TSB repair. And they will sure try! Simply tell them that this was a known defect when the car was within its 3/36 warranty but Dodge did not have the fix created until 2022, seven years after the car was produced. Therefore, it could not have been done in the original warranty period. It's like having the transmission on your new 2022 C8 blow up under warranty and Chevy not being able to provide you with a new warranty transmission until 2025 because they are all on backorder. Does that mean that suddenly you are on the hook for the cost in 2025 when it is replaced beyond the 3/36 timespan? If you need to find a dealer that can do the TSB reach out to me. 90% of the service departments have no clue how to access it and will just say "Oh, the programs were all updated automatically when we plugged it in." Nope. There is a specific procedure that a knowledgeable tech has to go through to get to the RF Hub module programming lockout page in the computer. If they still insist it was done, then demand they show you the mandatory waiver from the prior owner who requested it. It will be in Dodge's digital warranty record for the car. If they cant show it, that is proof it wasn't done.

Oh, and there is a really good website for hellcat enthusiasts: https://www.hellcat.org/whats-new/posts/3514739/. I'm on there under the same name as here.

:-)

[GM Powertrain]

Thanks for the great information Steve. I truly appreciate it!

[Andy]

Nice find on the Challenger! I miss my 2013 R/T 6 speed so much! Sold it in 2020 with 26K miles. I special ordered it in the spring of 2013 due to the limited relaunch of the hemi orange color. I ordered the super track pack, 20" wheels and ordered the pistol grip hurst 6 speed shifter and corsa exhaust from the mopar performance catalog.

Maybe I'll be able to get a hellcat one day.

[njsteve]

Nice! How was the angle of the pistol grip in your hand? Was it awkwardly forward or does it fit the hand position properly. They look like they angle too far forward in 1st, 3rd and 5th.
(Thinking about Fathers Day Gifts).

[Andy]

Nice! How was the angle of the pistol grip in your hand? Was it awkwardly forward or does it fit the hand position properly. They look like they angle too far forward in 1st, 3rd and 5th.
(Thinking about Fathers Day Gifts).

I liked it. I didn't have any issues with hand position. Was it perfect, no, but I did enjoy it alot! I replaced the polyurethane bushing that came with the shifter with a factory rubber one due to the vibration/noise it transmitted into the cabin. I sacrificed some firmness of the shifter for noise reduction, but it was a tradeoff I was willing to make. I will say that the Barton shifters are the cat's meow with the 6 speed. They are much tighter than the Hurst and throws are shorter. In my opinion, the perfect setup would be a Barton with the hurst pistol grip handle for that visual appeal.

[njsteve]

I put the R/T up on jack stands and drained and refilled the 6-speed. It took exactly 4 quarts of AT+4. Then I installed the skip-shift eliminator jumper. Also took a sample of the trans fluid and sent it off to Blackstone for analysis. So they now have the engine, manual trans, and rear diff fluids to test. This way I have a baseline for any future testing of the original 24,000 mile fluids (not the engine oil of course).

And the driving lessons are going great. The boy drove all around on local roads for around 20 minutes at dusk. Other than a couple dozen deer trying to commit suicide, it was uneventful. He's doing great. The deer actually made him think about stopping, downshifting, and using horn all at the same time.

Tomorrow we are going to try to drive up to Dover Dodge to see if they can order a copy of the original window sticker. According to Dodge Help line, only the original selling dealer can do this. Sounds fishy to me but what the hey, the kid needs seat time.

[Andy]

One thing I forgot to mention, I would recommend removing the clutch delay valve. It is a little plastic orifice that restricts flow of hydraulic fluid to the slave cylinder. I found that on high RPM shifts it was difficult to shift, often resulting in missing a gear due to it just not wanting to go in. After I removed this from the line, it was night and day difference. No more problems. Good luck on getting your window sticker. I still have mine!

https://www.challengertalk.com/threads/clutch-delay-valve-cdv-removal.552705/

[njsteve]

I did notice a "weirdness" to the shifting/clutch engagement at higher RPMs. It is like the throttle sticks for a millisecond and the revs go up ever so slightly like you were slipping the clutch. I believe that is the exact symptom that the stupid valve causes, right?

[njsteve]

We drove up to Dover Dodge this morning and amazingly enough, they were able to order the a reprint of the Monroney for our car. They said it takes around 4 weeks to arrive from HQ.

After that we paid a visit to the part department to get the part number for the instrument cluster. It has the standard defect that curses all of the early generation Challengers, Chargers, 300's and Magnums. The Electroluminescent Light Display (ELD) stops working in places. It looks like a creepy assortment of fingers behind your gauges at night that move or spread according to how bright or dim you set the lighting. It is a fatal defect and eventually the entire lighting dies out.

I reached out to one company that repairs them. They said I needed the part number and that a dealer can get it based on your VIN.

When I sent the info back to the repair place they said "OUCH". That is one we don't repair and have to replace entirely and of course they are not available and any used one you get will have the same fatal defect.

Of course the manual trans cars have their own part number: 68066768-AF Cluster I 08037162 in case any of you have one sitting on the shelf.

UPDATE: I reached out to UpFix, an instrument cluster repair specialist and they said no problem. It's $250 to fix with a 3 day turnaround. https://www.upfix.com/product/dodge-challenger-2005-2014-instrument-cluster-panel-icp-repair/ Anyone have any experience with them?

[Andy]

I did notice a "weirdness" to the shifting/clutch engagement at higher RPMs. It is like the throttle sticks for a millisecond and the revs go up ever so slightly like you were slipping the clutch. I believe that is the exact symptom that the stupid valve causes, right?

My throttle seemed like it had a slight delay in response from when I matted it to when it started picking up RPM. I think it is inherent with the logic of the electrical components of the pedal/pcm/throttle body. With mine, I could tap the traction control button quickly and it would reduce the amount the PCM held back on the throttle but if I press and held it for 5 or 10 seconds, it would completely disable it and man o man, that increased the fun factor a bunch and got rid of that lag!

My issue with the valve was at shifts over 5,000 rpm, I couldn't shift fast. If I tried, I was greeted with a grind. The valve restricted the flow of fluid to the slave and I guess enough fluid couldn't be displaced in that fast shift, thus causing the clutch to not fully disengage. Before I sold the car, I put the stock shifter in it and I could easily see how someone could miss shifts with it. It was super mushy compared to my Hurst.

My car also had a feature that was hill start assist. I don't see where that would come into play with what you are describing, but I would recommend turning that off. I disabled it on day 1 of ownership. It would hold the brakes on a hill until the clutch was fully engaged and the car started moving forward.

I didn't have any issues with lighting in my cluster.

What's odd is, I was driving through town last night and saw a Challenger R/T the same color as the one you just bought at a used car dealership and it had the 71 style R/T stripe on it with with the classic wheels. Car looked great.

I later added the classic Challenger and R/T emblems to my fenders and put the pentastar on the right one. Also put the red eye spoiler on it, I didn't put stripes on it and thought it was a way to break up all the orange on the side of the car. I also liked the SRT8 front spoiler better than the smaller stock one so I added it too.

[njsteve]

i love the badges!. Great look. Actually that hill assist has been great for the training sessions with the boy. It times out after one second so it teaches him to quickly move from the brake pedal to the gas on a hill but gives him that second of stationary-ness without freaking that the car is going to roll into the guy behind you.

Reminds me of when I was 14 years old and teaching my older brother how to drive his 1969 Daytona Yellow SS396 Camaro that my dad bought him when he turned 16. He also had no idea how to drive a stick. We were at a light on a really steep hill on the Boston Post Road in Milford Connecticut. He stalled it three times when the light turned green and the old man in the pickup behind us was blasting his horn. My brother just shut the car off, jammed on the parking brake, got out and yelled at the guy "I'M JUST LEARNING HOW TO DRIVE A STICKSHIFT. CAN YOU YOU GIVE ME A BREAK HERE?

He eventually got back in and managed to launch the car successfully forward at the next green light.

And if you are wondering how a 14 year old knew how to drive a stick shift? Well, my dad was always confused which of the 5 kids was which. So when he offered to help me buy my first car at age 14 (a 1969 Z11 pace Car) I was happy to let him. It was only after we got home with my new prize that my mom walks over and says to him: "You know, he is the 14 year old. His 16 year old brother is the one that needs a car. Now go find him a car"

Here's my car at age 14 and my brother's at 16 on the day my dad brought it home...in the snow. (This is what $3,500 bought you in 1977!)

[njsteve]

This is what the ELD issue looks like in the car. Kind of looks like the gauges have been infested with giant slugs. They lengthen or shorten depending on what position the dimmer switch is in.

So if I pour a can of table salt in the defroster ducts, that should get rid of them, right?:hmmm:

[Andy]

I’m glad he’s learning and getting acclimated to driving the car. What I liked about mine the most was how comfortable it was. I could go on long road trips and not be exhausted when I got there. That and the great retro styling they have! The only major thing I had to do to mine was replace the fuel pump but that was because it sat was more than it was drove the last 6 years I owned it. I put 19k miles on it the first year and only about a 1000 a year after that.

That’s very impressive for a first car! I’ve wanted a 69 Camaro since I was a kid but the opportunity has never been there for one. When one pops up I’ve just bought something else or it was sold a day before I get there. I’ve had my 67 Camaro since I was 13 and will never part with it but I want a 69 more than any other car. Maybe one day!

[njsteve]

Back in the mid 1970's a 69 Camaro was just an 8 year old used car when we bought it. It had a 1964 327 in it and 4-speed. I didn't know anything about cars when we got it and figured it said 350 on the fender so it has to be a 350? Right? Learned everything about cars by taking it all apart and not really knowing how to put it back together, but trying anyway. Read a lot of J.C. Whitney catalogs and dreamed of ordering lots of junk from it. :-)

[Too Many Projects]

I’ve had my 67 Camaro since I was 13 and will never part with it but I want a 69 more than any other car. Maybe one day!
Quit lusting over those overrated '69's. You already have the best year. Only year that can claim vent windows and no side markers..:headbang:

[njsteve]

The boy and I took our cars and went to a local cruise for about an hour til the rains came. This was his first solo flight with the manual transmission. One week of lessons and he's a frikken pro already. There is something to be said about initiative I guess. He REALLY wanted to learn to drive a stick, did lots of online research and followed (some of) my directions and picked it up faster than I ever did. Simply amazing. He says this car is so much more fun to drive with a stick than his 2104 Camaro with an automatic. He said he feels so much more involved in the driving experience.

There is hope for the next generation of manual transmission enthusiasts!

One of his friends stopped by in his black 2015 Challenger R/T (5.7 with an automatic) and was asking my son how the heck he figured out how to drive a stick. He just shrugged his shoulders and said it was easy. LOL

[Crush]

The boy and I took our cars and went to a local cruise for about an hour til the rains came. This was his first solo flight with the manual transmission. One week of lessons and he's a frikken pro already. There is something to be said about initiative I guess. He REALLY wanted to learn to drive a stick, did lots of online research and followed (some of) my directions and picked it up faster than I ever did. Simply amazing. He says this car is so much more fun to drive with a stick than his 2104 Camaro with an automatic. He said he feels so much more involved in the driving experience.

There is hope for the next generation of manual transmission enthusiasts!

One of his friends stopped by in his black 2015 Challenger R/T (5.7 with an automatic) and was asking my son how the heck he figured out how to drive a stick. He just shrugged his shoulders and said it was easy. LOL

So cool you are creating these memories! He will be telling his son how cool grandpa is!!

[Andy]

Steve this is the local car I was talking about. Not the best picture, had to take it from the median but it does show those stripes.

[Andy]

Quit lusting over those overrated '69's. You already have the best year. Only year that can claim vent windows and no side markers..:headbang:

Haha, yeah I know, but that’s the one car I’ve wanted since I was probably 8 or 10 years old. I’d love to do a Yenko or Motion tribute and go out and enjoy the car for what the real ones were originally built for!

[Andy]

My wife works at the local Ford dealer and she called me yesterday saying they got this go mango beauty on trade! 18k miles, 2020 scat pack wide body, six speed, alcantera seats, 6 piston brembos and active damping suspension. Just like I would’ve ordered one! I can dream I guess. It’s way more car than my 5.7 R/T was.

[Too Many Projects]

My wife works at the local Ford dealer and she called me yesterday saying they got this go mango beauty on trade! 18k miles, 2020 scat pack wide body, six speed, alcantera seats, 6 piston brembos and active damping suspension. Just like I would’ve ordered one! I can dream I guess. It’s way more car than my 5.7 R/T was.
If your wife told you about it, that would be implied consent to purchase...;)

What are you waiting for ...:grin:

[Crush]

My wife works at the local Ford dealer and she called me yesterday saying they got this go mango beauty on trade! 18k miles, 2020 scat pack wide body, six speed, alcantera seats, 6 piston brembos and active damping suspension. Just like I would’ve ordered one! I can dream I guess. It’s way more car than my 5.7 R/T was.

Price??

[njsteve]

Yeah, anything with a stick (especially a widebody version) is really in demand now.

[Andy]

Price??

53k I think. If you’re interested I’ll put you in contact with my wife. She works in sales there. She’s off today but will be back in office tomorrow.

[Andy]

If your wife told you about it, that would be implied consent to purchase...;)

What are you waiting for ...:grin:

Haha, I wish. We’re needing a van now, so my challenger dreams are on hold. I’ve got a 2 and 5 year old so we’re in that phase of needing a van for space and convenience in parking lots with sliding doors due to car seats.

[SuperNovaSS]

Haha, I wish. We’re needing a van now, so my challenger dreams are on hold. I’ve got a 2 and 5 year old so we’re in that phase of needing a van for space and convenience in parking lots with sliding doors due to car seats.


Maybe that is why it was traded in.



Jason

[njsteve]

Just an update: There was some very slight rubbing of the 275/40x20 Pirellis and the Hellcat wheels on the front of the R/T. The inside sidewalls of the front tires would rub when turning the wheels tightly while backing out of the garage and on tight sharp turns. Turns out the inner sidewall was just slightly rubbing against the front suspension uprights where they curve to meet the strut coils. I ended up buying a pair of 3mm spacers and that did the trick. Totally silent now. I also bought a set of the correct 2011 TPMS sensors from rockauto to replace the 2022 sensors that refused to link to the 2011 ECM.

And I added some clear rockguard film to the lower 8" of the fenders and doors, and added the "ZL1Add-ons" brand splashguards as well. We have been busy!

[njsteve]

In between the five days of straight rain we have been having and another few to go, we were able to squeek in a ten minute drive yesterday and I'm happy to say the new TPMS sensors were picked up by the ECM and now we have correct readings with the 20x9.5 Hellcat rims. Yay!

[njsteve]

I got all three oil analysis back from Blackstone. Engine, trans, and rear diff look fine. Trans and diff still had their original 24,000 factory fill. Engine oil had 500 miles but was very dark from cold starts and local driving since being replaced last year by the previous owner.

[njsteve]

There was a thread on the Challenger site about what people do with the stupid plastic engine covers on the 5.7 Hemis.

I found a use:

The covers do make good dog houses...or Teenaged Mutant Ninja TurtleDog costumes for Halloween.

[A12pilot]

You could flip it upsidedownwise and make a nice food bowl!

Cheers
Dave

[njsteve]

My son decided he wanted stripes on the R/T similar to the monochromatic scheme that I did on the Triple Redeye. So we got out the Avery decal sample catalog and the wife, me, and the boy all perused the catalog and miraculously, we all picked the same color! Tangerine.

I took a few days to install since the driver's door section had a flaw in the carrier sheet that actually went through to the decal itself but wasn't visible until I installed it. I called the decal company and they sent out a new driver's door section in a couple days. I' m very happy with their product and their customer service (though it did take a couple days to get through via email). Vinylgraphicspro is the name of the company.

https://www.vinylgraphicspro.com/pursuit-2011-2020-dodge-challenger-wide-upper-door-vinyl-graphics-side-t-a-392-style-stripes-accent-decals-kit/

Here's the finished product. It does the exact same thing that the Maroon stripes on the Octane Red do: they ghost out when viewed at a perpendicular angle and only show up when viewed at an oblique angle or in bright, direct light.

[03fridge]

Great looking car. Makes me miss mine. They are a lot of fun. About the engine cover. I purchased a set of the 392 half-covers that were modified by Steve White motors. Makes a huge difference. I don't think they do them anymore though. You could always buy a set of the 392 covers or "SRT Powered" covers and either modify the wording or run them as is. Not only looks better, but helps dissipate the heat soak.

Hope you don't mind that I added some pictures.

[njsteve]

Nice! Very “Kowalkski-esque” :-)

[Ocean W]

Hey njsteve
I have a 1971 Raleigh girlie chopper like the one you sold 20 years ago, how much do you think I can sell it for and can you tell me a bit about it?

[njsteve]

Hey njsteve
I have a 1971 Raleigh girlie chopper like the one you sold 20 years ago, how much do you think I can sell it for and can you tell me a bit about it?

Sadly the girl versions aren't that in demand and are usually cannibalized for parts. UGH!

Bod Ashton (bashton) of Musclecar and Corvette Nationals fame would the one to talk to: https://www.yenko.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=116

[black69]

Have to say those wheels and especially that stripe really transformed that car! Looks great.

[njsteve]

Thanks. The boy really wants to put a factory shaker setup on it but altogether that runs around $5k. ($1,200 for the hood and $2,000 for the shaker hardware, $500 for shipping, then another $1,000 for paint?)

[Crush]

Thanks. The boy really wants to put a factory shaker setup on it but altogether that runs around $5k. ($1,200 for the hood and $2,000 for the shaker hardware, $500 for shipping, then another $1,000 for paint?)

When I wanted stuff for my car and his age I had a job or two! Always liked working to fix up my cars.

[Too Many Projects]

Thanks. The boy really wants to put a factory shaker setup on it but altogether that runs around $5k. ($1,200 for the hood and $2,000 for the shaker hardware, $500 for shipping, then another $1,000 for paint?)
$500 to ship a hood ?? I know shipping has gotten stupid expensive, but that seems unreasonably high. Where is it coming from ?

Have you tried finding a set up from a crashed car locally that you can go get ?

[Andy]

I wanted to put a shaker setup on mine too, but the cost was nuts. My justification for not doing it was I could trade mine for a scat pack shaker at the time with a little more dough than what the conversion would have cost on my R/T and got 110 more HP to boot. But with the high cost of these cars now, the hood is likely a more cost effective option. I drove a scat pack shaker when I considered the trade and and I can say the cool factor was there 100000%!!!! haha

Maybe try looking on copart or junkyard websites as you can find these cars wrecked and they are willing to sell the parts for a fair amount less than the dealers.

[njsteve]

$500 to ship a hood ?? I know shipping has gotten stupid expensive, but that seems unreasonably high. Where is it coming from ?

Have you tried finding a set up from a crashed car locally that you can go get ?

It's a big piece of metal. I think it was around $200 actually but if I overestimate I can only be pleasantly disappointed if it costs a bunch less.

I'm a "glass half-broken" kind of guy. (Mega-pessimist)

[njsteve]

I borrowed my son's Orange car to make a run out to Pennsylvania today. Around 120 mile round trip. I was at a stop light out in PA and an old guy in the car next to me at the light, rolls down his window and he and his passenger (both in their late 70's) give the thumbs up. The driver then says: That's an awesome looking classic!

I said: "Thank you! It's my son's car and he doesn't know I borrowed it today. It's a stickshift too!"

They both laughed and said "We won't tell him".

Fun times with old car guys!

BTW, the car sure runs nicely on the highway even with the 3.92 gears. Got 24.5 mpg for the trip.

[njsteve]

I was thinking the other day how long newer cars actually last. When I was 14 and got my first car, a 1969 Z11 Pace Car Camaro, it was only 8 years old in 1977. It was a rusty mess with a 1964 327 in it. Cars back then just fell apart without any assistance from their owners.

My son's 2011 R/T was 12 years old with 24,000 miles on it when we found it a few months back. The advances in metallurgy and chemical coatings alone are amazing in terms of preserving the exposed parts. The underside of his car is pristine (having never seen a winter yet). Last week I had the bottom of the car coated in Fluid Film by a local guy. I also had him do the crusty underside of my 1995 Suburban as well. This is his winter business as a landscaper in Doylestown, PA when he isn't snowplowing. Cost around $300 a car and he spent a total of five hours under the cars. Wheels off and up on jack stands. He uses the spray cans for the suspension and then brushes on the heavy stuff out of a gallon can for the rest of the bottom of the car. It's a lanoline based goop that stinks a little for a couple days and then goes away.

This way the Challenger should get a little help in staying nice just in case the boy has to drive it this winter if one of our beaters isn't available.