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My newest project 1981 dodge challenger.


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Might as well start a new thread. Looks like I have a bit of work ahead of me.

 

First to begin, what the car is.

 

It's a 1981 Dodge challenger with some real custom paint :) Has the factory turbo style wheels which I love, but will save for a box type lancer I plan on importing later this year. The car is a automatic with about 165k on the chassis. Engine might possibly have a spun bearing as the crank doesnt really turn freely. This car is also a automatic.

 

Since it has sat for about 10 years, the interior smells moldy and possibly mice have been in it. I will be pulling the dash out and cleaning the entire hvac system. I am going to toss the carpet as I believe a starion carpet will slide right in. I will also be tossing the seats and seeing if I can get a set of starion seats to fit. The rest of the interior I will steam clean.

 

The other big issue right now is it is a automatic. I just cant have that :). I have a 5 speed swap from a starion ready to go. I havent got under the car to see what I will have to deal with for driveshaft issues, but the rest of the stuff I have experienced before.

 

 

Exterior wise I intend to do. I will be painting the front grill and entire rear section of the lights and in between the lights a bumperish matte black. I will be installing 14x9 konig rewinds which I am picking up in a few days. I also plan on taking off the side window louver.

 

As far as the engine is concerned. I am up in debate if I really want to do a turbo swap right now. I have all teh parts, and am almost finished rebuilding a g54b turbo engine, but I just want this thing driving for now. I can get the engine out of my 84 mighty max spx truck for pretty cheap and it's still in very good condition, so I may just go that route for the time being. I have a weber with adapter that has been recently rebuilt, plus I have a pacesetter header for it. Should free up a few ponies.

 

Just gonna post one pic up since most everyone has seen this in the

 

 

 

 

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^^^ There is an eight-page spread on this guy's Mitsu Challenger in the second issue of Japanese Nostalgic Car magazine. It also goes over the history / performace etc. I can bring it to the next Ratsun meet if you want.

 

Looks good! Does it have the 2.6 liter Astron engine?

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I'll take on one of those ugly new big battle tank challengers any time!. My car has SPIRIT, plus its electric blue and gold.

 

Hugh, yeah I have that issue. That guy built an amazing 1st gen. Actually made the car look good.

 

Yeah it does have the g54b 2.6 astron engine. Might have a spun bearing or jsut a lot of rust on the cylinder walls from sitting so long. I might swap in my old truck engine from my friends truck tomorrow. Unfortunately my turbo engie is on hold right now as I am in need of a good std crank. Mines a few thou under max

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I believe starions were based off the main unibody design, quite a bit different but some is the same. Quite a bit lighter. It wighs in at 2660lbs. My old starion was around 3100. I figure with the tiny stock starion turbo at 15lbs I should be able to pull high 13s. With the 14b maybe break into the high 12s. I'll probably run another 18g though as I really liked it. At stock boost I was running 13.69 in a starion with no other mods but a gutted cat, so this thing should shit n git with it.

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I always wanted the Starion/Conquest TSi, first time I saw one was the big fendered version and loved the styling. Should have kept making them and never got a chance to get one. Only used ones I have ever seen(which is very very rare) were beat to crap and the body/interior were wasted.

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I wish, It would have made me feel better :D

 

Naw, there was so much moisture intehc ar frmo it stting for 10 eyars a lot of te dash bolts were coroded. I had to use a impact screwdriver for some dash stuff.

 

That steering wheel is off a 83 starion, but I cant find my damn center piece for it lol. It's driving me crazy.

 

I figure while the thing is apart I might as well flush outt eh heater core. I'll start on my 5 speed conversion tomorrow along wiht getitng the engine ready to pull.

 

I think my goal is to get this challenger done by saturday so i can take it to our little red robin meet in beaverton.

Edited by City Hunter
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Well, I just met a great contact in australia and will be picking up a few adm goodies for the sapporo. I'm getting these below, plus I should have a delete panel for the side louvers soon :)

 

First off is the spoiler which is off sigma gsr but works perfect on a sap.

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Then a set of early tails. I will rock these until ic an find a set of the latemodel tails. These are sitll much bette rlooking tan what I have right now.

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Made some good progress today. Coulda made more but the booze kicked in during the night time.

 

Pulled the stock engine/auto out. What a pain it was to get the exhaust bolts off, even after soaking in kroil. After that it was great.

 

I went and picked up a 700 mile shjortblock i had built then sold a while back. Still ij the same condition as I sold it. My friensd never used it. I'm very very happoy, this engine spec'd out very very nicely when i built it. Should be a strong engine :) Drove back and put it in, cleaned the crossmember up a bit. I will clean the engine bay up and what not ebfore I drop teh ehad and transmission on. I jsut wanted to get rid of the cherry picker im borrwing so I tossed her in.

 

 

Out with the old

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The car was bleeding a bit lol.

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I missed you shortblock, welcome home :)

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The mood was set at 10pm

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Turbo engine complete.

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So I paid for the late model grill for the late model composite lights spoiler and tails today. Should have the tails here in 2 weeks,. Grill n spoiler and headlights probably the end of march depending on when he gets it packed up.

 

I stipped more wiring and shit off the innter dash area and got an idea of what I need to do for the 5 speed conversioh. There is a damn double firewall so i cant just use a punch to knock a spot wehre I need to dirll the master hole for the pedal. I;m going to take a grinder and grin the outter stamped area way so i can get a punch in there and mark a spot, so i can drill from the inside. Picked up anothe r3.99 13piece holesaw set from harbor crap today since I lost a peice for my last set. I should be drilling out the hole forf the clutch pedal tomorrow along with fabircating the mount for the clutch pedal afte I drill some fucking gay brackets out off.

 

And on another cool side note. I'm picking up a metal lathe tomorrow. Should come in handy for something.

 

I have also decided I will side dump the exhaust because I am lazy. I will replicate this.

 

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naw they dont have that, They also usually had larger transmission tunnels for the auto, so if girue they jsut used a different firewall.

 

Anyhow a little update.

 

I picked up my friend johns prototype starion intercoolercomplete bolt in set he developed but never put into production due to lack of interest.

 

The intercooler is 100% fabricated in washington by john. Side tanks hard pipes etc.. The core measurements are around 31x12x4 plus end tanks I believe. I havent measured it out. It's designed to bolt into straight into a tbi setup, but he would also fab my up the hard pipes for a mpi setup as well.

 

He said the intercooler should be good for 900hp or so as this was the same size they were using on the mk4 supras. Either way it's overkill for a tbi, but what the hell, it's so much nicer than my chiense one, weighs less and will hold more pressur. IOnly thing I need to do is grab a few couplers and clean it up since it has been sitting in a box on a shelf for a year or 2.

 

I plan on tossing this bad boy into the lambda for the time being. Now if I can just get a t3 manifold and my friends hy35...

 

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Well, I made some decent progress today. I fabbed up some mounts for the transmission and got the meausrements for how much longer my driveshaft needs to be. I need to go snag some retainer clips from the jyard tomorrow for the outter mount. The only thing left is to mount the clutch pedal, which I am procrastinating on. It should get done tomorrow though. I also need to drop the gas tank tonight and see if my starion tank will fit. I have a feeling there is some sludge buildup in this tank as it has been sitting forever.

 

Back to the garage. I gotta get as much done as I can before i get too drunk.

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