MM Muscle - 1971 Dodge Challenger

[Jeff]

I think I might be the only person who likes those wheels on the car.... they definitely need larger tires and the car would need to be lowered though.

I like the style, I think they look sharp. But they sit back in to far. That can be fixed with high quality spacers or just getting a different set of wheels. They are plenty wide, they just sit so far back in the wheel opening. I think a deeper dish is what I am really after. Also, a 17in wheel with a taller tire would look better.

[Jake]

Also, a 17in wheel with a taller tire would look better.

I think that's what I don't like about them. The style of the wheel is pretty good for the car, but the itty-bitty rubber band tires on those wheels don't jive with the big, bodacious purpleness of the rest of it.

[CaptainHenreh]

[Jeff]

I decided I need to post up about this. Rex bothers me fairly regularly to make progress, and make progress I have. For those of you who are following the next big step in this project was getting the dash and rear panel in so we could do the windows and trim. So last weekend I reassembled and painted the dash and installed it!





It took about 4 hours not counting drying time for the paint to get everything back together. The poorly fitting aftermarket dash pad was the biggest issue. It has a thick fiberglass core instead of the slim steel of the original resulting in a difficult fit. I had to redo all the silver details on the gauge rings and the HVAC controls with a paint pen. That took some time.



I also installed an modern CD player in the car. The all new for 2011 Pioneer 1300MP which is only $70! What a great deal for a great little unit. I needed something with NO bells and whistles because I can't afford any folding faces or anything as you notice the dash actually goes in front of the radio. A custom harness was made for said radio as well as a mounting panel in behind the dash trim.



Beyond that most of the wiring is back as it should be but I am getting funny feedbacks because the wiring has so many open grounds. For instance, when the key is off and the heater controls are off when you turn the headlamps on the radio comes on. If you turn the blower fan on the radio cuts out. Also, I wired up the cooling fan to what I thought was a switch power wire. Turns out it was the brake test wire. So when I push in the parking brake my cooling fan cuts out! lol.

Rear Infinity Kappa 6X9in speakers installed. Working on the fronts.



Also the custom air cleaner is taking shape. It will be a wrinkled black finish.



So that is the progress that has happened in the last 3 days. The exhaust tips should be here Wed. so Phil can get the rear valence cut and painted. The guys coming to put the windshield and rear window back in are also coming wed. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day!

One moar! I posted a toolbox for sale up on here awhile back and was able to sell it (not to a MM but still) so I went to pick up my new one. Not exactly what I wanted but I got a SMOKIN deal on it, I could not pass it up.




Any comments appreciated! Thanks guys.

[CaptainHenreh]

This isn't as dramatic as exterior work, but I know it was a lot of tough labor.

A+

[D_Eclipse9916]

Looks actually really great. I hate interior work.

[Jeff]

Front and rear windows got installed this past week. Guys doing the work busted the first windshield and had to go get another one. They had two in stock...how odd. Also, after an hour of fucking with it I got the windshield wipers working. Turns out that all my electrical issues were one single ground stud not having a screw installed in it.






Underside of the hood and the top of the trunk lid were painted.



Rear valence was cut for new exhaust tips. I need to get a pic of them.



Orange air cleaner came off in favor of our customized black wrinkle one. Note the valve on the snorkel and the tube for the carb heat are gone. That was more work then it looks like. Also, I have a "pie tin" coming for the black lid that says "318 4 Barrel"

[CaptainHenreh]

Where's the Like button?

[Jeff]

MOAR!
Air cleaner on the engine


Exhaust tips

[Jake]

This is going to be so ballin' when you are done. Keep the updates coming!

[ScottyB]

awesome!

[JustinG]

Ftfy

This is going to be so Bawlin

[fiveoh2go]

Sorry if I overlooked it, but has anything been decided on the wheel/tire combo yet?

[Jeff]

Sorry if I overlooked it, but has anything been decided on the wheel/tire combo yet?

Nothing decided yet. I am open to suggestions and ideas. My father will ultimatly have to agree so I would imagine nothing to modern. Also the budget will probably be something like $1000 for the wheels. I think the plan is dad is going to buy the tires because he would have had to buy tires anyway, but if I want wheels they are on me. At this point I am thinking 17X7 on the front and 17X10 in the back. My initial thoughts are still with....

[Jeff]

Lug pattern is 4.5in or 5X114.3mm on that wheel I would have to go 17X8 and 17X10.5 for the rear.

EDIT- Quick online reading tells me there is no way I will fit a 10.5 under the back. a 9 is about max. Tirerack says 17X7 with a 0mm offset will work all the way around. So that might be the safest route to take. This wheel I like is at its narrowest 8in but has about .6in more backspace then tirerack allows. So I assume I will have some rubbing somewhere. Makes it a tough call. For my reference the part number for the Torq Thrust M is AR105MS7865A looks like $179 each. $716 + shipping isn't bad at all.

[JustinG]

Tub that bitch!

[Goodspeed]

Tub that bitch!

+1, gotta have some fat meats on the back :bow:

I'm rarely a fan, but I think that style in black/polished lip would look really good on purple

[ScottyB]

please don't put anything less than a 9 inch wide wheel on that thing, especially the back. it'll suffer the same problem as the current challengers, which is the tires looking like wagon wheels from the back due to looking so out of proportion to how wide the car is.

[HAULN-SS]

It seems like the best looking old challengers Ive seen they either put spacers in, or a wider axle or something to push the face of the wheels out some. Otherwise it seems like the body is overhanging too much.

[ScottyB]

here's an example of the overall size i really like. it's more "pro-touring" in diameter but it really fit the car nice. this was at a show in Ferrum this fall and everyone stopped to look at this baby. this was the only time i could take a clear picture without people in the way.