surely someone did this. if you had nothing and started with the dynacorn body challenger, what would it cost to make it a running driving car, with interior, less paint and prep for paint. Just hard/soft parts to get it moving and make it out fitted to drive around with passengers.
did someone add up the new parts and what it would cost? Lets say stock parts, not stuff like magnum force front ends, or dana 60's but regular 8 3/4.
Just due to the overall cost of even a trashed e-body. more of an exercise rather than actual interest in building one, till they come up with a convertible body. or they come up with the charger body.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Andrewh]
#3019961 03/01/2212:59 PM03/01/2212:59 PM
A reproduction body is just that. Reproduction. Not an actual car. If you put a VIN tag from a 1970 car on a reproduction body, you are misrepresenting this fake made in Taiwan body as a real Challenger, which it is not. Restoring an actual Challenger is a big undertaking, but even if you replace 70% of that body with reproduction panels, it is still an actual original car, that has been restored.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: demon]
#3019971 03/01/2201:20 PM03/01/2201:20 PM
sure I get that. I was just curious the cost of starting with a clean body vs fixing a car. based on current prices of e-bodies, it seems like it might be cheaper. local laws allow me to register it as a project car with its own vin, so not a challenger.
I was just looking around and figured the camero body would be cheap to build since pretty much the whole car worth of parts can be ordered new from chevy still.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Andrewh]
#3019973 03/01/2201:33 PM03/01/2201:33 PM
Depends on what a project challenger costs and the level of parts replacement necessary to make it nice again. Also I suspect it would be faster to build a car from a clean body vs one that needed most of it replaced. You would need to scrounge up all the inner door hardware, dash, pedals, heater box and all the essentials via parts cars or junkyarding.
I see the repo bodies as perfect for hot rods and pro touring builds. Using a new body to "recreate" a long dead 440-6 or Hemi car would be a lame move.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Neil]
#3019980 03/01/2201:56 PM03/01/2201:56 PM
you are misrepresenting this fake made in Taiwan body as a real Challenger,
LMAO !!
You find an original hemi 'cuda. Drivetrain was pulled and stored indoors. Dash with VIN and fender tag are all there including build sheet BUT the shell is rotted away up to the shock towers.
Now tell us you wouldn't put together a Dynacorn car !!
A "rebody" and replacing every piece of sheet metal are one and the same! The car is only "original" ONCE.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Stanton]
#3020004 03/01/2203:09 PM03/01/2203:09 PM
Id have no problem owning a Dynacorn majority mopar if done right. I don't care about originality and value. Id enjoy a rust free car that would last a long time.
Keep old mopars alive.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: 2boltmain]
#3020010 03/01/2203:31 PM03/01/2203:31 PM
lol, this is not a Ship of Theseus discussion. just trying to figure out at what point is it cheaper to build from scratch vs fixing one. lol. again purely theoretical, as I don't want a hard top car.
I think glass, trim that is any good, rear diff and suspension, oh and at least the interior skeleton parts like seat frames and such, would be hard to pick up for under 4k. so that might give the edge to the rebuild category, except I really envision that one selling closer to 22 to 25k not 18, but could be wrong about the current e-body market.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Andrewh]
#3020020 03/01/2204:17 PM03/01/2204:17 PM
surely someone did this. if you had nothing and started with the dynacorn body challenger, what would it cost to make it a running driving car, with interior, less paint and prep for paint. Just hard/soft parts to get it moving and make it out fitted to drive around with passengers.
did someone add up the new parts and what it would cost? Lets say stock parts, not stuff like magnum force front ends, or dana 60's but regular 8 3/4.
Just due to the overall cost of even a trashed e-body. more of an exercise rather than actual interest in building one, till they come up with a convertible body. or they come up with the charger body.
All depends on who is going to do the work. I think you would need a good shop with at least one super sharp body guy to build a car from a dynacorn. I'm not a body guy myself but I've been in the mix on several builds where reproduction stuff was being used and none of the reproduction stuff was very good. In some cases the reproduction stuff was junked, in other cases the repo stuff was returned to the vendor since it couldn't be used. In the situations where the reproduction stuff was used it required a very skilled body guy to make it work. As in adjustments using a frame machine, cutting and welding, panel reshaping, etc. It wasn't a bolt together kind of project and it wasn't a skim it with bondo and call it good either. There were problems such as side marker lights in the wrong location, bumper locations wrong, door hinges in the wrong places, etc.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: AndyF]
#3020025 03/01/2204:38 PM03/01/2204:38 PM
That is an interesting point. I can bolt stuff together, but body work is not my thing. I was forgetting complaints about aftermarket panels not fitting and such. heck, I got a set of door handles for my 65, that the original bolt didn't fit in. I had to use the one that came with them to even bolt it up to my door.
That maybe why I hadn't heard anyone doing it, or they don't want to advertise they did it.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Andrewh]
#3020030 03/01/2204:54 PM03/01/2204:54 PM
Dynacorn missed the mark and misread the market. The 70-71 Barracuda bodies would have been a better bet. I have yet to hear of anyone that actually bought one of those Challenger bodies. Nowadays, a 68-70 Charger body would be a smart choice to reproduce. There are rotted R/T models that are advertised for $20,000.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Kern Dog]
#3020035 03/01/2205:11 PM03/01/2205:11 PM
The msrp is around 13500. no front fenders or hood. there are a couple of places that will include those items for the same price. so you have the complete body and dash it looks like. no wiring, interior, gas tank, glass, suspension front or rear etc..
the camaro convertible has a place that will also include the top frame with the front fenders and hood for the msrp price from dynacorn.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Andrewh]
#3020038 03/01/2205:23 PM03/01/2205:23 PM
I can't see it being even somewhat practical without a donor car. Otherwise the onesey twosey parts costs would eat you alive. So let's get a rusty complete car, one that barely casts a shadow - $15,000. Refurbish everything from the donor, dashpad, interior, engine, trans, brakes, glass, electrical, etc. - $20,000. Then the body for $14,000. Then paint for $10,000. You'll have right at $60,000 in it with my back of the napkin chicken scratching.
"We live in a time when intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended".
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: 6PakBee]
#3020049 03/01/2206:04 PM03/01/2206:04 PM
Half baked, its why they havent caught on. If people need a donor they'll just fix the donor with AMD metal and have a real challenger. If they made 68-70 chargers then I think it would be a different story, an even better story if they sold them as rollers like they do with the superformance cobras.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Dart 500]
#3020052 03/01/2206:08 PM03/01/2206:08 PM
Half baked, its why they havent caught on. If people need a donor they'll just fix the donor with AMD metal and have a real challenger. If they made 68-70 chargers then I think it would be a different story, an even better story if they sold them as rollers like they do with the superformance cobras.
I agree, a roller would make more sense. The vendor needs to put these cars together so they can see the problems and fix them. When they sell kits the fitment problems get outsourced to the customer and usually ignored. If the vendor is forced to deal with the fitment problems then they fix the root cause issue and everybody wins.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: AndyF]
#3020059 03/01/2206:28 PM03/01/2206:28 PM
Half baked, its why they havent caught on. If people need a donor they'll just fix the donor with AMD metal and have a real challenger. If they made 68-70 chargers then I think it would be a different story, an even better story if they sold them as rollers like they do with the superformance cobras.
I agree, a roller would make more sense. The vendor needs to put these cars together so they can see the problems and fix them. When they sell kits the fitment problems get outsourced to the customer and usually ignored. If the vendor is forced to deal with the fitment problems then they fix the root cause issue and everybody wins.
Yes and as long as they could be competitively priced I imagine a "dealership" just for "new" camaros, mustangs, cudas, chargers as complete rollers could work. They have to be sold as rollers otherwise they are considered a new car manufacturer and they would have to meet all current crash and emissions testing. I'll take a black/black 69 charger R/T please, and fit it with a new 6.4L hemi and 6-speed.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Dart 500]
#3020061 03/01/2206:37 PM03/01/2206:37 PM
actually there was a new law passed I thought. small manufactures could produce a small number of turn key cars and be based on what they were supposed to be vs new manufactuer. I remember that from a few years back.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Andrewh]
#3020066 03/01/2207:20 PM03/01/2207:20 PM
I think the only way they make sense from a scratch built perspective is to go racecar type custom instrument panel, dash and interior. The OEM doodads would eat you alive if it has to at least appear correct. Not that the custom/aftermarket stuff is cheap either but at least it's all new.
Kevin
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Andrewh]
#3020067 03/01/2207:22 PM03/01/2207:22 PM
Reminds me of Cobra Kit Cars, yes they look like the original but not really an original. But because there were so few originals built it's a good alternative but that's not the case with original Challengers lots of workable shells and even some originals that are /6's or 318's to work with. A few years back I had a /6 rolling body Challenger that needed a few panels, partial trunk floor and I had to move it and get rid of it. I had several projects way ahead of this Challenger so I put it on here and asked $800 or best offer.....NO TAKERS OR EVEN AN OFFER. So it was crunch time or make that CRUSH time as I had only a few days to get it gone. I asked $250 or any offer by the following Sunday or it was going to the crusher AND STILL NO OFFER or interest. A nice young man from Kentucky PM'd me and begged me not to crush it at the very last hour and drove up overnight with his girlfriend and with a trailer and took it away. The thing that really got me was the lack of interest in 1, saving a Mopar/Challenger and why Dynacom or anyone else thought to make Challenger body parts versus Barracuda body parts. I'm pretty sure if it was a /6 Barracuda it would have sold for two or three time the price of my original asking price. IMO Cuda's are more desirable than back in the day Challengers, apologizes to the Chally boys and girls just my own personal opinion.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Andrewh]
#3020072 03/01/2207:52 PM03/01/2207:52 PM
Expensive both routes, to the point that I don't think any savings would be what sets them apart. You couldn't give me one of those reproduction bodies. There are plenty of basket case, unused, or driver quality original options out there.
actually there was a new law passed I thought. small manufactures could produce a small number of turn key cars and be based on what they were supposed to be vs new manufactuer. I remember that from a few years back.
I believe it's 500 a year, has to meet current emissions but not current safety.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Sniper]
#3020086 03/01/2208:47 PM03/01/2208:47 PM
actually there was a new law passed I thought. small manufactures could produce a small number of turn key cars and be based on what they were supposed to be vs new manufactuer. I remember that from a few years back.
I believe it's 500 a year, has to meet current emissions but not current safety.
Odd nobody has jumped on that, with a modern power-train I'd think emissions would be attainable, but maybe not?
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Dart 500]
#3020104 03/01/2209:40 PM03/01/2209:40 PM
you are misrepresenting this fake made in Taiwan body as a real Challenger,
You find an original hemi 'cuda. Drivetrain was pulled and stored indoors. Dash with VIN and fender tag are all there including build sheet BUT the shell is rotted away up to the shock towers.
Now tell us you wouldn't put together a Dynacorn car !!
A "rebody" and replacing every piece of sheet metal are one and the same! The car is only "original" ONCE.
Have to agree with this. Even just going as far as the floor boards, trunk pans and rear quarters.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: A12]
#3020118 03/01/2210:58 PM03/01/2210:58 PM
Reminds me of Cobra Kit Cars, yes they look like the original but not really an original. But because there were so few originals built it's a good alternative but that's not the case with original Challengers lots of workable shells and even some originals that are /6's or 318's to work with. A few years back I had a /6 rolling body Challenger that needed a few panels, partial trunk floor and I had to move it and get rid of it. I had several projects way ahead of this Challenger so I put it on here and asked $800 or best offer.....NO TAKERS OR EVEN AN OFFER. So it was crunch time or make that CRUSH time as I had only a few days to get it gone. I asked $250 or any offer by the following Sunday or it was going to the crusher AND STILL NO OFFER or interest. A nice young man from Kentucky PM'd me and begged me not to crush it at the very last hour and drove up overnight with his girlfriend and with a trailer and took it away. The thing that really got me was the lack of interest in 1, saving a Mopar/Challenger and why Dynacom or anyone else thought to make Challenger body parts versus Barracuda body parts. I'm pretty sure if it was a /6 Barracuda it would have sold for two or three time the price of my original asking price. IMO Cuda's are more desirable than back in the day Challengers, apologizes to the Chally boys and girls just my own personal opinion.
I agree Iād walk over 4 Challengers to get to the rusted out 70 Cuda. $13,500 seems steep for a shell anyway. I was at Carlisle a few years back and AMD had a 71 Cuda made totally from their panels for $22,000, metal shape and figment was terrible, body mans nitemare. You canāt beat original no matter the condition. You know that new metal is not as crisp (seams-edges-ridges) as original either.
Last edited by cudaman1969; 03/01/2210:59 PM.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: cudaman1969]
#3020182 03/02/2211:49 AM03/02/2211:49 AM
lol, this is not a Ship of Theseus discussion. just trying to figure out at what point is it cheaper to build from scratch vs fixing one. lol. again purely theoretical, as I don't want a hard top car.
I think glass, trim that is any good, rear diff and suspension, oh and at least the interior skeleton parts like seat frames and such, would be hard to pick up for under 4k. so that might give the edge to the rebuild category, except I really envision that one selling closer to 22 to 25k not 18, but could be wrong about the current e-body market.
I had to look that up. AND I LIKE IT!
"We live in a time when intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended".
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: 6PakBee]
#3020207 03/02/2201:22 PM03/02/2201:22 PM
lol, this is not a Ship of Theseus discussion. just trying to figure out at what point is it cheaper to build from scratch vs fixing one. lol. again purely theoretical, as I don't want a hard top car.
I think glass, trim that is any good, rear diff and suspension, oh and at least the interior skeleton parts like seat frames and such, would be hard to pick up for under 4k. so that might give the edge to the rebuild category, except I really envision that one selling closer to 22 to 25k not 18, but could be wrong about the current e-body market.
I had to look that up. AND I LIKE IT!
Me too! I'd always heard it called George Washington's Ax...
lol, this is not a Ship of Theseus discussion. just trying to figure out at what point is it cheaper to build from scratch vs fixing one. lol. again purely theoretical, as I don't want a hard top car.
I think glass, trim that is any good, rear diff and suspension, oh and at least the interior skeleton parts like seat frames and such, would be hard to pick up for under 4k. so that might give the edge to the rebuild category, except I really envision that one selling closer to 22 to 25k not 18, but could be wrong about the current e-body market.
I had to look that up. AND I LIKE IT!
Me too! I'd always heard it called George Washington's Ax...
It's what got Boyd Coddington in legal trouble.
Earning every penny of that moderator paycheck.
DBAP
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: not_a_charger]
#3020225 03/02/2202:02 PM03/02/2202:02 PM
Months ago I ran across a guy on Ebay selling new 69-70 fastback mustang rollers with all new bodies and suspension. Price varied by the options you selected, but want to say they were around low twenties + shipping? Motor, trans, interior and paint was up to you.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Andrewh]
#3020277 03/02/2205:58 PM03/02/2205:58 PM
At the heart of this question, I think what the OP to know is what the difference would be. As mentioned earlier youād have to start out with a complete challenger to even make a go of this. Rust repair is extremely expensive. Just to get a body to clean steel you can easily make $17k disappear. I have found and owned field cars that were correct right down to the nut and bolt but when you open the hood or truck you heard, ācrunch!ā Rotten bodies. Iād say on a car that has a completely rusted out body but all the nuts and bolts and goodies are there, a $17,000 Dynacorn body is worth it. If itās just dented and dinged with the typical quarter panel rust, a rebody would be the furthest thing from my mind because youāll never get the money back.
Iām listening.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Big Bad Bee]
#3022789 03/11/2203:20 AM03/11/2203:20 AM
I think the difference is who is doing the work? If your doing it yourself, buying the patch panels and have at it is probably cheaper the buying a body shell. If you are paying someone to get it to the same point you can buy a ready to go body at and your shell needs a lot of body panels, its probably about break even. 17 G is a lot of cash, I think I would be checking out some of the high end old car salvage yards for a decent body, that might be the cheapest way to go.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: poorboy]
#3022840 03/11/2211:23 AM03/11/2211:23 AM
I think the difference is who is doing the work? If your doing it yourself, buying the patch panels and have at it is probably cheaper the buying a body shell. If you are paying someone to get it to the same point you can buy a ready to go body at and your shell needs a lot of body panels, its probably about break even. 17 G is a lot of cash, I think I would be checking out some of the high end old car salvage yards for a decent body, that might be the cheapest way to go.
Might be a lot easier getting a car out of a scrap yard if you assure them its only for parts for your dynacorn body and you'll return whats left. I know when some cars enter junk yards there is no legal returning them to the road / ownership.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: Dart 500]
#3022847 03/11/2211:56 AM03/11/2211:56 AM
i blasted this mustang on wednesday for a customer. its dynacorn parts assembled on a jig by a shop semi local to me. They charge 24g vs 33g (Canadian $) from dynacorn. its 100% dynacorn with no ford parts. typical aftermarket parts issues. panels are "ok" but thinner for sure. This one is right hand drive going to Australia once completed. so 24g for a body that needs no rust repair, all new parts. It would be pretty quick to eat that cost up at a bodyshop with the typical mustang rot. Vin numbers? who knows. this is not factory quality parts though. but its a ford and most ford guys dont really care.
so buying a rotten mustang fastback for 15g+ 10g in replacement panels + labor. in this case kind of a no brainer. i know its not a mopar but its dynacorn
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: chrisf]
#3022884 03/11/2201:16 PM03/11/2201:16 PM
no matter what one does these days, it's expen$ive ! when does one say : "just save up more money and buy one done" ? way too easy to get upside down quickly on restorations of "desirable" models, let alone "common" models. i understand personal attachment to dad's 63 valiant 4door sedan, but to restore it ? just me mumbling in my bowl of cheerio's.............. your mileage will vary.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: moparx]
#3022904 03/11/2201:34 PM03/11/2201:34 PM
This guy has been doing chargers with AMD panels, says all you need is the inner structure, everything else is available from AMD. He's pulled cars from ravines, yards after sitting 30 yrs etc
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: A12]
#3023151 03/12/2210:42 AM03/12/2210:42 AM
actually there was a new law passed I thought. small manufactures could produce a small number of turn key cars and be based on what they were supposed to be vs new manufactuer. I remember that from a few years back.
Sounds like there were a number of conditions to this being possible that only recently got resolved.
A few years back I had a /6 rolling body Challenger that needed a few panels, partial trunk floor and I had to move it and get rid of it. I had several projects way ahead of this Challenger so I put it on here and asked $800 or best offer.....NO TAKERS OR EVEN AN OFFER. So it was crunch time or make that CRUSH time as I had only a few days to get it gone. I asked $250 or any offer by the following Sunday or it was going to the crusher AND STILL NO OFFER or interest. A nice young man from Kentucky PM'd me and begged me not to crush it at the very last hour and drove up overnight with his girlfriend and with a trailer and took it away. The thing that really got me was the lack of interest in 1, saving a Mopar/Challenger and why Dynacom or anyone else thought to make Challenger body parts versus Barracuda body parts. I'm pretty sure if it was a /6 Barracuda it would have sold for two or three time the price of my original asking price. IMO Cuda's are more desirable than back in the day Challengers, apologizes to the Chally boys and girls just my own personal opinion.
I don't regularly browse the for sale ads but I would have been on this like stink on poo. Seems really odd to me that only one other person would have been unless you had some conditions that turned a lot of people off . Next time you have a problem unloading an E body for $800, DM me.
Barracuda is an orphan now. DODGE was NOT going to license a reproduction of a PLYMOUTH. Challenger also has a modern equivalent. Was it the smartest thing to do from a $$ perspective, not from an enthusiasts point of view, but from a corporate bean counter angle, it absolutely does.
Re: building dynacorn body vs fixing cost?
[Re: TC@HP2]
#3023186 03/12/2211:57 AM03/12/2211:57 AM