Where I Get to Play Everyday...

Posted By: Dan@Hotchkis

Where I Get to Play Everyday... - 09/08/14 08:14 PM

I thought it would be fun to make a post with a quick tour around the Mopar side of the house. Its a bit cluttered as my smaller shop is currently being remodeled, but you get the idea.

Outside the shop is my truck as well as a 89 Horizon we a doing a build for a customer in Virgina. Should be a cool little ITB style racer when it's done. We are collecting parts for brake swaps and to make it into a turbo car. The 71 Challenger is a customer's car that we are using for fitment. He plans on making an Emax clone, but in Red!

Moving into the office...

And a little encouragement from a friend...

In the shop we have a 74 Duster with a small block that we did a full factory suspension rebuild on, as well as repairing a rear shock mount eyelet. Currently denting the freshly coated headers to clear the Pot Coupling on the steering shaft...

"Sally" is on hold while HPE works on a custom console for her.

Rear bar for the relocated leafs

On this side we've got a bunch of the K car stuff and some left over /6 stuff I was tinkering with...

The Road Runner driveline and suspension on it's cradle while I work out some plumbing..

We are working with Milodon on these new pans. Incar pan drops should get a bit easier....

Front oiling..

My next personal project...still working on driveline decision. Kept thinking Turbo /6, but SRT-4 engine may be even better.

And that's about it. Hope you enjoyed!

Posted By: Uhcoog1

Re: Where I Get to Play Everyday... - 09/08/14 08:44 PM

Great space you've got there!

Posted By: feets

Re: Where I Get to Play Everyday... - 09/08/14 10:35 PM

The turbo 4 would make the Dart run but you'll struggle with off boost torque.
Go out on a limb and do a turbo V6.

Posted By: Dan@Hotchkis

Re: Where I Get to Play Everyday... - 09/08/14 10:38 PM

Quote:

The turbo 4 would make the Dart run but you'll struggle with off boost torque.
Go out on a limb and do a turbo V6.

I was playing with the idea of a Pentastar engine, especially since Maserati and Ferrari are using them for their entry level engines, but making them stand alone may get costly. I'm thinking /6 to get the chassis sorted, then dork around with the drive train on the side. I think a 2500lbs Mopar on 255 tires would be super fun for autocrossing.

Posted By: goldduster318

Re: Where I Get to Play Everyday... - 09/09/14 02:09 AM

Quote:

Quote:

The turbo 4 would make the Dart run but you'll struggle with off boost torque.
Go out on a limb and do a turbo V6.

I was playing with the idea of a Pentastar engine, especially since Maserati and Ferrari are using them for their entry level engines, but making them stand alone may get costly. I'm thinking /6 to get the chassis sorted, then dork around with the drive train on the side. I think a 2500lbs Mopar on 255 tires would be super fun for autocrossing.

Not that there's any info on it, but I'd assume you could run the pentastar with megasquirt 3 extra. As long as you understand the cam and crank sensors, it should be doable.

I agree on the fun/light part. Does this mean there will be a TVS release for the early A's?

Posted By: Dan@Hotchkis

Re: Where I Get to Play Everyday... - 09/09/14 02:58 AM

Quote:

I agree on the fun/light part. Does this mean there will be a TVS release for the early A's?

We've got everything but the frame connectors. Furthest back I've gone is 66 Valiant. When I do the 63 Dart, we'll have half the puzle done. Even though I've done a 62 B body, I doubt it'll make production.

Posted By: Trojmn

Re: Where I Get to Play Everyday... - 09/09/14 04:51 AM

Quote:

The turbo 4 would make the Dart run but you'll struggle with off boost torque.
Go out on a limb and do a turbo V6.

thats a common statement that i have never understood. While i "get" that a 2.4L wont make as much off idle torque as a 7L it doesn't make much sense to me to be a detractor. Fun really isnt too far away at all and a S3 SRT4 on e-84 is about as much fun as you can legally have on FWD 375HP/400ftlbs.

Besides a stock SRT weighs 2900lbs and spins a 25" tire and is plenty quick DD. add RWD, stg3 sized turbo + e85 for the sweet smell of torque and its going to be fun. Real fun. keep it on PCM boost control for the drivability. AND i would think a well built early A is going to be lighter in the right places ;-)

Posted By: feets

Re: Where I Get to Play Everyday... - 09/09/14 04:17 PM

Quote:

Quote:

The turbo 4 would make the Dart run but you'll struggle with off boost torque.
Go out on a limb and do a turbo V6.

thats a common statement that i have never understood. While i "get" that a 2.4L wont make as much off idle torque as a 7L it doesn't make much sense to me to be a detractor.

Getting to and from the fun parts of the road would not be fun at all. It'd be a wheezy pig.
Tire height, gearing (trans and rear), and weight would all have to be on par with the Neon to make it tolerable.

Posted By: Sneke_Eyez

Re: Where I Get to Play Everyday... - 09/09/14 04:44 PM

Thanks for sharing, Dan. That place is awesome!

I have always liked those Horizons and the Omnis that looked like them. For a while I was looking for a clean one to build up, but they're unobtanium in New England.

Posted By: Trojmn

Re: Where I Get to Play Everyday... - 09/10/14 01:15 AM

Quote:

Getting to and from the fun parts of the road would not be fun at all. It'd be a wheezy pig.
Tire height, gearing (trans and rear), and weight would all have to be on par with the Neon to make it tolerable.

wheezy? you have obviously never driven a modern turbo or a least a well setup one. the early A weighs less(?) than a SRT and you CAN make the final drive any damn thing you want. FTR a 2.4 turbo engine wet with everything, accessories, wiring, pipe, etc... was is all of ~375lbs which might be a tad lighter than most options (we are in a handling forum!) Boost by gear, REAL PCM boost control it would be awesome.

FTR stock T850:
Final drive 3.53
First 3.65
second 2.05
third 1.37
forth 0.97
OD 0.76....

there are already a couple others doing this. ive kicked it around also but between work, regular autoX bear to take my car out of commission. hell the plan "A" gen3 hemi has been on the stand for 4 years

Posted By: MuuMuu101

Re: Where I Get to Play Everyday... - 09/10/14 04:56 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Getting to and from the fun parts of the road would not be fun at all. It'd be a wheezy pig.
Tire height, gearing (trans and rear), and weight would all have to be on par with the Neon to make it tolerable.

wheezy? you have obviously never driven a modern turbo or a least a well setup one. the early A weighs less(?) than a SRT and you CAN make the final drive any damn thing you want. FTR a 2.4 turbo engine wet with everything, accessories, wiring, pipe, etc... was is all of ~375lbs which might be a tad lighter than most options (we are in a handling forum!) Boost by gear, REAL PCM boost control it would be awesome.

FTR stock T850:
Final drive 3.53
First 3.65
second 2.05
third 1.37
forth 0.97
OD 0.76....

there are already a couple others doing this. ive kicked it around also but between work, regular autoX bear to take my car out of commission. hell the plan "A" gen3 hemi has been on the stand for 4 years

Your transmission options are a MA5 transmission with a Dakota Bellhousing, and NV1500, or any small block bell housing engine with a 3/8" adapter plate that can be purchased for the 2.2/2.4L engines.

Posted By: redmist

Re: Where I Get to Play Everyday... - 09/10/14 10:27 PM

Do I need to wait to purchase a pan for my 440?? I want to replace the drag pan, and go with a road race pan.

Whats the scoop!!!

Posted By: Dan@Hotchkis

Re: Where I Get to Play Everyday... - 09/10/14 11:34 PM

Quote:

Do I need to wait to purchase a pan for my 440?? I want to replace the drag pan, and go with a road race pan.

Whats the scoop!!!

The pan with a factory style internal pick up is available. Once I figure out the plumbing, this one should be hot to trot shortly after. Just ordered a new bunch of fittings today to try routing the line up instead of down. The old hose assumed Motor plate

Posted By: 72Swinger

Re: Where I Get to Play Everyday... - 09/10/14 11:42 PM

Are you gonna use ptfe hose Dan? I didn't, but wonder if I should have.

Posted By: boydsdodge

Re: Where I Get to Play Everyday... - 09/11/14 12:47 AM

I see you have way too much work on your head to deal with with it all, I am offering you to ship Sally here to Toronto for some Mosport testing.
Of course I will pay for the shipping east.

Posted By: Dan@Hotchkis

Re: Where I Get to Play Everyday... - 09/11/14 12:57 AM

Quote:

Are you gonna use ptfe hose Dan? I didn't, but wonder if I should have.

Nope, XRP Stainless Braided CPE with Double swivel, triple seal ends.

Quote:

I see you have way too much work on your head to deal with with it all, I am offering you to ship Sally here to Toronto for some Mosport testing.
Of course I will pay for the shipping east.

You'd have to talk to the owner about that. He lives in Lake Tahoe and will be moonlighting in Vermont for the fall.

Posted By: boydsdodge

Re: Where I Get to Play Everyday... - 09/11/14 02:05 AM

A bit closer.