1969 Dodge Charger Daytona

[jjsipes]

I have been wanting to build one of these for a long time. Finally bit the bullet and got started. I started with the Revell 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona kit. Had some pieces from the 1st release of this kit with some of the "Race Car" option like the taillight panel cover, the center rollbar that goes behind the seat (in which I modified slightly) and few other pieces. I started with the interior and seeing what I could come up with. I glued the interior pan at the rear seat area, the toe boards and along the driveshaft tunnel leaving the rest loose. I then cut the floor pans out of the interior pan to use the top of the chassis pan itself. Smoothed up the low areas of the front subframe and along the rockers. Created the door jambs (which are not perfect but will work). Smoothed up the interior trim panels and cut the door trim panel out. I cut the rear package tray down and cut some sheet plastic to mold that into the rear seat area and smoothed trim panels. Started looking at the rollcage which is always my downfall on creating a stock car out of a streetcar kit.  I guess it isn't turning out to bad. I have cut out the inner front fender aprons. I have a set of PPP early 1970's stock car tires and wheels to use. I always found a correct resin hemi intake to use as well. I have 3 different sets of decals for one of these cars, not sure which one I will build. I have the decals for the #99 Glotzbach, the #22 Allison and of course the #71 Isaac car.

 

[MarkJ]

That roll cage is looking spot on, Jason. Do you have the box from the kit so we can see exactly what kit it is.  Walmart is selling a 69 Charger and if it's the same I will have to pick me up one of those. 

 

 

 

[jjsipes]

3 hours ago, MarkJ said:

That roll cage is looking spot on, Jason. Do you have the box from the kit so we can see exactly what kit it is.  Walmart is selling a 69 Charger and if it's the same I will have to pick me up one of those. 

 

 

 

Mark this is the kit I'm using.

With some leftovers parts from my streetcar build from this kit.

And this was the last release of this kit

[Pierre Rivard]

With the right mods and adds this kit can convert to a really good racer. I love the approach you are taking so far. I remember your wonderful 63 Petty Plymouth and look forward to following what you choose to do on this one.

[jjsipes]

Not sure what to do with the front suspension. Have been looking at pictures and it appears that these car first used a modified stock k member but then I seen over at Randy Ayers Nascar Forums the Wingcar Building Seminar that it was all fabricated. Not sure what to do.

 

[Street Rod]

Looks like you’re off to a good start. Love them wing cars!

[magicmustang]

Good start. Love those Daytona's. Always impressed with Doug Whyte's Daytona Charger build. 

[jjsipes]

Think I'm done with the rollcage. Onto the suspension and body.

Edited July 29, 2022 by jjsipes

[MarkJ]

Wow, you're moving right along, and the cage looks perfect. I don't think the one in Walmart is like this kit. 

[Pierre Rivard]

Jason, beautiful work and fast! 

If I may suggest, having built two, do a lot of testing on suspension installation. Some mods needed to get a proper NASCAR ride height. The rear is pretty easy by tweaking spring shapes but the front is trickier. Suggest you consider separating the lower arm (and attached torsion bar) from the K frame so you can move it up to lower the stance.

[yellowsportwagon]

On 7/30/2022 at 2:54 PM, Pierre Rivard said:

Jason, beautiful work and fast! 

If I may suggest, having built two, do a lot of testing on suspension installation. Some mods needed to get a proper NASCAR ride height. The rear is pretty easy by tweaking spring shapes but the front is trickier. Suggest you consider separating the lower arm (and attached torsion bar) from the K frame so you can move it up to lower the stance.

And flip the spindles upside down and use on opposite sides if I remember correctly 

[Force]

On 7/30/2022 at 9:54 PM, Pierre Rivard said:

Jason, beautiful work and fast! 

If I may suggest, having built two, do a lot of testing on suspension installation. Some mods needed to get a proper NASCAR ride height. The rear is pretty easy by tweaking spring shapes but the front is trickier. Suggest you consider separating the lower arm (and attached torsion bar) from the K frame so you can move it up to lower the stance.

 

7 hours ago, yellowsportwagon said:

And flip the spindles upside down and use on opposite sides if I remember correctly 

Yes, the front is substantially lower on a NASCAR Daytona race car (and Superbird) than on the street counterpart.

[jjsipes]

Taking few minutes this morning and looking at the spindles. The one of the left is the stock Charger spindle, the 2 on the right is the stock Daytona spindles. Revell lowered the front some but, I will lower some more.

[jjsipes]

Still some work to be done to get it lower I believe. Just some quick pics.

[MarkJ]

Looking Fine. These baby's always look better with the proper tires and wheels.

[Force]

12 hours ago, jjsipes said:

Still some work to be done to get it lower I believe. Just some quick pics.

Yes, compared to the picture of the real K&K Insurance # 71 car it could be even lower.

[gks1964]

Much lower!!

[yellowsportwagon]

This is a hard chassis to get low enough. The more I think about it I made my own spindles and upper control arms. I also moved the rear wheelhouses up to allow the back to come down. I cut them off put a 1/16 inch spaced in then glued them back on.

Edited August 5, 2022 by yellowsportwagon

[Pierre Rivard]

Yes I remember now having fits with the too small rear wheelhouses. I cut them off and put in MPC or AMT Nascar wheelhouses. These Daytona kits need a bit of work but can be turned into very nice racers.

[jjsipes]

Yeah, I was leaning toward cutting rear wheel houses and modifying the upper a arms and spindles but have been busy with work and kids

[Force]

The NASCAR cars were really low.
Here is the K&K Insurance car compared with a street car.
The front and rear wheel arches on the race car is moved upwards quite a lot and the car is lowered accordingly, they used fabricated K members in the race cars and to get it as low as possible they also used dry sump oil system on the engines.

[MarkJ]

I agree with Haken. I had to remove a lot of material around the wheel openings on my Dick Brooks Daytona. If not the tires would not have fit right much less have the right stance.

[jjsipes]

Working on stance.

 

[Pierre Rivard]

Looking really good Jason. Great approach of setting the stance before shaping up the fender openings.

[gks1964]

OH YEAH!!!!