Foose Challenger

[burningman]

The three-prong automotive dream team of Chip Foose, Unique Performance and Year One has done it again! Fresh on the heals of their Foose ’69 Camaro Grand Prize Giveaway, the team unveiled the 2007 Goodguys Grand Prize Giveaway Car – the Foose ’70 Challenger at the Goodguys 9th PPG Nationals.

The limited edition supercar, based on the 1970 HEMI Challenger, will stoke the imaginations of MOPAR fans worldwide! Unique Performance and Foose Design will turn a limited number of the Dodges into world-class performance machines with ultra-cool design and 21st century speed technology including parts from Georgia based Year One.

For this particular prototype - A 426 c.i.d HEMI big block has been mated to the TKO 5-speed transmission. The yellow and black beast features a Unique Performance Parts rear suspension, 4-wheel disc Wilwood Brakes, Foose 18” wheels and BFGoodrich tires. Styling cues include Foose emblems, a custom front grill, shaved bumpers and custom hood.

The car pictured will be given away at the 2007 Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus. How do you become eligible to win? It’s simple really. Bring a car and participate in a Goodguys event, or become a Goodguys member prior to June 2007 and it’s that simple! For more…log on to www.good-guys.com

http://www.seriouswheels.com/top-Foo...Challenger.htm

[MikeF]

It's ok, it's overdone to me though. I would like to see one built for use rather than all blinged out. Put some normal sized wheels and tires on it and it would look much better.

[Ragamuffin]

Yep. I agree; wheels are too blingy for my liking : original Chrome Styled wheels the best ! Also ,I think it would have appeared better had the yellow been brought down to at least below the ridgeline on the sides and around the groove in the wheel well area.the gray [ are those tire tread marks ? ] really detracks from the overall paint scheme! I'm really surprised ; coming from Foose ,unless he was doing only what the customer requested ! The black and/or type of black does nothing to illuminate and show off the great lines of the Challenger design. P.S. oh yeh,,, that reporter got the year wrong ,unless Chip did ,,,as most of you know : it's a 1971 model !! !!!!!

[77 Monte Carlo]

I thought it was 70 with 71 parts, I dont like the paint job. I dont like the wheel design, Their not 'too big' to me as some mentioned, I just dont like the style. I like the black and yellow but the grey design I dont like, I also dont like that all the trim around the window is painted. It would look better in chrome imo

[Challenger_Nut]

I agree the the wheel and tire size is right, that is some serious meat (width) on the rear , it must be mini tubbed. The stance is great, it really makes the car. I know he was trying to duplicate the look of the orig. rallye wheels but that's just too much metal for me. I can't figure out the custom part of the grill as it looks stock.

Change the wheel design. Leave the side marker lights. Leave the trim around the tail panel. Take the paint off of the rest of the trim. And paint the car solid black. Then he can give it to me! Actually overall the car looks good, just not how my taste would allow me to build it.

[MikeF]

Are you wanting real performance or looks from the car? If you want a show car keep the big wheels and tires. If you want a car that does more than look good, and that is a matter of taste or lack of taste, get smaller wheels and tires. That will drop the unsprung weight resulting in a better balanced, better handling, faster car. Also you will have one that will still look decent in a couple years when the dubs idiotcy is done. If you have the Foose car, you might as well put a six in it cause the only time it will move is on and off the trailer for car shows.

[MikeF]

Also just another opinion, black isn't a good color for a Challenger at least in those pics. It hides the lines of the car. You take a car that has stood the test of time and is classically beautiful and hide the very things that make it timeless.
To me the original Challenger is almost like the E-type Jag, still as beautiful as it ever was and better than most any new car. The Challenger isn't sex on wheels like the Jag but it's not that far from it.

[Challenger_Nut]

Originally Posted by MikeF

Are you wanting real performance or looks from the car? If you want a show car keep the big wheels and tires. If you want a car that does more than look good, and that is a matter of taste or lack of taste, get smaller wheels and tires. That will drop the unsprung weight resulting in a better balanced, better handling, faster car. Also you will have one that will still look decent in a couple years when the dubs idiotcy is done. If you have the Foose car, you might as well put a six in it cause the only time it will move is on and off the trailer for car shows.

So does that mean that the Viper, Vette, Porsche, Ferrari, Lambo, etc should get rid of those "big" 18x10,11,12,13" wheels so it will be able to keep up with your Challenger with the 15x7's. They are only 18 inchers not "21's" like the Challenger Prototype has. Do you not understand how a wide low profile tire can help a cars performance? I have 17x9.5" AR Torq Thrust II's on the rear of my Challenger with 285/40's and the overall diameter of the tire is 26 vs 27 for the 255/60-15's (stock 15x7 Rallyes) that came off of it. And though I did not get anal enough to weigh them there was a noticeable difference when I put them on the car (the 17's being lighter). Also, they definately perform better than the 15 inchers, both off of the line and in the curves. Now you could put some wide 14" alloys with a low profile tire that would really help decrease the unsprung weight but they would not fill out the wheel wells and would look awful. For me it's a balance between looks and performance.

I have done some factual research and if you go to tirerack.com they give all the specs on the tires. For example a 255/60-15 has a dia. of 27.1 and a weight of 29lbs (BFG's) and a 285/35-18 has a 26" dia. (This would be the aprox. dia of the Foose car) and a weight of 28lbs (Mich) and a helluva larger contact patch with less sidewall roll for "Real Performance" vs "smaller wheels and tires". BTW what do you mean by smaller. Smaller in width because as you can see it's not in the diameter so that must mean you like less width which means that you must like less traction off of the line and in the corners. If you just like the looks of an old school sized tire wheel combo with less rim and more tire that's cool, nothing wrong with that. Just don't factor performance comparisons into the equation.

As I stated in my first response. I personaly don't care for those rims, they look too massive and heavy due to too much metal in the center. I prefer a thinner 5 spoke design that would not only look better but would shave a few pounds off too. But I bet if you weighed those they would be lighter than you think. BTW That car looks quite drivable to me. As a matter of fact more so than a stock one with all of the 36 year old technology. You might have to raise it an inch or so if you live where the roads are rough. Our roads are pretty good so I'd leave it alone.


I am not trying to start anything. I am just confused how a modern low profile wheel and tire combo will do anything other than enhance a cars perfornance............... Now for Drag Strip duty go get ya some Slicks for goodness sakes, Will Ya! PEACE!

[MikeF]

Those are 18"s? Look bigger to me cause they sure fill up the wheel wells. I have absolutely nothing against 18" in fact the last sports/muscle car I had had 18" tires. And yes I am very familiar with modern wheel tire combos, I bet more familiar than you are because I have bought them many more times for several kinds of cars. My complaint is the big ugly dub type wheels on that Foose car, they are hideous.
I don't much care for traction off the line, not a street racer, will never be one. Like I said, I know much more about wheels and tires having bought them from Tire Rack mostly, rather than just reading their website.

[Challenger_Nut]

Originally Posted by MikeF

I And yes I am very familiar with modern wheel tire combos, I bet more familiar than you are because I have bought them many more times for several kinds of cars. Like I said, I know much more about wheels and tires having bought them from Tire Rack mostly, rather than just reading their website.

You know nothing about me or my knowledge or experience! What I have bought, what I own. So lets not go there. The only reason I quoted the Tire Rack website is that some people need facts. If you are more familiar you sure did not convey that very well in your comments. And that is all anyone has to go by, you comments.

Other than telling people of thier lack of taste if they like the car do you have anything of value to add. Remember looks are subjective. Performance is a factual, measurable aspect!