What you would desire/modify on your new Chally - Interior/Exterior

[SIX-PAK]

Don't get me wrong - I love the new Challenger , I just think it can be improved . Hats off to the Dodge team for making it @ 95% perfect for me !


Now as to what I want to see from either Mopar or the aftermarket in the '09 R/T to make this perfect IMO (see Concept's pics attached) :

1) The/or similar to the Concept steering wheel
2) The missing Wrap-around Console is my biggest pet-peeve (plz hide cup holders)
3) Pistol Grip similar or better than Concept (true to '70's shape but in metal matching accents)
4) The Concept's Rippled Retro Leather Seats
5) Reconfiguration of the front lighting assembly :
... have only the HID Lo's in the outer lamps only
... have the inner lamps match in color when lit again with HIDs
... have the flasher relocated in the bottom bumper and used as RDLs (Running Daytime Lights) exactly like the '70 model

PS , I will myself , if they don't .... :
2) Have a custom shop build me that specific Concept Wrap-Around Floor Console (cup holders would be hidden with a flipcover)
4) Go to a custom shop and have them recover the portions of my stock seats in Rippled Retro Leather Seats
5) Since the outer beam is a Hi/Lo HID and I want matching illumination - I would buy another HID Hi/Lo set and swap them with the inner lamp housing completely (hopefully circumference allows) , and have my DRL wiring deleted (Hids hate DRLs) + flashers rewired to the lower bumper lights

Now I just can't wait to see if the R/T will get a different hood (hope not) with its functional Air Traps like the SRT8 , and some different type of graphics (again I'm not sure what would look good on this specific body architecture which is very differently sized on the flank compared to the '70's original body)

I might in the end go with the more expensive SRT8 6-speed-manual for the hood / striping / mo-pow'r !??

[Challenger09]

Ditto to all the above suggestions! I agree with your assessment 100%.

[SublimeRT]

As far as appearance mods, I plan to:

Exterior
- Remove the spoiler and fill any holes
- Relocate the windshield washer nozzles and fill the holes
- Shave the Ram's head logo in the middle in front of the hood
- Get some nice dark tint
- Buy some R/T emblems for an old Challenger and put one on the side of each front fender (like the old R/T Challengers had), and one on the right side rear corner of the trunk lid and if you look at all the old Chryslers, on the bottom of the right front fender there is always a Chrysler pentastar emblem. I'm going to get one of those and put it in the same place. All the emblems are adhesive backed though, so if I don't like them, no biggie.
- If the R/T exhaust tips are different from the SRTs, then I will get some SRT ones.....I think they look perfect. (Unless the aftermarket comes out with something I like better)
- Lower it
- Get new wheels/tires

I think the interior is awesome. Maybe get some nice matching floor mats with an R/T logo embroidered on them. Maybe get some nice aftermarket seats like Corbeau or Recaro and have them recovered to match.....the stock seats look like they weigh a hundred pounds each and at 4100+ lbs, the car could stand to lose some weight. But we'll see.

Right out of the box though, I couldn't ask for more from Dodge. They did great.

[SublimeRT]

Oh and if your reconfiguring of the front lights works out, I will have to 'borrow' that idea. I was just looking at the pic of the black Challenger in traffic covered in salt though.....looking at the tail lights. I think I will see if I can find a way to make the inside set of lights come on with the brakes too, so they all light up all the way across. That's how the 70's were.

[SIX-PAK]

Oh I like the majority of your ideas SublimeRT (yes nod) !
+1 on the :
- tints
- lowered suspension
- SRT Tips

And like you I can't stand the SRT8 logo (barf) maybe I'm a sentimental retro fool that has the R/T logo etched in my vision of what a Challenger should look like ..... I had thought of sacrificing myself in getting the R/T over the SRT8 just 'cause of that - but with sooo much power for a few k's extra - I dunno ... might just be simpler to rebadge heheh (just on grill and dash ... rear spoiler would need modifications though)

Despite their heavy weight look of them stock seats ; I like them a lot as to their look and how they wrap-around (R/T wonder what they will get) .... a re-upholstery would cut costs down compared to buying and more money for other mods (that's for me) .

+1 on the tail lights too - I had thought about doing that myself last week upon seeing same pic you saw LOL ..... I had even thought further to wire up the lights to be sequential turn signals - I have a great guy who built an electrical set-up on my Cobra . This was common back then too on Cougars and Thunderbirds !

As far as wheels , it will be interesting what the aftermarket will offer and what people will puty on a slammed Chally Resto-Mod style ! I always liked INTRO Wheels , but not sure on this one though . What I prefer all the time with wheels is this format : any 5-spoke - the middle recessed inwards / outer edge increasingly outward (just like the IROC Z '85-'87 wheels in principle)

Keep your ideas coming people - we still haven't discussed a whole bunch - including graphics , etc.

[anthem ss]

I'm right there with you guys on the:
- R/T badging
-SRT8 tips
The Dodge Ram logo doesn't bother me much but if the aftermarket made something nice instead, i'd look into it.
-Small Dodge "pentastars" on each front fender
-Wheel Vintuques make a pretty cool updated version of the Chrysler Ralley wheel in
either billet or aluminum ($$$$) that's a possibility. Or 20" Crager S/S's
-Tint of course
- I'm sure someone in the aftermarket will make a pistol grip shifter, outside of that i'm cool with the interior

[SIX-PAK]

Originally Posted by 6 Pack

As far as wheels , it will be interesting what the aftermarket will offer and what people will puty on a slammed Chally Resto-Mod style ! I always liked INTRO Wheels , but not sure on this one though . What I prefer all the time with wheels is this format : any 5-spoke - the middle recessed inwards / outer edge increasingly outward (just like the IROC Z '85-'87 wheels in principle)

To continue on the same principle I'd mention above and show you what I meant - I've provided pics including one of the IROC Z ....... I think along the same idea - the Concept's wheels captures the essence of what I'm looking for in that the middle is recessed and the outer edges entend outwards . Again I provided pics below to show the wheel and how it looks right at home from the flank .

You guys were talking about the Chrysler pentagram - well I think that Chrysler tried to somewhat recapture this in the SRT8's wheel (pics below) . I like them very much in that again they capture what I'm looking for ! I find they truly look awesome from the flank and belong on this car in OEM fashion heheh

[SIX-PAK]

I've had this '70 challenger in my PC pics with this Turbine Wheel that looks really good on that era of car but not sure it would on today's Chally - remember that they tried applying the original rallye wheel to the concept and it made it look like a luxury car !

I still like this Turbine Wheel as it retains what I'm lookin' for in a wheel minus the 5-spoke , but it sooo reminds me the Dukes of Hazzard that with the Hemi Orange - just screams YES !

Notice how them wheels compare .... I've added a Daisy pic for us fans and one recent of Bo Duke

[TBONE24]

-Small Dodge "pentastars" on each front fender[/quote]


Mopar Performance just released reproduction penastar emblems . They sell for $13 bucks a piece . The pentastar was only used on the right side fenders .

[TBONE24]

I think the stock rims would look good chromed. But who knows what the wheels for 09 will look like.We may have more choices.