5.7L Hemi V8 - Aussie Valiant Charger

[Boony405hp]

Well the time has come to finally pull the old blue whale off the road and give her the treatment she deserves. Firstly a little bit of background history and the end result I'm looking to acheive:

End Result:

5.7L HEMI V8 with 6spd manual transmission
Either painted in a metallic blue or hemi orange with some form of black striping
4 wheel disc brakes
Black interior - added features like centre console, a few interior lights like footwells etc, map pockets added onto door trims, new gauges.
Recaro seats
Looking at a jaguar IRS rear end
Front end (stock k-frame with rack and pinion added) at this stage, looking at Hotchkis A body upper control arms - wondering how well the geometry is actually corrected OR perhaps a custom front end
New fibreglass bumpers for some reduced weight
AC/HEATER from Vintage Air
Remote Central Locking
Tinted windows
Demister rear window
Sub-frame connectors

I have the vision in my head, would be great if I could give a foose design image but I can't lol

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/2005_0115Image0046-1.jpg (First time I saw the car)


https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/2005_0115Image0045-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/DSC00039-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/DSC00042-1.jpg

Originally a 265 - 4spd, in fountain blue bought it back in 2005 - one family owner car. Fairly straight and only minimal surface rust, I gave it a bit of a rub back and the typical supercrap spraycan touch up's and drove it as it was. After a while I bought the American racing torque thrusts (17x7 and 8 on the rear) swaybars, koni shocks, new bushings, stiffened rear springs. The plan was always to do it up but have fun in the meantime. Raced it a few times at lakeside and QR and had a ball.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/2005_0115Image0051-1.jpg

I've now got a 2007 Dodge Charger 5.7L hemi V8, 6spd from a 2009 dodge challenger and a host of other parts for her to do the conversion.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/DSC04235-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/DSC01621-1.jpg

Drained all the fluids, removed the driveshaft, gearbox, radiator, carby and manfold, extractors, battery, disconnected wiring harness ready and awaiting for the old girls heart to be plucked.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/Day1-1.jpg
This is the initial ***** fight I have to work with, currently having the other Charger off the road makes for a cluttered work space (my pet hate) and mum's mazda has been relegated to outdoor living for the time being....(at least we got the priorities and the pecking order right for the cars!)

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/day1d-1.jpg

With a bit of relocating I can now open the Charger doors fully and save myself from being a contorsionist getting in and out of the car and now we have so much more room for activities!

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/day1a-1.jpg
This is where the magic has to happen, a bit of inspiration from the Chrysler wall in the background

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/day1b-1.jpg
Not too long now before we attempt to get this badboy breathing again

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/day1c-1.jpg
As she is at the moment

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/day1e-1.jpg
The new 6 spd next to the old 4 spd, who said size didn't matter :rolleyes:
Just out of interest, I weighed the two boxes, the 4spd with bellhousing and shifter was about 51kg, and the 6spd with bellhousing and shifter was about 66kg.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/day1g-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/day1f-1.jpg
The stockpile of old parts begins.

I plan to take the engine out, take off the old k-frame and whack the v8 one in and dummy fit up the rack and pinion setup I modelled off an existing setup.

Well been a few slow days, had a big w/e - sunday was a write off and today I had to help a mate pull his engine/gearbox out. At the moment I've got everything out of the engine bay and bolted up the v8 k-frame and pulled out the carpets.


https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/P9240156-1.jpg https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/P9240169-1.jpg
v8 vs 6


https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/P9260247-1.jpg
Wet remains on the driver side floor


https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/P9260254-1.jpg https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/P9260253-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/P9260252-1.jpg https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/P9260249-1.jpg
A slight bit of surface rust, but overall I am extremely happy with the condition of the floors!


https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/P9250239-1.jpg
Stock dash, soon to be retro fitted with some more modern gauges, shame about the big hole that's been hacked for a CD player....

[Boony405hp]

I am going to start doing some documentary videos of the rebuild. I will also try add stuff still to this forum in the way of info/pics.


This one is of the transmission tunnel crossmember
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-BdVB0M3k0&feature=youtu.be

[no go nova]

Spmething different why the jag rear?

[Boony405hp]

Spmething different why the jag rear?

Not 100% decided on that being the rear option. I was looking to try get an IRS rear for better ride comfort. My focus is on circuit racing and street use, drags aren't a big concern for me. I have a decent handling rear end setup (shocks and springs) but it is quite rough.

[Ron S]

I do love the Aussie cars, and the fact that they are some distant cousin of the American car. That Valiant sure doesn't look anything like the Valiant I drove as a kid. The Hemi conversion should work out great, did a truck 5.7 with a cam and headers back in 06, and went 12.4 in the 1/4 mile. In that car that thing should be a beast.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/IMG_7420L-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/Picture20019L-1.jpg

[E.rodz]

here is a different build for sure. I hope the Aussie designers stay over there! nothing personal. I love builds that are different. you know the steering wheel is on the wrong side right? I don't know how people can drive like that and a manual at that! this would be some serious brain training! keep up the great work and keep us posted!

[cobragt]

Very cool. can't wait to see more!

[Boony405hp]

I do love the Aussie cars, and the fact that they are some distant cousin of the American car. That Valiant sure doesn't look anything like the Valiant I drove as a kid. The Hemi conversion should work out great, did a truck 5.7 with a cam and headers back in 06, and went 12.4 in the 1/4 mile. In that car that thing should be a beast.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/IMG_7420L-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/Picture20019L-1.jpg

Nice ride! That's an impressive time. What cam did you put in it/diff gears?

[Thephranc]

That car reminds me of the AMC Marlin.

Those floors are amazingly intact.

[Anchor]

Nice start man, you've got such a clean base!!

I think i remember you off boostcruising... Can't remember.

[Ron S]

What cam did you put in it/diff gears?

The car had 3.91 gears, and a Comp 273 cam, I think I got the first one Comp produced, back then. That car was running off GM LS1 electronics though.

[Boony405hp]

The car had 3.91 gears, and a Comp 273 cam, I think I got the first one Comp produced, back then. That car was running off GM LS1 electronics though.

I'm undecided what cam choice to go with at this stage, but will be running at least 3.91 gears (depending what I do rear end wise) to work with the 6spd.


Nice start man, you've got such a clean base!!

I think i remember you off boostcruising... Can't remember.

Yeah, still over on boost, don't post much though. Mainly log on to check out the scene from munchies, kosmos, and other events.

[LeighP]

Very clean body...cool stuff. Hard to go past the orange with factory E49 striping.

For our US friends who don't know these cars, the factory performance version of that little six cylinder did the quarter mile in 14.5 seconds flat....off the showroom floor. They were surprisingly fast cars, let down by some average suspension worse luck....

All factory....
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/04/265_hemi_vh_charger-1.jpg