# Picking apart the Challenger (long)



## mamilligan (Feb 1, 2003)

As the owner of several Challengers over the years here is a detailed report on the new Challenger slot bodies.



Overall the body is not a bad representation of the real car. The A/FX chassis is wide and short so most cars end up looking a bit stubby. The early A/FX cars all had a cartoonish way of dealing with this that made them look fun and hid the short wheelbase. The Challenger is in that same spirit. It is made wide in the middle so the doors stand off of the chassis mounts with an obvious taper in the nose and tail. The body does a nice job of carrying the detail of the new die cast with a ¼“ less wheelbase and ¼”more track. The car does sit high and looks like it could use a 1/8” lowering.



The body itself is a trick though heavy piece of plastic. The body is made so that one of three hoods (R/T, shaker, & T/A), one of two spoilers (wing & T/A), and one of two rear taillight/bumper assemblies (’70 & ’71) can be used. The fit and finish of the hoods are not the greatest and consistently is misaligned on hardtops. The wing is heavily reinforced for slot car duty to the point of looking more like a ’69 Trans Am wing than a ’70 Go Wing or a ’71 Gull Wing. 



Actually there are two bodies, a ’70 hardtop (don’t say coupe, they were a special package on a hardtop) and a ’71 convertible. This is probably my biggest complaint. The grille on the ’70 and ’71 are done far better that the nicely done ones on the new die casts and includes the same tampo details. The problem is that the grille is molded into the body. That is why the “70 Hemi Challenger Convertible” has a ’71 grille. I don’t know the reason the grille was not part of the front bumper but it would make kit bashing a lot easier. It will take some intimacy with my Dremel to replicate my ’71 hardtop.



The taillight panels on the die casts are also better and simpler done. All ’70 and ’71 Challengers had a gap between the rear fender trim and the taillight panel that is either body color or argent silver on SEs. This is not present on either rear bumper. The ’70 should have a back up light between the taillights with “Dodge” on it. The ’71 should have a dip between the taillights. Additionally, the taillight panel does not seem to sit deep enough into the body. The fact that this was so well done on the latest die casts makes the slots a disappointment.



As for body details, they are mostly tampo paint. Door handles, marker lights, hood pins, and emblems are painted on while window trim and the flip top gas cap are molded in. Let’s hope someone comes up with a decal sheet to replace the details lost during a repaint. One odd thing is the windshield has wipers molded in when a feature of the Challenger was the hidden wipers. 



Now for the really picky stuff, here are the details missed in research.



The T/A has the most errors. Most obvious is the hood should be painted flat black. A little easier to forgive is the missing Challenger emblem in the grille. All T/As had side exit exhausts and rear valences with out cutouts so the rear exiting exhaust pipes should not be there. The front spoilers are also missing (these might be optional, I’d have to look this up, but come on why model a T/A without them).



The ’70 R/T is fairly accurate. The shaker bubble should have an engine size call out on it. The T/A style spoiler was not an option but if it were dealer installed it would have covered the trunk emblems and it would have been removed not placed on the front of the spoiler upside down.



The ’70 Hemi convertible has a ’71 grille as has already been mentioned and it should have an engine call out. The convertible top has the dorky look that some of the bowtie cars have but not quite as bad. The back window is the same size as the hardtop but it should be smaller, about the size of an SE. Also, the real cars don’t have chrome trim around the back glass. The quarter panel kicks up too much putting the Dutchman panel at too steep an angle. I hate the wing (on real cars and on these) but it is a nice touch having the “Challenger R/T” tampo painted on the deck lid.



The ’71 convertible has one big problem. All together now so all those idiots cloning these cars can hear, “There are no ’71 Challenger R/T convertibles.” That’s right. The R/T was a hardtop only deal for ’71. If the model were a hardtop, the stripes would be accurate, as would the black grille while this car should have argent silver paint. Also, the R/T hood would only have come with a 4 barrel engine (340 or 383) so the duals are probably correct. Impress you friends with useless trivia, there were no ’71 440 4 barrel Challengers or ‘Cudas making the ’70 only 440-4 e bodies rarer than the 2 year 440-6 ones.


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## WesJY (Mar 4, 2004)

Wow.. very informative.. 

Same thing here that I hate when someone is confused with 1970 plymouth superbird and 1969 dodge daytona charger. I had someone telling me that richard petty drove the famous daytona charger I am like "nnooooooo" he only drove the superbird. unless only true mopar fans knows the difference.

Wes


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## JordanZ870 (Nov 25, 2004)

I think those are the people who say to themselves "oh!, pointy nose, big wing, must be a daytona." I think it is that or they really don't give a rip. (the nerve of some people. LOOK at the DOORS, dude!) I see it all of the time on ebay with other examples too. If you don't know what it is, don't guess. If you are guessing then SAY you are guessing.

(whew!, 3000 word rant narrowly averted)

joez870


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

wow. hey marty, i take it you're a "vanishing point" fan? so if i take you up on your offer in the Mopars thread and stop by, you can set me up with the right car(s) to do the VP car correctly? gotta see when i can do it next week and then see if your times match...

btw, i'm considering putting screwposts in it when i finally do it...

thanks...

ps to wes and joe re: the superbird/daytona thing... guilty as charged. i still have a hard time with that... hell if it has a wing and a snoot and a hemi what's the difference?  ... (ducks the Mopar dog dish hubcap being thrown at him)

--rick


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

Very, very interesting background on the Challengers. I've always been a big Mopar fan but I've always kind of ignored the Challengers and later model Cudas. They are incredibly nice looking cars but I always felt that Chrysler brought them out 3 or 4 years too late, after the the pony car era was quickly fading. I know they did okay in the TransAm series but I felt they were on the biggish side for what they were running against but too small for NASCAR. In terms of having the most muscle pound-for-pound in a Mopar thay can't be beat.

I'm also a stickler for detail when it comes to the winged Mopars. I would have preferred that JL did the Daytona accurately, a full sized Charger 500 with a nose and wing rather than scaling it down like Aurora did with its Daytonas. The Daytona and SuperBirds are, in their true street stock form with 70s series tires, quite dorky looking cars but that's part of their over the top outrageousness. On the track where they belong, lowered and in full race trim, they are a winged Picasso. Or is that a Dali? In any case, I can never get enough of the Daytonas and SuperBirds so if folks out there can't tell them apart, send them to me and I'll give them a good home.


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## mamilligan (Feb 1, 2003)

ParkRNDL said:


> ...if i take you up on your offer in the Mopars thread and stop by, you can set me up with the right car(s) to do the VP car correctly? ...
> --rick


I'll hook you up. e me at [email protected] and I'll get ya cars, just bodies or what ever you want. I bought a 72 pack just for me to play with. I plan on doing som resin parts for these but my resin is frozen.


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## Mad Matt (Dec 16, 2004)

Wow, give em the smack down. Great and accurate info. I guess you don't notice these things until someone points em out.


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## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

WesJY said:


> Wow.. very informative..
> 
> Same thing here that I hate when someone is confused with 1970 plymouth superbird and 1969 dodge daytona charger. I had someone telling me that richard petty drove the famous daytona charger I am like "nnooooooo" he only drove the superbird. unless only true mopar fans knows the difference.
> 
> Wes


Alright, i'm gonna be an idiot, I thought this was the same thing (daytona charger/superbird) which one has the big spoiler?
Sorry, I had chevelles, impalas, and a camaro. Now I drive a jap scrap Isuzu Rodeo. And i'm not a motorhead, I don't even do my own oil changes anymore.


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

sethndaddy said:


> I don't even do my own oil changes anymore.


Heck,
I stopped doing that 20 years ago. When you can't bend you learn to pay for those messy jobs. Thank god I don't need to do that when running the slots. Well, every now and then I have to get that one that takes flight.  rr


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## mamilligan (Feb 1, 2003)

Actually there were 3 Mopars specially designed for super speedways in the 69-70 period.

The first was the Charger 500. This was a standard '69 Charger with a Coronet grille mounted flush in the front and a flush mounted back glass filling in the flying buttresses.

The second was the Charger Daytona. It took areo even further with the extended nose and mile high wing as well as the flush back glass, a pillar caps, and front fender covers. This was also a 1969 car.

Plymouth didn't get an areo car until 1970 and it was enough to get the King back. The Superbird had all of the same areo tricks as the Daytona but with different parts to fit the Roadrunner body.

How do you tell a Superbird from a Daytona? Simple, the Superbird has fake scoops on the rear quarters just like all 2 door 1970 Plymouth B bodies. The Daytona has indented "scoops" on the doors and hood like all '69 Chargers.


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

mamilligan said:


> Actually there were 3 Mopars specially designed for super speedways in the 69-70 period.
> 
> The first was the Charger 500. This was a standard '69 Charger with a Coronet grille mounted flush in the front and a flush mounted back glass filling in the flying buttresses.
> 
> ...



Definite MOPAR fan here! :thumbsup: rr


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## 1976Cordoba (Sep 20, 2000)

mamilligan said:


> How do you tell a Superbird from a Daytona? Simple, the Superbird has fake scoops on the rear quarters just like all 2 door 1970 Plymouth B bodies. The Daytona has indented "scoops" on the doors and hood like all '69 Chargers.


 Also, the Daytona has a grille opening on the leading edge of the nose -- the Superbird has a grille opening below the nose.

'Doba


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

The Dodge Charger Daytona and the Plymouth SuperBird were two totally different model cars. The extended nose and wing configurations on each were actually quite different. This site explains it all, along with giving some great insight into a lot of other Mopars then and now. 

Great site: http://www.allpar.com
Winged cars: http://www.allpar.com/model/superbird.html


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

thanx AFXToo... must study that... increase gearhead knowledge... increase gearhead knowledge... increa--

Dangit, my wife says that's why I can't remember to bring the basket of clean laundry upstairs when I come up, because that spot in my brain is occupied with some piece of useless automotive trivia knowledge. She calls me the Great Cesspool of Knowledge, because all the stuff I know is [email protected] Ahhh, what does she know. She can't even drive a stick :tongue:

and I'm still trying desperately not to give up doing my own oil changes, that's about the last gearhead act I still get to do on a regular basis. (Well, I DID get to do the brakes on all four wheels of my Caprice a few weeks ago, but that was a rare occurrence...)

--rick


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## satellite1 (Jan 9, 2004)

AfxToo said:


> The Dodge Charger Daytona and the Plymouth SuperBird were two totally different model cars. The extended nose and wing configurations on each were actually quite different. This site explains it all, along with giving some great insight into a lot of other Mopars then and now.
> 
> Great site: http://www.allpar.com
> Winged cars: http://www.allpar.com/model/superbird.html



OK, you found some Superbird/Daytona tutorials, but I don`t find my 71 Plymouth Satellite Sebring  think I must check my favorites,
on CD I have several MOPAR links with more and better pics and some
engine sound files.
Hope I can post it wthin the next couple of days to blow up the speaker
systems with some incredible Superbird/Daytona sound files :thumbsup:


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## satellite1 (Jan 9, 2004)

Here is the real cool stuff ( but actually I don`t find the sound files ).
Neverless.....

http://www.superbirdclub.com/WhatsNew.html
http://aerowarriors.com/cgi-bin/af.cgi?rf=http://aerowarriors.com/birds.html


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

Thanks for the links! Lots of great info and pics.


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## satellite1 (Jan 9, 2004)

another one

http://wwnboa.org/toc.htm


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## dlw (Aug 17, 1999)

*Riding High*

One thing's fore sure..it sits very high on the chassis. They need to adjust the mounting clips a little higher on the body.


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## Mad Matt (Dec 16, 2004)

sethndaddy said:


> Alright, i'm gonna be an idiot, I thought this was the same thing (daytona charger/superbird) which one has the big spoiler?
> Sorry, I had chevelles, impalas, and a camaro. Now I drive a jap scrap Isuzu Rodeo. And i'm not a motorhead, I don't even do my own oil changes anymore.


Both the Daytona and Superbird have the 'Big wing' each have their own nuances though.


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## hartracerman (Jan 9, 2005)

the only thing that is bad about lowering the body [putting the body clip higher] is then you have to enlarge the wheelwell height and the proportions look pretty good as they are right now


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