Another Little Red Express with a twist!! Updates 5/6/15

Well, I am thrashing once more. The updates are I have begun the interior, chose different wheels, and mounted the rear end, as well as fabbed up some shorty axles for the front using some 1/16 stainless finish nails. Did some grinding and filing and got them right. Now ther SRT8 motor/trans will fit. Next will be mounting the tires, 4 wheel disc brakes, and the motor/trans then its back to that interior. I used the console from the SRT8 Challenger, cut the back off of it, filed it down and it will fit nicely in the interior tub. I will post pictures of these updates in a couple of days. Good to be back and working once more!!

Chas,
 This is turning into an interesting build... two-thumbs-up-smiley-emoticon Keep posting your progress....We are watching! popcorn-and-drink-smiley-emoticon


Rick

I wanted to get more done today but this slow computer has me spending too much time resizing the pictures to post. Going to pack it in for the day. Wednesday I will be back at it again. The interior is going to get some more detail and that will be the main focus. Im most likely doing this truck over the top but its been lurking around in my head and this project you are looking at is what is coming out of me. This truck has taken on many looks and many changes since I started it. What you are not seeing yet is all the bodywork I will be doing. Cutting back and molding in bumpers, fabbing a smooth tailgate, a bed cover,and some sort of custom lights front and back before all the two tone paint goes on. Its going to take awhile to get this one done and I want this truck to be one of my masterpieces and a one of a kind. Next truck will be much easier that this one for sure.

Love the stance. It's gonna be sweet!

Next is the smoothing process. If this were a real truck it would have a 'Vintage" heat / a/c unit and the master cylinder would be under the floor pan like a fat fender rod. That is the look I am going for with this modification. I filed down the heater box and motor, wires etc on the firewall and also the core support. I then cut some styrene and cut and sanded it to fit in the holes left on the parts. Next will be to apply some putty and finish sand and paint. Slowly getting somewhere with this build!

I like the smoothing idea on this, shaving door handles and mirrors too? impatient-smiley-emoticon

I myself, am going to be running the body on both the current late '70's trucks stock..... As you know, mine are being built from what 2 real ones were in the family..... SO, BUT I'm gonna be using what parts I can to make those happen. For example, the exhaust, I'm gonna use the mufflers and the pipes FROM the engine to them, AFTER the mufflers, I'll make my own pipe as the pipes on my old truck went out the back, dual pipe. The other truck, one made like one my Dad had, will have the pipes I THINK were out the side just in front of the rear wheel openings in the bed, (BUT I'll have to look and make sure thats where my Dad had them.) Going from memory, so..... I'm glad to have pictures of all this!

The cleaned up look of the side windows, and different mirrors, I bet that will look good!

Ya need to post some more pics of it all going together!

smiley-greet016

Did a bit of work today. Cleaned up the window frames from the removal of the vent windows. Tack mounted the rear view Challenger SRt mirrors on the truck as well. This one will take some time going together. I want it done once and no regrets or wanting to change anything. These mirrors will be drilled out on the stems and have cut down straight pins installed and the doors will be drilled out so these can be mounted and will be more secure and less sloppy than just being glued on.

Found this part I made. Not sure if it will be on this truck or the chop top? Its a stock LRE grille (78) and I trimmed out the entire inside of the grille. I dipped the frame in stripper removing the chrome. I took the entire front grille area of a 2010 SRT 8 Challenger and trimmed it down to fit inside the frame. Glued the piece together and used some putty to mold it together. Its different!!

Chas,
I got to say for a 2x4 Dodge truck NICE work! I am liking this so far, took a bit for it to grow on me just due to me being redneck but, this is lookin pretty good once you have a bit of an idea out there on what your trying to achieve!

The SRT 8 Challenger trim, I have to say is a SWEEEET way of goin about it!

I thought about trying to mold one of the '78 Grilles and trying to customize it with the grille out of a SRT Charger....... BUT that too is a ways off from actually taking form!

A little interior work done today. Finished off the shortened SRT Challenger console, added a scratchbuilt long curved shifter with a homemade handle with a push button on the left side of the handle. put the pads between the seats. Its still got a ways to go but its coming together. Also heres a picture of the finished 'smoothed' firewall and core support.

I love how ya did that interior! NICELY done man! You got pictures of how ya done the center floor console? I'd like to see that a bit closer! Looks GREAT from the pictures you posted so far!

Can't wait to see more! two-thumbs-up-smiley-emoticon

John, I cut the back portion of the SRT Challenger console off, sanded and shaped the bottom to fit the contour of the floor. It does not show too well but I drilled out the little indicator holes with a tiny bit. The shifter was from some truck model. I cut it down a little, painted it silver as when it was chrome it did not look right when installed. I scratchbuilt the shifter handle. The console was painted white first, then with a small brush painted the recesses for the cups, change slot and tray in the front as well as the shifter line. After I just skimmed the top with a brush with some white paint to fix any areas I though did not look right.

Sweet looking interior very nicely done