HEMIWagon Project Log: Update! 160 Characters at a Time!

"JGrabowMSt" (jgrabowmst) 08/10/2015 at 22:03 • Filed to: HEMIWagon, twitter

1

19

Keep reading for a real update as well!

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

I made a twitter account for the HEMIWagon. Feel free to follow if you want to see occasional brief photos.

No dedicated Instagram though, you can search for my username here on Instagram if you want to follow that, it’s strictly automotive photography.

Also, today I fixed the PCV system using a fantastic trick I learned from the radiator hoses. So the absolute garbage hose the previous owner put on the PCV system collapsed every time the engine was running. No bueno. I tried getting new hose, did the same thing. Tried adding a 90* plastic bend, and the same result, just collapsed somewhere else.

What’s the trick? Put a spring inside the hose. Hose keeps the seal, spring keeps the shape while also being flexible. Really genius. No pictures because I cut my finger and my hands were a mess and I didn’t want to mess up my phone or get it really dirty, but it’s way better now. While it may be pure placebo effect, it felt like it has better throttle response, and doesn’t have a stupid whistling noise while accelerating. Some whistle from the K&N, but not nearly as noticeable.

This leaves just cleaning the belly pan and sorting through the brake system and all major things are sorted for the time being. I’m waiting for FCA to notify me that my replacement airbag is available, and I hopefully get a new gas tank/fuel filter and airbags. Not bad at all!

I’m enjoying seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Soon I’ll be able to start saving up for this:

That’ll be the day.

Your boy, BJR > JGrabowMSt 08/10/2015 at 22:16

0

This sounds crazy, but you should sell the SL for that motor. That thing is fucking HOT! A 426? And velocity stacks? Fuck. Yes.

JGrabowMSt > Your boy, BJR 08/10/2015 at 22:18

1

False. The SL is going nowhere.

But a 426 with velocity stacks? Yes sir, it is most certainly on my wish list.

Your boy, BJR > JGrabowMSt 08/10/2015 at 22:20

0

But....but....426!

(I’m a sucker for the number-word combo of “426” and “hemi”)

JGrabowMSt > Your boy, BJR 08/10/2015 at 22:22

0

I’ll certainly be able to have both one day. Because of that, I’m keeping the SL. It’s in for some fluid changes currently as well. Certainly wont be selling it. Hell to the no. Don’t even utter those words.

Your boy, BJR > JGrabowMSt 08/10/2015 at 22:23

0

I mean, you can’t spell “Sell” without “SL”.

JGrabowMSt > Your boy, BJR 08/10/2015 at 22:26

0

Your boy, BJR > JGrabowMSt 08/10/2015 at 22:32

0

How much is that motor, anyway?

JGrabowMSt > Your boy, BJR 08/10/2015 at 22:36

0

10 big ones for the crate 426 with ECU, another 4 big ones for the velocity stack intake.

Factor in another couple big ones to install a nice loping cam and tune it for streetability, and all said and done after a ton of things you wouldn’t have thought of, probably 20 large installed and running.

I need to pair it with a built TR6060, swap in a manual Challenger pedal box, change the drive shaft and CVs for ones that can handle the obscene amounts of power, and call it a day. It’ll probably take about $35k to get it all sorted out and running well enough to drive on a regular basis.

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > JGrabowMSt 08/11/2015 at 11:10

0

OMG I want this sooooooooooooooo bad I can’t even.......wow. I love the look of the 6.1 intake, but I’d ditch it in a sec for this setup. Fak.

JGrabowMSt > StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 08/11/2015 at 11:11

0

That’s not a 6.1L intake.

This is a 6.1L intake:

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > JGrabowMSt 08/11/2015 at 11:19

0

I know................

Saying I want those ITB’s for my 6.1. Though, I just found the kit and its $6k. o.O so maybe not.

JGrabowMSt > StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 08/11/2015 at 11:23

0

Borla makes on for $4k, if thats any consolation. I want a 426 just like that picture though. Intake, long tube headers, an aggressive cam...just include power steering, alternator and AC. Im already on my way to a challenger swap, so I cant stop now.

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > JGrabowMSt 08/11/2015 at 11:25

0

Still a lot of money just for an intake, thats supercharger money.

426 would be fun, ton of NA power. I forgot what all you were doing to your car, guess I’ll have to read your older posts.

JGrabowMSt > StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 08/11/2015 at 11:41

0

I’m going for a Challenger interior because the seats are way better, and the center console will have the hole I need for the shifter (and I do want to keep it factory looking).

As a whole though, I don’t want a ton of custom parts that I can’t manage, if I need new parts, I want to be able to have a reliable source for them. I’m not Jay Leno, so everything has to be a factory swap. I already did the front seats, I just need to do the rear seat cover (the foam in the back should be fine), and I’m going to start collecting parts like the pedal box, center console parts off of other cars either being parted out or wrecked before prices go up. I’m still on the fence about the dash though, I don’t want to deal with reprogramming the odometer or anything else, I want to have a mostly turn-key swap.

But in the end, 426, ITB intake, 93 tune for street driving, a built TR6060 and so far all of the supporting mods leading up to the swap are going in pretty easily. I’ve got KW V2 coilovers, poly bushings everywhere, and the brakes were just re-done with stainless flex line. Next up is a Wavetrac rear end and I have to do the ring gear and drive pinion due to a lot of wear on them. At least I know now and don’t have a surprise coming later.

My goal is between 400 and 500 rwhp all NA. If I get more, awesome, if I get close enough, that’s fine too. My current 5.7L will get sold to offset some of it when I get there, it’s a strong motor and is currently just shy of 10k miles on it, but I’m not looking to mod or bore out this motor at all, I want it to stay stock, and put my money into something a lot more durable.

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > JGrabowMSt 08/11/2015 at 12:11

0

Well damn, thats quite the list! Why not go for SRT8 seats though? Love mine.

And I have to ask, just how hard is it going to be to put the TR6060 in? Everyone always asks about a manual swap but no one seems to do it. If it was as easy as just bolting it up you would think they would be everywhere. I’ve heard the floorpan on the LX cars don’t have room for the manual. But at the same time, every single Charger concept Chrysler puts together for SEMA has one, so it can’t be that bad right? Thats the part I’m most curious about.

JGrabowMSt > StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 08/11/2015 at 12:27

0

Since it’s kind of a unibody construction, the floorpan is part of the frame. The Challenger is the only manual car, so yeah, it involves some cutting. Ultimately, I’ll have to pick the brain of a guy I met a couple weeks ago who builds resto-mods because he knew off the top of his head exactly what I needed to consider regarding shifter position on the T56 (which is an option, but I’d rather go with a built TR6060 if I’m honest, factory adapter plate and all to the HEMIs) but essentially the driveline tunnel will need to be “adjusted” or in the words of another oppo, “refuckulated” in order to clear the trans. The pedal box should be a bolt in mod, I’ll just need to find room for the clutch hydraulics (I’m specifically going for a hydraulic clutch, again, factory parts).

There are (so I’ve been told) 3 manual swapped, wait for it, SRT10 swapped Magnums. There’s another SRT10 swapped 300C, arguably with more available info about his build as well. While this normally wouldn’t concern me because I’m sticking with the HEMI, it involves cutting up the trans tunnel area, which is what my issue is. The 8.4L V10 is literally 14 inches longer than the 5.7L, not counting accessories, so I’m not completely reinventing the wheel, but I am moving into uncharted territories as there’s next to no info about these swaps available to read into. As my friend tells me whenever I bring this up at his shop, anything can fit anywhere, all you need is a welder. I’m not looking to mangle the car, nor am I looking to make the car undrivable, but there are Magnums with more power than I’m looking to have, so I know I’m in the clear on that end. It’s just a widening the trans tunnel and getting the driveshaft to fit.

The swap is easily over a full year away at this point. Unless I get a complete windfall of cash that would more than make this happen, I plan on doing the engine build with the shop (I want them to handle the critical parts, and I want to handle the basics, they can install the pistons and time it, but I’d like to do the rest of the assembly and I’ll be doing a full wire tuck on this so the wiring harness will be as invisible as possible. I want the focus of the engine bay to be intake, I don’t want it to be hindered by a really ugly wiring harness. I also want to make sure it’s fully serviceable in the future, so nothing will conflict in terms of space and the human tetris involved in the build.

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > JGrabowMSt 08/11/2015 at 12:48

0

I had no clue there were V10 magnums, the 300C I’ve read about before and thats awesome.

Trans tunnel being different between the Chally and LX cars makes more sense. Though, if you are doing a Chally interior swap as well, the center section should hide whatever modification you have to do to the tunnel. I would love to have mine be a manual, maybe sometime down the road.

JGrabowMSt > StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 08/11/2015 at 12:54

0

I don’t know, yours is a special combination though, I wouldn’t want to carve up 1 of 666.

Mine however, an early production 05? It’s the perfect canvas.

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > JGrabowMSt 08/11/2015 at 13:01

1

Ha yea good point. I never plan on selling it.