Wanting to update P15 with 06 charger hemi and parts

[David T]

I know its been done...Im trying to keep the original look of the P15 body but update everything so it can be a daily driver capable of the speeds and distances I want to go.  I bought a running 06 challenger and I want to use everything I can do give the vehicle reliablity.  Anyone have any ideas or maybe can point me in right direction besides backwards or reprimanding me??

Edited November 12, 2018 by David T
Meant to type charger not challenger

[Andydodge]

David, welcome aboard, these guys know their stuff.............my 1940 Dodge has had a 318 poly, torquflite since 1973, 4 wheels discs, rack & pinion etc etc........now you ask for info regarding the installation of the Challenger running gear........have you ever done this type of swap? do you have fabrication skills or experience or access to someone who may have done this type of conversion?............I'm certainly not going to reprimand you, hey, I'm a HOTRODDER........lol...............what condition is the P15 in? my suggestions would be to install a disc brake conversion from one of the guys that offer them, Rusty Hope, ScareBird or similar, rebuild the original front suspension, ie, new bushes and kingpins, install an upper shock absorber mount kit, a beefier front sway bar, as for steering I'd try to either keep the original steering box or adapt a late model steering box and later column, install a late live axle, say something like a Ford 9" or mopar equivalent...............I think the Challenger uses a variation of the Mercedes style independant rear suspension that all these cars were based on and that would be a heap of work to install...............now as for the engine/trans installation there should be a few engine mount kits to suit these from various hot rod shops over in the USA, so I'd be talking to them as far as getting info, attend as many rod runs that I could with a camera in hand and  take pics, ask questions and have at it............have attached a pic of the 318 in my Dodge.............got some pics of your car................and welcome aboard from sunny South Grafton Australia.............Andy Douglas  

[David T]

Just fabrication from working on bikes.  I have access yo folks that can fabricate as well.  Im just trying to use as much as I can from the donor car... so... if brakes can work, ill use them... sane with rest of mechanical stuff

[Andydodge]

David......anything can be made to fit however depending on the way the Challenger brakes are made etc then that may decide for you whether they are adaptable to anything else.........as an example when I first built the Dodge in the early/mid 70's I used an Oz Leyland disc brake setup for the front, these were/are an 11" vented, Ford/Mopar bolt pattern disc and were available very cheaply, however for the back I used a 1962 Oz Chrysler rear axle, removed the brake drum from the tapered axle hub and fitted front Oz Valiant disc rotors on the rear hubs, then cut the original mopar backing plate down to nothing to just hold the bearings and seal in the axle and used Oz Ford vented rear disc calipers as they were available and relatively cheap...........but yrs later I had to make some rear axle repairs and it was easier to use the complete rear axle from a late model Oz Ford............I'd be making a few inquiries regarding what is available and be looking around at as many cars as possible........also I'd be doing a few searches on this forum and see what turns up...........BTW..the car looks o/k from here..........lol............andyd   

[dale]

Install a rack and pinion first off.

[David T]

Also thinking abut eliminating the computer (EFI) completely and going with a carb setup.....  decent article right here:

 

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/0803phr-57l-hemi-engine-build/

 

 

[David T]

[50 coupe]

19 hours ago, David T said:

Also thinking abut eliminating the computer (EFI) completely and going with a carb setup.....  decent article right here:

 

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/0803phr-57l-hemi-engine-build/

 

 

 

David T; thanks for info and the article link. That is great info!!

[Plymouthy Adams]

that is a lot of money to get less performance.....

[David T]

If you read the article they got more performance in the higher ranges.

[David T]

[Plymouthy Adams]

3 hours ago, David T said:

If you read the article they got more performance in the higher ranges.

but where on the street will these ranges come to play...……..

[David T]

Well, if Im reading this right, should be right around the 3200 rpm range...

[David T]

3400... sorry fat fingers.  Anyway, cost wise, im thinking , wiring harness ecm... ect bound to be costly too

[Plymouthy Adams]

ECM, wiring harness and peripherals  SHOULD be with your donor engine, first post did say you bought a running 06 Challenger...just keep away from Morton Thiokol !!

[David T]

Yes, you are right.  I did get all those things!  I left out, its a flood car... im still going thru it to identify damage.  I did drive it, motor ran fine ect.. except at 3000 rpms it starts limping... i suspect the ecm is bad or cat may not have been replaced either. 

[David T]

[Plymouthy Adams]

before going further, tweak the engine in the original chassis and find and fix the apparent problems.  As a flood car, look close to air flow and look at the live stream data with a OBDII reader and verify your sensors and especially the fuel trims are proper.  You can graph all the sensors for proper operation.

[HotRodTractor]

On 11/12/2018 at 8:53 PM, David T said:

Also thinking abut eliminating the computer (EFI) completely and going with a carb setup.....  decent article right here:

 

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/0803phr-57l-hemi-engine-build/

 

 

 

You stated in the first post you wanted to update to 06 Charger parts to become a reliable driver - I'd like to thing that an 06 Charger with fuel injection is a much more reliable driver setup than a carburetor conversion. Quite frankly that article is poorly written when they start talking about how involved EFI is - that is someone that is scared of the tuning power that a computer can be capable of. I like carbs and points - but that doesn't mean I consider them to be the best thing since sliced bread for a daily driver setup. For the amount of money spent making the conversion you could have a much nastier EFI motor with better street manners.

[David T]

- plymouthy adams:  yup thats what Im doing now.  Trying to resolve all issues before i make the transfer. 

 

- hotrod tractor:  i agree but i also need to look at the bank!  Im a disabled vet with three little kids so i try to stretch $ where i can unless Garage Squad wants to come get the car!  Lol

 

 

[rhelm1953]

If you want to save money and keep it simple then stick with the EFI.  When I installed the 2000 Ford 4.6L V8 in my 70 Mercedes I kept the stock engine/transmission harness and bought the Ford wiring diagram for the 2000 Crown Vic donor car.  At the end of the day once I traced all the wiring I had about a dozen wires that connected from the engine harness to the car.  Essentially it was power, ground, fuel pump, and a few connections to the evaporative control system (that I also carried over from the Crown Vic to keep the computer happy).  The engine started on the third revolution, ran smooth and has done so for the last eight years and 50,000 miles.  EFI looks complicated but if you are doing a crossover, and have all the harnesses, it's really pretty simple.

[David T]

- plymouthy adams:  yup thats what Im doing now.  Trying to resolve all issues before i make the transfer. 

 

- hotrod tractor:  i agree but i also need to look at the bank!  Im a disabled vet with three little kids so i try to stretch $ where i can unless Garage Squad wants to come get the car!  Lol

 

 

[David T]

@rhelm. 

 

Im shooting for that but like I said, pocketbook affects everything! 

[HotRodTractor]

5 hours ago, David T said:

- hotrod tractor:  i agree but i also need to look at the bank!  Im a disabled vet with three little kids so i try to stretch $ where i can unless Garage Squad wants to come get the car!  Lol

 

 

 

All the more reason to keep it EFI.

[David T]

i cant seem to post pics anymore... as soon as i figure out the problem, Ill put more up