68 Charger handling?

If you were restoring a 68 charger and was wanting it to ride and handle as close to say a new charger or challenger as possible where would you start?

Thanks

I think I would jack up the radiator cap and drive a new Hellcat under it

magnumforce, alterkation, Hotchkis, schwartz chassis, art morrison, roadster shop

depending on your budget, but you can make a 68 handle better than a new one if you want it to

benno440 said:

magnumforce, alterkation, Hotchkis, schwartz chassis, art morrison, roadster shop

depending on your budget, but you can make a 68 handle better than a new one if you want it to

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X2

benno440 said:

magnumforce, alterkation, Hotchkis, schwartz chassis, art morrison, roadster shop

depending on your budget, but you can make a 68 handle better than a new one if you want it to

Click to expand...

Qa1 and PST are a couple more excellent choices....good luck.

more budget minded you mean

Let me know if you have any questions about our product line.

Thanks
James

If you really want modern car feel you will have to switch to coil overs. If you want it to perform you can use the stock suspension and just do bolt ons. Bigger T bars, sway bars, all new bushings, better tie rods and ends etc. Budget and ultimate goal will matter. Alot can be done cheapely.

Well the basic issue in the front is that the suspension geometry is quite different on the new Chargers & Challengers. The control arm lengths are different, and more importantly, the control arm angles are quite different on these new performance cars. The upper control arm angles downward from the ball joint to the upper control arm pivots, rather than upwards as in most stock cars of this era. This has a profound effect on camber angles vs body roll; you can only duplicate that with changing the control arm pivots points top and bottom.

Add to that the steering is a different system (rack & pinion); you get rid of a lot of the unwanted steering movement inherent in a sterring box/draglink/idler setup.

The rear is the biggest change, going to independent rear rather than a live axle on leaf springs. There are inherent movment changes in an IRS that you will never duplicate with a live axle setup, even with coils.

If you wanted to get close, IMO, you would change:
1) The rear at least to a coil over, 4 link setup with panhard rod with adjustable mount points, or, better, shove a complete true IRS under the rear like under a 4th gen Toyota Supra or come up with a new assembly.
2) Change to rack & pinion that is matched to a new front suspension
3) Re-engineer the front control arm pivot points and angles to be more like the new cars in camber and caster. IMO, the T-bars are OK, just not as flexible as a coil-over.
4) Reshock the whole car front and rear and tune anit-sway bars.
5) Lighter things like control arms and spindles may be difficult to match; these effect unsprung weight and rough surface handling.

But you won't be able to fix the facts that you are starting with a notably longer wheelbase, and have more front and rear overhang mass that adds to rotational inertia in turning transitions.

Sixpactogo said:

I think I would jack up the radiator cap and drive a new Hellcat under it

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THIS is funny.

I would find a mopar shell and build it into a new one... than destroying a complete or neer complete car....

I own two late model Mopar Hemi R/T's. I prefer driving the 69 Coronet. With subframe connectors, upgraded brakes (not discs), tubular uppers, firm feel box, Bilsteins and radial tires, it feels good at triple digits. This for far less coin than the major stuff described here. Still does not handle like IRS etc and that's ok. Drove it today. Going to Reno next week. Travel in a modern car is boring. I accept the new technology and have air, pw's, Valentine 1 radar, dash cams and navigation. Personal preference here.

My 70 Charger is fun to drive too but not nearly as quiet as a new car. At just a few ounces shy of 4000 lbs, I'm about 300-400 lbs lighter than a new Charger or Challenger. I started working on my car before Hotchkis began their big push.
I used to have a 76 Camaro that I equipped with all the best factory parts. The Camaro/Firebird models had the benefit of several years of development in regards to suspension and handling since they lived through the smog years. I took what I had learned from the Camaro and applied some of the same "junkyard tech" to save $$$ on the Charger. I fabbed up a custom front sway bar and brackets, used urethane bushings throughout the car and lowered the car a bit. Its been an ongoing saga though. As something better comes on the market, I consider whether it is worth the expense.
To begin with, there are several areas where NEW cars have an inherent advantage. The new cars start off with better front end geometry as well as parts that do NOT need replacing. OLD cars often need a complete rebuild just to be as good as they were in 1968. Tires are one area where new cars have no clear advantage. Tire science has improved to the point where a decent 40 or 50 series street radial is better than even the best race tire in 1970. You can have the immediate response today, its as close as your local tire store.
Best to think of the suspension and steering as you would with an engine and trans: The parts MUST all work together. Do NOT mix drag race stuff with parts designed to improve handling. By this I mean you'd not want to use soft Torsion bars. (Which drag racers use to obtain fast front end rise at launch) No skinny front tires and drag radials with big torsion bars and sway bars.
If you have the money to spend, check out Hotchkis TVS kits. They have scienced out an integrated package that delivers consistant results. If you are short on bucks or enjoy the thrill of doing it all yourself like I did, you can do it a piece at a time.

I would start by stiffening up the body first, so any aftermarket suspension systems you go with will work properly. I installed everything I could but a rollcage(I got kids so I need a useable backseat, I may install one after their all grown up), installed front rad brace, inner fender braces, subframe braces, torsion frame braces, torque boxes, stitch welded the underside of the body.

Dangina, (Strange name, but it was your choice to use it...) You make an excellent point. A stiff chassis makes the body structure into a rigid platform to build from. It makes sense to consider a flexible chassis as being yet another "spring" in the car. If the body flexes too much, the effect of bigger torsion bars, springs, shocks and sway bars is partially lost as a direct result of that flex. Imagine a slinky on a waterbed if it helps you to understand.
Subframe connectors, welding up the frame rails and K member and the addition of factory type torque boxes is what I did. The car immediately soaked up bumps like a newer car and had fewer rattles compared to before. I could ride down bumpy roads and the car felt better connected. Beforehand, I'd sometimes skip and skitter over the bumps in turns but now the car soaks them up and the tires feel as if they never come off the ground. I made my own parts and welded them in myself, saving costs. There are economically priced chassis stiffening components out there.

Once you walk away from the factory marshmallow suspension is an improvement... I did sub frame connector and the energy suspensions poly... I added a front and rear sway bars and new rear springs... I'm not on the road yet... but in the past I have done similar conversions and were happy... I like the hotchkis kit but just got the bars from them....