Thread: Need good advice

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Ok, I'm building the 51 Dodge business coupe, slowly. It's in the build section. Some friends are starting a top ten, heads up, grudge race deal so that sparked some interest. I'm taking the 8.5 10 bolt, triangulated 4 link out, the Rocket strike wheels and selling them. Going to go 4 bar, coil overs, and use a 8.8 31 spline explorer rear end, With 3 in out of the long side, centered pinion, I'll have a 56 1/2 total rear end. I'm going to put my 496 BBC, 400 turbo in it. Now for the advice, what manual gear box will bolt on to this 79 nova subframe? I'll be running a 15x4 wheel so it shouldn't be that bad to steer. The biggest thing I need is what would you all recommend on the rear wheel openings? I'll tub it but would you tuck all the tire under or cut the opening? I thought of cutting it and welding a lip around it using a 15x10 gasser style slotted wheel. Maybe its me but I don't think the rear opening matches the front on these cars. It's kinda fugly looking in the rear wheel openings. I thought of giving them a gasser type look but don't want to screw them up. Look at the pics in my build thread and give me your opinion. With no back seat I can weld in a nice 8 point cage. This heads up thing should be a lot of fun and I don't really want to beat on my chevelle, so the dodge will be my candidate. They require it to be street legal, insured, DOT tires and through the exhaust. All the cars are 70's, 80's and 90's, so this old car will be different and pretty neat. Give me your thoughts and ideas!

If it were mine, I'd keep the rear wheel wells stock and tub inward. I can't see radiused wells looking period correct.

I don't really have an opinion to offer you but, if it comes down to looks, narrowing the rear axle so much to match the outer tire faces front and rear creates a very odd look to my eye. I'm not saying this is what you're trying to do.. but it does happen.

You mentioned gasser style, back in the day they would've cut the wheel opening. But I'm not sure how street legal that would be?!?!

Many years ago (say 15 or 20) Hot Rod Magazine did a couple of page article on Ft Auto parts in Huachuca City (Sierra Vista area) Arizona. I remember it because I drove by the yard every day. There was a bunch of very neat/desirable cars in the front row behind the fence, including a Mopar business Coupe the same era as of yours. There was another article in that issue that included an artist renditions of what some of the cars could look like and the one of the Coupe really looked good (I believe they radiused the rear wheel wells). I did a quick search on the net for it but didn't have any luck, but it might be worth researching.


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These pics are Plymouth, but essentially the same.
I personally like the rears tucked in, but back when there were some guys who called themselves the Ramchargers who dealt with it by widening the opening at first, then later a bit more............let's say expedited.........

Here are some similar cars to what Bob posted but may give you some more ideas.

The first car that my brother and I owned was a '47 Plymouth, 4-door sedan with suicide doors. This discussion made me remember that we cut the squared rear wheel opening out to a rounded shape. It's been to long ago to remember why. A lot of strange things were done in the 60's.

Although I really like the look of the black Plymouth coupe that's sitting real low (air bags in the parked position), I found out when I started building my car that it was not possible to remove the rear tires without taking the coil-overs loose, at the minimum, but it may have also required unhooking the brake flex lines and maybe the drive shaft, to get the rear end to drop low enough to get the tires off. To avoid that, I altered the wheel opening, but as it turned out, the modification required was so minor that most people would not notice the slightly different shape.

In the end, you should get the look that you want. You're building the car. Please yourself.

One reason for my bias is that you said "street legal". The evolution of the Ramchargers coupe to no rear fenders doesn't seem to fit that requirement, to me. Maybe it's OK for you.

I never cared for the rear wheelwells of those Mopar coupes. Radius 'em and build in a lip
http://www.myrideisme.com/Blog/wp-co...owes_Car-9.jpg
volvo122gasser.jpg Photo by loogy | Photobucket
http://image.streetrodderweb.com/f/f...y-j-gasser.jpg
http://api.ning.com/files/wNDCGG9gfi...63Gasser08.jpg

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Originally Posted by rspears

One reason for my bias is that you said "street legal". The evolution of the Ramchargers coupe to no rear fenders doesn't seem to fit that requirement, to me. Maybe it's OK for you.

They probably dropped the rear fenders as a weight saving measure and to screw with NHRA. They had some stiff competition from from a similar coupe, it was lowered all the way around, called The Steel Eel.

Originally Posted by techinspector1

I never cared for the rear wheelwells of those Mopar coupes. Radius 'em and build in a lip
http://www.myrideisme.com/Blog/wp-co...owes_Car-9.jpg
volvo122gasser.jpg Photo by loogy | Photobucket
http://image.streetrodderweb.com/f/f...y-j-gasser.jpg
http://api.ning.com/files/wNDCGG9gfi...63Gasser08.jpg

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Back in the day (60's - 70's) we would radius the well and weld 1/2" thin wall electrical conduit (emt) for the rolled edge reinforcement. Lol

I love fat fenders.

Would it be possible to fatten the quarters, around the wheel house circumference of the wheel housing, instead of the opening? That would leave the stock shape which you don't like, but could leave folks scratching their heads figuring out what's not right about it.

Dave, you are right on removing the rear wheels and tires. I had a 8.5 under it with 15x7 strike wheels, 235/75/15's. After taking the shocks loose I had to let the air out of them to get them on or off, real pain. What about ramcharger style with mud flaps!! Seriously, I think I'll cut them and weld a 1/4 in rod on the inside and roll the fender around the rod. I want it clean and not just cut out. I'm going to take some 1/8 in tape and experiment. Inspector I'm with you on the way they are now, they're ugly. Thought about making a pattern of the front and laying it out on the rear. Either way I think I'll keep the rear fenders on, LOL.

Maybe a Vega steering box? Those are fairly popular and have good aftermarket support. I really like your coupe although I may be a bit biased when it comes to Mopar business coupes.

How about cheater slicks and not having to cut anything?? a 8" would still probably hook well?