1985 Dodge Shelby Charger |
This is my 1985 Dodge Shelby Charger. It is the first car I ever owned. I bought it in August of 1995. I had always driven my dad's junkers since 1990. I drove it daily for over a year. I smoked many V-8 cars with a high mileage turbo 1 and a Mopar Performance logic module. In Dec. 1996, a man in a 1974 Ford truck turned in front of me at an intersection totalling my pride and joy. It's a long story that still makes me mad when I tell it. I couldn't bear to send it off to the junkyard, so I decided to rebuild it. I replaced the K-frame, driver's side door and fender, one pizza wheel, passenger side lower control arm, had the frame pulled, and had the left rear quarter panel fixed. I drove it briefly in 1999 until the 525 transaxle blew up. In January 2000 I decided to do a turbo 2 conversion since the car was going to be down a while. I rounded up all the parts to do the conversion and started taking the car apart in April 2000. The turbo 2 conversion was well worth the time and money spent. It ran an 8.796 @ 81.44 mph with terrible 60' times and the boost set at 15 psi. The car wasn't running exactly right that night either. That's roughly a 13.50 for you quarter mile guys. I borrowed my friend, Andy Bestor's 20x6 slicks. They are too small and the car still was not hooking. I'm going to purchase a set of 23x8 slicks. I broke pistons #2-#4 about mid-December 2001. So I started searching for a common block. I found a 1989 2.5 TBI block so I had to buy some turbo 2 rods and a 2.2 crank. I also purchased some JE forged turbo 2 style pistons. I'm going to have this engine balanced and lightened. Hopefully, the car will be making 350+horsepower and push the car well into the 7 second 1/8 mile times. This car is in a million pieces right now. I've taken the whole car apart for body work and paint. I'm painting it like the factory paint scheme with a little twist. I ordered decals from Positive Impressions. I had decals made to replace the Dodge and Charger emblems on the rear hatch. I also had intercooled turbo decals made for the hood bulge. I'm also going to redye all the plastic interior parts and replace the carpet. Most of my engine parts are here. Most of them are listed in the future modifications below. I need to take the short block to the machine shop to get it finished up. I took everything to a machine shop in Huntsville, AL before. To make a long story short, I got a bunch of stuff done for free due to the death of the machinist. He was almost done, but didn't complete the honing. We are making progress on the body work. Most of the car and plastic parts are in primer. I just purchased the last Shelby Charger nose in the Chrysler parts system. I have a new rear bumper cover on the way along with better door seals. I mounted the intercooler to the front bumper and I'm taking the short block to be finished up very soon. I hope to have this car finished up in a month or two. |
It took 11 years to get the paint to look like this! |
Specifications: Old Set-up -Stock 1985 2.2 block with MP 11 mm head bolts -Ported "G" head -Ported late turbo 1 intake manifold -Ported exhaust manifold -Converted stock turbo 1 turbo -Magnecore plug wires -K&N cone style air filter -Modified Shelby Z radiator and intercooler assembly -Eagle Talon blow off valve -GLHS Stage II logic module -GLHS fuel pump conversion -Mopar Performance 52 lb/hr (+40%) fuel injectors -Manual (grainger) boost controller and cut our raiser -Walker 2.5" race magnum muffler with turndown pipe -No catalytic converter (for off road use only-wink-wink) -1988 CSX-T A-520 transaxle -Custom cable shifter -Mopar Performance autocross springs -Mopar Performance autocross struts and shocks -24 mm master cylinder -Dodge Caravan front calipers -KVR carbon fiber brake pads -Autometer 2 1/16" boost guage -Autometer 2 1/16" air/fuel guage -Autometer 2 1/16" fuel pressure guage -Autometer monster tach with shift light. -Adjustable fuel pressure regulator -Pillar mounted dual guage pod -Polished swiss cheese wheels -Falken Ziex V-rated 225/50/15 tires Future Modifications: -1989 common block -Balancing and lightening -Forged pistons and crank -Shot Peened Turbo 2 connecting rods -Relentless Racing cylinder head -T3/TO4E hyrbrid turbo with .63 exhaust housing and 50 trim compressor wheel -Custom turbo header -2.5" swingvalve housing -Spearco intercooler mounted in the nose -3" mandrel bent exhaust -Paint -RP calibration -Weight loss -M&H 23.5"x7.5"x15" drag slicks -MORE BOOST!! |
This is the engine just before I completed the turbo II conversion. |
Believe it or not, these pictures are very flattering. |
Pictures of my custom cable shifter |
This is what it looked like circa 1996. It was a solid car with the typical bad paint until the idiot in the Phord pick-up hit me in Cookeville, TN. I think it ran a 9.95 @ 69 mph the day this picture was taken. That's me in the car. |
I finally started the paint and body work. Here is the completed engine bay. This will give you a hint on how I'm painting my car. |