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'75 Dodge Challenger "Pursuit Special"

Started by Vorcha, June 28, 2020, 03:45:30 PM

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Vorcha

When Dodge introduced the "Challenger" in 1970 the car became a commercial success right away, demand was much higher than anticipated. In trying to capitalize on that as much as possible, production was ramped up..
But fierce competition and a changing taste in customers soon proved the overly optimistic managers wrong and by 1974 Dodge was stuck with thousands of cars produced up to 3 years ago on company parking lots and no demand.
To get rid of the unsellable stock and possibly opening a new niche in the market a redesign of the front of the car was proposed, to give it a new, more modern looking image without investing too much. Several prototypes were created using inexpensive "face lifts" on existing cars, each with its own distinct feel to it...

...Max was exhausted. All his efforts had been in vain, the loot had been moved from the cave, maybe days ago, maybe weeks. And with it his last hope of finding the information that could have led him back to his Black on Black. It could be anywhere, in Gastown, even back in Bartertown. His ride was gone. Either sold to a warlord or dismantled, gone.
He let himself lean on the cavewall behind him and sunk down into himself in anger, sadness and growing resignation. There was no way to cross the plains of silence, not without his ride. He would be stuck here forever. In his last fit of anger he hit the wall behind him with his ellbow.. he expected sharp pain, but was stunned, when the piece of wall behind him crumbled; it was only dirt and rubble under painted plaster.

When he was done digging and had crawled through the narrow opening he couldn't believe what he saw. It was a hidden portion of the cave, stones, rubble and plaster had been used to create a seperate room. And in it was a car. His Black on Black had been the last of the Interceptors. But this was maybe the only surviving of the legendary '75 Specials, with a lot of modifications done to it. It was all there. The Vee-Eight. The Blower. All shiny and chrome. It had been waiting here for ages. Max was overwhealmed by this sight. But the car had been sitting for a long time. It would take time to make it running again. And the wheels were all flat and ruined. And most important: The gasoline.
When the stun had gone away, Max knew that it would take a lot of work from here. But the plains of silence were not impassable anymore...

...so I had that 1/24 1970 Dodge Challenger from Revell as a birthday present from years ago. Now I opened it up for this GB. I don't know exactly how I'll make it, but it will involve a lot of scratch work for sure.  ;D 
paper boy

zenrat

Fred

- Can't be bothered to do the proper research and get it right.

Another ill conceived, lazily thought out, crudely executed and badly painted piece of half arsed what-if modelling muppetry from zenrat industries.

zenrat industries:  We're everywhere...for your convenience..

nighthunter

'Mad Max'ing a Dodge, this I have to see
"Mind that bus." "What bus?" *SPLAT!*

Vorcha

#3
Quote from: nighthunter on July 06, 2020, 03:41:44 AM
'Mad Max'ing a Dodge, this I have to see
well this GB requires the prototype to not be shown in 'operational colours'. I interprete that for my project in that way, that the car would have to be in 'original condition' and not "maxed out", as that would make it 'standard' in the wasteland.
So the only thing I intend to 'modify' (change from the original prototype that is, as I intend to make a completely custom front) are the wheels and a removed trunk flap and backseat and inside some of Max's baggage... and even for that I still have to ask the moderators, which I haven't... Everything 'Maxed' would have to be part of the original state of the car... so the story has to match.

... a preinstalled compressor ("blower" :) ) is the first thing... then the car has to still be freshly painted and 'chromy', only with added dust and maybe a scratch here and there.

...here are some of the 'specs' I already 'found out' ;) ...
U8 engine or 2x inline 4 engines, flathead-slidevalve configuration, most likely also 'slanted' to each side, looking like a V8, but not being one... (half of the engine has to be able to be switched off for preserving gasoline, good to have after the oil crises... and in the wasteland :) ) - yet still looking like a V-engine.5210 cubic centimetres (2605 in 'economy mode') - not too big, but also not too weak - complemented by two seperate turbochargers  and  a Weiand compressor. and water injection. and Nitro injection...
4 wheel drive.single wheel attachment, all with torsion bars, not just the front axle.increased trunk capacity, so it can also be used as a 'family car'...
Now I just need the time and the mojo, lol xD
paper boy

Old Wombat

Note original modified XB coupe from the original movie, before the mod's;





I can't find any images online but, from memory, the original interior was pretty standard 4-on-the-floor XB, front buckets & rear bench, only being stripped out in the sequel, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior.
Has a life outside of What-If & wishes it would stop interfering!

"The purpose of all War is Peace" - St. Augustine

veritas ad mortus veritas est

zenrat

An interior shot.  I'm not sure if this is the original car or a clone but if it's a clone if is probably going to be accurate.
Looks like a standard XB GT interior - black vinyl, bucket seats, wood veneer, sports wheel - with a switch console added to the roof lining and a platform added for the blue light (which would be really distracting IRL positioned where it is).  There was a cb radio somewhere in there and the supercharger was switched on and off with the red knob on the gear shift

Fred

- Can't be bothered to do the proper research and get it right.

Another ill conceived, lazily thought out, crudely executed and badly painted piece of half arsed what-if modelling muppetry from zenrat industries.

zenrat industries:  We're everywhere...for your convenience..

Vorcha

#6
Quote from: zenrat on July 08, 2020, 04:57:21 AM
An interior shot.  I'm not sure if this is the original car or a clone but if it's a clone if is probably going to be accurate.
Looks like a standard XB GT interior - black vinyl, bucket seats, wood veneer, sports wheel - with a switch console added to the roof lining and a platform added for the blue light (which would be really distracting IRL positioned where it is).  There was a cb radio somewhere in there and the supercharger was switched on and off with the red knob on the gear shift


thank you.
however, that's not the vision I have for this project - I thought of a "regular" car prototype built as a "proof of concept" by Dodge, hidden and forgotten a long, long time ago - and then found by Max after his original 'Black on Black' Interceptor got stolen and/or destroyed.

so the aim for me is not to build it to a pristine 'Pursuit Special' - Police Car - Standard, but as a car found by chance by Max that suits him perfectly in his current situation, namely somewhere in the aftermath of the events of "The Road Warrior". 

(in the last shots he is seen with another car, but in my timeline he was wise enough not to try to drive off on his own with the Interceptor, but help Papa Gallo's tribe and reclaim the Interceptor later from under the ruins of the burned refinery. Imagine the ending of "The Road Warrior", but instead of the buggy seen at his side still the original Interceptor. And which he later loses and instead finds the forgotten Dodge prototype. :) )the ending of "The Road Warrior": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcK8FLGx0fo still gives me goosebumps.
paper boy