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Before I buy a new 2016 Challenger, I figured that i'd look to see if I could locate a '91 / '92 Firehawk or hardtop TTA (leather or cloth) to complete my collection.
Yep, before anyone chimes in, i'm well aware that they only made 25 firehawks and 39 hardtop TTAs
If you know of one that is available, please let me know.
Yeah I know... Not completely sure what I want to do but I'd like either one or a new challenger to complete the fleet and then I'm done for a long time lol... I had a friend bid on a TTA hardtop with cloth a while back at an auction and i missed out, I lost to one bidder. If I had been there in person I may have gone an extra bid or two more, not sure if I would have gotten it... Prefer a firehawk but they seldom come up for sale... But I did get my Callaway which is even rarer and 1le z03 so I'm keeping my hopes up 😀
My favorite of the bunch is owned by a forum member, car #26. The color on that car I think is the best ever offered on a thirdgen and seldom seen. Incredible car!
No such thing as a '91 Firehawk. Nothing wrong with building a fake / clone / copy, as long as you don't try to sell it as legit. Cheaper, and can have it your way.
So they started with late-'91 chassis? Doesn't matter if they were sold as '92s, but the '91s would have the advantage of not being glued together as the '92s were. '82-'91 did fine with spot welds only, no glue, so I'd want a '91 chassis. I passed on a cherry '92 B2L hardtop with original rear discs, for being the glue-year. Why risk it?
So they started with late-'91 chassis? Doesn't matter if they were sold as '92s, but the '91s would have the advantage of not being glued together as the '92s were. '82-'91 did fine with spot welds only, no glue, so I'd want a '91 chassis. I passed on a cherry '92 B2L hardtop with original rear discs, for being the glue-year. Why risk it?
The panel bond was in addition to the spot weld process and it started some time in 91, IIRC. It made the F-car stiffer than a old dude that took Viagra.
It must have worked very well in the F-car trials because it was used on 4thgens and is being used everywhere in the industry these days. Most all truck beds are held on with 1 or 2 spot welds and the rest is panel bond. Its is as strong as a weld, you'll tear the steel b4 the joint gives. I didn't believe it until I saw it but is very strong.
Here is a picture of the dreaded glue and spot welds on the frame rail of one of my 92s.
So they started with late-'91 chassis? Doesn't matter if they were sold as '92s, but the '91s would have the advantage of not being glued together as the '92s were. '82-'91 did fine with spot welds only, no glue, so I'd want a '91 chassis. I passed on a cherry '92 B2L hardtop with original rear discs, for being the glue-year. Why risk it?
As an engineer I can say that the bonding material used in those cars had a higher tensile strength than the spot welding. I have a 91 and 92, both 1le cars with the same mileage (within 100 miles of each other) and the 92 is noticeably stiffer and makes absolutely no squeaks or rattles, it's a better car. I have not heard of anyone having an issue related to the bonding.
One more bump. I have a line on a few cars i'm looking at. Just curious if anyone knows of anything else before I pull the trigger on one of these or something new
No such thing as a '91 Firehawk. Nothing wrong with building a fake / clone / copy, as long as you don't try to sell it as legit. Cheaper, and can have it your way.