Dodge Challenger Has an Extremely Thin Sheet Metal Gauge !

Discussion in 'Dodge Challenger General Discussions' started by synoptic12, Nov 1, 2018.

  1. ZEN357

    ZEN357 Full Access Member

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    All vehicles being produced today are that way, doesn;t matter what brand you buy. We don't live in the 1920's anymore.
     
  2. Climber

    Climber Full Access Member

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    The story goes that back in the '30s in the day of John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, etc. that the .45ACP round would not penetrate car bodies of the day. So, many in law enforcement switched to the newer and faster .38 Super caliber because of the somewhat slimmer bullet profile over the .45ACP and it would penetrate car bodies of the day. Depending on which account of the Barrow gang takedown one wants to read, Texas Ranger Frank Hamer and his crew used Browning Automatic Rifles in 30.06 caliber or the Remington semi-auto rifle in the .30 Remington caliber to dispatch Bonnie and Clyde on that fateful day in Louisiana. Point being is this.....Hamer wanted to be certain that he and his crew had more than adequate firepower to penetrate the car body that Bonnie and Clyde were riding in. The rest is history.

    I have seen many tests on TV shows and You Tube of bullets and modern car bodies. Of the modern day pistol ammo tested, be it full metal jacket or hollow point, they all pass through the passenger door and the driver's side door like a hot knife through butter.

    Does anyone remember when NASCAR car owners would body dip their cars in a vat of acid to make them lighter? It is said that they could reduce the car's body by up to 50%.

    I do not like the thin metal either but I cannot help but wonder that at 4200 lbs. now, how much more would my 2016 R/T weigh if the body metal was the same thickness as a '51 Hudson?
     
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  3. synoptic12

    synoptic12 Full Access Member

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    * We are of the old school.
    [​IMG]
     
  4. 2009 Classic B5

    2009 Classic B5 Full Access Member

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    The more driving reason for thin sheet metal is weight reduction to meet CAFE standards. All OEM's are driven to meet individual car FE standards and Corporate Average FE standards or pay fines. Thus the fine of $1000 for a 392 6 speed over the automatic version.
    This has driven weight reductions in critical components which causes higher cost repairs. For example, disk brake rotors are much thinner now than previously leading to warping. And now rotors are so thin that you cannot turn them to true the surfaces without getting thinner than the legal minimum for that rotor.
    So I blame Federal FE standards for much of the design issues including thin sheet metal. The OEM's want cars that don't require recalls which are expensive. I believe FE standards hurt overall reliability and safety, but we can thank computer aided design for keeping sufficient structural rigidity in the cars to protect us during a crash, which is ultimately the primary design criteria for a vehicle.
     
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  5. synoptic12

    synoptic12 Full Access Member

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    * Thanks very much for the detailed information. I was really unaware of all the stipulations contained within the FE standards.
     
  6. SRT-Tom

    SRT-Tom Well-Known Member Staff Member Super Moderator Article Writer

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    Thin sheet metal on Challengers is "fake news." I have proof that it is thick and sturdy. Just look at this photo!

    [​IMG]
     
  7. B5blueRT

    B5blueRT Full Access Member

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