Hey Guys,

I've been wanting a Stratus R/T with a stick pretty badly in the past couple years, instead of driving my truck daily, sucking gas and racking up miles on my beast that will pull just about anything. I also contemplated a new Dart, but the price tag is still a little higher than I'd like. A friend of mine suggested that the Chargers and 300's are getting pretty cheap on the pre-owned market, and get quite decent MPG when going easy, but will scream on demand. I like the idea, but I want a manual in a bad way. I looked at the price of used Challengers as well, being that they came out like 4 years later, they are still pretty high priced for my range for the oldest highest mileage ones available.

I found a couple threads discussing an optional manual offered, and a very short thread from a few years back about swapping being likely as the manual Challengers start rolling off the line...but other than that, not really any info.

I know it won't be as simple as the old days, and it is suggested to just buy the car you want, instead of trying to frankenstein one together...but what I am looking for doesn't exsist, so I need info on how to make it happen. I know I will pretty much need an entire donor car to get everything needed. I have similar experience as I converted an 89 Chrysler Conquest to manual with a donor car. Just wondering if anyone has done this, or attempted it with failure due to complications that even fabrication couldn't reasonably get around.

Thanks All,

Eric

 

Too bad Keisler discontinued their kit. I'm guessing you'll need an 08-10 manual Challenger for a donor. Hard parts are easy, it's getting the electronics to like it.

 

Getting electronics to like it?? Couldn't I just throw in the Challenger computer, and it will just think it is a Challenger? What about mounting? will the same frame mounts line up?

 

It's not as simple as throwing in the Chally computer and calling it good. The modules all talk to one another and are dependent on signals and inputs back and forth. There are at least a dozen signals that bop around before you even crank it up. The trick here is either getting the Charger program to be ok with not getting inputs from the auto trans, or overchecking the pinouts/wiring diagrams for a Challenger PCM, then getting someone to do a little reflashing so that the modules talk to each other right. to As for mounting, should mount like factory, LX has a longer wheelbase than the LC, but engine/trans mounting points are unaffected by this. You will have to change the inside for the stick, get the 3 pedal setup, clutch master and slave cylinders, etc.