Magnum Christmas!

[Ronin]

I wanted to thank everyone here for the incredible value of their collective experience, and I'd like to think I'm well on my way to a nicely done Magnum. I know, I KNOW, we need pics, and I promise I will, as I go.

So far,

Volant CAI
Embroidered "Magnum" floormats
Illuminated "Magnum" door-sills
Black SXT headlights with HIR bulbs
MOPAR remote start
Avon Custom Wheels medium tinted tails and color matched mud-flaps
E&G Classic Heavy Mesh Grill (also from ACW)

...are already in Santa's workshop and will be under the tree! That's the agreement with the bride, so I can't start until Saint Nick makes it official!

Soon (late winter/early spring) to be followed by...

MOPAR lowering springs
Gibson short tube headers (courtesy of Josh @ HHP)
Zoomers cat-back exhaust
20 rims tires (most likely Foose Nitrous silver, staggered)

HOPEFULLY by summer...

PROGRAMMER! (Superchips, HELP!)
Hood (not sure which one yet, RK, shaker?)
Vizualogic A-1000 headrest monitors w/DVD
Carbon Fiber dash...

That should do it, unless you all talk me into something else! I've already called my dealer and pre-order my '07/'08 Plum Crazy Challenger (he laughed and said he'd be more than happy to let me know the first say I can put a deposit on one!) so I had to shelve some of my more aggressive (and expensive) plans, like coil-overs and a GSM S/C.

The Volant CAI was a tough call. I spent a lot of time reading what everyone hear had to say in the intake "shoot out" and respect your opinions and observations, but my previous experience with one on my '03 Navigator and a great price helped make up my mind. Big benefit that we've seen with the Volant on the Nav (which has stock exhaust FOR NOW and a Superchips programmer/Performance Tow program) is a decent increase in gas mileage. From barely 11 to a steady 12.5 MPG. I also have the Vizualogic A1000 on the Nav (single DVD built into the headrest) and it's GOLD! During our annual 3K+ roadtrip this past summer, I didn't even know my kids were in the car. Hooked up the Nintendo Game Cube for even more entertainment options. Price is just a little more than the VES ($1400+) and uninstall (in the event of sale, etc.) is super-fast.

From my own limited experience in addition to what I've seen here, it really seems that the supporting vendors do their best to give us the best deal possible, so I'm trying to return the favor and give them the business. I'm a businessman too and it's not always about finding the absolute lowest price on the net from someone who may or may not be around tomorrow, or care less about other LX Forum members.

This is really the first time I've seriously got into tweaking a car (although I have gotten completely out of hand when it comes to motorcycles!) and I'm thinking with everything that I've seen and heard here I should be good to go...

Matt

[Ronin]

...almost forgot; I know the stock brakes on the R/T are great, but no comparison to the SRT, and to increase the Challenger fund by skipping the Brembo (or similar) upgrade, MAYBE the cryo tx'd slotted and/or drilled rotors with Porterfield R4S pads. We'll see...

Matt

[Todd RT]

I'll second that! I would also like to thank everyone for their opinions, knowledge and experience. Happy Holidays all you LX people!

[xWCDx]

now that is a christmas to look forward to!!! I want to play with all those fun toys!!

[Ronin]

So far added the Avon (medium) tinted tails...



and MOPAR illuminated door entry guards...



The door guards are great, and I got a smoking deal off of eBay, but a retail of almost $400 for 2?! That's crazy, I got them for half of that and had the dealer install them while it was there for the leaking tranny TSB (still waiting on parts) and MOPAR remote starter install (waiting on new mercury hood switch).

What's waiting to be installed? I'm holding off on the fancy floor mats until the winter is over. I'm also gonna hold off on the Volant CAI that I already have to install it along with the Gibson shorties, Zoomers and SuperChips tuner (all which I need to buy!) so I can do a before and after dyno.

Need to install Avon color matched mudflaps and spoiler (with tinted brake light of course). Bought a factory Nav unit off of eBay from a wreck that should be here shortly. E&G heavy mesh grill off to (black) powder coating. SXT headlights (from AJ @ Mopar Store) and HIRs will be installed in a couple of days. Ultimate Pedals (from the group buy) set of 4 should be here in a couple of days and they'll go right in to... They should look nice with a C/F dash kit too, hmmm...

I was gonna leave the audio alone, but all you guys changed my mind; and my wife thanks you... Now I'm looking at having TVandNav2Go tweak the Nav head unit which will hopefully go along with JonW's (from the 300 board) soon to be available kit, along with a back-up camera, headrest monitors, LC6 with amp, all new speakers and hopefully an integrated sub from JL!

Avon's group buy for wheels coming up soon, so I need to jump on that!

That's all I got, FOR NOW!

Matt

[402 Motoring]

Matt,

I see a Navi in the background that could use some tinted tails!!! Its needs some attention to ya know. LOL.

[Aikidoka]

and MOPAR illuminated door entry guards...

Man the door guards look really nice. I hope we can get enough people together for the group buy. The blue one's would look great on my Mag. Thanks for posting the pic.

[ASU_Magnum]

Man the door guards look really nice. I hope we can get enough people together for the group buy. The blue one's would look great on my Mag. Thanks for posting the pic.

ill second that. that looks great

[KGBPro]

Lookin good Ronin!!!!!!!! i like that mettalic silver as well...keep up the good work!!!!

[Ronin]

Matt,

I see a Navi in the background that could use some tinted tails!!! Its needs some attention to ya know. LOL.

Ernie,

They're on the way too...as soon as I know I won't have to worry about snow!

Matt

[Ronin]

Man the door guards look really nice. I hope we can get enough people together for the group buy. The blue one's would look great on my Mag. Thanks for posting the pic.

Aikidoka,

I went with the red because it matched the embroidery on the floor mats I ordered, and also looks good with the dark Mineral Grey exterior and the lighter interior. Besides, I really didn't have a choice! Maybe AJ @ the Mopar Store would be able to put together a group buy, I've only seen the factory ones in red but have seen others (which may or may not have been MOPAR) with different colors out there so I know they exist...

Matt

[Ronin]

Lookin good Ronin!!!!!!!! i like that mettalic silver as well...keep up the good work!!!!

Wow, that's a bold azz comment coming from you! The Phatum Kruiser's gotta be 'bout one of, if not the, sweetest, tricked out Magnums out there. Much respect!

Thanks!

Matt

[Ronin]

Found the illuminated door sills with (8) different colors HERE. Retail looks like $425 for a set of 4 (my MOPAR set had 2). Maybe this is the company that makes them for MOPAR?

Matt

[Ronin]

Not the best pic, BUT...



mad props to everybody here, especially Grinner and his invaluable video, which made the install extremely easy.

The HIRs went in easily, I just needed to back out the Torx head (#20) bolts on the low beams to get them to seat perfectly. "Max" Lumens highlighted where the tabs needed to be trimmed, which took just seconds with a Dremel. I also installed Sylvania silver colored 3457A bulbs for the front turn signals, which blend in better than the stock ambers.

Total install time, start to finish, including the HIR bulb mod, was about two hours. I was being extremely careful after hearing the headlight lower bolt drop horror stories, and used electrical tape seated inside the socket (I used a 8mm, if I recall correctly) to prevent a similar disaster!

Still much more to do...

Better pics to come!

Matt

[Ronin]

Yesterday was like Christmas all over again!

The Nav unit from eBay, Ultimate Pedals from the Group Buy and color matched mudflaps all came in.

I ordered the Nav bezel from AJ @ Mopar Store and will get that bad boy installed soonest.

I don't think the Magnum Madness is gonna stop anytime soon...

Matt