G5 CHALLENGER NEWS

G5 meets up with Challenger designer at SEMA

2009-11-22T13:17:00.000-08:00

One of the highlights during my visit at SEMA was when Chris and I met up with Mike Castiglione and his brother Frank. Mike is the guy who penned the final exterior design for the new Dodge Challenger that you see cruising the roads today. Mike and I can relate in many ways being Industrial Designers. Mike did a phenominal job with the new Chally Design, so all we decided to do with our G5 packages was to compliment it, not redesign it into something it's not. Mike and his brother Frank were able to check out the latest G5 Challenger T/A we brought and we where extatic to hear that they gave the car two thumbs up. Having the original designer's blessing on our G5 Challenger meant a lot to us. Special thanks to Mike and Frank for hangin' out with us and talkin' cars!

In case you haven't seen this before, here's a great video interview with Michael Castiglione and Alan Barrington discussing the design and influences for the new Challenger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paY4y7K1fuM&feature=channel

"TWISTED" makes news for K&N Air Filters

2009-11-19T15:14:00.001-08:00

K&N Filters just posted up a great write-up on their site in the news section on the latest G5 Challenger T/A "TWISTED". To see the article and check out the cold air intake system they offer for the Dodge Challenger click on the link below. Thanks again K&N!!!

http://www.knfilters.com/news/news.aspx?ID=2390

G5 Challenger - Project:TWISTED Slide Show

2009-11-09T20:51:00.000-08:00

It's late but I got the photos uploaded to my flickr account and I made a slide show for viewing 30+ photos of the Yellow G5 Challenger Project:TWISTED. I will be posting more details about some of our sponsors, their products, and where & when you can get them. Enjoy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43100116@N03/sets/72157622772979682/show/

G5 Challenger SEMA Show Pics - 1

2009-11-09T16:53:00.000-08:00

Due to some technical difficulties during SEMA, I was unable to update the blog. I've been downloading pics of the Challenger and posting them. The show was good for Group 5 Ltd. this year. Displaying the car outside and not working a booth allowed Chris and myself freedom to walk the show. The bright yellow G5 Chally got a lot of attention especially the T/A Hood! This 2009 R/T was transformed from a silver metallic stock Challenger into the killer show car you see here. Custom paint including full color change, T/A hood, front and rear G5 fascias, wheels, tires, interior, and more! Stay tuned for more pics and details on the G5 Challenger.

SEMA 2009 - Day 1

2009-11-03T11:37:00.001-08:00

We finally got the G5 Chally all set up and ready late last night. Had to add the sponsors to the car. Today is day 1 and the Challenger is generating a lot of interest. I don't have much to type right now but will post more pics tonight. For now, check these out. First time pics of the new Scott Drake Aluminum Fuel Cap assembly included!

Team G5 Off To SEMA!

2009-10-31T20:03:00.000-07:00

Project:TWISTED is done and on the trailer. Got a long drive tonight to get it to the convention center by morning. I thought I'd post a couple more pics before it gets too late. I'll get some shots in the morning and post 'em up.

Crunch Time for SEMA!!!

2009-10-31T10:07:00.000-07:00

I flew into Phoenix last night and made it out here to G5 Challenger headquarters! Right away I rolled up my sleaves and jumped in to help out with last minute details on the New G5 Project. I had a chance to take some teaser pics for you guys and get 'em posted up today. The car is real close to being finished and ready to leave tonite. In the meantime enjoy the pics of Project Twisted.

I wish I could post pics of this beautiful new part before SEMA. Scott Drake will be doing a full release on this at SEMA and we will be sure to follow that up with a ton of pics during the show. Stay Tooned!

The satin black G5 T/A hood looks awesome. The fit and finish are real nice as well.

Petrol Traviata wheels and Nitto Invo tires look bad-to-the-bone!!!!

Here's an in progress shot of the G5 Chally coming together! More pics tomorrow!

K&N Cold Air Induction System Install on "TWISTED"

2009-10-25T18:30:00.000-07:00

K&N 63-1114 63 Series Air Charger Intake kit System

We are proud to have K&N as a sponsor on our latest G5 Challenger project for SEMA '09. K&N makes a high quality CAI with superior performance! The K&N cold air intake kit is engineered to smooth and straighten airflow by reducing intake restriction. Want your Challenger to be able to gulp down more air making more power to the tune of 20+ bolt on horsepower? Then you need one of these CAI kits from K&N!

Back in the day guys could wrench away on their muscle cars in their driveway or backyard with basic hand tools and a little know-how. Muscle cars today are a little different story. There's computers, sensors, complex wiring harnesses, etc. that make wrenchin' on new Detroit iron a bit more difficult at times. No worries though with the K&N CAI kit - add 20+ horsepower like a pro in short time with basic hand tools and a little bit of time. Most K&N intake kits are relatively easy to install using basic hand tools most of you have laying around in your garage.

Shown here is the installed K&N CAI kit. Not only does it have a clean factory look to it but it's also much more aggressive and freer breathing over the restricted factory setup. Now the last step of the procedure (not shown in the instructions) is to take it out for a test drive and see how well your rear tires hold up!

For more information on K&N and their product line please check out their site at www.knfilters.com

*Special thanks to Lucio from K&N Engineering, Inc.

Nitto Tire Sponsors G5 Challenger for SEMA '09

2009-10-22T05:47:00.001-07:00

Nitto tires have always been a favorite tire brand for this author so I'm a little biased. I've had Nitto tires on a couple of my cars and have always been very impressed with their performance. I'm on my second set of Nitto Drag Radials and not only do they look killer but they knocked off 3/10s of a second just by mounting them up on the back wheel on my Drag Mustang putting me into the 12s for the first time.

Group 5 Ltd. also used a set of Nitto 555R Drag radials on the G5 Sam Posey Challenger to help the 500+ horsepower get off the line and down the drag strip. The 60 ft. times were greatly improved on the Posey Challenger in spite of the fact that it has a road race style suspension on it.

This year Nitto sent us a set of it's aggressive ultra-high performance Invo street tires. The no-compromise asymmetrical tread pattern design delivers supreme performance, ride refinement, and quality! Plus they look SICK!

Special thanks goes out to Nitto Tire for not only helping us out with a great product for SEMA this year, but they even managed to deliver us a set of tires in record time.

For more info on INVO tires and other great Nitto products please stop by their site at http://www.nittotire.com/

Petrol Wheels for Project:Twisted

2009-10-21T09:46:00.000-07:00

Ever since I saw these 3-piece Traviata Wheels by Petrol I thought that they'd look outstanding on a Challenger! The wheels showed up about a week ago and here's a couple picks Chris took for me to post up for now. The next time you see these wheels they should be bolted onto the Lemon Twist Yellow G5 Chally. The rendering gives you a good idea of how they should look. We opted for the 20s instead of 22s since the car would be driven a lot and thrashed on the track. As always, the formula for the G5 Challengers is balanced performance. 22s look great don't get me wrong but they get heavier, and the wider sizes they come in start getting real tight inside the wheel wells. This car will see drag strip and road course thrashing so we decided to keep with the 20s as the all around best choice for our ride. The Traviata wheels by Petrol really have a beautifully muscular look with the polished lip and machined spokes. The black mask spray painted areas between the spokes will really compliment the blacked out areas on "Twisted". For more info on Petrol wheels check out their site at http://www.petrolwheels.com/

Paint By Simon Lays Down Killer Paint!

2009-10-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

Once again Group 5 Ltd. calls on Simon Evans of Paint By Simon to lay down the custom Lemon Twist Yellow and satin black paint scheme for the latest G5 Challenger. As usually his skills don't disappoint and the Chally looks killer even before it's finished. Special props go out to Simon for all his awesome work and for hangin' in there during near 100 degrees out at the G5 shop in Arizona. Besides his show-quality paint jobs, Simon can paint anything from stripes to custom airbrushed graphics and artwork on anything. Make sure to stop by http://www.paintbysimon.com/ and check out some of his show-stopping work!

The G5 fascias really set the Group 5 Challengers apart from the rest of the pack - shown here being prepped before paint.

Lemon Twist Yellow Satin?? No, just the first coats of yellow paint...

Here's a teaser of the newly painted stripe and first layer of gloss paint...

Group 5 Limited Brings Another Wicked G5 Challenger to SEMA!

2009-10-20T19:13:00.000-07:00

Well it's that time of year again and Group 5 is bringing yet another stunning G5 Challenger to the SEMA party! G5 took a 2009 Challenger R/T and transformed it into a G5 Challenger bolting on unique, and aggressive front and rear fascias. The factory hood just wasn't aggressive enough so a fiberglass G5 T/A hood was bolted on and sprayed satin black. A matching satin black G5 rear spoiler compliments the hood. Then a T/A style side stripe complimenting the the body sides adds the finishing touch to the Lemon Twist Yellow exterior paint scheme. For more pics and info stay tuned or stop by the SATA booth in Hot Rod Alley and ask about PROJECT:TWISTED at SEMA 2009!

Sam Posey G5 Challenger a hit at SEMA 2008!

2008-11-09T15:42:00.001-08:00

Well we're back from Sema! We still shake our heads and look at each other saying..."..9 WEEKS!!!" That's how much time we had to prototype/tool 2 new bumpers, 2 hoods, 4 rear spoilers, and build 2 cars (including complete color changes) for SEMA! It was a lot of work, a lot of stress, but also a lot of fun. Our hats off to Sam Posey for all of his support and participation for Group 5 Ltd., it truly was a chance of a lifetime to spend time with a true race car driving legend. We had all kinds of folks stop by to see Sam and the show stopping #77 continuation car. Guys that used to race against Sam stopped by to swap racing stories from the past, fans brought photos to sign, and there was even a fan who brought part of his dashboard with him out of his 1970 Dodge Challenger for Sam to sign. We even had celebrities such as Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Johnny Rutherford, Joe Amato, and Steve Saleen to name a few to talk with Sam and see the Posey G5 Chally. Everyone from the Group 5 Team who helped build the car as well as the celebrities took turns signing the underside of the hood to honor Sam and the #77 car.

I have to say one of the best moments of the show was Chris Wilkins of Group 5 Ltd. giving Sam a tour of the new #77 car. Sam loved it! I don't think you could've wiped the smile off of his face. He commented that the car had a good balance of vintage and modern styling, just enough of the old race car blended in with the new car. This was truly an experience I will never forget. Those that don't know, Sam has Parkinson's Disease and each Sam Posey G5 Challenger sold, $1000 goes to benefit Parkinson's Research Foundation.

Team Performance really stepped up and pulled together and got the G5/R Challenger completed and on the SEMA show floor. Special thanks goes to Heath, Tom, and the gang from Team. Group 5 would also like to thank Simon Evans once again for pulling off the impossible laying down a killer paint job in record time! The G5/R is equipped with the Team Performance Twin Turbo System putting down 700 hp, front and rear race-inspired laser waterjet aluminum spoilers, Boss 20" wheels, and the new G5 Challenger flat style hood.

Please check back often as more information on the cars, our sponsors, and some of the custom parts installed to help make the G5 Challenger the super cars they are.

Getting the Posey Chally Ready for display at SEMA

2008-11-02T22:43:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd post a couple more pics of the Posey car up as we are detailing it and getting it ready for the show. Still lots to do but she should be all ready for Sam Posey to see it for the first time. I still can't get over the chin spoiler - 2.5" off the ground!!!

Sam Posey G5 Challenger - Last Minute Details

2008-10-31T16:44:00.001-07:00

We loaded up the Sam Posey G5 Challenger and headed over to Chapman Dodge for a basic Dodge recall and have some minor adjustments made. We pull in and within 2-3 minutes we were swarmed.

Even though the hood, roacker panels, front chin spoiler and a couple last minute details aren't on the car yet (Most of it's being completed as I type this) there was a unanomous reaction to the car..."That is AWESOME!" We heard comments from the young guys - "Tight!" and other comments such as unbelievable -others just sat and stared. Everybody wanted to know what it was about, can I get one, can I order parts...we were overwhelmed. Not bad for tooling 2 new bumpers, 2 new hoods, 4 new wings, interior mods, supercharger, one-off strut brace, custom emblems, sound system...on and on...all in about 8 weeks. The Fikse wheels really give the Posey G5 Chally a real Grand Am Cup look. The mufflers clear the ground by about 3.5" and the front aluminum chin spoiler under test fit cleared by about the same. It's in the weeds and belches out harmonious sounds of thunder through the side exit exhaust. When we cranked it up to take it off the trailer, I saw a lot of smiles and even a guy rubbing his arms trying to clear up the goosebumps. We hope Sam will love it.

Sam Posey Edition G5 Challenger Hood - Sneak Peek #2

2008-10-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

Hot off my email - here's all the black trim and #77 on the hood. Gloos coat is still not applied yet and then final prep. More to come.

Trans Am Style Hoods for New Challengers Available from Group 5 Ltd.

2008-10-28T07:55:00.000-07:00

Shown here is the T/A hood for the Sam Posey G5 Challenger in the paint booth from this morning. Yes, in typical SEMA style we can't break tradition and show up with a car unless paint fumes are still coming off it! This is pretty much the last piece to the Posey G5 Chally puzzle. I'll get to be with the car all day friday to help out with last minute work needed. The black paint should be on the hood today and once the clear has been added I will post a new pic.

Group 5 Limited prototyped, and tooled their own flat hood and T/A hood scoop. The T/A hood will be available to order after SEMA. The hood can be ordered in satin black or painted to your specification. So those of you that are wanting an OEM quality T/A Chally hood for your 2008+ Challenger you can order one from Group 5 Limited.

Exit to the side please!

2008-10-27T08:06:00.001-07:00

I was just emailed a pic of the finished side exit exhaust with the heat shield. This is probably one of my favorite details on the whole car. What a way to intimidate the competition - belching thundering decibals and exhaust fumes out the side of your car at 'em at a stoplight!!! Anyways, just another sneak peak. getting close to a full reveal - stay tuned!

G5 Challenger - Facial Reconstruction

2008-10-22T18:59:00.000-07:00

Pictured above is a close up of the custom G5 Challenger prototype front fascia. An integrated front chin spoiler, a larger than factory lower grill opening, and smoothed off fog light openings clean up the front end. The lower integrated chin spoiler protrudes out over an inch further than the factory spoiler and is stylized for a more aggresive look. The lower front grill was opened up so that it is about 1.5 inches taller to accomodate more cool air into the radiator, or an intercooler for turbo and supercharged cars.

The styling direction for the G5 front fascia was not to redesign the look of the car completely, but to retain the basic look of the already good looking Challenger. We think it takes the look from muscular to down right threatening!

Chris Wilkins of Group 5 Limited performed all of the exterior prototype parts shaping and fabrication. Precision and quality are second to none when it comes to the G5 Challenger custom composite parts. Group 5 Limited is a licensed automotive manufacturer and is celebrating 20 years in business this year. To see some of the other SEMA show vehicles built make sure to visit www.semashowcars.com

This front bumper assembly is standard on the G5/S, G5/SC, and G5/R. A quick-release laser cut aluminum front chin spoiler (shown on the Sam Posey Challenger SEMA 2008) can be added and is optional on the G5/R and Sam Posey Edition G5 Challengers...more on that later.

Fikse sponsors the Sam Posey G5 Challenger for SEMA '08

2008-10-21T09:14:00.000-07:00

We couldn't show up with a race car unless we had race car wheels!!! More than likely we figured most of the other Challengers at SEMA would be going for the plus-sizing look by adding 22" and even 24" wheels and tires. We didn't want that "look" for the Sam Posey G5 Challenger and we were very passionate about executing a common theme on this car - RACING.

Fikse was or first choice for wheels on the Posey car due to the fact that they are artfully designed, precision engineered, and made in the USA since 1992.

Designing and building championship-winning race wheels is the core of everything they do at Fikse USA. They approach wheel fitment as a tailor does a handmade suit--with careful deliberation and lots of measurements. This is what impressed us so much last year, Group 5 Limited was sponsored by Fikse with a set of wheels on the Pantera GT5 SEMA show car. The wheels looked amazing and fit the first time. Not only did they take the time to help us with measuring for wheel fitment but also assisted in selecting the proper tire for the staggered front and rear fitment. This was what we wanted when it came time to select a wheel for the Sam Posey G5 Challenger - race proven performance and a perfect custom tailored fit.

If you haven't had a chance to visit their site or see the fine wheels that Fikse manufactures, please take a moment to visit their site.

http://www.fikse.com/

More of what's to come!

2008-10-20T06:40:00.001-07:00

Here's a few more preview pics of some of the parts and details going into the Sam Posey G5 Challenger. Shown is an early prototype laser cut G5 emblem and an "exterior styling" part. These are just a couple of examples of the many parts created for the Sam Posey car and the rest of the G5 Challenger program. Special thanks to DJ Saunders and Micro-tronics for working on this with us. They do some amazing work!

http://www.micro-tronics.com/

Also shown is a set of Kooks Headers and the one of custom made exhaust system by Trinity Mufflers using their deep sounding T-Phlo mufflers. Trinity Mufflers are the official mufflers for the G5 Challenger program.

http://trinitymufflers.com/

http://kooksheaders.com/

Paint by Simon

2008-10-19T09:23:00.003-07:00

What's really going to make the Sam Posey G5 Challenger stand out from the crowd is the killer Trans Am race car paint scheme. Whether it's the high impact Sublime Green paint, the big number 77 on the sides, or the custom painted and cleared over racing graphics we hope this will be a car that you walk away from SEMA remembering as one of your favorites!

Simon Evans handled the task of laying down the bright green and black paint scheme as well as the numerous sponsor graphics. The stripes, numbers, and sponsor graphics are all painted on and cleared over to a glass smooth finish. Simon's attential to detail is what will help take the Sam posey G5 Challenger to the next level when it comes to visual overload! I'm very excited to see the #77 car in person because I know these pics do it no justice. Above is another sneak peek of the Posey car in the paint booth with Simon adding some of his personal custom touches to the SEMA bound Challenger. Simon will also be laying down the paint on the Twin Turbo G5/R Challenger that will be displayed in the Snow Performance booth.

Simon Evans has over 20 years experience painting numerous feature cars, including race cars and SEMA showcase vehicles. He is well respected for his teaching and knowledge on large scale applications and lists the Speed Channel, Hot Wheels, and Two Guys Garage among his clients. Simon has also appeared on Overhaulin', Fusion TV, and Streetfire TV Network. In Addition, Simon has traveled all over the country teaching classes, with much success.

For more information about Simon and his his work make sure to check out his page at www.paintbysimon.com

Special thanks goes out to Simon from the team at Group 5 Limited!

Sam Posey Edition G5 Challenger heading to SEMA 2008

2008-10-16T09:36:00.000-07:00

Like every year, getting a car built for SEMA can be very overwhelming and stressful. This year is no different and the Challenger is appropriately named. Chris and I have been working on the G5 Challenger program for almost 2 years now.

What really kicked things off was the discussions we had on our five hour trip back to Phoenix leaving Las Vegas. We kicked around ideas for the name and I sketched while we talked. That's when the G5/S and G5/R direction was developed. Then the concept of doing a Sam Posey car came into the mix! We knew right away that that would be the car, if we built it, that could possibly steal the show LOL! We were excited. Next thing you know Sam Posey was on board 100% - WOW - what and opportunity of a lifetime!

Fastforward to today, the car is mostly back together, the paint is about done, wheels are on their way, and parts are showing up and sponsors are coming through! It's a lot of hard work, sleepless nights, but also exciting at the same time. I thought I'd share a couple of pics during the build. For now this is what I am able to post. I'll continue to post more pics as we get closer to SEMA.

The Sam Posey G5 Challenger will be in the Group Five Limited Booth #23679 located in Hot Rod Alley. Sam Posey will be there with the car so make sure you come by and relive some old racing memories or come meet Sam for the first time and make some new ones. We'd also love to give you a tour of the Sam Posey car as well as talk to you about what Group 5 has planned for production G5 Challengers.

The G5/R Twin Turbo Challenger will be located in the Snow Performance Booth #25157 located in the Racing and Performance Section. Team Performance really stepped up and helped us out with one of their Challengers. If you really wanna see one sinister looking Challenger producing tons of boosted performance you need to stop by and check this bad boy out. This car is a pretty good indication of what a top of the line G5/R Challenger can be.