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Dodge Magnum Performance Bolt-Ons - Cone Carving

We Install And Test Mopar Performance's Coilovers With New Wheels And Tires On A Dodge Magnum To See How It Affects Performance And Driveability.

A few months ago (June '08 issue), we bolted a bunch of Mopar Performance parts on to your author's '05 Dodge Magnum and did a before and after evaluation. The effects of adding a cold-air kit, headers and full exhaust, a camshaft, a torque converter, and engine and transmission controllers were impressive, showing a bump of 65 hp and a 0.67-second improvement in the quarter-mile e.t. But here's the behind-the-scenes story we didn't tell you last time.

It started with the cover story we did back in the Sept. '07 issue, where we outlined the state of bolt-on performance parts for new cars, using a GTO, a Mustang, and a Charger as examples. The Dodge camp got short shrift because there really wasn't anything for them other than a cold-air kit and exhaust. The reason was Ma Mopar and her Germanic overlords stored their computer codes behind a stone wall, refusing to let anyone take a peek and hence limiting parts development. Between the time we did the story and when that issue hit the stands, Mopar had loosened up a bit and allowed its hot rodding arm, Mopar Performance, to develop a lot more parts for the car. Our pals there saw the story and called, saying, "We now have parts for these cars. Will you test them?"

My daily driver was a 250,000-mile Eurotrash sedan with nonworking air conditioning and black leather seats. It was summer and I was sick of showing up to work with the back of my shirt all sweaty, so when someone mentioned, "Hey, feel like buying a used Charger and bolting this stuff on to see how it works?" the wheels were set in motion. I always liked the Magnum, so I found a 30,000-mile '05 model and made it mine.

With a fat payment book in hand, it was really difficult to watch the motor come out and apart in DC Performance's shop to install all those parts. I was convinced I had just ruined the car, as with most other pristine, low-mileage vehicles I had done this to in the past. Turns out, though, those parts have been working flawlessly ever since and have transformed the car into a Mustang eater. It's my daily driver, and I couldn't be happier.

Soon after, Mopar called and offered the rest of its parts to test on the car, including coilovers and a Kicker speaker/subwoofer upgrade. I said yes, then kicked myself after remembering some of the other cars I had ruined with racy suspension parts. Squeaky bushings, banging Heim joints, teeth-rattling ride . . . what had I agreed to this time?

So back to DC Performance the car went, with strict orders to put all the stock parts in the wagon's hold so when I get sick of it, I can put it back to stock. That was two months ago, and I'm glad to report that so far the suspension has made nary a peep. It rides a little stiffer but only in a good way, it handles great, and it looks great. DC's Lyle Larson is now trying to talk me into putting together a purpose-built blower motor with 600 hp, but I think for now I'll stop. After all, I've still got 48 payments left.

420-foot slalom 60-to-0 braking Skidpad (g)
Stock 42.7 mph 130.25 feet 0.78
Coilovers, tires/wheels 45.5 mph 125.02 feet 0.82
Note: Numbers shown are the best runs of each session.

Hassle-Free Wheels And TiresWhen it comes to late-model cars, shopping (and buying) performance wheels and tires is soooooo much easier than it used to be, thanks to companies such as the Tire Rack. Log on to www.tirerack.com, follow the menus to tell them what kind of car you have, then start daydreaming about what style of wheel looks best on your ride. You can even see what they look like on your car, in your color. Call me a traditionalist, but I felt the only wheel that would go perfectly with the Magnum's retro, muscle wagon look would be the classic American Racing Torq-Thrust. While I'm not a fan of dubs, the boring stock wheels that came with the car are already 18s and the wheel openings are pretty huge, so this one time I allowed myself to get a set of 20-inch wheels. The anthracite finish on the spokes seemed to be a good fit with the dark-red metallic paint, so that's what I ordered, along with a set of Kumho Ecsta RSX 245/45-20 hoops.A few days later, the wheels arrived with the tires already mounted, balanced, and aired up-and with 20 lug nuts to match. All I had to do was jack the car up and install them. Buying wheels and tires has never been more hassle-free, and I highly recommend doing it the Tire Rack way. The only downside is that the company focuses mostly on late-model cars. While the Tire Rack does have charts and applications for older muscle cars, selections are pretty limited, and the company isn't set up to deal with the custom backspacing, widths, and so on that modified muscle cars usually require.

Ride height stock.