Challenger Cargo Net Mod

Below is a method of attaching/installing a badly needed CARGO NET. I wanted to be able to stick a box or bags of items in the trunk and not have them fly around OR COME on through the back seat (as they easily fold down if you check).

The pictures below are one of many ways I'm sure of doing this mod but I've not seen anyone attack the problem yet, so here is one way I approached this.

You have two sturdy stud mounts for the rear taillights (1/4" coarse thread) with two rather large plastic retaining wing nuts. The other two for the taillight are behind the trunk molding and are not readily accessible in case you have to change a taillight bulb.

So in looking at anchor points for a cargo net, these are the only viable points I can readily see to use.

I looked at the stock large plastic wing nut and I guess if you wanted, you could hang the net loops behind it and screw the nut down on them but I didn't think that was a good method so I looked around.

I found a GM cargo net hook/nut and threaded it to fit the Challenger, but the unit is a tad too small to handle the double loops of a good quality net so I made my own out of 304 stainless 1/8 in flat stock 1-1/8 in x 2-1/4 in and made a 45 deg. bend in center.

Note the double recessed hook design to accommodate double loop netting. (see pictures below)

Now the cargo net I choose to begin with was a cheapie I found in a local automotive parts store (Bell # 33653-8) and is 45x24 in. The cost was about 10 bucks with tax.

It is a "hammock" style. I will probably play with one or two other styles to see if I see any advantages to a pocket style or one a little tighter across the back, but keep in mind that you need to have it "stretch" around the items you want to secure. If you have it too tight, it will not have room to put a number or items or a large box like I show in the last picture. In that one, it held the big box of heavy items in place just like I wanted.

I wish Dodge had this in the car from the onset....

At a local automotive parts store (Bell # 33653-8) and is 45x24 in. The cost was about $10 bucks inc tax.

Remove taillight retainer to install prefab hook (like I did) or washers to hook/secure net onto.

Factory lamp retainer screw. One could slot these to allow net to hook onto. I don't know how secure
they would be though, to hold the net in place.

Here is a GM style cargo net hook, that I drilled out and tapped to work in the Challenger but I found
that the net did not like fitting into the small slots though. Maybe a different mfg net would work great
but the one I had did have thick cord.

Here is where I took some SS stock and drilled out a hole for the taillight screw retainer and bent it at a
45 deg. angle and machined out two slotted hooks, which in the end worked out really well.

Picture: 2 of slotted hook adapter.

Hook adapters mounted on taillight screws and netting hooked into ends.

Big box load secured into netting and it was nice and tight. Note the BUNGEE cord on the right of the
picture. I found that if needed, I could use the cord to have additional cross sectional support on the
heavy items in the net if needed by clipping the bungee hooks on either side of the netting.

Hopefully, this will give you some good ideas of you own in adding a badly needed cargo net in your
new Challenger!