Beginning of a good thing

[challenged72]

So I got the engine out of my new 72, and am happily suprised

tons of starter pics, beginning of my project: http://img74.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=challenger72045.jpg

The heads and block look great, Im looking forward to tearing it down more to see whats done to it performance wise and what was knocking so bad

Short term goals to be cruising around by fall in a nice DD quality Challenger:

Drop in a running 440, not going to rebuild it, itll be temporary. I know where a late 70s 440 is with tranny for $500

Fix interior, which consists of:

getting new front seat covers or fixing the old
new or good used carpet
new headliner
dash cap
fix gauge cluster
clean up some things
re-do door and rear panels
get a package tray and redo the dash wiring
take the woodgrain off of the floor console and gauge cluster overlay
locate some lock tabs
install new door locks (already have with keys)
mount CD player and wire in my system (modest, dont worry, I wont have any ghetto blasters)
find door panels trim pieces with the challenger emblem instead of the SE plates

That and the other small loose ends shouldnt take me long, interior will be really nice after that

Body work:

The outside only needs a little body work, very little rust. Those pictures of the 1/4s, there is actually hardly any bondo in them at all. The worst part is the very bottom of the rear 1/4s by the rear valance

the rear valance will need a little straightening, not too bad

looking for an RT hood

I will be using body filler for now, then later on in the far future it will be redone in sheet metal, when I have time and money for a show car, this cars purpose for right now will be DD and to look good 


 

I have a few questions:

will the disc brakes from a 70s charger convert to my challenger? I have a 70something charger parts car with disc brakes

in the pic of my rear view mirror, is the mirror incorrect or the visors? its looks like an old GM mirror?

Those front seats, they are only torn on a few of the seams as shown, could I possibly remove the covers and glue reinforcement patches to the insides and fix them that way? This is kind of a budget build as it will only be a DD, but they will look perfect if I can fix that, if it will look botched Id rather go new
I have a perfect back seat for it, so no worries there I can use the material from the torn one as a pacth if need be

Can anyone make out those numbers in those pics of the block or tell me how to decode them? My eyesight isn't the best and I should have written it down (doh!)
I am just wondering what year and what HP rating stock



Anyways, thats the first phase of my project, fixing all of the problems and doing the obvious, I want it to look nice, not beat up or poorly done. I hope to have all of this done by the end of fall, then in the winter I'll put a new top on it, paint it, swap to disc brakes, etc

 

[IMNCARN82]

You are in the right spot.    Got a welder? Where you at?   
Looks like a good project/driver. Lot's of good people here.WELCOME!!!! R/T

[challenged72]

You are in the right spot.    Got a welder? Where you at?   
Looks like a good project/driver. Lot's of good people here.WELCOME!!!! R/T

I dont have one unfortunately, I live in central WV.

Thanks 

[challenged72]

Here's an update:

http://img144.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=dscf0638.jpg

Finally got it in my shop, stripped it down

I re-coated my door panels, they look great.
Body work on the left side is almost done, passenger side needs more. I have to cut the bolts holding the valances on then I'll take the rest apart, tried for about an hour to get the front valance off

The blck primer on the fender is my guide coat, trying to see if its smooth, my DA was jumping a little Im having issues getting it adjusted properly

need to find a cheap cut out rear valance, and a few small parts and Im done after I spray it except for drivetrain and suspension. Still a lot to go but I feel like Im making good headway for it being my first major project

any advice or constructive criticism appreciated

Im going to shoot the jambs and engine bay soon, then finish the body and do it in primer.

My interior is ready to go in except for a wiring harness I have lined up, new carpet, headliner, rear seats, new package tray, new dash cover, etc etc.

my susp plans are modest right now:
73 B-body disc brakes
new torsion bars
bushings
a few other things


The 440 Im using right now is a 70s block, putting in a mild-ish cam and heads with oversized valves, nothing too fancy but it will get me around while my 68 block is getting a good build. I paid $200 for the complete SB just so I can be mobile because the 440 build will take the guy a while but he is good