dumb conversion questions

[majik16106]

ok, dumb question. im about to start work on an ebody, and i have some different body options to build from, and im doing some crazy stuff. like most people i guess i much prefer the 70-71 styles of both cars. however i can save some money and get an all around better frame if i buy a newer car. so question is... has anyone ever put 70-71 style front grills/head lights and tail lamps on a 72-74 car? the lights look like they would fit with minimal work, the front looks like it would bolt in with same year bumer/fender... anyone know for sure?

[70Challey340]

Welcome to the site majik.  I'm not sure if it will work.  The fenders are a little different. It looks like the inner brackets are completely different on the 70,71 compared to the 72-74.  You will probably have to do some  fabrication work.

[Chryco Psycho]

are wqe doing a Cuda or Chall ?

[majik16106]

probably a cuda... although i wouldnt mind doing a challenger, i just think with the lines, the cuda would look better with what i want to do. the car im eyeing right now is a 70 barracuda gran coupe, originally a 6cyl that had been converted to a 440 car years ago, for racing, mostly street stuff, i think the guy who owned it was into taking money. the guy who owns it now is the second owner, a freind of the original owner, who owned a shop and converted the car. so i dont have to have any guilt about cutting her up.

[Chryco Psycho]

the Cuda is easier to modify as the fenders used the same headlight mounts , not sure if the headlight position is exactly the same between a 70 & 72-74 but it can be welded & moved

[Steve]

Converting a '70 to a '71 is a bit easier than a '72+ to a '71. In all cases you will find that the most expensive part will be the grill on that bad boy, although I think reproduction units are out? For the '72+ cars, you'll need a '70-'71 tail panel. They can be found, but that's not cheap and it's a whole lot of work. Fenders with the gills already in them will knock your head off to the tune of about$1200 or so each. You can convert non-gill fenders.

Going to a '70 from a '72+ is easier if you aren't trying to be completely correct (i.e. wiring, interior pieces, all that jazz).

[majik16106]

like i was saying, this project is pretty radical, pro-touring. we've done a bunch of chopped rods and crazy engine swaps so making brackets and shaving some metal is no big deal. the car is going to get some cool custom fender flares and such. the ONLY thing im concerned about changing.. if i do the cuda.. is the tail light panel, has to be a 70-71 panel. if i go with the challenger, i would want to do the front and rear. I have even toyed with using a 70 challenger front grill and headlights and a 71 cuda rear tail lamp panel. I really like the four head lights. I would like to use the the cuda quarters though because they have the straight crease whereas the challengers had the line that bent. i think it would fit the car easier. Kris Horton ( www.carsbykris.com ) is a friend and im going to have him to a cg sketch soon, ill post it up to show you guys. and like i said.. its not like im cutting up some rare factory car thats worth anything, it was a 6 cyl car, pretty base, and its already been changed around. as far as the interior goes.. its all going to be custom made.

[Chryco Psycho]

sounds cool , 

[67vertman]

Sounds nice majik.   

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