THE RETURN OF...THE guy who knows nothing about cars... 1973 Challenger Project

Author Topic: THE RETURN OF...THE guy who knows nothing about cars... 1973 Challenger Project  (Read 38311 times)

Offline thedodgeboys

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has anyone seen the new 6 pack small blocks from mopar?
Are they pricy?
Could be COOL! :crazy: :stirpot:
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70 6.1 HEMI 6-speed Drop Top...




Offline CHUCKS71

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 :iagree: There is something about the look of a six pack BAD A$$!
:burnout::22yikes::burnout:    www.ronpaul2008.com
71 Challenger 4spd   www.conservativepunk.com
03 Ram diesel 6spd    http://s105.photobucket.com/albums/m222/chucknutz/1971%20Challenger/

Offline Grasshopper

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Ok.  A nice 10 days of rest.  I'm back to working on the car.  You guys are right.....this is really addictive and hard to stay away!  Just a quick note about the storage - I don’t have my own garage so I had to rent a facility 30 miles from my home.  So every time I need to work/check on the car it is a 60 mile round trip for me.  After 5 straight weeks of travel, it was enough.  That is why it was put away for a while.

Just to catch up and address some of the points and questions. 

You guys were right about the differential, it is a 8 ¾.  I did check the code like you suggested (thanks) and it turns out to be a 741.  Because I don’t know what engine (power) I will eventually buy, I am going to switch the whole thing to a 489.

I did not put a line in between the two colors.  Lines are a real art.  I couldn’t find anyone yet that I trust to do it.  I am still open to it.  Good suggestion.  Because the graphite is so dark the two colors blend really well and the existing line is sharp.

How much is a 6 pack small block?  I couldn’t find them.  Six pack is my favorite.

Now going forward….

Since the car is in storage until all this snow goes away I have 4 smaller projects that I am going to try to address simultaneously.  Most of these I can do from my home.  I’ll list them and do a separate post for each project as I have questions.  Yes….there are pics!!

1.   Finish restoring and painting some final pieces for the exterior and interior (see pics)
2.   Find a complete new rearend 489 with suregrip and 3.55 gears – If you know anyone selling….I’m buying
3.   Find an engine
4.   Start working on interior – fix and set up the dash (see pics)

See next post for details.

Offline Grasshopper

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Small Project 1 – finishing some final pieces and starting to prepare for interior.

Pictures are below.  We are fixing the front and rear valences and painting them graphite.  Also, I finally had a chance to go through many tons of boxes that came with this car.  I’d been avoiding it because I just don’t know what a lot of this stuff is.  You’ll have to help me playing “ identify this piece for the newbie”!!

Anyway, to my surprise the previous owner bought a bunch of new stuff.  So I found a brand new fuel tank which will be treated and then painted graphite (with black supports – should look cool).  Also there was new carpets, new headliner…etc. all kinds of goodies.

We are also going to fix up and paint the inner plastic door panels in graphite (not sure correct term).

Here are the pictures of everything we are currently fixing and then painting:

Offline 71bigblock

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Hey Grasshopper, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but you can just swap the center chunk whatever its called to 489.  You dont have to swap entire axles.  A 8 3/4 is an 8 3/4, no difference, just the thing that unbolts from the middle.  Someone please help me out with the right terminology?  ???

Offline Grasshopper

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Small Project 2-3 – Rearend and Engine

I want to get a 489 with suregrip and 3.23 or 3.55 gears.  I am in the market so if you have something like this for sale (in excellent condiditon0 or you see one please let me know.  I’ll place an ad in the wanted section.

Engine – I’m looking to buy.  I want a small block.  Preferably a 360 that puts out around 400 HP or more.  I found a guy selling a 408 for $4000 but it was for racing applications.  I have cash ready and looking for a real deal.  If you see something let me know.  I would like to keep cost below $4K for the engine.  However, I am open to any ideas.  If you have or find something interesting please let me know.  I would like to get the engine by May when I take the car out of storage.

Offline Grasshopper

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Small Project 4 – repairing and putting together the Dash (bunch of questions and pics)

Ok….I have no idea what I am doing here and need help.  Firstly, let me tell you what I would like to do with the interior.  The top of the dash will be black.  The lower sections will be in graphite.  I am not a big fan of wood paneling so I am using a black and graphite combination in the interior ( my apologies to the purists).   I want to change the gages to a more modern look.  I am not sure if I buy new gages to fit in the stock gage panel (term?) or if I will buy/make a custom panel for the gages and install that.  I would like comments please and any pictures of people who have done this.  I bought one of those white gage packages that you glue over the existing gages but they look real cheap.

Pictures are below.  I want to prepare the dash to be put into the car.  It has three cracks on the surface which I have identified.   What is the best way to fix this?  I have seen dash pads on ebay that range from $50 to $200.  is that the best way to go?  The dash is originally from a barracuda so I will have to change the logo.  I have a Challenger logo but I am not sure the best way to replace it.  What would you suggest?

The car was originally an automatic.  I am converting it to a manual.  Can I still use the same center console?  What is involved in the conversion?   Have make a hole in the floor for the clutch but do I need a “hump”?  the cosole has a tiny crack that I identify in the picture.  what is best way to fix this?

Finally, in the last picture……what the hell is this?

Here is everything I could find that looked like it fit on the dash or console.  What am I missing?

Thanks in advance.

Pics

Offline 71bigblock

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Those top two are the cowl screens, then its the console lid, then the console lid hinge, then the glovebox door, then ashtray. 

Offline Grasshopper

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More pics...first photo and last photo - what are they...what is it?

« Last Edit: January 26, 2008 - 12:06:54 PM by Grasshopper »

Offline Grasshopper

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Last question - is the dash an AC?

Phew!!

Offline 71bigblock

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More pics...first photo and last photo - what are they...what is it?



First pic those go in your front door panels.  Last is the plastic dash bezel, goes to the bottom left, right under your heat controls, where your left knee is when sitting in it, I think.     :2thumbs:

Yes, it is an a/c dash, but for a barracuda.   ;)

Offline FJ5_440

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The dash is a 70 barracuda AC dash.  Since you will need it redone anyway, it should be OK for a core for your challenger.  The standard guage dash is actually pretty cool when fitted with aftermarket guages and a tach.  I am not sure, but I think the heater controls you have are for a rallye dash and won't fit with the standard guage cluster, besides they are non AC controls.  I am going to assume "wink wink" that the VIN tag in the baggie is not the one from your car, and that yours is safely affixed to your dash, because I don't want to get into it on this thread, but it may be illegal to remove that tag from the dash.  If somebody had photos that show the VIN tag for their car and their cars dash seperated "wink wink" that somebody might not want them  to be posted.

That somebody might also want to seek out some of the correct rosette rivets to put it back on the redone dash in a completely legal manner which may vary by state and local regs.

BTW-this thread -  http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=39534.30  - shows a really cool custom dash.
« Last Edit: January 26, 2008 - 11:26:37 AM by FJ5_440 »
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Offline thedodgeboys

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Yep I would remove # 197 just to be safe. :2thumbs:
nice to see some cool extras.
Do you have the service manual for your car yet? It has tons of great info.
I belive yearone has them and someone has a cd also search ebay.
Go Fast & Have Fun...
70 6.1 HEMI 6-speed Drop Top...

Offline Grasshopper

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Ok.  I removed the picture.  I took it off while I was preparing to work on the dash.  I did not know that was a no no.  Thanks.

Offline Grasshopper

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