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

[Grasshopper]

Question, pictures, and help please:

This is a 1973 car.  The 73 has those funny things on the front fenders (gills?).  I wasn't sure if I was going to put those "gills"  (not sure of the correct term) on the front fenders or not.  However, the decision was made for me when I discovered the new pair of fenders I bought were different.  The holes had already been drilled for the gills on the passenger side but were not drilled on the drivers side.  I prefer the cleaner look of the 71-72 so we filled them.  Here is the result.  Question in next post.

[Grasshopper]

Question - someone mentioned for an even cleaner look that I should also fill in the space where the side light reflector should go to make it really clean.

I am considering this but will it be street legal if I do this?

Here is the pictures of what I would be filling in.

can someone answer this for me tonight.  I am finishing this tomorrow.  Thanks.

[farmboy70]

I would think you would need some type of side light to pass saftey inspections, but I don't know what the laws are in your area.
Dave

[RRJR]

leave the side markers John

Its me, Jim, finally was allowed to join!!!!

[FJ5_440]

The side markers are required by law, but there are tons of street machines running around without them and nobody seems to bother with it.  That being said, I personally would leave them as body mods like that which are not easily reversable tend to lessen the number of potential purchasers if you ever intend to sell the car.  I also feel that they can date the car kind of like fender flares and molded in ducktail spoilers did.   

[Super Blue 72]

Hi John!

You're making great progress!  Looks great! 

As far as the "gills", those front fender louvers came on "72-'74 Rallye cars, I think unless you ordered the factory body side moulding then they got deleted.

The side markers-I think you need them to be street legal.  Some people put in the '70-'71 style lights or else make the present side markers flush with the fender so they don't stick out so much.  I think it makes the sidemarkers not so obtrusive and makes it look cleaner.

Again, looks great! 

[torredcuda]

Unless you really have to have a modern clean look and it`s legal  leave the markers.Also a word of advice-I hope you are wearing your dust mask or a respirator when working with dust and fumes from sanding fillers, primer and paints as it is all bad stuff to breath.

[Grasshopper]

Unless you really have to have a modern clean look and it`s legal  leave the markers.Also a word of advice-I hope you are wearing your dust mask or a respirator when working with dust and fumes from sanding fillers, primer and paints as it is all bad stuff to breath.

My friend who is helping me doesn't wear anything.  (I take the photos so the person you see in the pictures is not me)By contrast.....I wear full overalls, googles, and masks........I look like "Bubble Boy"!!!

I'm a pretty serious runner so I protect my lungs.

I am a little worried about the paint as I hear that is really toxic.  The masks are $50.  Not sure if I will paint another car.  I may watch the paint from a far rather than have him show me.

[backtobasics]

I vote to shave the side markers.  The body lines of cudas and challengers are sexy.  The side markers take away in my opinion.

[Super Blue 72]

My friend who is helping me doesn't wear anything.  (I take the photos so the person you see in the pictures is not me)By contrast.....I wear full overalls, googles, and masks........I look like "Bubble Boy"!!!

I'm a pretty serious runner so I protect my lungs.

I am a little worried about the paint as I hear that is really toxic.  The masks are $50.  Not sure if I will paint another car.  I may watch the paint from a far rather than have him show me.

$50 is cheap insurance when you look back after your lungs have issues.    

It was Christmas.  Get your buddy a late Christmas present.  His lungs will thank you for it!    Just a thought...

I never protected myself from all sorts of harsh chemicals over the years of working on cars.  If you ever go to a "Rights to Know Meeting" or OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) meetings and I was disclosed all the harmful effects of the chemicals that I came into contact with and it was scary.  Most everything, in SEVERE cases, led to cancer.

I have had Thyroid cancer and can't help to think that maybe I could've done something to protect myself better.  Hindsight is 20/20 though... 

[HP2]

I agree that the 72-74 side marker lights are not the most attractive.

What you could do is fit in some other type of light so you still have markers, but they aren't as homely looking. The popular choice would be 70-71 versions, but this would require you source the trim bezel, housing, and lenses in a very rapid time, which may not be that easy to do. Another option would be to fill the stock locations and move them lower on the fenders or substitute a different marker style. The '68 mopar markers are small 2" round lights that are very nice and fairly unobtrusive. Another option is the walk your local salvage yard and just grab a set off a car that you like the look of. An easy, albeit unpopular option, would be to get camaro or mustang parts and adapt them. Since parts for those two cars are very prolific in their market saturation and are easily available everywhere, it would be no problem getting them or replacement parts in future years.

[Super Blue 72]

I agree that the 72-74 side marker lights are not the most attractive.

An easy, albeit unpopular option, would be to get camaro or mustang parts and adapt them. Since parts for those two cars are very prolific in their market saturation and are easily available everywhere, it would be no problem getting them or replacement parts in future years.

  But maybe not the '70 something Camaros.  Looks the same?   

[Grasshopper]

Thanks for the input on the side markers guys.  Much appreciated.

Here is todays progress and pictures.  Also a new development.  Discovered today that I don't react too well to paint fumes.  Not well at all.  Didn't feel too good yesterday and was worse today.  Even with protection, I didn't feel too hot.  So I have been regulated to bystander for the next few days as the priming continues.  Plus, this is the finesse part.  I should mention my friend is a professional body and paint guy.  He is charging me materials and I am documenting the restoration for his website.  It is a good fit.  He has 25 years of body and paint work experience and that comes in handy!!

The first coat of primer on the body is finished and are working on the doors.  We spray an enamel paint on the primer so it is easier to see the waves.  The process is pretty cool.  All the new metal was put on yesterday and as you can see the problem areas all now fixed.  I have included pictures of the underside of the hood.  It will need to be fixed with some fiberglass stripping.

Ok.....here is the porn.....

[Grasshopper]

Porn 2

[FJ5_440]

Excellent progress - everything is looking good.  I have a question about the hood though,  are you planning on using that pin on hood?  If you are, I just wanted you to know what a pain a pin on hood can be if you drive your car alot.  I might consider going to a more street friendly hood if I were you. 

Whatever you decide, it looks like you are off to an amazing start.  I look forward to seeing your progress.