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

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    Author Topic: THE RETURN OF...THE guy who knows nothing about cars... 1973 Challenger Project  (Read 38320 times)

    Offline Grasshopper

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    THE RETURN OF...THE guy who knows nothing about cars... 1973 Challenger Project
    « on: December 17, 2007 - 10:11:15 PM »
    Warning….warning….newbie project….newbie project……watch in horror…hide your eyes……laugh at his mistakes…..feel his pain……be glad your not him!!

    Hey guys -  So the day is finally here.  I am building myself a muscle car out of a 1973 Challenger!! 

    Before we begin......Here is the most important thing you should know about me and this project……..I know next to nothing about how cars work!  Never changed a flat tire, never changed my own oil, rarely opened a hood…..

    Seriously – This thread is to get help from all you great experienced guys.  But mostly… it is for all the car guys just like me....A regular guy who just love cars but actually knows nothing about them!!  Not a thing!!  So this year I told myself I am getting this monkey off my back and I am going to learn mechanics by building myself a car.  IF I CAN DO THIS…..ANYONE CAN!!

    I look to you guys for support….knowledge….a few good laughs…and to talk me off the roof when things go wrong……Oh…to add to the fun……I’m not a patient man…..short fuse…..quick temper…..you know…..all the key characteristics you need to build a car from scratch.  Luckily for me….all Mopar parts fit together like a glove….right?    Yes….I will break things……the more expensive and rare the part….the sooner I will break them.  I’ll also disregard all your advice….do things in reverse order and triple my costs…. Then scream at myself and listen to you….. I plan to repeatedly gouge, cut and scrape my various body parts with sharp metal pointy objects…… I’m a bleeder too….enjoy!! 

    I want to have a lot of fun with this.  I have a good sense of humor …especially about myself and my mechanical skills….so no worries… and as long as you help me out, please post any comments you like.

    Enough about me.  Time to get to work.  Next post is the project summary.  Here are some prelim pics as I bought the car a few months ago.


    « Last Edit: October 24, 2008 - 08:33:33 AM by Grasshopper »
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    Offline Grasshopper

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    Re: guy who knows nothing about cars...decides to build one! 1973 Challenger Project
    « Reply #1 on: December 17, 2007 - 10:13:22 PM »
    Ok.  Here is the project summary…(I don’t know a lot technical terms yet so bare with me as I learn.)

    The Car:
    I have a 1973 Challenger.  It is a rolling chassis (wohoo – I used a car term!) with no engine or internals.  I am told I have all the parts…..I don’t think so and I’ll look to you to help me find out.  All value has been stripped from this car.  It is not a collector.  No tags but I do have the VIN number plate.  I bought the car from a father and son team who had the car for 2 years and worked on just the frame.  It has no rust and as far as I can tell is very solid.  The bottom of the car is currently covered using POR-15.  The floors are immaculate.  Just a very strong structure to build on.

    It has fiberglass fenders and fiberglass 440 hood.  I like the hood!  I just think it is cool. It stays regardless of engine or that there were no stock 440 option for this car in 1973. 

    Because the value is gone, it gives me a lot of liberties (which I will take) to build the car that I want to drive.  It will be built in true muscle car fashion from the early 70’s where I’ll do what I want with the funds I have available.  It will be a blend of old and a few tasteful modern touches.  I hope I don’t offend the purists.  It’ll look nice…I promise….like…..DVD screens where the headlights should be…..what????  (kidding)

    This will not be a show car but just a driver that I will drive to death on the weekends.  I have a picture in my mind of what I want the car to look like but I will save that for now and let you see it with pictures as it gets built.  I want to build this car for under $15K.  Everything is on a budget.

    Phase 1 – Body work and paint

    For the next 3 weeks myself and my friend are going to try to finish all the bodywork and paint the car.  I have 3 weeks vacation.  We will put in 14 – 20 combined hours per day.  I have enlisted the help of someone who knows how to paint and does minimal body work to teach me.  I’ll relay all I learn with pictures as I go.  What I don’t know I’ll research, what I can’t find answers to I’ll ask you guys.  All help is appreciated.  We start the work at 7:00am each day.  At the end of each day, I’ll take pictures and post the days progress with comments and questions.

    After Phase 1 is completed I am putting the car back in storage ( I live in Montreal) until May.  That will give me time to save up for the interior or engine depending on what you guys think I should do next.

    Comments?
    « Last Edit: December 17, 2007 - 10:22:45 PM by Grasshopper »
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    Offline Grasshopper

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    Re: guy who knows nothing about cars...decides to build one! 1973 Challenger Project
    « Reply #2 on: December 17, 2007 - 10:15:36 PM »
    Day 1 – Moving the car during a freakin’ snow storm!!!

    Oh…..look…..it’s John’s first day working on his car…….he’s such a patient and easy going guy……he has to move the car 5 miles to the garage he will be working in……how could we make this fun for John……how about 2 feet of ****ing snow……hmmmmm     he’s not yelling enough…..…….lets include 45 MPH winds with gusts up to 60 MPH!!  There we go…

    AAARRRGGHHH!!!!

    Ok….the project started with me having to move the car to the garage where we will do the bodywork and paint.  I call it a garage but actually it is just a simple storage facility where the owners let people do what ever they want.  We got creamed by a snow storm and had to transport the car during white out conditions.  I hired a flat bed to move the car and we wrapped a car cover around it, tied it down with rope but the rope broke during transport.  The transport looked like it had a paratrooper land on it!!  This is all we were able to do today as transport was delayed 6 hours due to weather.  We got the car in, dried off and ready to start body work tomorrow morning at 7:00am

    Here are the pics:  (guy in picture is my friend helping me - I was the guy in the back breaking things because my car got wet!! :banghead:

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    Offline Chlngrcrzy

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    Re: guy who knows nothing about cars...decides to build one! 1973 Challenger Project
    « Reply #3 on: December 17, 2007 - 10:21:11 PM »
    You came to the right place. The guys here at CC have been great, lots of experience and information available. all they ask for is too continue posting pics of your project. Good luck with your project, looks like it has a lot of potential.
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    Offline DAYLEY/CHALLENGER

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    • Still My Inspiration..1971, Rockingham, Nc
    Re: guy who knows nothing about cars...decides to build one! 1973 Challenger Project
    « Reply #4 on: December 17, 2007 - 10:26:21 PM »
    Hello Grasshopper.........By the way, that is my CB handle.   Anyway....Sounds as though you have the determination to Get it done.  You will find a lot of help here and we all do like pics.  Welcome............ :bigsmile: :popcorn: :popcorn:
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    Dave or David

    Offline FJ5_440

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    Re: guy who knows nothing about cars...decides to build one! 1973 Challenger Project
    « Reply #5 on: December 17, 2007 - 10:38:28 PM »
    Welcome.  It looks like you have a pretty nice foundation for your project.  I look forward to seeing the progress you make.
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    ** Shane **

    Offline 422STROKER

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    Re: guy who knows nothing about cars...decides to build one! 1973 Challenger Project
    « Reply #6 on: December 17, 2007 - 10:46:43 PM »
    Looks like you got a couple of busy weeks.  15G's is doable depending on what you do yourself.

    Bodywork can be the most expensive followed by the Drivetrain.

    What are your plans for that?(Drivetrain)

    Body will be semi custom(grille) from what i can remember!

    Tom :2thumbs:
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    Tom
    12.77 @ 108.87 15" Street Drag radial tires 3.23 gear

    Offline Grasshopper

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    Re: guy who knows nothing about cars...decides to build one! 1973 Challenger Project
    « Reply #7 on: December 17, 2007 - 11:06:00 PM »
    Quote from: 72challengerorange on December 17, 2007 - 10:46:43 PM
    Looks like you got a couple of busy weeks.  15G's is doable depending on what you do yourself.

    Bodywork can be the most expensive followed by the Drivetrain.

    What are your plans for that?(Drivetrain)

    Body will be semi custom(grille) from what i can remember!

    Tom :2thumbs:

    Hi Tom,

    As I said before, I decided to do this project after I saw your restoration thread.  It is one of the best i have seen.  I love your car!

    With regards to drivetrain.  I am still quite a ways from getting there but here is what is being played with at the moment ( and again....I don't know about others.....but the I keep changing my idea on the engine everyday.  I can't decide).

    Firstly, I have to change the differential.  It has been powdercoated and looks new but it is a 8 1/4 with 2.76 gears (?).  I am told I need at least a 8 3/4 and gears at 3.55.  So that I will change.

    I would love a 5 speed or 6 speed (I'm used to a 6 speed) but they cost too much.  the car was originally a 318 automatic from what I can tell.  I want a 4 speed for sure.

    Engine....ahhh....the engine.  as I mentioned...it changes everyday.

    My friends who are advising me on this say I should get a 360 with a stroker kit.  They say I should put in a small block for sure as they think I won't like the handling of a big block.  When I bought the car I wanted a 440 with a 6 pack because of the hood.  Then I thought I would put in one of those new 5.7 or 6.1 Hemi's as they are pretty inexpensive (at least the 5.7's are) but the aftermarket doesn't seem to be there to support it.  They look like a b**ch to put in.

    What would I really like to do.......put in a Viper Gen II V10!!  Friends say I'm dreamin'!  I wish I knew more about this stuff.

    What would you suggest Tom given my inexperience?
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    Offline 422STROKER

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    Re: guy who knows nothing about cars...decides to build one! 1973 Challenger Project
    « Reply #8 on: December 17, 2007 - 11:12:41 PM »
    KISS.


    LOL

    I am flattered that you think my car came out nice, that being said, it really is just a cruiser.  I am going with a SB 416 Stroker this winter myself with the help of a member.  Seems like a good compromise in handling and acceleration.  But you could make a BB handle as well.


    I have seen a V10 Viper in a cuda around here but do not know the specifics of it.  I believe they put the 6-speed in it too.  It was heavily modified at the firewall from what I could tell.

    WHATEVER YOU DO HAVE FUN!

    Tom :2thumbs:
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    Tom
    12.77 @ 108.87 15" Street Drag radial tires 3.23 gear

    Offline asm74

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    Re: guy who knows nothing about cars...decides to build one! 1973 Challenger Pro
    « Reply #9 on: December 17, 2007 - 11:14:26 PM »
    Plenty of us have started out just like you.  Including myself. 

    First tip:  TAG AND BAG EVERYTHING!!!  EVERY DOGGONE LITTLE NUT, BOLT, SCREW, WASHER, DOOHICKEY, WHAZZIT, and HOOHAH.  Even if its rusted out and stripped, save it, because you'll need to know the size and shape if you're going to get a replacement.  What helped me was to take tons of pictures BEFORE I took parts off.  That way I at least had some visual reference for how it went together. 

    Second Tip:  Get the 73 challenger chassis and body shop manuals.  Usually on ebay for about $60, these are basically as good as assembly instructions for everything on the car.

    Third Tip:  The Torque Wrench is your best, if not, your only friend.  Seriously, ripping the heads off of bolts as I tightened them down is so easy.  Before I had the torque wrench and torque bolts according to the book (above), I had to extract headless bolts and screws out of parts at least once a week.
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    73 Challenger

    Offline farmboy70

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    Re: guy who knows nothing about cars...decides to build one! 1973 Challenger Project
    « Reply #10 on: December 17, 2007 - 11:15:24 PM »
    Welcome aboard,  :2thumbs:
    It's always good to see new projects get started. There is a lot of good help here so just ask away when you get stuck. We're all here to help.
    Dave
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    Offline Black340

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    • 1973 challenger 340 4 Speed
    Re: guy who knows nothing about cars...decides to build one! 1973 Challenger Project
    « Reply #11 on: December 18, 2007 - 12:02:37 AM »
    Welcome...looks like a great project :2thumbs:, you are in the rigth place here.. keep the :picture: coming
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    Offline Super Blue 72

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    Re: guy who knows nothing about cars...decides to build one! 1973 Challenger Project
    « Reply #12 on: December 18, 2007 - 12:09:18 AM »
    Hey , John!   :wave:

    Glad to see the thread going!  I want to see some details on this masterpiece your working on!  :grinyes:

    Take it slow, plan it out, think realistically,...  :blah:  :blah:  :blah:

    If $$$ is an issue (when is not???) look around locally in craigslist.org .  Goofy suggestion I know but I've seen E-body stuff here and there locally in the Boston area.  If you can pick it up it saves on the shipping fees.  Check out if there are any local members who may have some parts too.

    Looking at the rear shot of the car the Plum Crazy around the taillights looks mighty keen lookin'...  :2cents:

    Have fun with it!!!  Ask lots of questions!  We're here for ya!  :thumbsup:
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    1972 Dodge Challenger Rallye 340, AT, Code TB3=Super Blue, SBD=8/17/1971.  Yes, a Rallye without the fender louvers from the factory because of the body side molding option.

    Pic #2 and 3 of my ARII 1/24 scale model car 

    Phil in New England-Massachusetts  Always thank God for what you have!

    http://www.cardomain.com/ride/456046/1972-dodge-challenger

    Offline chevyconvert

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    Re: guy who knows nothing about cars...decides to build one! 1973 Challenger Project
    « Reply #13 on: December 18, 2007 - 12:25:45 AM »
      :wave: :newbie: :wave:

    I like you already grasshopper just from your intro  :2thumbs:

    My  :2cents:.: You are starting your project out of order.... bassackwards.
    You REALLY should do the mechanicals (engine/tranny/brakes/suspension etc etc.)
    BEFORE you apply the shiny paint job to the outside.
    I know you want it to look good as soon as possible, but you and others are going to be working over/under/around/and next to that new paint job with metal tools/parts etc.etc.

    It'll either get scratched or be a major pain in the arse avoiding it (or both).

    The engine compartment needs paint, but wait on the rest.

    Either way...good luck. :2thumbs:
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    Eric
    '70 Hemi Orange RT/SE 440 Six Pack Pistol-Grip 4 speed
    Bay Area California

    Offline Jacksboys

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    Re: guy who knows nothing about cars...decides to build one! 1973 Challenger Project
    « Reply #14 on: December 18, 2007 - 02:34:47 AM »
    Looks like a great project. 

    The engine is your choice, but since I like small blocks, I would go with a 360-426 stroker kit from Hughs Engines using a roller block.  Go with a high lift roller cam and Edelbrock heads.  This sutup will get you an easy 500hp and keep your front end light for handling.  Plus you can use the "426" badging on the hood to strike fear into the competition.  Just my  :2cents:

    Either way have fun with your new project.   :2thumbs:
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    1971 Dodge Challenger:  360/904/3.23
       
    Success is the maximum utilization of the ability that you have. - Zig Ziglar
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