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

[FJ5_440]

Great progress so far!!  I like the documentation you are doing, but I would be sure to keep copies of the photos as they seem to go away on this site every so often.

[Jacksboys]

jacksboys - Wow......what you wrote sounds awesome.......I have no idea what it means.....but it sounds awesome!!

Let me do some research so I understand your suggestions.....again....all this is new to me.

Sorry about that, I sometimes get a little excited about car stuff and forgot you are new with this.  I can try to describe my suggestion in basic terms so you can understand it better.

1. I would get a 360 block from a 1989 to 1991 truck or van, but make sure it has a roller cam. (Goggle "roller cam" to see the basic design).  The interesting thing about these blocks are that they do not require any of the special retro-roller cams now available for mopar.  Since these blocks came from the factory with a roller, it is a fairly easy swap.

2. Then get a 426 stroker kit from Hughes Engines (http://www.hughesengines.com/partDetail.asp?partID=12603&eTypeID=1).  This includes a new larger crank, new rods, pistons, etc to increase you cubic inches from 360 to 426.

3. Then go with some Edelbrock RPM Heads (#60779).  Look at them here: http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive_new/mc/heads/chrysler_sb_rpm.shtml


This is just a idea, but it is your car, so have fun and build what you want or you may regret it later.   

[71340RT]

I see no reason you can't stay with the $15,000 budget. I thought I could restore my 70 Cuda for that but went overboard on many items. I still only got $20,000 in it and that is with just about everything being new or rebuilt. I even had to have the engine built twice as it spun a rod bearing with 721 miles on the engine after I had the Cuda restored. I never cut any corners except for painting the bottom with single stage and the outside, engine compartment, and trunk all are base clear. What shot me over budget was things like $650.00 new dash pad, $400.00 new rear tinded back glass, and around $2,000 worth of chrome plating. Looks like you got a great start and should move right along from this point. Take lots of pictures for us and yourself to document what you did during the restoration.

[backtobasics]

I would suggest taking part of your investment money, and buy some books.  Barnes and Noble, Boarders, etc have  seveal good books that give information in regards to Mopar engines, overall engine configuration, etc.  Mopar are unique in their engine designs, front suspension architechure, etc.  This would give you a good introductory start, especially if you have wrenched as little as you indicate.   Even without a huge experience of turning wrenches, your goal is attainable, but I believe some background knowledge will go a LONG WAY once it is time to start   

Good luck, and keep us updated, we like pictures.

[ragtopdodge]

'72-'74 Challys can look great, but here's what I'd do to make them look awesome:

1) fill up the side marker holes on the fenders/quarters.  Cleaner looking than the cheap OEM marker lenses.

2) Black out the grille; especially the chrome trim.

3) Color-key the front bumper.  Maybe do the back too if you remove the quarter/trunk trim and fill the holes.

4) Rallye hood.  That six-pack scoop is well...goofy IMHO.

5) Rallye side strobe tape treatment.

6)  Paint it black if you can get it straight.  Red Rallye side strobe tape treatment.

7) No vinyl top

T/A rear spoiler

9) Flush-mount the taillights and put in LEDs.

10) Aftermarket wheels (no rallyes please!).  Preferably 17s or 17s-F, 18s-R

Here's an example of the grille treatment:



Side shot of this awesome car:




Steve Strope's pioneering pro-touring '72 Chally:

[Grasshopper]

Ok...just got back from working on the car.  I'll get to that in a moment.  Thanks again for the comments and suggestions.  Q&A's....

jacksboys - Thank you for the details.  I especially liked the part about explaining the block and year. Question for you and/or others. 

In your opinion, is it best to buy the block and kit etc, in parts and have someone build it? OR buy an engine from someone who has already done the work?  If you buy the parts you know what is in it and who did the work.  But...do you save money buying a complete engine with a stroker kit from an individual?  Thoughts?  What would be the price range of a complete build of a 360 engine with a stroker kit as you describe?

71340RT - yes....over budget is very easy to do.  The one item where I decided to come up with a solution was with the chrome issue.  I don't want to give away the paint scheme surprise but this car will have no chrome.  It will be done in a racing black trim (kind of like the Year One Challenger on the new price list).  It should save me a lot of costs on chroming.

backtobasics - Definately a big yes on buying books.  Already done.  I am doing a home course right now in automechanics.  Just so I can try and keep up and understand what you guys are saying.  I bought books on restorations, Mopars, engines, and....my biggest find of all.....I found a guy that sold me every issue of every Mopar magazine from the mid- 1980's to date.  I got over 400 magazines (about 300 lbs shipping!!) for $80.  I liked that!!

Ok....onto Day 3

[Grasshopper]

Day 3

Me (Grasshopper): "So what are we tackling this morning?"
Experienced friend (Master): "Today.......we sand..."
Grasshopper: "Awesome!"

....5 minutes pass with me block sanding

Grasshopper: "Phew....this is tough"

Master:  "No talk!  ....Sand!"

Grasshopper: "ok....looks good to me....now can we paint it this morning and put the engine in this afternoon?  I'd like to drive around this weekend?"

Master: .....throws wood block at Grasshoppers head

Well...those guys at the Cut Chop and Rebuild show are going to get a nasty letter from me!!     I have to admit part of the reason for doing this was watching that show.....they make it look sooooooo easy.  Even when things don't fit or work they just smile at the camera and shrug their shoulders "oh well".  Then they show you a car that has 3 inches of steel left on the frame, they add parts, weld, put on a whole new body, make the frame, build an entire engine, and in what looks like 4 hours have a brand new awesome car!  And not a bit of dust or dirt anywhere on them.

Cool....sold!!  This hobby is for me.........yeehaaa! 

well.......

Today I sanded......then  I sanded....sanded some more.....yep....did some sanding.....let the dust clear.....still some car left.....better sand some more........

For those of you looking for pictures today.....here's a tip from a newbie......most of you probably already know this.....if your going to sand for endless hours.......don't leave your really expensive digital camara uncovered on your work bench!!!

Sorry guys..... no pictures today.  Let me clean this thing up, make sure it is working correctly and I'll shoot the progress tomorrow.

Anyone else ever done anything this stupid???

[71340RT]

I can not stress enough to take lots of pictures as my first 71 Challenger RT project did not have any progress pictures taken at all. I got some before pictures and after but no in progress. I primed and blocked sanded my 70 Cuda 4 times and then sprayed it with base, let it set 2 weeks and blocked it with 1000 grit and found I had either missed 2 dents or put them in the car moving it around or working on it. Lots of work sanding but is a great learning experience and you will know if you will ever want to do anything like that again. I have did 6 of my cars in a 2 car garage and the only good thing is if I get tired of working on it I can walk away and take a month or 2 off if I like. I can't wait to see some more pictures so make sure you get the camera cleaned up and working so we can all check out your progress.

[Jacksboys]

jacksboys - Thank you for the details.  I especially liked the part about explaining the block and year. Question for you and/or others. 

In your opinion, is it best to buy the block and kit etc, in parts and have someone build it? OR buy an engine from someone who has already done the work?  If you buy the parts you know what is in it and who did the work.  But...do you save money buying a complete engine with a stroker kit from an individual?  Thoughts?  What would be the price range of a complete build of a 360 engine with a stroker kit as you describe?

Since I know a little about building a motor, I would personally build and check all of the clearences personally.  I would buy the stroker kit, then do a test fit while checking everything.  Then I would take it to a trusted machine shop and have them balance it.  Then I would assemble the engine again, while double checking everything. 

Since you do not know a lot about building a motor, I might suggest you going to a trusted builder and have them put it together for you.  I personally would stay away from the prebuilt motors because you do not know which products they used.  Plus the crate motors from Mopar Performance have been known to have many problems.

If I were building the motor as described, I can estimate it would cost around $6000, but that is not counting labor, because I would put it together myself.  There are a lot of variables to that price, for example, I have a "Pull-A-Part" not to far from me where I can get a motor for under $200.  I am not sure what the labor would be to put the motor together, but I know it would not be cheap.

I know this would be a costly part of your budget, so you may not want to go that route.  I sometimes dream a little bigger than my budget.   

[hezzel]

I can't wait to see some more pictures so make sure you get the camera cleaned up and working so we can all check out your progress.

 

[Super Blue 72]

Day 3

Master:  "No talk!  ....Sand!"

Grasshopper: "ok....looks good to me....now can we paint it this morning and put the engine in this afternoon?  I'd like to drive around this weekend?"

Master: .....throws wood block at Grasshoppers head

      



Master:  "You must CONCENTRATE, grasshopper!"


You have a great attitude about tackling this project and that will get you VERY far!!!! 

You're covering a lot of ground already!!!!  I'm happy how much your jumping into the muck with this project!!! 

Too bad you live so far away, would be fun to jump in on it with you! 

[IMNCARN82]

You are not the only one...    I'm WAY past my comfort level. Could simply not do it without this website.And I mean that!   

[Grasshopper]

Forced to take Christmas break.  Work resumes next thursday with new pics.  I fixed my camera.

[Grasshopper]

Ok.  Back from holidays.

One interesting thing about working on these cars that was unexpected is the "CSI" aspect of the restoration.  It is like you are Sherlock Holmes discovering the mysteries of the car and the work of those before you did.  Doing this with a much more experienced paint and bodyshop guy is a real learning experience.  it also makes it much more enjoyable because he points out things that I never would have known or noticed.

We removed the doors and discovered that the car's original color was yellow.  I was expecting the worse, but again, the car was really well done by the previous owner.  We just have 2 small areas where we will have to build a joint and put some metal.  Also, the hinges have to be replaced or the bushing will have to be replaced.  Here are pictures of the inside of the door wells with issues, the doors and hinges.

[Grasshopper]

We have finished a lot of the sanding and removing as many waves as we can see before we start to prime the car.  Once the primer is on we will be able to see much better.  Back to Sherlock Holmes....apparently we have speculated that the last owner put in the new rear panels in a little too tight and cause a slight bulge.  He welded them too high.  He also sanded the corners that they became too rounded and dull and so we fixed that.  We also punched out a few slight dents and fixed the problem areas behind the passenger and drives window as mentioned earler in the thread.  Pictures below.

We are going to start priming the car this weekend.  Here are the rest of the pictures of todays progress.  Then I have pictures and questions regarding front Fenders.....need advice please.