Restoration of an origonal owner 73 Challenger Rallye

[burdar]

I'm also glad I just filled the rad up with water instead of antifreeze.  That would have been a mess.  I'll get it timed and running better and before winter, refill it with a 50/50 mix.

I'm picking up the bumper guards and some chrome capped bolts this weekend at the Nats.  As soon as I get home the bumpers will go on.   

[bandt]

Your sig pic shows a vinyl top, are you putting one back on? You may have already said, I might have just missed it.

Brian

[burdar]

Yes, the black vinyl top is back on.

[Bullitt-]

   Congrats on this Major Milestone, getting the engine in & running must feel good.   

[bandt]

Wow,

Embarrassing, I watched your video too.

[mrbill426]

Beautiful restoration 

[Topcat]

Sounds Nice Burdar.

You've done excellent on this resto.

[burdar]

It definately sounds louder than I remember the single exhaust being.  I still don't know how much I like the sound though.  I worked hard last week getting it in and running.  I havn't done anything since Saturday.  I need to get it warmed up, timed and the idle speed set.  Then I can stand back and listen to it.  I'll have more ambition after the Nat's.

I really love the look of the stock restored cars but prefer the sound of headers and a lopey idle.  Maybe adding an H-pipe would change the sound some.    Oh well, one thing at a time.   

[burdar]

What's everyones opinion on the idle speed I should be running?  My Chilton manual says 318 autos should be set to 700rpm.  It says 340 autos should be set to 850rpm.  Since I'm running the stock 340 cam, should I set the idle closer to 850?

[wally426ci]

I think you'll know once you get it going. 

[joelson6]

sorry to hear about the engine problems. the car is looking great. see what the car like's the idle at.
once you start driving it, play around with the idle for a bit. you'll find a sweet spot the the engine likes.

[Topcat]

I think you'll know once you get it going. 

Keep tinkering. The engine will tell you what it likes.

Or you can fly CP up for a week. 

[burdar]

I worked on the timing and idle a little yesterday.  I don't have a dial back timing light so I'm limited until I can get my hands on one.  I set the initial timing at about 12*.  The marks on the timing cover only go to 10*.  I need to find out how much mechanical advance the older MP distributors have in them.  I was told the engine probably will need around 15* of initial timing and then to limit the mechanical advance to a max of 35*.   Right now the idle is set at 850 in neutral.  It idles nice and fires right up when restarting warm.  I havn't tried a cold start since the timing and idle have been adjusted.

I noticed that with the engine running, the brakes were awful.  There was about an inch of travel and then the pedal was rock hard.  I pushed down very hard and heard a loud POP.  The pedal went down lower and then felt perfect.  Something in the prop valve must have been stuck.  I wanted to move the car a little bit to see how the brakes worked.  I put it in gear but it wouldn't move.  It wanted to but something was keeping it from moving.  I jacked up the front wheels and they were locked tight.  I pressed down on the pin that sticks out of the top of the prop valve.  The pin went down and the car lurched forward a bit.  The front brakes were now relieced.  It looks like that valve up top is sticking once the brake pedal is pushed.  I have to physically press down on the pin to get the brakes to reliece.  I'm not sure what I need to do to fix it.  I wonder if some EvapoRust dried inside that valve.  When that stuff dries, it gets sticky. 

[burdar]

I ordered tires a couple weeks ago.  They showed up on Thrusday.
 

I was worried that I would make the wrong choice.  RWL's look great and have a sporty look to them.  The WSW are rarely ever put back on and have more of a formal look.  I went with the WSW's since it's a 318 car and that's what it originally had.  After mounting them up I got worried.  They really looked bad.  After putting one of the trim rings up onto the wheel though they looked good.  The entire wheel being black just looks weird.  The trim rings really change the look.  The rings will be left off until after the alignment is done.  Once they are on, they aren't coming back off without a fight most likely.


I also got the rear bumper assembly installed.  A Moparts member sent me some really nice bumper guards that he had in storage for years.  I still need to figure out what to do with the fronts since they're all pitted.
 

[GranCuda1970]

Looks fantastic!