Restoration of an origonal owner 73 Challenger Rallye

[burdar]

I feel like I made some good progress this weekend.  Nothing major but a lot of little things that needed to be done.  Friday night I cleaned the overspray off the fenders and the hood.  Then I installed the hood DODGE letters. 

Saturday I picked up a different wheel to replace my scratched original one and a replacement console top plate.(The new BE&A top plate I bought isn't close to fitting the console and the woodgrain color is way off.)   I also picked up a different prop valve...Accually, he gave me 4 valves to try because he didn't know if they were good inside.  I can just bring back what I didn't use.  The valve on the first 3 I tried didn't come apart easily so I put them back together.  The fourth valve came right out and almost looked new.  I installed it in my original valve.

Today I installed the prop valve and master cylinder.  Dad came over and helped me bleed the brakes.  I need to take the car around the block to be 100% sure on the brakes but I think they are fixed.  We also removed the old bumper assembly we used to lift the car for the engine install.  After that we threw a couple bolts in the front valance and hooked up the parking lights to check everything out.  Both parking light bulbs were dead with the headlights on and only one worked with the turn signal.  It turned out to just be the bulbs. 

The passengers side fender mount turn signal wasn't working either.  It turned out to be a ground issue.  The chrome housing is supposed to touch a brass contact on the rubber light socket.  It then gets grounded when it gets screwed to the fender.  The new housing on that side wasn't making contact with the brass section of the light socket.  I ended up placing tiny strands of wire on the brass contacts to take up the gap.  Now the chrome light housing makes contact and the ground is completed.

Finally, I put the rear fender splash shields on and adjusted the toe so I can drive the car around the block.  Maybe I'll do that this week.

[burdar]

Here's some updated pics from tonight.  The front bumper and valance are on.


Door panels installed...


I told myself I wasn't going to put the seats in until they were re-covered but I'd like to drive this thing before the snow falls.  I'll pull them back out in a couple months.  Check out the groovy crushed velvet.  This is the only seat covering I've known on this car.  When the original vinyl split, dad had the inserts redone.  With the leftover material he had two small pillows made for the back seat.  One of those pillows is still in good condition and will go back inside the car.


The back seat is in very good shape.  The only bad section is the top of the seat back.  I always thought it was sun damage but it really looks like something rubbed on the vinyl.

[GranCuda1970]

  looking fantastic!! 

[wally426ci]

Sweet!

BEfore I read what you wrote, I thought "we need to talk" about the seats.... 

[dutch]

I like the seats     what an amazing car 

[burdar]

Last night I peeled the woodgrain off of the replacement console top plate using my wifes steam cleaner again.  The new woodgrain I had was creased in a couple places so I wasn't expecting much.  That's what happens when a part sits around for years and years.  It accually looks decent.  I was able to smooth out the creases so they aren't noticable.  I also tightened the upper shock bolts last night too.

Today I finished cleaning the paint with the clay bar.  I also worked on setting the ride height.  I've got it where it looks good so I'm leaving it there.  Then I tightened up the LCA pivot nuts, double checked the fluids and made sure the lugnuts were tight.  I fired it up and backed it down the driveway.  The brakes worked very nice so I just kept going.  I backed it onto the road and drove it around the block.    The brakes felt good, the steering wheel is close to centered and it drove very smooth.  It went through the gears nicely too.  I didn't go any farther since there are no plates on it...or a windshield.   
 

[Bullitt-]

                Happy for ya   

[tony 73]

That must have felt so good. Hope the block was a big one. That 1st big cruise is not far away. Great work Darren.

[Topcat]

That's gotta feel good!

2 fire ups in one week-end.

You & Brad70. 

[RusTy/SE]

Congratulations

[peterro]

Way to go. Hopefully you're in a warmer climate so you have some time on the road before the seasons change. I only have a few weeks left and then it'll be rain until July 5th.

[burdar]

It's the end of an era.  As of 6:00 tonight, the Challenger no longer belongs to its original owner.  I've been calling it mine for years but it was still in dads name.  The original title was "lost" so he got a duplicate and transfered it to me.  In Iowa you can "gift" a vehicle so there were no taxes...just a title transfer fee and tag fees.  It looks like we forgot to put the car in storage back in 96 but luckily we didn't have to pay the back license fees.  Dad just had to sign a paper stating that the car was out of service during the past 16 years.

[EB3-GranCoupe]

Congrats!!  your dad must be really proud of you and the car!!  IT is looking fantastic!

[GranCuda1970]

Way to go. Hopefully you're in a warmer climate so you have some time on the road before the seasons change. I only have a few weeks left and then it'll be rain until July 5th.

I managed to squeak out in the sunny spots after it rained between those dates when I was running the 318 only got caught in the rain 1 time. I will not be deterred.

[burdar]

The front end was aligned today.  How do these alignment specs look?

caster 2*P each side

camber .5*P each side

toe 1/16 per side

The windshield isn't in it so I couldn't drive it over 35mph so I'm not sure how it's going to act.  I centered the wheel before the toe was set but the wheel is off center to the right going down the road.  I'll have to bring it back in once the glass is installed to reset the toe.