Thread: I just bought a '72 Dodge Charger.

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Yeah no problem. I just didn't feel it was polite to post another forum. Not like it would turn anyone away from this forum, I visit both daily!

http://www.moparstyle.net

Hey Castle, I wouldn't think it would be a problem. I have gotten other sites from here before and no one has said anything to them that posted them. As far as I know anyway. I have even posted a few and nothing been said to me.
Thanks for the link tho!!
DCON

One thing for sure is, you guys rock! I have managed to learn a lot about cars in the past few years and shock the crap out of friends and family when I start talking about them. But when I talk to you guys it's like I know absolutely nothing. I am learning a whole lot.

Right now I am using my parents e-mail until they get an inbox set up for because we just switched internet servers, but it's malcolmandvicki@earthlink.net

As for pictures and what I intend to do with the car:
1. I am still working on getting pictures. However it's not much to see as the guy I got it from had taken all of the chrome strips, vinyl, bumpers and stock rims-tires off of it. He had begun to primer it and was almost done but according to him he realized they didn't have the money to work on it and abandoned it. I have the back rims and tires in the trunk but the rims need to be sanded and repolished or rechromed or something and I have one of the front stock Mopar rims and tire. LOL! pretty sad huh? A friend of mine, whenever he get's a chance is going to take some pictures of it with his camera but he is always working. Speaking of which he just bought a completely decked out Civic and lost the keys in his driveway as soon as he got it home.

2. As I've said before, I'd like to hot rod this car but not pro mod it. I intend to get it back to stock as much as possible, then start working on an engine and tranny. I intend to use this car for every day use when I'm done with it, so it's gotta look great, but I also live in a city where rice-burners are getting highly popular so I have to have a car that will rape rice burners. However all that said, cops are gonna follow me like sharks on a bleeding baby seal when they realize a teenager is behind the wheel of a '72 Dodge Charger so I don't want to make the car too obviously powerful. Ram-air-yes, huge chrome blower on the hood-no. Loud exhaust-yes, wide chrome headers sticking up out of the hood-no.

I think I got everyone's questions. I and I am very grateful to all of you. Also, Dcon, do you by chance have any pictures of your Charger that I could see?

My second car was a 72 cahrger, 400 with a 727. The only options on that car were posi rear and power brakes.

Manual steering (a real workout) and rubber interior. Had a carter racing carb (no choke), edelbraock tarantual intake, high rise hood and a huge sun tach. Seller claimed car would run 14.4 in a quarter...not sure as i never timed it, but with 3.23 gears i would not light them up, but top speed was over 120...made a Christmas day 1979 run at 120+ for about 30 miles, with passengers. I have been driving slower ever since!

Had a friend with a 440 in an ex-police Fury. Both motors (and the 383) are all good, bigger being better, but the 400s are the easiest to find and cheaper than a 440. Get it with the trans and you'll be fine. Grab the drive shaft so you'll have the trans end yoke as you'll likely need that.

Chris

I also have a few more questions. Is the bell housing the huge steel piece around the tranny or what? I don't know much about transmissions.

Also, I noticed while I was sitting in my Charger the other day that the floorboard rust is kinda rediculous! I looked up and low and behold there was a tiny crack in the roof. Now I don't know that that is where the water is coming from because the only obviouse rust was in the floorboard and the crack is not that big. Could I just bondo the crack up or what? I mean considering the roof and back half of the car are all one piece I hate to have to replace it! Especially since the back end seems to be in pretty good condition.

Also, Dcon, I would love those plans for the 400+HP 318! I don't have even a grand right now so buying a new engine and tranny is out of the question and like you said I can hot-rod the 318 until I have enough money for the big block.

OH and 2 more things, the floorboard seems to be pretty strong even with the rust. Should I just sand the floorboard down or replace it or what?

Also would the Charger look cooler with or without the vinyl? I personally think without and that also halfes the work I would have to do to the top. Give me some opinions here.

you need to have a solid floor for several reasons, structural is one, to keep out water form the road and exhaust fumes. While there are several methods for this, the best for the time and money it to remove the interior, wire brush teh floor inside and under the car. get all the loose rust off. use a product called POR-15, and then paint the floor inside and out.

If you do not stop the leaks the car will rust away. If there is water in the interior, the electrical items under the dash will eventually corrode and stop working.

The 'crack in the roof' - would like more info on this one - the roof is very much a structural item, so if it is cracking you should IMMEDIATELY take the car to a qualified body shop and have them check the car - perhaps the rust is so bad that the 'frame' is gone (the front subframe becomes part of the floor, so if the floor has holes in you may have a boat anchor and not a car) You do not want to sink money into a car with a bad frame or really bad floor - it would be cheaper to buy another car thatn fix these issues.

Vinyl roofs can be removed - LOTS of work if you intend to paint the end result. Not toobad if you are going to recover with vinyl again.

Dear CarFreak, I agree with screamer! get the car checked at a body shop!!
No reason to sink money in a sinking ship. I have to do a run and I will post the 400+hp build here tomorrow sometime
I am sorry I don't have any pics of my Charger. I was young and dumb in my younger days and never thought about it. Or of my two Roadrunners or my Demon that I had. Guess I didn't think anyone would want to see them at a later time.
DCON

Here ya go Car Freak! print this off!!
****318 Mopar ci 400+ hp build****

Parts:
Keith Black pistons...pn# KB167
federal Mogul Rings...pn# E178K
Federal Mogul cam bearings...pn# 1451m
Federal Mogul main bearings...pn#4923
Federal Mogul rod bearings...pn# 8-2130cp
FelPro gasket Set...pn# ks2108
Sealed Power oil pump...pn# slp-224-4166v
Sealed power timing chain...pn# kt3160s
Mopar perf. windage tray...pn# P4529790
Comp Cams camshaft...pn# 20-232-4
Comp Cam Lifters...pn# 822-16
Comp Cams pushrods...pn# 7960-16
Mopar perf. Rocker pairs...pn# P4876050
Mopar Perf. Intake manifold...pn# P 5007380
Mopar perf. magnum heads...pn#P5007086
Mopar perf. Head bolts...pn# P4876759
Mopar perf. Valve Covers...pn# P5007617
Demon 750cfm carb...pn# DEM-540201GC
TTI headers...pn# TTI340A
Wilson tapered spacer...pn#03111
MSD distributer...pn# MSD-8534
*********** machine work*********
bore and honed
decked the block
line honed
resized the rods
balanced the entire assembly
pressed the pistons
grind the crank
*********cam specks*********
Comp cams 280H...
advertised duration: 280 degrees
Duration @ 0.050: 230 degrees
Lift:
intake: 0.152 in
exhaust: 0.0152 in
Lobe seperation 110 degrees

I can send you more detailed info on how I thru it together if needed. but what it came out to be was:
RPM: 4900 @ 384 lbs of TQ
RPM : 6250 @ 402 HP
DCON

My computer is having some trouble with this website for some reason. I am not able to see any of the updated e-mails past 3-17-04 unless I hit reply and scroll down. Weird huh?

Hey Car Freak, naw just got to the "pages" numbers and click on the highest one or where ever you want to go on anypost concerning the subject. they are at the top of the post pages on the left side in blue.
DCON

I know my way around a forum but for some reason the site wasn't displaying anything past 3-17-04..... although it seams to be fixed now whatever it was so it's all good.

Anyway I am gonna start a new thread. This one is getting rather long and seems to be the biggest thread on the board.