Charger1974SE
New Member
1974 SE Project Into True Hardtop: Many Headaches At First But, A Grin At The End!
Posts: 79
|
Post by Charger1974SE on Feb 24, 2008 5:28:27 GMT -5
I am wondering and well i dont know if its been done before but, i want to remove my 74 SE's lovered windows the whole quarter window insert and turn it into a true hardtop car with the roll up window and those boomerang trim. Know has this been done before or can it even be done? Any help on this would be greatly appreciated thank you. Oh and if you can please e-mail me with any help you might have. moparcowboy73@hotmail.com
|
|
|
Post by Nacho-RT74 on Feb 24, 2008 15:03:11 GMT -5
yes has been done for a member on DC.com. Sorry dunno remember who
IMHO... you need so much pieces ( big and tiny ), and body job ( specially enlarge the drip rail ) that I would sell te SE and get a hardtop
|
|
Charger1974SE
New Member
1974 SE Project Into True Hardtop: Many Headaches At First But, A Grin At The End!
Posts: 79
|
Post by Charger1974SE on Feb 26, 2008 4:30:35 GMT -5
id really like to know what i would need. I dont have money to just up and buy another car so i want to convert mine.
|
|
|
Post by Nacho-RT74 on Feb 26, 2008 11:15:10 GMT -5
yes you have the money if you sell the SE and get a Hardtop. Anyway is just my opinion, what doesn't mean I won't help on conversion... you need:
-about interior, change upper and sail ( C pillar ) panels and headliner moldings. Since mostly sure you have brougham interior then will need to find the door upper panels too to match the woodgrain insert, since I NEVER have seen a Brougham interior for coupe/hardtop, except the one I got by casuality from a Canadian donor. If you have regular interior with wide woodgrain insert, then won't be that hard and won't need to find the front doors panels.
COMPLETE regulators setup powered if you want power windows or if you have power fronts. Then this become harder to get the right upper panels. Hardtops are with hole on upper panel to crank, so then hunt becomes NARROWED on get the upper panel from a hartop powered window where switches are located on lower panels or coupe what are with fixed window what does mean does not have hole to crank. For power windows then will need to find the 4 switches setup on driver door, with harness and everything. If you want manual windows and you have front manual windows then you can get any upper panel. About Regulator you will need EVERY PIECE of it, including a bracket provision on lower part of frame used to glass aligment. Then of course the vertical channel and of course the glass with vertical molding and seal.
Does need to change the roofrail molding and weatherstrip. Weatherstrip is a piece of cake... molding is the part to find about that.
Need to get the U cut quarter jam seal... SOOOOOME DAAAAY in the past I have JUST ONE SELLER with those as repro. Got a virus on my PC and lost the info... never found back again.
Body job... need to cut/remove the B pillar, make the U cut on quarter to hide the glass and enlarge the drip rail... what does mean also get the drip rail molding. I wish you good luck on that.
Then get the Boomerang molding if you want it what is not that hard. They float on oftenly.
That's all what I can remember right now.
Beside that you will have WP29 on VIN for life LOL
|
|
brock
Major Website Supporter
MEGA KILOVOLT-MASTER
Posts: 3,459
|
Post by brock on Feb 26, 2008 18:52:40 GMT -5
There is no doubt that you have a large task ahead on your quarter window conversion. You might find it interesting though that even a 72 quarter inner sheetmetal is formed for the shape you desire. It uses a screwon patch to back the interior pieces. You might focus on the exterior sheetmetal work needed to attach the boomeranges before you get started. Maybe you could find the right car & make a swap
|
|
glen
Settling In
Posts: 161
|
Post by glen on Feb 27, 2008 6:56:34 GMT -5
Back in 1973 when my dad brought home his new Charger SE, I was expecting three tiny, seperate window regulators to roll the slotted windows up and down individually! Much to my disappointment the rear windows didn't roll down at all! So trust me you aren't the only one who prefers a true hardtop. I wonder if the SE actually has a "b-pillar" welded in, I think it's just a plug and under all that fluff is a hardtop that could be retro-manufactured. . I also studied my 72 SE, because I also prefer the "standard" quarter window treatment. I also noticed that the SE trim was some sort of assembly line modification that could be removed at the owner's discretion. The 72 SE treatment makes the cars butt look big, and yet that is what makes the car unique, so I am going to leave it alone. One year only! This kind of thing makes me wonder why Dodge claim the new Challengers can't be made as hardtops, but the concept car was, so they obviously could if they wanted to. Mercedes still makes two door hardtops. Convertibles are still legal to be built and sold brand new. Dodge claims its a safety thing, but I think it's a money thing. It's cheaper to leave the window fixed in place, and the cars are going to sell well anyways.
|
|
|
Post by Nacho-RT74 on Feb 27, 2008 15:12:19 GMT -5
yes, 73/74 Charger have a B pillar, and then the body filler.
72 SES are very diff stuff and just need to remove the filler shield, and then get roofrail molding, sail panel and upper panel. rest of parts are still there and glass is the same. Body job just enlarge the drip rail.
I still say if you want a non SE, then sell the SE and get the one you want... is just my opinion! #A_Toast#
|
|
Charger1974SE
New Member
1974 SE Project Into True Hardtop: Many Headaches At First But, A Grin At The End!
Posts: 79
|
Post by Charger1974SE on Feb 27, 2008 15:55:51 GMT -5
Ok thank you for all the info! The reason i dont want to sell my SE is beacause it was my grandfathers car and well he passed away and so when he did my grandmother gave me his car. So you see its all i have of him and her. Thats why i dont want to sell it. But i do need the info to convert it its ok that its gonna be some work but i dont mind. Im not interested in ever selling the car or do i care that the vin will read as a SE all i want to do is restore it the way i want and remember him and her. Think of it as a shrine to them that i restore it and enjoy it like he once did.
|
|
|
Post by Nacho-RT74 on Feb 27, 2008 16:02:08 GMT -5
Ok that's fine!! well that's the info... once I get the thread where owner made that on DC.com board, will post the link
|
|
Charger1974SE
New Member
1974 SE Project Into True Hardtop: Many Headaches At First But, A Grin At The End!
Posts: 79
|
Post by Charger1974SE on Feb 28, 2008 4:36:34 GMT -5
great i appreciate it. Thank you so much!
|
|