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Post by grnmagic77 on Mar 20, 2009 10:09:54 GMT -5
Hello to all !! ;D New guy to the Charger game but have played with Mopars for a long time. I have recently just swapped for a '74 Charger SE,360 4bbl. The car is for the most part in pieces (interior-wise) and I will be needing to find some body panels also. Can the doors,fenders and trunk lids all be swapped with any of this era ? Also I would like to get rid of the window louvers and plug on the side windows,has anyone done this before that can fill me in on some details ? The vinyl roof is already gone and will not be replaced... Last off a question on the bumpers...I have been checking out the Petty car and the bumpers contour perfectly into the body lines.I know that cars prepped for the Nascar circut would have tweaks made to them for aerodynamics but has anyone recessed their bumpers on their street car like this ? Would it be a matter of just adjusting the bumpers in ? Thanks for any help...  |
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DynoDave
CO-ADMINISTRATOR
Motown Mopar-Wizard
Posts: 11,262
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Post by DynoDave on Mar 20, 2009 10:53:38 GMT -5
Welcome aboard grnmagic77! #WaveHi#
I'm sure you'll get lots of answers to this.
Exterior body panels...fenders, doors and quarters are unique to the 71/72 and 73/74 cars. There are even subtle differences between 71 and 72.
Trunks and hoods I'm not as sure about. I believe they physically interchange, though the louver layout at the back of the hood varies across the model years.
I'm not as familiar with the later bumper design (I have a '72). There is a post going right now I believe on the subject of trying to pull those back in. I don't believe Ma went out of her way to make it an easy thing to do.
Look for this post to be moved to the "Part Interchanability" section by a Mod.
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Post by grnmagic77 on Mar 20, 2009 15:31:47 GMT -5
Sorry....I see all kinds of obvious info now. I had been scanning through this site for a couple of days now,don't know how I could have missed this section before.  Looks like I just asked all the same old questions you guys have probably answered a dozen times before.I'm definately new to the Charger or any B-body for that matter.I considered myself primarily a truck guy but recently traded one off for this car and would just like to fix it up a bit. This '74 is rough,is it a car that should be restored ? I had never thought of one this late (for car line) to be anything really rare or desirable.I will be needing to track down a lot of pieces and was just wondering what direction I should go with it. I really hate those window louvers and would like to get rid of them if possible. |
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Post by quapman on Mar 20, 2009 16:04:23 GMT -5
I can hear the wheels in Nacho's head turning as I type..........
Nacho is our resident 74 Charger expert. He will likely fill you in on all the details including different options for replacing the quarter windoe louvers..........think "Spring Special".
What color is your car, inside & out? Maybe you have an Aztec Charger!
74's are rare in general. 360 cars are even more scarce. If you post some pics, we can give opinions on whether it's worth saving, but chances are, 99% of us will say "of course it's worth saving!".
Steve
PS Welcome to the madness!
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Post by Nacho-RT74 on Mar 20, 2009 18:21:58 GMT -5
Hi...
first in my opinion if you want to get rid of the louvers and get a hardtop look, then sell the SE and get the real deal. TO MUCH PARTS involved and some body job. Not imposible, but still a headache to make. However being a 360 4 speed is not common by its own meriths so I would keep it as is.
As stated, Body exterior shape is diff. Basically parts interchangeable are ROOF, ( but not C pillars, just top area ), trunk, Hoods... some others ( check the thread dynodave told you )
fenders is posible to fit and will meet with rest of body, but will get a gap inside, behind headlights area meeting with radiator core support... will need another stuff too. Theer are diff on wheel openings cut though
Bumpers to eliminate bumper fillers and get closer to body... rears will need 71/72 bumper brackets... front, simply elongate frame rail brackets holes and get closer.
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Post by quapman on Mar 21, 2009 7:17:14 GMT -5
Not sure where Nacho got the 4-speed info, but here's the production #'s for 74 S.E.'s with 360. WP29J4 (CA only) 360 4bbl - 683 WP29K4 360 2bbl - 802 No 4-speeds listed. I'd call it a rare car. Here's a 73/74 with the "other" quarter window insert. No slats. I think this is the Spring Special, but I could be wrong.  |
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Post by grnmagic77 on Mar 23, 2009 12:03:57 GMT -5
Hey guys...Thanks for all the responses.Sorry I can not post any pics. of the car yet,someday I will have to figure out how to work a digital camera...  I am definately going to fix the car...it has been sitting for a long time so alot of repairs are in order....just wondering how close to factory correct I should try to stick with.I will not be selling it or trading it off for one without the SE package as it was a "inner- family" type trade. My car was originally white with a black vinyl top with most of the paint gone on it now.The body panels I will be replacing are both fenders,maybe one door and the trunk lid.It just has the standard flat hood on it now but I will be adding '70 Bee scoops to flash it up a bit. The floor panels also need replaced and I haven't moved it yet to check out the frame rails,but from what I can see they appear to be O.K. The interior was black with I assume bucket seats,it has the shifter on the floor (auto trans 727) but the console itself is missing.Pretty much everything else is gone interior wise,with the exception of the steering wheel and dash (no cap).It does have the round gauges with 150 speedo. Over the weekend I picked up the hidden headlight assembly from a '72 to bolt into my '74 original bumper,I will be painting the bumpers...the chrome is in bad shape anyway.I have all the brackets separated from the bumper assembly and will be fixing them to set the bumpers back a bit for a smoother look.I had hoped the '72 brackets would just bolt in place but no such luck with out drilling new holes in the frame. For the rear I picked up some '71 tail lights like would have been in a Super Bee,I don't know if they are standard or not but they are not the R/T style. I also have the '71 rear bumper brackets to use. I know all the pieces I need to get rid of the louvers are in the junkyard around here,I just didn't know if anyone has actually done this before and could give any pointers.I am about 99% sure that I will be taking them off.The look of the hardtop is much nicer in my opinion and the SE stuff seems kind of like an identity crisis for the cars, C-bodies are the luxo cars (I have 2)...I expect Chargers to be butt-kickers.  Sorry if I've scared the purists to death by doing some modifying on this car....especially I guess if their was only 600 or so made with this configuration.I will be keeping all the original trim and lights etc..maybe even in a secure box in the trunk if necessary. ;D |
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brock
Major Website Supporter
MEGA KILOVOLT-MASTER
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Post by brock on Mar 23, 2009 13:21:45 GMT -5
Welcome home. It would appear your mind is made up on how you should proceed with the car, so quit apologizing & git busy taking pics! I too tend to be quiet about what I plan to do with mine - not because of the purists - but because I'm nowhere near getting started on the actual car. I do happen to have a farely rare car that you just don't see, even in the shows, so I feel obligated to restore it. I'm missing only a couple of correct datecoded parts that I'll have to deal with beyond the usual resto + I'm proud to do it. But, I am a hotrodder! That's why I have my 72! Somebody is bound to say this - so I may as well get it out of the way for ya: #WorthlessWithoutPics# Hope you come home often. Start &/or respond to threads & you'll meet & get to know alot of new friends  |
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Post by quapman on Mar 23, 2009 16:28:40 GMT -5
I have not actually done this, but I don't see why you couldn't ditch the small fixed windows and fiberglass inserts and install regulators or fixed windows from a hardtop. Anybody here ever do this?
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Post by Nacho-RT74 on Mar 23, 2009 19:22:50 GMT -5
somebody did at DC.com, yes is "doable" but is hard to find all the parts involved UNLESS you get a donor with parts on car.
plus body job: drip rail and U cut on jam
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