Redneck's father/son project

This is what we are starting with. My son's birthday present for his 15th birthday. As I learned after the fact, he had already found the car and already talked to the owner before ever mentioning it to me. This 76 Charger SE 360/904 had been sitting in a barn for almost four years when we got it. Body needs work as you can see, but the power driver's seat still works, as do the power windows. Also came with a spare complete 360 and 727. New battery, fresh gas and it drove out of that barn and into our yard for $800.

Nice price. Doesn't look to bad at all. Not to many Chargers of these styles around.

Good luck with your project.
I'm building my car with my dad as well and its been such a great experience learning and spending time with him.

I had a black /white interior one with keystones slammed to the ground 25 years ago. cool car

Ever seen one of those with the "XS29" graphics?

Ever seen one of those with the "XS29" graphics?
Wouldn't know it if I did. Enlighten me, please.

engine bay and backseat in "as purchased" condition. Drivers seat is beginning to crack at the stitching. Needs new carpet.

Doug, that should be a fun project for you and your son. Keep us updated of its progress. BTW: Is the front suspension still a traditional torsion bar setup or did the transverse torsion bar setups all ready appear in '76? For some reason, I am thinking that the tranverse setups didn't start until the early-80's (ie. Miradas, etc.).

Wouldn't know it if I did. Enlighten me, please.

Yes you would. I've only seen one, and it was in a junkyard. Was a sort of beige color with dark tan (or light brown if you prefer) graphics. Best I can recall it wasn't that much different layout than the "Charger Daytona" graphics. But on the front of the door (or back of the front fender...it's been a while) it had a large "XS29" in the stripe.

I thought what in the world......then realized it was a Charger....XS29:D

Never seen another one. Sure looked factory too

BTW: Is the front suspension still a traditional torsion bar setup or did the transverse torsion bar setups all ready appear in '76?

The late B bodies have the T bars like all the others except there longer and not anywhere to be seen from Ma Mopar. I think it is Just Suspension that has 3 different bars for the later B bodies.

It is possible to retro fit the late B's with earlier B T-bars except it takes a bit of welding talent and time wth a donor car.

I'm not to sure exactly when the transverse T bars came in.

Theres also one more suspension item to be know about and thats the rear springs are sandwhiched inbetween to rubber bricks and the axle clamps are a 2 part design. The rear shocks also have a stud on the bottom end.

A earlier rear set up will bolt in and function fine.

right on.... father son projects....thats cool that you have enough thought to work with your son... alot of fathers these days dont..... Kudos to all that do !

In a few years I will be pursuing a "father daughter" project.

Enjoy while you can !

-RPM

My son said to me, you gotta hurry up and finish the car so we can go driving in it. I looked down at him and said really, well then, perhaps you would like to help me on it so we can go driving in it?

OK! He said. The fun of it all........ :D

There he is cleaning welds. He has so far painted, clean welds, and put down some seam sealer. He's nervous about holding the mig gun. But I think he'll do it soon enuff. You can see it in his eyes.

There ya go. Start him young and bring him up right. MOPAR.

That's really cool

My son said to me, you gotta hurry up and finish the car so we can go driving in it. I looked down at him and said really, well then, perhaps you would like to help me on it so we can go driving in it?

OK! He said. The fun of it all........ :D

There he is cleaning welds. He has so far painted, clean welds, and put down some seam sealer. He's nervous about holding the mig gun. But I think he'll do it soon enuff. You can see it in his eyes.


Ah yes, child slavery. I remember those days....

When you are ready, I can offer this stripe kit for $100.00 It's not "correct" for a 76 Charger but would look pretty cool, I think.

Good luck with your project. I can't wait to start my first real father/son project. My boys are still in Elementary School and although 1 of them, my 7 year old, likes to come out and help every so often, I am sure it's not the same as it will be when the car we are building is going to be his.

I think the stripe looks good. Helps break up the sea of body color and a bit of pizzaz added.
My lil'guy is 6 and will help out if the mood he is in is good and theres something he can do. Not yet strong enuff for a torque wrench though. He he he

You could get him his own inch pound torque wrench



well it was just a thought......

I think the stripe looks good. Helps break up the sea of body color and a bit of pizzaz added.
My lil'guy is 6 and will help out if the mood he is in is good and theres something he can do. Not yet strong enuff for a torque wrench though. He he he

My little one is 6 as well. A bit behind others his age due to various medical conditions early on (born with 2 holes in his heart and 1 in his stomach were the first two major ones) and having Down's Syndrome. Quite often, when he gets all riled up, nothing will get him calmer quicker than helping Daddy either work on big brother's car or mow lawn.

The usual aftermath of such adventures...

great pic!

great pic!

Absoultly! Great shot! I hear on the rest part. He must be a hand full. God bless ya. Those Med. conditions must be heart pounding abuse in feeling. Good GOD!

Nice price. Doesn't look to bad at all. Not to many Chargers of these styles around. theres one right up the stree from my house exactly like this. tan. rallye wheels. looks REAL nice. for sale to. might have to stop n look at it one day

Remember, if you jump on it, there a low production count car and not very desireable. The aftermarket on body parts is near nill.

Remember, if you jump on it, there a low production count car and not very desireable. The aftermarket on body parts is near nill.

Which is my opinion is the only real "downside". If there ever is a "downside" to owning a piece of Mopar muscle. The body work I need (left fender, trunk floor, weatherstripping, glass trim), will likely cost as much or more than the rest of the project. If I had done my homework beforehand, I would have tried to convince my son to hold out for a pre-74 B-body. It's a crying shame nobody bothers to repop body panels for these cars.

I don't know how junkyards are for you, but around here, your lucky to see a car stay a month. There crushed for the metal fast. I have to network my butt off for parts.

Weather stripping can be had. I forget where though, but it is available.

Trunk floor, 1/4 panel, body in general requires a donor car.

The boneyards around here won't even hold on to anything that is either A) more than ten years old or B) more than 3-4 older than the latest generation. Most also will not allow you browse the yard either. They act somewhat like an ordinary parts house. Tell 'em what you need and, IF they have it, they will have THEIR people pull it AFTER you pay for it. No more looking thru what is out back to see if you can find something that can be modified to fit what you want to do. I do know of a couple yards that still will let you pull your own. One old Mopar (mostly) yard. One that will (last time I went there) let you pull whatever you can fit in your pickup bed for $100. But these are 3-4 hours drive from where I am now.

Hey SC! How we doin with that project?

We just moved about 3 weeks ago and the car hasn't made the move yet. It is still in my mother's carport about an hour away. All packed up and ready, just have to get a weekend when my buddy isn't racing so I can use his trailer.

Speaking of "all packed up", ya gotta love the trunk space in these babies. That's the spare 360 block, 2 sets of heads, the spare 727 tranny and torque converter. Just wish there was this much room under the hood. Still had enough room for the crank, rods, and pistons out of the spare block to go in after pic was taken. And still closed the lid.

That's one thing I am growing to love about B-Bodies - TRUNK SPACE!! My e-bodies are sorely lacking in that department...

Wouldn't it be nice if there was that much room at the front end?

the 71 - 74 Charger has room for two engines front to back under the hood. Any B body has more room than Most cars under the hood. the 73 and later have more room than the 68-72. If these cars had more height you could get a Cummins under there without a problem.
The big trunks are sweet.

We just moved about 3 weeks ago and the car hasn't made the move yet. It is still in my mother's carport about an hour away. All packed up and ready, just have to get a weekend when my buddy isn't racing so I can use his trailer.

FINALLY got the car moved this weekend. Time to get to work.

Hey ChallengerGary,

That is one sweet looking Road Runner,

Has anyone put a stick in one of these things? I think they all came as automatics.

Jonno

Hi again,

I was interested in the mention that the later B-Body ('75-'79) front suspension is a little different than the earlier '68-'74. I thought they were exactly the same, can someone clarify this.

Thanks,

Hey ChallengerGary,

That is one sweet looking Road Runner,

Has anyone put a stick in one of these things? I think they all came as automatics.

Jonno

Thanks. It's actually a customer's car. He was using it as a daily driver until gas hot $4.00 a gallon, then he bought a Neon and parked the RR.

The transverse torsion bars came with the Aspen, and Diplomat.
This was used on the Mirada also.
The whole idea for the transverse torsion bar was to give a long wheel base ride in a short wheel base car. Needless to say didn't work very well.

That's one thing I am growing to love about B-Bodies - TRUNK SPACE!! My e-bodies are sorely lacking in that department...

I have a book about Mopar Muscle cars and they talked to some of the designers of the E-Body cars and they said that E-Body trunks were made for small items and made to put in a set of golf clubs lol.

My kids love to work on my road runner with me.both girls dont mind getting dirty

SCredneck, I dont mean to be a Donny Downer but I dont think your son will think that car is tits like you see it. I'd buy something else more Muscle late 60's and early 70's to use as a project. You have to think to yourself, when my son is older, do i want him to bag alot of chicks or not. This car would be a great ride for anyone 30+ years old but i dont see a teenager proudly driving a 76 charger regardless how large or built the engine is.

My first car was a 1967 Mustang and since there were alot of parts availible, I went to town by relieving my father and looking up all the replacement parts myself at the age of 15, and it really helped me get more involved with the build. We've also had cars which were just impossible to get parts for and the father son project bonding moments become less often since we couldnt buy a damn thing for it.

Im sorry, I really dont mean any disrespect. if the post upsets you ill be more than happy to delete this post.

The transverse torsion bars came with the Aspen, and Diplomat.
Needless to say didn't work very well.

I respectfully disagree. I had a 78 runner with a 318 and a 4 speed (read O.D.) and I thought it drove pretty well.

Guess I know what I'm talking about having been a high performance driving instructor with the Porsche Club years ago

SCredneck, I dont mean to be a Donny Downer but I dont think your son will think that car is tits like you see it.

CJVan, seems like you've got things the wrong way round. While I agree, it isn't as common of a car, and there are many of teens who would rather drive a late 60's early 70's car, it seems like it's the kid who likes the car... As I learned after the fact, he had already found the car and already talked to the owner before ever mentioning it to me. SCredneck's son took the initiative, found the car and talked to the owner, then talked to his dad. First off, that's impressive! Good on your son, SCred! Second, good luck! I think he'll get the ladies just fine in his luxury liner. :yes:

AHHHH, your right, I did read that. slipped my mind while i was typing my first post. SORRY! :( I like spending other peoples money, I cant help it!!! :)

As long as your kid isn't acting a ghetto (wankster) dumbass kid and rolling with Rap blasting in his car... then I'm cool with it. I have a friend who drives a 66 stang and He has huge subs in his trunk and the music deffinetly doesn't fit the car...

Kinda off topic but the moral of the post is... don't let your kid get into Rap/Hip-Hop crap

I see so many stupid 14 year olds who live in my town (not to brag at all but I live in the top 10 best places in the country) and I see ghetto acting kids with baggy pants all the time. I't pisses me off everyday at school

SCredneck, I dont mean to be a Donny Downer but

No buts, you are, beauty in the eye of the beholder.

BTW, I saw this place on one of the weekend TV shows for classic Mopar parts. Address shows Anderson, AL 35610. . Maybe you can find some of your pieces there.

http://www.stephensperformance.com/home.html

This is a cool story, father and son working a project together, happily! When I think back, my dad never took time for anything with me-in anything I was interested in; cars, motorcycles, etc. All he was concerned with what he liked, and what he wanted, and of course his fooking opera signing voice and music. I am glad to see that kids and fathers can link up with a common interest, or, at least the father faking to like it!

Alas, hard times means hard decisions. The Charger is now for sale. Son has agreed but made me promise that we will get another when we get back on our feet.

Sorry to hear that. If you really have to part with it, you know where to list it. Someone on here will give it a good home I'm sure.

Alas, hard times means hard decisions. The Charger is now for sale. Son has agreed but made me promise that we will get another when we get back on our feet.

sorry to hear , but family comes first , I have a ton of projects and hard times have made me decide to down size also.

I agree all with you. Hard times for all. The reason why I own only one Mopar.

LOL, I'm down one now and it may be two soon if thigs don't get better. I sold my Duster. Al well, a young gun got it. (28 YO )

I ended up selling my shelby charger i have owned 21 years

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,68935.0.html

There will be other cars just dont wait to long or your son will start his own father son project. time sure goes by fast.

There will be other cars just dont wait to long or your son will start his own father son project. time sure goes by fast.

Always time for a father/son project. Pop's 68 years old, I'm 38 and we still have projects together :grin:. No one I trust more than him.