'73 Dodge Charger SE questions

OK So first off I am trying to buy a Charger! Right now I'm just doing small jobs BUT in the summer I get a Summer Job (wohoo). I am looking for a '73 Dodge Charger. I want a Rallye, but a standard or SE is cool too. So now to get on topic! If I end up getting a SE Can I 1) Take off the vinyl and make the back windows that the vinyl was covering look like Standard or Rallye windows? 2) Bucket seats... I know that the SE came with a weird bench seat. What I mean by weird is that Its kinda like a bucket but its a bench with a arm rest in the middle of the 2 seats. If I wanted could I take out the Bench and put in bucket? I really don't care too much about bucket vs bench right now but I just want to know. Then comes wtf part. OK if you know what a SE looks Like then you know theres a thingy on the hood... Its like a symbol or a Chrysler thing... Any way lets say It made me mad and I took it off, (I like it on the hood but just in case) Would I have to put a new hood on you can I do something to it? I don't own a Charger YET i'm just saving up for one... and I was on FABO (didnt know there was a B body forum) and I didnt get alot of answers.

Heres a pic of the opera windows:http://http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/1973_Dodge_Charger_SE_opera_windows.jpg

you can make a charger se look just like the ralleye. my signature pic is a se. i took the 400 out and through a 440 in it. kept my 727 and rebuilt it. took the 8.75 out and threw a dana 60 in. also took my turn signal fender light out and had the wholes pactched and etc. removed my vynil top and tons of other things. ill get some pics of it when i get it out.

One thing that still isnt 100 percent clear is that i dont really know the difference between the SE and Rallye... Isnt the rallye a preformance car? Well any way, i was told that taking off the vinyl and putting in a new rear window to make it look like the Rallye was hard and not cheap... is that true? i read some where else it wasnt hard but said nothing on cost. I am going to get all my money over the summer so im on a strick budget with 1 goal in mind, get a 73 Charger! (Rallye or SE just cause)

The possibility of someone with answers reading your questions in the "General" section are probably quite good, but I think you're better served with it here in the section for that year Charger. So I moved it for ya:grin:

welcome

Thank you for welcoming me! and thank you to 69 runner for moving my thread!

I have a 73 SE that came from the factory with bucket seats,console,rally dash with tach,and the slap-stick T handle shifter. I like the sloted rear windows it makes it look different then the other chargers at the car shows and cruises.

Well I see what you mean about making it look different but I still think they look alittle weird... But I really dont care all that much but seeing I'm getting a project car IF the vinyl is ripped up and stuff I'm gunna take it off! So i was just wondering.

if you take the vinyl off the chrome trim will not fit as tight.take the hood ornament off and you will have a hole that needs to be filled in. if the car you are looking at has bench seats and you want buckets then you will have to drill holes in your floor to match the mounting brackets. a rallye charger is the performance and an SE is the top of the line model.

Welcome to FBBO Axel! I am sure you will find a little bit more help here than on FABO (although you did get quite a few responses/answers for only being on there 2 weeks or so).

hey check this out! give you an idea on styles of 73's same 74's lol good stuff here.
http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/dealerships/1973DealershipDataBook-06.shtml

hey check this out! give you an idea on styles of 73's same 74's lol good stuff here.
http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/dealerships/1973DealershipDataBook-06.shtml

Thanks! I've been sent to that site before but I could never really find anything... I didnt like me :rolling:. But for real thanks for the link and man that pic from 1973 or the 1973 Dodge Charger SE was SO cool. Man I love them. I want mine to be black but still I love them! Had alot of good info too! Thanks!

The SE has a fixed smaller rear glass and a roof panel plug, the Rallye rolls down and the larger glass fills the space of the plug. To swap out as a Rallye, you will also need all of the tracks and framing from a Rallye plus the interior and exterior trim. That includes stainless, rear door panels, sail panels, etc. Unless you already have all of the pieces and a pile of $$$, it will cost quite a bit to swap, but it can be done. If I wanted a Rallye, I would buy a Rallye. There are more SE's available and both are the same on performance depending on what options were ordered. Whatever a SE lacks vs the Rallye, can be had. Rear anti sway bar, bumper panel with cut outs, etc. The SE in most cases, will be a cheaper starting point.

The SE has a fixed smaller rear glass and a roof panel plug, the Rallye rolls down and the larger glass fills the space of the plug. Unless you already have all of the pieces and a pile of $$$, it will cost quite a bit to swap, but it can be done. If I wanted a Rallye, I would buy a Rallye. There are more SE's available and both are the same on performance depending on what options were ordered. Whatever a SE lacks vs the Rallye, can be had. Rear anti sway bar.

Yea I understand it'll be a cheaper starting point in most cases. As for cost from what I know and have been told by a friend who is currently do this. The stuff you need can be 1 of 2 things. A its hard to find and cheap. Or B its easy to find a $$$. For him it wasnt too bad. It can be done. It may not be cheap. Im just looking for a plan B. Unless I can find a good condition 73 Charger SE with good operas and maybe good vinyl that I can make black if there not already black.

Some of the other questions you asked, I have done. Added a bulge hood(no SE hood ornament), swapped a bench for buckets(you will need the 4 plates to add support for mounting the additional seat rail bolts, 2 on each side of the floor hump since the bench mounts to the outer edge) and dyed the interior panels with SEM vinyl spray.

Wow!!! That sharp! Hell Id take that! Heres the thing. Its been a few months since I put this up and well... I really like the look of the SE now. But I always like back up plans! Now Your SE came with a Full bench or a "buddy seat"? (buddy as in bench with armrest in the middle) How much did you pay for all of that? Right now Im just looking for a Running 73 Charger 318 for around $2000. Will it be a SE? I dont know. Do I want it to be a SE? Well I've been looking at them for 6 months so Yes I kinda want a SE! Thanks for the pics! Really nice Charger!!!!

It came with a full bench, no fold down arm rest. A buddy seat is a fold down arm rest added to bucket seats. There is also a bench with a fold down arm rest, all 1 piece.

Well I was talking about the second one. It can in most SE's in 73 from what ive learned. Is the bench comfy? And are the buckets too?

The buckets are more comfortable and sit a little lower so you don't hit the steering wheel with your right leg getting in.

My 74 SE came with buckets and buddy seat. I also think the rear quarter glass is full size, but there is a plastic plug on the outside that is not finished very well because it was intended for the vinyl to cover it. I have seen large cracks and poor factory filler work on some cars. The inside is covered by the trim and sail panel. The opera window panel on the outside will also not fit well without the vinyl top, nor will the trim around the window. My car currently has no vinyl, so I have seen it first hand. I actually like the lines of the partial top, as it calls your attention away from what I consider to be a very large and plain looking upper quarter panel.

With all that said, I have seen a few "conversions" that looked kind of cool. If you leave the plug and "finish" the finish work, but don't put back the operas, it kind of takes on an Austrailian Charger look in that area.

Oh, and good luck finding a bulge hood. I have seen them go for $700-$1400 on ebay. I'm talking about a "plain" bulge, and not an R/T, Bee or Air Grabber.

I paid $250 for mine and the frame is rusted out (a very common issue, be careful), and I have a slightly bent flat hood to graft the frame from.

I figure this will be a good way to learn welding and panel replacement with none of the work showing with the hood closed.

I paid $1100 from my car and it needs quarter work and came with a locked up 383.

It's "just" a 318 car, but it is slam loaded w/ options. Besides sunroof and power windows, it also has rear defrost, cruise control, rallye gauges, map light, the afore mentioned buckets and buddy seat, Magnum wheels, and a/c.

I have hidden headlights, machine gun tips, the bulge hood and spoilers, although I might not use the wing.

I also have a 2000 5.2 FI and o/d trans to go in.

I think the 73/74 SE with vinyl top looks great in silver/black.

Hopefully mine will look like this when done (maybe without the Dodge sticker).

Wow does that look awesome!

Now why on earth do people want to go and tear out those rear window plugs and bastardize a car that can look like this! This is WAY better than the standard 73/74 b body vinyl roof where it looks like the factory ran out of vinyl and a lot of extra trim lying around. Those roofs just don't look right too me...this on the other hand looks bad ass!

Axel are you going to ask this question on EVERY mopar site out there on how to cut up a perfectly good SE because you want a rallye...its getting old man...