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1972/1974 Charger Cannibalization project questions

WheelsOfTerror

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Hi B Body guys!

While I was on the hunt for a roof for my '74 SE 400/727 Charger I came across a '72 SE/Brougham roller locally with rock solid roof,floors, trunk- truthfully it's so much better than my rusty 74 that I am hoping to buy it and make one good car from the two. I want to pull my good quarter skins, fenders, doors off the '74 and put them on the '72 frame. What immediate issues will I encounter?

I am sure my 74 gas tank won't fit on the '72 body due to that emissions hump thing.

my running, driving but rusty donor '74 has:
400 engine, 727, all new rebuilt suspension, brand new Wilwood disc brakes, a 4:10 dana (out of a roadrunner) good glass, electrics, etc, new quarter panels, fenders, good body panels all around but rusty frame, inner fenders, pinholes in the trunk, decklid is rusty, roof is toast, k frame needs replacement (rusty and broke/rewelded where it mounts to body frame on one side)

'72 has:
great, solid California body, some rot in quarters, no front/rear bumpers, hood is great, tons of goodies (radio is there, rally dash cluster, floor shifter brackets there, rear defrost motor is there, etc)
 
Fenders, doors, and quarters are different on the 74 vs the 72. If you change all three on the 72 it might work along with the inner wheel housings.

Keep the 72 as a 72 and add your drive train.
 
Fenders, doors, and quarters are different on the 74 vs the 72. If you change all three on the 72 it might work along with the inner wheel housings.

Keep the 72 as a 72 and add your drive train.
Thanks for the info- I didn't mention the '72 donor is hit on one side (not affecting frame), so passenger side quarter is banged up really good, plus both are rusted out in the usual spots- also don't beat me up too bad but I like 73/74 body lines better anyways. '72 is missing bumpers, drive train, seats, etc.
 
Well if you go 72 route I have two new amd 1/4's I'm looking to sell $800

I agree 73-74 better lines
But the bumper thing is easy to swap around.

Not to scare you but roof skins are a hard job ! Not impossible but not easy by any means
 
While MAYBE it could be somehow made, I wouldn't do it. Both are 3rd gens but not exactly the same thing and getting a mix of both will make you don't have either a 72 or 74.

If you still want to reskin the 72 as a 74, 72 fenders will need to be kept on the 72 for a correct fitment.

72 got missed bumpers but... the brackets? Bumpers interchange but not brackets. Well, rear fit but will need to keep fillers on bumper.

Another challenge and maybe the bigger one will be the diff height between 71/72 and 73/74 on quarter glass and door jam areas. I think if reskining, that will be the harder ( to not say imposible ) to match between inner frames and skin. And of course c pillar frame.

Having a 72 frame will allow you for more performance body and suspension parts.

Just point out correctly what kind of project you actually want to build and importart: consider the cost.

I'm agree I like better 73/74 body lines than 71/72 too. Not a big fan of the 72/74 SE quarter glass treatment thought.
 
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Well if you go 72 route I have two new amd 1/4's I'm looking to sell $800

I agree 73-74 better lines
But the bumper thing is easy to swap around.

Not to scare you but roof skins are a hard job ! Not impossible but not easy by any means
hey thanks! If we wind up needing them I'll reach out.

The 72 body is the one with the good roof, and we are gonna cannibalize the 74 to put the car together, so thankfully we won't have to do the roof job- though it looks like every other job will need to be done lol
 
While MAYBE it could be somehow made, I wouldn't do it. Both are 3rd gens but not exactly the same thing and getting a mix of both will make you don't have either a 72 or 74.

If you still want to reskin the 72 as a 74, 72 fenders will need to be kept on the 72 for a correct fitment.

72 got missed bumpers but... the brackets? Bumpers interchange but not brackets. Well, rear fit but will need to keep fillers on bumper.

Another challenge and maybe the bigger one will be the diff height between 71/72 and 73/74 on quarter glass and door jam areas. I think if reskining, that will be the harder ( to not say imposible ) to match between inner frames and skin. And of course c pillar frame.

Having a 72 frame will allow you for more performance body and suspension parts.

Just point out correctly what kind of project you actually want to build and importart: consider the cost.

I'm agree I like better 73/74 body lines than 71/72 too. Not a big fan of the 72/74 SE quarter glass treatment thought.
Thanks Nacho- I sent your reply to my body man. I may have some questions about what you've written here-
1. I actually have 72 bumper brackets, front and back, from a separate purchase long ago- shouldn't I be able to hook them up to the '74 bumpers, front and back, and hook them right in?

2. Why must I keep the 72 fenders? If I change the fenders and wheel wells, what fitment problems will arise?

3. The quarter glass was our main concern when looking- I think we are gonna cut as needed and get the 74 quarter glass in there. I'm a weirdo and I think the the louvers are the best part of the car.

4. I'm assuming the gas tank in the '72 is trash- my '74's is good but I don't think it'll fit because of that hump on top. Am I correct?
 
1, yes

2, 71/72 and 73/74 fenders are diff not just on the wheel opening height ( a bit higher on 73/74, maybe an inch and a half ) but also on the shape to match with radiator core support. From exterior they seem to be a perfect match and will fit, but once you open the hood they don't. Fender will be loosen from radiator core support. Splash shield is also diff between both.

3...

4. no it wont, but new 71/73 gas tanks are cheaper than 74 anyway. You could get a 73 and done.
 
Thanks Nacho- I sent your reply to my body man. I may have some questions about what you've written here-
1. I actually have 72 bumper brackets, front and back, from a separate purchase long ago- shouldn't I be able to hook them up to the '74 bumpers, front and back, and hook them right in?

2. Why must I keep the 72 fenders? If I change the fenders and wheel wells, what fitment problems will arise?

3. The quarter glass was our main concern when looking- I think we are gonna cut as needed and get the 74 quarter glass in there. I'm a weirdo and I think the the louvers are the best part of the car.

4. I'm assuming the gas tank in the '72 is trash- my '74's is good but I don't think it'll fit because of that hump on top. Am I correct?

One more question- are you saying the door jams are different in the '72, so I won't be able to shut the '74 doors into the jams? Or are the doors just different on the skin/body lines, and identical where they mate in the jams?
 
Striker is at same height, but belt line height ( top of door and quarter glass openings ) is higher on 71/72. 73/74 door definitelly won't close on a 71/72, maybe the other way around will, but definitelly won't meet shapes and lines on top half
 
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something like this... on Red, the aprox 73/74 "belt line" shape over a 71/72 body. This makes top interior panels don't fit either

210004_Side_Profile_Web.jpg


difference is around inch and a half or two


so you can figure out now also the diff inner sheet metal parts too.

Maybe lower half of door will meet with quarters, but definitelly not the top half.
 
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something like this... on Red, the aprox 73/74 "belt line" shape over a 71/72 body. This makes top interior panels don't fit either

View attachment 1105814

difference is around inch and a half or two


so you can figure out now also the diff inner sheet metal parts too.

Maybe lower half of door will meet with quarters, but definitelly not the top half.
I am asking body guy if its worth it to take the entire back quarter up to the roof line off the '74 to make this happen- I'm so glad to realize the door issue now instead of halfway into it
 
Not sure this will mean much as far as body goes or not, but its worth noting the complete front subframe & suspension is different from 72 to 74. Might be something to add consideration to the mix.
 
Not sure this will mean much as far as body goes or not, but its worth noting the complete front subframe & suspension is different from 72 to 74. Might be something to add consideration to the mix.
thanks for the input; yeah I chatted with the guy and he's gonna let me out of the deal if I want. I think i'll probably wind up taking a few rust-free parts that are the same and just let the car go.
 
Not sure this will mean much as far as body goes or not, but its worth noting the complete front subframe & suspension is different from 72 to 74. Might be something to add consideration to the mix.

already mentioned before... well, kinda off LOL.
 
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ah sounds like trouble. also amazing that you know this off hand. Thanks Nacho

since 71/72 gets a filler for the upper interior panels fitments MAYBE the 71/72 inner quarter frame areas could fit/meet with the 73/74 areas? dunno. 71/72 Satellites got same quarter window shape. Not sure if the inner quarter frame areas are the same between 71/72 Plymouths and Chargers hence the reason for the extra filler panel attached into 71/72 Chargers. Just thinking out loud!!! But the jam panel for the striker is definitelly different and would need to get the 73/74 piece too.

6F8E23D4-EEB8-47FE-A450-4245DA33648A.jpeg


compairing with 73/74

qtr-window-mech-3-jpg.jpg


They seem to be pretty much the same! or with minor differences so it could be doable!

quarter extension areas would need also to be taken from the 73/74 to meet with quarter since that area is also diff between 71/72 and 73/74
 
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since 71/72 gets a filler for the upper interior panels fitments MAYBE the 71/72 inner quarter frame areas could fit/meet with the 73/74 areas? dunno. 71/72 Satellites got same quarter window shape. Not sure if the inner quarter frame areas are the same between 71/72 Plymouths and Chargers hence the reason for the extra filler panel attached into 71/72 Chargers. Just thinking out loud!!! But the jam panel for the striker is definitelly different and would need to get the 73/74 piece too.

View attachment 1106018

compairing with 73/74

View attachment 1106020

They seem to be pretty much the same! or with minor differences so it could be doable!

quarter extension areas would need also to be taken from the 73/74 to meet with quarter since that area is also diff between 71/72 and 73/74
quarter extensions are different as well? We are talking about those little nubs on either side of the trunk, right? Dang I thought those were the same part 71-74. this thread is getting crazy
 
Check how the upper body line changes between 71/72 and 73/74

74e4251904ffd31a7a5d7f618f2a5b410d7cbe94.1971-dodge-charger-se-383_rear_FULL_paledog.jpg


73/74 with a small lift up at the end and sharpier, while 71/72 keeps the same line coming down and ends a bit blurry.

22537415626_5195a9f98c_o.jpg


This makes not just the quarter extension but the inner piece where attaches also diff. To match the diff quarter shape there
 
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Sell the 74 to someone that could use it to fund the sunroof car and move along . It’s your car and money but that’s what I would do as not many parts really interchange .I don’t believe in ripping a complete car apart anymore they are too hard to find. I’m at the point in my time where I believe we need to save them all because once they are melted down they will be lost to time even the four door cars... they make good family cruisers now a days that are more affordable for some...
 
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