1972 Dodge Charger from Mexico to Finland

Hi Guys! New member from Finland introducing myself.. And No we don't have polar bears, penguins and **** running around here :icon_lol:

I have 1972 Charger wich is originally from Mexico. Does not have any vin number or whatsoever but a mexican Tax number. But i guess that's the way it should be ? The cars was in Nuevo Leon an has "vin" like T2-15477 Are there any mexican members that could maybe tell me is there any way to tracew this car back to tell what is should be..

Original paper from 12.may.1972 tells me:

First owner Automoviles Y Camiones S.A. Mexico D.F. 28.6.1972 (Dealership?)
Second owner Grupo Cydsa S.A. Monterrey N.L 22.1.1973
Third owner Rene Torres Aranda MTY N.L. 1975
Fourth owner Carlos Saucedo MTY N.L. 1980
...

It looked like this when it came to me:



And since it wasn't in the best shape i started recently working on it. Needs some body work, all new bushes and chassis parts, new built engine wich is now under work also.
I bought 1967 4bbl 440 from Florida with 727.

Well but now the car looks like **** :icon_lol:



Color will be changed and maybe.. just maybe i'll change the shape on the rear quarter windows since i hate these small version. Looks better it they are bigger like on 1974 and when you open windows on your rear quarter and doors. Looking to buy a chin lip and go wing also. 8 3/4 rear axle is also on the list since this has the smaller one. Lets see what it will be.. I have no tight schedule since i have a family and some other things to do also.. But i'll try to do as much as quick as i can.



Engine recipe at least for now is:

1967 4bbl 440 from plymouth.

- Block machined for 030 pistons and 1/2 oil pickup.
- KB performance pistons 237-030 Hypereutectic
- Stock LY rods blasted with modified up to have floating wrist pin
- Stock crank balanced and weighted for new pistons
- 440 source 7qt, oilpan
- vintage tray
- 440 fluid damper
- Sealed power 224-4174V high power oil pump
- Compcams 21-227-4 Camshaft, 1-Bolt, Hydraulic Flat Tappet, Advertised Duration 275/287, Lift .525/.525
- 440 Source 2001055, Mopar, Big Block, Stealth, valves 2,14/1,81", 84cc heads
- Comp cams valve springs 911-16
- Comp cams hydraulic lifters 822-16
- ARP bolts
- Edelbrock victor etc..

Also bought myself E.Z 21 circuit wiring kit from ebay. Looks fantastic. Since all the original wirings were messed up.



Any comments are welcome.

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I'm having a hard time taking the torsion bars off.. Tried to pry the lower control arm agains subframe.. nothing.. trying to hit the torsion bar removal tool.. nothing..

Welcome to the site mista. You'll find there are a lot of knowledgeable people here who are willing to help with all sorts of advice. Good luck with your build and look forward to seeing it move along. Regarding the torsion bars, did you remove the circlips from the crossmember mounts first before trying to push them back. They won't move if they're still in there.

clips are removed. Sprayed some rost off there as well but nothing..

Welcome :headbang:

Welcome.

welcome to FBBO keep us posted on progress

Nice project.
I myself like the small 72SE only quarter glass.
Looks to have the 73/4 front bumper guards that I would toss.

T-bars, I guess I'll ask, have you completely unloaded the bar adjustments?
Maybe the bumper needs to be removed to allow more control arm swing?
Some PB Blaster or similar.
Sometimes smacking them in can help free them up.

Daves69 said:

T-bars, I guess I'll ask, have you completely unloaded the bar adjustments?
Maybe the bumper needs to be removed to allow more control arm swing?
Some PB Blaster or similar.
Sometimes smacking them in can help free them up.

Click to expand...

You need to remove the upper control arm bumpers to get enough drop. Then remove nut from lower control arm, and strut rods. Then pry back on the lower control arm, and it should slide right out.

Ok here is your answer about the vin numbers:
In that time the Crysler Corporation in México built he cars in only one factory in mi country the name of this factory was Automex ( automobiles mexicanos, mexican automobiles, no longer exist) and put numbers in the cars with the solely pourpouse of give the cars an identification numbers more like a serial number (to pay taxes, insurance, to resell the car ) this mean that those numbers can not be decoded to obtain tha factory specs of the car, the especification was detail on the bill of the car. Automoviles Y Camiones S.A. Mexico D.F. was indeeed the dealership, in that era in my beloved México start to sell the third generation of the charger in 1971 with only one engine avaliable wich was the mexican version of the 318 (340 cylinder heads and forged crankshaft = 270 hp) two transmission avaliable the torqueflite 727 and the four speed manual a-833 and two trim levels the charger basico or entry level this mean front bench seat non rally dashboard, column shiift and no central console, different rims, and the SE or special edition this cars have bucket seats rally dash board witout tach only clock and central console, your car seem to me to be an se, you can find in the driver pillar a badge that say Secretaria de hacienda y credito publico this badge was put in there by order of the goverment and contain basic information about the car and other badge that say automex, and by the way all the modern hemis are made in México :headbang: i hope this help you Mista

Dang, talk about getting your questions answered. Some great info there.

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furyus said:

You need to remove the upper control arm bumpers to get enough drop. Then remove nut from lower control arm, and strut rods. Then pry back on the lower control arm, and it should slide right out.

Click to expand...

So what happens when the T-bar is still stuck in the control arm pivot?

moparmarks said:

Dang, talk about getting your questions answered. Some great info there.

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So what happens when the T-bar is still stuck in the control arm pivot?

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So far i have tried gently to push the lower control arm back with the crowbar.. Then i got sick of it and pulled it once as hard and quick as i could and it popped off.. So that problem is solved. At least from the other side. Other side is still not taken apart.

coronet68mx said:

Ok here is your answer about the vin numbers:
In that time the Crysler Corporation in México built he cars in only one factory in mi country the name of this factory was Automex ( automobiles mexicanos, mexican automobiles, no longer exist) and put numbers in the cars with the solely pourpouse of give the cars an identification numbers more like a serial number (to pay taxes, insurance, to resell the car ) this mean that those numbers can not be decoded to obtain tha factory specs of the car, the especification was detail on the bill of the car. Automoviles Y Camiones S.A. Mexico D.F. was indeeed the dealership, in that era in my beloved México start to sell the third generation of the charger in 1971 with only one engine avaliable wich was the mexican version of the 318 (340 cylinder heads and forged crankshaft = 270 hp) two transmission avaliable the torqueflite 727 and the four speed manual a-833 and two trim levels the charger basico or entry level this mean front bench seat non rally dashboard, column shiift and no central console, different rims, and the SE or special edition this cars have bucket seats rally dash board witout tach only clock and central console, your car seem to me to be an se, you can find in the driver pillar a badge that say Secretaria de hacienda y credito publico this badge was put in there by order of the goverment and contain basic information about the car and other badge that say automex, and by the way all the modern hemis are made in México :headbang: i hope this help you Mista

Click to expand...

Thanks for this info. Always nice to get to´know the history of the car better.

Nothing huge to tell..

Only thing that is left is the lower control arms since i have to figure it out how to get them off the torsion bars.



I have to sandblast everything and make some dolly under the front end to be able to move the body in and out.



I took gas tank also out.. It has some dent under it so maybe i'll get a new one.. depends on the costs.





Also one question about the heater vents on this car. I see pictures of b-body and seems that everyone of them has vents in the panel that says charger for example on my car. The long panels from center to the right side of the car.. As in this picture

OK now that is a strange car. Has 72 SE quarters but has the 73-up front clip and K-frame setup.

The vents in the panel you're talking about are only for A/C cars.

Patrick

What's difference with that front clip?

Thanks mrsnicks.

The front k frame is a 73-74 setup in 72 they did not have the rubber bushings it was bolted metal to metal that's a very interesting car

mista said:

What's difference with that front clip?

Thanks mrsnicks.

Click to expand...

Frame rails, inner fender wells, T-bar cross member, core support, T-bars, complete front suspension, motor mounts and K-frame.
Yours is the 73-9 isolated K-frame which started in the 1973 model year, well at least north of the boarder it did.
Very interesting car if it is a 72 model year.
Any pictures of the rear springs and axle housing?
Here is the 71-2B front clip.

That is quite different..

My guess is that this car is either wrecked SE and just repaired with something that has been available.. So maybe some junkyard 73 was all they could find and did it with those parts..
Or it's not SE from the beginning and it originally 1973 charger for examle that is converted to SE..

Is there differences in rear springs and axle housing? I'll take pictures tomorrow.

Yes the rear springs will have rubber isolators between them and the axle housing if it is the 73-up style.
Those are defiantly 72SE only quarters which are hard to find and would not fit the 73-up larger wheel housing without major work.
To change out the front clip to a 73-up on a 72 would also be major work.
Can you get a picture of the back of the hood just below the windshield?
Also the glove box lid stop lever or cable?
And the lower steering column shaft?
Is the rear window trim stainless or aluminum?
These are all things that changed in 73

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Also the master cylinder looks like a GM unit and not Mopar.