1968 charger project daily driver

[maxwell]

Took me 7 years to get the owner to sell me this car before leaving VA. it's a 318 auto car and my plan is to get this car safe and dependable enough to drive everyday. I started by getting 15 inch rims and new bf 255/60/15 for the rear, all new MH harnesses bumper to bumper and a msd ready run distributor.

Just finished installing the dash harness and the biggest pain so far has been trying to remove the ac unit to finish things up. I will post pics as I go along

This is a 5k budget project and after I finish replacing and upgrading electrical the seat belt and brakes are next.

 

[Hemi Rebel]

Good deal. Looks like a solid car to start with. Will be an awesome DD. Has nice patina too.

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What else is going on in the garage there?

 

[maxwell]

1970 Roadrunner, 383 auto alpine white ext, with sadle int. I put in a new trunk, extensions, crossmember and braces out back. Working my way forward replacing panels. considering a spot welder at some point to make this easier.

 

[Basket case]

nice Charger!

 

[daytona kid]

Looks like mine did, except a lot better shape. Cool!

 

[cdr]

cool project!!

 

[Ron 73]

Love the patina, Love the year... great project, have fun!!!

 

[maxwell]

Any ideas of why this isn't pointed at the number 1 at TDC

 

[Hemi Rebel]

The distributor drive gear is installed wrong. Timing chain jumped.

 

[maxwell]

I figured either or. Which is easier to fix, take off all accessories or send this new distro back to. Msd.

 

[a68postcar]

you better make sure it is on tdc before you get too wound up. if it is, and you are on the timing mark, the distributor drive can be moved to get you on #1(@ the dist.). no biggie. nice car, good luck on the d/d thing. that can often be a rough row to hoe. not impossible, but tough and pricey. l8r. postcar

 

[maxwell]

I got it running but only from hot wiring the coil to the battery. I have my stock coil wires the grey and blue hooked up along with the msd distro to coil wires. Any idea why I have to hotwire it. Could one of these new parts be bad.

 

[Photon440]

Get the multimeter out first and find out what voltages the stock wires are giving you.

 

[maxwell]

Talked to MSD and they recommended getting a 5 pin relay and wiring it to the coil and the blue ignition wire that normally goes to the positive of the coil. Thats complete but now I have no power at all, not even lights. I read a post where someone else had a no power issue so i replaced the ignition switch and made sure everything was tightened down. Still nothing. any other ideas of what would cause no pawer to anything. the battery is new and so are the wiring harnesses.

 

[1971 plymouth roadrunner]

Interesting car, cool patina

 

[roadrunnerh]

Very cool car, my favorite year Charger! I admire you for building this as a driver, but I would have trouble driving this in rush hour traffic everyday.

 

[Ron 73]

I would make sure you have all the wires hooked up to one system, The reason you have to hot wire it is that your giving it the right voltage with using the battery to coil (12Volts) You should have the coil and ballast resister all together and running with your key, when to turn it to start, it gives you the 12 volts to start the engine and when you leave off they key when it starts it reverts back to around 7 volts to keep it running, it sounds like you just have some wires mixed up or not hooked up maybe... Good luck! Looks like a cool ride!

 

[maxwell]

Very cool car, my favorite year Charger! I admire you for building this as a driver, but I would have trouble driving this in rush hour traffic everyday.

I know it will take some patience to do but i only live 1.6 miles away from work. I figured the best way to enjoy these cars is to drive it as much as possible and have fun buying new parts instead of paying 500 a month for a new car that will lose value.

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after speaking with msd and seeing peoples reviews on the ready to run, you don't need a balst resistor even though the blaster 2 comes with one. I will re-do all my words tonight and go from there. thanks for the info and comments everyone. I will keep you all posted on the progress.

 

[Dennis H]

Don't paint it. Drive it. Check the bulhead connectors. Carefully pull them off and spray the crap out of them with electrical cleaner and re-assemble. Drivers side firewall. Good luck. Keep us posted.

 

[maxwell]

I found the article about bypassing my amp meter and now I have power but no spark it seems. just wondering though if anyone has just replaced their amp meter with a volt meter to have success or do I have to really cut up my new harness with the bypass