73 Charger Custom Parts

[1973dodger]

The following posts are some of the customized parts I have done to my Charger. First let me say, this car has been my dream version of my first car some 50 years ago. Most of these parts are one offs performed were done by yours truly. I am not professionally trained and am a cabinet maker by trade.

First post; Custom billet grill

 

[1973dodger]

Next part; Custom Ralley Dash

 

[1973dodger]

R/T Headrest

 

[1973dodger]

Next part, sheetmetal embossed door panel accent.

 

[Cranky]

Sometimes I impress myself with some of the things I do but they are nothing close to what you're doing!!

 

[1973dodger]

I guess you would call this my version of a frenched-in opera side window, though did not turn out as perfect as I had hoped, I'm still prefer it over the stock look.

 

[1973dodger]

Sometimes I impress myself with some of the things I do but they are nothing close to what you're doing!!

Your too kind, truth be known, many of the things I try never make it to the car, quite a bit of trial and error.

 

[1973dodger]

Trunk, I struggled for a number of years with what to do about the trunk, so I just made some plywood panels and covered them with trunk liner, the emblem was cut out of PVC trim board and painted.

 

[1973dodger]

Better picture of the Opera side window

 

[1973dodger]

Finally got around to covering inner wheel wells in the trunk, was easier to do than I thought it would be.

 

[1973dodger]

The car came stock with a 400 2 barrel, but I wanted a 440 with the bulge hood of course. Ended up driving to West Virginia for the hood and ordered a built 440 from an engine builder in Spokane, Washington. While I can build about anything, I am at best a shade tree mechanic and that may be pushing it a bit. With that said, best to know what one's limitations are. The engine is sounds amazing with plenty of punch. For you gearheads, this is what I know about it;
10.8 compression , 1969 440 block bored 30 thousandths, MP aluminum heads milled 60 thous., Purple shaft cam 590 lift and 312 duration , weisco flat top pistons, Ohio H-beam rods, crank milled 10/10, cleavite bearings, felpro gaskets. Tried several carb combinations to make it a bit more streetable, ended up settling on the edlebrock AVS 800 series with electric choke. Ended up having a custom built 3500 stall converter built to spec by a company out of Alabama I think. Sorry everything is a bit fuzzy, been at this off and on for the last 25 years. Engine bay still a work in progress with wiring.

 

[71RRHI]

Love the trunk panels. Nice work

 

[1973dodger]

You will notice in some of the engine pictures an electric water pump, while it works great, it creates as many of you know a whole host of issues to solve with mounting a mechanical fan, or power steering pump or AC compressor. Though I don't drive it enough to warrant hooking up the AC. My advice to those planning a new project, the more you get away from stock applications, the more issues you will have to solve, particularly when it pertains to the mechanical. Not that I'm suggesting that you are restricted to staying strictly stock, it is your dream and you do it however you desire. Just enter this with your eyes wide open. Nor do I recommend a person take 25 years to complete a project to a point where you can enjoy the car as I did. I'm soon to be 65 years old, there were some things I might have done differently looking back, but remembering the original dream, which was to fix the car up the way I would have liked to when I was a 16 year old me. I think I would have been happy with this version, so goal achived.

 

[ckessel]

I hear you about knowing your limitations. I have no issues with mechanical other than auto trans units, something to learn about later. I quail when it comes to woodworking/carpentry unless it's being a wood butcher. I nutted up to do my deck after we got a bid for $30k, 600 sqft Redwood before lumber went crazy in 20/21. A friend got me lined out and I did it myself. Saved over $20k by DIY. Someone with those skills could pick it apart but it works for us.

 

[1973dodger]

Thought I might post some pictures of the car while it was it's face lift. Really started out with a really nice body, no rust or body damage except for some bondo around passenger rear fender around the wheel well. Pulled out all the dent with just a skim coat of bondo to finish it out.

 

[chargervert]

I put a 71 Charger hidden headlight grille,and R/T taillights in my 73 Charger. I also swapped in 68 Charger side marker lights in it too.

 

[1973dodger]

I put a 71 Charger hidden headlight grille,and R/T taillights in my 73 Charger. I also swapped in 68 Charger side marker lights in it too.

View attachment 1517222

View attachment 1517223

Seet ride, my first car was a triple White Charger, while it appears you have the black interior and side stripe, none-the-less I have a fond place in my heart for the white Chargers.

If you will notice on my front grill, it is not from a 71 with the hide away lights, but is certainly inspired by the 71. I actually made this grill from scratch, more of a phantom look. While many on this forum would not approve, I had considered incorporating certain features from several year models, such as the 71 grill, the scalloped 69 doors, and the pre-71 gas cap into a 73 year model. The problem most of us who go the restomod approach, is knowing when too much is too much. Ultimately I decided to go the approach of less is more when deciding whether to customize a particular feature.

 

[1973dodger]

While I was at the Rod Run in Pigeon Forge a few years ago, I had a magazine stop by with a couple of models that wanted to take a couple of pictures with the car. Never did find out who the magazine, though I searched. Either way, must not have made the cut to print. Oh well, almost famous. Lol I did at least get a couple of pictures.

 

[chargervert]

Seet ride, my first car was a triple White Charger, while it appears you have the black interior and side stripe, none-the-less I have a fond place in my heart for the white Chargers.

If you will notice on my front grill, it is not from a 71 with the hide away lights, but is certainly inspired by the 71. I actually made this grill from scratch, more of a phantom look. While many on this forum would not approve, I had considered incorporating certain features from several year models, such as the 71 grill, the scalloped 69 doors, and the pre-71 gas cap into a 73 year model. The problem most of us who go the restomod approach, is knowing when too much is too much. Ultimately I decided to go the approach of less is more when deciding whether to customize a particular feature.

When my friends Gary and Pam built their 71 Charger SRT 71 known as the Serpent he did his own take on the 69 Charger door scallops rather than just graft in the factory second generation scallops. He also milled out in between the chrome fins of the headlight doors so the light can be seen through the headlight doors when they are on in the closed position. I did notice that your grille was a billet piece. I also tucked the bumpers on my 73,like they were on the 71/72 cars.

 

[chargervert]

If you were going to do the gascap thing I would probably swap out the gastank for one from a Challenger, and use the Challenger filler tube and graft the Challenger piece that accepts the tube and flip top gascap into the right rear quarter panel. I found a picture of my 71 Challenger convertible where the gas cap can be seen.