My '77 Cordoba

[monaco75]

Since I've been looking around, and asking some questions (more to come) figured I'd post a thread on my car. I've had her for a year last month now, and put over 8000 miles on her so far.

She has a decent running 400. Was an Orlando car its whole life till I brought it a little north to Jacksonville. I've done a good bit of work on her so far. Starting to work on the interior. The FL sun has not been kind to it.









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First order of business was to address the trunk floor. The underside is beautifull, but moisture building underneath the carpet, and insulation took its toll.





























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The 727 was rebuilt 10 years ago, and worked great. But it leaked from every orifice from sitting. I had a rebuilt 727 hanging around in the garage for my other car, so I swapped em out.

Old leaky trans



No more atf puddles in the driveway! I had to hunt down an older style speedo gear, and housing. The original speedo gears teeth had wore away quite a bit, and couldn't find a replacement.



Around the same time I also updated the instrument lighting to blue LEDs. Much better then the dim original bulbs.







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Next on the agenda was to rebuild the front end. All new bushings, and what not.









Took it to my guy up north for a proper alignment. He also got the A/C recharged and working. She could use new leafs out back, but haven't got to that yet. Did replace the shackle bushings. Much nicer after that.



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A buddy hooked me up with a new servo for the cruise control. Nice to have on those long trips to visit family up in Michigan.





I ordered a new carpet kit to replace the NASTY original carpet. But of course what did I find after ripping the old out? Fabbed up a new section of floor plan for the driver side. I ended up cleaning and fiberglassing the passenger side. A lot of curves, and bends I would of had a hard time replicating. Is still pretty solid. Good enough for a daily driver.























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Also added a grant tuff wheel to replace the nasty cracked tilt wheel.



Here's where I am now... Last weekend I picked up a '75 charger parts car out of Tampa, that I had posted in another thread. I pulled everything I needed/wanted from it. Mostly interior pieces.



Was a center console car to boot!











So far I've swapped out the sunvisors. The ones out of the charger cleaned up beautifully!



When I first got the cordoba, the links on the rear sway bar were loose. When trying to tighten them up they broke (ofcoarse) so removed it. I was lucky enough to get the one off the charger, and onto the Cordoba with now problems.



Also swapped out the passenger door glass. The original had a bunch of scratches in it.



I'm hoping to redo, and add the center console soon. A friend has some 3rd gen bucket seats I'm hoping to install along with the console. Also need to redye a bunch of interior pieces, and get her looking good again.

 

[roadrunnerron]

Love what you've done. Thanks for the pics. By the way I'm looking for the grills and chrome trim piece from a charger. Wonder if you have them and would sell them.

 

[monaco75]

Thanks!

What trim pieces are you needing? The guy kept the front header panel, bumper, and a couple other things as souvenirs for his mom. It was her first car.. Was hoping to get the header myself...

 

[ODZKing]

VERY nice job. I have a friend and happens to be the prez of our Mopar club with a 77 Charger. I always loved those cars as I had a 78 Magnum. But they are so un-noticed it's sad. Great part of Mopar history.

I'm liking that Monaco police car in the garage too! :glasses2:
74, 75 or 76? There are several folks who have old State Trooper cars around here we see from time to time

 

[monaco75]

That charger is just plain BAD ***!!! I love it! It is sad how unappreciated these cars are. Thy are great cruisers. I think they look great too!

The Monaco in the garage is my baby. Was my first real running, and driving Mopar. She's the Bluesmobile. She's been in the garage the last 2 years getting a TON of metal done to her. Also have a rebuilt 440 waiting to go in after the metal work.





















I have an extremely long thread with tons of pics over on the C body site-http://www.forcbodiesonly.com/mopar-forum/threads/the-bluesmobile.3100/

 

[Auggie56]

Nice work of saving that 77' Cordoba. I worked at a Chrysler dealer in the seventies. The 77' to 79's where my favorite years.

 

[roadrunnerron]

Tell me about those interior lights. Love them and want to do the same for mine. Is there anything beyond changing the bulbs. Do you have a brand of bulb and part number?

 

[monaco75]

Tell me about those interior lights. Love them and want to do the same for mine. Is there anything beyond changing the bulbs. Do you have a brand of bulb and part number?

There was a thread on here, or maybe another forum? about them. I don't have any part #'s off hand. They are a simple plug in replacement. Only downside with them, is they don't work %100 with the dimmer switch. They dim down maybe %25 then just shut off.

The main things to look forward when getting some, is make sure thy are "super bright" as regular LEDs arn't bright enough. Also make sure they are wedge bulbs (led's all the way around, and not just one led in one direction).

I got em off eBay for fairly cheap. Blue looks the best imo. Google your bulb number to led bulb. Then can hunt for them. They are still a little dim to me, but are a ton better then the oold bulbs with covers.

 

[slepr1]

Great story so far. Keep this thread going. My steering wheel is cracked as well but am saddened to replace it. If I do I might change out the complete column since I converted column shift to floor shift. My next project on my 77 is to swap out the stock gauges and replace with modern ones.

 

[monaco75]

Yea I wasn't looking forward to replacing the wheel either. But the old one was so cracked, and the plastic was really degrading. That on top of 38 years of hands, it smelled like crap!! I cleaned it severl times, but could never get rid of the smell.

Replacments seem non existant too..

 

[drodg58]

Nice job on the Cordoba. I really enjoyed this.

 

[jw16]

Please tells me you have extra charger parts that are un needed... cant find donor cars for my car in a good price range.
got mine in a trade and only cancer is on the trunk pan exactly where yours is just worse and spread to my rear outside rocker panel. Ill post some pics but i mainly need a grill and different seats as the bench needs redone and would love buckets and a center console.
i nearly cried when i saw you got a 75 parts car... i now know why im the only one with a 75 haha

 

[monaco75]

Please tells me you have extra charger parts that are un needed... cant find donor cars for my car in a good price range.
got mine in a trade and only cancer is on the trunk pan exactly where yours is just worse and spread to my rear outside rocker panel. Ill post some pics but i mainly need a grill and different seats as the bench needs redone and would love buckets and a center console.
i nearly cried when i saw you got a 75 parts car... i now know why im the only one with a 75 haha

Not too much left. The old girl was hauled off a few days after I brought her home.



The guy I got it from kept the header panel, front bumper, and a couple other things. Only 2 great body panels left were tue drivers door, and the hood. Im keeping the interior for my car. I've got a few pieces of trim available, mechanical parts, and small stuff.

 

[jw16]

Interested in selling any spare parts? Looking for interior and possible original wiper arm connecting clips, seats, dash pad, rear speaker cover, trunk pan, rocker panels, some good motor parts. Long shot but i learned never hurts, only helps to ask.

 

[roadrunnerh]

Very cool! I enjoy seeing different B-Bodies saved. Great work.

 

[monaco75]

Interested in selling any spare parts? Looking for interior and possible original wiper arm connecting clips, seats, dash pad, rear speaker cover, trunk pan, rocker panels, some good motor parts. Long shot but i learned never hurts, only helps to ask.

I sent you a PM. I do have wiper parts.

 

[streetmachine]

I have replace of a couple of burnt bulbs in the dash and ordered replacement LEDs for the dash bulbs. I'm just curious how hard is it to gain access to the bulbs? I'm assuming the column has to be dropped? Just curious? Thank you in advance.

 

[slepr1]

No the column does not need to be dropped. Just keep looking for the screw heads holding the trim and dash on. Its fairly easy and quick. Buy the best LED bulbs so you won't be disappointed.

 

[dodge1972]

Very impressed with the level of restoration. Keep posting great pictures. Just replace section of my dodge magnum trunk floor.

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Do you save 15 inch rims centers and trim rings. I have a set of rims, a 3 centers and no trim rings.

 

[monaco75]

Very impressed with the level of restoration. Keep posting great pictures. Just replace section of my dodge magnum trunk floor. View attachment 304861View attachment 304862

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Do you save 15 inch rims centers and trim rings. I have a set of rims, a 3 centers and no trim rings.

Man that looks familiar!! lol looks good! I didn't go too crazy on mine. Welded the patches in, made sure all the pin holes were filled, and grinded the welds down a bit. I didn't grind them 100% flush. Just enough to make sure there were no holes.

I have replace of a couple of burnt bulbs in the dash and ordered replacement LEDs for the dash bulbs. I'm just curious how hard is it to gain access to the bulbs? I'm assuming the column has to be dropped? Just curious? Thank you in advance.

The instrument cluster is fairly easy. The bottom cover (under the steering wheel comes out first. Then you can get the top cover off.

I did have to loosen up, and drop my column down a little bit. Not all the way off. Just backed the nuts down towards the bottom of the threads. Had to do this for the cover to clear the shifter, in order to get it out.

Also had to loosen one of the gauges up to access a bulb behond it. I think it was the oil gauge, but not %100 sure.

You might have to play with the prongs on the new leds to make a good connection. Might have to bend em out a bit, and wiggle them around in the socket. I had a coupl bulbs thay didnt want to make a solid connection. But all are working fine now after settling I guess lol..

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Glad you guys are liking the car. Thanks! Heres a couple shots from yesterday. Spent the day cleaning, polishing, and waxing the old girl. I'd love to get back working on her.. But the monaco is at the $$ stage, so it all goes there lol