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New member... Loooong time passionate fan who finally achieved his dream...

Jon JB Burnley

Jon JB Burnley

Active Member
Local time
11:44 AM
Joined
Mar 9, 2022
Messages
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Location
Richmond, Va.
My Father loved to tell the story of when we watched "Bullitt" together how I ignored the Mustang but would not shut up about, "That black car..."

Well, took some 40+ years, but I got my Dodge Charger!!!

1972 Dodge Charger... Any advice, parts leads, etc. would be greatly appreciated. Using the usual routes for most parts, (alternator, belts, hoses, etc.) Still need things like tail lights, seat covers, driver side front fender, lower quarter repair panels, etc.

Looking forward to being a productive part of this community...

Charger.jpg
 
Welcome from Michigan the Motor City! Nice looking Charger project you have there. 440'
 
Welcome from Alabama, nice project you have there.
 
Jon JB Burnley said:
My Father loved to tell the story of when we watched "Bullitt" together how I ignored the Mustang but would not shut up about, "That black car..."

Well, took some 40+ years, but I got my Dodge Charger!!!

1972 Dodge Charger... Any advice, parts leads, etc. would be greatly appreciated. Using the usual routes for most parts, (alternator, belts, hoses, etc.) Still need things like tail lights, seat covers, driver side front fender, lower quarter repair panels, etc.

Looking forward to being a productive part of this community...

View attachment 1252268
Click to expand...
Welcome to the site and check out some of the site vendors in the vendors section of the classifieds. https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/#vendor-forums.39 Also browse the parts for sale section here.
https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/#mopar-parts-and-cars-marketplace.12
 
Jon JB Burnley said:
My Father loved to tell the story of when we watched "Bullitt" together how I ignored the Mustang but would not shut up about, "That black car..."

Well, took some 40+ years, but I got my Dodge Charger!!!

1972 Dodge Charger... Any advice, parts leads, etc. would be greatly appreciated. Using the usual routes for most parts, (alternator, belts, hoses, etc.) Still need things like tail lights, seat covers, driver side front fender, lower quarter repair panels, etc.

Looking forward to being a productive part of this community...

View attachment 1252268
Click to expand...

Start looking at the calendar for swap meets. That is a great way to find stuff.
 
Tell us more about that car.

What engine and options?

Before you get too deep-

Have you checked the cowl and door hinge panels for rust?
(take off the screens near the windshield wipers, and get your hand/arm down in as far as it will go, paying particular attention to the base of the actual openings)

That's a VERY common area for 71-74 cars to rust out and is very difficult/expensive to repair.

IIRC everything you mention above besides the fender is or was reproduced recently.
 
Awesome, congrats! I felt the same way about the '67 Satellite, searched for years before I found mine... Still does it for me every time I look at it.

One thing I would advise you to prioritize above all else is rust control.
If you are going to do a frame-off and replace sheetmetal and do it 100%, cool; If not, read on.
-Wire wheel on a drill and POR-15 work wonders for those hard to reach spots under the car. I will suit up, put on some goggles and a hoodie, get on the creeper, and focus on a single area for an hour or so, wirebrushing as best i can and then slathering with POR-15. Knock off loose undercoat, get under it. Wheel arches, under dash, inside trunk, etc. A few weeks of doing this an hour at a time and you will have the whole car done. The rust creeps really fast, especially if you drive it regularly and store outside. Also look at the inside of your doors. Rust-oleum makes a spray over rust paint.. forget whats its called... good for those impossible-to-reach spots.

Another piece of advice is to buy original parts as much as possible. Restored/reconditioned original stuff is worth more than repros - literally better quality, you aren't just paying for cork-sniffing. Most repro stuff, especially interior trim, chrome plated plastic, rubber and soft goods - suck. And are crazy expensive.

Also remember to budget 2x as much time and money to complete any little project you are going to start on the car. You will always identify more stuff to fix when you start pulling parts off.

Finally - if you are going to daily drive the car or rely on it in any way, I HIGHLY reccommend getting the electrical sorted ASAP. Get a solid-state regulator, put a piggybag charging wire from alternator to starter relay terminal, use a pertronix ignitor ignition to ditch the points (still looks stock) and get a relay kit for the lights. A couple hundred bucks well spent, will make the car a new animal. Mine has all the following and is ROCK SOLID reliable, have driven cross-country 2x. Starts right up every time, hot, cold whatever. There are good articles for all those mods on this site and on FABO.

I would prioritize all these things i mentioned before you go for speed parts. Those are fun additions but don't really add to driveability or reliability. Good luck!
 
Welcome aboard from NJ. I am impressed that you kept that passion all these years. Best of luck with it. It's about time!!!
:thumbsup:
 
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