On the road to completing a childhood fantasy

[cold]

Hello all!

My name is Zan (short for "Alexander"). I bought my 1972 Charger when I was still in high school around 1996. Since then I've moved to Chicago and had to put the car in a garage for almost 10 years. Now I have a very good job and am able to afford to pay someone to fix up my car for me instead of investing countless hours doing everything myself with my limited knowledge and tools.

Here's what she looked like when I got it towed from the storage lot to the race shop:

http://i.imgur.com/GmM4Xw5.jpg

And here's what she looks like with new wheels:

http://i.imgur.com/ReEhiww.jpg

Right now the race shop is looking over the drivetrain, electrical, brake, steering, and the exhaust system. Once that's all done I hope to get some body restoration done. Mainly some rust work and hopefully replace the trunk lid.

Do any of you know where I can find a solid trunk lid replacement? Or would I be better to fabricate my own patch work by cutting out the rust spots and welding in new metal pieces?


Anyway, I stumbled on this website today after doing some searching for B-body part replacements. I'm so glad a community like this exists online!


Cheers,

Zan

 

[Budnicks]

welcome to FBBO
good luck with your ol'72 Charger

 

[Car Nut]

aboard Zan!

 

[Photon440]

Hi Zan, welcome! :wav::wav:

Good luck with the Charger. Care to show a picture of said trunk lid rust?

-=PHoton440=-

 

[Mogre]

Welcome Zan. Nice looking Charger.

 

[super-bee_ski]

Whoa!

YEAH!

Real sweet with the Cragars...I MUST SAY!

Welcome aboard and thanks for jouning the Forum.
VERY NICE CAR!

 

[YY1]

Clean deck lids are hard to find.

If you got the metal work skills, great.

I got appreciation for a 72 SE.

What's the specs?

 

[Basket case]

good project, love the Cragars!

 

[Redhorse719]

Welcome to FBBO Zan! Post pictures as the work progresses please.

 

[mr. b]

welcome to FBBO keep us posted on your progress

 

[747mopar]

Welcome aboard.

 

[Coyoteduster]

Welcome to the site, good looking old Mopar!

 

[aldal]

welcome to FBBO keep us posted on your progress

x2.

 

[67440chrg]

Welcome!!

 

[furyus]

Welcome! nice Charger.

 

[eric383]

Welcome Zan. It is a sweet ride. Good luck.

 

[cold]

Hey, thanks everyone! I really appreciate the warm welcome. I will post pictures as I can.

For the people asking for specs, I the original motor was a 400 2BBL powerhouse (from what I'm told) the original owner put in after she raced the car in Idaho back in the late 80s-90s. I was told she used to have different engines ranging from a 440 4BBL to a Hemi 6BBL before turning it into a daily driver.

When I got a hold of it the car had a 400 2BBL and a A727 trans with a stock axle ratio. After a few years I saved up to buy a 4BBL refurbished Edelbrock carb to help get the car to pass Utah emissions. Unfortunately, and sadly, the engine bay caught fire one day when trying to move the car out of the driveway. A neighbor ran over to put out the fire with a chemical extinguisher while the engine was running. The chemicals were sucked into the engine. Piston rings were trashed. The oil was contaminated. The engine was junk.

It wasn't until a few years later when I was working for Toyota where I met a man who owned a race shop in California. He had built a stroked out 400 for his son-in-law's Dodge truck; but unfortunately for him his son-in-law became disinterested in Dodges thereafter. Once he heard of my story he quickly jumped at the chance to sell me his engine.

I bought the motor from him only to get an offer from Chicago weeks after renting a cherry-picker and dropping the engine in. I never even had a chance to start it up and hear what she sounded like. I bound new Hooker brand headers, exhaust, and everything. I had the car towed to a lot so I could buy some time to figure out what to do with my baby.

Almost 10 years later and now I have an answer to finance the project.

I'll post pictures when I can but it's at my mechanic's discretion. I'm out of state and he only takes so many pictures when I ask. I don't want to be a bother especially when I'm paying him good money to do a quality job. No sense in bothering him with photography on the side - you know what I mean?

Again, thanks for the welcome. I am humbled.

The plan is to drive cross-country back to Chicago. I plan on taking hundreds of photos along the way with my childhood best friend. It's been our dream. We used to talk about "When either of us gets our Charger or Chevelle running we'll drive cross-country and tear up the road!" Unfortunately his Chevelle was wrecked in 96 or 97 when a VW came around a corner too fast.

Now it's up to me to fulfill the dream.