Front end jacking points for a 71 E body

[echallenger70]

Hi All,

I'm new to the form, having just bought my first Challenger just a few days ago.  My question is: is it safe - okay - to put a jack under the engine cradle?  I'm use to GM A body cars (Chevelle - Cutlass - GTO) and they have a big hunk of metal at the engine cradle area.  Where the Challenger's cradle area seems much less robust.  The car I bought is a convertible so I would rather not lift it from the sides or the bumper as to not flex the body more than necessary.

If there is a better place to put the jack on the front end of the car (to get both front wheels off the ground) please let me know.  Also, is it true that the threads on the driver's side of the car are loosened in a clockwise rotation?

And if you've read this far, my Challenger is a 71, one family owner car from new.  It only has 43,000 miles.  Completely original EVERYTHING - paint, interior, nothing has been changed or updated from day one, except for engine and tranny seals.  It's a sweet running 318 with a 3 speed manual shift on the floor.  A beautiful piece of Chrysler history that I plan to preserve during my ownership.

Thanks for the help - Ed - Savannah, GA   

[Finoke]

Hi Ed,
Yes jack the car up in the front by centering the jack under the middle of the K frame that holds the engine. Then I put jack stands on each side where the lower control arms meet the left and right side of the k frame. At that point you can remove the jack. I own 2 convertibles and you are smart not to jack from the side.

Driver side wheels have left hand threaded studs if the car is original enough where the where never changed out to match the other side like most were.

[echallenger70]

Thanks for the info Finoke.  I appreciate it.

[torredcuda]

  The K-frame (Mopar speak for engine cradle) is pretty strong so jacking under the center of it is the best place. Since Finoke neglected to say it - 

[Skdmark]

1971's are all RH threaded wheel studs from the factory.
No problem to jack on the center of K frame.

[echallenger70]

Thanks to all who replied, I appreciate the help.
Ed

[MoparLeo]

  aboard. First thing to do is download a Factory Service Manual for you car. It s free, here is the link.
The first section, 0 is for maintenance and jack points are shown .

https://mymopar.com/service-manuals/

[dodj]

Also, is it true that the threads on the driver's side of the car are loosened in a clockwise rotation?

I think that is only '70's.
 
Love to see photos....

[echallenger70]

Thanks MoparLeo for the link to the service manual.  I love those books.  Problem is I will be reading it instead of working! 

Attached is a couple of pics from last week when we picked her up.  The only non stock item on the whole car are the fog lights that were added by the first owner just after delivery.  He told me they were  must have items in 1971.  Those will be the first things I carefully remove.

[Floyd]

That looks fantastic!  Is that color FJ6 (Green Go).  What a beauty.

[MoparLeo]

What I do is look up the section I need in the FSM. Andjust print out the pages I need.
Then you can take those pages out to your garage or shop and have them handy.
If they get dirty or messed up, just toss them. If they are good info you might use again. I hole punch them and have a binder for future reference.

[Finoke]

Beautiful Convertible and great find! Enjoy!

[echallenger70]

Floyd - It is F3 - the medium green metallic.  That is what I see from the build sheet. It is a cool 70's color for sure.

[dodj]

Wow. Nice car. You sure that's original paint? Looks pretty damn nice for 50+ year old paint.
Either way. I would love to own that car!

[echallenger70]

dodj - I  too was pretty skeptical about the car having original paint too.  But up close you can see the paint is cracking on both front fenders.  And there are other parts of the car too that you can clearly see the paint is 50 years old.  But for all intensive purposes, it is an excellent survivor paint job - especially at distance. I'm as sure as I can be that there is only one coat of paint on the car.  The pin stripping was a dealer add when new and you can see that it was hand painted.

Before purchasing it I spoke with the original owner that ordered the car new in the fall of 1970.  He told me a lot of its history.  The Challenger was used very sparingly and always garaged.  He sold the car to his brother in-law in 1997 and it had about 31,000 miles on it then.  The brother in-law put the last 12,000 miles on in the last 17 years! The car has always been loved and well cared for. It's an honor to have found it.