HUGE (imho) Challenger design flaw?

[gumby]

When I first got my Challenger, I couldn't understand why the rear had chrome surrounds, but the front did not?

Bugged the hella out of me. Found that to fix this discrepency, I must buy 70 headlight bezels, and convert them/car to fit. Thankfully someone makes reproduction hood lip chrome.
And reproduction head light bezels.

Does this bother anyone else?
Has anyone done this conversion? '72 Challenger. It's nit picky - and probably no one else would notice or care, but I do.

It just looks stupid with chrome on the rear, and not up front, to me. Anyone else?

[RUNCHARGER]

I don't mind it actually.

[6bblgt]

the front end design was new for '72 - they used "last year's" mouldings on the rear

budget must've been tight - designers probably wanted body color mouldings on the rear also 

[gumby]

That's what get's me - there wasn't "body colored" mouldings on the rear, there was just cheap fiberglass, and lack of mouldings on the front. My '73 Charger didn't
have a lack of chrome! lol

[dodj]

It has never bothered me, but it would be easier to paint the rear trim than 'chrome up' the front. Depends on your preference I guess.

[HP2]

Yea, that's kinda bugged me on occasion.

[MoparDave]

It is how they were made. Is it odd yes. But it is what it is. I've had my 73 since 1985 and it doesn't bother me a bit.
Until now I really cant remember anyone or customers having a major issue with this. 

I do have the 70 and 71 headlamp bezels in stock as well as the 70 and 71 hood lip molding.

http://www.rosevillemoparts.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=head+lamp+bezel&search_in_description=1&imageField.x=0&imageField.y=0

http://www.rosevillemoparts.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=hood+molding&search_in_description=1&imageField.x=0&imageField.y=0

[gumby]

chrome is GOOD! lol

[RUNCHARGER]

I think the front end treatment might not look quite right with bright surrounds. I agree if it bothers you it would be a lot easier to paint the rear moldings body colour.

[gumby]

It is how they were made. Is it odd yes. But it is what it is. I've had my 73 since 1985 and it doesn't bother me a bit.
Until now I really cant remember anyone or customers having a major issue with this. 

I do have the 70 and 71 headlamp bezels in stock as well as the 70 and 71 hood lip molding.

http://www.rosevillemoparts.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=head+lamp+bezel&search_in_description=1&imageField.x=0&imageField.y=0

http://www.rosevillemoparts.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=hood+molding&search_in_description=1&imageField.x=0&imageField.y=0

Income tax return time - consider them mine, lol. It was The Very FIRST thing I noticed when I got my car. I thought the body shop forgot to put the chrome
on the front end. Bugged the HELLA out of me. It really bugs me! Stupid, but it is what it is.
VERY FIRST THING I NOTICED! Not anything about the rest of the car, just WHY was the chrome missing on the front end? Not how beautiful it was - why the
missing chrome? lol. Serious. Didn't realize the design flaw, until I googled it.

I realize it will take work to get it all together. I don't want body colored rear - that would suck even worse. IMHO.
To each his own, I guess.

Sorry Dave, I guess that makes me a freak, lol. Or a one of none Mopar guy - for a Challenger that never existed. I just really can't stand the way it looks right now.
It really bugs me? I'm weird, I'll admit it. Seriously freaked me out when I first got my Challenger, and bugs me to this day. That's all. I can't get over it.

[Flatdad]

Your post made me wonder what it would look like to add the chrome. A quick google image search popped a familiar car!

Remember the Challenger on the tow truck chase scene in the original 'Gone in 60 Seconds'? Well that car was a '70 updated with '73 parts. Its got a '73 non rallye grill and front bumper with '70 chrome molding. Looks like they also painted the fiberglass part of the front black.

I actually really like it, it really makes the front end 'pop'!

[HP2]

Color can really influence how the chrome does or doesn't help in appearance.  With darker colors it is more noticeable than with lighter colors. On my dark blue car is really obvious and the rear chrome makes a nice transition piece to the black tail light panel. in the front, it is all a bit washed out  looking. I suppose if I had argent panels, it might be  a bit less obvious.

I figure if it bothers me enough, I'll adapt earlier trim to it all, but again, I think its all a combination of body color, grill color,  and surround color as a set.

[Burdar]

72 is right around the time when the factory started trying to cut costs and standardize parts between car lines.  A one piece front fascia was probably a lot cheaper to manufacture then a three piece(or more) setup.  Side marker lights were standardized in 72 on A, B and E bodies.  Both Challenger and Cuda started using the same exterior door handles as well.  In 73, the fender mounted turn signals became standard across the board and the Challenger started using the Cuda style vinyl top.  No longer did you have extensive year to year changes like before.

[PLUM72]

I've had my 72 Challenger for over 20 years.  The front painted verses rear chrome never really bothered me.  The chrome surround on the rear kind of matches with the bumper and makes a bit of a "ring" around the tail light panel.  On the front, the chrome trim in the lower valance on the 72-74 always bothered me so that was the first thing to go.

With that said, I always felt the 72-74 Challengers were ideal candidates for some real customizing in the front and rear.  Many prefer the 70-71 front/rear ends and as a result these cars seem to hold value a better.  This makes customizing the 72-74 a bit easier as tastefully modified they might bring value.  Finding tastefully done mods to the front and rear are difficult to find though.  So many like myself have kept things mostly stock appearing.

When I come across some cool custom modifications to the front or rear 72-74, I try and save some of the photos.  Like I said they seem to be tough to find.  You do see alot of people painting the chrome and bumpers for more of the monochromatic look.  Depending on the overall execution it can look dated.

[HP2]

Agreed.

I'm got fixed headlight covers on the front of my Challenger and blacked out the grill trim surround. Completely changes the look of the front end. Next steps will involve a more flush mounted grill and operational headlight covers, ala Charger.

Out back is getting mods as well. The 4 light  opposed system will turn in to a 6 light sequential layout. Each set of three lights per side will have the same angle and corner orientation unlike the stock layout of opposing angles and opposite corners. The large flat center section will be practically eliminated and only hold the key cylinder for the trunk.

Whether or not this will also get a chrome surround on the front end is still TBD. I do like how the rear trim creates a nice loop with the chrome bumper and think that would complete the look for the front as well.