1974 Challenger Restomod

[Dmod1974]

Your last couple of posts the photos never loaded correctly it seems. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress! 

Which posts with pics can't you see?  They look fine on my end.  Is anyone else having trouble viewing them?

[ClarkWGrizwald]

Post 29 no pics showing....empty boxes

Sent from my LG-H932 using Tapatalk

[Dmod1974]

Teething issues from using Google Photos, I suppose....  Could someone check post 26 and let me know if it is working again?  If it is, I'll fix 28 as well.

[YellowThumper]

Wow you had jumped in thoroughly there.
Attention to your steps shows you are on correct path. As offered earlier. Mine is an unmolested original 74 Challenger if you need anything measured or pictured.

Body unmolested but...
360 w/magnum accessories w/MS3X and LS coils in the works.
How does your setup run?

Mike.

[Dmod1974]

Wow you had jumped in thoroughly there.
Attention to your steps shows you are on correct path. As offered earlier. Mine is an unmolested original 74 Challenger if you need anything measured or pictured.

Body unmolested but...
360 w/magnum accessories w/MS3X and LS coils in the works.
How does your setup run?

Mike.

It runs quite well!  I have a custom made Jeep CMP sensor in the distributor location so it is full sequential.  I use a Hall sensor with a custom bracket reading a custom made 36-1 trigger wheel that bolts to the back of the crank pulley.  Drives great, starts like a new car, runs like one, and I get low to mid 20's MPG when cruising.  I have dual widebands and utilize closed loop controls for that and idle.  I also have an FRP sensor, dual knock sensors, and an EOP sensor so I can enable derates and engine shutdown protection modes.  My MS3X controls IAC, A/C, low/high fans, a number of warning lights, launch control, and talks to the MS2 based TCM as well.

If it weren't for the power limitations of 40+ year old Mopar SB tech, I'd probably stick with it.  But I'm really wanting more power and a warrantied, modern production Hellcrate with factory engineered and readily available parts is very tempting.  My current build is cool, but the level of frankensteining and aftermarket/ancient tech parts makes me hesitant to road trip it.  I also don't want to run a race block and heads; if I spend that much money I want better HP return on it and would just go 3G Hemi or Big Block.

Can someone confirm if the pics on Post 26 are working now??

[JonH]

Don't know how you tell what # each post is but no, pics don't show on next to last post on 2nd page.

[JS29]

Reply # 28 = nothing on my end.

[YellowThumper]

Yea the pics are still not working.
Most of what you have is my setup also.
Crank trigger, 302 cam trigger also. All wired and plumbed in but life has been in the way from actually firing it with MS.
Will stick with my Frankenstein. And... some turbos on a 5.9 Magnum.
I have a build on here if you have some free time.

Your build though is unbelievable. Especially for the low loved 74s.

Mike.

[usraptor]

Wow! Just found this post and to say I'm impressed would be an understatement.  Especially for a first attempt at body work. First to answer your question, no the pics still haven't posted.  After seeing all the rot/cancer on your car, I'm feeling even more fortunate that for a Utah car all I needed to replace on my car was the trunk floor pan and dutchman panel. We did the quarters due to prior collision damage.  I'm beginning to think my original owner didn't drive it during the winters but considering it had over 100K miles on the clock and was parked in 1983 I don't know.    Anyway, great job, especially of bracing everything before removing panels.  Keep up the good work and keep the pics coming. 

[Dmod1974]

Thank you! Ok, I gave up and went to IMGUR.  Hopefully you can see them now.  I'll upload more tonight.  I mocked up the 1/4, tail panel, lights, trunk lid, and trunk gutters.  Overall, looking pretty good, but I need to get the rear end of the quarter inboard more and it won't since the trunk extension seems to be interfering with it.

[Dmod1974]

I wanted to mock up everything out back before even thinking about installing the tail panel and 1/4.  The tail panel needed some dremel work for the lock cylinder hole, and I think the LH tail lamp holes need to be opened up a hair as well. 



I have a few issues to resolve with the 1/4 fitment though.  Probably the biggest one being this huge difference in width (or height?) between the door and 1/4.  Not sure which one is at fault since my old quarter was hacked and the body lines slathered under an inch of bondo.



The gaps taper a lot too.  Wide up top and too close on the bottom.



Next issue is that the 1/4 needs to come in a bit more toward the back.  I believe the tail panel and trunk extension are the issue, though I'm not sure how to resolve it.  The tail panel is as far to the passenger side as possible and butted up to that quarter inside.  Should I grind the perimeter of the tail panel on the driver side a little to allow the 1/4 to come in?





Not sure if I have an issue in this body line or not...  It looks like it should be flat, but when I hold the trim piece up to the panel it follows the same line.



The bumper seems to fit ok and the same on both sides at least.



The wheel well and front of the trunk extension seem to mate up to the 1/4 pretty well - I think.





The quarter also seems to bottom out on the end of the trunk extension a bit too, and the holes for the valence stud do not line up well at all.  They line up with the 1/4 holes, but the trunk extension ones are definitely off.  Not sure what to do here either...



Did they change the way the decklid filler to quarter seam welds in the later cars?  On my quarter, that lip is horizontal, but on my old one and the decklid filler it was vertical, as shown below.  I'll need to figure that out too.

[Cuda Cody]

WOW, Very nicely done.      

[YellowThumper]

Yes it appears you will need some slicing to bring things in.
Someone on another thread had issue with the lower rear window panel being too wide preventing quarter from coming in enough.

[Dmod1974]

Yes it appears you will need some slicing to bring things in.
Someone on another thread had issue with the lower rear window panel being too wide preventing quarter from coming in enough.

I don't think the decklid filler is the issue on mine, luckily.  The 1/4 wants to slide in more, but it is bottoming out and hitting the outer edge of the tail panel and trunk extension.  I'm going to confirm that the tail panel is centered on the rear crossmember, and if so, grind down the outer edge of the driver side so the quarter can come in more.  If it's not centered, I'll grind down the passenger side to get it to slide over more.

I'll still have to deal with the trunk extension holes lining up, but it should get my seam gaps tighter hopefully.

Any ideas on what's going on with the door to 1/4?  I'm not sure if my door is bent (wouldn't surprise me on this car) or if the 1/4 is at fault, and not sure how I would fix it either.

[RUNCHARGER]

I don't have a Challenger door right now but from memory it looks like the quarter needs adjusting on it's top six inches. Draw a profile of the right door onto a piece of cardboard  then cut it out with scissors and compare it to the drivers door and see if they're the same.
Right now the quarter is drooping down along the top of it along the trunk seam and along the quarter window surface.