Should I Get This 74 CHARGER?! Please Look

[ajay716]

hey i signed up in hopes of getting this 74 charger and i need some educated opinions on if the car is worth it...
so like i said its a 1974, with 116,000 on it.
It has the 318 and its automatic.
now ive been wanting a muscle car for awhile now, i live in buffalo ny and there is just hardly ever anything around in my price range.
im not looking for crazy power i just like the look and the feel if you get what i mean...but anyway on to the car.
it has a leaky radiator, the headliner is gone, the interior is okay(needs new front seats and new carpet but dash is good), no heat(no heater core)and he says it(steering wheel?) shakes around 65....but the good thing i guess is he still drives it..so it cant be that bad right? lol
now for the body...the frame is solid, just surface rust, almost half of the trunk pan needs to be replaced, but he already covered it with metal, this lead me to check if the floor pans were, and he said there was a smaller hole in driver side floor pan which was also covered(screwed in) by metal. the roof also has surface rust from removing the vinyl top i guess. the actual body is good...there really isnt much rust at all except on the roof... then theres a couple smaller holes like right under the rocker where the body meets it underneath the car which isnt that bad at least you cant see it, literally at the most probably 4, smaller than your kids hand probably. theres been a little bit of body work done, not the best but it just needs to be smoothed out. the car is in primer right now so it would also need paint which isnt a big deal to me. im not looking for a perfect show car,im looking for something i can work on and enjoy, something that will be worth it in the end and that i can keep. i work on cars so i can do alot of the little and somewhat big stuff myself, i just need to know if you guys think its worth it or am i gonna get myself into something i cant handle? also, are there any things i should specifically look for on this year that would be a deal breaker? like anything that always goes bad on these or something that would make the car not worth getting?
thanks for your time. Oh i almost forgot, he wanted 4600 and said it was a steal...i knew that was too high so i offered him 3500 and he accepted. i dont think ill be able to go any lower, so let me know, thanks again!

[daytona71]

Hi AJAY
From the pictures, the charger should be a good investment. I would suggest to check the frame rails, rear crossmember, inside front fenders near area of hood hinge, rear inner fender wells. These can be a common area for rust in these B bodies. The shake at 65 could be as simple as tires out of balance, or worn steering components like ball joints, tie rod ends, idler arm  and pitman arm. The existing rust holes can be repaired with new metal
Looks like a good project to get you into the world of Chargers. Good luck

[72Charger-SE]

I am no expert.  I will agree that this looks like a good project especially since you can drive it and work on items while you enjoy the car.  Any Charger that is almost 40 years old is going to need repairs unless you spend $25-30k.  Based on what I purchased my 72 Charger for I would say that $3500 for a running, functional, and drivable Charger is good price. 

Definitely look 'underneath' and see what problems you might have before you make the investment.   Remember...  EVERYTHING costs more with a Dodge Charger...  so budget your repairs accordingly.  Prioritize them by 'need' not 'want'.   

Example:  You NEED to fix the shaking at 65MPH.  You don't NEED to repair a torn seat or headliner. 

In my opinion...

[ODZKing]

I agree with all said previously here.
For me I guess it would depend on what you think you're getting.  I have a 73 that came from California. No rust but PO had no idea what he was doing with the car.  To get everything back to right, I have at least 30,000 into it and still a few more things to do. You either spend little on the car and spend a lot on fixing rust or spend more on a rust free car to spend less on body work. Restoring interior and mechanical is what it is no matter and it can get costly unless you know what you are doing.
To me, the PO on that car wasn't exactly what I would call and expert on repairs, that is obvious from the condition it is in from the pics you posted. Removing the roof, leaving it in primer, rust "patches".  No doubt there is much he hasn't told you and you haven't found yet, I will all but gaurantee that.
Is it a bad price, no ... I'd say fair.  But if you think it won't be much work to get it all back to correct, think again.
One thing will lead to another and then you'll find all the things you didn't see before.
Just my 

[ajay716]

thanks for the quick reply guys, i thought it was a decent deal too. They are so rare up here its hard to get one let alone one thats running...daytona thank you, i will check those areas. i checked the frame already though and like i said it was solid so thats good, the shaking will annoy me but thats an easier fix unless i cant figure out wth it is lol.  As for the rust holes it will give me a chance to put my welding skills to work...and 72charger, you're right i could drive the thing with no interior as long as it's driving im good. Im going to fix it up slowly but surely, and the right way. i dont mind how it looks now honestly, im gonna clean it up when i get it home and just enjoy it, but i dont plan on doing anything really cosmetically until i get the radiator fixed and i inspect the suspension further, so dont worry, I will prioritize.   thanks again

oh one more thing....look at this guys steering wheel!!!(and the interior) lmao!! what was he thinking?

[ajay716]

odz, you're right, he seems like the guy to know what hes talking about kinda but when it comes down to the work hes half-ass...as you can see lol. i know that there will be things that hes probably not telling me, but how can i know if i never get it? if anything i could always resell it and get some of my cash back, or even make out who knows. thats why i was asking if there are any telltale signs of a catastrophe happening that i could look for that would make it not worth it. but thank you i need to come down to reality because i was getting too excited i know that there will be other things, but as long as those other things can be replaced and they arent essential to the cars driving/safety i dont mind. but if its still on the road to this day like i said it cant be "that" bad right? im not looking for a show car i just want something to appreciate and work on myself and that drives...but you're right i do need to be prepared for it cause i know itl happen...its happened on almost all of my other cars ive bought whether its miniscule or a CEL so what can i expect ha, and i get pissed. But its something that comes with the price and i accept that. like i said as long as she drives safely and looks decent...im good 

[billssuperbird]

 

[ajay716]

any other tips for when i look at the car? i need to know basically what typically go bad on these and what would make the car not worth it? (ex. like a rusted frame in a common area or something with the axles?) any recalls or things that should have been recalled? basically any tips you can give on pre-purchase inspections/questions i should ask. thanks.

[Hard Charger]

ajay


if its able to be driven safely the price is a good deal. looks old school.

remember you will not make it a 30k car with out spending 35k first.

[twodko]

Snatch it up.

When you remove that steering wheel............you need to do that most riki tik,
Keep it and mount that on the wall of your man cave.

Butt ugly, ghetto, low rider, gangbanger classic. It's gotta live in your garage!

[JB400]

Here's a nice thread to read to give you an idea of where to look on these cars.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,92592.100.html

I know these cars are rare in your area, but I'd be careful of any car that's covered in just primer.  It hides lots of surprises.

First thing to go.... That steering wheel.

[ajay716]

well hardcharger, i dont plan on spending that much lol but i promise i will have it looking nice when im done with it...if that day ever comes(when im done with it i mean) and twod lmaoo i think i will hang it up...i think he thought he was cheech or something haha no more tips for when i look at the car?

[72Charger-SE]

I am no expert.  I will agree that this looks like a good project especially since you can drive it and work on items while you enjoy the car.  Any Charger that is almost 40 years old is going to need repairs unless you spend $25-30k.  Based on what I purchased my 72 Charger for I would say that $3500 for a running, functional, and drivable Charger is good price. 

Definitely look 'underneath' and see what problems you might have before you make the investment.   Remember...  EVERYTHING costs more with a Dodge Charger...  so budget your repairs accordingly.  Prioritize them by 'need' not 'want'.   

Example:  You NEED to fix the shaking at 65MPH.  You don't NEED to repair a torn seat or headliner. 

In my opinion...

Ok...

Change of plan...  A new steering wheel is a NEED...  not a want...   #1 Priority!       Good Luck with build!!

[Homerr]

The trunk is rusty for a reason, check the bottom channel of the rear window.  Chargers usually have issues with the rear windows/vinyl top that leaks in to the trunk and then the trunk extensions/lower rear quarter area.

Does it have a fender tag (drivers side inner fender under the hood)?  Broadcast sheet (these are usually in the springs of the rear seat, though they can be in other areas or missing)?

http://www.stockmopar.com/mopar-fender-tag-decoder.php


Sounds like a decent deal.  Do a bit of work on it and drive it.  Save the restoration part for later.  

[F8-4life]

In 2011 I bought a car similar to that for $2300 and I am also in the rust belt so they are rare here too. Honestly I would say pass on it.
You have to consider what it would take to get that car up to the level you want and how much $$ would have to be sunk into it.
This car sounds like you could put a couple thousand into it easily so why not save your money and efforts and pick up a rust free unmolested car for around 5k.
This will save you so many headaches for sure. Also I would say get a 73-74 charger with the normal 1/4 window and preferable without a vinyl top.
This car sounds like somebody daily beater.

[Sublime/Sixpack]

You could do worse for $3500. But with that said, if you buy that car you'd better expect to go through everything to make it right! And that's going to take a lot of time, work and money!
My perspective and situation is different than yours, but if someone I know or their son, etc., came to me and asked what my honest opinion of that car is I'd tell them to walk away from it and look for something more original/unmolested.

If you go through with the purchase I hope it all works out well for you.

[72Charger-SE]

Upon further consideration..

If I am not mistaken a car 'in primer' is susceptible to moisture seeping in since the primer is expecting paint to join it as some point?  You may have future rust issues on the whole car if you don't strip the entire thing down to bare metal.  I thought I would do some basic repairs, add a 440 and be whipping donuts already with my car.  Once i had is soda blasted the metal issues became obvious.  So, I built a rotisserie and a full rotisserie restoration is taking place...  Mine was 'just in primer' as well.   They forgot to tell me about the 40lbs of bondo they used under the primer. 

?? the car is in primer right now

[41husk]

$3,500 does not sound bad, I would advice to get as finished as you can afford.  Even if that means having to pay $500-$1000 to have it shipped to you.

[Dino]

I guess I'm the odd man out but I think $3500 is too much for that car.  Those pinholes you mention are only pinholes until you dig deeper.  There seems to be too much going on with that car to be a good deal, at least to me.  I have a funny feeling about that car.  Something tells me that it's going to be much more of a money pit than what it seems to be.  I have restored many cars in the past and if there is one car I will never ever buy, it's one that has been 'modified' by the previous owner as this one is.  In the end, after dumping a ton of money into it, you still only have a 318 '74.  If that is exactly what you want then sure go for it (although it's still a high price), but is it what you want?   

[Ghoste]

It will always be worse once you dig into it.  I think you should go for it, it doesn't seem like a bad deal.  As musclecar projects go, you aren't going to find anything cheaper so if that is in your budget, it looks like a good place to start and jump into the hobby without taking out a second mortgage.

[Tilar]

It does have crappy seats and steering wheel, it has a plain standard dash, It needs tires and probably needs $600 or so worth of front end work (Chrysler was NOT noted for the quality of their front end parts), It needs rust issues repaired, BUT...... It looks like it has an AM/FM radio, it is an AC car, it looks like it has old school Keystone wheels, it runs under its own power and it IS A CHARGER! I don't think $3500 sounds bad at all.  

[Ghoste]

Off topic, but I'd take the Mopar front end over the Ford and GM ones any day.

[will721]

I'm a bit late to chime in but better late than never I suppose.

First of all make sure you really look at that body. I don't know about others but primered cars scare me, simply because it usually means that someone at some point at least attempted to do body work on the vehicle. Especially when it's grey primer because that generally means it's the cheap multipurpose primer sold in every auto part store. Alot of people use it to cover up work due to its flat dull color. So make sure you do the knock test on the whole car. Metal has a distinct sound pitch, which is very much different than bondo. Make sure you thump the rockers, quarter panels, fenders, hood, anywhere that you typically see rust on any older vehicle. Look down the side of the car, the body line should be smooth and uniform. Look for any uneven areas. Take a good hard look under the hood and at the frame rails to see if theres any evidence of an accident too.

Sounds to me like the guy is a hack who didn't put any effort into any of the work he has done so far. Covering rusted sheet metal, not even bothering to inspect the source of the shake, using cheap primer, ect. So it would not be out of place for him to attempt to do body work with the same enthusiasm. As long as he hasn't touched the body the car seems great for the price. These cars are rare, since they were pretty much dubbed undesirable by a good portion of the muscle car world during the initial spike so most of them were scrapped. Finding a good clean one, especially on the sale plane and at a decent price is quite uncommon. At the initial price it isn't bad but at 3500 if the car is indeed in good condition is a steal.

I recommend that after obtaining the car you save a bit of money and have the exterior media blasted. You can then reprimer the car. This will immediately let you know where to start the restoration and really show the true condition of the car. Then you can patch the trunk and floor panels, fix the shake and have a bit of fun driving it before the real work begins. But that's just my $.02 really. Take it with a grain of salt.

Yours truly,
Will

[ajay716]

well actually yeah the charger was one of the best looking ever made...
but anyway WOW
thats all i can say. he comes over and i take it for a drive first of all who made those pedals so hard to push? lmao im used to driving my deville around so big change ha. anyway the shit was pretty bad, he pops the hood and theres no air filter ...i ask him where it is he says he hasnt run one in years and never had a problem...yeah right. the shit idled like it had a cam which i dont think is good cause its stock...rough idle. shitty exhaust note too and he has side pipes that dont even look good. the worst was the tranny though, like it drives...but it will slip into higher gears randomly and be slow as balls. i dont really know what to expect cause these dont have that much hp and a boat but it seems way more sluggish than what it should. i thought i was going to die when i pressed the brakes too and that fuckin steering wheel!! that shit was stupid. all in all i would have gotten it if the tranny wasnt bad which i was sooo upset about. talk about waste of a good car i wanted it bad too but i knew if i got it the tranny would go and i wouldnt even be able to have a good time cause its so sluggish. thanks for everyones responses but like i said if it wasnt for the tranny i would have gotten it. i went from to 

[Ghoste]

Don't sweat it man, there are always plenty of other cars coming along.  The good part is, just keep hanging around here and I'll bet somebody hooks you up before you know it.