Questions about 74 Charger SE

[workworkwork]

I recently purchases a 74 Charger SE. The pictures looked better than the car actually is. I have another 74 base model charger but there are a lot of differences between the two cars that I am not sure what is original and what is modified. So here are my questions because I am trying to get this car back to where it should be:

1) The SE has a rally dash. In the middle top of the rally dash is a small hole that always glows bright white. I thought that would have been the high beam signal. My base charger has a different dash with a small blue indicator for high beams. Should there be some kind of colored lense or something in that hole on the rally dash? If so what does it look like and where can I get it?
2) The SE has a floor console. The Steering column is a lot different than the one on my base model with shift on the column. In the SE steering column it as a tab sticking up on a steering column that pivots on the column. It seems to be a lock for the key. But when I turn the key the car will not start. I have to both turn the key and push in a button on the bottom of the dash and the car will start. Having been used to my base model charger this seems bizzare to me. Is that button push start original to the car or did someone add that? Should an SE just start by turning the key?
3) The doors don't quite fit properly. On the passenger side the window is actually about a quarter to a half inch too far forward to seal the gap at the front of the C pillar. Is that window position adjustable? Could someone have put a 71 or 72 door on the car to cause this issue? Not sure why this would be like that? Anyone have any ideas?
4) The doors don't line up properly. They kind of sick out at the bottom. Are these adjustable in some way? Could this be another sign the doors are not the correct year for the car?
5) The trunk is an aftermarket part. I can tell because it does not fit as well as it should and the paint pealed on the underside revealing an aftermarked unprepped surface. Does anyone know where I can find an original rust free trunk for a 74 charger? When I close the door of the car the metal is thin enough that you can actually see it flex on the trunk

I am sure I will have more questions as I go through the car more but these are enough for now. BTW. pictures can make a car look a lot better than it actually is. Even if the car is on the other side of the country I recommend going to see it in person before you buy it. I might not have purchased this car if I had seen it in person first. But now that I have it, in for a penny in for a pound.

[1972DodgeChargerSE]

1. That hole should have a little red "lense" in it that says brake.
2. Floor columns and column shift columns are very different. The floor one should have the depressor key lock thing like you talked about. Do you hold the button to start the car or just hit the button once? If you hold it my guess is it connects the starter when held. If you just push it on/off then it is probably just a normal kill switch. Either way it is after market.
3. Does the window seal at top? Maybe it is very slightly rolled down or maybe your seal is messed up?
4. You can adjust the stricker for the doors and that may help. Rebuilding hinges could also help. You could also just have doors that were poorly repaired after an accident.
5. It will be VERY hard to find a nice original trunk floor as any car with a nice trunk floor is likely restorable. You can also modify a AMD trunk floor for a 74. AMD metal is supposed to be very good and should fit well. I believe you could also switch to a 71-73 gas tank and not have to modify an AMD trunk floor, but Nacho will have to confirm this. If the deck lid is flexing when you shut it the skin has likley came seperated from the frame in the center and needs ro be reatached.
I hope that helps and good luck with restoring your 74s. You should also post pictures of your cars it would be nice to see them.

[workworkwork]

I should have been more clear on the trunk. It is actually the trunk lid that is aftermarket. The floor looks ok and original. But the trunk lid definitely not an original part. The metal is too thin and where the paint peeled on the underside you can see it is an aftermarket metal. So, I would need a trunk lid if I can find one.

[workworkwork]

1. That hole should have a little red "lense" in it that says brake.
2. Floor columns and column shift columns are very different. The floor one should have the depressor key lock thing like you talked about. Do you hold the button to start the car or just hit the button once? If you hold it my guess is it connects the starter when held. If you just push it on/off then it is probably just a normal kill switch. Either way it is after market.
3. Does the window seal at top? Maybe it is very slightly rolled down or maybe your seal is messed up?
4. You can adjust the stricker for the doors and that may help. Rebuilding hinges could also help. You could also just have doors that were poorly repaired after an accident.
5. It will be VERY hard to find a nice original trunk floor as any car with a nice trunk floor is likely restorable. You can also modify a AMD trunk floor for a 74. AMD metal is supposed to be very good and should fit well. I believe you could also switch to a 71-73 gas tank and not have to modify an AMD trunk floor, but Nacho will have to confirm this. If the deck lid is flexing when you shut it the skin has likley came seperated from the frame in the center and needs ro be reatached.
I hope that helps and good luck with restoring your 74s. You should also post pictures of your cars it would be nice to see them.

Thank you for the information. The button I just press and release. I am guessing there must have been something wrong in the steering column for them to add a button like that then. So that little hole should say brake. I wonder why the light is always on there. Where can I get the little missing lens for that spot? The emergency brake is not set. Maybe another fault to track down?

[1972DodgeChargerSE]

I should have been more clear on the trunk. It is actually the trunk lid that is aftermarket. The floor looks ok and original. But the trunk lid definitely not an original part. The metal is too thin and where the paint peeled on the underside you can see it is an aftermarket metal. So, I would need a trunk lid if I can find one.

Oh, sorry about that misumderstanding, a deck lid shouldn't be to hard to find look around on craigslist,they pop up relatively often here. You can also see if vegascharger has one he parted out a few 73/74s. Also any 3rd gen decklid will do, it doesn't need to be off a 74, as all the deck lids are the same.

[1972DodgeChargerSE]

1. That hole should have a little red "lense" in it that says brake.
2. Floor columns and column shift columns are very different. The floor one should have the depressor key lock thing like you talked about. Do you hold the button to start the car or just hit the button once? If you hold it my guess is it connects the starter when held. If you just push it on/off then it is probably just a normal kill switch. Either way it is after market.
3. Does the window seal at top? Maybe it is very slightly rolled down or maybe your seal is messed up?
4. You can adjust the stricker for the doors and that may help. Rebuilding hinges could also help. You could also just have doors that were poorly repaired after an accident.
5. It will be VERY hard to find a nice original trunk floor as any car with a nice trunk floor is likely restorable. You can also modify a AMD trunk floor for a 74. AMD metal is supposed to be very good and should fit well. I believe you could also switch to a 71-73 gas tank and not have to modify an AMD trunk floor, but Nacho will have to confirm this. If the deck lid is flexing when you shut it the skin has likley came seperated from the frame in the center and needs ro be reatached.
I hope that helps and good luck with restoring your 74s. You should also post pictures of your cars it would be nice to see them.

Thank you for the information. The button I just press and release. I am guessing there must have been something wrong in the steering column for them to add a button like that then. So that little hole should say brake. I wonder why the light is always on there. Where can I get the little missing lens for that spot? The emergency brake is not set. Maybe another fault to track down?

It could be something wrong but if the switch isn't in plain sight it is more than likely anti-theft. I don't know where or if you can buy the little lense, but the light constantly staying on is a bad thing as I believe it is a brake failure light. I don't really know much on how it works though but I am sure someone who does will chime in.

[Nacho-RT74]

71/72s and 73/74 althought interchanges without issues, will get a dif cilinder hole provision, so, will need to be sure which one you get to match the cilinder.

71/72 attachs with spring clips just like the doors, so the hole looks the same than the door ones... 73/74 are attached with a big nut, so hole is bigger AND with two flat areas to index and keep the cilinder in place while tightening the nut.


Cluster lenses... I recall somebody reproduce and selling those

[Nacho-RT74]

One note about the press and release button... It sounds just like the interlock reset button normally mounted at a side of ECU... Not saying is that but by your description, sounds similar

[workworkwork]

This is the 74 charger SE I purchased. You might have seen it on ebay recently It looks better in the pictures than it does in person. What the pictures hide is that all the chrome everywhere needs to be redone. Looks nice and shiny in the picture but it is all pitted and worn. The body looks good in the picture but in reality it has a lot of imperfections, waves and dings. The engine was spruced up. there is overspray on the oil filter where they sprayed the engine blue. The engine smokes a bit. The doors are worse in person than in the pictures. You really see they don't fit very well when you see the car. There are a few trim pieces missing altogether. I am still assessing what I need to do to this car. The paint on the outside is a different color than the door jambs. Was repainted but poorly done. I am thinking I need to take this car to a body shop and get it redone. From the pictures it looks like a turn key survivor. In person it actually needs a lot.

[pmike]

Could the hole on top of the dash also be the "fasten your seatbelts" indicator? 

[VegasCharger]

Hello and welcome 
I've attached 2 pics to see if this is what you are referring about the bright light in your dash cluster.

Also even though your parking is not engaged, the switch could be out of position or stuck out of the return position causing the indicator light to glow.

1st pic is a view of 74 Rallye cluster out of the car with a red circle indicating the location of the brake warning light.
2nd pic is a close up of the lens showing the "Brake" text.

[workworkwork]

Yes that is exactly it. That lens is missing and the light behind it is constantly on. Ok, so it sounds like that is fault, maybe in the switch that I need to track down and I need to find that little lense that says brake for my 74 cluster.

[ODZKing]

One note about the press and release button... It sounds just like the interlock reset button normally mounted at a side of ECU... Not saying is that but by your description, sounds similar

Nacho beat to this one.  Yes, it sounds like someone disconnected the seat belt interlock system and installed a switch.  Rediculous system but that is what your button sounds like.  Aftermarket, for sure.
73 and 74 columns are different as well.  Slight as the may be, they are different.
And "Bob" (not me) just put a 73 tank in his 74.  Tanks are less expensive.

[EccentricMagpies]

This is the 74 charger SE I purchased. You might have seen it on ebay recently It looks better in the pictures than it does in person. What the pictures hide is that all the chrome everywhere needs to be redone. Looks nice and shiny in the picture but it is all pitted and worn. The body looks good in the picture but in reality it has a lot of imperfections, waves and dings. The engine was spruced up. there is overspray on the oil filter where they sprayed the engine blue. The engine smokes a bit. The doors are worse in person than in the pictures. You really see they don't fit very well when you see the car. There are a few trim pieces missing altogether. I am still assessing what I need to do to this car. The paint on the outside is a different color than the door jambs. Was repainted but poorly done. I am thinking I need to take this car to a body shop and get it redone. From the pictures it looks like a turn key survivor. In person it actually needs a lot.

Is this the car out of Florida?  If so, yeah it did look like a nice car in the photos.
Sorry to hear it wasn't as nice as advertised.   Did you talk to the owner?

[workworkwork]

It was sold through a dealership there in Florida. Yes, it definitely needs a lot. I did speak to the salesman and asked a lot of questions before I purchased. Unfortunately the answers weren't that accurate. I have learned through this experience that photos can make a car look a lot better than it actually is. You would never guess by looking at the photos that every bit of chrome on the car is heavily pitted and all needs to be redone. In the photos it looks nice. You don't really see all the imperfections in the body. Just looks like a nice car with straight body in pictures. But, this car needs a bunch of body work. What might look like a reflection of the sun in the paint is actually wavyness in the panels, dings, dimples. Someone basically did a cheap paint job to spruce the car up and it looks better from 40 feet away. But, they didn't paint the door jams etc.They didn't fix any imperfections in the body. It was a scuff, tape and spray job to make it look shiny. That exterior red color is a different red than the door jam red. That is how cheaply the paint job was done on the car. So, hopefully this might help someone. No matter how nice the pictures look or how many questions you ask there is no substitute for seeing a car in person. Now that I own the car I have to fix a bunch of stuff. Like the windshield wipers don't work. There is a weird modification where the car starts with a button. The brake warning light is always on. The engine is a bit smokey and tired. All the plastics on the outside need replaced. I ordered new markers. Needs new tail lights. The reverse lenses are yellowed and the right one is from a base charger and left an SE. Even the vinyl top needs to be replaced it is pealing off along the rear trim and looks pretty past it. Pretty much the car needs to be redone. Seems like an ok starting point for a restoration but not what I thought I was buying. Its a little embarrassing to admit but maybe this candor will aid another charger fan make the right purchase or find the right car by seeing how different a car can actually be from what it looks like in a set of pictures.

[EccentricMagpies]

You are not alone.   It happens a lot.  As you have written here, it would be nice to put out a 'warning' for upcoming buyers.  But not everyone is going to read a post related to '74 ignition issues hoping for buyer beware advice. 

You could start a thread that could capture other members stories.  And maybe one exists, not sure.
I know there is a 'do you regret' something or other.     

All in all... I hope everything works out with the car. 

[ODZKing]

What it boils down to is ALWAYS GO LOOK AT THE CAR FOR YOURSELF!
Mine was in Indiana. And while I had a friend go look at it for me with a list of things to look for, his opinion and mine were not on the same par.  Sufice it to say had I sen the car, I would have passed.
Enough said ... the car is done now and I'm happy but I wasn't when it rolled off the truck.   

[RJS]

Let me start with the first little problem.
Open driver door and knell down to operate emergency brake by hand. You will notice a pin switch (like a door jam switch) that is supposed to hit brake lever when the brake is off to turn off Brake light in dash.
Is the wire on that pin switch? if not find it and attach. If the wire is on pin switch when the brake is released does the arm push the pin switch in to turn off light? If not correct.
Lastly push pin switch in all the way with you finger to see if switch itself actually works to turn off light.


Problem 2:*****NOTE: Dash cluster would have to be removed to access this lens

http://www.performancecargraphics.com/Dash_Stuff/Lenses_Gaskets/E-body_Indicator_Lenses_Rallye.htm

Ron

[workworkwork]

Let me start with the first little problem.
Open driver door and knell down to operate emergency brake by hand. You will notice a pin switch (like a door jam switch) that is supposed to hit brake lever when the brake is off to turn off Brake light in dash.
Is the wire on that pin switch? if not find it and attach. If the wire is on pin switch when the brake is released does the arm push the pin switch in to turn off light? If not correct.
Lastly push pin switch in all the way with you finger to see if switch itself actually works to turn off light.


Problem 2:*****NOTE: Dash cluster would have to be removed to access this lens

http://www.performancecargraphics.com/Dash_Stuff/Lenses_Gaskets/E-body_Indicator_Lenses_Rallye.htm

Ron

This is terrific information. I am going to check it out tonight and report back what I find. Thank you also for the performance graphics information. That seems like it is what is missing from that round hole. I am going to order the red brake light lens. Sounds like they will sell you just one if you need just one of the three.

[74bluecharger440]

Where are you located as I have lots of 74 parts trim and  such

[Nacho-RT74]

I'm not sure the brake lense from E body is the same than B body BUT could work

[Ghoste]

According to the website at BEA they are, at least thats how they list them. 

[workworkwork]

Well, the little switch where the emergency brake pedal pushes when released has the wire attached but doesn't seem to do anything. I played with the switch and depressed it by hand but the light is always on in the dash. Maybe the switch is just bad. Not sure. Now that I know what is suppose to turn it off I can work this item. Anyone sell those switches?

[Nacho-RT74]

the brake light is also turned on by the proportioning brake valve switch warning you there is a brake fluid pressure fail

[workworkwork]

the brake light is also turned on by the proportioning brake valve switch warning you there is a brake fluid pressure fail

I did not know that. I will check the fluid to see what might be happening there. Brakes do seem to work ok.

The SE is new to me. I have a couple more questions. Should the floor console have a light for the shift plate so you can see what you shifted to on the automatic version? Mine is dark at night.
Also, should all SEs have the wheel moulding and rocker panel moulding? Mine doesn't. It is a Lynch Rd car so the fender tag doesn't have much info. But I don't see screw holes where the wheel moulding would have been.
Also, how big of a job is it to remove the door guard moulding. In the pictures is looks ok but in reality it is heavily pitted and not very nice looking up close.

Also what is the best way to touch up the silver accents for things like the dash where there is  a silver ring around each guage opening or the dash emblem? Looks like silver paint. My base model dash has chrome accents on the dash. Does everyone just get a piant brush and some silver paint or is there a better method?