Young Guns

73ChargerSE · July 27, 2007, 07:06:20 PM

As I was spraying my engine with degreaser, I was thinking. It's hard to be a Mopar kid. Parts are hard to get, everything is expensive, and it seems like nobody wants to help you out. Our families could have gotten us Chevy's, Fords, or even Imports, but they got us Mopars. All of us seem to work on our own cars and it's a labor of love. Countless hours are spent in the presence of our cars and trying to find parts. Sure it gets tiring, but we keep on going. Here in Tucson, there aren't too many good guys around so it is especially hard. The junkyards have insane pricing and are normally picked over. What are your plans for your cars? Is everyone just getting their cars decently driving until they get old enough to do a full resto? Any thoughts?

moparguy01 · July 27, 2007, 07:27:21 PM

my family didnt' get me anything unfortunately. and I was dumb enough to get into mopars. I'd have 2 or 3 chevys done for the price i've got into my charger. but I like the charger so I'll keep it around. I've been in the process of doing a full resto on my car for the past few years, and i'm honestly pretty close to being done with it. but I do all my own work. I work at a restoration shop, so its more of a problem of finding time to work on my own car rather than customer cars. and alot of times at the end of the day I'm just sick of working on cars for a few hours.

give it time, save your money and pick your battles are all i can say. while in college I rebuilt the entire drivetrain of my charger, including a 10.5:1 440, 727 and a 3.55 SG rear end. I worked my butt off and ate ramen noodles. I didn't skimp on beer though. hey, i was in college. give me a break.

dukeboy_318 · July 27, 2007, 07:31:08 PM

I hear you. I'm 20 and just starting out in this hobby and knowing where to look for parts whether its on the internet or locally is extremely hard to learn.

While there are great members on this site that have helped a bunch, there isn't many that are close enough to me for me to actually meet up with and get a better opinion in person rather than the internet. My plan for my 74 is to get it safe and reliable to drive and than save up and go all out with it.

69bronzeT5 · July 27, 2007, 07:38:07 PM

You're lucky 73SE, we have absoutley no junkyards around here.

bordin34 · July 27, 2007, 07:38:30 PM

Im 15 and bought my own 74 SE. I want to make it look like a driver until I become rich then rotisery it.

Harlow · July 27, 2007, 07:45:42 PM

I'm 17 and I'm just going to try to get my car to run and drive really nicely. I'll be putting a new vinyl top on, but leaving the dents in the body etc...cause I can't afford to paint it right now. When I can afford it, and have another mopar that is driveable I'll do a more thorough restoration, but I don't think I'd ever want to do a rotisserie restoration. It would be really nice if I had some old timer guru type guy that I knew that could come over and check the car out and lend me some wisdom...but I still haven't met that guy. By the way, after this weekend of major work on my own car I'd be happy to come over and help you with your engine bay if you still need help. When is the last Little Anthony's car show?

73ChargerSE · July 27, 2007, 07:46:58 PM

The only thing that sucks is I can't deviate my car far from stock. It's been in the family since almost new and to change it would be sacrileg. I can make the drivetrain romp, but I am planning to keep it the original color and interior color.

Harlow · July 27, 2007, 07:51:09 PM

Is the original colors tan with a white top and white interior? I'd have DS440 do a photoshop of it to see what it would look like finished. It sounds pretty cool to me.

73ChargerSE · July 27, 2007, 07:52:32 PM

Way ahead of the game

dukeboy_318 · July 27, 2007, 08:04:37 PM

Looks good, us young gun sometimes have to make do with what we can until we save up. Heres what my 74 318 SE will look like when done.

bordin34 · July 27, 2007, 09:14:33 PM

My 74 SE will look almost stock when done. It will have a 360, 6 pack scoop, lip spoiler, go-wing, and a black hood. I am keeping the 14 inch rims.

TheAutoArchaeologist · July 27, 2007, 10:42:12 PM

23 here, I've got 8, owned 18 muscle cars in the past few years. But only kept a handful for future projects. I buy and sell them to finance the restoration of my main project, the 71 Challenger. And eventually the 69 Charger R/T SE and the 70 Hemi Cuda.

Just to get some parts I needed, I bought 4 70 Cudas a few years ago for $2500. And the list goes on. Once the Challenger is "done"... (are they every really done)... I'll start on the Charger, then the Cuda, then so on and so on. Also gotta fix my RamCharger, that might actually come next depending on the rust situation.

I'm in college, working, have a g/f and hunt for cars. Look at the link below for some of the cars I've found in my travels. Just 2 weeks ago found a 70 Charger R/T.... 68 Charger R/T J-code, etc....

Here are the three main projects

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hemipwr70/

Ryan

73ChargerSE · July 27, 2007, 11:08:04 PM

You are my hero haha. Where did you find all these?

Charger1973 · July 27, 2007, 11:30:37 PM

I guess im not so young anymore since I just turned 27 but I bought my first Mopar (68 Coronet) at age 17 and my first Charger at 18. Although I was eyeing the 3rd gen Chargers driving around town while I was still riding the school bus.

Now 7 Chargers later I finally have one in good enough shape to keep. It looked bad when I got it but I could see the potential and knew what I wanted to do with it... I'm basically making it into the car my first Charger would have been when I was 18, but I couldnt afford to build it then. I really cant now either but I am determined and its slowly coming together 1 peice at a time. With any luck it will be a driver within the month. Forget the rotisserie resto, I want something I can drive so im thinking I will do the body and paint myself too. I cant afford $20k to let someone else patch a few holes and spray a coat of paint on it. I think I can do a decent job even though Ive never done it before, it will just take patience and a little practice. Its my car so I know i'll do my best and it will come out looking good.

TheAutoArchaeologist · July 27, 2007, 11:33:03 PM

Quote from: 73ChargerSE on July 27, 2007, 11:08:04 PM
You are my hero haha. Where did you find all these?

7 years and many barns finds later, sometimes I bring them home!... except the Hemi, that's is/was my fathers.

Ryan

69bronzeT5 · July 27, 2007, 11:41:31 PM

Hey Ryan, just checking out your cars in barns stuff and then I saw this car. This is basically the twin to the car we got my 383 out of for my Charger.

TheAutoArchaeologist · July 28, 2007, 12:08:12 AM

Quote from: 69bronzeT5 on July 27, 2007, 11:41:31 PM
Hey Ryan, just checking out your cars in barns stuff and then I saw this car. This is basically the twin to the car we got my 383 out of for my Charger.

Very cool, that car is long gone sadly. The yard crushed everything pre-90's.

Ryan

69bronzeT5 · July 28, 2007, 12:09:52 AM

my dad sent the newport we had to the wrecker....

terrible one · July 28, 2007, 12:55:30 AM

I hear that man. I just turned 17, and was 15 when I had saved up enough money to buy my Charger. I couldn't get away from the 2nd gen calling, so it's even worse seeing as how just buying a piece of shit is expensive, THEN I have to go and put money into it. But $3,600 bought me my car and I've got another $400 into it so far. It's getting there. . .just need an engine, transmission, some brake parts, and seats!

Charger1973 · July 28, 2007, 01:03:43 AM

Just keep after it, every little bit helps. Some people get lazy and just let them sit but if you try and take at least 1 day a week and work on it as long as you can, even if its the things that seem unimportant while you are doing them, you will see progress and it will turn out nice. People always wonder how I get so much done on such a small budget in so little time, but alot of it is just working on it every chance I get.

69bronzeT5 · July 28, 2007, 01:06:09 AM

I dont know much money...my dad got me the car and paid for it so far but Im starting to buy little things for it...emblems, trim etc.

Supercharged Riot · July 28, 2007, 01:44:21 AM

I'm 25 yrs old. Ive been saving up (eventually transitioned into a full time working person) for a 1968 Charger since 2004 and I still cant find a deal to get me my own Charger.

I'm not sure if some of you get some kind of allowance, but I had to start from $0 and earning every dollar on my own with no help what-so ever, while paying my own bills.

No, I still cant afford one because most people I find are asking thousands of dollars for junkers now-a-days.

Harlow · July 28, 2007, 01:58:54 AM

Quote from: Supercharged Riot on July 28, 2007, 01:44:21 AM
I'm 25 yrs old. Ive been saving up (eventually transitioned into a full time working person) for a 1968 Charger since 2004 and I still cant find a deal to get me my own Charger.

I'm not sure if some of you get some kind of allowance, but I had to start from $0 and earning every dollar on my own with no help what-so ever, while paying my own bills.

No, I still cant afford one because most people I find are asking thousands of dollars for junkers now-a-days.

I don't have an allowance, but I don't have to pay bills. I do pay my insurance though.

moparguy01 · July 28, 2007, 12:34:31 PM

Quote from: Supercharged Riot on July 28, 2007, 01:44:21 AM
I'm 25 yrs old. Ive been saving up (eventually transitioned into a full time working person) for a 1968 Charger since 2004 and I still cant find a deal to get me my own Charger.

I'm not sure if some of you get some kind of allowance, but I had to start from $0 and earning every dollar on my own with no help what-so ever, while paying my own bills.

No, I still cant afford one because most people I find are asking thousands of dollars for junkers now-a-days.

ya well thats the market anymore. nowadays a decent project car which is partially complete is selling for 10 grand. your also after one of the most popular chargers made. All you can do is save up and buy a beat up one to restore if you insist on having a 68. My folks made me pay them rent to keep my cars at their house during high school. (as well as rent for living there) I just worked my butt off, working on average 60 hours a week since my senior year. and now i've got a decent car, but i've owned it for 7 years and its still not done.

Mean 318 · July 28, 2007, 01:50:50 PM

Im 19 now and got my 70 Coronet when I was 15. Come a long way and made some friends!

viper r/t · July 28, 2007, 06:17:16 PM

I just turned 16 last month, and I just finished my '68 last month.
I usually just buy and sell to get money for the charger. Thank God I have a mom and dad that helped me get started with my first mopar

73ChargerSE · July 28, 2007, 09:21:41 PM

Unfortunately, here is the state/resting place of my car. Engine should be done soon. The green thing is there so water wouldn't get in to the blower motor hole.

69bronzeT5 · July 28, 2007, 09:25:15 PM

Heres my car getting put back into the resting place that its been in for the last 5 years...

Mo Power · July 28, 2007, 09:59:52 PM

I just turned 18 in June and I've had my 73 SE since I think i was 15, because I found it in a guys yard and I guess my mom use to walk past it everyday going to school when she lived there go figure. But I've been collecting black interior and it took me almost 3 months to obtain everyting I needed from junkyards and off ebay. But I actually was able to get my senior pictures with me infront of my charger in primer with black flames. But After 2 yrs of owning I'm just now getting back into because of money problem like usual. But hey I've learned alot about mopars and how it seems we have the most patience with cars, because of getting parts for them and it shows how much we love our passion.

Mean 318 · July 28, 2007, 11:39:42 PM

I have to say I am amazed at how many young people have mopars!

73ChargerSE · July 29, 2007, 02:04:01 AM

Well we are the ones to take over. I'm glad that it's us to carry the torch.

terrible one · July 29, 2007, 02:20:37 AM

Haha man me too!

Purple440 · July 29, 2007, 02:41:24 AM

I think it's great the younger guys are still building muscle cars, and in this case Mopar. I'm 33 now but I've had my Charger since I was 18 and drove it in college with the 318 in it, and started restoring it ground up when I was about 25 with my dad. Money was a huge issue so I had to wait.

Now days it seems most young guys are doing the imports, and that's ok because it's much cheaper and more available. Cudos to all of you willing to build a car that may not be the fastest anymore (unless you build up the engine), costs more $$, but looks and sounds way better than a honda with a plastic wing on it.

69bronzeT5 · July 29, 2007, 02:46:18 AM

Quote from: Purple440 on July 29, 2007, 02:41:24 AMbut looks and sounds way better than a honda with a plastic wing on it.

I hate those stupid big mufflers they put on it too. It sounds like the car is farting

. Nothing beats the sound of a big block (or small block in some cases) and a REAL muffler!!!

TheAutoArchaeologist · July 29, 2007, 01:18:16 PM

I just spent 6 large on the bodywork/paint job on the Chally... not easy to do on my budget.

Competely worth it in my opinion. I know I could have finished the Charger for that much... but my heart sits in the Chally for now.

Ryan

73ChargerSE · July 29, 2007, 01:32:01 PM

Wow that thing looks great. Original color?

TheAutoArchaeologist · July 29, 2007, 06:21:45 PM

Quote from: 73ChargerSE on July 29, 2007, 01:32:01 PM
Wow that thing looks great. Original color?

No, gold originally... well what was left of the original car. I decided to go another direction.

Next up... assembly!

Ryan

69_500 · July 30, 2007, 05:04:17 PM

Well as I don't qualify to actually be in the Young Guns anymore, I'll tell you guys how I got the car that I currently own. I started saving money as soon as I got a full time job. Which was when I was 18 and I started small, saving $25 per week. I put this money in a savings account, each and every week before I did anything else with my pay check. By the time I was 20 I was putting $50 a week in there, and by 22 I was putting $100 a week in there. By gradually increasing it, it made it easier to eventually make it up to the $100 a week. My goal was to own a Charger 500 by the age of 25. When I started saving 500's were going for about $15-20K for a done car. By the time I was 25 those same cars were around the $30-50K range. Eventually I found something I could afford, and now I'm heading towards my second goal I had set when I was 16. To own a 500 by 25, and a Daytona by 35.

Danny

Supercharged Riot · July 30, 2007, 06:37:03 PM

69_500, I ran into the same problem as you did. As I kept saving up money year after year the price range always slipped past my reach. SOund like you found something though. THats one step ahead of me !

Im not into Daytonas though. Only 68's My 2nd Charger of choice would be a 70 500

mikesbbody · July 30, 2007, 09:46:13 PM

I hate those stupid big mufflers they put on it too. It sounds like the car is farting

. Nothing beats the sound of a big block (or small block in some cases) and a REAL muffler!!!

Quote

i couldnt agree more! the funny thing is that they THINK they sound cool

Harlow · July 30, 2007, 11:23:32 PM

Quote from: mikesbbody on July 30, 2007, 09:46:13 PM

I hate those stupid big mufflers they put on it too. It sounds like the car is farting . Nothing beats the sound of a big block (or small block in some cases) and a REAL muffler!!!
Quote
i couldnt agree more! the funny thing is that they THINK they sound cool

Don't forget, you also have to red line EVERY shift. Even when your in the parking lot going 10 miles an hour.

68rustbucket · August 01, 2007, 11:29:42 PM

I'm 15 also IMO its just plane hard to get into the muscle car market totally when my dad was 15 he bought a firebird that just needed a tiny bit off body work and paint for 300 dollars after he restored it beautifully he sold it for 2500dollars (he still wishes he would have kept that instead of the 79

) heck now it costs you 2500 dollars for a rusty project car. But hopefully soon here i will be the owner to a rusted out 68 charger.

hey and lets not all forget a very important fact stickers and big wings add horse power

Purple440 · August 01, 2007, 11:44:26 PM

Quote from: 68rustbucket on August 01, 2007, 11:29:42 PM
hey and lets not all forget a very important fact stickers and big wings add horse power

I agree...each sticker adds 15 hp at the rear wheels according to the last dyno sheet I saw. And the wing keeps that HP on the ground.

68rustbucket · August 02, 2007, 12:21:07 AM

heres a educational video for the people who dont get this concept

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwDy3lTxX8Y&mode=related&search=

Purple440 · August 02, 2007, 01:12:09 AM

Quote from: 68rustbucket on August 02, 2007, 12:21:07 AM
heres a educational video for the people who dont get this concept
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwDy3lTxX8Y&mode=related&search=

An extended version
http://youtube.com/watch?v=oArzG2zGXj4&mode=related&search=

Mike DC · August 02, 2007, 05:28:32 AM

I was a teenager in the early 1990s.
At the time my father thought these cars were just pieces of crap and I was loony for messing with one.

I insisted that they were gonna be worth a lot more in the future. I actually once proposed to him that if he'd loan me money or somehow help me to get a clean original R/T or even a Hemi car or something, then we could probably make an absolute killing on it in the future. He just laughed at me.

He's not laughing now.

bordin34 · August 02, 2007, 08:45:21 AM

The thing I hate most about owning a charger is when all my friends ask why I don't make it a general lee. And the only way people know the kind of car I have is by saying its like the DOH car.

Charger1973 · August 02, 2007, 08:48:19 AM

Quote from: bordin34 on August 02, 2007, 08:45:21 AM
The thing I hate most about owning a charger is when all my friends ask why I don't make it a general lee. And the only way people know the kind of car I have is by saying its like the DOH car.

Theres a reason I didnt even consider to paint my car orange...

dukeboy_318 · August 02, 2007, 12:12:43 PM

Quote from: Charger1973 on August 02, 2007, 08:48:19 AM
Quote from: bordin34 on August 02, 2007, 08:45:21 AM
The thing I hate most about owning a charger is when all my friends ask why I don't make it a general lee. And the only way people know the kind of car I have is by saying its like the DOH car.

Theres a reason I didnt even consider to paint my car orange...

Agreed, the General was a good looking car, but jeeez people not every charger is a DOH General Lee. I have a friend of mine who has a Vitamin C Roadrunner witha 440, numbers matching car and everytime he drives it, someone at a stop sign will yell out something bout hitting the "Dixie horn" or something like that, gets annoying.

terrible one · August 02, 2007, 01:00:24 PM

I agree with, and can relate to you guys on that one. Whenever anyone stops by about my car when I'm out working on it, or when someone who has heard about it from a friend, etc. asks about it they either don't know what it is, or if they do they say it's a General Lee. I don't even feel like going through the trouble to explain to them that it's a '68 and the General was a '69 and the differences are blah blah, etc. It's just slightly annoying I suppose.

69_500 · August 02, 2007, 07:18:41 PM

[/qoute
Agreed, the General was a good looking car, but jeeez people not every charger is a DOH General Lee. I have a friend of mine who has a Vitamin C Roadrunner witha 440, numbers matching car and everytime he drives it, someone at a stop sign will yell out something bout hitting the "Dixie horn" or something like that, gets annoying.

Quote

Is your friends car a 6 pac car? post some photo's of it, I love Vitamin C RR's.

Mike DC · August 02, 2007, 11:53:16 PM

No younger guys outside the hobby really know or care about any of the model-year stuff with old Chargers.
Modern car body designs don't change for 3-5 years at a stretch and that's what they're used to.

So just tell people that your 2nd-gen Dodge Charger is like the General Lee, Vin Deisel's black car in F&F, Blade's car, and the black DeathProof stunt car.

69bronzeT5 · August 03, 2007, 12:06:34 AM

Well I got some stuff done on my 69 today. My dad did some bondo work on the left front fender a few months back and today I sanded it til it was smooth and primed it just like the rest of the car. I also emptied the trunk (see before pic of the trunk, sorry dont have any after pics til Sunday

) and sorted everything and organized it. I also cleaned the interior and vaccumed it.

Also, in the process I found an interesting tag. I took out the buddy seat to clean it and I turned it upside down and undid some of the "potato sack" material on the underside and I found a black metal tag. Theres a hole in it and one of the coils of the seat goes through that hole. It has a bunch of numbers and letters on it and I have noooo clue what is it. Its forsure not a fender tag, cuz my car has the fender tag in the proper place and it isnt one from a different car because its too small to be a fender tag....I dont have a camera til Sunday so I'll post pics of it then. Its about this big:
________________________________________
|    |
|    |
|    |
|    |
|_______________________________________ |

Does anybody know what this tag is??? And also here is the before picture of the trunk.

mustanghater · August 03, 2007, 12:07:49 AM

nothing wrong with tuner cars. I've had to buy tuner cars to go fast cause of prices i had a civic that did 13's with a B18 and a bunch of jdm parts that other guys would kill to have.

mustanghater · August 03, 2007, 12:14:24 AM

Those guys with the big wings are just wanna be tuners cause there the posers who dont step up at the strip they pull in a park in the corner. I had a small cf lip off the back of my honda for looks not to mention it was bright green. yeah its a rice rocket but it sure wasnt no poser rice rocket i actually went fast. Those vtec motors can be powerfull motors. I was even running a turbo off a labaron. It cost me 4k to build that car and I can bet right now it would ahve taken on any of your guys cars and won. yeah its a honda and i would rather be in a charger or dart. But dont go talkin crap bout tuner cars cause some are fast. Those big fart cans are suppose to add horse power but thats only if you have the full exhaust system unlike the ones you usually see that sound like rubber bands. if its done right it sounds pretty good.

69bronzeT5 · August 03, 2007, 12:19:28 AM

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