Young Guns

[73ChargerSE]

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]

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]

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]

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

[bordin34]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Way ahead of the game 

[dukeboy_318]

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]

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]

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]

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

[Charger1973]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[terrible one]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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