I wanted my own Charger thread

[terrible one]

Alright, let's see . . .

the MP 7290-7260 u-joint came in today and it looks like it's going to work! I'll take the driveshaft by somewhere tomorrow to get it installed so that I can hang the driveshaft.

I got the seats and carpet in and that's about wrapped up. I still have to trim up the front carpet but that's it. I've got my POS console shell there mocked up, but it won't go in permanently until I retrofit this B&M Megashifter I got for free in there and get it to work with my console. I just love the look of the console in these cars.  My only complaint is that I didn't put the front piece of carpet far enough forward, so the heel pad looks a bit far back compared to the gas pedal. Ah well though, it was my first carpet install.

I also finished putting in the new rear taillight harness and put all the bulbs, etc. in there so that's good to go now.

The current plan is to put the engine in this coming Sunday.

. . . oh, and I got my fuel line fittings for the beautiful Holley 750 VS that I bought from Steve P.  

And last . . . I've never really though much about the windshield in my car and didn't plan on replacing it anytime soon, but it is cracked in a couple places and more than one person has questioned my letting it ride. It still feels pretty sturdy, and I don't have and problems seeing out of it, but what do you guys think?




I got a real nice Holley 750 VS from Steve! Also, thoughts on my windshield?

[Charger-Bodie]

you can simply turn that fuel line around the other way too.....It doesn't interfear with anything then.

[Steve P.]

Damn that carb looks good...  LOL...

I would replace the windshield before driving the car. Many reasons for it and all of them is your safety. It doesn't take allot of bumps to make a tiny chard of glass come back at you. If it were to get into your eye it would not only cause you plenty of pain, but maybe an eye or even cause you to wreck. It's not structurally safe cracked. That glass acts like a wall going down the road and the faster you are moving the more pressure there is on the glass. Replace it buddy. It just isn't worth the risks any other way.

She's coming along great. Just do me a big favor. PLEASE, don't get use to putting small nuts and screws anywhere around the top of the motor. All it takes is dropping one little nut into the intake or down the carb and you could scatter your motor on start up... It's better to NEVER do it than wonder if MAYBE I DID...

Keep going bud. Fun is just around the corner....         

[terrible one]

Brian,

Thanks for the suggestion. I thought about this at first but then figured it would be a lot further away from the fuel pump? W ith it the way it is it's almost a straight shot down.

Steve,

Thanks dude! On that note I guess I'll plan to get by the glass place once I get it going. I do plan on going fast! And thanks for the reminder about putting stuff like that on the engine. I definitely am guilty of doing that before. In this case, they are the nuts for the carb studs, temporarily removed to put the carb on there for the picture.  

It should be a matter of weeks!  

[69bronzeT5]

Looks great Jackson. I'd replace the windshield, it looks pretty bad. Then again, my dad's old Ford F250 looked like someone took a baseball bat to it in the top right corner and we had no problems with it.

[Charger-Bodie]

Brian,

Thanks for the suggestion. I thought about this at first but then figured it would be a lot further away from the fuel pump? W ith it the way it is it's almost a straight shot down.

Steve,

Thanks dude! On that note I guess I'll plan to get by the glass place once I get it going. I do plan on going fast! And thanks for the reminder about putting stuff like that on the engine. I definitely am guilty of doing that before. In this case, they are the nuts for the carb studs, temporarily removed to put the carb on there for the picture. 

It should be a matter of weeks! 

It doesn't hurt anything, and its safer, As long as you have a decent fuel pump.

Ive ran plenty of the with the line entry at the back of the carb,and never had any starve etc.

[WingCharger]

  MAN DUDE! I can't stop looking at your car.  I am digging those slot mags BAD!

Your build is probably the same as what I do first. Just a street beater, low-buck Charger. I would paint it the same color, but you already took it.
Personally, I would swap the Windshield, but that is just me.

[terrible one]

Brian,

Thanks for the suggestion. I thought about this at first but then figured it would be a lot further away from the fuel pump? W ith it the way it is it's almost a straight shot down.

Steve,

Thanks dude! On that note I guess I'll plan to get by the glass place once I get it going. I do plan on going fast! And thanks for the reminder about putting stuff like that on the engine. I definitely am guilty of doing that before. In this case, they are the nuts for the carb studs, temporarily removed to put the carb on there for the picture.  

It should be a matter of weeks!  

It doesn't hurt anything, and its safer, As long as you have a decent fuel pump.

Ive ran plenty of the with the line entry at the back of the carb,and never had any starve etc.

Thanks man, I sure can't overlook safety/practicality! Can you tell me (or show me) how to route the line back to the pump? I take it you just go along the valve cover or something? BTW my fuel pump should be good it's a stock replacement Carter I believe . . . nothing special.

[terrible one]

MAN DUDE! I can't stop looking at your car.   I am digging those slot mags BAD!

Your build is probably the same as what I do first. Just a street beater, low-buck Charger. I would paint it the same color, but you already took it.
Personally, I would swap the Windshield, but that is just me.

Thanks dude! That's really encouraging for me. Low-buck and street beater are exactly what I'm looking for out of this one! I know I can't make it perfect right now but that won't stop me from enjoying it until I can!


Adding pictures: swapped the front drum brakes for a '73 B body disc setup

[Charger-Bodie]

I dont have any pics of that , but I just made a line out of 3/8 steel and ran it along the v/c and the hose to join them.

[Belgium R/T -68]

I dont have any pics of that , but I just made a line out of 3/8 steel and ran it along the v/c and the hose to join them.

When you refer to safer, do you mean the risk of have gasoline spraying on the distributor and alternator if the hose jumps?

Per

[Charger-Bodie]

I dont have any pics of that , but I just made a line out of 3/8 steel and ran it along the v/c and the hose to join them.

When you refer to safer, do you mean the risk of have gasoline spraying on the distributor and alternator if the hose jumps?

Per

The hose ends up kinda kinked to clear the dist, when the line points ahead. If you raise the carb its not AS big of a deal though.


The best and safest way to go IMHO is Fabulous Fabrications lines.

[bill440rt]

Car is coming along nice, Jackson!  

DEFINITELY change that windshield! Aside from a safety concern, it'll be a major distraction when driving the car. Last thing you need is a disctraction as that old man in his Cavalier pulls out from a stop sign.

If originality, date codes, etc aren't your concern (doesn't appear to be), look into the windshields made by Pilkington. They are reasonably priced, & are the correct thickness as original. You should be ale to score one of these for less than $200 bucks, & you'll need an $80 windshield gasket. Glass installers in my area charge about $125 to install.

I wrote a thread when my windshield was being installed, here's a link:

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,43619.0.html

[terrible one]

Brian,

Thanks for the additional information and pictures of the FF lines. that's definitely the route I want to go once this thing is off the ground! Until then though I'll either retrofit something as you described or let it ride if the carb is sitting high enough after the spacer is installed.

Bill,

I appreciate the information on the windshield! I'll for sure be getting a Pilkington piece as you suggested . . . I can't seem to find anything much lower. The lowest estimate I got at any reputable shop here for removing and replacing was $100 flat so maybe I'll be able to shave some off of that estimate. Any good sources for the gasket? I sure want to get the right one, etc. to avoid leaks if I'm going to go ahead and replace (which everyone has convinced me to do)

[terrible one]

Well today sucked. I got most of the wiring in the cabin connected and ready to go and got the rest of the carpet trimmed up (just need to get some screws for the sill plates) but that's about it. The bad was finding out that the u-joint I got in hopes of making my driveshaft/pinion yoke didn't work, so I still have a problem there.

I HATE not making any progress. 

[Steve P.]

You're doing fine buddy. Just keep at it and don't let the little things get to you. Hey, if you wanted something simple to mess with you would have a big box of Lego's...   

Keep at it bro. It's coming along fine..

[terrible one]

Thanks Steve. 

Well I finally got a solution to my issues with my driveshaft to pinion yoke connection worked out so now I'm not in a funk and am re-motivated!

Today (Friday) I rounded up all of the fasteners needed to install the engine completely and began assembling it to the point I wanted it at before it went in. That should be finished tomorrow. Also on Saturday I'll hit my motor mounts up with Ron's remedy and maybe a few other small things . . . whatever needs to be done. As of right now the heart of this beast will go in Sunday, June 14! I can't @?O#$*@)($ wait!

[grdprx]

Rock on!     Hope all goes well!

[grdprx]

So, how's it go?  Probably been busy!   

[terrible one]

Haha ah man . . .

I didn't know the place I had the reservation on the engine hoist from closed early (1:00) on Saturday, so needless to say I had no means of putting the engine in on Sunday. It's all good though. I didn't have everything I needed to finish the engine assembly (still need to oval out the offset hole on my crank pulley and install the damper today). Hopefully I will be able to get it in this week. But that will probably put it about in line with my yoke from Mike  coming in, so hopefully I'll be able to have a complete drivetrain before the week is over with. Then I'll take it to the exhaust shop, then back to my shop to finish up and START!

[terrible one]

Well about a week off schedule, I've pretty much got the engine in. I say pretty much because my help had to go a little early today so the transmission still has to be mated to the block, and the converter to the flexplate (tomorrow.) As I said previously, I plan to take it to the exhaust shop as soon as I can after this and get the rest of the engine accessories, etc. on and the car started/ engine broken in and get the driveshaft in there. Other than that, I don't think I'll have time to do the brakes/ misc. other things before the 17th of July, which is when I'll be moving.  I don't know where I'll go from there. I don't want to leave the car down here but I don't have a spot for it in Kansas yet. It's disappointing that it won't be finished in time, but accepting that makes it easier for me to buckle down on finishing school here and getting packed up, etc. as well as figuring out what to do with the Charger.

As far as the engine install, I now know why some people religiously go with manifolds. Having the headers in the equation made everything twice as hard as it should have been. On a good note though, after some denting of one tube to clear the mini starter, they do fit pretty well and don't run into anything.

It's still got a ways to go before startup, but it's nice to see a block in there after 4 years!

[mikepmcs]

 

[skip68]

    Has it been 4 years ?   Damn how time goes by.  Looking real good Jackson.      I remember when you got the car.  For fun, you should post a before picture of when you got it.      Find one of our guys in Kansas that is close and will host your car and keep going.      Chuck.........

[grdprx]

Looking Good   Feels good to fill that big void in the engine bay, doesn't it?

[PocketThunder]

what is that rag joint on the steering gear box from?