I kinda like my red, little '73 charger

[elanmars]

I'm lying. I LOVE IT. you can skip all this and go below to see some pictures (with some girls that other guys besides me may find pleasing to the eyes) as I've used it for many a photography assignment and it was also briefly used in a music video. I hope you all enjoy those pics! many more to come.

2007 was a bad, bad year for me but one good thing came out of it and that was me quitting the "one day", "it would be cool, if" nonsense and made it happen to finally have and drive a 1973 dodge charger. Take into consideration I'm in school still, work retail to pay the bills and had to go back living home. Anyway, car search. Locally I wasn't having much luck, ebay and craigslist, eh...

but one day I stumbled upon this one and I must admit the pictures weren't the best-I had even seen it on ebay before but it didn't sell. Saw it again on craigslist and wondered about the car, so I emailed the couple that was selling it. They were informative and straight forward with all questions-I may not be mechanically inclined but I'm not stupid.

So, without much thought I booked a flight to North Carolina. I live in Louisiana. I figured, what the hell? check out the car, see how it is. If it doesn't work out, I'll hang out in Raleigh for a day or two, fly back home. Well, when I got to this dude's farm in the middle of nowhere, which had a few other old cars there-pretty neat-and he pulled up the garage door to reveal this '73 charger....DAMN! I wasn't expecting it to look and be as solid as it did. When I got in and test drove it, it felt right. The Car felt right and I had no problem adjusting.

I said before I'm not mechanically inclined (but learning and when I went to check it out, I did have help) but here's another thing-I had never, ever driven an old car before. Ever. That's right, I was 25 at the time that I bought it. Just never knew anyone with one, family aren't into old cars, etc. But I HAD to have this car. Paid for it (selling a crapload of Star Wars figures and other "collectibles" helped a great deal, as well as some savings). Did all the paperwork and then, DROVE IT BACK TO LOUISIANA. Insane plan. Anything could have gone wrong but everything aligned and went just right, it was just meant to be. This was definitely MY car.

I drove it across 5 states, many thumbs up and props, even had two old school cars drive by me for a bit and one of the new so called chargers (sorry, I don't mind the look of these 4 door sedans and wouldn't mind owning one but they ain't Chargers!) in "super bee" paint drive next to me and take off.

so, a day and a half later, I make it home, no problems whatsoever. It was a great drive, wish I had had the time to stop and check out states I had never been in before-and hopefully no one takes offense but it seemed that any time I stopped for gas in Georgia and Alabama, I stopped at all the wrong places. Ghettoes or places where, well, I swear if you listened hard enough you'd hear a banjo playing in the woods. But please don't kill me, after all, I do live in the south and love it here!

So yeah, I don't know what else to say, not many mopars in the area at all and I need to venture out to these car shows to find people who are has them. There's a LOT of old school mustangs around here and corvettes everywhere. a few Chevy cars (camaros, novas, chevelles, monte carlos) but the mopars are either hidden or highly under-represented. Anyway, that's all, I'm glad to have found this place because I need all the help I can get and I'll be sure to be asking some pretty stupid questions, so bare with me. and I'll start with a few if you've made it this far:

I didn't want a trailer queen (neither could I afford one) and she's pretty solid but she does need some work, most of it minor.

the not so minor one: the transmission is going to be rebuilt pretty soon (it's a 727). A neighbor suggested it (he's mechanically inclined and has owned quite a few old school rides) and so did a local, reliable car shop. anything I should be aware of, do, etc?

Also, have an a/c unit installed, as the heat can get pretty brutal here. Any suggestions?

Front and back bumpers need a little work, the back bumper on the passenger's side has a bit of rust. Anything I should know/do? I bought a polish cream that apparently takes care of the rust and it does, somewhat but it's taking quite a while. Should I just have the whole thing rechromed and usually how much does that go for?

A stupid one-feel free to bash away but out of curiosity, as I've heard quite a few different things-for a 400, what should my gas mileage be like? and how do I figure it out? I don't have a lead foot but on the highway I do go about 70-80.

do you all think the "CHARGER" on the windshield is cheese?

as a newbie, are there any things I should be aware of, have checked out, etc?

the only things I have done are very simple, tightening the belts, change spark plugs, change and replacing the fuel pump hose, as it ripped. I had been wondering that day why the gas mileage was so ridiculously low and notice it was all spraying down...put in a cd player with ipod hook up (no cutting whatsoever, I still have the AM radio!) etc. and other little things of no importance.

I can post more pictures of the car in better detail, such as the engine bay, the inside, etc for any suggestions you all can give me, at a later time. As of now, she rides pretty well with the exception of the trans, I just have to fill her up every now and again. I have put quite a bit of mileage on it, not only from the drive home but driving it around, going back and forth from school every now and again, I'm still like a kid not believing I have one and frankly, my '97 maxima just can't compare! 

I love my '73 Charger and I'm so thankful to have one.

----
these are a few pics I've taken, I have many more that i'll work on once i have some time.














my friend filming for a music video, all friends. The band is Grayskull and they sound like, I don't know...Mastodon, Clutch, Kyuss, Hermano, Superjoint Ritual, Hellacopters, southern metal/rock. So if you're into that type of music, you'd probably like them and the video.



what happened was, my friend Chris (director) called me up if I could help in any way and I figured yes I could, I can take pictures to document it all. I asked him if it was a far drive because it's a bit out of town...20 minutes and a nice day, perfect for a drive! it's a nice drive too, out of the way and many old cars in yards to be seen. anyway, he hadn't seen the car before, so once he saw it, he was pretty impressed. he said he HAD to have it in the video somehow (even though this was the 2nd and last day of shooting, the previous day I couldn't make it due to work). So you see glimpses of it and I'm sure you all can tell.

oh and here's the video, forgive the youtube quality, it's actually quite sharp and a good looking video for the low budget:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqnKIYcGbsk








the car in the ghetto-this girl had contacted me about taking pictures of her and why not? I could use the pictures for class, so a 2-1 deal. (She's not in any of these pics) but I wasn't expecting to end up in the hood. I thought it was funny. No big, shiny, spinning rims on my ride!

[xs29l8b]

nice car, wouldnt let em sit on my charger.

[elanmars]

a friend of mine said the same thing BUT I let them do it because they weren't wearing jeans that could damage it in any way and I didn't let them go further. Also, a few days earlier, I don't know who but...

someone KEYED it a bit. 

It's small but when I point it out, it's noticeable (not in these pics or any pics, really).

but that's one of those things that I will have to cover up once I have the chance, it's got some extremely minor bits of paint here and there that could be covered up.

[Chatt69chgr]

I like your pictures.  They are like the ones you might see in a magazine.  The composition and color contrasts on them is good.  Having the girls pose with red lipstick was just right.  I will admit that I don't go for the Charger logo on the windshield but thats just me-----I am sure others will like it.  You have a real photographic talent.  I enjoyed your story about picking up the car.  Please share more pictures like these with us. 

[Ghoste]

The windshield logos aren't usually my thing but that one seems to fit in okay.  Anyway, it doesn't matter what we think, do you like it?

[BMOTOXSTAR]

 
Nice 3rd gen SE. Welcome to the Dark Side.
I would let them Broadies sit on my Charger any day....

[BMOTOXSTAR]

Hot Damn, Greyskull rock !
Do you know if they are coming to Cleveland to play any shows? There is a good local scene out this way.
Man,I can see that video being played on HeadBangers Ball 2, that SE makes the video man. !
I linked to that other Greyskull Rap mamb a jammie, the rock Greyskull should kick them in the nads.

[BROCK]

Nice 3rd gen, good pics!  What part of Shreveport are you in?

[wizkid]

nice car, wouldnt let em sit on my charger.

ditto, button scratches are lots of fun 

[mikesbbody]

nice pics! third gens are no# 1  welcome to the site 

[Mefirst]

Welcome to the forum

Cool story and pictures

/Tom

[rav440]

great pics and cool vid 

[dodgecharger-fan]

Great story! Great pics! Great car!

I wish I still had my 73.

[Charger_Fan]

Great pics, chicks, car & story!

Oh & I've never had a '73 to wish I hadn't sold.

[Nacho-RT74]

I kinda like the girl in red

[jasonfromIKILLYA]

That's awesome man!  Love the car.  Was hoping to see it in action in the vid though.  Check your PM's re: the band.

[Charger1973]

Nice car dude!

[2fast4u]

  Funny!   I've never thought of any 66-74 Charger as being little!   

[71 B5383]

Nice ride Dude! But ya gotta keep them biatches off of it. Just ain't right! I understand the tools they come with,but they need to keep the curves off the curves. Too much time and money makin them straight for them chics to be climbin' all over it, . They can come put them on me instead!  My "Slapstick" works just fine, .

[The Kid]

Nice !

[RallyeMike]

The car 

The girls   

The band   

..and since you asked, the windshield decal   

[elanmars]

thanks for the comments on the decal! the car came like that and i've had the car close to a year now, just wasn't sure. when i first saw it i thought it was cheese but i haven't taken it off because i keep forgetting to. the only good thing about it is people then recognizing the car is a charger. 3rd gen ignorance, i guess. 

here's Grayskull's myspace page for more tunes and junk! http://www.myspace.com/grayskull13

btmotoxcar-i don't know when they'll be touring, they just released a cd a couple of months ago. thanks for checking it out! i may be biased because i know them but hell, even if i didn't, they sure rock it.

nacho-you live in caracas? i was born in caracas! i also lived in maracaibo, back and forth between there and caracas until i came to the states when i was 11.

as for the lack of action in the video-it was the 2nd and last day of shooting and the only day i was present at the shoot, since i had to work the previous day. i went to help out and document via photography and when my friend saw the car, he was floored and had to have it in the video. i asked if he wanted it in action but he said no-later this year, he's going to work on a faux trailer or a short b-movie with "hot rod, bad, tattooed girls" and old cars (think faster pussycat, kill kill! and switchblade sisters). definitely think of the 70s type grindhouse and we're definitely aware (and LOVE) death proof but it won't be much like that, 'cause it'll be more campy and no sweet rides will be destroyed.

so, mine will definitely be in it and will be seen in action! he wants to play around and get it right to shoot cars, so that we can do small scale chases/view of people driving the cars, no cars will be harmed. so besides my charger,whichever other cars we can find...hopefully no mustangs, there's WAAAAYYYYYY too many old school mustangs around here, mopars are severely lacking in presentation!