New guy with pics of '73 SE 13 yrs in the making

Brickster · July 21, 2008, 11:22:43 PM

Hey guys, I have been luking around for a few months and decied to introduce myself and post a few pictures of the car I've been building and rebuilding for the last 14 or so years.
My dad and I got this '73 Charger SE in 1995 and it was one hell of a mess, I was in high school and we did some typical father son projects; carb, headers, plug wires, pro stock scoop, Craiger wheels, stuff like that. It was still a mess, grey primer with original gold showing through. The white vinyl top peeled back like a comb-over in the wind. We took it to the track for test and tune it never ran real well but it was fun.
After high school I went to tech school and came back home thinking knew everthing about cars. It took a while but after a few years we had built a 440, had the 727 rebuilt, replaced the 8.25 diff with a 8.75 with posi and 3.90 gears and with help from a bunch of buddies we got the car painted candy red. It was a real decient car but over the many years it took to get to that point my skills increased and some the the short commings of the car became aparent.
So without ever really being done I decided to redo the car again, to my fathers dismay. Over this entire time he kept the car registered and insured because I assured him I was going it get it done real soon. This time around I had moved from my hometown of Las Vegas to Laramie WY to take a job as an instructor at the tech school I had attended many years before. So I brought the car to Wyoming. During the most recient rebuild the engine was repaired after having an oiling problem and trashing the crank. This time it got a roller cam and an upgraded oiling system with properly installed cam bearings and valvetrain. The trans was good but I wanted to bring the cruising RPM down a bit so I talked dad into a GearVendor. The body got some work with the addition of a shaker scoop and a new two-tone paint job. I fabbed the shaker including the air box and reworking the underside of the hood bracing to make it appear to belong there. At this point there is still some paint work to do under the hood and to tell the truth I would like to repaint the silver again because it is blotchy although it doesn't show up in the pics that well. The interior has a few things left to do but it can at least be driven and enjoyed. Sorry to ramble on so long but it is a long journey to this point and I'm sure I've only told a fraction of the story.

Brick Casper

Brickster · July 21, 2008, 11:29:10 PM

here is some more pics

bordin34 · July 21, 2008, 11:31:09 PM

That is simply amazing I really like the paint scheme, grilles, and shaker. Also the way you smoothed over the Se window covers really helps set off the car.

CB · July 22, 2008, 12:16:48 AM

I like the way you build your Charger! Different but nice

CB

CHRGR SE · July 22, 2008, 12:43:17 AM

Some seriously freaky mods.

Big Lebowski · July 22, 2008, 12:46:22 AM

Sweet Charger dude. Right on.

tan top · July 22, 2008, 12:49:55 AM

hello

... initresting mods on your charger ........ looks good ..nice work

mikesbbody · July 22, 2008, 01:34:11 AM

Welcome, that truely is a unique looking 3rd gen you have

ChargerSG · July 22, 2008, 03:33:14 AM

Your Charger is a surly diffrent

And welcome...

Hemidog · July 22, 2008, 03:52:59 AM

I like it!

Back N Black · July 22, 2008, 05:20:29 AM

Welcome! Love the shaker

Rubberduck · July 22, 2008, 06:21:12 AM

Really sharp.

I like that style

Mario

histoy · July 22, 2008, 06:56:45 AM

Cool looking Charger. I really like the paint scheme you chose. This car should be an inspiration for your students to excercise their creativity.

plum500 · July 22, 2008, 07:45:18 AM

Very cool - nice work!

Charger74 · July 22, 2008, 08:07:14 AM

Very nice Charger Brick. Some very interesting mods done.

PocketThunder · July 22, 2008, 08:18:17 AM

Nice car Brickster..

Fitz73Chrgr · July 22, 2008, 09:26:46 AM

Very cool

Did you go to Wyotech?

BigBlockSam · July 22, 2008, 10:26:22 AM

very very nice.

FlatbackFanatic · July 22, 2008, 02:13:44 PM

That is a very cool ride!

Welcome to the site from another newbie

evil1 · July 22, 2008, 02:29:08 PM

cool car, was wondering, is the shaker smaller than OEM . The pic of it over the motor makes it look small. Are you going to smooth the front turn signales ?

Brickster · July 22, 2008, 11:57:16 PM

to answer a few questions.
- yes I did go to WyoTech as a student in 1996 and as an instructor from 2002-2006. I currently live back in Las Vegas working at a family owned driveline/rear end shop (Dan's Driveline)
-Some of the stuff I did that I forgot to mention is the Billet Grille. I actually cut all the slats from a single .125" sheet of aluminum. I really liked the phantom grilles that covered the headlights that were available for the then current model Chevy trucks (1988-1998). I don't know if I still love the look but I don't hate it and those grilles were a ton of work.
-the side markers are shaved
-the vinyl top was removed and the fiberglass panels that are used for the SE models on the rear side windows were covered over with sheet metal and the SE windows were de-textured. I should have filled the drip rails.
-the stock front turn signals will house fog lamps. I have the lamps and made the buckets but haven't got them in the car yet. The turn signals are now behind the grille
-the car was completely rewired
-the shaker is quite a bit smaller than a real shaker and to tell the truth it's because I didn't know any better. I got some pictures from online and started hammering out what looked right to me. By the time I saw a real shaker in person mine was done and I think it fits the car. I know shakers don't really belong on chargers but I really like them. (i wish mine shook more)

i'm attaching a few more pics of the scoop in progress and one of the car when I delivered it to my dad at work (he was real happy that day)

Brick

Nacho-RT74 · July 23, 2008, 04:34:54 AM

greeeat!!! are those centerline wheels ? I think 915 series ?

CB · July 23, 2008, 08:58:51 AM

69*F5*SE · July 23, 2008, 02:49:23 PM

Very very cool. You get the nod from me.

BMOTOXSTAR · July 24, 2008, 08:46:26 PM

41husk · July 24, 2008, 09:13:01 PM

sweet 3rd gen, love the shaker

bsakal · July 26, 2008, 08:42:39 PM

sweet ride!

4speed · July 26, 2008, 10:53:36 PM

you do good metal work and i like the charger

NYCMille · July 27, 2008, 05:33:39 AM

Cool ride man. I did the shaker on the '73... good for you for going where few others have gone...

Charger1973 · July 27, 2008, 01:08:00 PM

Thats a sweet ride dude... I need to stop looking before I get any ideas.

73chgrSE · July 27, 2008, 08:27:27 PM

That hood is really nice. I'ld love one of those on mine. I'ld like to see a close up of your side window louvers. Looks pretty cool smoothed out.

69 charger 500 · February 27, 2009, 03:30:06 AM

nice mods has the new and old look to i especially like the way hood slides up the shaker

doctorpimp · February 27, 2009, 10:04:49 AM

OMG - This is the first I've seen of this post!!!
Awesome !!!!

Why the hell hasn't this bad-boy been in one of the Mopar mags?

?

WingCharger · February 27, 2009, 10:10:56 AM

That third gen is AWESOME!!

Love the shaker and the grille. You have built one amazing car!!

The opera windows without a vinyl is really cool to!

Hey Brickster, how bout a update!?

captnsim · February 27, 2009, 10:31:52 AM

Nice car...great mods

Foreman72 · February 27, 2009, 10:54:54 AM

that looks pretty sleek...i dig the grill...

RD · February 27, 2009, 06:49:23 PM

beautiful 3rd gen.. an absolute inspiration for all 73 se owners out there.. to include me!!

cant believe i missed this one the first go round

69bronzeT5 · February 27, 2009, 06:58:48 PM

Wow...that '73 is just plain badass!

mauve66 · February 27, 2009, 07:00:09 PM

good lookin car dude

Silver R/T · February 27, 2009, 10:46:42 PM

Welcome to the site! Your 3rd gen is one of the best out there. You should get it feautured in magazine

Brickster · February 28, 2009, 02:19:09 AM

Wow, I'm really surprised at the response to this post. I linked it to the other post about the new motor and all the sudden this one gets a bunch of attention. A few people mentioned getting magazine coverage and that would be cool I just don't think it's to that level.

400/6/PAC · February 28, 2009, 07:21:33 AM

That car looks great.

bk72 · February 28, 2009, 09:12:41 AM

i like it

dodgecharger-fan · February 28, 2009, 10:53:54 AM

Great looking Charger!

I like the shaker scoop - I think the size is right, too. Amazing fabrication.

rusty lee · February 28, 2009, 12:19:05 PM

wow great looking car.

69*F5*SE · February 28, 2009, 12:38:12 PM

Nice car. The shaker scoop looks right at home like it's been there all along.

SnoPro440 · February 28, 2009, 12:42:34 PM

Nice car!

73 charger · June 12, 2009, 05:04:36 PM

Very nice car! I am looking for a hood scoop now!

Mike

mopar73 · June 13, 2009, 06:53:38 PM

Love the shaker!!!!

rav440 · June 14, 2009, 07:30:16 AM

Brickster · June 17, 2009, 10:32:31 PM

we took the car to test and tune at LMVS and the best we could get was 13.5 at 106 mph with NO traction. Slicks would be a big improvement.

ACUDANUT · September 20, 2009, 02:56:11 PM

Wow, Nice car. I love the shaker !!

News:

New guy with pics of '73 SE 13 yrs in the making