1968 Charger parts

[moparnole]

Hi, Im in the process of trading my 1989 Supra for a 1968 Charger project.Since I'm only in high school, money is somewhat of a problem for me, but I do have some(saved up Christmas money!!) the car itself needs frame rails, floorpans, and a new motor(it has a 440 in it now that has not run since the late 80's) also for some reason the wheels are locked up( possible brake issues?) anyway if anybody has any advice, or parts that they need to get rid of, please by all means send me some information, it would be greatly appreciated, when I get the car , and start work on it I will upload some pics.also, any recommendations as far as suspension?

[Mean 318]

Hey welcome! I got my 70 when I was 15! No worries, it takes time but b4 you know it you will be goin down the road! Get some pics up!
As far as the rear wheels, prbly the brakes, but check the dif fluid just in case!

[Steve P.]

Welcome to the site. You have come to the home of incredible knowledge and just plain great people all around.

I would say to have someone qualified take a look at the Charger before you make the trade. It sounds like you have a running car now that you are trading out of and moving into a project that will be huge. In most cases where the frame rails are rotted there will be MUCH, MUCH more that you are not even looking at yet. This is a tough job at any age, but for someone fresh in the hobby it will be enormous. I'm not trying to scare you off, just giving you fair warning. This is a big job on any car, but parts for this car are NOT cheap.. Also getting anyone to come off parts they have been hording is tougher than pulling teeth out of a live snake.


Good luck and again, welcome...

[dpm68]

I looove Supras! Post pics of it too. Is it red or white?

[rav440]

post lots of pics .

[moparnole]

Thanks for the warm welcome, and advice, here is a VIDEO of the Supra...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP9Fby2b8_A&feature=channel_page

       enjoy

[500hp_440]

Welcome to the site!
I'm 16 and I have a 69 440 charger. There ALOT more work and money then you could imagine if you new to this. Just make sure to tear it down all the way, don't cut corners and do it all right the first time! (especially the stuff that welded and hard to get/important) Not to rip on you but, very nice upgrade! Since the brakes are locked one of your first projects could be to rebuild the axle, since it has to come off any ways and there easy.
Also this is the #1 in my opion place to get info and advice again welcome and congrats!

[68pplcharger]

You are very fortunate... I could not even touch a charger when I was sixteen. Good luck with the build

[500hp_440]

You are very fortunate... I could not even touch a charger when I was sixteen. Good luck with the build

Thanks you too, it took 3 years to find and my life savings + some luck

[WingCharger]

Welcome aboard man! I'm 14, and dreaming of a Charger Daytona clone.
The guys on this board will point you in the right direction, and there is knowledge about every part of that car by someone on here.

Check out autometaldirect.com for all you metal needs. Also, a member on here named Shakey has some extremely detailed restoration and reassembly threads. Used the advanced search to find his posts.

Good luck man, and I hope you hang around on here. We need more young gun members.
Suspension depends on what you plan on doing with the car, what engine it originally had, and how you are going to treat the car.
Good suspension sources:
manciniracing.com is a great place for pretty much anything you need.
xvmotorsports.com for the more handling oriented builds (Pro-Touring)

Some general mods most guys do include reinforced lower control arms (mancini) and subframe connectors (mancini). Tubular upper control arms are also common. Deeper pocketed guys also hit up XV for a stronger lower rad support and their inner fender supports. They also have a stronger type of subframe connector, but it is harder to install.
Rear stuff could just be a set of extra heavy duty or super stock springs from Mancini, who also has all hardware to mount them.

Also, you really need to post some pics of your Fender Tag so the guys can decode it.

If you ever need any help with anything, pm me and I will be glad to help.
Wing

[WingCharger]

Here is a good list of stuff to look over from Dans 68:

History of Vehicle
Get as much history and paper work on the car that you can from the guy.
Where did he get it (geographical location)/who did he buy it from?
Any known previous owners?
What has he done with it since he got it?
Where and how was it stored?
Has it ever been wrecked?
What work has he done on it?
Pictures when he got it.
Any pictures prior to or during restoration.
Did anyone else do work on it?
If so, check with them to see what they did and what condition the car was in.  Get any documents, receipts, invoices of his expenses.
How much did he pay for it?

Throughout the entire process of looking over the car – always be looking for signs of the number one problem with cars this age – RUST!

Body & Paint

Walk completely around the car and look at/for the following things:

Hood
Does the hood line up and lay level with the fenders, front cowl and grill.
Lift the hood to see if it comes up evenly and doesn't bind on the hinges.  Lower the hood and see if it comes back down in alignment.

Trunk
Does the trunk lid line up and lay flat with the rear quarters, rear deck and tail panel?  Open and close the trunk to see if it latches properly.
Pull back the trunk liner to check the condition of the trunk floor pan.  Are the drip holes plugged, are the seams all properly welded.  Look closely where the rear wheel wells meet the trunk floor.  This is a notorious place for rust and metal decay.
If you feel inclined, from the inside of the trunk look upward to the bottom of the rear window.  Any rust or decay is an indication that the window well is bad or the window seal is leaking.  That will also show up if there is any indication that water is dripping down onto the tops of the rear wheel wells inside the trunk.
Check both the front and rear valances for dents, etc.

The front grill/clip is primarily made of plastic.  Check closely for cracks or missing chunks that could have been broken off.

Open each door to see if it swings straight out and closes easily.  If it sags when opened and doesn't close easily, the door hinges are bad.  The doors should close easily – there is no need to slam them.

Stand back on each side of the car so you can see the entire car from front to rear.  Look for the body line that runs from the front to the rear.  It starts at the front side marker on the fender and runs in a straight line along the fender across the door and along the rear quarter to the back side marker. Then go to the rear of the car and look down the body line at eye level to see if the rear quarter panel, door and front fender are aligned.  If the line isn't distinct or straight, it is an indication that there has been body work on the fender, door or rear quarter.

Check all chrome i.e. window trim, door handles, bumpers, gas cap, drip rails, grill trim, tail panel trim, wheel well trim, etc. for pits, dimples, bends or dings.

Check the vinyl top to see if the overlap lines are straight and symmetrical.
Look for bubbles or tears in the top.
Feel around the top for the roof weld seams to see if they are flat.  The rear seams run diagonally down from just below the top of the back window to just above the bottom of the rear side windows.  The front seams are just below the top on the front door posts.  If they bulge or are indented, there could be problems under the vinyl top.

Paint
Not only can paint hide a lot of things; it can also tell you a lot about the condition of the underlying metal.
Check for overspray, especially inside the engine bay, trunk and undercarriage.  That will be an indication of how professional the paint job is; although, there was a lot of overspray and missed spots in those locations on original paint jobs from the factory.
Look for drips, runs, cracks, chips, scratches, dings and orange peel.  Dark spots in the paint are an indication that water dripped on the paint when it was sprayed.
Examine all seams closely for scaling, bubbles or peeling of the paint – this is an indication of underlying rust.  Critical areas would be around the sail panels, along the bottom of the back window, around the wheel wells, bottoms of the fenders and quarter panels, along the bottom of the rocker panels, etc.


Interior
Check the top dash pad for cracks and tears.
Check to see if the doors lock from both inside and using the key from the outside.
Crank the windows up and down to see if they slide smoothly.  All windows, especially the rear side windows should go down below the window trim.
Open and close the front wing windows.  They should move easily and close tightly against the rubber.
If there is a remote lever for driver's side rear view mirror, move it around to see if the mirror moves.
Slide both bucket seats back and forth to make sure they glide smoothly.
Lift both bucket seat backs to make sure they fall forward evenly.
The head rest should move up and down.
The front seat belt portion on the door side of the seats should pull up to about the middle of your waist and retract (they are the only belts that retract).  The portion on the console side does not retract but comes across and adjusts to fit.  The back seat belts lay flat on the seat.  Fasten the belts to see if they clasp and unlock.
Check the head liner to make sure it is tight all around.
The sun visors should swivel back and forth and up and down.
A critical place to check is the bottom of the rear window around the package tray for water leaks and rust on the inside window trim.
The console tray door should lift up easily and lock in the closed position.
The door panels look pretty good in the photos.
Turn the steering wheel back and forth to see if there is any play in it.  If there is a lot of play, there could be a problem in the steering box.


Undercarriage
Go dressed to get down, underneath and dirty.
Jack the car up and examine the undercarriage.
Use a small hammer, if the owner will let you, to tap around to check for rust (just tap – you don't need to hammer on things)
Tap the frame rails to make sure they are solid.
You probably won't be able to lift the carpet from the inside to check the floor pans but you can check them from underneath.  Tap them.
Tap the exhaust system from front to rear, including the mufflers.  You can also wear a pair of gloves and run your hand along the length of them.  Examine the mufflers for rust around the seams (indication that they are leaking).  Pay particular attention to the pipes from the mufflers back.  They go up over the top of the real axle (if stock) and can rust out on top.  Make sure the tail pipe tips are welded on.
Make sure the rear springs are tight and properly attached.
Check the shocks, front and back for leaks.  Rock the car front and back to see if the shocks stabilize within one bounce.
Make sure all drive train bolts are present and accounted for.
Try to see if the motor mounts are solid and the rubber is in good shape.
Look for leaks and dents around the gas tank.

To be continued...

[WingCharger]

...continued:

Front End
While you have the front end jacked up, grasp the tire front and back and move it side to side to see if there is any play in it.  If there is movement, could be a sign of wear in the steering linkage or front bearings.
Check the ball joints for wear.  There should have signs of grease around the grease fittings and joints indicating proper lubrication.
The sway bar should be tight – looks like the guy replaced it.
Make sure the torsion bars are tight in the frame in the back and tight up front in the lower control arm.
Check the front tires to see how they are wearing.  Could reveal a need for an alignment or replace shocks.
Check the steering linkage to make sure it is tight.  Look for wear on the tie rods.
If possible, pull off a front tire to check the brake pad wear and rotors.
Look for signs of oil and coolant leaks underneath.
When driving – take hands off the steering wheel and see if it goes straight down the road.  Drifting to one side or the other is an indication of a need for a front end alignment.

Engine Bay
Look for signs of oil and/or coolant leaks.
The hood has a pad on the underside.  Look for stains on it.

Drive line – rear-end, engine, transmission

Rear-end
There should be a tag bolted on the side of the rear end with the gear ratio noted.
Check for oil leaks around the pumpkin.
The 440, if the car was equipped with one when new, probably has either the 8 -3/4 or 9-1/4 rear end. The 8-3/4 is identified by having a drop out "chuck" on the front and a solid back. No plate to unbolt.
Check around the inside of the rear rims for leaks coming from the axle – sign of bad seals.
Jack rear end up and rotate tires back and forth to detect any play in the rear end.
While driving, listen for grinding, whining, clanking, etc. – indications of bad bearings or worn gears in differential.

Engine
Now is the time to start the engine.  Start it when it is cold.  Feel the valve covers, exhaust manifolds, radiator or heads/block to make sure it is cold.
Listen to how it sounds when it starts.
Does the carburetor kick down when it is warmed up?
Does it idle smoothly – depending upon cam?
Listen for tappet/lifter noises
Listen for exhaust leaks around the exhaust manifolds.
Have someone check the exhaust when first started.  Blue smoke – oil burn; black smoke – mixture too rich


Transmission (manual)-You didn't mention which your car has.

The transmission should be an A-833, small drive pinion with 23 splines.
While driving, listen for whining, clanking or grinding in the transmission.
Shift into reverse and drive backwards for a short distance.
Shift through all gears from 1st to 4th moving forward.  Then slow down and down-shift through all gears from 4th to 1st.  The transmission is more likely to come out of gear while downshifting.

Electrical and vacuum

With engine running, now check the electrical system.
Lights
Check to see if all light are working:
Dash and gauge lights – roll dimmer switch up and down on dash
Console lights on each side of console
Overhead light
Turn signals
Check to see if the hood mounted signal lights are working . Parking lights in front valance
Side marker lights both front and rear on both sides
Tail lights
Brake lights
Put in car in reverse and see if reverse lights work – clear plastic light cover above and between the two tail lights on each side.
Turn on the headlights and see if the vacuum system is working to open and close the covers.
With covers open, check low and high beams.  There are two headlights on each side – low beam is one and both are on for high beams.

The headlight cover doors in the grill are the best indicators to see if the vacuum system is working.  If they don't come up or close properly there is a problem.  They both should open and shut simultaneously.  Could be a leaky hose or the canister is not holding pressure.  The vacuum canister is located under the battery tray.

Turn on windshield wipers to see if they work.  Also, check to see if the windshield washers work.

Check to see if the radio works.
All speakers should work.  Turn up volume to check for broken speaker diaphragms - rattles and/or vibration.

Check to see if the heater works.  If the heater squeals, there could be a problem with the fan.

Wing (Thanks Dans 68!)

[moparnole]

......wow, you said a mouthfull!!!!!!!

[WingCharger]

Thank you.
Anything I can do to help!
I can go on for days with stuff if you want.

Firm Feel Inc. is also a great resource for steering and certain suspension components.

[moparnole]

I'll test you, how can you convert a Charger to nuclear power?

[WingCharger]

I'll test you, how can you convert a Charger to nuclear power?

Ford tried that in 1958. Too dangerous.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Nucleon

On a slightly different note, my dad works at a power plant that was going to be nuclear, but was converted to coal before it started up. The first on earth to do so!

[moparnole]

Could you help me on my homework too?!?!?!?!?!?!!?

ALso, how do you put pictures  on this site?

[WingCharger]

Could you help me on my homework too?!?!?!?!?!?!!?

ALso, how do you put pictures  on this site?

A good idea is to save them into a internet photohosting website. photobucket.com is a great place, and is what I use.
Save them to there from your computer pics, then use the last url "IMG Code" the pictures can have, and there you go!

Here is an example:
Hit the quote button to see it.

"No, that is not my car. I wish it was though "

[moparnole]

Like so?

[WingCharger]

Absolutely!
Now, if your computer crashes, those will still be there and be backed up! You can also add any pictures you find on photobucket to your account by clicking "add to my account."
Your car looks good man!
So, what is your plan with it? Street Car, Street/Strip, Pro-Touring, Strip Only, Daily Driver, or What? I can give you more info if I know what you wanted to do!

We need a Fender Tag picture!

[moparnole]

Well if Im trading my Supra for it, it would have to be a daily driver. It was originally a 383 car, but now  has a 1969 440 sitting in there that has not run since the late 80's. Ultimatly I would like to take one of the NEW 6.1 liter HEMIS and let her rest in there. The car itself sat in a field in Meeeeeechigan for 20 odd years, ( looks good for going through that) and the guy needs to get rid of it. Already it seems like it wouldnt be a bad Idea to replace everything under it ( I live in North Florida, so the frames of cars around here arent usually rusted up, the car is in Baltimore), as well as the floorpans. To finish it I would like to have it painted Charger Red, with a black vinal top, and black interior.( It has a White pimpin interior in it now.)

[WingCharger]

It will take a ton of work to get a classic Charger up to par as a daily driver. It will have problems, realize that. I guess being in Florida means you won't have to worry about cold starting with a carb, but you better at least have a 26in. radiator.

Yes, if a daily driver is your angle, almost everything should be replaced, or refinished. Okay, so it was a original 383, now wearing a locked 440. So, is it a Manual or Automatic. What options can you tell outright that the car has?

[moparnole]

ttp://i597.photobucket.com/albums/tt60/moparnole/chargerbackend.jpg[/IMG]

[WingCharger]

Column Shifted Automatic, pretty nice.
Standard steering wheel. Can't see if you have a tic-toc-tach or not.

[moparnole]

It's an automatic, can you think of any modern chassis that would fit under a gen. 2 charger?
As far options, i'm not sure, but I'm not entirely sure that the white interior came standard?