74 charger se, a work in progress

[74charger360]

Hello everyone! Ive been lingering on here for quite some time and finally decided to post some pictures of my project.
I bought my charger about a month ago for $2,000.  The previous owner had removed the vinyl top and the opera windows when he painted the car about 15 years ago. after that he took out the stock 318 and put in a 360 tweaked to put out around 425hp and the same in tourque.  While he had the engine out he also repainted the engine bay and replaced the floor pan and trunk pan. He also put a whole new brake system in, complete new suspension up front along with new steering knuckles, and tie rods.  He also put a new rear end with 3.90 gears in it.  while doing all of this work, over a span of 10 years he eventually got tired of the project and didnt have any more time to devote to it with his job so it sat for awhile.  about 6 or 7 years to be exact.  Heres where i come in  I've seen this car in his driveway for years and always wanted it but he didnt want to sell it.  One day his wife told me that he wanted sell it and It was all gravy after that.  well enough of my yappin lets see some pics!!!!
sorry for the quality they were taken on my iphone.

Im currently in the process of converting and removing those fugly louvers.

[covet66]

Very nice- looks like a great project!

[SG1022]

Very nice project   We need more pictures!!


I think we might be twins

-I have a 73SE(same car)
-I am also removing opera windows and vinyly top
-I am also painting mine black
-I am also using a built 360 that is projected at 425 on pump gas
-I am also removing my old 318 two barrel
-I also picked up a 3.9 rear end
-I also take take most of pictures with my Iphone

Just make sure you delete your exif data  


Any pictures of how the rear passenger windows fit in? I have yet to remove the opera window plastic.

[FLG]

Sweet project!! You stole it for that price!

Quick question,

How are the rear windows? If you remove the opera windows the back windows do not roll down, there is also a support/channel for the front windows that will need to be removed. Then you will need to modify the rest of the stuff so you can have roll down rear windows.

How is yours done? Removing the louvers are a piece of cake...modifying it to fit roll down windows is another story.  Looks like on the passenger side the support/channel is still there.

[SG1022]

Sweet project!! You stole it for that price!

Quick question,

How are the rear windows? If you remove the opera windows the back windows do not roll down, there is also a support/channel for the front windows that will need to be removed. Then you will need to modify the rest of the stuff so you can have roll down rear windows.

How is yours done? Removing the louvers are a piece of cake...modifying it to fit roll down windows is another story.

Is removing the opera louvers all that needs to be done? I would be fine with having mine not rool down, I just wasn't sure if I would have to make some mouldings or do metal work to make it flush and fit.

[FLG]

Look at the passenger side of his car...thats whats left when you remove the louvers.

[FLG]

If you remove the louvers and vinyl top you have this



(stole the pic from a post on the forum)

If you remove that plug, you now have the standard roof line, and a bunch of modifying to do to make everything work.

Honestly, id leave the louvers and vinyl top. I contemplated doing things like you, but the more pics ive seen of 3rd gens with the top and louvers, the more i liked it. Maybe its just me, but i get the feeling im in a big fish when i look out the rear windows, they remind me of gills...LOL.

[74charger360]

Very nice project   We need more pictures!!


I think we might be twins

-I have a 73SE(same car)
-I am also removing opera windows and vinyly top
-I am also painting mine black
-I am also using a built 360 that is projected at 425 on pump gas
-I am also removing my old 318 two barrel
-I also picked up a 3.9 rear end
-I also take take most of pictures with my Iphone

Just make sure you delete your exif data  


Any pictures of how the rear passenger windows fit in? I have yet to remove the opera window plastic.

Awsome!!!  sorry thats all the pictures i have of it. But when i get a chance i'll take a closeup of the passenger side for you.

for converting the windows I just cut the opera window out and suprisingly what you see on the driver's side is what is behind the opera window!!  I know crazy huh?  Now alot of the metal has been cut out and repplaced because of rust but i did not change the shape at all.  You do need to also cut out the support bar that runs up and down right behind the door and make a notch(which i am yet to do) in the door jamb so that the rear window can pass when it is rolled down.  for the rear quarter windows, I found the glass, tracts, regulators, and cranks(basically the whole mechanism) from a junk yard but i am yet to put them in.  Now weatherstripping? thats another story lol, im not exactly positive how all thats gonna work out but i'm sure its not anything to hard.  also u have to either extend the drip rail which is what i did, or delete them completely.

[SG1022]

What happens when you cut out the vertical support bar? Isn't there a space between the two piece of glass?


I am also going to have to do some serious rust removal and metal work right on the back side of the louvers 


Weatherstripping shouldn't be too hard, right? Just a matter of finding the right size and installing it with may clamps 

[74charger360]

What happens when you cut out the vertical support bar? Isn't there a space between the two piece of glass?


I am also going to have to do some serious rust removal and metal work right on the back side of the louvers 


Weatherstripping shouldn't be too hard, right? Just a matter of finding the right size and installing it with may clamps 

there is but, there is a peice of weatherstripping that is part metal, part rubber, that is attached to the quarter glass on the edge and when the windows are rolled up it seals them together.

yea most of the time vinyl tops inhibit rust from them staying moist when it rains, i have some rust spots i have to fix on the body as well.

[74charger360]

ok folks sorry it took me so long to post these, I've been busy with school and haven't really worked on the charger a whole lot.


The alignment of the window is a little off but i'll adjust that whenever i put in the weatherstripping

I didn't know how big of a hole to cut so i kinda eyballed it from pics of a non SE. I figured the ujamb seal will cover it up if i cut too much off lol
I also need to sand down where i cut at and put some paint on there cause i see its already starting to rust


and this is the passenger side which is yet to be converted(this is what the drivers side used to look like

[Axels73Charger]

Sweet You Made it look like a Rallye or a standard! I'm trying to get a 73 Dodge Charger and I've come to conclusion that if I can't get a Rallye, I'll get a SE! But I kinda don't like the opera windows all that much. So after seeing this can you tell me if it was hard to make it like that. And if it cost a lot? Most of my cash is going into the Charger itself, and on craigslist there are a lot of SE's (or at least cars that have the vinyl top and opera windows). So was it easy for you and did it cost you a lot?