72 Charger - Long Awaited Update...

[Charger-Bodie]

Welcome to the Site Chad! This is the first time that I noticed that you started a thread. Looking good !

[72Charger-SE]

Thanks Brian.  I am learning ALOT and am very grateful for this site.  Thanks for the invite.  I will continue our restoration journey and am certain to have questions along the way.  Have a Great Evening! 

[72Charger-SE]

Well, I got back out to the garage tonight for the first time in a few days.  I was able to remove the gas tank, undercoat the driver's side fender wells (along with a bit of my hair), and begin installing the new brake cables.  Ran into a problem when one of the 'pins' that hold the caliper to the wheel broke off.  It is now 'stuck' inside of the threaded area and I am not 100% sure how to get it out.  May have to buy one from a local Mopar guy as I don't have the right tools to get this one out.  Anyway a little more progress.  Also, a couple big boxes of parts showed up today!  Yeee Haaa!

[bobs66440]

Also, a couple big boxes of parts showed up today!  Yeee Haaa!

Like Christmas morning! 

[CDN72SE]

Nice to see another SE, I'll be following along as I do mine as well. Alan.

[72Charger-SE]

I am also moving the column shift to the floor.  Any wisdom or advice would be greatly appreciated.     I started my 'Molasses & Water' rust removal process today.  We'll see how the hardware looks in 72 hours.  Praying it comes out perfectly rust free!

[NHCharger]

Wow, you've been busy. Nice project. Looks like you have a 71 gas tank. In 71 there was a fuel vapor separator tucked behind a removable panel in the driver side wheel well. That's where the four lines from the side of the tank go. In 72 the four lines came out the front to a smaller vapor canister that was mounted on the bottom of the cross member directly in front of the tank.

[72Charger-SE]

Well, that is good to know.. Not sure what to do with this information but if you can help me decipher what you are telling me as either good or bad that would be great.    Do I need to keep the hollow area behind the rear driver's side wheel or can I just eliminate it?  Thanks...

[NHCharger]

That's just today's useless bit of Mopar trivia
It was not uncommon to see stuff like this on cars with fairly early build dates. I seriously doubt that you would have the 71 style vapor canister, unless that was a mid-year change for 72. One of the 3rd gen experts can give us an answer on that. Where do those four rubber lines go to that you cut on the side of the tank?

[CDN72SE]

My 7-71 built 72SE has the same gas tank and vapour canister setup. A later built 72 that I owned had the four vent tubes pointing toward the front of the car, so sometime during the run the tanks changed. 

[71383bee]

The sure grip can mount in any 3rd member.  it is not specific to the 741,742, or the 489.  That worn or warped shaft does not look good on it.  It looks like a clutch style so those can be pulled apart and rebuilt.  If you do you will have to completely re set up the gear and pinion though.  Out of curiosity...did the 3rd member come out of the car or is it separate?

Just pull the whole dash out to get the pad off.  You actually do not even have to remove the gauge pod.  There are 4 bolts IIRC.  One on each end just under the dash and 2 along the top.  If you have the FSM body manual it will show you. 

Early model 72's had the 71 style vapor separator that mounts to the left rear fender well.  You need to keep this system because if you plug it up your tank will not have an adequate vent ad will go to vacuum.  They switched to the tank mounted style in the middle top of the tank later in the model year.  The system is easy to reuse.  The FSM has info on it. 

Also curious as to why you are mounting items back on the car when it looks like you are in the process of stripping and doing body work?   

The slapstick needs to be started from the round flat part on the hump.  that is where the slapstick rod went through the body to the tranny.  Unfortunately I do not have dimensions to help, but if t=you get the assembly its fairly easy to mock it up. 




Looks like a cool project.

[72Charger-SE]

On the sure grip comment.  So you are saying the sure grip rear end I have will need to be rebuilt, correct?  If so, where is a good 'rebuild' source for parts?  I did purchase the FSM body manual on CD and found where the four bolts are so that entire thing will come out - Thanks.  I will reinstall vapor separator as required.  I will need new hoses but those don't appear too difficult.  As far as mounting items back on the car...  I need to get it to a rolling chassis in the next couple weeks so I can move it to my Father-In-Law's shop so I can sand blast the engine compartment.  Once that is done I plan to paint the engine compartment, trunk and inside of the car and haul it back home.  Not sure if that is the right way to do it but it works for the room I have.  While the car is gone I plan to go through the motor and tranny replacing all filters & gaskets as they are all pretty much leaking.  Also I plan to paint the motor and tranny while the car is away for a month or so...  We'll see how it all goes... 

[71383bee]

For me personally I would not feel too comfortable with that worn sure grip casing you showed in your photos.  Since your not familiar with setting up ring and pinions I would definitely recommend taking it somewhere for a look.  The 741 is the weakest of the 3 3rd members, but it is fine for up to 500hp from what i have been told.  I don't know your area, but there is probably a reputable tranny and rear end shop somewhere in your region.  Ask around at the local cruises and fellow mopar guys in your area.       

I see on the parts now.  that makes sense.  I said it with some trepidation because there are alot of these posts where a car is started and the pictures show a ton of body work and all the OP is questioning is where to go for new carpet, how to put in a "killer" stereo, and if a 904 tranny can take 600hp from their soon to be rebuilt 440 meanwhile the frame looks like swiss cheese and the panels have more bondo then metal!  Looks like your going about it the proper way.  get the body squared away first before going crazy on the drivetrain. 

A good tip I learned for painting chassis parts is to get a 5 gallon bucket and fill about 3/4 with water.  Then pour about 1/4 pint of satin black oil base paint in.  The oil base paint will stay on the surface of the water.  Then take wires or coat hangers and individually dip the parts through the paint and then hang them to dry.  This coats everything very well and is a very durable film of paint.

Good luck!   

[72Charger-SE]

I will have a local shop check out the 3rd member since you are correct... I don't know anything about them...    As far as the chassis goes I am very lucky to have one of the cars that factory undercoating (THICK) was used.  There is very little rust on the frame rails and such and mostly surface and not deep.  Once I get the motor pulled I can weld in the new floor pan (DS) and do some metal repairs inside.  Then move onto the trunk area and repair the holes there as well.  If all goes as planned (and I doubt it will) I will have a rolling chassis and all inside body work completed by the end of April.  I will inquire with a couple local body shops for the outside body repair as it is more of an art and not something I want to pay to have done after I screw it up.  I would rather pay to have it done right the first time.  Question on the bodywork... Is it OK to just take the fenders to the body shop separate from the car or do they need the entire car to work on?  I am just trying to plan my next steps...   THANKS for the tip on painting the chassis parts.  Can I do this on top of the current sprayed (can) on paint? 

[71383bee]

The body guys typically like to have all of the panels.  It is common to pull off the panels to work on, but for final alignment and finishing it is best to have it all together.  I am sure if you have some patching or dent pulling its not a big deal to do them individually though.

I don't think it will hurt anything to paint the parts again. 

[72Charger-SE]

OK.. Today was a busy day...  loaded up the old cleaned up 8.25 rear end with 2.76 gears and took it to a friend's (Christine & JEMS) Dodge Graveyard (if you will)...  She had a 1969 Dodge Charger 500 with an 8.75 rear end and 2.76 gears a perfect fit for the 3.55 gears I have.  The boys and I spent several hours but the outcome is the 8.75 rear end is on jack stands in my garage and draining all of it's gear oil into a oil change bucket awaiting the removal of the 489 2.76 pig and replacement with the 741 pig and 3.55 gears I have already acquired.  The 8.25 rear end is reattached to the 1969 Dodge Charger 500 so the car can be towed around the yard as needed.  In short it was a good day and I am THANKFUL & PRAISING THE LORD that I am now able to move forward with mounting the rear end with new leaf springs, new shocks and get a safe, secure and complete rolling chassis to move the car as needed.   Thanks for all your help Boys! (Nathan & Thomas).. Oh.. and Gabriella (my youngest daughter) helped too...  She assisted with 'tool retrieval and delivery'... 

[Daytona R/T SE]

OK.. Today was a busy day...  loaded up the old cleaned up 8.25 rear end with 2.76 gears and took it to a friend's (Christine & JEMS) Dodge Graveyard (if you will)...  She had a 1969 Dodge Charger 500 with an 8.75 rear end and 2.76 gears a perfect fit for the 3.55 gears I have.  The boys and I spent several hours but the outcome is the 8.75 rear end is on jack stands in my garage and draining all of it's gear oil into a oil change bucket awaiting the removal of the 489 2.76 pig and replacement with the 741 pig and 3.55 gears I have already acquired.  The 8.25 rear end is reattached to the 1969 Dodge Charger 500 so the car can be towed around the yard as needed.  In short it was a good day and I am THANKFUL & PRAISING THE LORD that I am now able to move forward with mounting the rear end with new leaf springs, new shocks and get a safe, secure and complete rolling chassis to move the car as needed.   Thanks for all your help Boys! (Nathan & Thomas).. Oh.. and Gabriella (my youngest daughter) helped too...  She assisted with 'tool retrieval and delivery'...  

1. A '69 Charger 500 is worth big bucks, regardless of condition...Go back and get it.

2. The 8.75 rearend out of the '69 500 will NOT fit into a '72 SE without moving the spring perches

(cutting and welding) and then the overall width is off, too....

[72Charger-SE]

My bad on this...  After further review the '69 Dodge Charger 500 was sitting next to the Dodge Coronet 440 that the rear end was pulled from.  Will the Dodge Coronet 440 8.75 rear end work on a 1972 Dodge Charger SE?  I was able to install the rear end that was originally in the 72 SE back underneath the Coronet 440 so I am thinking they are interchangeable?!  It wasn't easy but it appears to have fit properly?  Will I have issues and need to weld/cut as you stated previously?

[NHCharger]

The attached thread has a chart showing the width of axles broken down into years and sizes.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,6692.0.html

[72Charger-SE]

Thanks NH Charger.  I found out the 8.75 rear end was not originally in the Coronet 440 it was put there so the car could be put on a trailer.  SOOOO.. with that being said I will have to do some research on the castings on it and do some actual measurements to validate it will fit properly on my 72 SE.   I pray it will!  But if not I will use this as a valuable learning experience.  

[71383bee]

Ahhh yeah there is a lot of lessons to learn here and that is practically nothing (other than trans and engine) from the 70 and back cars will work on what is commonly referred to as the 3rd generation cars.   It is in your best interest that you do the research before diving into a yard to pull parts off of cars.  AND the only thing I would be pulling of a 69 500 would b the whole car...those cars are priceless!

Its not just the spring perches, but the plate to plate width is different too.  The 71/72's are much wider than the earlier years.  The only swap that will work between bodies is a C body rearend.  

[72Charger-SE]

Ok... So I made a mistake with the rear end I picked up.  Praise the LORD I was able to source the correct rear end from a local Mopar shop today!  He took the other one as a trade and I had to give a little cash to finalize the deal.  Overall I am very pleased with this rear end.  Less work and it is much cleaner and less rust than the other one!  Here are some pics.  I also had my driver's side floor pan show up today.  Once I get the engine and tranny pulled I will work on this.  I am held up right now as my neighbor who has a cherry picker is repairing his engine hoist after the last person borrowed it and returned it with a blown cylinder.  Guess not everyone takes care of things they damage. Oh well, hopefully soon!

[bobs66440]

  Nice paint! Good work! 

[72Charger-SE]

Ok...  I have been a bit lax in getting the changes posted so here they are...
The 8.75 rear end has been prepped with new brake lines, painted end plates (brake shoes remain to be done).  New front rotors are installed with new packed bearings & seals.  Painted the calipers (Red) with caliper paint.  Plan to mount these in the next day or so.  
The exhaust has been removed (cut the area below the manifolds)... I'm gonna put headers on it anyway so it should be OK.
The motor and tranny have been prepped and we started to pull the motor & tranny as one.  The problem occurred when the cylinder on the engine hoist failed to go up any further.  Dave (Neighbor) is going to look at it and possibly replace it with another one.  Once the motor and tranny are pulled I will install the leaf springs & rear end, all four tires and roll the chassis outside to power wash & sand blast as needed.

[71383bee]

Not sure you knew about this or not, but its a lot easier to drop the k member with the motor and trans still on it like the factory did.  That way your not lifting the motor and tranny over the front of the car and you can work on the suspension, motor, and trans independently.  when you ready just assemble it al on the K member, lift the car up, and slide under the K member and then lower the car onto the K.  

I have done it the old fashioned way plenty too, but the last 2 cars I did with the K member and its a lot easier IMHO.  You just need to be very thorough in disconnecting the suspension.