What is a fair price to pay for a rust free 73-74 Charger power bulge hood?

[GOTWING]

I picked up a complete 72 Rallye Charger for some parts for my 73 Charger, the 72's power bulge hood looks perfect on the outside, but underneath is all rusted out. the Rallye doors are pretty nice with very little rust starting in lower corner, however Im not putting the 72 doors on my 73, what would the rallye doors be worth as a pair? maybe trade for bulge hood?? thinking out loud here...

[TeeWJay426]

I sold one in 2010 for 400 bucks that was decent, but by no means perfect. No rust through, but some small bubbles starting. Truly rust free would be around 5-6 hundred, I would imagine.

[GOTWING]

that's something to go on, i guess small bubbling would be ok, thanks

[silvercloud]

IMO the pair of Rallye doors are worth way more than a hood is worth. I've been looking for a hood for 2 months for my car.....best price I have found so far is $700 CDN with a drive to Ontario to pick it up  .  Locally, they're apparently made of gold-can't find anything less than $1K-and that one was far from prime in the pics he sent.

Jason

[AKcharger]

new from $479 for Fiberglass, I'd bet a paycheck we'll see steel repops within 2 years (think AMD's R.R. hoods and '70 Air grabber hoods)
http://www.showcars-bodyparts.com/charger.html

[klutch]

new from $479 for Fiberglass, I'd bet a paycheck we'll see steel repops within 2 years (think AMD's R.R. hoods and '70 Air grabber hoods)
http://www.showcars-bodyparts.com/charger.html

Has anyone used their product? How was the fit, quality, ease of dealing with them, etc.?

[ACUDANUT]

IMO the pair of Rallye doors are worth way more than a hood is worth. I've been looking for a hood for 2 months for my car.....best price I have found so far is $700 CDN with a drive to Ontario to pick it up  .  Locally, they're apparently made of gold-can't find anything less than $1K-and that one was far from prime in the pics he sent.

Jason

I agree. Why not fork out some money for a real 72 Rallye.  That way your not throwing good money at a plain jane charger.  It's money well spent in the long run.

[Chryco Psycho]

I have seen clean bulge hoods selling for $1200
the 71-72 doors are completely different from the 73-74

[ACUDANUT]

If I were him, I would fix up the 72 Rallye before "wasting" money on a 73.

[silvercloud]

It's all perspective-I am dragging my '74 out of the weeds after a 25 year hiatus for a "quick paint job" that, go figure, I never got around to.  It was my 1st car-I've owned it since I was 15. Something life-altering is going to have to happen for it ever to leave...way too much sentimental value. I am at peace with the fact that I will never recover the money I invest in it, and the fact that most will consider it a waste of money. Everyone's got a different outlook on things.

I wish AMD would start stamping out bulge hoods-I'd gladly come up with $1000 for a new one. I can't bring myself to part with that kind of money for something that needs a pile of work. Again, everyone thinks different. That's what makes life interesting! 

Jason

[Brightyellow69rtse]

nuthin wrong with that man. i wish i still had my first car and it was a phord haha. ill prolly get one again someday but it wont be the same.

[71green go]

new from $479 for Fiberglass, I'd bet a paycheck we'll see steel repops within 2 years (think AMD's R.R. hoods and '70 Air grabber hoods)
http://www.showcars-bodyparts.com/charger.html

Has anyone used their product? How was the fit, quality, ease of dealing with them, etc.?

COMPLETE JUNK...stay away

[FLG]

new from $479 for Fiberglass, I'd bet a paycheck we'll see steel repops within 2 years (think AMD's R.R. hoods and '70 Air grabber hoods)
http://www.showcars-bodyparts.com/charger.html

Has anyone used their product? How was the fit, quality, ease of dealing with them, etc.?

COMPLETE JUNK...stay away

Heres the good stuff

http://www.vfnfiberglass.com/site.htm

Few members have used the hood, no major fitment or finish issues. I remember one having a small issue where the hood just sat a bit high in one area but finish was great and its a fiberglass part on a 30 year old car...its never gonna be perfect.

[no318]

I bought a real nice original bulge hood for $650 3-4 years ago.

[silvercloud]

I think your geographic location has a lot to do with it. I'm in Alberta-the limited supply of cars compared to other parts of Canada or the US, and the perception that everyone rolls in oil money combines to drive up the price on a lot of stuff. Most of the cool stuff I've acquired for mine has come from out-of-province. Unfortunately, physically big and relatively fragile items like sheetmetal cost a pile to ship....so, you're stuck either way.  That's life-gotta make the best of it, right?

Jason

[GOTWING]

@ ACUDANUT , what you have to understand is that my 73 Dodge Charger i have was my first car when i was 16 years old. ( i'm 44 now ) It is a pale green S/E 318 car with the white top and 3 parlor windows.green interior. When i got the car it was a beautiful garage kept one owner trade in at our local Ford,Lincoln,Mercury dealer,A elderly couple traded it in for a new Mercury, it was in the shop getting checked over before it hit the lot, well guess what it never hit the lot because it was mine for a mere $1,200. A lot of money for me at the time. I worked at a screenprinting shop for a couple summers saving up the money. The first thing i did was buy a new set of cragar SS mags, air shocks, Alpine stereo, and had dual exhuast put on it. The 318 sounded good and the car was only 11 years old at the time. I loved that car more then anything, i drove it for 4 years racking up tons of miles and great memories. In 1988 i made a huge mistake and sold the car privately to someone else that was turning 16, about 6 months after i sold the car i saw it one night sitting at a tire center like it was dropped off for work,  it had the entire drivers 1/4 panel tore up, trash and beer cans in the back floor,the car was just trashed. I was sick to my stomach, i could not beleive this jerk did not care for this car the way i did.

Long story short fast forward to 1996, I found the phone number to the kids father that bought the car for him from me and called him to get his son's phone number, the car was "sitting up" he said. (outside of course ) I asked him would you sell it back to me? He said no i want to keep it because it was my first car!  CRAP! I'm thinking that's why i want it back! So he goes on to tell me how he put a fresheened up 340 in it and blah blah blah, so i said IF YOU DO SELL IT CALL ME. never heard a word.


fast for

[GOTWING]

Cont. So fast forward to summer 2011. I'm at work and a guy I work with walks up to me. ( knowing i have the Superbird ) and he has a 69 Road Runner and says "hey man i saw a green Charger for sale this weekend out on the highway near Frankford. Not thinking for a moment it was my old car i said oh yeah, around what year? he said 73 or 4 .  So i say ha ha does it have a white vinyl top? he says yes. Now keep in mind when i sold it in 1988 the kid was in MD.but came to DE. all the time too. So anyway i can't leave work, i call my brother and ask him to please go and see if there is evidence this could be my old car. He gets there and looks for certain things i know about, it all matches up, he says man this is your old car! , plus it has a 340 put in it. ( vin later verified it was mine ) that took time to find on my end. however the car has been painted lime light and had the bumpers color keyed. it has vintage slots on it  and just needs everything. So my brother sends pictures to me on his i phone, after work i go straight there, i can't beleive after all these years i'm crawling all over it, checking out the air shock nozzle location and it still had the same rear end cover on it etc. the sign in the window says $6,500 obo or partial trade for dependable car/small truck.This guy i bought it from new nothing about cars, the car went through at least three other owners before he got it, he says solid floors on the sign, trunk had speed tape with a rattle can under coating covering the rust holes, etc. after several phone calls back in forth we finally meet and come to an agreement ( entire process took about 3 weeks ) in the meantime the car is on a busy highway with summer beaxch traffic driving buy it i got no sleep! ha ha .So i gave him my 98 black Volvo T-5 intercooled turbo 5spd. solid 14 second daily driver and some cash to seal the deal. If it was not my old car i would have never done the deal.I figured the 340 must be worth something to someone as i have a 69 h.p. 440 i have been holding on to since 86! So 23 years later i have my highschool car back, and that 72 you think i should restore means nothing to me!

[GOTWING]

I could not pass up the complete 72 Rallye for what he sold it to me for. $400  I wanted the front and rear sway bars, rallye cluster,hood, ( not sure if underneath hood rust could be fixed.) 8-3/4 rear, plus tons of other parts. When my car is finished i may sell the 72. I'm researching now what to do for 1973 1/4 panels and i have rocker rust and in the door hinge area i may have to cut this 72 up ,i will need new trunk pans, rear floors, i know i will never get my money back out of my 73, but i don't care, my son will end up with it anyway. the car does run and drive and is a 20 footer now.

[ACUDANUT]

Still I would rebuild the 72 and get rid of the 73...Don't throw good money at a worthless investment.  72 Rallyes will always hold their their value.

[jaak]

I don't know if it will make a difference to you or not, but 73 and 74 bulge hoods are different, the fiberglass repros look like a 74 (no vents).

Jason

[moparguy01]

i have a vfn bulge hood, and it has the indents where the vents would be, but they are not cut out. I just filled the indents and made it smooth, but you could just as easily cut them out.

[jaak]

i have a vfn bulge hood, and it has the indents where the vents would be, but they are not cut out. I just filled the indents and made it smooth, but you could just as easily cut them out.

I didn't know that. The only ones I have seen were already finished/painted, I guess they filled them in also. But its cool you got the option to have them if you want.

Jason

[GOTWING]

@ acudant, it's not about the money or an investment, a true car guy is not in it for the money, it's the love and passion for the cars. I think the prices that this stuff brings is stupid anyway. It is going to kill the hobby in time. As far as an investment i guess i can look at the Superbird like that. The day i got it i was offered $60,000 for it as is on the trailer, i stopped by to show it to someone that has some nice Mopars, it was not about the money, it was about the fact that i would never be able to buy one again if i flipped it. I also have my fathers mint 66 Hemi Coronet 500 with 7,800 miles, his mint 69 Lincoln Mark w/ 54 k orig miles and my grandfathers mint 67 Olds 98 that he also bought brand new. those cars will also never be sold.

I did not know 73-74 charger hoods were different, guess i never noticed. Thanks for the tip, you learn something everyday

I will look into fiberglass, but they have to be very nice quality.

[ACUDANUT]

Gotwing,
  I hear you.  However, tommorow is promised to no-one.  I would want my wife to get as much as she could for my cars, should I die suddenly.
So, I always have it in the back of my mind, if I am throwing good money at bad money.

[silvercloud]

IIRC every year from '71-'74 is different in the cowl vent area. My personal preference is the no-vent '74 style, but having said that, I will pretty much take whatever I can get.

As I posted above, I am firmly in your camp-some things are worth more in sentimental value than dollar value. Make your car what you want it to be just like I am doing with mine. Money is tight for me right now, so it will be a long time until it's "presentable"-I will settle for being able to drive it again for the first time in 25 years. Seems the saying that you get wiser with age is true-I am sinking money into the brakes, suspension and steering to have everything all new and tight and will deal with the cosmetics afterwards....but, I did pick up a '72 hideaway headlight setup for it   and am actively searching for a few more "improvements"-some from earlier models, some from later stuff. Mine was a WH23 318/904 so it's not like it was a collectible to start with...the only person in the whole world that values it highly is me. I guess the guy that tried to steal it a few years back valued it too-but that's a story for another time.

Jason