1974 Charger Build

[Meteshjj]

So, to start off, this is my first Charger. I spent 8 years trying to find one of the second or third generation Chargers until I stumble on one out of Idaho. He wanted to trade for my '93 Cummins with a cracked frame. I figured that I might as well go for it because I moved into the city and didn't need the 4x4 anymore... plus it's a Charger.

My plan was originally to gut the interior, change it over to a TKO-600 5-speed standard and 520 Hemi built out of a 440 and a Stage V Hemi kit. I also planned to repaint it, etc. etc.

That was until I looked at the fender tag and tried looking at the VIN numbers on the body, engine, and transmission.

This is both the VIN and the fender tag breakdown.

Code Select Expand

WP29: Dodge Charger - Premium, 2 Door Sports Hardtop
G4A: 318 150HP(net) or 170HP(net) 1-2BBL 8 CYL

1974 Lynch Road, MI, USA

E44: 318 cid 2 barrel V8 230hp (Gross)
D34: Light Duty Automatic Transmission (TorqueFlyte 3-speed A904)
KY4: Golden Fawn (Dodge) Exterior Color
U4Y3: Trim - Unknown, Vinyl Split Bench Seat, Gold
000: Full Door Panels
723: Build Date: July 23
937957: Order number
V17: Full Vinyl Top, Golden Fawn (Dodge)
U: USA Specifications
V7X: Accent Stripes, White
22: 22 Inch Radiator
G11: Tinted Glass (all)
G54: Outside LH Remote Chrome Racing Mirror
13103: Gate Series
288747: Line Sequence

513: Unknown
181862: Unknown

Not exactly impressive, but I was mostly in it for the body. That was until I looked at the transmission. It's numbers matching. So are all of the body tags. Everything about it seems to be original. No, I haven't gotten to looking at the engine, but the one in it is a 318 with an Edelbrock Performer 650 CFM 4-barrel carb. The car as a whole has 183k miles on it, but the engine was rebuilt about 30k miles ago.

Now that a numbers matching car is within my grasp (if I can find that damn tag on the engine), I'm hesitant to wreck that. The other option I have is to rebuild the 318 with a better crank shaft and some shaved/ported 302 casting heads. Either that or swap in some 360 heads and shave those. Of course, a new exhaust and all that fun stuff is planned, but I'll do that no matter what I do with it.

SUMMARY

This is the basics of both plans, and what I think I can get out of it.

440 Conversion

440 Wedge - Rebuildable, but not built
Hemi Conversion - http://www.stagev.com/pages/hcheads.html
Hemi Conversion Guide - http://www.carcraft.com/techfaq/ccrp_0809_building_hemi_for_less/viewall.html
Dana 60 -  (from junkyard)
LSD Conversion - http://www.jegs.com/i/Eaton/362/19760-010/10002/-1
TKO-600 5-speed transmission - http://www.classicmopar5speed.com/Eilte-Mopar-Transmission.aspx
Engine : $12,500 (not incl. labor)
Axle: $1,500
Transmission: $5,500
Total Price: $19,500

Horsepower Output (est.) 650 direct to the tires.

318 Stock (#'s Matching Plan)

Paxton Supercharger - http://www.jegs.com/i/Paxton/769/1201851/10002/-1
Headers - http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS+Performance+Products/555/30080/10002/-1
TCI Street Fighter Kit - http://www.tciauto.com/tc/streetfighter-transmission-67-later-318-340-360.html
LSD Conversion - http://www.justdifferentials.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=24_47_289_534&products_id=3975
Engine Performance Rebuild - http://www.hotrod.com/howto/113_0304_318_small_block_build/viewall.html

Engine: $5000
Axle: $400
Transmission: $1,300
Total Price: $6,700

Horsepower output (est.): 500 at the block, maybe 450 to the tires.


My question to the folks on this forum is this: Which one do you think I should go for? Keep in mind that this will be a street car, not a strip car.

Also, since the pictures are too damn big to fit on here, you can see them in this album:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200871789023340.1073741825.1423007300&type=3

[JB400]

First off, welcome to the group   Lots of info here for you.  Best of luck on completing your car.

As far as which engine to build, that depends on which you want more and can afford.  If your financially set and you know your job isn't going anywhere, build your hemi.  I personally would consider getting the 318 running.  That would allow you to get the car on the road sooner.  Since it's cheaper, it'll allow you to fix other stuff as well, and enjoy the car that much more.

I couldn't load your pix.

[Meteshjj]

Here's a mirror for the pictures: http://imgur.com/a/gigJJ/all

As for the 318, the car runs and drives just fine as it is. As a matter of fact, I've been using it as my daily driver. The money isn't really an issue: I won't be starting either project until I have a good $7k free to mess around with the engine and whatnot. Until then, the interior and the body are my project.

The big question I have is whether or not a numbers matching 74 Charger is going to be worth the effort. I would rather have the big engine, but if the numbers matching is worth anything, I can build it up and sell it to fund a 68-70 Charger, which is my personal favorite style.

[Bob T]

Hi and Welcome, pretty clean and original stocker 74 there bud, I guess you're warming up to it a bit more as you drive it around.
As it is in stock form its not going to command big dough being a base model now or in the future.
If you go the Hemi route, likely it will owe you more than what you have allowed for but if you wanted to sell it further down the track, I reckon you'd struggle to break even on the motor costs alone...

If you're really hanging out for a 68-70 then for what you are planning to spend on the Hemi package will get you into a tidy car that also has asset value so you will be winning there straight away if you had to turn it over for some personal crisis...
I quite like the GenIII's though and a tricked out one is something out of the norm, but adding in panel and paint runs the tab up hard.

Since you got into the car via a swap, I think you're ahead of the game at the moment since its a good runner with no spend required,  drive it some more and decide , even get a  ride in one of your buddys BB cars if you know of some, it might help convince you which way to go

[Meteshjj]

Don't get me wrong, I love the car, but I drove a 1969 Charger R/T with the 440 six-pack and a 4-speed a while back, and nothing I've driven since can compare. If I do the Hemi swap in it, this car will be with me until the day I die. If I keep the 318 and the auto, keeping it is iffy.

The interior, I'm doing by myself. The paint and the rust is something for a pro, in my opinion. The idea is to go with Midnight Blue or Black on the exterior. I've already taken all of the interior out, aside from the front seat so that I can still drive it. Unfortunately, I found a few rust holes in the passenger side pan. What's even worse is that no one in the tiny town I live in has one of these cars, not even in a junk yard, so every body part I get has to be online.

[Daytona R/T SE]

Here's a mirror for the pictures: http://imgur.com/a/gigJJ/all

As for the 318, the car runs and drives just fine as it is. As a matter of fact, I've been using it as my daily driver. The money isn't really an issue: I won't be starting either project until I have a good $7k free to mess around with the engine and whatnot. Until then, the interior and the body are my project.

The big question I have is whether or not a numbers matching 74 Charger is going to be worth the effort. I would rather have the big engine, but if the numbers matching is worth anything, I can build it up and sell it to fund a 68-70 Charger, which is my personal favorite style.

If you really want a '68-70, sell this '74 as it sits and start saving up and looking for the car you really want.

You'll have a very tough time getting your investment back on that '74.

Especially if you start spending money on the body.

A numbers matching 318 '74 charger just isn't worth much.

I have a numbers matching 318 '72 Charger, and I fully intend to throw the 318 away.

[moparguy01]

you wont get money back out of a 74. I love my 74, but I have to be realistic. Mine is a factory e58 360 car, triple white, with a/c and cruise. well, it was. Now its whatever I feel like building, and I don't feel bad whatsoever. Thats the beauty of a car like this. Think of it as a clean slate to build what you want to. Mine is pretty much as far to the opposite as what it started as. Now its a 440 powered triple black car with a full cage. But its fun!

[Meteshjj]

So, from what I'm hearing, the 74 isn't really worth much more if it's original unless it's a 4-speed, big block car. That's kind of what I was afraid of. However, that leaves me a lot more options, so it's not too big of a deal.

Here's my next question for the experts: Where can I get patch panels and a floor pan for the rust repair? It's a (slightly) different shape than the 71-72 cars, but is it really that noticeable?

When I was restoring my 52 Ford F1, I found LMC Truck, which was perfect for what I needed. Is there anything like that for these Chargers?

[Bob T]

Have a look through the catalogue here

https://www.autometaldirect.com/

Also, I think there is a couple of members that are distributors for AMD, possibly autodynamics" I think, somebody will chime in with some info