73' Charger Rallye Hideaway Headlight Conversion question...

[BMOTOXSTAR]

I want to put a set of 72' Hideaway Headlights on my 73' Charger Rallye.
One question I have is I do not have a hood release inside the car. Just between the front bumper and grill I have a latch. Will the latch tab fit between the hideaway set up ?

Also, If I just use the 72'bumper all I will need is the 71-72 headlight buckets.

If I do not have the buckets I could also just use the 73' Bumper & brackets with the hideaway set up?

Thanks, mainly I am worried about the outside hood latch...

[Nacho-RT74]

There is a thread around for that

Headlight pedestals were shorter on hideaways, but non hideaways ones will still clear enough the headlight doors, even more on 73/74.

You can still use the 73 bumper. Will need to remove the bottom reinforcement bar I think, to clear all the bracketing setup for grilles and motor thought, and get the 71/72 bottom reinforcement attached to Y brackets one to keep the reinforcement feature on car. Small mods ( holes )on Y brackets to fit it.

And yes, will need to get the inside hood release setup. All 73/74 SEs. The same than earliers SEs and hideaways cars. They float on quite often. While doesn't appear one you can open the hood reaching the latch with your hand from bottom between bumper and front valence LOL.

[ODZKing]

You will need to get a different latch as the inside/outside are different. But luckily they are quite plentiful at Carlisle, on Ebay  and also try VegasCharger. He has lots of stuff for these B body's.
Part # 3695886 for inside hood latch.

[BMOTOXSTAR]

Dang....the outside hood latch wont work ! Maybe I will have to go latch less until I find one? The hood pins should be ok for local cruises.

So if I use the 71 bumper & brackets it will be plug and play with no bumper filler?

Thanks again !

[Nacho-RT74]

71/72 bumper brackets can't be used 'cause the diff frame rails height due the isolation added to 73/74 K member.

you can keep the 73 bumper, just removing lower bumper reinforcement to clear hideaway setup, removing all regular grilles brackest and installing the hideaway setup on it.

if you decide to use the 71/72 bumpers, will need 71/72 the fender to bumper braces too. These attach diff to bumper than the 73/74

then if you want to get rid off the fillers, need to ellongate the Y bracket holes to frame rail to be able to push in the bumper. This could compromise a bit the room for the hideaways doors, but should still work.

[ODZKing]

Dang....the outside hood latch wont work ! Maybe I will have to go latch less until I find one? The hood pins should be ok for local cruises.

So if I use the 71 bumper & brackets it will be plug and play with no bumper filler?

Thanks again !

The inside latch is really easy to run. Holes are already in the dash frame, and run thru one of the hole in the firewall next to the Master Cyl. The end has a small loop on it to attach to the latch. Easy peasy!
If you look at this pic and others around it on my site http://www.retrorarities.com/Resto2/slides/DSCN0161.html you can see it above the wires on the inner fender. When mine broke, I got one at Carlisle and installed it on the field.

[BMOTOXSTAR]

Dang....the outside hood latch wont work ! Maybe I will have to go latch less until I find one? The hood pins should be ok for local cruises.

So if I use the 71 bumper & brackets it will be plug and play with no bumper filler?

Thanks again !

The inside latch is really easy to run. Holes are already in the dash frame, and run thru one of the hole in the firewall next to the Master Cyl. The end has a small loop on it to attach to the latch. Easy peasy!
If you look at this pic and others around it on my site http://www.retrorarities.com/Resto2/slides/DSCN0161.html you can see it above the wires on the inner fender. When mine broke, I got one at Carlisle and installed it on the field.

Thanks Nacho...
I think I will use the 73 bumper.
Now with using 73 bumper will I need 71-72 buckets and I will also be able to use the filler molding ? Or can I just use the 73 headlight buckets since I am using all the 73 bumper and bumper parts?

[BMOTOXSTAR]

Thanks Nacho...
I think I will use the 73 bumper.
Now with using 73 bumper will I need 71-72 buckets and I will also be able to use the filler molding ? Or can I just use the 73 headlight buckets since I am using all the 73 bumper and bumper parts?

[Nacho-RT74]

Don't worry about the buckets

Making a search about hideaways conversion found one made by AKCharger and he used the standard grill buckets and they cleared enough to still fit nicelly the hideaways doors when opening. And that was on a 72 which doesn't have fillers ( you replied around there too LOL ).


The buckets diff is not year related but grilles vs hideaways related. Of course all 73/74 got the same, but 71/72 got diff depending if hideaways or standard grilles, these last are the same than 73/74 ( this was checked by PN quite ago ). If you get the 71/72 buckets for a hideaway car, better, but if not, you shouldn't worry.


Electrical harness can be done at home using a 5 pins bosch kind relay, althought some ppl ( recharged I think ) offers the harness already made to fit on ebay. I posted around the diagram for it. It is really a piece of cake to make.

And as I told you, need to remove the bottom bumper reinforcement clearing the area to be able to fit the motor brackets and grilles brackets straight to the bumper ( 73/74 bumpes got those provisions the same than earliers ). This reinforcement was a 73/74 deal only, unexistant on 71/72. 71/72s got instead a crossbar as a crash safety system reinforcement between bumper Y brackets no matter if standard or hideaways grilles. You wouldn't need it actually to fit the hideaways and assembly your car, but better to get it for crash safety. This cross bar will require some holes on your 73/74 inner Y brackets to fit.

[BMOTOXSTAR]

Nacho, thank you thank you.
Problem is I wont be able to use my 73 bumper...

So, using the 72 bumper with the 73/74 brackets will still need to elongate the 73-74 bumper frame mounts?
I will also need the 72 top bumper to fender brackets?

Man I thank you

[Nacho-RT74]

use the 72 bumper, not a prob, keep 73/74 bumper brackets, elongate the holes to frame rails to get it closer to body, because 72 bumper doesn't have the provissions for fillers and will left a huge gap there. Need to use also the 72 bumper to top of fender braces thought! 73/74 braces won't match with 72 bumper.

now, how much room for door opening will you have using the standard grilles headlight buckets? dunno, never have done it personally, but as mentioned, AKCharger made it without take care of the headlight buckets change. Maybe is just about play with clearences all around to keep it roomy

[Nacho-RT74]

this is the brace or crossbar used between Y brackets on 71/72, not used on 73/74 but replaced by the bottom bumper reinforcement. Is just about a crash safety system. Better try to get it since will need to remove the bottom bumper reinforcement to clear brackets for hideaways grills and motor and you'll be "unsafe" about that.

You can see the diff about top of fender and bumper braces with your 73 there too

[Nacho-RT74]

I'm thinking about the chance to modify the bottom bumper reinforcement enough to clear the brackets for the hideaways setup, and forgett about the crossbar. Maybe some notches on reinforcement

[BMOTOXSTAR]

Nacho, I thank you very much y friend. You have been helping me for over 10 years on here ! You are the 3rd gen guru !

I am going to use the 72' bumper and slot the 73' bumper/frame mounts.

Best way to enlarge hole, with angle grinder?

Also, how is the best way to test the hideaway motor?

Thanks man ! 

[Nacho-RT74]

Has been said the motor needs to be loaded to be tested because on a regular bench test just energizing could break the internal cut points or gears, but can't say certainly. I don't think a small power touch just to check it responses will hurt. Any of the wires can get the power. One is to open the other to close. Negative is chassis ground.

enlarge holes ? maybe a file manually ? LOL... dunno, I think whichever comfortably tool you get at home.

I DON'T guarantee the bottom bumper reinforce modification will work... just you will know it according whith what you see on the grilles and motor brackets and how much you need to cut or clear from it to reach the attaching points on bumper. Of course any bumper reinforcement mod will get it a bit weaker than originally was, but better than that nothing.

[Nacho-RT74]

If you get to install the assembly with the modified 73-74 bottom bumper reinforcement post a pic of the work, please.

[Nacho-RT74]

Dang....the outside hood latch wont work ! Maybe I will have to go latch less until I find one? The hood pins should be ok for local cruises.

As mentioned, you can keep the latch an the rod hanging around. Insert your arm underneath the bumper ( between bumper and valence ) to reach the rod an will find you can pull it out to the pass side to open the hood, just like the handle.

Or get it with a cable through the passenger grill with a small improvised handle to pull it out.

( several ideas come into my mind right now LOL, including using some pulley for the cable )