72 Dodge Charger Hard top Project

[old_skool]

All loud and proud, next, save some $$ for the CB antenna, after I replace the fuel sending unit.

 

[old_skool]

Well, sold an old dune buggy body I had laying around, so that gave me a few $$ to order a new fuel sending unit, a 1" spacer for my Edelbrock (a little fuel boiling was going on) and some cheap floor mats to protect the new carpet, and gave the rest of the $$ to momma to keep her happy.

bye bye, one man's junk...at least my grandkids liked playing in it anyway

and a gratuitous pic....can't resist

 

[old_skool]

Just added a 1 inch spacer to my Edelbrock, am I imagining this, or did this just give me a little more oooomph, I added it to eliminate carb boiling, but it feels a little more responsive and smoothed out the idle quite a bit. Feels like a free horsepower gain. Also noticed my accelerator cable is getting frayed at the firewall....ordered a new one. The short test up and down the street getting the engine warm, feels like I eliminated the restart issue of having to put it in flood mode to restart after a short stop, a longer drive later will determine for sure.

 

[old_skool]

Nothing major, just replaced the accelerator cable, easiest one I've ever done. Next will be the fuel sending unit.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221246131389?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_sacat%3D0%26_from%3DR40%26_nkw%3D221246131389%26_rdc%3D1

 

[old_skool]

Finally got a chance to work on the Charger, but didn't get much done, but did accomplish something, that was saving my J-bolts for the gas tank, tried yesterday to see if they would break loose, of course not, why even try... soaked them with a 50/50 solution of ATF and Acetone (yes this concoction most have heard of is f-ing magic) tried just a few minutes ago, and voila...one breaks loose with a wrench after soaking all day, the other one is still being stubborn, so, squirt some more magic juice on it, hack off a couple inches off the bolt with my angle grinder (bolts longer than a deep well socket) start impacting it forward/reverse quickly, it breaks loose also. Stopped there, too tired today, will finish the fuel sending unit tomorrow. Tired because spent most of the day, tilling my garden, getting horse manure, hand shoveled in my trailer, and the same in reverse...more tilling, etc etc most of the day. Yeah, got the garden in late, rain delay!! 2 months worth.

 

[Ron 73]

Thats sure a beauty! The grand-kids take a ride with ya, you'll be building more for there fun time! looking real good bud

 

[old_skool]

Thats sure a beauty! The grand-kids take a ride with ya, you'll be building more for there fun time! looking real good bud

My 11yr old Grandson and 16yr old Granddaughter, have already rode in it, they love it...funny enough, my wife hasn't ridden in it yet??

 

[747mopar]

She's looking good, cute grandkids. Nice work

 

[old_skool]

Thanks, just finished the fuel sending unit, now I can cruise without worry of running out of gas unexpectedly....whenever I can afford gas that is...

 

[old_skool]

Put gas in it today, first time since I changed the sending unit, all seems to be working as it should, next, need to replace the mufflers, broke internally, any suggestions....be budget minded, and it's only a 318 with duals, with stock manifolds.

 

[Ron 73]

My 11yr old Grandson and 16yr old Granddaughter, have already rode in it, they love it...funny enough, my wife hasn't ridden in it yet??

Maybe once you get the exhaust built the wife will "want" a ride! When i was doing my car there was a set of new cherry bomb mufflers in the car when i bought it, I wanted Flowmasters but had so much money tied up in the car i decided to use them, They are loud hooked to a set of headers and i still want to change them one day but they are inexpensive next to the others and really do sound nice when your getting on it, Its just a thought but maybe a solution until you can get the type you want...

 

[old_skool]

I was planning on doing just that, I had glasspacks on my last Charger, sounded actually nice. The wife hasn't ridden in it yet, mostly the time just hasn't come up, I've only been to one cruise, and whenever I take it out, she's doing something, she likes the old Mopars, she even had a 71 satellite RR clone when we lived in Colorado Springs.

- - - Updated - - -

Checking on the weather and the next 8 days call for scattered thunderstorms, just can't catch a break with this crappy Ohio weather, one more year like this one and I'm convincing the wife we're moving to a drier climate.

 

[old_skool]

Installed my new mufflers today, went with the good ole Turbo Thrush mufflers from Summit Racing, haven't fired them up yet, still need one more clamp. Thinking they will be quieter than what I had, which isn't what I wanted, but this is temporary anyway till I get a complete new exhaust with headers.

Next, need to decide which way I want to go with the electronic ignition....and stop procrastinating on some needed bodywork.


Found another clamp I had in my tool box, finished it up, and the Thrush sounds rather nice and throaty, took my Grandson for a test ride and he was grinning ear to ear!!

 

[old_skool]

Well, before going to the Sheffield Mopar cruise, I was checking the timing and dwell, as the idle was a little low and not quite right, I knew I was having some Distributor issues, but this booger needs a complete overhaul, I determined the vacuum can is open as hell, like blowing through a straw, so no vacuum advance, the shaft sticks causing it to stay mechanically advanced on not advance as much as it should, the shaft bushings have some play, and now my dwell won't go below 40deg because the distributor cam the points ride on I think is getting rounded smooth, so the dwell is reading closed longer, I at least adjusted the pints to about .014 so it would idle ok, and surprising enough, even with all the distributor problems, it still ran pretty ballsy.
So, before I left for the cruise, I ordered a new HEI distributor, we'll see how that goes, I'll update after I get it.

 

[Ron 73]

Good deal on the Thrush mufflers, I can almost see your grandson with the grin ear to ear... Something he wont ever forget! You may have finalized the deal on another young one that will have a Mopar some day, especially if hes helping you have the fun hes enjoying to...

 

[old_skool]

Not only that, I've already turned him into a big AC/DC fan.

 

[Ron 73]

Your going to need another Mopar with a very good sound system if you keep it up! And i don't mean yours, I mean the one he wants grandpa to have there waiting!! lol....

 

[old_skool]

HEI distributor installed, need to dial in the timing properly, and replace the coil with a one capable of a higher voltage, where's that damn money tree...I'm sure I planted one around here somewhereopworm:

 

[Ron 73]

Lol, The "money tree" I think we all could use one, but if its anything like my garden after last week, its drowned out lol! I use an Accel coil, if im spelling that right, i like it myself!

 

[snakeyes]

garden ,hell just print it :headbang: