The new guy, and some questions

[Speedbird]

Are you saying more were forged rather than cast?
Or are you just rubbing it in that you got one?

 

[67440chrg]

Welcome!! Great project.

 

[Terry Kitzman]

Hello, Figure i take this first part of the thread to introduce myself. My names Nick, and i've been a car nut for as long as i can remember. I work at a Jeep/Dodge dealership, with plently of mopar nuts around. I've had my share of project and this will be my second restoration (working on the first one still currently). Just recently picked up a 67 Charger on accident while house hunting for my parents. Swung around the backside of a rather large shop to find it sitting all alone behind it. Asked the owner if he'd sell it and got the "more than you can afford pal" treatment. Low and behold i came home with it a week later.

Little info that i do know about the car. The car was originally an Arizona car that someone from Montana had purchased and took there, guy i bought it from got it from there. Best part of it being an original Az. NO RUST! The unfortunate part is the car came without a fender tag, and in a million pieces. Looking on the bright side, i get to learn this car inside and out and without a fender tag im not really held to any strict restoration directions.

The car came with a 440 from a motor home, and a 727, so those will be getting a little love. Plans depend on what the car allows me to do. Car was an original 318 car with column shift, plan is tossing the 440 in her (or depending, i might go newer hemi if the right engine comes along). Im not 100% sure yet what to do with the transmission, i've been a gear banger my whole life and would like to keep it that way with my muscle cars. So might be converting to manual after getting it running.

I'll leave this with what i've wrote as this is getting lengthy, i'll have a million questions along the way as the car is in pieces, and i have no idea how some of this stuff is placed. Looking at pictures online only helps so much. Here's to meeting you guys, and a fun restoration process! Cheers.

 

[Terry Kitzman]

Great project, I just bought a 66 charger, Keep an eye out for the parts you need. There hard to find and expensive.

 

[Npulver]

Biggest headache i've found thus far in my search is the lack of interior panels. Really wish their was a good solution for door panels and the passenger area door panel area. Only thing i've found thus far is Just Dashes to restore them, which i was quoted $2000 for the four pieces (ugh) Other solution is trying to find some that are near mint (needle in a haystack).

Everything else has gone smooth thus far. The 440 engine out of a motor home has been fun to learn about, what is the same and what is not. Didnt think about the Engine mount brackets being different and stuffed the engine in trying to mount it. No go. Luckily a call to 440 source got me some nicer black plated mounts and shes in the bay now. Also had to temporarily remove the oil pan since it was a rear sump pan. Was planning on replacing it anyway with a bigger pan anyways so that works out.

Replaced the rear drum equipment with all new for now just so she'll stop once i get it moving, need to flush out the lines and see if they're worth keeping or if i need to replace them.

While i was back there i went ahead a replaced the wheels and tires. Going for a more pro tour look with this car, so i found some cheaper 19x11's to test fit to make sure what will fit back there. Put some 305/35zr19's on it, looks decent i think, have a little more work to get the stance i want, rear end needs to come down a few more inches, but that will come with the rear coilovers (probably from magnum force)

 

[rlem1977]

Biggest headache i've found thus far in my search is the lack of interior panels. Really wish their was a good solution for door panels and the passenger area door panel area. Only thing i've found thus far is Just Dashes to restore them, which i was quoted $2000 for the four pieces (ugh) Other solution is trying to find some that are near mint (needle in a haystack).

Since you are going for the Pro Tour look, might be cheaper to just do custom using the old ones as templates. Either you or an upholstery shop make some new door panels. OEM/Restored parts for Mopars are expensive, even more so for the rarer models. Door panels are one area where you can practice your skills fairly cheap. Here is a link, hope this helps, most of all - Have Fun!
http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/door-panel-tutorial-145092.html

 

[Npulver]

Some pictures of the journey

 

[Speedbird]

Those log exhaust manifolds are HEAVY.
Headers in the future?

 

[Npulver]

Those log exhaust manifolds are HEAVY.
Headers in the future?

oooh yea. Edelbrock intake manifold already sitting on the shelf with my old Carter Comp AFB 750cfm, Some aluminum heads will probably the next purchase for the engine. Currently leaning towards a full TTI exhaust system.

 

[Npulver]

 

[Npulver]

Well, little update, been a while since i've been on here to do any updating. Mostly have been collecting parts so i can get cranking on this thing when it warms up outside (its a blistering 0 degrees here currently) I've hooked up with a local charger guy (super awesome guy with tons of cool stories). He restores just 66-67's specifically and has a small collection of them he uses for parts. We've talked and he has let me go out there a few times and pull what i need and be barter prices. This last time i was out there i picked up a drivers door latch (mine was missing), some full door panels that are in good shape (will take to a vinyl shop to fix and recolor), and a rear bumper. (mine was missing) everything needs some touching up, but being as this stuff is unobtainium it was good to have a good starting point with these pieces.

On the engine side of things i started collecting some go fast parts for the engine, MSD distributor, headman headers (temporary to get it running), milidon exteral pick up road race oil pan, eldelbrock rpm intake, and some little other nick nacks.

my current question, which its really to big of a deal, Im looking into radiators currently, i'll be going with a 26" wide radiator (aluminum) what was the factory outlets on these, obviously you can buy the outlets either way, but im looking for something that i can get moulded hoses instead of getting crappy flex hoses. Which route have you guys gone?

 

[gibber]

Welcome and good luck on your project! Love the first gens...

If you need help with the gauges when you get to that point, happy to help!

Mark