Tech Q&A
The editors of Mopar Magazine answers reader's technical and general service questions.
Editor’s Note: We receive quite a bit of correspondence similar to the note below. A lot of folks are just looking for some general advice in terms of getting started with a restoration or modification project. We are taking Caison Morgan’s dilemma as a jumping off point to provide some very basic information. Morgan, from Savannah, Ga., owns a 1973 Dodge Charger SE.
I love my Charger to death. The only problem is that I personally no nothing about cars and have found it really hard learning. Truthfully, the only progress I’ve made with the car is due to a few knowledgeable friends and family, YouTube and a few tools that I have. Honestly, I would like some advice on the steps that need to be taken to restore this car and where I can get some good reference material. Help!
MM: Yours is not an unusual predicament at all. While there are those out there that can seemingly take a few boxes of parts and create a 100-point car without breaking a sweat, most people would love to have some general guidelines on how to get started. First off, everyone has a different opinion of what “restoration” is. To some it’s making the body/paint/interior/engine bay/trunk look presentable by cleaning, painting and reupholstering. Others are big on duplicating assembly line inspection marks. Still others change colors and materials using items from the wrong year to suit their personal tastes. Some want their vehicle to be exactly the same as when it left the assembly line. The problem is, it can never be exactly the same because materials, particularly paint-related products, from the 1960s and 1970s are simply not available any more. And, of course there’s the group that want a true show car, including floor boards as shiny as the fenders, which many people refer to as “over restored.” So depending on where you fall in the above continuum, here are some general thoughts.
If your intention is doing everything yourself and you truly don’t have a lot in the way of experience, one avenue to pursue is an automotive technology program at a local college or vocational school. You’ll have to learn to become a general mechanic, engine builder, suspension tech, transmission builder, welder, fabricator, body man and painter. Take every available course. Then after passing, with flying colors of course, you’ll have to seek out instruction in upholstery since most schools don’t offer that specialty. You’ll then need shop space and lots of tools. And you’ll have to practice. Adequate skills may literally take years to develop, and you have to face the reality that your first project may not represent what you will ultimately be capable of. Here’s a thought to help hone your skills before your dive headlong into your Charger project. If you can, acquire a car or two that you don’t care that much about and practice, practice, practice. You can then sell those cars when you’re completed. Experiment. See what works and what doesn’t work. Get all, or at least most, of your mistakes out of the way at this point in the game.
When you’re confident enough in your skills to tackle your Charger, the first step is to literally disassemble the entire vehicle. That may sound oversimplified, but that really is the best place to start for a complete restoration. Remove all signs of age and time either by replacing parts or cleaning and restoring them. Obviously the major items you need to consider are the engine and driveline, the interior and the body/trim. Where do you acquire parts? Of course, that’s going to vary depending on the model and vintage. Your first stop should be your local Chrysler, Jeep® or Dodge dealer. Get a copy of the Mopar® Performance parts catalog (part number P5153859). You’ll find more than 300 pages of parts for muscle cars, as well as Jeep vehicles, trucks and modern sport compacts and tuners. Starting on page 301 of the current catalog, you’ll find a full selection of reference books that will definitely help in any restoration project. These books contain hundreds of photos, drawings, charts and advice from the experts to help make your job easier. You can even order service manuals and parts catalogs on CD-ROM. Check to make sure the books you’re purchasing contain everything you need. Some manuals will simply say “install rebuilt transmission,” as if the tranny magically rebuilt itself. That may be fine for some resto jobs, but when you’re just getting started you need all the “how-to” info you can get. As complete as the Mopar Performance catalog is, however, you likely won’t be able to source all the parts you need from just the one catalog. It’s time to get creative. Internet searches can help locate hard-to-find parts. Also, check to see if there’s a Dodge Charger club in your area. Hook up with people who’ve been down the restoration road before. Go to swap meets and car shows. In the end, there are very few problems that can’t eventually be solved by good networking.
This is a very general, high-level look at getting started in restoration. Every vehicle—and every project—is different, of course, so keep that in mind. If you have the right tools and resources—and the time and money— to do the job, you should be pleased with the outcome. It’s time to get busy! Good luck with your Charger.
