72 Charger Rallye kit bash

[moparman18064]

This build is to replicate a car I owned years ago. It is a 72 Charger Rallye 340, Hemi Orange, 727 auto, black halo top, black interior, tuff wheel,4:10 Dana 60( previous owner installed from wrecked Hemi Charger) Cragar S/S wheels w/ L60s and F60s.

The kits I am using are 1972 MPC annual Rallye Charger body, interior, bumpers that I got from an EBay auction( yes, expensive)and the AMT 71 Charger R/T.

The body had the kit wing sloppily glued on trunk/ quarters, interior was a total mess, windows had drag strip lettering painted on and the Rod Shop decals. 

I started by disassembling and sanding, filing, fixing defects and correcting all the glue bomb junk.

[Joe Rix]

This should be quite a fun build to watch. Sure has a lot going on.

[moparman18064]

The next steps are cutting inner fenders, radiator support from the 71,
cut cowl from original, try to fit it all together. This was a fight the whole way.
There was a ton of grinding, filing, sanding, fitting over and over again.

[406 Silverado]

This is the one I was eyeballin' that you've been working on right Rich?

[moparman18064]

The next issue was the front bumper/ grille.I had to start with the 71 grille, as it was closer to the standard grille my car had.
Nobody is making a non hidden headlight grille for the 72. The AMT grille is actually a little wider than the MPC, causing the fenders to spread and bumper out past fenders. A bunch more filing on back inside and outer bumper to get to fit. Then the real fun begins. After 4 attempts of hollowing out inner grille and trying .010 styrene strip to replicate horizontal bars, I totally cut out inner sections and rebuilt entire grille from styrene. The final result that you will see later is about as good as I can get it until I find someone that will do a resin reproduction for me.

[moparman18064]

Jan 22, 2024 18:44:11 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

This is the one I was eyeballin' that you've been working on right Rich?

Yes Joe, it sure is, it has come a long way.

[moparman18064]

Once I got chassis to fit properly, it was time for a little color. I used MCW Hemi Orange lacquer

[406 Silverado]

She’s shapin up well bud!! Really dig all the work you’ve put into this!

[moparman18064]

I gave the poorly painted interior the obligatory bath, tried to paint to give seats a slightly worn look, added a tuff wheel, instrument decals and flocked carpet

[moparman18064]

I added a .010x .020 styrene strip for vinyl top trim, primed, painted from a foot away for texture in MCW semi gloss black

[moparman18064]

Upon installing engine from AMT 71 Duster, it just would not properly fit with the auto from the 440 in the 71 Charger kit. It also just was not up to par. I ordered a 340 Magnum kit with auto trans from VCG Resins, made mounts from styrene to adjust to proper height. I also got resin headers from them also. I wired engine with proper firing order.

[406 Silverado]

I like how that VCG Resin 340 tucks right into place there Rich. Interior looks pretty spiffy too. One thing I've contemplated using for carpet these days is embossing powder. I used to use flocking but that stuff gets everywhere. lol 

[moparman18064]

I applied a set of Keith Marks decals and sprayed a few coats of Mr.Color UV cut clear.

[moparman18064]

For the Dana 60, I did not have one that was wide enough. I took one from a 68 Road Runner kit, cut off ends, measured with caliper, cut off the 8 3/4 from kit and lengthened Dana to spec with cutoffs from 8 3/4.

[406 Silverado]

Good call on lengthening the Dana 60. That paint job looks pretty darn sharp too with that clear on it. Some good work man.

[moparman18064]

For any of the members that have seen this done before, and those that didn’t, the front suspension placement causes the front wheels to be too far toward the front of fenders. I made extender plates for the spindles to move wheels back 3mm out of styrene .020 sheet and styrene rod to fit backing plates. I then adapted the backing plates to mate up to Cragar S/S wheels from MCW using parts from Road Runner kit and from Lil Red Wagon pieces.

[moparman18064]

Body, front suspension, bumpers are all permanently mounted. This is the current bumper/ grille that I wrote about. I can’t fill and sand areas surrounding horizontal bars any more with current tooling and sausage fingers. In a bigger scale I could do much better. The grille is painted in gunmetal and I wrapped the bumper with Bare Metal Foil.

Under the hood, I blacked out front of radiator support like real car, made my own 3 speed wiper motor from styrene, made electronic ignition box, filled in holes for big block radiator hoses and re drilled for small block placements.

This is the current status as of this moment, I still have to finish exhaust, finish driveshaft that I just shortened, order bazooka exhaust tips from Hart’s parts, hoses, paint markers and a few other things. It will be nice to finally get this one finished, as it has been about 6 months since starting it.

Considering that this is the first model I touched in about 30 years, I think it is turning out ok.

[kyledehart5]

Absolutely brilliant!! What a great thread. And a great looking build.

[moparman18064]

Thank you to all that replied. I still have a surprise or two left for this one. I am trying to build my skills back up as I go.

[lyle]

Well done, good sir, well done.

[moparman18064]

Masked and painting markers, little sneak peak of what is happening with exhaust😁

[moparman18064]

[kyledehart5]

Oh yes. Very nice progress.

[moparman18064]

[moparman18064]

I have exhaust figured out. I can’t install the tail pipes until I get the tips from Hart’s Parts. This also holds up mounting the rear/ springs. I also have to fill/ sand/ paint driveshaft that I shortened and front sway bar, rear shocks.
I did paint driving lights with silver backing, yellow for bulb and installed lenses.

[kyledehart5]

Outstanding progress!!

[handiabled]

I just caught up with this one. It doesn't look like you have missed a beat building this! The mods you made right down to the thermoquad on that 340 this looks perfect

[moparman18064]

Jan 24, 2024 2:58:24 GMT -5 handiabled said:

I just caught up with this one. It doesn't look like you have missed a beat building this! The mods you made right down to the thermoquad on that 340 this looks perfect

Thank you, I try to do my best

[406 Silverado]

Jan 22, 2024 20:54:19 GMT -5 moparman18064 said:

For any of the members that have seen this done before, and those that didn’t, the front suspension placement causes the front wheels to be too far toward the front of fenders. I made extender plates for the spindles to move wheels back 3mm out of styrene .020 sheet and styrene rod to fit backing plates. I then adapted the backing plates to mate up to Cragar S/S wheels from MCW using parts from Road Runner kit and from Lil Red Wagon pieces.

  Yup! Typical stance blues. I really wish more manufacturers would get this aspect of their kits right as it causes a LOT of extra work and planning to correct......like what you've done here Rich. This is coming along very well with all of the attention to detail and construction that you are doing to it bud. Lookin' GREAT buddy. 

[cheyenne]

Love it , nice work , I'm a Dodge man meself !!!

Where would we be without the 318 .