80's Oz E57 Charger build

[E57Charger]

Hi all,

Thanks again for the welcome, I just thought I would add a build thread for my car on here. For those that may be interested in an 80's themed Oz Valiant Charger.

This was the car I started with, looks good in the photo, but is hiding a lot of rust issues etc..

Upon purchase the car had a mild rebuild 340 engine, I have since sold the engine, as this is an original 360 model, I will be sourcing a block to make into a 408 stroker.

I will add a few pictures of similar cars that I intend to get my car to look like, following the U.S. Pro Street theme, which we adopted in Oz.

The above was a car I owned about 20 years ago.

More soon,

Cheers Pete.

 

[1970Duster]

Cool! Do yourself a favor and tried to find a late 80s early 90s LA roller block 360. Better start then a later model.

 

[E57Charger]

Cool! Do yourself a favor and tried to find a late 80s early 90s LA roller block 360. Better start then a later model.

Chrysler finished up in Australia, in 1981 mate. The 360 stopped being imported in 1975, same age as my car. So unless I imported a U.S. block I am outta luck.
I was hoping to get a 360 block around the same age as my car, just so the numbers on the block roughly fit with the car. It won't be matching numbers of course. Thanks for your input 70 Duster.

Cheers Pete

 

[E57Charger]

A couple more car's I'm hoping to emulate.

More soon,
Cheers Pete.

 

[E57Charger]

This is what my car looked like, from the factory. The colour is called Pampas green, and my car will be repainted in this colour.
It's a strange colour, looks yellow in the light, but looks lime in the shade.
This car belongs to a fellow forum member from H6Pack in Oz.

Cheers Pete.

 

[E57Charger]

A few shots of removing the motor, back in march this year.

Cheers Pete.

 

[65dartcharger]

I really like your Charger style down there! They look awesome. I wonder when we will see one in Sweden? Good luck with the resto.

 

[E57Charger]

Hi all, sorry haven't been on here in a while, been busy collecting parts for the car.
The Charger is heading off fairly soon, for rust repair/panel/paint.
I will continue with some pics, to bring you up to date.

The big problem we face with Chryslers here in Aust. is the rusty right hand drive (our drivers side) chassis rail.
Our A body Valiants all run basically a modified U.S. undercarriage, K frame etc...
When Chrysler Australia modified the U.S. gear for RHD, and moved the steering box to the RHS. They added buttresses, into the chassis rail, but failed to allow drain holes there. So eventually over time, dirt, water, grit etc.. finds its way into the rail, and you end up with a rusted rail. Not good when the steering box attaches there.
Now to my car, it has one of the worst I have seen. See below, someone has attempted a repair at some stage.

Inner guard was badly damaged also.

So the search began for these parts, I got mucked around for about 4 months, with a guy that said he could help.
Then a couple of members on the OZ Chrysler forum got together, to find the parts I was after. A friend George cut the good bits from his ute, and another friend David, left Alice Springs NT, picked up the parts from George at Coober Pedy SA, then transported to Goulburn NSW for a race meeting he was attending, and dropped the parts at my brother in laws home. Was a mammoth effort on their part.
I then left the Gold Coast QLD for Goulburn, the week before Xmas to pick up the parts.
If you happen to be bored, Google those locations, you would be surprised with the distances involved. Anyway pics of the parts.

More soon.
Regards Pete.

 

[E57Charger]

I bought a second set of wheels for the car, just to change up the look of the car, from time to time. I already have some Centreline Autodrags 15x8.5 deep dish and 15x3.5 frontrunners.
I found a set of Western U.S. 5 slot wheels on Ebay, purchased them and as they are all 15x8.5 I will be swapping 2 of them with another friend, for 2 15x7 wheels he has.

You can see in the above picture the tyres are about almost 40 year old, and never used. Off an old 70's Ford Falcon show car. Past their use by date unfortunately.

Checked for fitment on the car, all good.
More soon,
Regards Pete.

 

[E57Charger]

I purchased a 360 block just after xmas, which will receive a 408 stroker build, amongst other things.

My car also runs a Toyota electric sunroof. I really dislike sunroofs, even in the 80's, and was hoping to replace the roof, on the car.
But after talking to a few people, I have decided it will stay.
My sunroof never worked properly, so I bought another to replace it.

Someone spent a lot of time fitting the sunroof, very good job.

The new roof above.

Regards Pete.

 

[E57Charger]

Bought a few more things recently, the most recent is below, Dyers 671 blower.

So the car is going a bit more wild than I had planned originally. I was going to do an angry aspirated 408 stroker.

For the full Pro Street theme, it will also get some Wheelie bars, mainly for show, but you never know.

And period correct velocity stacks, for the carbs.

More soon,
Regards Pete.

 

[smlveightis]

Nice! I'm drooling over your blower set-up! Sweet!

 

[SixSpeedSS]

Cool build thread. I love the Aussie Chargers.

 

[E57Charger]

Thanks fellas, there has been work progressing on the Charger. Time for a few more pics.

All stripped out.

 

[E57Charger]

Media blasting, boy did that find some hidden bodgey repairs.

The Sunroof, no more chances, its gone now, new roof skin.

Hows the Bog, or Bondo as you guys say, pretty bad huh.

 

[E57Charger]

Check out the rear quarter panel in the first pic, see where it has been stitched in. Car had a big hit in the rear quarter at some stage, and some "Artist" tried to fix. Have another quarter to replace this one now.

 

[E57Charger]

Before Media blast.

 

[E57Charger]

Big thanks to John for the Media blast, and Mark and Ashley for transporting the car.
Was a big weekend for them, thanks guys.

 

[E57Charger]

A few bits and pieces I have collected for the rebuild.

 

[E57Charger]

NOS Centreline caps.

Old ones.

New ones.

Just need to get the wheels re polished.

 

[E57Charger]

Some rust repair sections.

 

[E57Charger]

Scored a fully polished Blower manifold off a mate, Mark. So did a bit of a mock up.

 

[E57Charger]

 

[E57Charger]

Chassis rail repair, thanks again to Mark.

 

[E57Charger]