1973 Mecum Creamsicle Challenger

Chryco Psycho · Oct 5, 2023

Welcome looks like fun project !

340challconvert · Oct 6, 2023

Good luck with the build; sounds like a solid plan for your project

Tim.g.howard · Aug 30, 2024

It's been almost a year since I sent an update but a lot has happened with this restoration. To start with I removed the dash cover and dash and had Just Dashes restore it. The dash was hiding some scary rust in the inner firewall.

The plastic dash cover...

The dash being removed ...

Holes in my inner firewall...

I sent the dash to Just Dashes for restoration in February.

Tim.g.howard · Aug 30, 2024

Just Dashes returned my beautifully restored dash back in May...

mrmopar340 · Aug 30, 2024

Progress is being made. Looking forward to the finished pics.

Mopar Nut · Aug 30, 2024

It’s coming along nicely.

Tim.g.howard · Sep 4, 2024

Back in October of last year I sent the original seat belts to Ssnake-Oyl for restoration. I'm sure someone will correct me on this forum but it's my understanding that in 1973, Dodge had a one year only design for the passenger seat belt warning light wiring. Specifically the wiring for the light indicator switch was routed to the retractor side of the seat belt to indicate whether the belt had been retracted or not as opposed to being routed to the buckle side to detect if the belt had been buckled. My original belts were in pretty rough shape and the retractors weren't working at all. Some of the buckle buttons were damaged (as in the photo) and the rubber boots were damaged. I've not yet inspected the passenger sensor switch in the passenger seat cushion. I'll check that when restoring the seats.

When the good folks at Ssnake-Oyl returned my belts in December, they looked brand new and true to their word they left the wiring to the retractors untouched. They didn't test whether these worked or not which I'll have to do before reassembly but the belt metal was freshly chromed the boots look brand new as do the buckle buttons and the retractors operate like new. Thanks Ssnake-Oyl!

ChallengerGary · Sep 9, 2024

Glad to see you are making some progress. Keep us posted

Tim.g.howard · Sep 16, 2024

OK so let's try to catch up a little...

Back in June of 2023 I had purchased a new Chrome rear bumper from Auto Metal Direct to replace the body color painted one on the car. This was leaning against my garage back wall.
In July of '23 I bought an Auto Metal Direct Chrome Gas cap ring and installed it.
Last September I bought a new floor pan from Auto Metal Direct and it had been leaning against my garage wall.

In August of '23 I bought a cam, timing kit, lifters, rods, gaskets from Summit Racing with the intent of refreshening the 318 but that plan was scrapped when we discovered that the Crank and bearings were too far out of spec and would need to be machined (and I was already having the 440 built by the machine shop). All those parts are still sitting on shelves in my living room.

Around this time I also purchased an Auto Metal Direct E-Body Stiffening kit, sub-frame connectors, torque boxes, fender supports front fork support. Since I'd removed the interior, I stored this in the car.

Last November I was talked into buying the transmission from American Powertrain because they were having a "Bacon Fest" sale. I didn't realize it at the time but they actually send you Tennessee Smoked Bacon!! Very nice! Ate it all. Anyway, I bought a Tremec TKX 5-Speed transmission with an overdrive gear matched to the target 3.58 rear I'd been planning. The kit comes with a new floor tunnel, big block bell housing, pistol grip shifter (in a velvet bag), hardware, billet steel flywheel, pressure plate, hydraulic clutch kit, fluids, you get the idea. These boxes have been sitting in my dining room since they were shipped.

At some point around this time frame I ordered a Dakota Digital RTX Rallye Dash and that had arrived and is sitting in my dining room (along with the front seats and some interior trim (original automatic console).

In June, my ticket came up at the restoration shop Creative Classics & Customs (CCC: Classic Car Restorations, Customs and more!) in Kemah Texas.
On June 26, I packed up the floor pan, manual tunnel conversion, bumper, and stiffening kit into the car. With some help I bolted the hood back on and the flatbed came and pulled the car from my garage where it had sat for more than a year. Off to the professionals!

Tim.g.howard · Sep 17, 2024

Ok so now things start to really pick up. The car arrives at Creative Classics & Customs on June 26 and the guys immediately get to work (stripping decals off).