1972 Dodge Coronet slow build project

[robertburns]

Hello All,

Starting my slow project that gets some time in between work projects. This is a 1972 Dodge Coronet, based on the MPC 1977 Dodge Monaco. 

1. Front end is grinded down. More material will be removed once I find out how much exactly to remove

[robertburns]

2. 1971 Dodge Satellite grille is used. Molded a copy for the changed center section. Grinded the center away

 

Edited December 12, 2016 by robertburns

[charger74]

That a really cool project

[robertburns]

Sides from Monaco body are removed. Valence from Satellite is used. Mold was sanded to make the casting thicker. Turn signal buckets sanded away. Putty added to round off corners

[72 Charger]

Interesting project is there many modifications needed ?

[DumpyDan]

Cool, really want to see how this turns out keep the pic's coming

[robertburns]

Thanks!

 

Dave, there are a lot of little modifications needed. Here's a checklist I made for myself of things to do:

Rear bumper:

reshape using Monaco bumper and Charger tail lights. Add rear valance from Charger

Front bumper:

remove grille from bumper. Fill in lower dip in bumper. Reshape lower valance. Add grille/headlights from second bumper. Reshape center grille. 

Hood:

narrow and fill in the valleys on the sides on the Monaco hood. Use air vents from Charger. Use front hood from Charger and add thickness. Possibly use fender tops or entire front clip from Charger, depending on how close the Monaco fender tops line up. 

Interior:

dash from Charger with new gauges (from I don't know yet). Front and rear seats from the 1970 Ford LTD. New Seidel panels. 

[robertburns]

Some reference  material 

[72 Charger]

I like the direction your going with this . I may try this conversion myself (one day). I have the Monaco police car and spare charger bumpers just missing the front and rear valences . I think the fender top will with a bit of filling match the coronet rather than cutting the charger body and grafting the tops on. I don't know for sure ? The rear bumper is quite different to the charger so that's going to be a bit of work . I look forward to your updates

[drive4th]

very cool custom. looking forward to seeing it finished. where'd this wacky idea come from anyway?

[1972coronet]

<--- as the owner of a "1/1" 1972 Coronet ( WH41G2A ) , I applaud your efforts and diligence!  Lots of subtle --albeit , recognisable- - differences between the Charger and Coronet ; same goes for all 1971 & later B-bodies .

With that out of the way ... I'm sure that you're aware that the parking lamp assemblies are the exact same as the 1970 Coronet ( "70W"  cast into the lenses ) , so the MPC ( recently , Round2 ) 1970 Super Bee / Coronet R/T could be your source for those pieces .

Looking forward to watching this bad boy come-together !

[robertburns]

very cool custom. looking forward to seeing it finished. where'd this wacky idea come from anyway?

Thanks! The idea came when I realized the Monaco was the renamed Coronet with a relatively unchanged body. I had no idea before since the car was before my time. The '77 Monacos were my favorite cop cars and wondered why it was only around for a few years. 

[robertburns]

<--- as the owner of a "1/1" 1972 Coronet ( WH41G2A ) , I applaud your efforts and diligence!  Lots of subtle --albeit , recognisable- - differences between the Charger and Coronet ; same goes for all 1971 & later B-bodies .

With that out of the way ... I'm sure that you're aware that the parking lamp assemblies are the exact same as the 1970 Coronet ( "70W"  cast into the lenses ) , so the MPC ( recently , Round2 ) 1970 Super Bee / Coronet R/T could be your source for those pieces .

Looking forward to watching this bad boy come-together !

I did not know that, thank you! I'll pick up that kit  

I'll look forward to hearing your input since you have a real one. Any ideas on where to get the dash gauges? The Satellite dash is perfect but the gauges are different. Any other front and rear seat ideas? I don't want to use the LTD seats unless I have to 

thank you for your words!

more progress today, filled in the hood valleys. Also measured the fender tops on the Monaco and found, they are perfect without modification. Also, molded the rear bumpers for extras 

Edited December 14, 2016 by robertburns

[1972coronet]

The Charger dash and its gauges will be fine , as the round instruments were an option --- although not the Rallye clustre. Instead of a tachometre,  an analogue clock was employed ; however,  for this intent,  no one would notice .

The steering column and steering wheel are perfect ,too ( and, yes , the Tuff Grip wheel was an option with power steering ) .

You could rework the existing seats from the Monaco , only the upholstery pattern is different ( no easy feat ; lots of scratch building involved. . The pattern of the Police and Taxi models would be easy to replicate though ).

You'll want to "deck" the nose lots more , as the 1971-1973 models had the wraparound bumper . Good call on reworking the Charger piece .

The tail lights for 1972 were similar to those of the 1971-1973 Dart Swinger,  regardless of model . Bumper guards were common , front and rear.

Missing Link offers beautiful plated resin wheel covers which were available from 1972-1976 . They also offer excellent plated renditions of the 1969-1975 Dodge hubcaps .

Are you planning to use the AMT 1971 Charger chassis , suspension , engine compartment , and engine / transmission ? 

Here's a link to thee definitive MoPar reference library : 

http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/library.shtml

Feel free to hit me up for other other specifics regarding the "Original 4 Door Charger".

[Ron Hamilton]

I like what you are doing here. I would like to pull off a '71 Satellite Sedan myself, as an "Adam-12" car.

[71_Sears]

I did not know that, thank you! I'll pick up that kit  

I'll look forward to hearing your input since you have a real one. Any ideas on where to get the dash gauges? The Satellite dash is perfect but the gauges are different. Any other front and rear seat ideas? I don't want to use the LTD seats unless I have to 

thank you for your words!

more progress today, filled in the hood valleys. Also measured the fender tops on the Monaco and found, they are perfect without modification. Also, molded the rear bumpers for extras 

I believe the 70 coronet kit also has a second dash not for that kit in it, it is the correct looking gauge cluster, you might try to cut to cut gauge cluster out and swap them. Just a thought.

[robertburns]

Thanks Dan, I'll try that 

[robertburns]

More reference material 

[robertburns]

Left to right, Charger, Ford LTD, Monaco

Rear seat options. The 1970 Ford LTD rear lower seat looks the best due to the curved edges. It would have to be narrowed to fit. Monaco upper seat will work with minor pattern changes

Front seat options. Bottom half of Charger (rescribed pattern) plus narrowed upper half from the LTD

Edited December 17, 2016 by robertburns

[ChrisBcritter]

Left to right, Charger, Monaco, Ford LTD

 

Shouldn't that be "Charger, Ford LTD, Monaco"?

[1972coronet]

Some more reference photos of a 1972 Coronet , from 28.12.2014 . That's real powder on that rascal ... all in always warm and sunny California ?

[robertburns]

Shouldn't that be "Charger, Ford LTD, Monaco"?

good catch, thanks

[robertburns]

 

Some more reference photos of a 1972 Coronet , from 28.12.2014 . That's real powder on that rascal ... all in always warm and sunny California ?

thought that was a model at first. Would make a great real or not shot

 

hope to see some shots of it in the sun

[robertburns]

Glued the hood to the body to blend it in. I think I have the shape nearly done but will know more after the primer. This was the tough part. Hard to see in the photo, but the sides (inner of the fender crowns) were sanded hard to deepen and therefore visually lessen the '77 dip. Next, will be to cut out the narrower hood and add the Charger engine bay and wiper panel

[1972coronet]

thought that was a model at first. Would make a great real or not shot

 

hope to see some shots of it in the sun

"Strange is truer than fiction..." ! That is my one-time , long-time daily driver ( 2005-2013 ) , covered in actual snow . I recognize that you reside in San Diego ; don't you remember that snow from a couple of years ago ? Never-the-less ... that car was , shall we say , uncomfortable as a daily driver ; to wit :

- No Heater.

- No Defogger / Defroster

- No Radio

- No A/C

- No floor covering

- Completely un-upholstered front seat ( e.g. , worn out cushion , and zero seat cover )

Its good points ?

- No Emissions Tests

- No Smog Devices

- No "Bells & Whistles" alerting you of your every move

- Would run on any gasoline grade ( which , as a side note , I dumped 5 gallons of 110 Ethyl "Racing Gas" into its tank as a ["expletive deleted] you !" to the gas thieves whom were siphoning gas from vehicles in the complex . I wonder how that super-leaded gas treated the catalytic converter(s) of their new(er) car ? Ha ha ha ha !!! ).

- Got an honest 15 MPG average ( 318 / 904 with Trans-Go kit , 2.71 gear ).

But , I digress ...

Have you taken the opportunity to peruse that Hamtramck Historical Chrysler site yet ?