Back To Basics (1974 Dodge Charger)

[Brett_the_Vandal 2]

This is my new baby. I've only had it for about a month now. Its a 1974 Dodge Charger.

My problem. It only has an AM radio. That a previous owner rudely cut the wires extremely short on.

So I've set out to build my own small enclosure to put in an After market DIN receiver under my dash. Not wanting to harm the original hardware any of course.

Many more pictures to come. Of all parts of install.

Any of your guys' thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated!! thanks!!

[Julian 641]

[Shogen 325]

nice... haven't seen many old school cars with customer work...

[hardrock2401 8]

lookn good man

p.s. big cats do work hahaha

[Brett_the_Vandal 2]

Thanks guys. And I'll be postin more pics later as the project moves alone. Waitin on hardrock2401 up there to get me more MDF scraps. lol. He's my savior.

[Bob345 39]

[Kanaworm$ 292]

Welcome ....

on the progress.

[sefugi 166]

I can appretiate your concern with not wanting to cut the dash to keep the look of this classic, but if you were to mount the unit in the glovebox and used a remote you would have the usage and to look at the vehicles interior it would still have the complete factory look. Just my .02.

[///M5 2,833]

I'd cut the dash too. If it were ultra collectible then no, but that will be a nice driver.

[///M5 2,833]

Hell I'd probably cut it even if it were collectible.

[TheycallmeJT 0]

pure sexyness wit the old school charger bro..take good care of her..id put a nice sound quality system in it nothin crazy..and just cruise

[Randal Johnson 544]

Welcome to SSA !!! Very nice ride bro !!! I'm tuned in ...

[hardrock2401 8]

dont cut her up, center console thing is a great idea

[Mtopper 23]

i could see both ways. i would personally not cut the dash just to keep the style. but if you're going to be putting a whole system into it with visible tweeters, then i'd cut the dash just because you're going to modernize a classic

[Infinite913 381]

I just want to see what YOU do.... all our ideas are just IDEAS its what WILL YOU DO

[Brett_the_Vandal 2]

Thanks everyone for all the ideas.

Sefugi - I thought about the Glove box and a remote. I really did. But the glove box would require a ridiculously shallow CD player. The blower motor and defroster assembly is less than an inch behind the back of the glove box. And its only a solid 3~4 inches deep on its own. So i went with this idea. And its working so far.

M5 - I can't cut up an ALL original car. Though i did think about buying repop parts to cut up. Then i wouldn't feel bad. Cause it wouldn't be an original part anyway. But that would also cost a lot. And they don't Repop the style dash i have in my car. Only the fancier round gauge one.

JT - I plan on putting a decent sound system in it. With Components everywhere. But hidden so they aren't just out there at random. And some decent Shallows under seats. Or maybe go with something not massive in the trunk. Like an FI 10" or something like that.

Cable Guy - Thanks

HardRock - Agreed brah.

MTopper - I plan on not cutting the dash. Obviously. haha. But i'm going to do components. with hidden tweeters. Not modernizing it just yet. we'll see what the future holds for my baby.

TeamRamRod - love your name. and your pic. thank you for making my day just now. And I agree. This is what i'm gonna do.

Thanks to everyone. I'll be working on this more later. i laid out the parts on to the MDF last night. I'll be takin pics and cutting later today. Then be puttin her together and takin pics. Then post everything as i put it all in.

[topgun 262]

Hell I'd probably cut it even if it were collectible.

Same here, unless it was a super collectible and rare I wouldn't, but comfort trumps original to me.

[topgun 262]

I can understand you not wanting to cut the dash, but lets face the facts here. A '74 Charger isn't exactly a sought after car, and a well done CD player install will not hurt the resale value at all and will probably increase it.

[Streetbeat Customz 0]

Wall it!

[hardrock2401 8]

Already threw the wall idea at him lol

streetbeat, hurry up and get your van done haha

[Brett_the_Vandal 2]

haha. Thaknks StreetBeat. you wanna donate all the amps and subs. And maybe i'll wall it. Lmao. But HardRock did already suggest it.

[hondakilla98 29]

I haven't seen one of those in a long time. I helped a buddy do a stealth install in his 76 ford pickup. We put the mids in the door behind the stock grills and put the tweets in the air vents in the dash. Then we took out the stock radio and cut the face off with a bandsaw. Glued all the buttons in place from the back side. Recessed the new deck in the stock location. And then put little peices of Velcro on. So when you parked, you stuck the factory face on and it looked stock. He lived in a bad neighborhood.

[Brett_the_Vandal 2]

Well. To start. I finished all the lay outs last night.

Then i just got to cuttin. And now for the pictures. In order of when they were taken.

There was a gap in picutes here. lol. I forgot to stop and take them. lol.

And an even bigger gap here. I totally didnt take a single pic of me cutting out the sides of this. lol.

Then i taped it and took some pics in the car.

And thats it for now. I'll be workin on it more sometime soon. Probably tomorrow. I just need to cut out the back and top. Then i'm gonna glue it all together with some really high strength wood glue that my shop teacher uses.

[sefugi 166]

Looks like a great start, keep us up to speed with your progress!!

[Brett_the_Vandal 2]

Thanks! Will do!