72 Charger

[Bill Howell]

There will be some more info on this build soon here, but for now, here are some sneak pics.

Yes, proof it is a backyard build.


notice the heater and A/C lines


Vintage Air baby


Can you say three link and panhard bar?


XV stage II front suspension

You know its mine with forgelines on it.

[BMF Machine]

Oh Day'uM! Just like you to only tease us Bill!

LookS completelY awsome, and yes the ForgelineS are smok'N!

I still plan to take the young'ns down to PigeoN forgE for the aquarium and to see the beauty of the landscape down there. I will also want to take them past your place to show them two off the coolest damn hotrods out there. Would you let me strap a booster and a carseat in the goat? I would love to see the boys smiling in the back off one the coolest vert's ever!
Everytime they see my, "in the news" wall hanging, they go nuts. Well the 6 year old does anyway! His words are......"Dad have you never seen a car that cool before?" and then he adds "Did you really make tose parts out in Grandpa'S shed?"
Speaking of "In the NewS" I need to call and get my wall hanging of Lisa'S EmptY NesT! One of the other CoolesT day'um vert's ever built by ThE A TeaM! "ProdigY CustomS" and one of their temporarally disabled machinisT's?

ThankS for sharinG Bill, my back surgery has me stiR CrazY..... looking at these beautiful cars gives me hope that some day I will be in my dream.......a 62 impala vert on air with the 20's out back and 19's up front. CooL Vanilla exterior with a red interior. A hardtop would do me just as well, I guess? I may never be able to justify the verts extra 10 grand.....Plus the extra 10 grand would be better spent towards a NelsoN TwiN TurbO~I would have to have one of those as well especially after hearing the F'BomB video, nothing can compare? Absolutely NothinG!

You live'N large Bill, I am glad to see anyone on here, that has got the chance to make their dreams a reality! OlD MusclE cars with new wave mods are just FreakinG awsome! I think they are called Pro-Tour'ers!

[Bill Howell]

Thanks Kevin,
Hopefully you will be up and at em soon.

Here are a few facts about the car and build.

Original Arizona car, never any rust, never wrecked, perfect platform to start with.
6.4 Hemi Crate 392ci motor with XV motorsports custom headers
Complete Flowmaster 3' custom exhaust
TKO 600 five speed
Moser Dana 60 rear
XV Motorsports Stage II front suspension package
XV three link B-body parts, customized by us to fit the charger
Wilwood 14" disks all around
Vintage Air gen IV air
Factory gauges reworked by redline to work with new style hemi
Forgeline wheels- one set with 19 front and 20 rear and one set 18 with race tires for events.
Interior appears stock, but with 02 trans am seats without head rests for more support.

[zbugger]

Looking good, Bill. I can't wait to see it on the road. Are you going with the vinyl top? Any side graphics, or is that it?

[Bill Howell]

vinyl top - check
graphics - check (but that was one of the suprises I was saving...lol)

[zbugger]

Cool. And I was just guessing, since you had the small side graphic with two tone on the goat. It's not like I know anything....

[wicked68]

looks good man!

I cant wait to see it one of these days


Hopefully I will see it in vegas.

[wellis77]

That looks real sharp. Can't wait to see the whole thing.

[thedodgeboys]

Nice Charger I wish my backyard had a lift.

How did the xv stuff fit (lots of mods or easy bolt in)?

are you using the AEM box on the 6.4 hemi?

More pictures please

[jackfrost]

notice the heater and A/C lines

could you provide more detail on these? they look fantastic.

[Bill Howell]

Nice Charger I wish my backyard had a lift.

How did the xv stuff fit (lots of mods or easy bolt in)?

are you using the AEM box on the 6.4 hemi?

More pictures please

The front clip was absolutely a bolt in piece, no issues at all.
I also used their body stiffening kit and it too fit well.
The three link was a different story. Going into the deal they and I knew I was the guinea pig since no one had done a 72 charger before. Their kit they sent me was actually for a 70 and older cuda. We basically took the pieces we could use, and refabbed everything else. Now, that was my decision, and I am not knocking their products. They were helpful all the way through and we swapped ideas for the newer E-bodies. There is a reason I picked a 72 charger that I will share later so I knew I would have to do more than just bolt on the parts to make it work. If you buy the parts they have already built for a certain car, I don't think there are any issues at all, but I just had to have a different car. I would do it again if you are asking, because I love the engineering that they have put into their parts. We will know soon how it all works, but I think it will be fine. The major issue that came up was we had to cut 3inches out of the gas tank to shorten it for clearance of the panhard bar. That could be a whole chapter, but the finished product is cool and purists will scratch their heads trying to figure out just how we did that. All this is what makes a hot rod a hot rod, so it is all good.
For now we are planning to run the factory computer supplied by Mopar. However, there is a good chance this will change. I am looking hard at the Kenny Bell blower offered for the new hemis and once I do that, we will upgrade the computer. More on that later, but it will be a winter project.

[Bill Howell]

could you provide more detail on these? they look fantastic.

They are off the shelf Vintage Air pieces you can order at your local hot rod shop, vendors here on protouring or from Vintage Air. Very high quality pieces and fit is perfect. I love the choices I had and was able to come out right above the heater supply lines on the crate motor for a direct connection. I have about 6 inches of heater hose to each connection. The A/C lines are hidden as well and come out right about the brake booster. The hoses will be tucked nicely under that new bracket that holds the two tanks. I am happy with the way all of this is coming together and it should mean a very tidey engine compartment.

[Tucks69]

Looks Good Bill! You have come along way since I saw it sitting in your shop last year at RTTH!

[Ralph LoGrasso]

Lookin' good, Bill! Keep us updated.

[Bill Howell]

Many said not to put a vinyl top on the car, but I had to.



We got the car running Sunday, took it to the interior shop Monday for headliner, top and carpet. We should get it back tomorrow, and finish up all the little things. I plan to make some miles in the car next week.
Oh, played with the billboards last week. Keep in mind, the one in the picture is the wrong color obviously and the word "HEMI" is way too large, but you can start to get the idea.

[130fe]

Looking good Bill!

[Motown 454]

Nice car. The vinyl top makes it look choped. I like it.

[Bill Howell]

Thanks Wayne, my thoughts exactly. The car is soooo long, the top brings it all down and helps the looks tremendously. I am hoping the billboards help even more.

[Ron S]

I feel for you, getting the proportions right on a stripe that large is really tough Bill,especially if it has never been done before. The quarters are so big on the Chargers,the billboards will really break it up, and slim it down.

Should really be a nice car, can't wait to see how the 6.4 Hemi runs. Its funny, with all the parts you've put on the car, it will probably weigh no more then a Duster or Dart with a small block. Ron

[wellis77]

Looking real good Bill! I really like the look of the vinyl top and I agree about the billboard, I think it will break up the big quarter nicely. Looking forward to seeing the finished product. Keep the pics flowing...