The 1973 Dodge Charger is an icon of its era, but decades of wear, especially in a salty, humid Hawaiian climate, had left our B-Body bruised and battered. Like many cars from the Malaise era, it wore oversized five-mile-per-hour bumpers, and the weathered lenses dulled both its looks and safety. Our mission was to modernize the lighting, update the bumper, and clean up its ungainly profile with a classic “bumper tuck.”
Above Left: The original rear bumper had rust problems, and the rubber trim around the bumper was damaged. Additionally, the taillight lenses were dull. Above Right: After disconnecting the wire connectors and tucking the wires out of the way in the trunk, we removed several bolts and two fasteners from studs and pulled the bumper off the Charger.
The Charger’s rear end had endured the most significant damage. The rubber strips around the bumper had dried out and cracked, while the steel bumper had rusted through in places. The taillight buckets had melted, the side marker lenses were badly hazed, and the headlights barely illuminated the road, making night driving a risky endeavor.
Above Left: Although we were replacing the bumper with an AMD unit, we sourced three bumper assemblies, including the ’71 Super Bee bumper in the photo, for the bumper brackets and taillight buckets that were in better shape than the originals. Above Center: The Super Bee bumper had the desired brackets, but the threads were damaged. Several repairs (described in later photo captions) had to be made. Above Right: We had six taillight buckets that would fit our ’73 bumper. We selected the best two for our update.
To bring the Charger back to spec, we teamed up with:
- Auto Metal Direct (AMD) for a rear bumper
- Classic Industries for taillight and side marker lenses
- Holley for their plug-and-play RetroBright LED lighting system
Above Left: We drilled the bumper bracket mounting holes to 1/2-inch oversize. Each hole was tapped in preparation for inserts. Above Center: We installed Time-Sert inserts into each tapped hole with the application tool. Above Right: The Time-Sert inserts ensured a quality repair that was comparable in strength to the original mounting point.
In addition, we sourced a ’71 Super Bee bumper assembly to scavenge shorter brackets, allowing for a clean bumper tuck. We started by disconnecting the rear lighting harness from the trunk. After pushing the rubber plugs and wires back inside, we unthreaded six bolts and two studs, allowing the bumper assembly to slide off.
Above Left: The completed factory license plate light bracket was fitted with a lens from Classic Industries and a light bulb. Above Center: We restored the license plate and gas flap and ensured the hinge was greased correctly. Above Right: The restored taillight buckets were installed on the AMD bumper. Because the locating pins on the buckets had been damaged, we attached the buckets to the bumper with zip ties.
Once removed, the bumper was placed on two sawhorses. A torch and PB Blaster helped us break down the undercoating and loosen stuck hardware. After removing the brackets and crash bar, we turned to the taillight buckets, only to have them disintegrate during the removal process. Replacement was the only option.
With three donor bumpers, two from 1973 Chargers and the previously mentioned 1971 Super Bee, we pieced together a complete unit. We specifically chose the ’71 brackets for their shorter length, which would allow the bumper to sit closer to the body.
Above Left: We installed the license plate hinge and license plate light brackets to the bumper. Above Center: The license plate flap was installed on the AMD bumper assembly. We reused the factory fasteners after cleaning and painting them. Above Right: The center and one side of the bumper are assembled. Everything has been cleaned and painted to ensure a corrosion-free assembly.
Unfortunately, both of the ’71 brackets had damaged threads. We repaired them using Time-Sert inserts. We first welded the factory nuts in place. Then, we tapped them for the inserts. Once installed, we countersunk each opening. We installed Time-Sert inserts with red Loctite to ensure they would remain in place. The repair instilled confidence that the bumper mounting points were as strong as they had been when new.
With the metalwork complete, we cleaned and painted the brackets, tag lamp bracket, and small hardware. We then fitted a new Sylvania bulb in the tag light housing and installed a lens from Classic Industries.
Above Left: We installed Holley’s RetroBright 1156 and 1157 bulbs into the taillight bucket. Above Center: We capped the RetroBright bulbs with a new lens from Classic Industries. Above Right: We added homemade foam insulators and two mounting studs to the backside of the bumper brackets.
Above Left: It is obvious there is a difference in length and angle between the ’73 filler neck (top) and the ’71 filler neck (bottom). Above Right: Because we elected to use the ’71 bumper brackets, the bumper was drawn closer to the body. We correspondingly had to use the shorter and more angle ’71 filler neck for our application.
For the taillight buckets, ’73 Rallyes had a blackout finish, so we restored the factory blackout using flat black paint. We rewrapped the taillight harnesses and, due to a lack of reproduction clips (pins), secured the buckets with zip ties.
Laying the AMD bumper face down on the sawhorses, we began the reassembly process. We installed the lower license plate bracket, the plate bracket rubber bumpers, and the license plate flap. In each taillight bucket, we added Holley RetroBright 1157 and 1156 bulbs to their respective receptacles. Lastly, we mounted Classic Industries lenses using the original hardware.
Above Left: The bumper no longer extends inches from the body. With the ’71 bumper brackets, the bumper fits into the body’s contours much nicer. However, there is no longer any five-mile-per-hour bumper protection. Above Center: The AMD bumper and Classic Industries lenses set off the rear of the Charger. Above Right: The Holley RetroBright bulbs are incredibly bright. The clean, undamaged lenses allow for perfect illumination.
Above: The dull and damaged rear side marker light (right) was replaced with a new marker lens from Classic Industries. It was fitted with an LED bulb from Holley’s RetroBright series. Both rear markers were replaced.
Above: At the front fenders, the amber marker lights were in bad shape. Again, we swapped in a pair of Classic Industries markers and LED bulbs.
We attached the ’71 brackets with the ’73 bolts, fed the harnesses through the trunk, and used homemade foam pads on the brackets to prevent chafing. With the bumper adjusted for even gaps, we tightened everything down.
The bumper tuck required a shorter filler neck due to the reduced bumper offset. The solution was to install a ’71 neck in place of the longer ’73 version. We removed the filler tube bracket, greased the replacement neck, and slid it into the tank using the same mounting bolt. We had recently replaced the grommet, so we reused it.
Above: The original front blinker lens (left) was in a pitiful condition. The light bulb illumination was barely visible. After installing a new lens and a RetroBright bulb, the light worked perfectly. Again, we replaced the lens and bulb on both sides.
The side markers came out after unthreading two nuts on the backside of each marker. While the new lenses featured a silver trim, which was not factory-correct for Rallye models, a dab of acetone on a rag removed the edging. Holley RetroBright 194 bulbs completed the update.
At the front, we replaced both turn signal bulbs with RetroBright 1157 amber bulbs and lenses. The fender-mounted indicators received LED 194 bulbs, though we reused the original lenses due to a lack of reproduction parts.
Above Left: With the trim ring removed, we loosened three screws on the retaining ring that held the incandescent headlight in place. Above Center: A slight counterclockwise turn on the retaining ring freed it from the headlight bucket. We then disconnected the headlights from their corresponding connectors. Above Right: The Holley RetroBright headlights come ready to install. We slipped the male pins of the bulbs into the female terminals in the factory connector. With the two-pin connector, maintaining polarity is imperative. If in doubt, check the connector to determine which pin is the 12-volt wire. Install the RetroBright bulb to the correct pins.
The final touch was to add modern LED headlights. We removed the trim rings and swapped the dim sealed beams for Holley’s RetroBright headlights, high beams (2-prong) and low beams (3-prong). These RetroBright headlights are plug-and-play units that fit perfectly in the Charger’s stock headlight buckets with no wiring modifications needed.
Above Left: The incandescent headlights, while in the high-beam selection, were less than adequate. Above Right: After installing the RetroBright headlights, we noticed a significant increase in illumination. For more in-depth information about the Holley RetroBright headlights, check out Mopar Connection Magazine’s “Holley’s RetroBright LED Headlamps Provide Superior Lighting” article from 2022.
With help from AMD, Classic Industries, and Holley, our ’73 Charger is finally looking and performing as it should. The rear bumper is now snug against the body, the lights shine brighter than ever, and the safety factor is vastly improved. Next time you see it at night, you will not miss it, and that is the point.
