I've finally begun work on my Challenger.
It's a mom and pop 318 auto, drum brake car.
It will be a 500-512 Six Pack, 4-speed car with T/A hood and Hotchkis suspension.

I have a radiator support cut from a 73 E body to use to set up the Challenger for a 26" radiator. I was going to cut away the support side panels, and perhaps lower support piece, from the 73 assembly and weld them in to the car.

The only reason not to replace the entire assembly as a whole is to keep the VIN stamp on the upper support. But, it would be tremendously easier to just replace the entire radiator support without removing all those spot welds and re-welding.

Without starting a range war please, what might the downside be?
It's only a 318 car, but it's still a 70 Challenger,and they are getting rarer. It's going to be made into a Pro Touring car, but, save for the subframe connectors, everything else is bolt on.
I would keep the original radiator support with the VIN in case I decide to sell some day, to satisfy a buyer's concerns.

Thought?
Calm thoughts?

Robert

The car is nothing rare. The value will be in what you do to it, not the original vin on the rad support! Take the easy route.

I would say keep the top part with the vin just so there will be a continuity of numbers in case of theft or something like that. Most thief's don't know where the hidden numbers are.

No Brainer! Keep the top support with the number on the car. The car may or may not be worth a fortune but it will be worth less without the number guaranteed. EASY is not always the best its just EASY. Why would a buyer want the number correct piece separate in the event of a sale. It should be on the car.

Change the upper support to your original. It's not that many spot welds.

Also I think there might be an additional tab on the side panels as to how they attach to the frame rail on the 71+ as 70 was unique

on a modified 318 car worried about thw radiato support numbers is nuts

I would put in the larger opening rad support, but cut out the original VIN numbers and weld them onto the newly installed rad support . . . more work for you, but then again, keeps the numbers on the car !

if you are all worried about moving numbers and value
why are you even working on a money pit 318 car to begin with? lol

its your car whether its a 318 or hemi car. Do what is easiest or really needed. If you can do the top original then do it. It looks very savable on the top and really its just the lower that is bad. I would hammer and dolly the sides and top where needed and just do the lower. Heck on my dads 72 340 cuda I did the entire top and bottom. Car is not an numbers car and it will be a family car for as long as I walk the face of this earth so it was no issue to me. I can see it on a big dollar car though.

corey