1969 Dodge Charger R/T - Just bought, now making it better

[RAC95054]

To everyone who think my repairs are exspensive. Well, I don't have time, tool and enough skills to do it myself so gotta do everything at the shop. BUT I do not wanna be ripped off, so happy to share the break down with you and please give your opinion on if they are overcharging or not? He didn't always break out labour and parts, but here is what I got so far:

STEERING GEAR - Remove & Replace - [Includes: Adjust toe-in on Rack & Pinion type gears] - Total $312.
OIL PAN &/OR GASKET - Remove & Replace - Labour 3h: $360. Total $360.
SPRAK PLUG WIRE SET - Remove & Replace - Total $240.
REPAIR LOWER RADIATOR SUPPORT - Labour 3h: $360.
REPLACE SHOCKS ALL - Parts and Labour $1,500. Totoal $1,500.
EXHAUST MANIFOLD &/OR GASKET - Remove & Replace - Exhaust Gasket: 50, labour 3h: $360. Total $410.
INSTALL DISK BRAKE KIT - Brakes: $1,600, labour 8h: $960. Total $2,560.
MASTER CYLINDER - Remove & Replace - [Includes Bleed system] - Labour 2h: $120. Total $120.
WHEELS & TIRES - Parts: $1,500. Total $1,500.
INSTALL ELECTRONIC IGNITION - Labour and parts: $1,800
REMOVE AFTER MARKET INSTRUMENTS - Labour 1h: $120. Total $120.
TOTAL: $9,282.

In addition comes $380 to send the radio away to make it all modern on the inside, with mp3 input n stuff, while still looking like the original. And speakers in the back. I want the speakers not to be visible, but hidden under the original hatrack placement. Any recommendations there?

Repair guy showed me everything under the car and explain what needed to be done. I could clearly see how bearings were worn out, oil leaks, manifold leak etc., so don't think he is making this up.

myk: Aftermarket gauges underneath the glove department gotta go, so ugly and trying to keep the car stock. Do you guys think it is worth trying to put the exising ones back in use or safer just to go for <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOPAR-1968-70-DODGE-CHARGER-RESTORED-RALLYE-GAUGE-CLUSTER-W-TIC-TOC-TACH-B-BODY-/310705883977?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4857838b49&vxp=mtrl">This set/a>. Even has a Tic Toc Tach. Any one have experience with this vendor?

Nice car!  Very similar to mine. Much of what you mention above I did myself, and was pretty easy.  And let me add that I am no mechanical whiz, or have the space tools to do a huge variety of work.  That shop seems to be overcharing you a lot. And I am in te South Bay and a member of Mopar Alley.  Go to Normandin Chrysler this weekend to meet some of the members on Sat from 10-3.
-Russ

[NHCharger]

Welcome to the site 
I agree with the others. some of the prices quoted seem way high. Spark plug wires you can easily do yourself. The price for the shocks and electronic ignition are way out of line.
Looks like a nice car. It's always a gamble to buy a car sight unseen.

[70-500-SE-EXPORT]

The quoted prices are way out of line..double if not triple what they should be. Disk brake kit is $1600 for just the parts? That should be the installed price. The disk brake kits can be purchased for around $800. The electronic ignition kit can be purchased for under $200 (proform) The mopar performance kit is around $250.. How can they justify parts and Installation costing $1800?
I'd be looking for another shop

[RAC95054]

In addition comes $380 to send the radio away to make it all modern on the inside, with mp3 input n stuff, while still looking like the original. And speakers in the back. I want the speakers not to be visible, but hidden under the original hatrack placement. Any recommendations there?

myk: Aftermarket gauges underneath the glove department gotta go, so ugly and trying to keep the car stock. Do you guys think it is worth trying to put the exising ones back in use or safer just to go for <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOPAR-1968-70-DODGE-CHARGER-RESTORED-RALLYE-GAUGE-CLUSTER-W-TIC-TOC-TACH-B-BODY-/310705883977?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4857838b49&vxp=mtrl">This set/a>. Even has a Tic Toc Tach. Any one have experience with this vendor?

For the hidden speakers, I was able to do that by removing the package tray, then attaching the speakers with long screws at the openings that are exposed.  Then, put the package tray back on, and you can't tell.  Fairly easy to do.  Getting the back seat out is the hardest part, and it's not that hard (and made even easier if you remove the window cranks first).

When I got my car, it also had the under the dash extra gauges, and I removed them in about 30 min. Very easy with simple tools.  I just needed to buy a plug for the water pump housing where the temp sensor was screwed in.

There are plenty of places that do gauge resto, and most do so for a reasonable price (do a search on this forum in fact).  BTW, your dash has the clock only... it's not the tic tc tach, which, if you want one, a reproduction one goes for about $350.

In general, if you search the forum here, there is a lot of good advice from everyone to tell you how do do most everything on your list yourself.  The brake conversion would be the most difficult IMO, and would be the one thing I'd likely have someone else do too. But as someone else said, the quote you got was way too high.

[RAC95054]

And I think $1400 for a restored set of gauges is way too high.  If you sent yours in to a reputable pplace, and even had the tic toc tach added, I'd guess you'd be into it for under $800.  Again, do a search here, not on eBay.

[moparfan53]

moparfan53: Thanks for sharing links to steel wheel. I was not happy to put alu rims on, but now I'm a happy camper again. To me the
http://www.specialtywheel.com/product-showcase/mopar/chrysler-road-wheel.html  are simliar to those original 14 inch wheels, am I right?

Yes, those are the ones.