Haven't driven the car in 4 weeks. Aaargghhh

[myk]

Drove mine regularly from around March 1976 until late 1982 when I put it in the garage for future restoration. After many years of it just sitting in my garage and numerous offers to buy it, I finally started my restoration on March 2007. After many trials and tribulations, including serious health problems for me (stroke in June, 2010) and a boatload of money, it finally became restored enough to be drivable in June, 2013. It is still not completely right but, I can tell you, it is great to take it out on the road again!

Six long years and many bumps in the road but, it is worth it! Driving it back home from the engine shop in Conroe (about 25 miles) and putting it in my garage for the first time in 6 years was a fantastic feeling!  Just driving it for the first time since 1982 was a special moment for me!!

Wow, you and your car have been "there and back" again.  It's great that you stuck with it for almost 40 years...

[charge69]

I knew it was a special car when I bought it. Just dumb luck finding it as I was complaining to my brother about searching for a 1968 or 1969 Roadrunner for well over a year and not finding exactly what I wanted and he said "I have a guy I work with that has a 1969 Hemi Charger that he might be willing to sell!" I bought it within 2 hours and had the title and the Charger back home at my place before he could change his mind!

Long story short, I bought the Charger for less than I paid for restoration taillight lenses and chrome surrounds cost me this year! Could have made good money within days of getting it and by the mid '80's I had been offered more than 15 times what I paid for it! Extremely tempting as I needed the money badly back then (another long story) but I resisted and here it is today! Sometimes the old story "I am gonna restore it someday" actually comes true!  Ha!

[myk]

I'm glad you didn't sell.  We all fall on hard times and the logical thing to do is dump the toys but....I don't look at my Charger as a toy, I dunno.  In any case you've got a great story bud and personally, I'm glad you got the Charger instead of the 'Runner...

[1974dodgecharger]

With a hemi damn man.......that was some luck bro 

I knew it was a special car when I bought it. Just dumb luck finding it as I was complaining to my brother about searching for a 1968 or 1969 Roadrunner for well over a year and not finding exactly what I wanted and he said "I have a guy I work with that has a 1969 Hemi Charger that he might be willing to sell!" I bought it within 2 hours and had the title and the Charger back home at my place before he could change his mind!

Long story short, I bought the Charger for less than I paid for restoration taillight lenses and chrome surrounds cost me this year! Could have made good money within days of getting it and by the mid '80's I had been offered more than 15 times what I paid for it! Extremely tempting as I needed the money badly back then (another long story) but I resisted and here it is today! Sometimes the old story "I am gonna restore it someday" actually comes true!  Ha!

[myk]

Well, as much as we covet rare cars like those today, I'm sure at some point between the 60's and now the Hemi's, Wing cars and anything like that was just considered an "old car" and wasn't worth very much, making them easy to find.  I'm sure during the gas crunch days you couldn't GIVE those cars away; maybe someone who lived through that time or is familiar with it can provide greater detail...

[charge69]

I saw a white with black interior 4-spd 1969 Hemi Charger 500 in pristine condition sit on a dealers lot in Pasadena Tx.in the mid '70's for $2500.00. It sat there for over a year before it disappeared and I imagine for a lot less than $2500.00 !  I bought my numbers-matching Hemi Charger, almost all original except for normal maintenance items in 1976 for $700.00 !   Yep, most musclecars were dirt cheap then. They were still pretty easy to find in great condition too.  Mine, as I said, not only was drivable, but in pretty good shape, and I drove it all over Houston without worrying about breaking down at all. It never let me down.

MYK,  I am glad I got this one instead of getting a Roadrunner also.  Just the week before, I actually bought a beautiful white w/black interior 4-spd Roadrunner in South Houston for $1200.00. I had to work an evening shift that day, gave the owner a $500.00 check to hold it for me and said I would be back tomorrow afternoon with the rest of the money.  Guess what?  He had to have one last ride and took it out that evening for a drive and got hit in the driver's front quarter panel by a little old lady that ran a stop sign!  The quarter panel was toast and you could see damage to the grill and bumper also!  Heatedly told the guy what a dick he was for driving the car after he sold it and got my money back. I was getting very frustrated when I mentioned to my brother I was looking for an old MOPAR to drive and restore!  The rest is history !!

[Bob T]

I saw a white with black interior 4-spd 1969 Hemi Charger 500 in pristine condition sit on a dealers lot in Pasadena Tx.in the mid '70's for $2500.00. It sat there for over a year before it disappeared and I imagine for a lot less than $2500.00 !  I bought my numbers-matching Hemi Charger, almost all original except for normal maintenance items in 1976 for $700.00 !   Yep, most musclecars were dirt cheap then. They were still pretty easy to find in great condition too.  Mine, as I said, not only was drivable, but in pretty good shape, and I drove it all over Houston without worrying about breaking down at all. It never let me down.

MYK,  I am glad I got this one instead of getting a Roadrunner also.  Just the week before, I actually bought a beautiful white w/black interior 4-spd Roadrunner in South Houston for $1200.00. I had to work an evening shift that day, gave the owner a $500.00 check to hold it for me and said I would be back tomorrow afternoon with the rest of the money.  Guess what?  He had to have one last ride and took it out that evening for a drive and got hit in the driver's front quarter panel by a little old lady that ran a stop sign!  The quarter panel was toast and you could see damage to the grill and bumper also!  Heatedly told the guy what a dick he was for driving the car after he sold it and got my money back. I was getting very frustrated when I mentioned to my brother I was looking for an old MOPAR to drive and restore!  The rest is history !!

Win !! Sometimes the cards fall just right 69.

[charge69]

Dino,  I do apologize for the highjack of the thread but .............. you have no idea yet what it feels like having you Charger sit in the garage for years on end and not be able to drive it!!   It really is the definition of "sucks out loud!"  Ha!

Get to work and get your Charger back on the road!  You will be a much happier person!

[ChargerD100]

only time ive ever drove mine was steering it, while being towed by my dads old four wheeler out of our old field while moving 

[Baldwinvette77]

never drove mine, just sat in it and pretended to 

[NHCharger]

This is why I own three Chargers. There is usually one that is roadworthy.

[ChargerD100]

never drove mine, just sat in it and pretended to 

Wasps currently call mine home so i cant even do that 

[RGA]

Sent mine to paint 1.5 years ago, body shop keeps telling me " next week for sure ". I couldn't remember if I had power steering the other day when some one asked. Sucks sucks sucks.
Maybe next week.

What's the hold up?  Paint took 9 months to hit my sheet metal and I'm still fuming about that one...

Friend, favor, not pushing. I'm in the car business and I have seen too many cars go into body shop Bermuda Triangle. Got it back today and its so perfect I'm almost scared to touch it

[71 SE3834V]

Member of the club also.
Car hasn't run right since it came out of storage last spring. Finally figured out it needed a timing chain. Car sat until August when I finally had time to replace it. After 4 weeks of cleaning & painting parts it didn't run any better. Crap! Now the house and rental property needs repairs and there's no time (or energy) to work on the car.