Will they ever all be accounted for?

[Ghoste]

It kind of came up in another thread but since it was tangential to that I thought I would re-introduce it here.  Do you think there will come a point where all of the surviving Chargers of any specific year or category are accounted for?  I think that even as another one is unearthed, somewhere one is slipping off of the radar fo0r awhile and even though the number is finite and dwindling I think there will always be one to be rediscovered.  They may become less frequent but I believe the "barn find" will live on.

[4cruzin]

No they will never be ALL accounted for. . . .

[charge69]

No, ....... some people do not want their Charger, or any other muscle car, to be found !!

[Ghoste]

But everyone dies.  Those cars will come to light sooner or later, no?

[charge69]

Possibly and possibly not!  A widow or grandchild sells the old Charger in the garage in a private party sale to someone who, also, doesn't care if you or I know he has a Charger.  Maybe he doesn't even post his find anywhere to minimize his exposure to theft.

Even if he drives it as I do and does not take it to shows, as I don't, how would you know if it is one of the ones accounted for or not? Who is going to do this "accounting" for all the cars made in 1969?  Just not possible to account for all the cars made that year, still around or not.

[BIGBLCK11]

No, It would be hard to account for all of the scrapped cars or the ones rusted into the ground, in a field or junkyard somewhere.

[Ghoste]

Not talking about scrapped ones or ones that have returned to the earth, just the ones that are still out there and are roadworthy or can be saved.

[68X426]

Not talking about scrapped ones or ones that have returned to the earth, just the ones that are still out there and are roadworthy or can be saved.

I'll say no. But for a less obvious reason. Not everyone is on the internet, and not everyone has even found DC.com. There remains a very narrow slice of people who use this site, or any Mopar site. The much larger group that is not connected probably still owns 90% of all Chargers but their paths will never cross with this group.

In other words, we are the fringe and the oddballs and won't ever know the inventory of the greater universe of Chargers.

[Ghoste]

Thats a very good observation I hadn't thought of.  I don't know if I agree that 90% exist outside of internet use but I can't provide a figure or reason to dispute it either.  Just a hunch.
Good point.

[71green go]

I believe of course they will.....never know how long but someday ....many years from now they will all surface

[Mike DC]

 
IMHO the figure is not near 90%.  But it might be 50% or more if you count people who have the internet in some capacity but don't use it for hobby websites like this. 

There are a lot of people, particularly in the older generations, who have never starting using the internet for more than a few specific purposes like email or online billing. 

With older generations you have to give them a reason to apply the internet to a subject.  With younger generations you have to give them a reason not to. 

 

[stripedelete]

Yes.    For the US and Canada it will take 50 yrs.   for the rest of the world maybe another 50.

I don't see it having anything to do with the internet.   If a charger has not changed hands since what ,,,,,  Mid 90's?  It's not in a states  "new" system.   Which is a modern relational database. 

Like Ghoste said, we will all die.   The cars will change hands and be added(remember it's about title not registration)   Then,,,,, the state will figure out there is monetary value to the info and sell you the list.   

The same will happen in the rest of the world it will just take longer.

[myk]

I've left business cards with our website address on Chargers that I've encountered locally, including a Daytona a few years back; I've yet to see any of them pop up on here.  Suffice to say there will always be some cars we'll never see or hear about directly...

[BIGBLCK11]

A large percentage maybe, but not all.   There are many states that don't require a title to sell a car, just a bill of sale.   Then, it could just sit unregistered, out of the system.  Drag cars are another issue, most are not street legal and there is no need to register them ever.

[stripedelete]

A large percentage maybe, but not all.   There are many states that don't require a title to sell a car, just a bill of sale.   Then, it could just sit unregistered, out of the system.  Drag cars are another issue, most are not street legal and there is no need to register them ever.

Aren't some bill-of-sale states issue a title to buyer now?  Even so,  I wonder if their systems are designed for 11 digit vins?   Yet, another hole.

Drag car.?  interesting.   Never considered that.    But, follow the money.   If the state isn't taxing the transaction now, it eventually will.   And that will create the record.

[tan top]

Not talking about scrapped ones or ones that have returned to the earth, just the ones that are still out there and are roadworthy or can be saved.

I'll say no. But for a less obvious reason. Not everyone is on the internet, and not everyone has even found DC.com. There remains a very narrow slice of people who use this site, or any Mopar site. The much larger group that is not connected probably still owns 90% of all Chargers but their paths will never cross with this group.

In other words, we are the fringe and the oddballs and won't ever know the inventory of the greater universe of Chargers.

 that makes sence , also  you look on cardomain site etc , look at the chargers you see on there , doubt if even a quarter are on this site ,  same as you see charger guys on moparts , FFBO  and others that never venture on here ,  would be good if all charger owners were on DC,com  Eh  










i'm sure they will eventually   50 - 100 years from now ,  cause of the internet & enthusiasts spotting one in a open barn or something &  will post up pictures or word of mouth & a mopar guy gets to know about it etc  posts it on his favourite mopar site , even if the guy is not computer friendly  , someone in the know  will find out about it sooner or later . also  guys trying to make dough will be searching for &  flipping them , the prices of these cars are only going to go up ( sadly will be out of reach for a lot of charger fans ) , look at the price for rusted out chargers on ebay now  , they sell , well some of them , & their only 44 -45 years old yet  , whats is going to be like in another 25 -30 -40 years ,   maybe there will be a complete Repop  68 -69 & 70 grill assemblys by then too  

[ws23rt]

Ever is a very long time. Since it never comes there would be no way of knowing.

There are some conditions that preserve things for almost ever. Like deep clean water for instance.

Who knows if one of our dinosaurs got trapped in some goo and will not turn up for thousands of years.

The southwest desert holds on to things for almost ever.  So in 6013 I wonder what a desert find would be worth---Hmmm a complete hemi charger---dusty?  Let's see one and a half billion dollars (or six months wages)--

It would be fun to find one of these cars anyway it happens even if it's just before ever. 

[lloyd3]

You assume a linear progression forward in time, without any upheavals in society. I'm not sure that's a good bet these days.  Will they all be accounted for someday? Likely not, and for all of the reasons already mentioned. There were just so-many made that tracking even what now remains is hard to imagine.

[Cooter]

That's not to take into consideration the ones that are buried, or will be buried in their cars once gone to keep vulchers away either...

[XH29N0G]

Viking funeral?  Some seemed to be buried in their boats.  Others went up in flames.

[C_stripes]

I know of two Charger R/T's that will never hit any sort of registries. The owners of both cars will never sell, and neither will their kids. One of them, the only child, will crush the car before anyone else ever owns it. Original owner B5 R/T SE executive car.

[Fitz73Chrgr]

One of them, the only child, will crush the car before anyone else ever owns it.

That's the dumbest thing I've heard in a while.

[C_stripes]

One of them, the only child, will crush the car before anyone else ever owns it.

That's the dumbest thing I've heard in a while.

Agreed, but to some people they have more money than they need and they would rather do that then feel taken advantage of.

The car is in a climate controlled area and hasn't seen the light of day in well over 20 years.

The other car is a factory black with red stripe and interior 4spd Dana car, it's sitting in a shed.

[1974dodgecharger]

that shit is funny and YES I have heard it also...


'ILL CRUSH IT BEFORE IT I SELL IT' I have learned to ignore such individuals its their stuff do what they want even if its 1 of 1 custom order lol....

[MxRacer855]

I'm glad to see this got reposted and I'm really enjoying the responses.

The fact of the matter is, there was only a certain amount of Chargers made, and that's it. It's not perpetual. With that being said, the only way to keep them coming for sure, is by constantly having "accounted/restored" Chargers go "unaccounted" for at some point in time, only to turn up again down the road. There's no doubt that the ratio to known Chargers going unknown vs. unknown Chargers being found is 10:1 (or any huge number relative to a small one). These cars are so amazing and valuable that once they're restored again, chances are they will never be daily drivers again. And if they are, they'll be constantly maintained and rebuilt, keeping them around and possibly "accounted" for from here on out.

How long will it take before they're all accounted for? It might be so far down the road that it's safe to say it will be generations before that happens... thus for all of us, not going to happen.

Just one members input open to interpretation. Very interesting thoughts on the subject though guys!

Jeff

[500Jon]

Great subject Ghoste.

Chargers are like diamonds.
Mostly rough when you find 'em but sparkling when finished!
Therein lies the answer to you question, we don't wanna know where they is and whose gotem!

We all wanted to luck into the missing Hemi-Cuda ragtops.
Even when there was only one left, we still kept looking.

Once everything is accounted for then there are no mysteries left.
Finding stuff, long hidden, hard to get, is part of the adventure.
Ther are two Chargers here in Kent that I know are here and exist.
The owners are shy retiring types and never show their cars to anyone.
They are registered on the UK database as running driving cars but are rarely if ever go out!

Me I'm different, once I get a car running I gotta drive it, I like the attention!
It attracts all sorts on the whole, sane nice everyday Folks, but then there's the weirdos!!!
Sometimes you meet a strange one and then you can't get rid of 'em.
They knock on your door late at night, they always harrass you at car shows etc. etc. etc.

Sorry went orf track there for a moment, taken me Meds and i'll be ok in a mo!

Different strokes for different Folks

There's plenty of Chargers to go round, keep 'em hidden!!!

500Jon

[Road Dog]

I'm still not on the registry.

[500Jon]

Oh Yes,

A friend of mine in LA found a plum-crazy 70 sixpack Charger in a wrecking yard with an import laying on its roof!
How mad is that???
There was a time when Chargers weren't so desirable.
I know of two that have ben cut-up quite recently, too far gone!
But now seeing what people are repairing, nothings too far gone methinks!!!
Some good Chargers have even been cut up for panels to repair even rustier Hemi cars!!!

They will never be able to find them all, they is too well hidden, even with modern databases.
500Jon

[Cooter]

One of them, the only child, will crush the car before anyone else ever owns it.

That's the dumbest thing I've heard in a while.

While these peole may not be understood, I would hold off on how 'stupid' , or 'dumb' they seem as we rarely know the story.
I've been after this very illusive 1970 Cuda (yes, it came originally with plug wires through valve covers and owner knows this but refuses to sell) for over 25 years. Every now and then I go by there just to see if the deterioration has gotten  worse. I found out the story about a year after finding the car. Yes, its the same old story....ain't about getting taken advantage of.
Its got to do with memories. Dude bought it brand new, pulled the engine years ago and 'lent' it to one if his drag racing buddies back in the early 80's. Never saw it or his buddy again. I even offered to restore what is left so he can at least look at something not so rough.
Who knows, maybe one day I'll own my "Hemi Cuda", but it will be for the love of the car, not the love of money, and hopefully the owner knows that after 25 years....

[500Jon]

Hi Cooter and All.

According to my long suffering wife "we is all STUPID"
She is of course refering to lifelong Musclecar owners/restorers.
Why spend all this time/effort/money into a dinosauracar!
Its a strange kinda love come obsession for some of us.

Be careful what you wish for?
It might just come true!

500Jon

[69rtse4spd]

I alone cut up over 20 cars back in the 70s & 80s when they where just parts cars. Wish I had kept some now, but no room then. I know a 70 with gator grain top that could have been saved easily.  . The hunt is the fun part, the 69 I just got started out as a 69 R/T Hemi 4-speed. Well I was definitely interested, turned out to be a 383 S.E. instead, sat in the garage since 82. Wish I had kept all the Vin numbers on those cars but, oh well. Now I do know of a 69 Hemi GTX 4-speed not far from me, have seen it, clean car, maybe later in the future.

[UH60L]

Ya know, since getting my charger and starting to hang out in the car club/car show/muscle car crowds, I've learned that people are kind of funny about things like this.

Whereas I, after a few weeks of owning a '69 charger, found the registry and added my car to it, the other two people in my club that have chargers haven't registered theirs and, as far as I know, they don't come to this site either (even though I've told them about it).

What I have noticed about my mopar club is that almost everyone in the club has multiple old mopars and very few people concentrate their interest/elbow grease on one particular model.  My car club president has a '69 charger Daytona, a '69 hemi roadrunner, a panther pink 'cuda convertible, a '70 challenger, at least two GTXs, a satellite (I think he's up to 11 old mopars now...). 

Same with the other guy, he has at least 3 at any given time, right now has a '68 charger, '65 or '66 barracuda and I think a satellite or challenger he's working on.

I'm the only guy in the club with "just" a charger (and technically a new challenger...) so I tend to focus on charger web sites and info more than general mopar sites.  (and I tend to have more charger specific knowledge than general mopar info, but I am slowly learning...)

[Ghoste]

But not even just in registries but known at large by more than the owner?

[fy469rtse]

I know what you mean ghoste , the car I'm doing at the moment was off the grid for the best part of twenty five or more years, basket case forgotten in the corner of a dark shed until I found her, but I have owned it for ten, my 70 rt not registered anywhere,I have owned that now for about 15 years,  last three chargers meant to get around to putting them on the registry but ? , at least there alive again and out there, I will get to registering triple gold car 68 rt once I finish background check and history
The 69 in my avatar pick is registered, so accounted for heh

[polywideblock]

don't forget the exports we've got more coming all the time   


also there are lots of people like me that keep cars for sentimental reasons

                    i'v still got the 60 dodge (my first mopar)it's next on the list   

[Old Moparz]

They will all be accounted for whether you like it or not, or whether you want it to be or not. The government constantly seeks new ways to take in revenue & will use drones to find every classic to tax it. Registration in a registry won't be necessary anymore, because the NSA will help the IRS out & use DMV records, EZ-Pass, GPS, cell phones, traffic cameras, internet forums, facebook, credit card purchases, aerial photos at swap meets & shows to find them all. Even Ryan (devil) will be forced to turn in all his cars in barn material or be sent to Guantanamo & never heard from again.

[hemigeno]

They will all be accounted for whether you like it or not, or whether you want it to be or not. The government constantly seeks new ways to take in revenue & will use drones to find every classic to tax it. Registration in a registry won't be necessary anymore, because the NSA will help the IRS out & use DMV records, EZ-Pass, GPS, cell phones, traffic cameras, internet forums, facebook, credit card purchases, aerial photos at swap meets & shows to find them all. Even Ryan (devil) will be forced to turn in all his cars in barn material or be sent to Guantanamo & never heard from again.

  Oh wait...

[Aero426]

Ya know, since getting my charger and starting to hang out in the car club/car show/muscle car crowds, I've learned that people are kind of funny about things like this.

Whereas I, after a few weeks of owning a '69 charger, found the registry and added my car to it, the other two people in my club that have chargers haven't registered theirs and, as far as I know, they don't come to this site either (even though I've told them about it).

Some collectors have cars (or a lot of other stuff) because they really just don't like other people.

[Ghoste]

Bob, you used to have that tinfoil helmet, do those work against drones as well?

[MxRacer855]

Bob, you used to have that tinfoil helmet, do those work against drones as well?

If a few hairs from a first born child are properly intertwined.

[Old Moparz]

Bob, you used to have that tinfoil helmet, do those work against drones as well?

I can't post about that or I'll never know for sure.   

[lexxman]

I don't think we'll ever know. To Meany people like to hide them away for some reason. They'll never restore them,but no one can have them.

[tan top]

Bob, you used to have that tinfoil helmet, do those work against drones as well?

hahah , tinfoil helmet , yeah I remember that 

[SRT-440]

Hopefully, at least for the foreseeable future...the cars that are living today won't suffer the fate they did in the 70's-80's of being parked outside with windows down and forgotten.
When we are all gone, the next generation my not care as much, and the process starts all over again...these nice restored cars turn back into barn finds.

[MxRacer855]

Hopefully, at least for the foreseeable future...the cars that are living today won't suffer the fate they did in the 70's-80's of being parked outside with windows down and forgotten.
When we are all gone, the next generation my not care as much, and the process starts all over again...these nice restored cars turn back into barn finds.

That's certainly a possibility... it makes you want to re-write your will to have your car buried with you vs. letting someone else bury your car! 

[AKcharger]

yes

[odcics2]

A lot of folks live off the grid.    And they prefer it like that.