How much history do you know about your Charger?

[b5blue]

 When I bought my Charger almost 19 years ago, it had been my friends first car and he'd bought it 17 years prior. With in a week of buying it I had a parts list and took off to Teds Auto to get prices. The guy at the counter commented years ago he had a 70 Charger and promptly described my car to a tee. He explained why the guy I bought it from thought it was originally a 383 car and exactly what my friend looked like, commenting on his unusual name. (Greek heritage.) Seems about 73-4 a guy named Paul bought the car from the original owner and swapped the 318 for a 383 then ran the car till the brakes were fried, selling it to the guy at the parts counter. With the brakes truly worn out, along with some other repairs needed he and his grandad decide to just re-sell rather than repair. (To my friend.)
The cars title when I got it showed it was titled as a "You Drive It" in the notes, I wish I'd copied that title. Apparently it means the car was bought here locally and picked up at the factory to be driven away. So my car has always lived right around here in town.
From the moment I found my Charger it just seemed like it was meant to be. I went to look at what I heard was a 70 Challenger for my brother who had deep pockets at the time and had always wanted one. Finding my dream car in the colors I would have ordered (b5blue!) sitting there, having the owner walk out being someone I met years earlier at the local marina working on boats. Finding the only real hard core local Mopar guy (BJ) who was moving up north had every needed part at fantastic prices. (Including a "just gotten" six pack.) Then having my now good buddy Larry walk up to my door to ask about my Charger, he lived in a shop 2 blocks from my house and had 3 Chargers. He knew and loves these cars inside and out and gave me free use of his shop, helping me steam clean the entire car on his lift and complete repairs all combined to make the car a reliable keeper from badly beaten "8 year drag race only" car. Time after time my friends stepped up to help when in a pinch, broken forged 440 crank! No problem, Rob has one, cherry, ready to install 200 bucks, pay me when you can and Lynn insists I do it at his shop where the car is safe. Jeff puts the Charger and I on his AAA account "just in case" and within 2 months it saves me from possibly getting the car totaled because I'm broke down in a really bad spot. I look at my car and from end to end see helping friends, a history of brothers! 
Whats your cars history? I've read amazing stories of restorations costing buckets of cash I could never raise and against all odds dedicated repair efforts, whats the back story for you?     

[XS29L9Bxxxxxx]

One, I have no idea past the last owner. The other, I can trace back to around 1969 or 1970

[ODZKing]

67, we're second owner purchased from an estate and lots of history. 73 we're 4th or 5th so, no idea

[tan top]

  i'm the third owner ,   the second owner bought it in 85 , as a non runner , original motor had been blown up prolly late 70s , he  gave me quite a bit of info on the charger etc  also  apparently he use to hire it out , & it  regularly made trips to Oklahoma City  & New Mexico  , from Kerrville Tx , back in the mid to late 80s , have the first owners name on the warranty booklet , sold new in Arlington Tx , &  pretty sure have located his daughter who used the charger for collage transport ( still had/ has collage student sticker on the rear glass)   not 100% though on this , not too sure if I want to dig any further  

[A383Wing]

Both 66's we know all history...we are 5th owner of the black 66, 2nd owner of the cream 66....both were sold in Washington, one in Seattle, one in Spokane...

[68ChargerJMP]

My Dad bought it new in 68, he went to Vietnam(came back and bought a 69 Mustang FB 428 CJ), my Grandpa drove it until 1989, the year I turned 16 and lost my Grandpa. Since that day, it has been mine. It was my first car and aside from my family and my health, means more than anything to me. A lot happened to it between then and now, but that is a whole 'nother story, but that is my 68's lineage.

[cdr]

this story is in my resto thread also.

I contacted the owner that owned it before the kid i bought it from,the kid[young man] was gonna make a gen lee out of it, here is some info from Stan in     Oklahoma.                                                                                                                                                                                                    Sounds like me alright. Can't remember the name of the kid I sold it to 5 or 6 six years ago but I think he said he was from around Sherman, TX and was going to restore it.

I can give you the history of the car back to about 1974/75. A friend of mine (Dennis Lindsey) always had his eye out for Chargers and saw it sitting in a storage lot in Oklahoma City. He ran down the owner through motor vehicle registration and bought the car. He was working on it in the driveway one day and had it up on ramps and engine running when it slipped into reverse and shot out the driveway locking the wheels in a turn when it hit the driveway dip. Car was in a reverse turn with the door open out in the street without a driver. Dennis tried diving in through the open door to stop it before it hit any of the neighbors cars or kids when his leg got underneath the rocker panel and he got dragged underneath. I don't remember now just how or who got it stopped but it mauled him up pretty good and got the label as the killer car. Needless to say it went up for sale after that.

I was in college at the time and didn't have the spare change to buy it myself but brokered a deal to sell it to another friend of mine in Arkansas name of Clint Myers. Clint and his dad I think rewired the dash for some reason but he only had it for about a year. By then I had acquired a 67 Malibu that got Clint's attention and so we traded. I think that was about 1978.

I drove it for several years but fresh out of college, married and a new kid kinda put my plans to restore the car on hold and so it sat out at my in-laws place for several years after I moved back to Oklahoma City. Finally got a house with enough garage space to start working on it and that's about as far as it got for me. I started taking it apart and never had the time or money to do anything with it. Eventually got divorced but the ex let me keep the car in the garage for several years before finally giving me the ultimatum to get it out and that's when I sold it.

Used to have a problem with the transmission seals leaking, both front and rear. Stout running car even though it had the low horse 383. I ran it with a Torker manifold and Holley 650 dbl pump, headers and Accel dual point distributor and it wasn't too shabby. I replaced wheel bearing on the passenger rear about 1979 but don't think I had to do anything else other than basic maintenance. I might have put a shift kit in the transmission but not 100% sure on that.

As you know, it was originally gold with a black vinyl top. When I started redoing it, I wasn't going to replace the vinyl top since I think they look better without it. I think it had a small dent up around the passenger light rim but that was all I knew of till I started working on the rear quarter panels. Had a little body putty on the passenger side rear if memory serves and it looked like somebody had tried to doctor up the rusting around the bottom of the rear fender wheels. When I sold it to the kid in Texas, I think I included a few extra parts from some of my other Chargers that would fit but I believe it was complete although in pieces.

[fy469rtse]

thats a great story b5blue, car is helping you make the right sort of friends, great history on your car, 

[twodko]

Everything. I bought it from the OO, my best bud and fellow retired coworker. He kept every shred of paper on the car and it all lives in the history binder I put together on the car.

Way lucky I am.

[Baldwinvette77]

history? HAHAHAHAHAHA 

[Challenger340]

I know everything about my Car right back to the early 80's(same owner), some missing details on the first owner when new..... but not much missing ?

[b5blue]

Twodko, you're very lucky!  Baldwinvette77 you are making your own kinda history!    cdr you sold this car in the end?  One of the things I enjoy the most here is reading the path these old cars have led us down. 

[Sublime/Sixpack]

I was at the dealership when my friend and his wife bought the Charger new. He drove it to work and back for a while then the wife took it over. She drove it to and from her work for the next four years (keep in mind it's a Six Pack, four speed with 4.10 gears). Interesting commuter car for a gal I'd say.
She decided she wanted a Corvette so she ended up with a new Corvette and I purchased the Charger from them in 1975.

I drove it on dates, joy rides and occasionally to and from work for a few years until it spun a rod bearing, I then parked in the garage until 1992 when I started the restoration which took me three years.
Since then I showed it fairly often through the 1990's, and early 2000's then occasionally since. Plus I get it out for it's exercise throughout the year to keep it healthy and for my own enjoyment. Plus I still need my occasional four speed fix, I enjoy shifting a manual gear box. 

[cdr]

Twodko, you're very lucky!  Baldwinvette77 you are making your own kinda history!    cdr you sold this car in the end?  One of the things I enjoy the most here is reading the path these old cars have led us down. 

no i got the car in 2011,the letter is from a p/o that i found.

[stripedelete]

I'm the fourth owner.  In 1979 #2 bought it from #1 in California.  #2 was discharged from the military.  Drove it back to Ohio and parked it in the garage while he got a divorce.  #3 was the kid across the street from #2.  And, of course, I was the kid that bought it from #3 in 1984.

I was able to identify the original owner via the massive box of paperwork that survived the chain of ownership.
This is kind of a "Jon Voight's Lebaron" story but,,,,,:
The original owner of my Charger commisioned Frank Loyd Wright to design and build his home - right down to the funky plywood furniture.
Not exactly a "brush with greatness", but, it was an interesting surprise.
     

[myk]

Only things I know are this: my car was originally a 383 2V car that was white, with a red interior from Arizona.  At some point my car was cannibalized so that a genuine '69 silver R/T could get its parts (I used to have several pictures of the process, along with a bunch of photos of the silver 'R/T in competition at some car shows/cruises).  After that, the car was sold to a wrecking yard and a salvage title was slapped on it.  Somewhere along the way the car was put back on the road with a 440 and dual exhaust.  The car made its way to California where a young Navy man had the car taken apart, painted orange and a new black interior put in and some turbine-wheels picked up at a used wheel store.  Soon after, the Navy man was reassigned to another part of the country, so he sold the car to some worthless punk kid that had just graduated from high school and was working at McDonald's.  This miserable youth spent the next 4 years driving the car into the ground while he attended college and engaged in typically anti-social behavior, with the car as his local signature.

And that is it...

[cdr]

great story myk

[Lord Warlock]

Me and my dad tried backtracking owners when i got the car, went back three owners and it hit a brick wall when ended up at someone in the military who moved to germany overseas, never tried again after that.  Not much of a history for me, bought it in 1978, been mine ever since. tracked owners back to about 73. 

[don duick]

do not know any history. Had washington licence plates and was sold and left Washington about 4 or 5 years ago. Here is the photo if anyone knows of this car would love to hear about it. I do realise that this would be highly unlikely

[dodgey68]

nothing, zip, zilch, buggerall, not a thing
couldnt if i tried, in here in aus now restored,

[TexasGeneral]

68' born as B5 blue 383.. Came from Cali and landed in Texas as hemi orange and still has 383... 4 speed but unknown if that is original as there is no fender tag or build sheet... Fun as hell to drive 

[myk]

great story myk

I bet the car doesn't think so.  It's had a rough life, but I'm trying to atone for all of its past owner's sins, and the current owner as well...

[Dino]

The PO has not found any paperwork or the build sheet for my car and could not tell me much about it's previous life as he had owned it since the early 90's.  It rolled of the line in Hamtramck as a white hat special 318/904 car.  F8 in and out with a white top.  Somewhere along its journey it had all its 'go not so fast' parts yanked out and replaced with 71 squad car goodies.  440 hp and 727, extra leaf spring, bigger torsion bars and all that stuff.  The PO painted the car white and the white top was replaced with a black top.  The PO did all the work to make it a reliable car and all I'm trying to do is test his work.   

[Cooter]

Stripped& junked, crashed, shoved in the woods and left for dead. The end....

[b5blue]

Stripped& junked, crashed, shoved in the woods and left for dead. The end....

Is that where you found it or where you left it Cooter?  Ether way there is more story? (Don't be shy old friend!  )

[RDC]

I'm 3rd owner od my 74 and know all history, also the 3rd owner of my 68 and also know the history. Both are local cars that have survived decades of winter salt in Ontario (thankfully)

[Charger_Dart]

I know nothing about mine until the mid 80's when a young guy in the Navy tried to drive it from New Mexico to Jacksonville FL where he was to be stationed. The engine overheated and the bottom end stated knocking as he puled into Jacksonville. It was then parked in his townhouse garage and was used as a support for many boxes of old family items, Christmas boxes, clothes, etc. I was able to pick it up when he and his wife were in the middle of divorce proceedings  in 1990 and he did not want her to get the Charger or the cash. Been with me ever since.  
 

[b5blue]

 

[bill440rt]

I bought my '68 off the original owner in the mid-'80's, so I know the history. An elderly couple from north Jersey owned it, then their son used it throughout school. I bought it off their son.
My '69 is not totally clear. They guy I bought it from bought it from his neighbor, who either was the original owner or owned it since near new. Doesn't matter, that was good enough for me.

I've become good friends with the original owner of my '70, I managed to locate him after all the years I've owned it. I know details down to why he ordered it, the dealer he bought it from, even the salesman's name. There are some coincidences of him & I, one is that he planned to elope in it with his once-girlfriend/then-wife at the time, and my wife & I also used it in our wedding. I know the original owner, and the guy I bought it from. There were two owners in between that I have their names, but have been unable to locate. 

[b5blue]

I bought my '68 off the original owner in the mid-'80's, so I know the history. An elderly couple from north Jersey owned it, then their son used it throughout school. I bought it off their son.
My '69 is not totally clear. They guy I bought it from bought it from his neighbor, who either was the original owner or owned it since near new. Doesn't matter, that was good enough for me.

I've become good friends with the original owner of my '70, I managed to locate him after all the years I've owned it. I know details down to why he ordered it, the dealer he bought it from, even the salesman's name. There are some coincidences of him & I, one is that he planned to elope in it with his once-girlfriend/then-wife at the time, and my wife & I also used it in our wedding. I know the original owner, and the guy I bought it from. There were two owners in between that I have their names, but have been unable to locate. 

So the 70 is a true "Love Machine"!! 

[TPR]

Not much.
Apparently it was restored in the States in 2006 [I have images, but they don't reveal much] and came to Australia in 2007 via 'Joe's Golden Gasolines' in Adelaide South Australia.
Purchased by someone named either Dominic or Dimitri, can't remember exactly and then bought by the guy I purchased it from.
Nice bloke, occasionally still send him pictures. He only owned it for less than one year.
Apart from that, nothing. I would love to find out, but I cannot seem to track down 'Joe' despite trying on some Aussie muscle car forums.
As a side note, thanks to the 'Hurricane Sandy Hemi Car' thread, I was able to check my VIN number and my car was not listed as stolen or written off, so that's good news.
TPR

[71charger_fan]

Bought new in Ogallala, NE by the county medical examiner who traded a '68 for it. Bought with a 383-2v to provide plenty of power for high-speed cruising to remote accident sites/crime scenes without being too bad on gas. He gave it to his son to take to college in MD. The son couldn't afford to put it through MD state inspection. That's where I stepped in with $1100 and I've had it since the spring of '86.

[Cooter]

Stripped& junked, crashed, shoved in the woods and left for dead. The end....

Is that where you found it or where you left it Cooter?  Ether way there is more story? (Don't be shy old friend!  )

Found. The tow truck driver told me "your ole lady gonna throw you out the house you bring that wreck in the yard."
I told him 2 years, he wouldn't recognize it. In 2 1/2 years, I had to show him the restoration pics before he did.

[b5blue]

You remind me....8 years ago I was told "That car will never go back on the road." All I said was: You don't know me very well then. 

[Baldwinvette77]

You remind me....8 years ago I was told "That car will never go back on the road." All I said was: You don't know me very well then. 

A man on my street Was so shocked that i brought my car home, he was at a loss for words, it was incredible to watch  i hardly replied to his comments, i was just enjoying the show 

[Ghoste]

I'm glad you guys bring those cars back from the dead.  It just isn't in me.  Maybe if I retire someday I'll take something like that on.

[mpd659]

68 Hemi Charger, sold new in Hampton Iowa. I was able to track down the original owner from the Certicard. He told me that he lied to his dad and that the extra cost for the car was for an interior package instead of for the Hemi. He also told me that he put headers and slicks on it after a shop souped it up a little. He told me that he raced alot of corvettes and GT 500's that his buddies had and he sold it after a couple years. I was able to speak to the wife of the second owner and she recalled that that Hemi would go quite fast.

Russ

[Cooter]

I'm glad you guys bring those cars back from the dead.  It just isn't in me.  Maybe if I retire someday I'll take something like that on.

when you wasn't born with a pop that just bought you all the cool stuff like all your buddies had, had to work jobs where you's had to be 'good with your hands', and wanted to play on the ball field with all the well to do people... you pick up their old baseball, glove, and bat. You rework 'em and show up ready to play.    You aint got no choice.

Would us wreck bringerbackers love to buy a rust free Charger where we can jump right into the fun stuff, instead of spending the first 3 years welding in patch panels on?  Sure, but it aint in the cards.

[69wannabe]

Bought mine from a guy named Breet Popwell. Said him and John S. (Bo Duke) bought this car to use as a prop at the original boars nest in Covington Ga. They were going in together to purchase the building back in 98 or 99 and open it up as a duke fans museum or something. They bought the car and some other equipment like tables and chairs and etc... Well the building is kinda out of town on an old two lane road and the residents didn't want the traffic and it was zoned as residential and the city wouldn't re-zone it as a business so it all fell through according to Breet so all the assets were sold off and I wound up with the Charger. Before he bought it a guy in east ridge TN. owned it and from there I don't know where it came from! I'm just proud to have one!!

[hemihead]

I was working in a Salvage yard about 1990 when they brought in a Black 73 . I told the boss I might be interested in buying it . Checked it out and it needed Body and Interior work plus a Freeze plug in the back of the block . I had just gotten married and had a son so I passed on it . The Boss's son bought it . Painted it Limelight . I changed jobs . Fast forward 10 years and I spot an ad in the local rag for a 73 Charger . I went and looked at it and as soon as I saw it I knew the car . The boss's son had sold it to this guy after 8 years when he lost storage at his GF's . This guy had torn it a part to restore it so I bought in pieces .

[RangerDan440]

I have the complete history from Day 1.  I bought it from the original owner's widow and they kept all the important paperwork on it.  Its been on the road continuously since October, 1968 with nothing more than basic maintenance and repairs.  225K miles and still running strong. 

[b5blue]

Amazing! Great stuff, I like hearing all the different stories! 

[68RT440]

My dad and I are technically the 4th owners of our '68. The original owner special ordered it new in '68 black with the green top and interior. He used it to tow his boat. In 1980, the owner died and his son got it. At this point the car had some wear and tear so the bodywork was performed and a few of his own special touches were installed like gold shag carpeting inside and in the trunk, chrome foot gas pedal, side marker shaving, chroming everything that would unbolt in the engine bay, etc. In early 1998, the son got into a bit of financial trouble, and sold it to his best friend that he knew from childhood. This guy was a Chevy guy, so he wasn't really interested in the Charger, but just bought it to help out his buddy. He had the car for about 4 months and sold it to us. He says that he remembers the day that his buddy's father came home in it, and remembers the car sitting in the driveway and garage over the years growing up. We've never met the original owner's son, but we plan on taking the car back to the guy that we bought it from when the restoration is complete...

[BROCK]

Amazing! Great stuff, I like hearing all the different stories! 

+1

I am 3rd owner of my 70.  The 1st was a college girl that according to the 2nd owner
kept the plugs fouled.  He traded it in on a Chevy truck & it came to me on a wrecker.  
See it broke down during my test drive.  I left a deposit & we had the understanding
that in 7 days I paid in full & he had the car fixed.  I got it for $1900 unfixed
A little electrical tape & a new fuse for the electric fuel pump & it was good to go

My 72 SE - I have no clue. It was given to me as a thanks for the help gift.  At least it is
a complete 'mostly' rust free bigblock car!