A gift for my father

[Drache]

First I need to start with a little story. Many here know this story already (I think I tell it once a year) but bite me, I'm telling it again 

Back when my dad was in his 20's he owned a '70 Charger R/T.








Now before the car was B5 blue, it was it's original Plumcrazy Purple. My dad didn't like purple and decided it should be painted. At one point my dad ran into a ditch and had to buy a new front bumper and grille.

*Dramatization, not actual ditch incident  *



He decided the car might as well be painted at the same time.




The car needed some work so he sent the car off to a local mechanic in Kamloops, BC. A couple days later the mechanic using a tow truck dropped the Charger back into my dad's garage. My dad thought something was weird but shrugged it off and went to bed. In the middle of the night he awoke and told my mother that there was no bumper or grille on his car. He went racing down stairs, turned the light on in the garage and sure enough, he was right.

My mother assured him it was probably a mistake. My dad paced the night away until the shop opened in the morning and inquired about his bumper and grille. They exclaimed the car never had one when it came in. Dad called the RCMP who stated there was no proof the car had one and there was nothing they could do.

So dad put it behind him, bought a new bumper and grille, painted the car B5 blue, and continued on for a couple years until I was born. Dad sold his Charger for $800.

The car went on to be painted Panther pink, raced in the One Lap of America for a few years (back when the race was across the US), used for dirt track racing, then pretty much disappeared.

About a year after I was born my parents were divorced.

Fast forward 6 years later and my mom remarries. This guy had a '70 Charger sitting in his yard. I remember playing in it. At some point he tells my mother a story, how years earlier, his best friend owned a mechanics shop and called him up.He knew this guy needed a bumper and grille for his charger and lo and behold a '70 Charger R/T came into the shop with a brand new bumper and grille. This guy and the shop owner stole my dad's bumper and grille. My mom married the thief without even knowing! This guy and my mom had a kid, my half brother.

Anyways, eventually my mom and this guy divorce and the guy sells his Charger. I find out about 8 years ago from my half brother that the bumper from my dad's Charger is still hanging in his dad's barn! For the past 8 years I've been trying to buy this bumper back because my dad said that all he ever wanted was at least a piece of his old Charger be it the steering wheel, shifter, even the gas cap. Just now my brother gave me a call and said his dad is willing to sell me the bumper for $200. I bought it without even negotiating.

I'm going to surprise my dad with it when it arrives by Greyhound! I can't wait to see the look on his face!

[Baldwinvette77]

Thanks for sparing us the Ass pictures this time 'round 

[Drache]

Thanks for sparing us the Ass pictures this time 'round 

One sec I'll post them for ya 

[F8-4life]

Pops should have left it purple.

[Drache]

Pops should have left it purple.

At the time he didn't like purple 

The car was ordered by someone who worked at the Dodge Dealership in Quesnel. It was then sold to a Les Clark who then sold it to my dad.

[Drache]

Brother just sent me this picture 

[Ghoste]

You'll have to post a pic of your dad when he sees it.

[Bob T]

Good story Drache, thanks.
But the other guy is still just a low down thief  I'd still want to give him his pedigree after this long....

[Ghoste]

A thief two times really seeing as how he stole it the first time and then had to be paid to return it rather than do the right thing and give it to you.  But get it back first and let that water pass I think.

[PlainfieldCharger]

Interesting story...this sounds like my childhood.. The bumper would be a great part to have as it doesn't fit any other charger....

[billssuperbird]

I love the story. 

[Drache]

Ok anyone want to make the story even more weird?

Remember that white '70 Charger R/T clone I was looking at buying? Turns out that was the thief's old car! So the grille on that car might have been my dad's 

[Ghoste]

So now what do you do?

[crj1968]

Pretty cool !

Love the old pictures.

[Drache]

"Ok well that's not going to work... hmm..."



Brother sent me this picture of him taking the bumper to Greyhound

[Baldwinvette77]

OH MY EFFING GOD..... What car is that, Cause i think my chargers seats are from it 

[Drache]

OH MY EFFING GOD..... What car is that, Cause i think my chargers seats are from it 

Honda civic lol.

[Baldwinvette77]

OH MY EFFING GOD..... What car is that, Cause i think my chargers seats are from it 

Honda civic lol.

Damn it.... Can't lie though they are comfortable as hell... and at 0$ a piece, Pretty economical 

[Ghoste]

Hard to argue with that isnt it?

[Drache]

51lbs and almost 6 feet long?  

Wrestled it into the back of my nissan pathfinder... barely

Dad will be here sunday to "help me wrench on the Dart"

[6spd68]

A thief two times really seeing as how he stole it the first time and then had to be paid to return it rather than do the right thing and give it to you.  But get it back first and let that water pass I think.

Agreed, your former step dad is a bit of a scumbag eh?

[Drache]

A thief two times really seeing as how he stole it the first time and then had to be paid to return it rather than do the right thing and give it to you.  But get it back first and let that water pass I think.

Agreed, your former step dad is a bit of a scumbag eh?

I never once called that creep my step father 

My dad got custody of me luckily 

[RJS]

Proper ending of this story is you and your Dad go beat that Jerk-off with the bumper!!!  Now that's closure.

[myk]

Proper ending of this story is you and your Dad go beat that Jerk-off with the bumper!!!  Now that's closure.

Copy that!  Theives are the lowest form of life on this planet!

Body shops have pulled the "there's no evidence this car had such and such part" line on me before as well.  I think the real kicker is how we allow those low-lifes to get away with it...

[Charger-Bodie]

Proper ending of this story is you and your Dad go beat that Jerk-off with the bumper!!!  Now that's closure.

Copy that!  Theives are the lowest form of life on this planet!

Body shops have pulled the "there's no evidence this car had such and such part" line on me before as well.  I think the real kicker is how we allow those low-lifes to get away with it...

It really pisses me off when people think they need to lump all body shops and body guys into the scum bag pile. Most of the time when people get snaked by a body shop it's because the owner picked that guy, because he was dirt cheap and that should be a first clue that something isn't right. People are usually pretty close to right on par with what they charge. They charge their worth.

[Dino]

Proper ending of this story is you and your Dad go beat that Jerk-off with the bumper!!!  Now that's closure.

Copy that!  Theives are the lowest form of life on this planet!

Body shops have pulled the "there's no evidence this car had such and such part" line on me before as well.  I think the real kicker is how we allow those low-lifes to get away with it...

It really pisses me off when people think they need to lump all body shops and body guys into the scum bag pile. Most of the time when people get snaked by a body shop it's because the owner picked that guy, because he was dirt cheap and that should be a first clue that something isn't right. People are usually pretty close to right on par with what they charge. They charge their worth.

Same here, I always went above and beyond to make sure the customer got his money's worth.  Those few scumbags gave all of us a bad name, just like with mechanics and contractors.

[Drache]

Dad will be here in an hour!

Told him I bought a fiberglass bumper for the Dart. Going to open the box and play dumb "This isn't the right bumper!" and see if he notices what kind of bumper it is 

[Baldwinvette77]

XD Nice

[Ghoste]

I bet he notices. 

[Plum Crazy 68]

Dad will be here in an hour!

Told him I bought a fiberglass bumper for the Dart. Going to open the box and play dumb "This isn't the right bumper!" and see if he notices what kind of bumper it is 

 

[Drache]

Here's my dad reunited with his bumper after 31 years! He's trying to hold back a few tears....



And look! Paint transfer from when he had his car painted B5 Blue!

[Baldwinvette77]

Thats awesome!!!!!!! 

Any chance of finding the rest of the car too? 

[Drache]

Thats awesome!!!!!!! 

Any chance of finding the rest of the car too? 

Sadly no. Most of the car was replaced during it's racing years. As one of the past owners told me, only about the Roof was still original to the car by the time he sold it. The car disappeared from History with multiple past owners looking for it.

Although whomever bought that white '70 R/T clone now owns my dad's grille 

My dad wants to buy a grille and headlights for it to hang on his wall until he can find a car to put it on! 

[Ghoste]

This has been a real automotive heartwarmer Drache.  Great tale.

[Dino]

This has been a real automotive heartwarmer Drache.  Great tale.

I concur, good job man!   

[Bob T]

Nice one.

[charge69]

That grill is priceless as is the grin on your father's face!  Congratulations on a job well done!

Carl

[SuperJim]

Great story. First time I've read it, so thanks for sharing it.