My first charger....the work begins

[upstateholdings]

Hi guys

I have been around cars and had some fun stuff, but have always wanted a charger. It took me moving to FL where i could have a car outside all year, and working on this guy for 6 months to get him to break with this one. I'll get some pics up here and what i'm going to do to it, as well as some questions for the future. Now for what it is (as far as im aware)

1968 Charger 318 #s match, has a 4bbl on it (rebuilt this week when i purchased) and upgraded exhaust, column shift, 2 owner, Factory AC, original panels southern car, apparently daily driven until last summer when the carb acted up on him and he left it to the side. Looks to have some minor rust on a few places. Original vin card, instruction book, and i believe the build sheet is there as well.

I am looking forward to actually having the time and money to follow through with a driveable build, and a thread where i can keep track of all this and share it with the places ive looked for info before.

[upstateholdings]

This guy really loved his car before i got it !

[upstateholdings]

Resizing pics to fit

[RIDGERACER383]

Nice looking car..Nice to see another 68 here.

[upstateholdings]

Thanks man - looking forward to it.  One more pic for the night.

[timmycharger]

   

[Laxy]

Cool as, love 'em in a rough driver condition!! Looks great.

[cudaken]

 Up State Holdings, glad you got a 68 Charger! I love the 68 grill.

Are you car savvy can do your own work?  

The Charger has a lot of rust, and there going to be more rust than you would like. I can see old repairs that I know will be worse than they look now. Luckily you can buy just about every body panel for a 68 Charger that you may / will need.

My big worry for you will be rust in the frame. When I bought my 69 Charger Rusted / Trash the outside body had less rust than yours by a little. This did not bother me, I went to school 2 and a half years to learn body work and over saw  8 body shops. Then the rear frame rusted in half and broke while I was driving. Scared the shit out of me!  

Back when that happened no one made frame parts, now they do!   I was able to save the Charger by using used parts.

If you do find rust in the frame either front or rear or both, your dream is not crushed but will take some time to get through the quest. Plus you have us, I did not have this site to go to back then.

Cuda Ken

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Real%20Cars/rustedframe4.jpg.html]

[MxRacer855]

This is awesome!    My '68 Charger that I purchased in the summer of last year was due for a few new pieces of metal. It turned into a complete rotisserie resto! I've got a long way to go, so we're in the same boat! Hopefully each or our questions being answered can help the other.

Good luck and I can't wait to see the pics along the way! 

Jeff

[JB400]

Welcome to the group   Appears to be originally a Y1 gold car 

[MxRacer855]

Nice looking car..Nice to see another 68 here.
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[fy469rtse]

This is awesome!    My '68 Charger that I purchased in the summer of last year was due for a few new pieces of metal. It turned into a complete rotisserie resto! I've got a long way to go, so we're in the same boat! Hopefully each or our questions being answered can help the other.

Good luck and I can't wait to see the pics along the way! 

Jeff

start a thread Jeff, photo document your work , its good to look back at it to progress made , and we like pictures lots

[1974dodgecharger]

looks perfect to me!!!!  Drive the snot out of it now....

[tan top]

hello & welcome USH   

[Back N Black]

Welcome! Nice project. 

[Ghoste]

Congrats on the car and welcome to the group. 

[upstateholdings]

Up State Holdings, glad you got a 68 Charger! I love the 68 grill.

Are you car savvy can do your own work? 

The Charger has a lot of rust, and there going to be more rust than you would like. I can see old repairs that I know will be worse than they look now. Luckily you can but just about every body panel for a 68 Charger that you may / will need.

My big worry for you will be rust in the frame. When I bought my 69 Charger Rusted / Trash the outside body had less rust than yours by a little. This did not bother me, I went to school 2 and a half years to learn body work and over saw  8 body shops. Then the rear frame rusted in half and broke while I was driving. Scared the shit out of me! 

Back when that happened no one made frame parts, now they do!  I was able to save the Charger by using used parts.

If you do find rust in the frame either front or rear or both, your dream is not crushed but will take some time to get through the quest. Plus you have us, I did not have this site to go to back then.

Cuda Ken

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Real%20Cars/rustedframe4.jpg.html]

Thanks man, the grill is my favorite with the hideaways that work.
I'm not anticipating anything like what you had to go through, i've gotta some pretty good experience sizing up cars, and know what im getting into.
I won't be doing any of my own work since i live in a condo, but know enough to not get robbed paying someone else !
Gonna have all the rust cut out and replaced with new metal, and put into into a flat black primer for now.

[nvrbdn]

looks to be pretty complete. nice score. welcome to the group.

[myk]

Ask plenty of questions and keep us updated.  What are your long-term plans for the car?

[upstateholdings]

Welcome to the group   Appears to be originally a Y1 gold car 

Thanks for all the welcomes guys.
Yea it is in original Y1 car, fender tag is intact and i checked that out. I won't bother going back to gold as i intend to keep it. Undecided on color, but thinking hot rod black, or at least black primer, then i can decide on paint later after metal and prep is all done. It was originally sold to a rod & gun club, they used it to tow their fishing poles and gun trailer around, which explained the hitch ! They owned it until 99 or so when this previous owner bought it. I'll try and get some more pics up later.

Long term - Front disc, metal repair work and flat black primer, some bigger chrome 5 stars, fix the AC, interior - factory or custom undecided,  motor undecided down the road, i want to see how i like driving the car, and how much i dislike 250hp after the last beast i had. Will be looking for opinions on that in a few months.

[Homerr]

Cool car! 

There are lots of things able to be done while keeping it driveable.  The first thing I did myself on mine was to redo the crinkle finish on the air cleaner and get a new pie tin (engine call-out).  Looks like an afternoon of cleaning the inside would do wonders! 

Welcome and good luck.   

[Lighthorseman]

Cool project!     I love the buddy seat - wish I had one.

Be sure to keep us updated with lots of pictures...and welcome!

[fy469rtse]

Up State Holdings, glad you got a 68 Charger! I love the 68 grill.

Are you car savvy can do your own work?  

The Charger has a lot of rust, and there going to be more rust than you would like. I can see old repairs that I know will be worse than they look now. Luckily you can buy just about every body panel for a 68 Charger that you may / will need.

My big worry for you will be rust in the frame. When I bought my 69 Charger Rusted / Trash the outside body had less rust than yours by a little. This did not bother me, I went to school 2 and a half years to learn body work and over saw  8 body shops. Then the rear frame rusted in half and broke while I was driving. Scared the shit out of me!  

Back when that happened no one made frame parts, now they do!   I was able to save the Charger by using used parts.Ken i think ghoste saw that out the front of your place , and turned that into a car 

If you do find rust in the frame either front or rear or both, your dream is not crushed but will take some time to get through the quest. Plus you have us, I did not have this site to go to back then.

Cuda Ken

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cudaken/media/Real%20Cars/rustedframe4.jpg.html]

[upstateholdings]

 
I went to go see it today at the Mopar guys place. He was concerned with running gas through the old tank and into the new carb since it's been sitting a year. So since the tank filler neck donut was leaking, we just decided to buy a new tank, sending unit, and run new aluminum 5/16 fuel line, rather then worrying about trying to be there forever cleaning stuff out. That stuff as well as some other goodies should be showing up in a few days, will post pics. Also found the build sheet under the seat ! Its crazy how that's still intact after 46+ years.

What do you guys do with tailights if the chrome around them starts pitting ? Get new ones, take these apart and rechrome, or ?
What about the gas cap surround dish ? He's got a cleaner one then mine for a few bucks, or should i send mine out to get redone ?

Thanks

[71_Charger_R/T]

46 years.

[upstateholdings]

46 years.

Thank you sir.

[cudaken]

Ken I think ghoste saw that out the front of your place , and turned that into a car

fy469rtse, not that one, see the trash cans next to it? Yep, I cut all the parts up (was pretty easy) and the trash truck took it!  

Up State, unless by a few dollars you mean $5.00 buy a new one! About the only thing you cannot get new is seat and dash frames.

Have you had the frame and spring perches checked yet?  

Cuda Ken

[Memphis Mopar]

Upstate... Congrats on getting your charger. What part of Florida.. I live south of Tampa. 

[upstateholdings]

Thanks Memphis. Just ordered bigger aluminum blade fan to help with the summer heat, and new front struts. I'm west, over on Clearwater beach, hoping to have this thing out of the shop in a few weeks and start seeing where people gather to check out some more of these cars.

[cudaken]

Front struts? 

Sorry to pick on you, I am weak! 

[upstateholdings]

Ken...you are indeed one tough customer man. Once you sell a few hundred cars, shocks and struts all blur together. Perches and frame look good, actually had a guy check them out today just for you 

Gas tank came out today, got a packet of receipts from last owner dating back to the 70's for all the services done. Should have fuel and brakes situated and able to drive around in another week or two. 

[cudaken]

Sorry Up State, I am weak. 

Glad to hear your frame is in good shape! 

Ken

[MxRacer855]

This is awesome!    My '68 Charger that I purchased in the summer of last year was due for a few new pieces of metal. It turned into a complete rotisserie resto! I've got a long way to go, so we're in the same boat! Hopefully each or our questions being answered can help the other.

Good luck and I can't wait to see the pics along the way! 

Jeff

start a thread Jeff, photo document your work , its good to look back at it to progress made , and we like pictures lots

You got it! I'll get one going here soon! 

[XS29L9B2]

good luck for your resurection

[upstateholdings]

Build sheet and some new part arrivals.

[upstateholdings]

Sitting at the shop, valve cover off - so looks like the guy wasn't bs'ing when he said the motor was fresh.

[timmycharger]

 

[Wicked72]

 

[MxRacer855]

Can't wait to see the updates! Good luck! 

[crj1968]

700 horsepower a dana 60 and drive it as is !   

Congrats man, it's a good feeling to own a Charger.