1970 switch to 1969 Charger

[Bowers]

Hi Tan Top, Thanks. I have seen that but prefer the look of the 69 front end. I think that if it is done right it will be difficult to tell to the average person. I am just really lucky to have an uncle who does restorations for a living, so he can pretty much do anything with metal. His work is like art, it is so cool to see a rusted out machine on rails turn into an amazing thing of beauty.

[Troy]

Man, I think I'd sell that car and find something else. I have a strong aversion to taking perfectly good cars and making projects out of them. (Trust me, I'm tempted to "fix" little things on my cars all the time which snowballs into huge projects.) A GL is mostly meant to be ratty. No way I'd start with a car that nice. To do it right you're going to have to scrap/sell most of the nice(r) pieces. It can't be that hard to find a decent - but not perfect - 69 to build. On the other hand, maybe you can trade the front clip to someone doing a Daytona clone... but then I'd just trade cars.

Troy

[6spd68]

Thanks. Here is my car now

And you want to cut that thing up?  Your choice, but daymn...

*Walks away shaking his head*

[Baldwinvette77]

I dont know how long you've had it for, but maybe keep it how it is for a bit and it'll grow on you 

Its easier to not do anything opposed to get half way through it and regret it 

[Stevearino]

Sell it and buy Cooters car. Sounds like a win win win. Less work. The 70 stays nice and Cooter sells his car.

[cudaken]

 Bowers I thinking you are getting ready to Chevy Up. If the 70 Charger was a rat trap, better it should live as a 69 than a Beer Can. If it is as nice as it looks, the Duke Boys and Cooter would be pissed!  Boss Hog on the other hand? 

I have had a 68, 69 and 70 Charger, my favorite was the 70! But at last, it was stolen 35 years ago.  Other wise I would still have it! Hum, whats your Vin? 

Your uncle who does restorations? Why not ask him if he can make a center divider that would fit is the 70 grill / loop bumper? That is the biggest thing, plus you can color code the loop bumper. Rear taillights are so close, not worth the butchery. 

How about a General Wing Car? 

Cuda Ken   

[MaximRecoil]

For those who think a 68 swap is *much* easier... the fenders, grill, grill frame, hood, and hood latch are all different AND you have to change the marker light openings, weld in a tail panel, and relocate the lock mechanisms and reverse lights.  It's more than bolt on parts (like a 70 conversion would be). There are nearly as many differences between a 68 interior and a 69 as there are with the 70 (dash frame, dash pad, dash bezels, console top plates, door pads, seat covers, etc.).

It is much easier if you are doing it the way Warner Bros. usually did for The Dukes of Hazzard:

1. Pop rivet in part of a '69 grille center-piece, like so:



(That's a real General Lee; one of the 17 Wayne Wooten / Warner Bros.-deal cars)

2. Sawzall out some '69 tail light-shaped holes in the tail panel and install '69 tail lights.

In the early seasons, that's where you'd stop. The round side marker lights would simply be painted over with the same orange paint they used on the rest of the car ...



... and the lack of reverse (backup) lights in the rear valance was ignored. All other differences were ignored as well; the ones most often seen onscreen being the gas cap, dash top, and seat covers. Here's a '68 gas cap for example (along with a quick & dirty Bondo job on the line between the roof skin and the rear quarter panel after they removed the vinyl top):



In the later seasons Warner Bros. decided to make them all more uniform in appearance, so the side markers were deleted on both '68s and '69s, and the reverse lights were deleted from '69s. No '70 Chargers were known to have been used on the TV show, though I believe that at least one was used in the 2005 movie.

Actually most of the GL's were 69's.

I believe that a little over half of the Warner Bros. General Lees were '68s.

Thanks Cooter, Do you have info on it that I could see? Also I am not concerned at this time with interior or gauges. Just outside appearance. Only Mopar guys will notice the marker lights and tail light trim. In my opinion of course.

The "chrome" tail light trim is obvious to anyone who has watched The Dukes of Hazzard a lot, it makes it look like it is one giant tail light (at a glance when not lit up); it would be far less obvious to have no trim at all than to keep the '70 trim. The rear side markers aren't so obvious, since they are similar in appearance to '69 side markers at a glance. Of course, most Warner Bros. General Lees had no side markers at all.

[Ghoste]

I had always been told the other way around on 68 versus 69's used in DOH but wwith nothing but hearsay I defer to the experts of course.

[Dodge Don]

Don't ruin a really nice 70 to make another clown car. Sell the 70 please 

[nvrbdn]

well, we all have our own opinions on what we think should be done. bottom line is, its your car, and your money. so what ever you decide you should do, good luck with it. post lots of pictures of it before and after. im sure you can also trade that 70 interior for a 69 interior. and as long as your happy, thats the bottom line. heck, i got a 70 with 69 interior, 68 tail stripe. just enjoy your car.

[Bowers]

Thanks Guys, here are a few more.

[Dino]

I don't really care about GL's but I'm not a hater either.  I do understand what you are saying about your dream car and you do seem to be willing to work for it.  But there's something I don't understand: it may not be perfect, but that 70 is in really nice shape and should bring you enough money to buy a decent 69.  As was mentioned before, Cooter has a GL ready to go so I would be all over that if I were you. 

Again, your car, your decision but excuse me if I shed a tear when you convert that 70. 

I'll keep my opinions to myself from now on, you need to do what you need to do.  I just wanted to try to make you think this through.

[Bowers]

Hi Dino,
I have sent Cooter a request for info on his GL fir sale. I live in Canada and selling the car would be difficult in my opinion to get enough locally to pay for a 69.  Also the price  have into it makes it easier to invest a little more than breaking the bank on another

[Dino]

Hi Dino,
I have sent Cooter a request for info on his GL fir sale. I live in Canada and selling the car would be difficult in my opinion to get enough locally to pay for a 69.  Also the price  have into it makes it easier to invest a little more than breaking the bank on another

Ah I did not realize you were in Canada, that does change the prices of these cars quite dramatically as I understand.  So can I assume that the lower value of a 70 vs a 69 is even more exacerbated there?

I do hope you can work something out with Cooter and get good money for the 70.  His car has a 440 and a 5 speed so the fun factor should be pretty high.   

[Bowers]

There is a 69 for sale in Edmonton that is $9600 and needs a total restoration. A finished GL in canada is around 50k plus. I also gave a 440 in there, automatic though.

[Dino]

Ok that's a bit pricey.   

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best and will keep my fingers crossed it all works out for you.   

[bill440rt]

Sell it and buy Cooters car. Sounds like a win win win. Less work. The 70 stays nice and Cooter sells his car.

Ding ding ding!! 

I'm agreeing with the majority of the posters above.
Normally I don't frown on anyone's dreams, and it really seems you have your mind made up despite others' opinions on here which you asked for, but to convert that '70 to a GL is almost a disgrace. That car looks way too nice. And that is not stated as "hatred" towards the GL, either.
As others stated, everything in the front will need to be replaced to get you close to a '69 appearance: bumpers, brackets/supports, valence, grille/header/mechanisms/vacuum lines & canister, hood, fenders, etc etc. And what about the burnt orange interior?? 
You could probably sell the '70 for at least $5K over what you paid, buy Cooter's car (a nice GL BTW), and use the proceeds to take your family on an all expense paid trip to Dukesfest. 

[Ghoste]

50k for a GL in Canada seems high, is that just in Alberta?

[Bowers]

No, they don't come up often but when they do they are outrageous priced. Not just generals but 69 in general.

[Ghoste]

You need to expand the search my friend.

[Bowers]

Bill440 thanks for the thoughts. I'm still waiting to hear from cooter and see pics, but I didn't ask for opinions although I expected them. I wanted to know if the parts would fit without having to cut up the front end. The estimated cost of putting those parts on is less than 3k compared to buying one and still having work to do.

[Daytona R/T SE]

Bill440 thanks for the thoughts. I'm still waiting to hear from cooter and see pics, but I didn't ask for opinions although I expected them. I wanted to know if the parts would fit without having to cut up the front end. The estimated cost of putting those parts on is less than 3k compared to buying one and still having work to do.

A nice '69 Grille will set you back at least $1000.  

A decent set of vintage Vector wheels $600, if you're lucky.

Sheet metal, and Interior...

Etc. etc...

I see $5000 before you pick up a spray gun.

Can you paint it yourself ?

What if it needs rust repair ?

Decals ?

Paint the graphics on ?

Better figure $10,000 for the paint and graphics.

Your uncle doesn't work for free does he ?

Paint and materials cost money.

Another Canadian member here has been looking for a '70, he might still be looking...

But in the mean time...

He bought a Dart.   

[Bowers]

Daytona, when I looked for new metal it came up to $1850 for a LH fender (already have RH) hood, valance, headlight assembly. Figure I can find used parts much cheaper.

[Daytona R/T SE]

Daytona, when I looked for new metal it came up to $1850 for a LH fender (already have RH) hood, valance, headlight assembly. Figure I can find used parts much cheaper.

What is this headlight assembly ?

I'll bet it's just the metal grille frame.

Used is your only option for the grille, and they're expensive.

Used parts are 45 years old and will need work.

Time is money.

It all adds up.

Not trying to shoot you down, just trying to be helpful.

Just tossing out a little reality at you.


I have all of the above to build myself a General Lee, I've been planning one for years...

But...

I might be too old and fat to climb through the window anymore.

[MaximRecoil]

Daytona, when I looked for new metal it came up to $1850 for a LH fender (already have RH) hood, valance, headlight assembly. Figure I can find used parts much cheaper.

It will be about double that once you add in the '69 grille (like the above poster, I don't know what a "headlight assembly" is, but you need an entire grille) and a set of American Racing Vector wheels. I assume you'll also need tires (the wheels on your car look larger than 15", and if so, you won't be able to reuse those tires), so that adds another say, $400 or more. That's about $4,000. You also need a front bumper, bumperettes, and bumper brackets.

I have no idea what paint and graphics will cost, because there are so many variables (i.e., it could be done for $50 or less, or it could be done for $5,000 or more).

In any event, at the bare minimum, to get it to look basically like a General Lee, and not taking into account whether the headlight doors will work or not, you need:

- Front clip
- Vector wheels and tires
- Paint and graphics (graphics may or may not be painted on)

Then there are the smaller details of a General Lee, which you may or may not want to bother with, such as:

- Push bumper
- '68 or '69 saddle tan or buckskin beige interior
- CB radio (Cobra 78x or Sharp 40 [CB-2460])
- CB antenna (Radio Shack / Archer 21-908A "teardrop" style or Avanti Racer 27)
- Roll bar
- Helper springs
- Dixie horn (not actually installed on most Warner Bros. General Lees, but people will ask you to blow your Dixie horn, I guarantee it)