1969 Dodge Charger restoration

[ELLIOT]

Hi !

I'm Elliot from Belgium. I'm 18 and I just bought a 1969 Charger. It's my dream car and there is a lot of work. It's originaly a 383 automatic 4 barrels. Blue car with white top vinyl. And I want to make it look mostly original.

Will be 440/ automatic overdrive/ B5 blue w/black top vinyl. Steel wheels w/ dogdishes. It's actually my first car !
It's complete expect engine and transmission. Need some metal work but nothing impossible ! Just need my time and lot of love.

I dream about getting a Charger since I'm 10 ! And now I have it ! it's the first time that I'm in a Charger and the First time that I can actually touch one ! 

I have a tons of questions to  Because most parts of the car is in parts

















I'm a friend with a members of this forum who owns a 1969 R/T charger and have a 1970 Daytona project I'm also a members of the french Mopar Owners Club.

[Charger-Bodie]

Excellent ! It even has 68 headlight bezels.

[VegasCharger]

Excellent ! It even has 68 headlight bezels.

And 68 seats.

Hello and welcome, nice Charger to start with

[Mopar Nut]

Welcome aboard!

Congrats on getting the best year for a Charger!

[ELLIOT]

Thank you all ! 

Excellent ! It even has 68 headlight bezels.

And 68 seats.

What the difference between 69 and  68 Seat and headlight bezels ?

[Pat1973charger]

Welcome, I only recently or my charger and I'm almost 29 I only wish I could have had one at 18! Someone here correct me of I'm wrong but I'm thinking maybe the 69 seats all had headrests. The 68 chargers had a beZel around the headlights when the doors are open that looks like the grille, the 69s dod not have anything just the  headlight buckets. Much cleaner look with the headlight doors open with the bezels. Good luck!

[moparnation74]

Congrats!  And Welcome!

Love the fact you are going to keep the steelies!  Don't know why, lol

Seat covers are different for 68 and 69 seats other than that they are the same.

[72Charger-SE]

Congratulations on getting your first '69 Charger' at 18 Years Old...   Very impressive!   That car looks to be in great condition!  Welcome to the Board!  Lots of help to be found here!   

[XH29N0G]

Fantastic!  It will be a lot of work, but well worth it.  Welcome.

[ELLIOT]

Thank you !!  Yes everybody is saying that I'm crazy to buy a car like this at 18 !  Don't care ahah 

Today I start this ! and I don't know how to remove the orange light  Someone knows ?



And I also found the original keys of the car ! Apparently back in the days, she was a general lee 

[myk]

Thank you !!  Yes everybody is saying that I'm crazy to buy a car like this at 18 !  Don't care ahah 

Today I start this ! and I don't know how to remove the orange light  Someone knows ?



And I also found the original keys of the car ! Apparently back in the days, she was a general lee 

I bought my Charger at about your age and everyone told me the same thing.  "F" em I say.  Look at us now!

As for the bulb, I think it's push and twist-someone correct me if I'm wrong...

[Challenger340]

Someone here correct me of I'm wrong but I'm thinking maybe the 69 seats all had headrests.

Head rests were not mandatory on the '69 Models until January 1st 1969, so any 1969's built in Oct / Nov / Dec 1968, unless requested by option, were Headrest-less.

GREAT start on your project and congrats 

[ELLIOT]

I bought my Charger at about your age and everyone told me the same thing.  "F" em I say.  Look at us now!

As for the bulb, I think it's push and twist-someone correct me if I'm wrong...

You are right ! for both think ahah 

[XH29N0G]

Crazy?    I suppose it might be the case, but in a good way, and you are in good company.  Good luck with the bulb.

By the way, also 18 when I bought mine - but that was back before dinosaurs went extinct.

[500Jon]

Hi Elliot,

Any 69 Charger is SUPERCOOLIO!!!
I had to wait till I was over 38 to get my first Charger!
Just give me a call when you want the Engine, trans and axle...
I got them all here in England, ready to fire-up and GO>>>>>

500Jon UK

[ELLIOT]

My Fender tag ! 



XP29:
Dodge Charger
Premium
2 Door Sports Hardtop

H9B: 383 330HP OR 335HP 1-4BBL 8 CYL
1969
Dodge Main, Hamtramck, MI, USA

E63: 383 cid 4 barrel V8 H.P. 335hp
D32: Heavy Duty Automatic Transmission
B3: Light Blue Metallic Exterior Color
C6D: Trim - Charger, Vinyl Bucket Seats, Blue
B7: Medium Blue Metallic Int. Door Frames
325: Build Date: March 25
330230:   Order number

A01: Unknown Top Color
A41: 69 only White Hat Special w/vinyl roof
B51: Power Brakes
C16: Console w/Woodgrain Panel
C55: Bucket Seats
G11: Tinted Glass (all)

G33: LH Remote Racing Mirror
H51: Air Conditioning with Heater
L31: Hood/Fender Mounted Turn Signals
M21: Roof drip rail moldings
M25: Wide sill moldings
M31: Belt Moldings

R11: Radio Solid State AM (2 Watts)
V1X: Unknown
26: 26in Radiator
END: End of Sales Codes

Hi Elliot,

Any 69 Charger is SUPERCOOLIO!!!

I had to wait till I was over 38 to get my first Charger!
Just give me a call when you want the Engine, trans and axle...
I got them all here in England, ready to fire-up and GO>>>>>

500Jon UK

Thank you ! in fact I have already found a 440 with a 727 for a fear price ! But thank you

[Lennard]

Congratulations with your Charger, Elliot!
That Orange bulb is a push and turn left situation but it might be stuck in there after all those years so you might have to be a little persuasive.
If you need parts, advice or just to talk Mopar... http://www.six-packspeedshop.nl/  is close by.  

[RallyeMike]

Congrats. Of course you are at least a little bit crazy, but crazy people have all the fun!

On your tag decode, "A01: Unknown Top Color", A01 actually = Light Group (map lights, etc.)

[skip68]

    
Congratulations and welcome to the site.   Looks like you have an excellent starting point.   

[ELLIOT]

Thank you !   Nice to see all your passion about Charger ! Unfortunetly mine needs a lot of sheet metal  

Should I buy this book ? http://www.amazon.com/Project-Charger-Step-Step-Restoration/dp/193199322X

[kokxville]

Congrats Man 
Welcome to this site.
Greetings from the Netherlands near the border 

John

[tan top]

hello & welcome Elliot       ,   got my charger when I was 18 too 

[VegasCharger]

Seat difference................

[TPR]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the seat on the right looks like one of those rare bucket seats. 
Welcome aboard Elliot, you are a lucky man.
TPR

[six-tee-nine]

Hello and welcome,
Nice to see someone around a little closer to home. Not many of us around here. Where are you located? I'm right above Antwerp.
Looks like you got yourself a nice project. now the work begins.....

[Ghoste]

Welcome to the group and congrats on your Charger.   

[Stegs]

welcome and congrats on your new/old charger!


Very cool you got one at 18! I thought i was lucky to get one at 27!


keep us informed (with lots of pictures) of the progress of your car!


good to see American Muscle" is strong on that side of the pond

[ELLIOT]

Hello and welcome,
Nice to see someone around a little closer to home. Not many of us around here. Where are you located? I'm right above Antwerp.
Looks like you got yourself a nice project. now the work begins.....

Hi ! I'm in the french side in Belgium near Brussels  In fact my neighbour owns a 69 Charger

[six-tee-nine]

Gee thats cool.

Your neigbour a member here?

[ELLIOT]

My hood need some patchwork ! Have is selling is 1970 Hood (impossible to reuse it on another 1970 Charger) So I was thinking to buy it to take parts from it !

The sheetmetal that I need is where the hood signal lenses goes ! Are those the same for 1969 and 1970 ?

Your neigbour a member here?

Acutally no 

[Lennard]

No, not the same. 68-69 hood is completely different from a 70 hood.

[ELLIOT]

Giving some news ! 















Front end completly out ! 

[JB400]

  

         

[ELLIOT]

Yesterday I try epoxy glue !





huge break is now closed 


It worked perfectely so I'm happy ... Just need prep work and paint and will looks brand new

This week end I move the Charger in his room with the help of my dad and a friend ... But one drum brake was blocked ! impossible to move the car 
Take off the wheel and the drum ... and this just of 

After it was just easy 


My friend sells me these nice parts .. He is using QA1 Tubular on his car 


Elliot.

[Cncguy]

Cool project! Looking forward to more progress. Oh I also love those streets your on.

[Brock Lee]

Did someone stick a woodgrain radio delete plate in there?

[ELLIOT]

Did someone stick a woodgrain radio delete plate in there?

Yes but i removed it 

[Ghoste]

Nice work on the control arms too.  Did your friend do them himself?

[ELLIOT]

Nice work on the control arms too.  Did your friend do them himself?

Yes ! He welded them himself for is Pro-touring Cuda but now he is using QA1 tubular suspension 

[fy469rtse]

Not his streets,
I think thats his drive way , going to make some nice photo's later when car finished
nice starting point ,
keep up the hard work Elliot

[Mr. 4-Speed]

Veel succes!
Groeten uit Holland!

[Dino]

Congratulations on your acquisition.  I'm a former Belgian so I know how hard it is to get a Charger over there.   

[VegasCharger]

Love your ambition

Keep up the good work

[ELLIOT]

Don't have the time to work these days because of : school, springbreak, final exams , ... 

But now, the front clip is off the Charger.



And new parts





Soon I will order all the body parts, suspensions, brakes, .. 

[taxspeaker]

Elliot

What is the progress on the Charger.? I also checked the French Mopar site and it is down, are you getting anything done?

Bob

[Mikesmoparperformance]

you Lucky guy! I was the first to see this car! And it looks alot better know then When I saw it! I wish I had brought it! If you every want to sell it let me know!

Would love to own this car! B5 blue

Good luck on the built!

I did not make the deal.. because.. I had a 1966 Charger that was better .. This car needs floors! I let my dream car go by

[lukedukem]

what kind of shifter is that. I've seen that before, cant remember

Luke

[XS29L9B2]

welcome hir elliot 

[moparnico]

Any news from the car?

[Dino]

Yeah I was wondering as well. Make any progress?
Oh and happy birthday fellow Belgian. 

[alfaitalia]

what kind of shifter is that. I've seen that before, cant remember

Luke

I don't know the maker .....but Dom from F & F had one of those in one of his Chargers....cant remember which one though!!

[WHITE AND RED 69]

what kind of shifter is that. I've seen that before, cant remember

Luke

I don't know the maker .....but Dom from F & F had one of those in one of his Chargers....cant remember which one though!!

It's a Winters Sidewinder shifter.