C500 suggestions

[moparchris]

Well Gang,
I'm trying to figure out what I'm doing with my C500.  What I mean by that is, it is getting to the point (74,000 mile car), that things are wearing out and need attention and I'm not sure how to approach this.  An example is the front suspension.  To the best of my knowledge it is in original condition and it is o.k. to drive but lets face it.  It's getting tired and could use upper bushings and lower bushings. Well that's not really tough, but what do I do with taking the suspension apart.  Do I just put bushings in it like it's a 69 Polara and slap it back together or do I start down the slippery slope of, while it's apart I start to detail the components.  Well, if I do that where do I stop?  Do I have an engine compartment that is kinda worn with a beautiful front suspension underneath it?  Well if I pull the motor I might as well freshen that up and then heck, why not go through the trans and put a couple of parts into that and then detail it and put the part number stamps on it.  But then with the front suspension detailed, the engine and trans freshened up most of the other stuff starts to look poor.  Before you know it, front suspension bushings lead to a blown apart car, two+ years of work and multi thousands of dollars to basically redo most of the entire car. :scratch chin:
See what I mean.  Part of me is thinking maybe the time is kinda here for the car to go to someone else, but that kinda sucks.  It's the last vintage muscle car I own and when it goes I'm  intimidated to think of life without one of these cars.  I got my first 68 Charger R/T in 1978 and I've never been without a Hi-performance Charger since then whether it was a hemi car or my Daytona.  I'm kinda freakin' out about it.
What do you guys think.  Do I start doing things with the possibility it leads down  the "slippery slope" or is it time to move the car to a new and younger owner who has the energy and the $$$ to do this properly???
For those of you who don't know my car it is a complete matching number Hemi 4 speed Charger 500.  I drove it from Phoenix to the Winged Warriors National Meet in Colorado a few years ago.  It is still a nice running car.

[ws23rt]

My vote is to replace the suspension bushings and ball joints for piece of mind. I would also go through the brake system to bring it back up to snuff.

These things should but you back in the comfort zone about driving a great car that has many miles left in it as it is.

Your question also asks if it's time to "restore" this car. ----That is a tough and personal question---

For some the project part of ownership is the attraction. The end of the project of restoring a car is a trophy that generally is seldom driven just because it is a done car.

If you are done driving your car and want to show it as your next goal then the time has come to give up the driving part of ownership and look forward to the showing part that will come following the time and money spent to get there.

[hemi68charger]

Well Chris.. I think you need a Superbird.... So I'll trade ya my Lemon Twist 4speed Superbird for that green 500... 

[charger500440]

That is a quandary, no question. I wouldn't recommend going down the full resto path unless you're really prepared to go all the way, and that means significant money will need to be invested. It looks to me like you have a very nice, drivable 500 and who wouldn't want that? Mine is in a million pieces as that's how I purchased it, so the idea of having a running, driving car is appealing. Thankfully my SE fits that bill. With that car I end up fixing only what needs to be fixed and keeping it on the road as I continue to amass parts for my 500.

My 2 cents, I'd fix what needs fixing, do it right and clean up any adjacent parts along the way. Then you can keep driving it and enjoying it while not bankrupting yourself at the same time...

[DAY CLONA]

We've all been down the "slippery slope" of a full on resto that only started out as a "freshing up", it's just the nature of a car guy, seeing that you've already toyed with the idea of selling, the love is already lost, or diminished, just like an old girl friend, a new one soon makes you forget the loss, IMHO either bite the bullet and tear the car down, or sell it and buy something vintage already done, or move on to some modern muscle, like a Challenger, Mustang, Camaro, or European/Asian vehicle of your liking

[fc7_plumcrazy]

Chris some thoughts&questions:

-do you still like to drive it?
-if so do you drive it a lot or just rarely to shows?

Does its current condition keep you away from driving it more?
Do you think you would drive it more after a bolt&nut resto? (I don't think so, most people doing a full nut&bolt resto on a rare&valuable car only use it seldom afterwards).

Would an average RT 440 car fit your needs, too?

Carsten

[500Jon]

Hi Chris,
I would love to have your current problem lol.
Drive it or restore it?
It is only original ONCE...
But I wouldn't drive a 45 year old Mopar with original suspenders.
I had a nice restored 69 R/T that I drove everyday, until, the lower balljoint failed!!!
Charger ended up on the tarmac minus the front wheel and suspension!
Alot of damage and frankly scary.

My plan would be, remove engine and repaint.
Then remove all front suspension and restore with all new parts/paint etc.
Put new torsion bars in there and replace restored K-member as a whole piece.
Shouldn't take more than a week or two!!!

Then DRIVE IT HARD!!!

[tan top]

what the other guys say !    

even 10 /15 year old cars with low mileage ,  things start to wear . as we all know , low mileage , true  survivor cars  ( not the missed used survivor term ,  used by some of the ebay sellers   )    are awesome time machines ! but now our cars becoming closer to 50 years old . IMO its crazy to try & use them& drive them like they should be driven , with the original suspension bushings / ball joints / brake components / so I would say , change  these parts ,  ! then as we all know ! it escalates ,  while doing that , oh best change out the original fuel lines / hoses ,  may as well ,  get the original radiator rebuilt ,  best change water pump , because there is a little movement in the bearings  / thermostat at same time  , then you start looking at the wiring , & then .... , ....one thing leads to another & before you know it , you have a empty charger body shell & a pile of boxes. On the other hand , some owners of these unrestored type cars are happy to leave them as is & limit their use , short local trips &  pottering around a show field & the like , but  transport them any distance  . nothing wrong with this .  but should something  go wrong , like what ( 5J said ) with  the upper ball joint letting go  , even a lower one ,  not happened to me   , but have seen the aftermath , its not good .

[C500]

Chris,

I would just do the suspension... ball joints etc, general maintenance things, then get er back on the road.

[moparchris]

Thanks guys!  I'm tempted to just go through some items like the front suspension and keep driving it.  I wish I drove it more than I do because there is nothing more I like to drive than one of these cars.  It just seems as the years go on for me and the car, the usage gets less and less.  It's easier to take my Viper out for a quick drive since I don't have to push that around the garage to get it in a place that I can back it out of the garage.  Part of me is thinking that if I'm going to sell the car ( and since I never had kids that I can leave it to) it is a certainty that the car will eventually have to go, that the time may be right while there are still guys who want this stuff and have the $ to spend.  I have such little confidence in the country at this point, that I can't see kids who are in their 20's now climbing the economic ladder enough to really ever have $100K plus just burning a hole in their pockets to buy a 60+ year old car.  If they do have the money, most of them are dreaming of a Hellcat or Z1 Camaro that they see now and can't quite afford it.
I guess if I freshen up the bushings etc... nobody would hold that against me because the bushings don't have the "correct" rubber like the originals
I'll keep you all posted.  Just no pictures, I'm to intimidated by all the internet experts who would say I don't do things correctly....

[wingcarenvy]

I have a 74K 69 Six pack Bee and it needs a few things here and there. Your car is extremely nice still in my opinion. When I have to repair something I tend to restore what I am touching and stop at what needs to be done and nothing more. Of course you can't slap stuff on it, its not in our DNA. Nice low mileage cars run and drive like no other restored car, so thats what my goal is when I repair something. Pretend its 1974 and your used Charger needs some work. Good luck.

[hemi68charger]

Chris,

I would just do the suspension... ball joints etc, general maintenance things, then get er back on the road.

Yeap... one word.........

[RallyeMike]

If you'd like to relive your glory days, I'll trade you straight across for your old 500   

[C500]

Chris,

I would just do the suspension... ball joints etc, general maintenance things, then get er back on the road.

Yeap... one word.........

[hemi68charger]

Chris,

I would just do the suspension... ball joints etc, general maintenance things, then get er back on the road.

Yeap... one word.........

I was agreeing with you.... with one word.. Yeap.....

[C500]

  thought you meant one word 'suspension' 

[Homerr]

 

[crj1968]

I have such little confidence in the country at this point, that I can't see kids who are in their 20's now climbing the economic ladder enough to really ever have $100K plus just burning a hole in their pockets to buy a 60+ year old car.  If they do have the money, most of them are dreaming of a Hellcat or Z1 Camaro that they see now and can't quite afford it.

I cant say what to do in your situation, BUT a car like that will sell. There will always be a market for high end awesome of any make. IMHO

I am also hereby putting myself up for adoption.   

[moparstuart]

I have such little confidence in the country at this point, that I can't see kids who are in their 20's now climbing the economic ladder enough to really ever have $100K plus just burning a hole in their pockets to buy a 60+ year old car.  If they do have the money, most of them are dreaming of a Hellcat or Z1 Camaro that they see now and can't quite afford it.

I cant say what to do in your situation, BUT a car like that will sell. There will always be a market for high end awesome of any make. IMHO

I am also hereby putting myself up for adoption.   

I'd throw my hat in the ring too , but I already have so many daddy's i can keep them all right in my head   

[500Jon]

Hey Chris,

Top Notch Hemi-cars will always be wanted, even if there's no Fossil Fuel.
Folks always like to preserve the Past, so we know where we came from.

Contrary to popular belief, not everything made today is JUNK!
But there is alot of fake parts around.
Always buy from reputable dealers, as they take great trouble to source GOOD parts!
Any ways its not America you need to be worrying about its the OLD COUNTRY.
Everyone I know is looking at you Guys/Gals to save us lol...

Hemi C-500 is TOP of the TREE for me, never was a better Dodge ever BUILT!!!
Then Daytona's of course...

[69_500]

There is at least one person in their 30's that is chasing the dream of a Hemi 500 and a Daytona. Me.

[moparchris]

There is at least one person in their 30's that is chasing the dream of a Hemi 500 and a Daytona. Me.

Power to you buddy.  I'm glad to hear there are still some who are dreaming/wishing/planning.  I hope you and this country are in a place to make your dreams come true.
While the nice weather is here in Az. I think I'm going to try and drive the C500 as much as possible and during the hellish summer replace the assorted tired front suspension components and put a new gas tank in it.  It's had a little welded on plug for about 25 years or so, so I guess it wouldn't hurt to put a clean new tank on it.  After I get done with that I will assess how I feel going forward with continuing to own it or if I'm just plain and simply done and ready to see a younger more enthused owner take over.
So for now let's see how many more burnouts the old hoss has left in it

[marshallfry01]

There is at least one person in their 30's that is chasing the dream of a Hemi 500 and a Daytona. Me.

And another in their early 20's. Me!

[Ghoste]

   (to you both)

[SBBob]

Fix it to a safe driver - THEN DRIVE IT and ENJOY it.  Don't save it for some one else and have fun with.  The best vacation of my life was a trip to the Aero Reunion in 1999.  Drove my car everyday for 16 days in a row!  YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE!