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[lukedukem]

With damage like that, are you able to put fuel in it?
Wondering if you plan to drive it as is for a bit, or replace the quarter.

Luke

[Homerr]

I looked at your fender tag pic in photoshop and this is what I came up with (starts lower left and reads lowest line upward).  I bolded the part that should match your VIN.

E63   383-4 Barrel
D32   H-D A-727 TorqueFlite Trans / Some Years A-998
X = Dodge Charger
P = Premium
29 = 2 Door Sports Hardtop
H = 383 330HP OR 335HP 1-4BBL 8 CYL
9 = 1969
B = Dodge Main, Hamtramck, MI, USA
244966   Sequence Number '244966'
F5   Medium Green Poly
C6G   
Trim Grade/Style/Color
C = Charger
6 = Vinyl Bucket Seats
G = Green
F8   Upper Door Frame: Dark Green Poly
409   Date Built: 4 / 09 / 1969
317856   Order Number: 317856
A01   Roof Type OR Color:  Light Package
A41   Charger Spring Special w/ Vinyl Roof
B51   Power Assisted Brakes
C21   Center Seat Foldown Armrest
C55   Bucket Seats
G11   Tinted Glass All
G33   Left Hand Outside Mirror - Manual / Chrome
H51   Single Air /w Heater
J25   3 Speed Variable Wipers
L31   Hood / Fender Mount Turn Signal
M21   Roof Drip Rail Moldings
M31   Belt Molding 69-70
R11   Music Master Radio AM
V1F   Full Vinyl Top - Green
26   26 in. Radiator
END   End of Codes

[Bad B-rad]

That's great,thanks! I had a hard time telling if it was a M31-belt molding or N31-optional compression ratio. What would optional compression ratio mean anyway?
Also the car has power DRUM brakes not DISC, could it be an error on the tag? I don't think  it would have been converted to drum from disc, unless they maybe had issues early on in its life,but I would think a tag error would be more the case.
I got to get a clear photo of the build sheet,because it has some stuff I would like to de-code.
Under build is says engine#899,Trans #091,Axle#589 Wheels#16 then what looks like X9.
under sales codes it says suspension-steering the box that says SUSP-1 has a #3 in it, I think that is rallye suspension, what is that just what all non R/T big block chargers had?
Also under engine accessories there is a box marked 88 auto SP control, then a blank box, then a box marked 96 carb/fresh air package, that is the last box in that row. Well in that Blank box, that is in between box 88 and 96 is printed the #7 ,what is that about?
Thanks in advance for answering my questions. I am trying to get a clear pic of my build sheet.

[hemi-hampton]

hello & welcome BBR       charger looks  good   
!!  always best to start with the most  unrestored un messed with car as possible 

Yes, Good advice, that's what I always say. LEON.

[hemi-hampton]

That's great,thanks! I had a hard time telling if it was a M31-belt molding or N31-optional compression ratio. What would optional compression ratio mean anyway?
Also the car has power DRUM brakes not DISC, could it be an error on the tag? I don't think  it would have been converted to drum from disc, unless they maybe had issues early on in its life,but I would think a tag error would be more the case.
I got to get a clear photo of the build sheet,because it has some stuff I would like to de-code.
Under build is says engine#899,Trans #091,Axle#589 Wheels#16 then what looks like X9.
under sales codes it says suspension-steering the box that says SUSP-1 has a #3 in it, I think that is rallye suspension, what is that just what all non R/T big block chargers had?
Also under engine accessories there is a box marked 88 auto SP control, then a blank box, then a box marked 96 carb/fresh air package, that is the last box in that row. Well in that Blank box, that is in between box 88 and 96 is printed the #7 ,what is that about?
Thanks in advance for answering my questions. I am trying to get a clear pic of my build sheet.

The #589 AXle tells you, you got a 3:23 rear gear non sure grip 8 3/4 with 10" brakes & a 1 7/8 pinion & a 7290 yoke. Can you post a pic of build sheet, will be easier to decipher that way. LEON.

[Mopar Nut]

Welcome aboard!

[Homerr]

I corrected the above, and here it is again:

A41   Charger Spring Special w/ Vinyl Roof
B51   Power Assisted Brakes

And all '69 Chargers AFAIK had M21/M31 codes.

Note that the 3rd line from the bottom and up go in alphabetical/numerical order until the 26 (radiator) and END.

[Bad B-rad]

Yeah the A41 was "The White Hat Special" spring sales gimmick. It was a package of options as show in the advertisement.

[tan top]

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3fhQw-bSFs

[Bad B-rad]

I started to read some 440 vs gen3 Hemi posts here and got me thinking, I bought a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4 with the 5.7 Hemi for a Jeep YJ drivetrain swap project, before I bought the 69 Charger. I have the Idea of putting the 69 back into service with its #'s matching drivetrain because I never see people running #'s matching cars down the road that often. and in the past the cars I drove the most/had the most fun with were 383 cars that just had a few bolt-on's (in one of them N.O.S was one of the bolt ons)and still had stock cams. The 440's I have had were all built up,car shaking, loud awesome beasts but now I am older and want to cruise with my kids and wife with out having to scream to be heard. I have also had a 2005 Magnum R/T and a 2016 Charger R/T and they are fairly quick rides, no doubt my 440 would take it out of the hole, and look and sound sexy as hell doing it, but the 5.7 Hemi would hunt them down and pass them given enough room(1/4 mile vs  stoplight to stop light,my older Chargers just needed another gear or two in the trans)  So that's why I was thinking of just rebuilding the org 383 and trans, maybe pulling the 3.23 peg leg center out of my rear and putting in a new 3.23 sure grip unit, so I still have the org one but get to do cool smoky burn outs that put down two black marks. And drive the hell out of it.
My two other thoughts were this: save the org, drivetrain,in the garage, get a built 727,I have a 2300-2500 converter, and get a 383 or 400 block, and build a 10.5 to 11.5 to 1 compression ratio short block(I have heard you can go up to 12.5 to maybe 13.0 to 1 with the aluminum heads vs cast iron) ,with a resto magnum/roadrunner cam,or the modern take on that cam,with windage tray, H.V. oil pump, and 440 stealth heads,I have the Mopar aluminum duel plane intake,that looks like the stock 4bbl one and the Mopar aluminum water pump housing, so if I paint them my org eng color and use the stock 383 4bbl regular or hp exhaust manifolds and valve covers. It will appear stock but should make 400 to 450hp I would think?
Or lastly throw that stock looking stuff out the window and  use the 5.7 Hemi I got in that Ram I bought(I know what is involved to do this, and I would like to use a 727 trans, because of money and I do not want to cut holes in the floor for a manual trans conversion. And as far as the Hemi,maybe just a cam swap, and some CnC'd Heads, Mopar performance has a set,and use the Indy coil relocation kit so it looks more old school.
Maybe even do the mod-man six pac throttle body kit they have just so the chicks dig it.
I know that at the end of the day it's my ride and I have to do what makes me happy, but it good to talk to other people who have different ideas and maybe some experience that I don't have. Like maybe the 5.7 Hemi just doesn't have the low end off the line torque as a 383 and I wouldn't be happy with it. I don't have to have the fastest thing on the street anymore,I just want a sweet cruiser, at the same time I don't want a snail, that's why its at least a 383. All this while getting OK fuel mileage. 
I am new to the forum, and maybe this wasn't the place to post this kind of rambling question,but I look forward suggestions and tips. I am leaning heavy to the #'s matching drivetrain, or a mild/almost stock 383/400 build.  Thanks in advance  for all you help/tips with this and the decoding of my fender tag/build sheet.

[70-500-SE-EXPORT]

I would keep it stock and go with a big block. Its such a original car it would be a shame to butcher it and install a 5.7. Also I seen that car listed on ebay, in the trunk pics it looks like it took such a hard hit the rear frame rail is slightly bent? 

[Challenger340]

While I don't think the 5.7/6.1 Gen 3 Hemi swap is a bad idea for those so inclined? and ready the extra expenses, resto-mod's etc., but I just can't help believing that at least a portion of the people doing so, is a direct result of very poor results seen or experienced by others with very poorly redone legacy 383/400/440 Engines ?

It just amazes me these days, how BAD things have become in the automotive aftermarket Machining/Rebuilding Industry.... or what's "left" of it ? Or even worse sometimes, DIY guys this hobby was founded around, running off to the local Napa Store/Farm Implement Machine Shop thinking things will be fine ?
IMO, those days are long gone !

Just say'in here..... 
Nothing wrong with a properly rebuilt legacy 383/400/440. They can provide excellent power/torque and drivability, and YES even with EFI.
But, and here is the kicker that any DIY guy needs to realize from the outset, do NOT rely on any body else(especially the Machine Shop) who feigns knowledge around these older Engines as "done lots", to dictate to you what parts and genre of Machining is employed, just Don't do it !
Educate yourself, know what YOU want and how it will be accomplished, then seek out a REAL Shop(if you can still find one), with a BB Mopar Torque Plate.

MY apologies for the rant.
It's just in our Business these days, I/we see so many garbage In = Garbage out rebuilds after the fact ..... with unhappy customer's then wondering "what" went wrong, and can "we" now fix it ?  I had to say something...
Lots of good info and knowledgeable guys around here.
Ask FIRST.... rebuild getting what you want in an engine from KNOWLEDGE ! 

[Bad B-rad]

I am in NY and the car was in Cali,and I only found in a few hrs before the listing ended, so I could not look over the car in person. So I figured I would take a chance, and my thoughts were even if it has frame damage, I would rather work in one area then have to do major work all over the car. I have done a few cars and been a Mopar fan for 20+ years and here in NY all these cars are RUSTEY. My last car(Challenger) needed so much rust repair, I just didn't want to do that again so soon.
But I got lucky the trunk extension is crushed but the trunk floor buckled over top of the frame.I guess it goes to show you how strong the cars are built! I hope once I remove the most unrepairable stuff I can bend that small area back and save the whole trunk floor and just replace the trunk extension .

[Bad B-rad]

And I totally agree with Challenger340,I love the 383 engine. In my 66 Charger with just Headers, intake,carb,and tune up, my father and I took  a 67 2bbl engine to 14.2@98mph all day and did a best of about 14 flat. In 100% street trim,14 inch magnum 500 wheels tools in the trunk, 3.23 gears,2bbl cam shaft. So those engines are great when built right. Don't get me wrong 440's are great also. But I got a special kind of love for the 383!
I most of all want to build my 69 to be a great cruiser, that I can jump in and take to Ohio(the Nats) if I want. I mean these cars used to be just cars,modes of transportation, and now most of us only take them out on nice days and baby them, and that's fine, I have daily driving cars(Jeep yj,Cummings 3500 ram,2016 Charger R/T)also but at one time these were just daily drivers themselves. And that's how I want to use My 69. Throw my kids in the back and go on vacation,drop them off at a friends house, run errands,or just go for a nice drive. Now I have had cars were it had 3.91's and huge cam 440 and it just sucked on the highway, so I avoided long road trips. That's why I was wondering about the 5.7 Hemi, If it would/ could act like it does in my 2016 Charger were it is nice and civil in traffic and then a monster when you punch it. 

[Bad B-rad]

To answer Lukedukem's question, yes I can put fuel in it. The tank itself is not hit at all,the filler neck is bent a bit. But my main issue is that that the quarter panel is so bent the stock flip top gas cap and trim ring doesn't fit anymore and has been off the car for who knows how long allowing what ever dirt, dust, water, insects ect, into the tank, so I got to at least pull the tank for a clean out. But the engine has two stuck valves anyway so I have to pull that also. I know I could just pull the heads with eng in the car but if I am going that far into it,I may as well at least do a quickie hone, re-ring/bearing/gasket,and paint job on it. As long as it all looks good when it gets taken apart. The engine turns over well enough that I don't expect to find any major damage to the engine,but you never know.
Now if I was able to fire the engine up, I may have put a boat fuel tank in the trunk and went through the brakes,and slap new wheels/ tires on it and just rock it with the damage for a while. But when I have the tank out I may as well start on that damaged area,because  I still have a while before the good weather comes (here in New York)and the roads are all salt free. We will see things change all the time so you never know.  I also noticed it has the old rear air shocks(look like Monroe style) on it. I used to do that to my cars when the springs were sagging and I was to broke/lazy to put new leafs in it LOL.
Would you just rock it with the crash damage?

[Bad B-rad]

Well I have not been on here in sometime, so I decided to do a quick update post on this thread, but last summer I was busy racing and hot rodding my wife's 2016 Charger R/T, so the 69 just sat in the garage and I slowly gathered parts.
Well the last 3 weeks I have been hitting her for a few hrs every night, and last night I got her fired up!!!!!!!!
I installed the rebuilt 1971 heads, new comp cam pushrods, and new mopar performance aluminum 4bbl intake. I reused the stock valve covers, just a light cleaning,and new coat of engine paint on the valve covers and intake. I reused the headers and exhaust that came on the car when I bought it.
I put all new seals/gaskets, new set of points, and repo mopar orange plug wires. I even found a rebuilt date coded 1969 Holley 4BBlcarb to slap on and put the original holley in a box. New oil and filter for the transmission, and new fuel filter, and reused the original fuel line to the carb. New engine oil, with break-in zinc additive and new oil filter, primed it up,(oil primed with a drill and home made tool, and fuel primed with an electric fuel pump, then hooked up mechanical pump) I cranked her over and she back fired up the carb, I twisted the distributer  a touch, cranked her again, and she fired right up and idled( a tad high, I would guess 1000rpm)  but no crazy noises, just sat there and ran nice and smooth!!!!
It was a great sound, After 45-60 seconds I shut her off.
Today I am gonna pull her out side and let her run for  a bit longer and see if the trans is any good.
I have to put the heat  protective sleeving  on the plug wires that run next to the headers, and I want to run her outside in case there is a mouse nest in the exhaust pipes or something.
So after at least 25 years of not running and maybe as much as 35 years from the last time the 383 ran, she is once again ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am very excited, and I will know a lot more after todays little run session.
Hopefully I stay on the 69, so I can be driving her this summer.

[6pkrtse]

Welcome. Looks like a fun project to start with. green is really starting to grow on me over the years. My Bro-in-law has a triple green 69 Chevelle & I actually like it in the green also.

[BDF]

Congratulations on getting it running! 
PS: Green cars are cool 

[Bad B-rad]

Thanks!!
I had her running for about 45 min yesterday, and topped off the power steering fluid and trans fluid( I changed trans fluid and filter).
I wrapped some of the plug wires with header heat tape to protect them where them come close to the header tubes, and had to change the lower coolant hose clamp on the rad end from the original spring clamp style to a worm gear kind because it leaked a bit.
I got the engine starting and running so smooth!!!!! it is a very great feeling when your car can move under its own power again!!!
I can finally get other projects into my garage, by just driving the Charger in and out of the shop, vs it just sitting there, beached blocking up the garage.
Next will be the brakes so I can yard drive her.
I noticed the power brake master cylinder looks different from the ones that "Classic Industries" offers for a power drum 1969 car.
Mine has the cap that is help on with the swivel bar,(NOT the bolt down cap style) and has two equal size roundish humps almost looks like what they show as being for a 1971-1974 a body?
I guess I will have to just do a little investigation, before I try to order rebuilt kits or what not.
I may try to upgrade the power drum to power disc.
I also want to find a set of 1969 383  4Bbl exhaust manifolds and swap them in place of the headers.
I will also swap in electronic ignition, just haven't decided on the Mopar orange/chrome box hidden or the Pertronix, in the original distributer style.
But very excited that she is alive again!!!

[orange383]

I really like the look of your Charger. It looks so original. Sorry if I missed it but I'm wondering what your plans are with the paint after you have fixed the damage? Repaint the whole car or try and replicate the patina on the new quarter?
I think it looks nice with the patina!

[Bad B-rad]

I have not made up my mind yet on that.
I had thought about a quick respray of the engine bay, and I know this sounds stupid, but after I fix the quarter, maybe a wrap?
And the only reason I would wrap it would be to keep the original paint.

Car can only be original once.
And I want a driver, so I think for me I need to protect the car from getting any rust on her, now that she is in NY, and drive the hell out of it. And maybe one day to a resto.

I do a lot of work for a guy who owns a body shop, so I could probably, get a nice paint job out of him in the original color.

I wish I could post photos because I have the engine looking good now, next step is the brakes and engine bay for me(fixing all factory plastic wire ties and getting factory style hoses and clamps what not, make it look factory fresh!!) 

[Bad B-rad]

Maybe I will restore the side with the 1/4 damage to 100% factory new look, and keep the other side 100% as is, split it right down the middle!!!(1/2 new-1/2 old, even have the pass side of the engine leak from that sides valve cover)
It would end up looking like that Cuda, that is painted in all the factory colors you could get that year, it looks like a stick of fruit stripe gum.

That was just a joke as that would look stuid as hell.
If it gets a new paint job it will be the orignial F5, thats the only thing I know for sure.

[nchrome]

I'm new two the forum also and l just bough a 69 charger too and in its history it too had the drivers side hit    And to the privous owner it repaired (why they didn't fix the frame is beyond me) anyways l'm replacing both frame rails shock cross member, tank,and the rear cross brace, and trunk floor.  Losts of work to do. The drivers side frame rail was bent badly trunk floor rotted out. Good thing engine runs  all matching #s hope to have it on the road by mid summer   Drive for a while and enjoy then maybe do a little more fixen. 

[VegasCharger]

.....anyways l'm replacing both frame rails shock cross member, tank,and the rear cross brace, and trunk floor. 

I have nice rear frame rails and shock cross member. SW Arizona dry sheet metal.   

[orange383]

I'm new two the forum also and l just bough a 69 charger too and in its history it too had the drivers side hit    And to the privous owner it repaired (why they didn't fix the frame is beyond me) anyways l'm replacing both frame rails shock cross member, tank,and the rear cross brace, and trunk floor.  Losts of work to do. The drivers side frame rail was bent badly trunk floor rotted out. Good thing engine runs  all matching #s hope to have it on the road by mid summer   Drive for a while and enjoy then maybe do a little more fixen. 

Would be great to see how you tackle this as I also have to replace my frame rails due to corrosion!