Charger 500 Grille installation

[C500]

My 500 is back from the paint shop, and time to get er back together 

I'm trying to work out how the grille/headlamp all goes together with the special brackets, long spacers etc. Does anyone have a few pics they can post up  or a link? I found a couple of threads, but nothing showing how it all goes together.

[Wingwalker]

Hi C500,

I have some pics on my old computer but they need resizing.
I'll see how it goes and post some on for you, my fellow C500 owner.

WingW.

[Wingwalker]

Hi C500.

Its not as hard as it may seem to rebuild the grille.
Put the frame in place and then assemble the pods onto the vertical bar and the small screws that hold the pod onto the wing/fender flange.
Then the top and bottom pod bolts are very obvious.
Fit the centre grille in last and leave everything loose so it can be jiggled into place.
Don't fit the end plates on until the beam alignment has been roughly set-up.

Some of the bolts have LARGE washers to cover the big slots.
Some grilles seem to have all LARGE ones others a mixture of Large and small washered bolts.

Clear as mud!

[C500]

Thanks for the pics, definitely helps! How is the frame attached to the inside of fenders?

[Wingwalker]

Hi C500,

There is a 90 degree angle plate that holds the lower part of the grille to the fenders(bottom of pic).
There is also the two welded in bolts that fit into the fender pods and have nuts in the wheel housing(far right).

The tricky bit is locating the two (or three) small self tapping screw holes to the fender flange(centre of pic).
These are drilled by the lads at Creative to mount the modified 68 Coronet headlight pods.
If you have your original C500 fenders they will be there, already drilled (of course).

[Wingwalker]

Hi C500.

The two outer support tubes for the grille facing are just the normal 68 ones with 'taped on' extensions!
No idea where you will find the EXTRA long screws from, if you don't have them already?

[qwick68]

Just curious, what did they use the headlights from on the 500s? I know about the 68 Coronet grille.......

[70 sublime]

Just curious, what did they use the headlights from on the 500s? I know about the 68 Coronet grille.......

It is all 68 Coronet stuff
They used the Coronet grill around the lights so they just used the mounting part out of the fenders for the lights also

I have saved up the parts from a Coronet to make a 500 grill for my car
I have the 70 Charger fender headlight mounts and thought about using them so I tried the coronet grill on one and the lights are different spacing so will not work

[Wingwalker]

Headlight pods are fitted complete from a 68 Coronet, with the headlights and mounting hardware too.
The pods are remodelled by Creative to fit on the 69 grille frame, with extra brackets welded on (top and bottom) part no. 2836986.
How rare is a NEW pod that never got fitted to a C500?
I assume that 500 pairs were allocated in 1968 and probably a 100 pairs got binned after car-392 was made???

The pic shows an original Creative pod (on right) next to a Coronet pod removed from a fender (with underseal) lol...

[C500]

Thanks for the posts! I have new AMD fenders on, the old ones are stored in the shed... will check out the extra drill holes for the screws on them from Creative, glad you pointed that out. 

[Highbanked Hauler]

Hi C500.

The two outer support tubes for the grille facing are just the normal 68 ones with 'taped on' extensions!
No idea where you will find the EXTRA long screws from, if you don't have them already?
[/quote

   I would recommend something like super glue on the extensions for the screws and tape for the looks, mine twisted off the first time I put the screw in.

[A12 Superbee]

How long are the grill tubes inc extensions, just the round portion will do.

Cheers.

[C500]

How long are the grill tubes inc extensions, just the round portion will do.

Cheers.

two lengths, 32mm and 51mm, (the tube portion)

[A12 Superbee]

How long are the grill tubes inc extensions, just the round portion will do.

Cheers.

two lengths, 32mm and 51mm, (the tube portion)

Thanks, I might add them to my list of repro parts i'll make. Is anyone in the US making them? I know no-one out here will be, though considering theres probably one C500 and a dozen 68 Coronets in Oz  I don't think i'll sell too many but it will be an interesting exercise.

[hemi68charger]

Headlight pods are fitted complete from a 68 Coronet, with the headlights and mounting hardware too.
The pods are remodelled by Creative to fit on the 69 grille frame, with extra brackets welded on (top and bottom) part no. 2836986.
How rare is a NEW pod that never got fitted to a C500?
I assume that 500 pairs were allocated in 1968 and probably a 100 pairs got binned after car-392 was made???

The pic shows an original Creative pod (on right) next to a Coronet pod removed from a fender (with underseal) lol...

Hey,
I resemble those feet........... 

[Wingwalker]

Famous FEAT indeed Troy!

Without that picture the Charger 500 world would be severely lacking!

[mopar346]

Thanks for the posts! I have new AMD fenders on, the old ones are stored in the shed... will check out the extra drill holes for the screws on them from Creative, glad you pointed that out. 

Any chance you can get to those original fenders and take pictures and even dimensions of the original drilled holes? I've tried to read all the threads I can find on the 500 grille assembly and ran across this little detail that I cant seem to document in picture. There are a lot of pictures that will be very helpful with the recreation of the grille since my original is long gone.

Another piece that I would love dimensions on is the uprights, there are quite a few pictures from a number of contributors but no dimensions or reference to them being repopped. I believe I have secured all the pieces except for the up rights, I might find out differently when I start the assembly.

Thanks to all that has invested the effort in assembling these threads and for all who will continue to document information.