EE1 1968 Charger RT 440.... 4 spd - 4.10 Dana

[gtx6970]

Well, for the 1st time since he bought this car in the spring of 2004 as a major project. This past Saturday afternoon the owner came down to see the car and he  heard it run and finally pulled itself out of my  garage under its own power.

I'll get some better pictures loaded and posted over the next few days. But here's a tease ( same pictures I sent the owner )

But the end is near,,,very near.

[gtx6970]

underhood

[Charger-Bodie]

Bill, why the 69 style heater hose routing?

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Bill, why the 69 style heater hose routing?

As well as the chrome '69 breather, VC's & grill paint scheme?

Enlighten us oh guru & (former) purveyor of "all little correct nick-nacks and such"

Not knocking your stellar work in any way of course!!    That dark blue is a great color

PS---miss you at Carlisle!

[gtx6970]

Bill, why the 69 style heater hose routing?

As well as the chrome '69 breather, VC's & grill paint scheme?

Enlighten us oh guru & (former) purveyor of "all little correct nick-nacks and such"

Not knocking your stellar work in any way of course!!    That dark blue is a great color

PS---miss you at Carlisle!

Short answer ? I use what the owner brings me.

The goal from the very beginning is 'and always has been'  make it NICE, get it close to OE 'within a reasonable effort'  but true OE is NOT the goal .....  AKA, rule # 1


This engine is from a 68 C body,  So those valve covers were wrong no matter what ,,plus they were beat up pretty good. And a mutual  good friend of ours had these that were really nice . So on they went ,,thus the chrome breather. To be honest I wasnt aware the chrome one was wrong ...but thats an easy change .  The rest,,,stays as is .
The heater hose routing was mainly due to the valve cover change,,,but also because he liked it better that way,(  see rule #1 )

As far as the grille, I know the vertical ribs should be silver/grey. For the minuscule  gain it was going to bring versus  the time to tape it up to do,,,I felt leave it as is.  But in all honesty, I think it looks better anyway. The owner likes it, so,,,,,,,, Again refer to rule #1 ( seeing a pattern here yet )

This isnt a numbers car in any way shape or from. None of the drivetrain is original ( although it is at least all 1968 ) . Trans and Dana are from a 1968 Coronet RT vert same friend parted out . ( a 3 way black car no less,,,but was REALLY tough shape)
There is no fender tag or build sheet. So he is  building what HE wants.
It is a real EE1 , 440 4spd 3.54 Dana,manual drum brake  and black interior console car  originally.
Now has the 4.10 , Power steering , power disc brakes and white interior and white butt stripe. Now riding on 15x7 magnums  on front with 215-70-15s and 15x8 magnums on the rear with 275-60-15s . The wheels  REALLY set this thing off bigtime .....
It maybe / might someday even get aftermkt A/C ( but thats a kinda sorta  maybe project for another time a few years down the road. once his bank account fully recovers)

When this project began. He had been told him not to buy it in the beginning because the car was rough and we knew it was only going to get worst once we got into it ,, ( and it did ) . But he did anyway. He wanted a real 1968 Charger 440 4 spd car. But he quickly realized he was about to get in waaaaay over his head with the amount of work involved. So he asked if I could do it. And being the glutton for punishment I am , I agreed .

Its had A LOT of metal work done to it, both quarters, trunk floor, trunk extensions, decklid, dutchman panel, tail light panel, rear valance, corner caps,parts of the floorpan ,  upper cowl, parts of the lower cowl, lower half of both A pillars, passenger side of the firewall, drivers side fender is new.  Both doors, the hood and the pass side fender are all used original replacements from various sources. Basically the only remaining original metal is the inner structure , the  roof , the center hump of the floor, the inner fenders and frame rails. Plus we welded frame ties in underneath  to strengthen it up.

He bought a car (basically a rolling  shell )  that someone else had already parted out. So Ive had to find essentially everything from scratch to build it with. Its a been a long slow project as time and finances allow. 

But when it came out of the garage last weekend under its own power and he saw it in the sun for the 1st time as a nearly complete car ,,,I thought he was going to cry. This car is going to look absolutely stellar once completed.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

That's a great story Bill and your friend is in very capable hands!  More pics please!

[gtx6970]

That's a great story Bill and your friend is in very capable hands!  More pics please!

Thanks,
Next time its out f the garage ( one day this week for sure ) I'll snap of some better more detailed overall pics. Its been a slow process , but a steady process and is about to come to an end ,,,,finally.

[hemi-hampton]

I need no explanation, I been in those same shoes & situation your in with that car many times. And agree with your rule #1, do what the customer wants & makes him happy, sometimes even if it aint 100% concourse gold standards. What some people don't get is sometimes the customer don't want or can't afford or could care less about 100% concourse correct. From what I see the car looks nice. Nice job. Congrats. LEON.

[moparstuart]

where should i go to get reasonable correct belts and hoses for my 68  april 1 st schedule date 383 A/c power steering 2 barrel ?  , i want to drive it so whats good out there but will look semi correct ??

[gtx6970]

Heater hoses for this is a set I used to carry ..now avail thru most of of the retailers.

Upper and lower hoses....i did in house.

Belts on this car are actually nos  Mopar belts.

[funknut]

I'm digging it!  EE1 is one of my favorite colors.  I'd love to see more pics if you have them.

[bakerhillpins]

I'm digging it!  EE1 is one of my favorite colors.  I'd love to see more pics if you have them.

Same here.  PLEASE tell me that it's a white interior no vinyl top car!!! Please? 

Looks awesome regardless. Can't wait to see more pics.

[gtx6970]

yep, white interior , 4 speed console . No vinyl top and a white butt stripe to wrap it all up.
A few more. There will be no new pics taken today ,,,its pouring down rain today

[gtx6970]

A teaser shot I sent him a while back

[bakerhillpins]

yep, white interior , 4 speed console . No vinyl top and a white butt stripe to wrap it all up.

[Dino]

I absolutely love that color. Might end up on my 69 one day!

Awesome work as always!   

[BIGBLCK11]

  Looks sharp!  Great color combo.

[hemi68charger]

Looking great Bill !!