Operation: Press Release Hemi Charger 500, #614

[hemi68charger]

                                                                          CAUTION!
Correct NOS - ASSEMBLY LINE parts are addicting!
MJ

...and hard to find...   

these tail lights would be a nice addition to such a rare and expensive car
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-70-DODGE-CHARGER-Daytona-NOS-TAIL-LIGHTS/163601579598?_trksid=p2485497.m4902.l9144

Wow !!!!   I'll stick with the real nice ones I have.........

[hemi68charger]

Does this car have XX on the dash VIN?

I thought the early 500 cars (doesn't get much earlier than this) had XS on dash and fender tag but was designated a 500 by the A11 on the tag, and the XX came later?  Not sure how much later?  Someone can correct me on this if I'm wrong.

November 14 was the date they started getting XX, but there are a few exemptions either side of this date.

I believe that date applies to the XS versus XX on the fender tag.. I'll double check, but I believe my 500 has XX on the VIN and definitely has XS on the fender tag and broadcast sheet...

[Dragon Slayer]

Keep in mind that the few early press cars were probably hand assembled on a pilot line and not Creative sourced.

Parts may not be "production level" either, compared to later builds.
Remember the few 1972 440 Sixpack B Bodies that were made, but weren't supposed to exist!!  

Yes, but they rolled down as a 69 R/T, so the only things hand done should have been the conversion parts.  All of the major items (motor, brakes, steering, etc) should have been normal line items, no?

Not necessarily.

The first few Charger 500s were probably made at the Clairpointe Pre-Production plant.  
Made as a Charger 500, not a converted R/T, like the rest of the production cars.

When Troy gets to removing the interior, I hope he looks for any signs of broken glass from the rear window being broken out to make a 500 from an R/T.
If there ARE glass bits, then it WAS a converted R/T.   If not, it was purpose built as a 500.  

Pilot cars were known to get most of the correct parts, but not all.  

Any C-500 experts out there?

If you are purpose building this why add Hidden light vacuum hoses and cannister when your not installing that type of light system.  Either way, the purpose built one for the magazine had a Federal pump on it and the correct Bendix MC, which was going on 68 and 69 stuff anyway.  The Training documents for technicians actually talks about some Federal pumps making it on 68 cars.  Aren't they making 69 Charger and RT by the time these are being made?   

Correct me, but this did not come from the original owner and has been apart at some level, so there is no guarantee what is on it came from the factory correct?

[hemi68charger]

Mr. Dave posted this on my Facebook of a page of the 1969 Car Craft magazine article on the new Charger 500, a manual and auto. Not sure pair this is, but I noticed that one of them apparently didn't have a quality control check prior to release. The car has a steering wheel horn button slated for a Plymouth.. Notice the horn button center.. 😀

[nascarxx29]

About 5 page road test

[Mytur Binsdirti]

You've had all weekend to start tearing this car apart and instead of progress pictures, we get pictures of a magazine?

I speak for almost everybody here when I say that we are all sorely disappointed. 

[hemi68charger]

You've had all weekend to start tearing this car apart and instead of progress pictures, we get pictures of a magazine?

...

I was in Corpus Christi volunteering in an academic challenge for children from throughout the State of Texas and that took priority this weekend and I had some good family bonding.. There is more to life than JUST Mopars I dare say.    OH dang !!! Did I just say that?  

In all seriousness, I have had a very busy March (of which many days incorporated a LONG 2300 mile 2.5 day trip to get the thing). Waiting on Hot Rod to see if they want to do an article on it before I clear all that dust off of it and start rolling my sleeves up and getting my steel-toe boots on.......

But, I have started acquiring NOS and better parts for Operation Charger 500 resto.......  So, the time hasn't been wasted... Secured NOS HEMI badges from my Aero buddy Wayne ( thanks Wayne ) !!!  Had another offer, but it was a single side... Also securing the original broadcast sheet....... I have a copy thanks to my old ole pal Danny..

[Mytur Binsdirti]

Excuses, excuses. 

[C500]

Great to now have the broadcast sheet  . This is one build I can't wait to see pics as you go.  I can't get to my 500 too well to get some Polara wheel cover pics sorry, need to have a serious garage clear-out first

[hemi68charger]

Great to now have the broadcast sheet  ...

Spoke with Diane today at GTS (Galen's place), had it nice and secure all these years and it will be coming home to mate up with it's original car. Weird to think that part of my car #5 is actuall part of #1, my back seat cushion.. 

Good day today in terms of Mopar here..

[hemi68charger]

Operation Resto.;
Well, it begins.. Lol
Just got my NOS HEMI badges for the ole C500 today.. Thanks Wayne !!!!  Looks good covering those three holes in the door. You can tell they are NOS, the pins fit into the holes of the door perfectly.... 

[odcics2]

Put on a grubby pair for the Hot Rod shoot...      

Any remains of broken glass found in the trunk or rear seat area?
Any sealer around the original rear window?

Just trying to figure out if the car was built as an R/T then converted, or as a 500 from the start, being an early build.

As was pointed out previously, it does have the vacuum lines. But were they added along someplace in the cars life because someone thought
they should be there and were missing??   Heck, the dealer could have added them?  (MoPar World - never say never)
Or maybe they didn't have the correct light switch handy?   

I was told the Hot Rod article with the 3 500s in the November 1968 issue was shot in June, maybe July of 1968. All about lead times.
Was Creative involved way ahead of production for a few Press cars that early?

Interesting stuff.   
 

[hemi68charger]

Put on a grubby pair for the Hot Rod shoot...      

Any remains of broken glass found in the trunk or rear seat area?
Any sealer around the original rear window?

Just trying to figure out if the car was built as an R/T then converted, or as a 500 from the start, being an early build.

As was pointed out previously, it does have the vacuum lines. But were they added along someplace in the cars life because someone thought
they should be there and were missing??   Heck, the dealer could have added them?  (MoPar World - never say never)
Or maybe they didn't have the correct light switch handy?   

I was told the Hot Rod article with the 3 500s in the November 1968 issue was shot in June, maybe July of 1968. All about lead times.
Was Creative involved way ahead of production for a few Press cars that early?

Interesting stuff.   
 

1. Don't have a grubby pair of Hemi badges just laying around.. Maybe you have a set you can send me? 

2. Haven't poked behind the rear seat yet. With the previous owner, the glass could have been vacuumed out. But, will look nonetheless.

3. I have owned 4 C500s and everyone had the vacuum lines installed. 2 the vacuum lines were cut about 2 inches away from the grommet seal in the firewall and this one and another had the lines all the way to the front by/under the battery tray. Based on the HOT ROD magazine article with the picture of the engine compartment, it is clearly seen that the vacuum lines are still in their standard Charger positions along the inner fender panel. There is no reason to think the lines in my car were installed after-the-fact. The vacuum can in my car is still present. Too bad a past owner cut a hole in the firewall grommet so a wire could pass through ( probably for a tachometer ).... Guess I'll have to start looking for one of those unless I have some in a stash in the attic.

[hemigeno]

Just trying to figure out if the car was built as an R/T then converted, or as a 500 from the start, being an early build.

It was purpose-built as a C500 from the start; you can tell that by the designated 925xxx SO number and A11 sales code.  From Chrysler's perspective, it was never a Charger R/T, nor were any of the other Charger aero cars... with only one currently-known exception.  The Hamtramck-installed Fender Tag remained on C500's/Daytonas through the conversion process and was never replaced - even on the 287970 Reeker Daytona which WAS completely built as a Charger R/T and later converted to a Daytona.  That car has a replacement XX29 dash VIN tag, but sports its pre-conversion R/T (XS29) fender tag.

IMHO, finding broken glass wouldn't shed much light on anything other than knowing Creative took a shortcut with that particular car.

[odcics2]

To clarify, being built with a standard backlight and glass, then removed for the fastback install...
Rather than the plug in at Day 1, with a rear glass never installed.

[odcics2]

Put on a grubby pair for the Hot Rod shoot...      

Any remains of broken glass found in the trunk or rear seat area?
Any sealer around the original rear window?

Just trying to figure out if the car was built as an R/T then converted, or as a 500 from the start, being an early build.

As was pointed out previously, it does have the vacuum lines. But were they added along someplace in the cars life because someone thought
they should be there and were missing??   Heck, the dealer could have added them?  (MoPar World - never say never)
Or maybe they didn't have the correct light switch handy?   

I was told the Hot Rod article with the 3 500s in the November 1968 issue was shot in June, maybe July of 1968. All about lead times.
Was Creative involved way ahead of production for a few Press cars that early?

Interesting stuff.   
 

1. Don't have a grubby pair of Hemi badges just laying around.. Maybe you have a set you can send me? 

I'd give you a pair if I had them...   

[nascarxx29]

In the case of the Dale Reeker car they switched a 69 rt xs dash vin out for a xx29l9b287970.Would this have happened on the first few test 500s.And when program was over I found car ad for east Cleveland dodge selling research vehicle.Did these 500 s originate from a regular dealer 500 listed car .Or from as the Daytona dodge executive garage supplies cars for conversion

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,76676.0.html

[hemigeno]

To clarify, being built with a standard backlight and glass, then removed for the fastback install...
Rather than the plug in at Day 1, with a rear glass never installed.

To clarify also...      While I have an opinion about the likely answer, the best only way to answer your question is what's on the car itself. 

The last time I saw this car in person, it had a tarp / cover over the backlite so I did not get any decent photos of the whole plug or behind the plug from the outside.  I only took a few photos of the interior, and none of the backlite area (and I don't recall if the headliner was still in place then or not).  I DID snap a few photos of the trunk, and I can tell that the window plug was cut into the existing trunk driprail area post-Hamtramck just like I've observed often on other aerocars, with quite a bit of rust visible on the underside of the area where that backlite plug cut-in was made, as expected.  I can also barely make out (due to the flash & shadows) R4 Red on the inner surface of the sail panel area, which mirrors what we would "expect" to see on a normal Creative Industries conversion.  There's no reason to expect anything other than evidence that the backlite was installed at Hamtramck and removed by C.I.  Personally, I wouldn't focus as much on looking for broken glass as I would the presence or absence of sealant on the original Charger backlite mounting surface.  Myself, I expect Troy to find sealant as well as rear window trim clips... but that's certainly not to say he will.

[Highbanked Hauler]

 I have owned 4 C500s and everyone had the vacuum lines installed. 2 the vacuum lines were cut about 2 inches away from the grommet seal in the firewall and this one and another had the lines all the way to the front by/under the battery tray. Based on the HOT ROD magazine article with the picture of the engine compartment, it is clearly seen that the vacuum lines are still in their standard Charger positions along the inner fender panel. There is no reason to think the lines in my car were installed after-the-fact. The vacuum can in my car is still present. Too bad a past owner cut a hole in the firewall grommet so a wire could pass through ( probably for a tachometer ).... Guess I'll have to start looking for one of those unless I have some in a stash in the attic.

   Troy, which 500 had the vacume lines to the radiator support as thats where mine were cut ?

[Dragon Slayer]

Just trying to figure out if the car was built as an R/T then converted, or as a 500 from the start, being an early build.

It was purpose-built as a C500 from the start; you can tell that by the designated 925xxx SO number and A11 sales code.  From Chrysler's perspective, it was never a Charger R/T, nor were any of the other Charger aero cars... with only one currently-known exception.  The Hamtramck-installed Fender Tag remained on C500's/Daytonas through the conversion process and was never replaced - even on the 287970 Reeker Daytona which WAS completely built as a Charger R/T and later converted to a Daytona.  That car has a replacement XX29 dash VIN tag, but sports its pre-conversion R/T (XS29) fender tag.

IMHO, finding broken glass wouldn't shed much light on anything other than knowing Creative took a shortcut with that particular car.

I guess the definition of purpose build matters.  I thought the poster implied a car hand built at Chrysler factory to be the pilto/demo car, vice a RT that was converted (by designated design):-).  I understand that they where designated to be C500.  From a slightly more modern perspective, it is amazing to me what was wasted building one.  Even if some parts recouped from creative.  Late 68 and 69 money matters (expense).  I would have thought that Chrysler would not want to waste production line parts being installed onto a car, only to have them removed some times with a hammer to convert the car?  Why install rear window, why install front light assembly if it would not be needed.  Factory worker could distinguish between a Charger, RT, RT/SE and a coronet.  Why wasn't it assembled down the line as a C500.  Leaving creative to do the body work only?

The other thing that seems interesting is it would make sense to have creative involved early.  So I would have thought they would do the pilot cars.  But I do not know, just a perspective from a modern time.  No way a manufacture of anything would waste that many parts and labor on a production line today.  Pay parts and labor to install stuff, then pay labor and loose parts to remove it and install different parts.  

[Highbanked Hauler]

  I wonder if these cars were already done and in the lot ready to go and someone just picked cars that didn't have a stripe as they were in a hurry to get them done ?

[nascarxx29]

 
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,41072.0/all.html

[nascarxx29]

68 charger door lock push button more towards the back and later 69 moved up

[hemi68charger]

68 charger door lock push button more towards the back and later 69 moved up

Isn't that the '68 mule C500? if so, that would explain the door lock buttons..

....
   Troy, which 500 had the vacume lines to the radiator support as thats where mine were cut ?

Al, the current #5 has it this way and my 2nd one if I recall.. Dana, my first one, and the last T5 where cut at the firewall.

[nascarxx29]

  XS29J8B360711 69 doors