Just got my Rusted/Trash to my house from sitting at the in-laws

[AirborneSilva]

I finally got my Charger home, now I'm kinda overwhelmed and don't know where to start on it.  As some of you know it is a hell of a mess and that I took a good screwing on it from HLPAG.  Some folks did offer up some parts to help me out, so if the offer is still good lets talk guys I can use all the material, moral, adviseral or any other help I can get - this is going to be a long road (no pun intended), with getting this car back on the road.

Chris, you will be happy to know that I finally got around to registering it on the 69 registry too - sorry it took me so long to do that.

[terrible one]

I think you should start with the back...cut out what you plan to replace, and start with the framerail replacement, then do the trunk and quarters and tail panel, etc. Just my two cents.

[AirborneSilva]

Thanks Terrible, yeah that's kinda what I was thinking too.  The wife was suppose to give me some money from her retirement but good ole uncle sam took a heck of a lot more then we thought so I'll have to wait until I can buy the frame rails and a few other parts.  After looking at it today I'm a little confused as to where to even start with that, I mean it seems as though the whole floor area, or damn near, from the fire wall to the trunk area (what's left of the trunk area), needs to be replaced, or should be replaced.

[4402tuff4u]

I would suggest wait until you get the replacement parts before you start cutting. It might save you from patching in some work. I would start removing parts that you can restore and re-install; i.e brackets, hardware, etc.... All the parts you remove tag them where they go and zip lock bag them if small enough. Take photo's and notes for future reference - photo's will save your hair on your head and your sanity!

[Silver R/T]

post some pics man

[terrible one]

post some pics man

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,3692.0.html

[AirborneSilva]

I pulled everything that was in the interior out and took some pictures of the MAJOR rust there as well and will post pics in a bit...

[RallyeMike]

Wow. I'm not sure If I should admire your tenacity or question your sanity !

I say start by cutting out all the rust and then ask yourself if you want to continue. At that point you won't have much invested and can still part it out.

The question that comes to my mind is that when a car that rusted is restored, and later sold, should the seller disclose just how much work had to be done to save it? It's not much different that saving a totalled wreck, and there are salvage title laws to protect and inform buyers for that situation. Kind of an interesting ethics issue. If I was thinking about buying this car years from now when it's done I'd sure want to know.

[AirborneSilva]

RalleyMike,  I think that perhaps you should question my sanity.  I believed and took at face value the description of the charger that I bought off of e-bay and ultimately off of HLPAG.  I do have more into this car then I care to say so I feel that I have no recourse but to save it, I can not afford to just write it off (cause I have no money to get another), and parting it out would not get me much at all I'm afraid.

Here are a few more pictures, of the inside, that are not on the link that terrible one posted for me;

[ChgrSteve67]

I would disassemble the entire car, get her media blasted and take inventory on what you are going to need in the sheet metal department.

Before you cut anything out I wiould weld in some support braces so the body dosent twist or colapse.

Once you really know what you have sit down and decide what its really worth before you start down the road of rebuilding this car.

I know you have already put a lot into her but honestly the amount of money you are going to spend in body work alone you could probably buy two or three cars in much better shape.

However what ever you decide Silva we are with you.

-SS

[Mikesmopars01]

I think everyone here is going to say the samething.  Get the car media blasted first.  See for sure what is good and what is bad.  It will save a lot in the long run.  Once you see what needs to go, you can then order the sheetmetal parts you will need.

Good Luck with this project.

[AirborneSilva]

I hear what you're saying Steve but I'm afraid that the only way I would be able to afford another Charger is to make payments on one and the wife and I are pretty strapped as it is, long story but we went from making over 100K per year to right now making about 36K per year and have house and 2 jeep payments to make, so......  I had gotten the money to buy this one from the sale of our house when we moved from hawaii to arizona, we made a descent profit on it so the wife and I gave ourselves a few thousand to spend any way we want as a reward for all of our hard work, well mine went for the charger, hers went to jewlerly (I think she was smarter!), so now what money I can put into the car is just a little here and a little there.  When I bought the car, from the description, I thought that just putting in a little here and a little there (with me doing all the work), I would have it on the road and in tip top shape inside of 3 years no problem, now I don't see it taking any less then 7 or 8.  

Anyway, thanks for the tip on welding in support pieces.  I had thought about blasting it but trying to do it myself to save as much money as I can, but then I'd also have to buy the equipment so I was debating which way to go - have it done or do it myself...  I do appreciate all the help and support I have gotten from this board, like a couple of my jeep forums, a great bunch of folks!

[AirborneSilva]

I think everyone here is going to say the samething.  Get the car media blasted first.  See for sure what is good and what is bad.  It will save a lot in the long run.  Once you see what needs to go, you can then order the sheetmetal parts you will need.

Good Luck with this project.

Thank you Mike, yeah I think I will look into what it would cost and if I can find someone around here to do it...

[Charger Aficionado]

  I'll get those Rockers cut. PM me your address.
  I forgot how bad those framerails are...

  I've seen NO TITLE Charger shells sell for a few hundred bucks before...  What state do you live in?

  BY-GOD, get that car done!  I would love to see it restored!

  I'll see if Steve at PPR will majorly discount a New Grille for your car too! 

  Guys, as a group I know we know people, and have spare parts...  Let's get together and help this guy put this car together.  Our "Spares" would cost him a FORTUNE to round-up on eBay.  If you Love Chargers (Like I know you do), let's not let this '69 R/T go to waste...  I've ssen so many (even in better condition), just rot away.  We all bitch when we see it...  This guy has the WANT to do this car, and sounds determined.

 

[RallyeMike]

Maybe your wife will have pity on you and decide to hawk some of that jewelry she bought with her 1/2 of the house money ?! 

Sounds like you are pretty well commmitted to doing the job. If you complete it, it will certainly be an accomplishment to be recognized. At least being in AZ you should have better access to local rust-free sheet metal. It looks to me that by the time you get into it, there is going to be some sheet that you need that can't be bought new. That means parts cars or fabrication. There is an old-school junkyard in ID that I will be driving past tomorrow that has two 69's at the bottom of stacks. I will try and get the name for you.

Having gotten away from 2nd gen cars, I can't help you out with anything but support myself, so  "Go get-em, tiger !".

[AirborneSilva]

  I'll get those Rockers cut. PM me your address.
  I forgot how bad those framerails are...

  I've seen NO TITLE Charger shells sell for a few hundred bucks before...  What state do you live in?

  BY-GOD, get that car done!  I would love to see it restored!

  I'll see if Steve at PPR will majorly discount a New Grille for your car too! 

  Guys, as a group I know we know people, and have spare parts...  Let's get together and help this guy put this car together.  Our "Spares" would cost him a FORTUNE to round-up on eBay.  If you Love Chargers (Like I know you do), let's not let this '69 R/T go to waste...  I've ssen so many (even in better condition), just rot away.  We all bitch when we see it...  This guy has the WANT to do this car, and sounds determined.

 

PM Sent.

I live in Southern Arizona and if I could get a hold of a parts Charger for a few hundred bucks that would be awesome on more fronts then one.  In removing the parts to put on my R/T I would be learning so it would help me to do a better job of actually putting the part on, and well the obvious would be that I would have the part and at an affordable price.  I had heard of a guy around here who had a 68 car that he wanted to sale for parts but he wanted $2500 for it which is way out of reach and I couldn't even use all the parts that I need off of it.

Thank you VERY much for all that you are doing and that you have done, it does mean a lot to me that there are people in the Charger community that are willing to help out fellow charger owners.  I am also in the jeeping community and I try to help out jeepers where I can, I have installed many lift kits for guys who don't have the knowledge or tools and the only thing I ask is for their spare parts so I can pass them on to other jeepers who may need them, I was even able to give a lift kit to a friend in hawaii that had a family and was not able to purchase one, it was only a small "budget boost" but it sure helped him out from dragging the bottom all the time....

[AirborneSilva]

Maybe your wife will have pity on you and decide to hawk some of that jewelry she bought with her 1/2 of the house money ?! 

Sounds like you are pretty well commmitted to doing the job. If you complete it, it will certainly be an accomplishment to be recognized. At least being in AZ you should have better access to local rust-free sheet metal. It looks to me that by the time you get into it, there is going to be some sheet that you need that can't be bought new. That means parts cars or fabrication. There is an old-school junkyard in ID that I will be driving past tomorrow that has two 69's at the bottom of stacks. I will try and get the name for you.

Having gotten away from 2nd gen cars, I can't help you out with anything but support myself, so  "Go get-em, tiger !".

I'd have to pry her jewelry from her cold dead hands 

Yeah I do believe that I am committed (and perhaps should be committed), to getting this Charger back on the road.  If I could find a parts car here real fairly soon I believe I could talk the wife into letting me get it (she has a bit of money coming in from her forced retirement), and that would be ideal. 

What part of ID do you live in?  I lived in Twin Falls for a few years, my parents owned a dairy up there in the early 80's.

Thanks for the positive moral support.

[SeattleCharger]

 

[RallyeMike]

Just passing through ID on my way to the races.... I live in the Seattle area, but I stop off at junk yards on the way when I have time.

[4402tuff4u]

Hey AirborneSilva, you mentioned that you live in AZ. This past April I was in your neck of the woods visiting my mother and was able to sneak for a few hours into Desert Valley Parts up north of Phoenix off route 101. You might want to check them out and see if you can buy one of those Chargers I photographed. Let me tell you, they were solid, solid as they come!! It would'nt hurt to call them or even better yet stop buy and see what they got. They are kind of pricey, but who knows you might luck out. If you do buy one, makesure you throw inside everything you can find laying around!!! Lots of small screws, bolts, trim, etc..............Good luck bud!

[AirborneSilva]

I've never been to or even through Seattle, the wife used to live close by there and has told me it is beautiful....

[Mikesmopars01]

That might be the route to go.  Get the frame rails from one of those cars, that way your have a good starting point.

[AirborneSilva]

Yeah I have thought of those guys, they are about 3 1/2 hours north of me.  4402tuff4u, when you say pricey, how pricey?  I think I can talk the wife into a few hundred, a little under $1,000 but anything over that and I'd have a fight, litterally 

[Mikesmopars01]

Duck and weave!!  Stay in there!!

Look Out!!!


Just kidding.

They might not want that much for some frame rails, maybe the whole car.  Doesn't hurt to call them.

[AirborneSilva]

Duck and weave!!  Stay in there!!

Look Out!!!


Just kidding.

They might not want that much for some frame rails, maybe the whole car.  Doesn't hurt to call them.

LOL she's a brown belt and I'm just a blue belt so I'll have to do some fancy foot work 

I will go look at their web page, I think I have it book marked, who knows maybe I will get lucky