500 headlight/grille set up

[dads_69]

I've not seen anyone make a 500 clone yet. How different is the grille set up vs. a regular charger set up? Do you need the same frame from  a '69 charger or what is needed? I understand the '68 dodge grille is used, from another dodge, which I've seen plenty for sale. How are the headlights stationed is my question also. Please post photos if possible also.
Mark

[nascarxx29]

My friend has a 69 500 .From what I can remember is its a 68 coronet grille .But mods were to how it was mounted . Spacers were double stacked and taped together to push the grille out more.And the hood latch handle was extended

[hemi68charger]

The guys over at Dayclona make the C500 specific parts... The brackets and special fender fillers............

Charger 500 Grille Kit

Troy

[PocketThunder]

Here is a good picture.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,8550.msg102434.html#msg102434

[daytonalo]

Piece of cake , compared to a daytona , as as mentioned you only use a coronet grille .

[dads_69]

I'm guessing that the headlights are then moved forward from the brackets in the kit from Dayclona then correct? If not, what is used, old headlight brackets from '68 Coronet? I'm thinking of cheating right now and making a 500 clone till I get all my Daytona parts.
Thanks for the info. guys. Any chance you have a photo w/the grille out of the car to see everything better on how it is fitted?
Mark

[hemi68charger]

I'm guessing that the headlights are then moved forward from the brackets in the kit from Dayclona then correct? If not, what is used, old headlight brackets from '68 Coronet? I'm thinking of cheating right now and making a 500 clone till I get all my Daytona parts.
Thanks for the info. guys. Any chance you have a photo w/the grille out of the car to see everything better on how it is fitted?
Mark

Mark,
The original Charger headlamp buckets are still in the car.. I have some detailed pictures of my C500 with the grille partially disassembled for such questions..  I'll forward them here once I get home........

Troy

[nascarxx29]

Im not sure if they moved the light mounting brackets.But they did use those 2 filler pieces along the headlights

[fastmark]

I bought one several years ago at the nats. It is up on the wall and I can't get to it right now. From what I remember it has the standard Charger grill frame plus some extra headlight buckest welded on to those to bring th egrill forward. It also has some fillers to go around the ends of the grill between the fenders and finally some little braces to mount the grill flush with the hood.

[69_500]

I believe that they drilled 6 or 8 holes to mount the grille forward of where the standard 69 grille would be.

[hemi68charger]

some pics..

[dads_69]

Troy, thanks for the photos. I see the brackets sold by Dayclona are what is needed to displace the factory headlight buckets from the frame to move ahead making it flush. Thanks again for your help with info.
Mark

[THE CHARGER PUNK]

sorry for kinda hi-jackin thread here, but i read an article in i think mopar action or muscle that stated that some late production 68 hemi chargers came with the 68 coronet/69 c500 grille, can anyone confirm this??

[Ghoste]

No.  Do you know what issue and magazine because I don't recall ever seeing that claim before.  The prototype Charger 500 was developed off of a 68 model and that car is still around so maybe that is where that rumour got started?

[hemi68charger]

sorry for kinda hi-jackin thread here, but i read an article in i think mopar action or muscle that stated that some late production 68 hemi chargers came with the 68 coronet/69 c500 grille, can anyone confirm this??

Never heard of that... Only one C500 had '68 sheetmetal, and it's the one that still exists.. Now, of course, that car started life as a Charger R/Tbefore it's conversion. Now, the fender tag may reference XS29J8................

Troy

[dads_69]

I believe its a red charger w/lots of chrome underneath up front if I'm not mistaken. I have it in an old magazine as well. Its also on the cover of another I have. I was puzzled about that car for a long time till I heard what was up with it years ago. I did find a '68 charger here that has SE emblems on the roof w/a electric ash tray and power windows. Doesn't say R/T on it either. 383 car auto. If I can find the photos of it I'll post them later today.
Mark

[hemigeno]

I believe its a red charger w/lots of chrome underneath up front if I'm not mistaken. I have it in an old magazine as well. Its also on the cover of another I have. I was puzzled about that car for a long time till I heard what was up with it years ago.

Mark,

There are pictures and details of the '68 prototype C500 in this thread:

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,4205.0.html

I did find a '68 charger here that has SE emblems on the roof w/a electric ash tray and power windows. Doesn't say R/T on it either. 383 car auto. If I can find the photos of it I'll post them later today.

While I don't doubt that you saw a '68 Charger that was wearing SE emblems, I also don't believe they were factory-installed emblems.  There wasn't such a thing as a 1968 Charger SE, as the SE Decor Group was introduced as new for 1969.  I would be very skeptical about any claims that a car came that way from the factory.

That said, I am not sure what an electric ash tray would look like and how it would function - I'd be curious to see the pictures just for that reason alone!

[dads_69]

I agree w/it being a fake SE for '68. He has a '69 charger *parts car* in his yard also. I mean it is gutted. It might have been an SE in the beginning of its life, hard to tell now, its that bad. The ash tray is weird, I seen him use it a long time ago, he said its a rare option, I just sort of said okay, yeah, he pushed a button on the dash and it slide down very slowly. Its a cool '68 though. Its a factory GG1 car. The vin tag was there in the engine bay I seen the paint code but didn't take down any other info. If I can, I'll get more info. out of the guy next time I see him about his cars. To freakin' cold out right now to do anything, -10 or so and not getting any warmer anytime soon.
Mark

[nascarxx29]

Is this that 68 your refering GHOSTE

[THE CHARGER PUNK]

the mag i stated that said that late 68 hemi chargers came with c500 grilles was said in article that featured a sublime 68 hemi charger with a pistol grip 5-spd, i think it was in Super rod-MATT

[Ghoste]

I think they need to fire their fact checker.

[nascarxx29]

heres some more 69 500 front end pictures

[69_500]

Hey Dave, there is 2 pieces missing from that blue 500. The molding over to the fender. What happened to it?

Don't think I recognize that 500 though, that is a side note however.

[nascarxx29]

Those filler pieces are somewhere.I asked about that

[dads_69]

Thanks for the close up shots Dave. There was a '69 500 like that when I was in high school. Got wrecked, guy put a '68 charger front clip on it, painted it white then tried to sell it for 4 grand. Nobody looked at it twice, not even me. Last I heard, it was in Nevada somewhere. The 500 thats in a wrecking yard here though, well lets just say that picture a shell missing everything including the roof and quarter panels, yeah, pretty much dead. But still there cause the ground won't release it is my guess.
Mark

[69_500]

Any chance on getting any numbers off of that car in Nevada?

[nascarxx29]

The blue 69 500 with AC sold brand new in MO.But was bought in NJ

[dads_69]

Any chance on getting any numbers off of that car in Nevada?

I haven't seen that car since 1994. I have no idea what the number would be for the car. I was in touch with the guys cousin till he moved to Arizona a while back. The guy who owned the '69 500 was Dean Gross. I bought a '72 Swinger from him also here years ago. I tuned that car into a 340 clone also. Heres the Dart when I sold it minus motor/trani'.
Mark

[69_500]

Ah I thought that you were meaning that it was currently there in Nevada. My mistake.

Dave, I would love to talk to your buddy about his car as well. Not too many A/C 500's around, last time I went through my numbers I had 20.

[Highbanked Hauler]

some pics..

If you carve up a set of 68 Coronet fenders you can remove the pieces needed to mount the headlights in a 500. It is a large piece that is welded in many places.Once you get it out of the fender it will need major trimming and a vertical bracket made.I did a set for spares. If i live long enough and the housing market comes back up I will get the 500 stock car clone done.