My charger.....to restore or not to restore.

[moparsons]

  I have a dilemma here.... I have a 69 charger (my dream car). That needs A LOT. It has no front clip, no interior, no drive train. It also has rusty floors, trunk floor, and quarters. I do have access to some 68 parts to use. My problem is, it has no vin or title. I've thought about going ahead with it and using a different vin(as in 68 parts car or finding a 69 parts car), but I'm not sure I wanna dump a bunch of money in an illegal, bastardized charger. I'm on a very tight budget, so it's hard to tell if I can ever afford another 69.
    What are your  opinions on what I should do??

[dpm68]

Post pics, for one. Also, mine is not anywhere near running condition (it is in rusted condition though) and needs a lot as well, but this is something I am dedicated to on restoring, as a 68 R/T is MY dream car, and I have it. Save your money, don't go to the show, and start amassing parts. You can't realize your dream unless you make it happen. -dm

[69bronzeT5]

Well my car had no interior, no front clip and rusty quarters and trunk floor and its going through a full resto right now so Id say yes, restore your car BUT the fact that it has no vin or title could be abit risky and it could just be a waste of your time and money restoring it.

[PocketThunder]

Post pictures of it.  and then either sell it on ebay and get a second job and save up till you can buy another one or keep it in storage and save up till you can buy a car that you can use this one for parts.   With no vin tag you will have to have the state asign one to it. 

[69bronzeT5]

Well if you got the fender tag, wont it be easier for the state to assign one?

[Mike DC]

 
If you know that car hasn't been stolen at some point and you're not relying on the VIN for the car's value (matching numbers, etc), then don't worry about the VIN issue.
 
You can probably get the issue sorted out as long as you're willing to throw some money at it.  A few hundred is probably all it would ever take to get another VIN onto it.  Nobody LIKES paying the state extra money just for a car's serial number, but these cars take so much money to mess with that a few hundreds dollars shouldn't be making or breaking the whole project.  If you're THAT tight for the whole project, then IMHO you just can't afford to build any Charger right now. 

If the car has a solid frame then don't junk it or pass it up over a VIN issue.

 

[terrible one]

Another idea would be making a drag car since you have no VIN and stuff. Get some glass fenders, etc.

[moparsons]

I do know that the car isn't stolen. In fact, I know where the vin tag is. It's running around on a 68 converted into a General Lee. The guy even cut off the vin on the trunk lip. I'm not building it to sell, and I'm not going to make a serious show car or anything, just a nice driver. I'm just afraid that it'll always bug me or that it will somehow bite me in the arse.

[69bronzeT5]

I do know that the car isn't stolen. In fact, I know where the vin tag is. It's running around on a 68 converted into a General Lee. The guy even cut off the vin on the trunk lip. I'm not building it to sell, and I'm not going to make a serious show car or anything, just a nice driver. I'm just afraid that it'll always bug me or that it will somehow bite me in the arse.

Well if you know where it is, go find the guy and when hes not looking (for a long amount of time), take it back

[moparsons]

It's the guy I bought it from. When I first looked to buy it, The vin was on it. Then in the middle of the deal, he decided to rob it. I probly should have passed on the car then, But my dream of owning a 69 got the better of me.

By the way, anyone got a cheap 69 parts car?

[69bronzeT5]

I gotta question involving missing vin tags, fender tags, titles etc. My 69 has the vin tag and fender tag but we dont have a title for it. Its not registered in the last owner's name as he just bought it and took parts off of it and then was planning on sending it to the scraper but its registered in the 2nd owner's name still and we have talked to the 2nd owner. Is it gonna be hard to get a title for the car? Drache, maybe you can help me out with my question more since you live in BC too.

[69bronzeT5]

By the way, anyone got a cheap 69 parts car?

I wish I had a 69 parts car but I dont . Check out your local craigslists, Ebay, maybe the Cars For Sale section on here.

[Charger1973]

I gotta question involving missing vin tags, fender tags, titles etc. My 69 has the vin tag and fender tag but we dont have a title for it. Its not registered in the last owner's name as he just bought it and took parts off of it and then was planning on sending it to the scraper but its registered in the 2nd owner's name still and we have talked to the 2nd owner. Is it gonna be hard to get a title for the car? Drache, maybe you can help me out with my question more since you live in BC too.

If you can get that guy to go down and get a duplicate title, you should go that route.  Pay the document fee and some extra for his time and his gas or even drive him and buy lunch. Either way, it will be well worth it to you if you can get it this way.  The other options suck, and will take alot longer and cost you alot more.

[69bronzeT5]

I gotta question involving missing vin tags, fender tags, titles etc. My 69 has the vin tag and fender tag but we dont have a title for it. Its not registered in the last owner's name as he just bought it and took parts off of it and then was planning on sending it to the scraper but its registered in the 2nd owner's name still and we have talked to the 2nd owner. Is it gonna be hard to get a title for the car? Drache, maybe you can help me out with my question more since you live in BC too.

If you can get that guy to go down and get a duplicate title, you should go that route.  Pay the document fee and some extra for his time and his gas or even drive him and buy lunch. Either way, it will be well worth it to you if you can get it this way.  The other options suck, and will take alot longer and cost you alot more.

Ok Thanks!!!!!! One thing I wish I had for my car though would be the buildsheet. We searched the whole car but nothing. When we got it, only the back seat was in the car and the front seats were sitting in the guys garage so we think the last owner either threw it out or took it for his car when he stripped mine. And also, apperentley the 2nd owner has pics of the car back in the 80s

[moparsons]

Any more opinions???

[IowaCharger69]

I think we really need pics to say.

[Dave22443]

Personally, I think if your missing the entire front clip, all of the interior, and you have no drive train and no title, compounded by the fact that you have no VIN and the serial number was cut out of the trunk...  I hate to say it, but, what you have there is a race car at best, or a parts car at worse.

My advice?  Sell it on eBay. 

[Ghoste]

I agree, it sounds like you bought someone else's parts car... after he removed all the parts.

[NHCharger]

I agree, it sounds like you bought someone else's parts car... after he removed all the parts.

Have you priced out all the parts needed to restore the car? Can you do all the labor yourself? And your on a tight budget.
The words "tight budget" and "restoring a Mopar"  don't go together. If you have to have a 69 I would sell that parts car and try to find a 69 that's already a "driver". You'll probably spend less money on that than you would buying all the parts for your current car.

[Highbanked Hauler]

I agree, it sounds like you bought someone else's parts car... after he removed all the parts.

Have you priced out all the parts needed to restore the car? Can you do all the labor yourself? And your on a tight budget.
The words "tight budget" and "restoring a Mopar"  don't go together. If you have to have a 69 I would sell that parts car and try to find a 69 that's already a "driver". You'll probably spend less money on that than you would buying all the parts for your current car.

  Sounds like you will need every aftermarket piece made and a lot that aren't.

[moparsons]

Thanks guys, that's pretty much what I was thinking. It's just frustrating cause it'll probly be a loooong time before I can get another charger. I may have to just get something a little cheaper to tinker on and drive till I can afford one.

[69bronzeT5]

I agree, it sounds like you bought someone else's parts car... after he removed all the parts.

Yea my car was a parts car. The guy took the grille, door panels, windshield trim, front fenders and that was about it and then left it for dead. We got it and so far, its cost us 4,000+ to get mostly all the parts for it (With the exception of carpet, headliner, floor pans, misc. engine stuff, windshield, bottom door panels). AND we done some of the body work but that 4,000+ we've spent dosent include paint, floor pans, body work etc.

[Leonidas Rex]

I gotta question involving missing vin tags, fender tags, titles etc. My 69 has the vin tag and fender tag but we dont have a title for it. Its not registered in the last owner's name as he just bought it and took parts off of it and then was planning on sending it to the scraper but its registered in the 2nd owner's name still and we have talked to the 2nd owner. Is it gonna be hard to get a title for the car? Drache, maybe you can help me out with my question more since you live in BC too.

If you can get that guy to go down and get a duplicate title, you should go that route.  Pay the document fee and some extra for his time and his gas or even drive him and buy lunch. Either way, it will be well worth it to you if you can get it this way.  The other options suck, and will take alot longer and cost you alot more.

Ok Thanks!!!!!! One thing I wish I had for my car though would be the buildsheet. We searched the whole car but nothing. When we got it, only the back seat was in the car and the front seats were sitting in the guys garage so we think the last owner either threw it out or took it for his car when he stripped mine. And also, apperentley the 2nd owner has pics of the car back in the 80s

It also depends on what state you are in. If you live in one of the many states that do not require a title prior to a certain year, like 1985, you can get a duplicate title on your own with a Bill of Sale. I have had to do it at least twice now with my 1967 Coronet RT and  a 1968 Ford Mustang Coupe J Code. I know Alabama is one of those states. In Illinois, as long as you have the major pieces to the puzzle, you can have the State or a law enforcement official attest to the originality of the car and the sta=te will issue you a rebuilt car VIN number. If you can get a letter from a law enforcement official, there are 2 places in the country that can and will stamp you a new reproduction VIN plate that looks exactly like the original. I did my research and spoke with the Illinis State Police and verified it with both die stamp companies. If you want to do it bad enough, it is possible. Just alot of research will be involved.

[JR]

By the way, anyone got a cheap 69 parts car?

I'm not trying to be an ass here, but there is no such thing anymore. I've been broke as hell the last year trying to balance a restoration between house payments, new car payments, girlfriend, social life, career, etc.

You are better off saving your money for a better car. I'm doing 99 percent of my own work and I can barely afford it, actually, I can't afford it. It's just been a lifelong dream to have this car and if I have to eat peanut butter sandwiches for a couple of years to pay for it then so be it.

Just be warned, there is NO cheap restoration, and there are NO cheap Chargers left.

As I type this i'm wondering how I'll take the gf out tonight and pay my bills this week. But on the plus side, my rods and pistons are almost out of the machine shop.

[Ghoste]

Just be warned, there is NO cheap restoration, and there are NO cheap Chargers left.

Maybe not NO, but extremely damned near NO.

[70charger_boy]

If you are on a tight budget there is no way you're going to get discouraged.  There is no way you can get this running for under $20,000 thats if you do most of the work.  Fenders,hood, interior and moldings will kill you financially and the prices will keep going up.  Sell and save up for 5 years to get a good runner

[69bronzeT5]

By the way, anyone got a cheap 69 parts car?

I'm not trying to be an ass here, but there is no such thing anymore.

  , we paid $400 for my 69 back in very late 1998. A few years later, we tried buying a 68 Charger that was sitting down the road from our old house in this guy's yard. The guy wanted $2500 for it and it was more rotten than mine. And that was back in 2001 when we tried buying it. NOW, its STILL sitting in his yard!!! Its good though that he moved it off the grass onto a gravel area and tarped it. But my dad still wants to get it when the 69 gets finished.

[Ghoste]

It's too bad he couldn't get it now and keep it out of the elements until the 69 is done.  Slow the destruction a bit.