Finally pulled the trigger...........redo of my '68

[Joshua]

After years of abuse, I've decided to tear down my Charger.
A little history. I've had the car 20 years and it's been through ALOT. The car was driven to AZ from OR by my grandpa. Then in 1986, the car was driven to Alaska where I was living with my folks. At age 14, I got my permit and drove mom everywhere. Then at 16 I took my driver's test in it, in the snow and ice. Later mom hit a moose with it. (did very little damage). Age 17, I WRECKED the car in early spring. Took out the grill, hood, rad, and driver's fender. That weekend took the car to the high school drags and raced it. Dad was not impressed and threatened to sell the car. Luckily he was in Wa at a new job as our family was on the verge of moving. I drove the car down the Al-Can packed FULL of stuff for the move to Wa.
After settled in to our new place, the grill, hood, fenders got replaced and the car repainted Yellow. I got the car in my name for graduation. When attending community college, I had the Charger for sale but no one would buy it! $6000. (I'm So glad now it didn't) In the following years I continuously made changes to car. Wheels, engine mods, nitrous (for street racing at 2a.m. ), 4-speed conversion etc......
All during this time it was my only car.......later as work paid more, I've bought more cars for driver's and my Charger was my weekend cruiser.
After numerous moves and cars built, this car has been a constant. At this point, I have a couple of nice cars to cruise around on the weekends, so being bored last weekend, I felt it was time to go through the old girl.

The car always looked good, but has a few rust issues. The rear window, trunk, 1/4's and corners are the worst, a little in the doors, and the bumpers aren't the greatest. I plan to strip all the layers of paint, fix all the rust, new bumpers, a few new pieces for the interior, and maybe even a change of wheels.
This will not be a restoration, just a cosmetic refurbish, most of the mechanicals have been gone through throughout the years, and besides, I get grumpy when my Charger ain't drivin'....hahaha.....it's still going to take a year or two, as I don't have much $$$ once bills are paid and kids are fed .....but it's all good.....it's going to be fun!

A few pics as it stands today....

This has been a long time coming!

[69bronzeT5]

Looks good man. Im currentley doing my car....good luck to you! What kinda steering wheel is that?

[6670charger]

Can't open your pics, but good luck.  Sounds like you've been waiting a while. 

[terrible one]

Looks like a good starting point for a full restoration. Good luck! Do you have any pictures from the past? When it was wrecked, etc?

[Joshua]

Looks like a good starting point for a full restoration. Good luck! Do you have any pictures from the past? When it was wrecked, etc?

Yes I do, but I don't have a scanner.....I'll dig through my old pics of the car tonight. May just take digi pics of the old pics and try to post 'em. I have a pic of my Grandma standing next to it when it was still in AZ. Another pic of the damage from the wreck. I remember taking the hood off and jumping on it to get it to close when on the car ........When it was the family car in AK, it was 100% bone-stock original.....original belts, hoses, the works.....but being a kid, that stuff all changed when I got the car....hahaha....although I did save every part I removed....

T5....the wheel is just a 14" Grant GT......my original wheel is cracked and I really don't like the large stock wheels anyway ....

[Charger_Fan]

Looks like a good car.
Are you going to go with yellow again, or some other color this go-round?

[Joshua]

Yellow again. I had repainted the engine compartment with nice paint two years ago when I had the engine out for the 4-speed conversion. And I'm not pulling any running gear out for this redo. Otherwise I think I'd paint it blue, but not a factory blue.....

I may add some gold pearl to the first coats of clear when I do paint it though.....I'll decide when that time comes.

Here are a few old pics of it. One with grandma in AZ before going to AK.....a few of after I wrecked it , a couple of the drive down the Al-Can, covered in dirt (the Al-Can was hundreds of miles of dirt road then) and one of it when the new grill and fenders were installed.
I remember that right after the accident, the tow driver had a bodyshop and was a Mopar guy. he had a hood and driver's fender off a '69. So my car still has that '69 fender. The marker hole was filled and a new one cut for the round light.

[Joshua]

The last two pics.....
The last pic also shows no vinyl top.
Funny story.....our family had just moved to Wa in June 1990. In July, we went to go site seeing over in Kitsap county. It was HOT out....over 90* and we were approaching the Narrows bridge. Every person in the cars passing us were staring/pointing/laughing. Dad pulled over to see what the deal was. The vinyl top had come loose from the front trim and was filling up with air......I can only imagine what it looked like at 60mph.... . Pops ripped it off right there and put it in the trunk. Every bug that landed on it stuck to the old glue....hahaha.....
I like the look of the vinyl top, but after that deal, I don't think it'll ever get one again.......

[terrible one]

Cool shots man. Thanks for sharing!

[skip68]

What a great history you have with your car.  I hope you keep taking pics of the progress.   Chuck.............

[69bronzeT5]

So my car still has that '69 fender. The marker hole was filled and a new one cut for the round light.[/b]

, my 69 has a 68 fender. The marker hole was cut and a 69 hole was welded in.

[8WHEELER]

Great story, the car looks like it was JJ1 Gold originaly? are you still here in WA?

Dan

[Joshua]

Great story, the car looks like it was JJ1 Gold originaly? are you still here in WA?

Dan

Yes Dan, I'm just south of Tacoma.....

I've got more stories with the car in Wa........but won't go into 'em......fights, guns, street racing, etc.............. sounds worse than it is....

[Brock Samson]

 No don't tell us, cause we really don't wanna hear about it..     









                                                                                                                                                                                               


                                                                                                         

[Charger_Fan]

Cool pics & great story!

I've seen cars cruising down the freeway with their vinyl tops loose at the front, it looks pretty funny & I doubt the driver even knows.

[8WHEELER]

Great story, the car looks like it was JJ1 Gold originaly? are you still here in WA?

Dan

Yes Dan, I'm just south of Tacoma.....

I've got more stories with the car in Wa........but won't go into 'em......fights, guns, street racing, etc.............. sounds worse than it is....

I live in Redmond, I have had my red car 29yrs now. Did you go to the Graham Mopar Meet?
There was at least 25 chargers there. I have more stories than I can remember myself 
I grew up in Bellevue, it was pretty crazy.......... but fun as hell 

Dan

[Joshua]

I live in Redmond, I have had my red car 29yrs now. Did you go to the Graham Mopar Meet?
There was at least 25 chargers there. I have more stories than I can remember myself 
I grew up in Bellevue, it was pretty crazy.......... but fun as hell 

Dan

Didn't go to the Graham show (Sunbust).....haven't been in years, even though I live 10 minutes away ....I find most "marque" shows boring.

[Joshua]

Well....nothing new to report, really haven't touched it since I took it apart. Although I did fix the small rust holes in the doors.
Debating on what to do about the rust at the rear window....
Does anyone make just the channel? I really don't need the entire deck panel or sails. I may end up getting a shrinker/stretcher to make some.

[suntech]

shrinker/ strecher??? You mean blacksmith??


http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,37065.0.html

[Troy]

I believe AMD has the channel available now but I'll have to confirm that. They definitely have the dutchman panel (the piece between the bottom of the window and the trunk) and I thought they had the side channels. You can purchase them through Gunslinger - we have a group buy in effect until January 31: http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,35718.0.html

Troy

[Joshua]

shrinker/ strecher??? You mean blacksmith??


http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,37065.0.html

Yeah....kinda..a shrinker/stretcher is a tool that distorts metal to put a curve into it....I already have sheetmetal brakes....
http://www.fournierenterprises.com/cart/product.php?productid=16209&cat=15&page=1

Thanks Troy....I'll look into them....

[Joshua]

Update....finally did some work last weekend.
Cut out the rust from the rear window channel. Made new pieces out of 20ga. Turned out really good. Still need to drill the holes for the clips and install some.
Then the glass can go back in.
Next on the list is the rear valance.

[tommymac]

Check your trim peices for fit. looks good.

[Joshua]

Update.....well, kinda....
Rebuilt the door hinges....probably rehang the doors this weekend....
May go to Sunbust....maybe that'll get me motivated to work on it....I miss drivin' 'er.
Another member has some 1/4 panel pieces set aside for me (thanks Matt!)....just gotta save up the moo-la....

[PocketThunder]

Your comming up on your resto's one year anniversary...     I can see why you are getting anxious to drive it.  When i brought my '69 home i thought i would have it done in 2 years.  I'm going on 5 years this December. 

Hey what is your radiator set up?  No more cooling problems i assume?