Re: Restoration of my B5 Blue 4Spd Charger 500... Blue Thunder debuts...Finally!

[xs29j8Bullitt]

all safe and sound  , I will strap it to a pallet and ship to the shop in arkansas

Just talked to Stuart to tell him the engine arrived safely at the shop in Arkansas today, and has already been taken to a machine shop!   

Thanks for the help Stuart!!!

[b5blue]

HOORAY Blue Thunder has an engine! 

[moparstuart]

HOORAY Blue Thunder has an engine! 

  one step closer 

[xs29j8Bullitt]

HOORAY Blue Thunder has an engine! 

  one step closer 

...And now, a couple more steps...

I have spent most of the last month locating and boxing up for transport as many of the needed Charger 500 parts as I could find.  Many items were easy to locate, especially those removed from the C500 at the beginning of the restoration... like the front suspension parts shown in the first picture or the numbers matching transmission seen in the second picture.

Other items that were acquired for the car in the 20+ years it was awaiting restoration, were much more difficult to locate and/or move to the collection point.  For example, the Dana 60 axle was stashed behind the "pile-o-parts" shown in the third picture.  A frontal assault being a tall order, a flanking attack succeeded in getting access within a couple hours as seen in the fourth picture.  I was fortunate to have the help of several friends to get the job done, in fact they did all the hard work.

[xs29j8Bullitt]

With the Dana and other parts shown in second picture located, loading my pick-up began a week ago... continuing until about six hours before departure.

[xs29j8Bullitt]

If I had my half done reorganization completed, finding the parts would have been much easier...

Also time consuming was the careful packing of the parts for Blue Thunder... like the exterior emblems shown.

Later today... The trip to deliver the parts and get my first look at Blue Thunder... WITH PICTURES!!! 

[moparstuart]

 

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Over 3 years into this restoration, over 41 years since the Charger 500 was built... its time to

Grab another gear, and "Git 'Er Done!"

Looking a bit tattered from a week of locating missing parts & packing them, while only getting 4-6 hours of sleep per night (only 3 hours the night before the trip), I arrived at the shop in Arkansas with a friend from work riding shotgun.  My friend Andre took many of the pictures that I will be posting over the next few days. 

The second picture shows the max-packed interior of my quad cab, with the tall white "mirror box" containing the Charger 500's back glass... a source of constant worry prior to and during the trip.   It took $34 worth of bubble wrap and an adjustable mirror box to take it on the trip...

[xs29j8Bullitt]

And here is Blue Thunder as of last Friday...  what a change from the day it was rescued from the first body shop!

              ... and even          and      

[xs29j8Bullitt]

More pics...

[Troy]

Awesome! You sound much more prepared for road trips than I do...

Troy

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Looking even more tired than I remember feeling, here I am with the talented body man & painter that pulled off the miracle of getting Blue Thunder properly re-assembled and looking great...

Thanks to Greg Kordsmeier / Kordsmeier Auto for a GREAT job!

Also, a few more pics... more later from the 147 taken during the trip.

[Brock Samson]

  That's Purty!  Sounds like a productive endevor. 

[b5blue]

VERY INSPIRING! All that beautiful B5Blue flowing over those flawless swooping curves.....world class car all the way!   A milestone point in this project is reached!  

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Awesome! You sound much more prepared for road trips than I do...

Troy

Although I was fairly prepared for this trip, even with a six day headstart on packing, I still had to get into panic mode in the last few days before the trip.   Also I forgot several items that I needed to take, including the fender tag that is kept in a safe... 

I also spent a lot of time coordinating with vendors about needed parts...  answering their questions to make sure the right parts were shipped.  Like the leaf spring rebuild kits needed for the rear springs shown in the attached picture.

In the last two weeks I have ordered over $4000 in parts for the C500, and need to order about another $2500 this coming week!    For example, I will be placing an order with Mike Ross @ B/E&A for a number of items, including taillight lenses & T/L lens chrome trim, as well as upper door pads.

Watch for my Ads and eBay auctions starting in January... 

[xs29j8Bullitt]

That's Purty!  Sounds like a productive endevor. 

VERY INSPIRING! All that beautiful B5Blue flowing over those flawless swooping curves.....world class car all the way!   A milestone point in this project is reached!  

Thanks guys... a lot of key objectives have been reached in the last few weeks...

• Engine acquired & shipped to Arkansas...  now at machine shop, teardown complete, rebuild about to start
• Key components like Dana, 4 Spd transmission, front suspension, etc delivered to restoration site
• Most expensive repro parts now ordered or will be within a week...
• No known show stoppers seen on the horizon... of course, surprises can happen... soooo we'll see

[paironines]

Thats the best part of a resto. Taking parts off of shelves and the shop floor knowing they are going onto their final home never to be lost or tripped over again.

[hemi68charger]

Thats the best part of a resto. Taking parts off of shelves and the shop floor knowing they are going onto their final home never to be lost or tripped over again.

Ain't that the truth........

[Hemi_tyme]

Thats the best part of a resto. Taking parts off of shelves and the shop floor knowing they are going onto their final home never to be lost or tripped over again.

Ain't that the truth........

More like passing the buck......Untill it's restored and ready to install

[hemi68charger]

That's awesome Allen !!!! She's looking great !!!!!!  I know you have to be stoked by it all........   

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Thats the best part of a resto. Taking parts off of shelves and the shop floor knowing they are going onto their final home never to b :wave:e lost or tripped over again.

Ain't that the truth........

More like passing the buck......Untill it's restored and ready to install

       The C500 back glass spent 3 years under a bed in a guest bedroom, with me worrying about it constantly... now safely delivered, its the buck recipient's burden...    

Also a worry on the trip was the dash assembly containing the VIN... wrapped in insulation, it was in eyesight during all stops on the trip.  Another burden relieved...    

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Parts of all kind...  NOS, Repro, Used in good condition, Used in poor condition for reference, Etc.

You will notice that there are two of some items... like the power steering sectors, flywheels, RH exhaust manifolds, Etc.  This is to allow selection of the best parts for reconditioning.  The pair of doors are needed for the relatively clean vent window frames, and also for spares on internal door components.

First pic shows the Dana axle...
Second pic shows the K-Frame & other suspension components...
Third pic shows the 18 Spline transmission & other parts...
Fourth pic shows the wrapped dash assembly.

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Flywheels...

Pedal assemblies...

Spare doors for parts...

Boxes containing NOS, Repro, and fragile parts...  For example large white "chair" box contained side glass, three vent window frames, taillight assemblies, and other parts.  Another box contained a glove box lid, Repro dash bezel set, A-Pillar moldings, Etc.  A third box had items like Repro head rests, Repro driver's side remote mirror, Repro window cranks & door handles, NOS exterior emblems/nameplates, NOS w/washer reservoir, Etc.

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Storage totes containing...

Bagged & tagged items...

Dash ducting, Etc...

Wiring for reference & parts if needed...

Misc items, kick panels, weather stripping, Etc...

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Loose bags of hardware & parts...

Misc items...