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

[69_500]

So you found my spare set of keys? Good job.


Looks like all is coming along pretty good. Do you think that any of the electrical wiring has been replaced over the years? Just curious. I'm starting to get nosey on how they wrapped the wiring, and where it was taped and such. Guess I'm getting a little weird on trying to figure out how these cars were put together. What about the bolts that hold the front grille in? When looking at another C500 that was being taken apart, they appeared to have the bolts converted to make them longer. They looked like they took 2 bolts, cut the head off of one, then electrical taped the two together to make them longer.

[xs29j8Bullitt]

OH MY GOD!! You're OLD!!

Yep... Just like you!!! 

Well, at 52 I still have a full head of hair (with just a bit of gray) & all my teeth... so it could be worse! 

XS

[xs29j8Bullitt]

So you found my spare set of keys?

Caught that on the second reading...

Looks like all is coming along pretty good. Do you think that any of the electrical wiring has been replaced over the years? Just curious. I'm starting to get nosey on how they wrapped the wiring, and where it was taped and such. Guess I'm getting a little weird on trying to figure out how these cars were put together.

Wiring looked original, I took pictures showing the routing...  I will have a closer look at it later.

What about the bolts that hold the front grille in? When looking at another C500 that was being taken apart, they appeared to have the bolts converted to make them longer. They looked like they took 2 bolts, cut the head off of one, then electrical taped the two together to make them longer.

Are you asking about the 7/16 head bolts holding the grille brackets to the latch tray & other structure?  Everything looked normal (for a Coronet installation)...  Electric tape holding a bolt together?!? 

I am bagging & tagging all the hardware I am removing... let me know what you want to see.  BTW, noticed the extended hood latch release mechanism arm for the first time...

Allen

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Here are a couple of pictures showing the headlight wiring & grille mounting before dis-assembly...

Allen

[Magnumcharger]

OH MY GOD!! You're OLD!!

Yep... Just like you!!! 

Well, at 52 I still have a full head of hair (with just a bit of gray) & all my teeth... so it could be worse! 

XS

Well you definately hit the nail on the head with that!! I've got all my hair, and teeth as well (I'm 45).
Don't you think it's sad when we can brag about that?

And just to stay on the Charger-theme...you're pictures are great! Good job in documenting this process!

[The70RT]

Paint in the engine compartment looks pretty good still. Was it resprayed? Are you leaving it? Which years had the rad support front area painted black?

[69_500]

Yeah bolts taped together to make them longer. I'll have to see if I have any photo's of it, but I'm sure I do. I tend to take pictures of the oddest things, its just a matter of locating those pictures when I need them. I take too many to remember them all.


Looks like the whole process is coming along pretty well. Hope to see it on the road in the next 2 years. Then once you get tired of driving it, you'll come to the notion of trading it for an R4 red AT car. That is once you get tired of shifting your own gears, and prefer the slower pace of letting the tranny do the work for you.

[hemi68charger]

Allen..
Man, it's great to see the progress in dismantlement you're doing... It'll be nice to see you in something other than that dang yellow E-body of yours.. 

I'm sure this will be one fine looking C500 as you are a true Mopar craftsman.........  Doesn't hurt that she's one of the best looking colors MaMopar ever created........

Troy

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Well you definately hit the nail on the head with that!! I've got all my hair, and teeth as well (I'm 45).
Don't you think it's sad when we can brag about that?

And just to stay on the Charger-theme...you're pictures are great! Good job in documenting this process!

My next high school reunion is next year... reunions generally makes me feel fairly fortunate.   

I am glad you like the pictures, but I thought I would be much farther along by now. 

Allen

[tan top]

more intresting  pictures Allen , thanks for sharing them

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Paint in the engine compartment looks pretty good still. Was it resprayed? Are you leaving it? Which years had the rad support front area painted black?

I have been in touch with a previous owner who painted the engine compartment in about 1982, but never put the car back on the road.  The engine bay still looks great after all these years!  Phil is looking for pictures from when he owned the car, and was very excited to hear it still survives!!!

The entire car will be media blasted before restoration, including the engine bay.  I believe the areas visible through the grille should be black for all Gen II Chargers.

Allen

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Yeah bolts taped together to make them longer. I'll have to see if I have any photo's of it, but I'm sure I do. I tend to take pictures of the oddest things, its just a matter of locating those pictures when I need them. I take too many to remember them all.

WOW, this I gotta see! 

Then once you get tired of driving it, you'll come to the notion of trading it for an R4 red AT car. That is once you get tired of shifting your own gears, and prefer the slower pace of letting the tranny do the work for you.

I gotta admit you hang on to a notion of trading like a pitbull!    Next you will try to convince me that it is my destiny to have a matching set of Dodge aero cars...    After what I will probably go through during restoration (work & money), the C500 & I will probably be mine for a long time...

Allen

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Allen..
Man, it's great to see the progress in dismantlement you're doing... It'll be nice to see you in something other than that dang yellow E-body of yours.. 

I'm sure this will be one fine looking C500 as you are a true Mopar craftsman.........  Doesn't hurt that she's one of the best looking colors MaMopar ever created........

Troy

Whats wrong with Ole Yeller...   But yeah, I know what you mean... 

Allen

[xs29j8Bullitt]

more intresting  pictures Allen , thanks for sharing them

Glad you like the pics!  Trying not to get too carried away with the posting... too late Huh? 

Allen

[69_500]

Caried away, your just getting started. Look at the intrerest already in the restoration. 8 pages of post, and the car is barely taken apart at this point.

Yeah I tend to snatch on to things and not let them go. Just ask my wife, she will tell you I'm stubborn. 

[notabird]

Jerry Narramore's 500 had the spacers taped together for the grill mounting.We were just talking about that The Forge show a couple of weeks ago. By the way I saw a picture of Allen from a NHOA meet in the early 80's and you have changed a lot--congratulations. Brent

[69_500]

Jerry's Charger is the exact one that I'm thinking of for those bolts Brent. The other one was a HEMI 500 I looked at over in Ohio a few years back. Its one of those things that I haven't really looked for on others but noticed on the one, and Jerry mentioned it as being that way on his car.

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Jerry Narramore's 500 had the spacers taped together for the grill mounting.We were just talking about that The Forge show a couple of weeks ago.

Brent, are you & Danny talking about the "long" grille spacers on the outboard ends of the grille (see picture below).  I did not notice when I was taking it off, but it does appear taped in this picture from the other day.

By the way I saw a picture of Allen from a NHOA meet in the early 80's and you have changed a lot--congratulations. Brent

Thanks! Did you see the picture in one of my albums at Monster Mopar or in someone else's pictures?  I generally tried to hide behind some cover in pictures back in the 1980s... notice how good I look taking cover in the picture below!!!     

Allen

[PocketThunder]

God Bless America! 

[moparstuart]

Jerry Narramore's 500 had the spacers taped together for the grill mounting.We were just talking about that The Forge show a couple of weeks ago.

Brent, are you & Danny talking about the "long" grille spacers on the outboard ends of the grille (see picture below).  I did not notice when I was taking it off, but it does appear taped in this picture from the other day.

By the way I saw a picture of Allen from a NHOA meet in the early 80's and you have changed a lot--congratulations. Brent

Thanks! Did you see the picture in one of my albums at Monster Mopar or in someone else's pictures?  I generally tried to hide behind some cover in pictures back in the 1980s... notice how good I look taking cover in the picture below!!!     

Allen

wow  i need to get on your diet allen 

[xs29j8Bullitt]

After a week of battling the hornets, I thought the war was about over... it is not! 

I started out with three days of "shock & awe" followed by two days of chasing stragglers... used 7 cans of wasp & hornet spray.

Today I went into the workshop to get back to work on taking the C500 apart, but discovered there is still a major infestation of "Yellow Jackets"...    I spent the day trying to find the source of the hundreds of hornets that I still saw today, with no luck so far.

One of the main problems is that many of the nests are about 19 feet high, and only about 20% of the stream of wasp killer reaches them.  Also, some of the nests are near cars with fresh paint jobs, like the Challenger Convertible & Limelight 'Cuda... I do not want to take a chance the overspray would stain the paint!

Below are some pictures...

Allen

[xs29j8Bullitt]

As I said before there are still several hundred milling around when I open the overhead door, making me suspect there is a nest near the door or behind some insulation... 

The hornets gather in small groups or mill around the rooftop... see the pictures below.

Anyone know of a industrial strength Wasp & hornet sray with an advertised reach of 28-30 feet... the sprays rated at 22 feet won't even make 19 feet...

Allen

[PocketThunder]

Anyone know of a industrial strength Wasp & hornet sray with an advertised reach of 28-30 feet... the sprays rated at 22 feet won't even make 19 feet...

Allen

I'm a huge fan of being a do-it-yourselfer, but in this case i might have to suggest calling in the professionals.   

Unless you feel comfortable getting up on a 8 or 10 foot ladder and then squirting them with the Hornet Spray cans. 

[moparstuart]

  oh the horror of that murder seen   LOL

[69_500]

Tell ya what Allen. I'll come down to Texas and kill all of those by hand in exchange for one of those funky wing cars you have? I'll get rid of all your winged creatures for you gladly.