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

[xs29j8Bullitt]

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. 

I had considered that, but I am concerned about collateral damage to some cars... mainly the ones with new paint (Challenger Convertible & Hemi `Cuda).  No ladder climbing to battle hornets by me !!! 

But I am changing course...    When I started this project almost three months ago, I decided to use some of the strategies that I used to lose weight several years ago.  One of the basic rules was that if one approach was not working anymore, try another... and another...  Sooooooo, today I called the paint & body shop to schedule having the Charger 500 picked up next Tuesday (Nov 20th).  Between now and then I will try to get more dis-assembly work done, but even if I don't get another screw taken out the car is going (unless the weather or paint shop causes a reschedule).  It will be a bit more money out of my pocket for them to finish taking the car apart, but worth it to get the car in work.  The last month has provided very little progess for a variety of reasons... time to grab another gear!

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. 

While the visual of you squaring off against several hundred Yellow Jackets in hand to stinger combat sounds entertaining, I'll pass...   Maybe I should train the Yellow Jackets as guard hornets... they could pass for Scat Pack Bees that lost weight! 

BTW Danny, did you see the picture that I posted above... is the spacer the part you are talking about being taped together?

Allen

[69_500]

To answer your question Allen, yes. The spacer that you have the arrow drawn to is the one that I'm talking about.

[Magnumcharger]

Ok...I have to ask....How did you get so skinny?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[notabird]

allen, I saw your picture in Jerry Narramore's album.Jerry and his dad went to a NHOA meet in the early 80's .I think he took his 500 and broke the camshaft in the hemi on the way home.Brent

[69_500]

Thats a pretty good story that Jerry tells of his camshaft breaking, and then actually still driving the car home.

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Ok...I have to ask....How did you get so skinny?

Inquiring minds want to know.

PhotoShop?   

Skinny?!? ME?    THANKS!  But I want to lose at least another 20 pounds!

Started a new thread about it in the Off Topic forum:

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,36148.0.html

Probably more than you wanted to know...

Allen 

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Made some progress in the last several days in the dis-assembly of the Charger 500.  I have been taking a lot of pictures, especially of the C500 specific... I'm sure I will miss some things though...

I have been "bagging & tagging" small parts & attaching hardware to make re-assembly easier.  So far I have found little additional damage when removing parts, mostly B5 Blue painted metal under the trim...

I have a growing pile of parts behind the C500 that I will sort through after the car leaves for the paint shop...

Allen

[xs29j8Bullitt]

I took the A-Pillar chrome moldings off today, stopping only to admire Creative Industries' craftsmanship...  

Each was retained by 6 screws... 4 on the aft/outboard side (in door opening), and 2 on the ends of molding for the edge at the windshield gasket.  The center two tabs on the windshield gasket side did not have fasteners installed (the 2 locations pointed out in the picture below).

Allen

[hemi68charger]

Allen, be REAL careful when installing those deflectors after she's painted.... The top edge is ever so close to the roof sheetmetal. It would be a shame to scratch the paint.......  Looks to be in great shape...........

Troy

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Well, I made it as far as I could with the dis-assembly with the on-going battles with the #%&$!!! hornets.  I stopped work at dusk today, and the C500 is spending it's last night in the workshop for a while...

I talked to the owner of the paint & body shop today, and confirmed they will pick up the car tomorrow morning...

So here she is as the restoration is finally about to begin! 

Allen

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Allen, be REAL careful when installing those deflectors after she's painted.... The top edge is ever so close to the roof sheetmetal. It would be a shame to scratch the paint.......  Looks to be in great shape...........

Troy

Your'e right Troy... remind me in a year or so.  Putting 'em back on seems sooooo far away! 

Allen

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Elvis has left the building!
XS 

[moparstuart]

Elvis has left the building!
XS 

did you cry seeing it leave or shout for joy it's getting restored ?k

[69_500]

I don't know how you guys do it. I don't know if I could send my car off somewhere to get it done. Then again I know that I'm not capable of doing all the work it needs so its a catch 22.

I hope it turns out excelent Allen. Will continue to follow its progress.

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Elvis has left the building!
XS 

did you cry seeing it leave or shout for joy it's getting restored ?k

Both really, but mostly relief that the restoration has officially begun a few days before the C500's 39th "birthday" of December 4th...

Like an over-protective mother hen, I have already called the paint shop to make sure the Charger 500 would not spend the night outside tonight.  With the back glass still in place, I was concerned about vandalism. 

By the time I called, someone had already "found" the C500 and wanted to buy it!     

Lee, if you are reading this... IT IS NOT FOR SALE!

Allen

[The70RT]

Good deal Allen. I'm sure yours will probably be done before mine is. Can't wait to see the B5 blue. It seems like a Charger can't set anywhere very long before the vultures spot it 

[hemi68charger]

Awesome Allen... It'll be GREAT and I can't wait to see it... Yours is getting there and mines about done.... By year's end, I'll have mine for sure and DONE !!!!! No thanks to Mr. Smitty.........

[69_500]

Hey Allen, look on the bright side. A few people on here tried to talk ya out of it even before you sent it off to be fixed. So you can't blame Lee for wanting it now either. 

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Good deal Allen. I'm sure yours will probably be done before mine is. Can't wait to see the B5 blue. It seems like a Charger can't set anywhere very long before the vultures spot it 

Nothing I ever do goes according to schedule... even this soon into the restoration I am about 5 weeks behind...

Having been a Mopar "vulture" myself (reformed now o'course...  ), I guess I shouldn't complain.  The ones that irritate me most are the guys that ask about "that old blue Dodge" and then give me some BS story about wanting it for a father/son project...

Allen

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Awesome Allen... It'll be GREAT and I can't wait to see it... Yours is getting there and mines about done.... By year's end, I'll have mine for sure and DONE !!!!! No thanks to Mr. Smitty.........

Great to hear your Hemi Charger is coming along so well now! 

My Charger is just in the starter's gate (get the "Charger" horse analogy... )...

Allen

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Hey Allen, look on the bright side. A few people on here tried to talk ya out of it even before you sent it off to be fixed. So you can't blame Lee for wanting it now either. 

You are right Danny...  Counting Lee, 7 folks have tried to relieve me of the C500 burden in the last 3 months (including 4 on this forum).

As I start to burn through money I may regret my answer... I spent $6471.45 on the Charger 500 today!     NO, I am not re-considering! 

Allen

[bzabodyn]

Congrats on getting the project rolling Allen! It'll be great to see that beautiful blue beast back on the road!

Actually, my hemi charger is going to be picked up tomorrow to have a prospective shop look the car over - if I decide I'm going to use them (American Classic Cars in Conroe - know anything about them?) they said they could start on it the first week of Dec... so we'll see... we might both be driving "new" cars around the same time!

BZ

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Congrats on getting the project rolling Allen! It'll be great to see that beautiful blue beast back on the road!

Actually, my hemi charger is going to be picked up tomorrow to have a prospective shop look the car over - if I decide I'm going to use them (American Classic Cars in Conroe - know anything about them?) they said they could start on it the first week of Dec... so we'll see... we might both be driving "new" cars around the same time!

BZ

Thanks Brandon!  I have not heard of them, BUT be very careful in picking a restoration shop... especially one that does not mainly restore Mopars.  There are more restoration disasters than victories...  Even if the multi-make resto shop is a honest one, their lack of Mopar experience can lead to major problems down the road... What happened to the first shop that you were considering?

The shop I went with is a shop that does regular paint & body repairs as well as restoration "show" quality work.  I looked at several nice jobs that the shop had done before selecting them.  The owner is a Mopar fan and has several current Mopars, including a 1970 Charger R/T 440 car.  Still, there are no guarantees...

Again, BE CAREFUL... don't depend on promises of perfection... CHECK REFERENCES... MOPAR ONES!!!

Maybe, Troy H. or other Houston area members know that shop...

Allen

[69bronzeT5]

I spent $6471.45 on the Charger 500 today! 

What did you buy???

[moparstuart]

Hey Allen, look on the bright side. A few people on here tried to talk ya out of it even before you sent it off to be fixed. So you can't blame Lee for wanting it now either. 

You are right Danny...  Counting Lee, 7 folks have tried to relieve me of the C500 burden in the last 3 months (including 4 on this forum).

As I start to burn through money I may regret my answer... I spent $6471.45 on the Charger 500 today!     NO, I am not re-considering! 

Allen

hey allen  wanna sell your charger 500  ( sorry couldnt resist)  add one more