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

[69bronzeT5]

Looks GREAT!!!!

[69_500]

This is just me Allen, and I'm not a body man by any means. But if it was my car and I know its not as you will remind me each time I ask about it. But I would have thought about just trying to replace as little sheetmetal as I could and keep the rest of it origional. I would have went with some patch panels. I'm not up to the skill level to make it where someone couldn't tell that you used a patch panel, but I do know that there are shops who are. Just a though.

However with replacing them at the factory seams does the same thing as well. And leaves no unwanted marks viewable.

[Charger-Bodie]

This is just me Allen, and I'm not a body man by any means. But if it was my car and I know its not as you will remind me each time I ask about it. But I would have thought about just trying to replace as little sheetmetal as I could and keep the rest of it origional. I would have went with some patch panels. I'm not up to the skill level to make it where someone couldn't tell that you used a patch panel, but I do know that there are shops who are. Just a though.

However with replacing them at the factory seams does the same thing as well. And leaves no unwanted marks viewable.

..........and now if they can nail the sound deadening on the inside of the 1/4 panels it will be undetectable!

[xs29j8Bullitt]

This is just me Allen, and I'm not a body man by any means. But if it was my car and I know its not as you will remind me each time I ask about it. But I would have thought about just trying to replace as little sheetmetal as I could and keep the rest of it origional. I would have went with some patch panels. I'm not up to the skill level to make it where someone couldn't tell that you used a patch panel, but I do know that there are shops who are. Just a though.

However with replacing them at the factory seams does the same thing as well. And leaves no unwanted marks viewable.

..........and now if they can nail the sound deadening on the inside of the 1/4 panels it will be undetectable!

Deciding to replace the entire quarter panels was as tough decision.  Going into the project the plan was to save the quarter panels, only replacing the very lower parts as you mentioned.  This could have been done and concealed well in the trunk area, but around the wheel opening the small rust "bubbles" would have been repaired from the outside only.  The real risk was that there were additional spots in areas near the visible spots that had not fully penetrated the metal, but would "bubble up" only after the car was painted... that has occured on two other cars I own.

Body shop labor wise the cost of the two methods was about the same, but the new CBD quarter panels were a lot more expensive than repair panels or partial quarters.

The sound deadening will be applied to the quarter panels before installation! 

Allen

[69_500]

What are you going to use for sound deadening material? Just curoius, and are you going to only put it in factory locations? And as sloppily as the factory did?

[xs29j8Bullitt]

What are you going to use for sound deadening material? Just curoius, and are you going to only put it in factory locations? And as sloppily as the factory did?

I am not sure exactly what the painter will use, but the factory pattern will be more or less replicated... not quite as sloppy as the factory.   The painter showed me another '69 Charger that he did it to, and it looked right.  I will find out more about it in January...

Allen

[NMike]

can i have the old 1/4's?mine are 100 times worse than yours. i dream of my quarters being as bad as yours.

[69bronzeT5]

can i have the old 1/4's?mine are 100 times worse than yours. i dream of my quarters being as bad as yours.

same

[xs29j8Bullitt]

can i have the old 1/4's?mine are 100 times worse than yours. i dream of my quarters being as bad as yours.

Sorry to say the original quarter panels are going to be sacrificed to better preserve the mating parts like the roof panel, dutchman panel, etc.  The quarter panel will be "picture windowed", ie. cutout with a 1-2 inch edge left in place for structural integrity during shipment to the plastic media blaster.  Later, the remaining 1-2 inch wide strip will be "peeled" off, sacrificing it to do as little damage to the adjoining structure as possible.  The main pieces of the removed quarter panels will be saved for use as repair panels on a future project, as well as patterns for the sound deadening application...

The C500 has been hibernating during the holiday, but flew inverted before Christmas... See pictures below.

Also, I was surprised by how little lead had to be melted out to remove the rear window plug... the picture below shows the bulk of it!

The hood hinges were the first pieces to be glass beaded, and appear tight and ready for priming & paint.

Allen

[69_500]

 

Okay one last chance to sell the car to me before you really get going and start cutting it all up for repair.

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Okay one last chance to sell the car to me before you really get going and start cutting it all up for repair.

But what would I do with all the time & money that sale would free up for me...   Sorry Danny, but I am seeing this one through! 

Does this mean you won't want the car after the upcoming   

I received a big box of parts from B/E&A for the C500 before Christmas, but finally had a chance to go through the parts today... NICE! 

Among the items were a black steering wheel, dash bezel set, hubcaps, remote door mirror, fuel cap & bezel, hood indicator light set, window cranks, inside door handles, bucket seat headrests, etc.   All were top-notch reproductions!

BTW... a new Charger 500 question:  Did some or all C500s come with the 1968 style black button outside door handles?  My C500 had black button units instead of the regular chrome button units usually found on 1969 models, and they seem to be the original ones.

Allen

[69bronzeT5]

Among the items were hubcaps

Allen

You plan on putting hubcaps on it?

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Among the items were hubcaps

Allen

You plan on putting hubcaps on it?

I plan to have several wheel options to swap onto the C500, including stock steel wheels with red circle "dog dish" hubcaps.  Some of the wheel sets (like Magnum 500s) will be shared with other cars.

Allen

[69bronzeT5]

The dogdishes will look great!

[UFO]

Both style of door handle buttons are listed in the 69 parts book.
I recall reading somewhere it was an early/late build date that determined what you have.

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Both style of door handle buttons are listed in the 69 parts book.
I recall reading somewhere it was an early/late build date that determined what you have.

Thanks, my C500 had a SPD of 12/4/68... I assume that was the scheduled date for ChryCo production, not Creative Ind's modification.  I know that ChargerVert's C500 had the same SPD... I will check with him to see which ones his car had.

I believe that you are right about the early/late build date determining the button color...

Allen

[tan top]

black are for cars built before 69 , mine has them   SPD of   11 / 22 / 68 

[xs29j8Bullitt]

black are for cars built before 69 , mine has them   SPD of   12 / 22 / 68 

Thanks for the info / confirmation TT!  I am starting to prepare my next order for B/E&A... like someone else recently said, maybe I should just change my direct deposit routing number to their account. 

I need to put some cars & parts up for sale to fund this $$$ black hole (maybe only a B5 Blue hole in this case, I guess Bullitt will be the real Black hole  ).

Allen

[WINGMAN]

   Allen i thought you had a money tree in your back yard    Those restos are a bottomless pit.  But what better cars to invest in, none that i know.    Jay.

[xs29j8Bullitt]

   Allen i thought you had a money tree in your back yard    Those restos are a bottomless pit.  But what better cars to invest in, none that i know.    Jay.

Errrr... its not exactly a money tree... and its starting to look a mite picked over... 

It doesn't help that I am also buying some key parts for my triple black & platinum silver cars too... concerned that some of the high quality repro parts may only be available for a limited time (like the '68 Charger taillight assemblies I ordered for Bullitt).

I'll make it work one way or 'nother... 

Allen

[69_500]

Side note on the silver vs. black button issue. I can't think of any "survivor" 500's that I've seen that have the silver buttons instead of the black ones.

I know that I've noticed several of the restored cars that have the silver buttons, on them however.

OH and Yeah I'd still be interested in the car after you do some cutting on it. Heck you know I'd be interested in it after your done.

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Side note on the silver vs. black button issue. I can't think of any "survivor" 500's that I've seen that have the silver buttons instead of the black ones.

I know that I've noticed several of the restored cars that have the silver buttons, on them however.

OH and Yeah I'd still be interested in the car after you do some cutting on it. Heck you know I'd be interested in it after your done.

Looks like the answer is clear... black buttons it is!  I was actually hoping that it came with chrome buttons on the outside door handles, but I will keep it "original".  The Daytona on the other hand has the chrome button units because of the later production date...

I have started to look for the NOS parts that I had set aside for the C500, located the NOS grille already... I still need a NOS or mint used drivers side headlight bezel (same as 1968 Coronet).

Some other items that I am looking to buy NOS or mint condition used are:

1) Correct taillight panel "500" emblem (P/N 2901811, long pin type for installation with palnuts)
2) Correct taillight panel "Charger" emblem ( P/N 2902306, will use the repro if it is high quality...)

More to list later, need to get part numbers.

I talked to the paint shop owner this morning, looks like removal of the quarter panels will happen next week.  The shop will call prior to shipping the C500 to the plastic media blaster so I can take pictures of the car.  The week delay is due to a "production" job... I sure hope we don't get an ice storm this winter, that could mean serious delays due to "production" work.

Speaking of delays, the delays that AMD is having with the various items that I need (one piece trunk floor, trunk floor extensions, rear valance, valance corners) is starting to run a high risk of delaying the project...  The options of using "repros" already offered by other vendors is not too appealing.

Allen

[69_500]

Side note here on the whole buttons issue. I know that there are repro door handles that have the black buttons, but I've been told to not use those. I don't recall exactly why, just do very clearly remember hearing that I'd be better off having mine reconditioned than using the repro's. Thought I'd pass that along.

OH and I'll keep any eye out for those parts that you mentioned. I believe that the 500 emblem was just recently for sale on Ebay, it was an NOS piece as well.

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Side note here on the whole buttons issue. I know that there are repro door handles that have the black buttons, but I've been told to not use those. I don't recall exactly why, just do very clearly remember hearing that I'd be better off having mine reconditioned than using the repro's. Thought I'd pass that along.

OH and I'll keep any eye out for those parts that you mentioned. I believe that the 500 emblem was just recently for sale on Ebay, it was an NOS piece as well.

Thanks for the heads-up on the door handles, I will check into it... or maybe someone will chime in on what is wrong with the repro door handles.

I have watched eBay closely for some of the parts that I need, but have not seen a NOS 2901811 emblem.  There have been two 3505338 emblems, both incorrectly listed as being original for Charger 500s.  I bought the $20 one, but passed on the $50 one.  Also, there was a decent used 2901811 (based on a small blurry picture), but the seller could not / would not provide a better picture or a detailed description of the condition... so I passed on it.  I believe the correct 2901811 emblem was the standard one used on Coronets in 1968 & 1969.

Some pictures for a comparison...

Allen

[69_500]

I'll see if I can find the link on ebay. As I thought of bidding on it as I'm not exactly sure how well mine is going to look in a few more years. I know it was the one for the tail panel though not for the grille.