Rob's ongoing slow restoration process of his 69 charger R/T SE

[Charger-Bodie]

  sorry to hear that cracked  ..... it don't really notice , but  yeah those parts are not   cheap        looks awesome though  ...wan't to get the new wood grain my self ,  just out of intrest ...how close is the new to original woodgrain color  any pictures of the two side by side 

I think about as close as your gonna get.  Really nice stuff.  Another thing to consider is you'd be comparing to something 40 years old.  New stuff, just looks newer.  I gave my wood away to help someone out.

 yeah ..thats true 40 years old !!  ..mine looks a little light , but that could be due to being a texas car  for 20 years & sun bleached the color  
 well seeing  yours has made my mind up ... going to order them  soon  

Probably lighter than you think as I had no lights on because it was reflecting when I took the shot.  You can see the lighter color on the close up of the two main gauges.

oh yeah i see what your saying    it is lighter in that picture , thanks Rob

You're welcome my Y2 friend. 
I'm just going to press in a thin tin foil piece, or glue it and touch it up in silver.  No way will anyone notice that happens to peak in for a view.  Just all the members on this site I run into in PA this summer.  " Hey what's that a split on your chrome! " I'll hear.  Right Brian?

Maybe. 

[1969chargerrtse]

 

Oh no you're not, because I'm going to replace it after all.   

[1969chargerrtse]

Well it seems there are some TUFF cookies out there.    A certain Cat lover ( no names mentioned ) asked me why if I've worked so hard to bring my car back to  "as close as original"  have I not yet painted the ugly gloss black rear the correct color.  It was not on my hit list, but it was on it.  After talking to Brian and finding out the Mopar black swede is real close to the correct paint, oh what the heck.  Since it's warm out, and I still have my brother in laws paint gun, I ran home, stripped the rear, sanded it, taped it and shot it in about an hour.  Here are some pics, I'll post it all back together mid week after the paint is dried for sure.

[1969chargerrtse]

Here I am on about the 3rd light coat.  I have to take it light as the acrylic paint may eat into the urethane if I put it on to heavy.  Right Brian. 
If you look close you can see the grit in the Mopaint factory black swede as used on the dash and steering shaft.  A couple more coats to go. 
After spending 100.00 for this pint of paint it's great to have another use for it.  There's also a picture of Rob's outdoor paint booth. 

[1969chargerrtse]

Here's the kicker.  I'm not sure I'm loving it?    Now with the gloss stripe not matching the rear?  I'm needing some loving here. 

I'm aware the chrome is missing.

[69bronzeT5]

Put the chrome back on and see how it looks...however, I liked the gloss better

[Finn]

Same, I was hoping I wouldn't have to say it though.

[1969chargerrtse]

Put the chrome back on and see how it looks...however, I liked the gloss better

I'm hearing ya brother.  I'm glad it's correct and from the direct rear it's correct.  It's those side gloss/semi shots that I'm having 2nd thoughts about.

[69bronzeT5]

Put the chrome back on and see how it looks...however, I liked the gloss better

It's those side gloss/semi shots that I'm having 2nd thoughts about.

Same here. It looked sweet in that side rear shot with the gloss.

[1969chargerrtse]

Same, I was hoping I wouldn't have to say it though.

Oh that's just great.     

[Charger-Bodie]

It looks fine Rob! Your just over analyzing it!

I see you could wait to stick the lock and emblem into the soft paint

[Finn]

Whoops maybe I should clarify my statement: It still looks good , I was just used to it being glossy and that look kinda grew on me.

[1969chargerrtse]

It looks fine Rob! Your just over analyzing it!

I see you could wait to stick the lock and emblem into the soft paint

Hey it was dry to touch.    The emblem is not really to tight.

[69bronzeT5]

Whoops maybe I should clarify my statement: It still looks good , I was just used to it being glossy and that look kinda grew on me.

[1969chargerrtse]

I'm hearing ya, but it is one more step towards being correct and that's what it's all about for me.  TC had a good point when he said to me you spent so much time on making sure the front was as correct as could be, now you have to do the rear.

[The70RT]

Your a nit picker.....the car looks and is great  What about that little ding you had.................?

[1969chargerrtse]

Your a nit picker.....the car looks and is great  What about that little ding you had.................?

I called and callled the dent jerk, I mean dent wizard and he never came through so it's still there.  My thought was it ain't going anywhere and I'll deal with it later.

[TUFCAT]

I LIKE IT BETTER!!!!!   

YOU do good work - - and fast!

[1969chargerrtse]

I LIKE IT BETTER!!!!!   

YOU do good work - - and fast!

You better like it!     That was fast.  Ever since you mentioned it , it was on my mind.  Done.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Man, Im lucky I got the enthusiasm to turn my car around in the garage the last warm day

Much better IMHO...now to get the emblem off that stripe

[TUFCAT]

I think if you polled our studio audience, many of us would say it looks better flat  .  Anyway, it's flat now.

[keepat]

I think if you polled our studio audience, many of us would say it looks better flat  .  Anyway, it's flat now.

Rob, it looks great!
Pat

[1969chargerrtse]

Man, Im lucky I got the enthusiasm to turn my car around in the garage the last warm day

Much better IMHO...now to get the emblem off that stripe

Thanks Pat, TC, ( I don't know how to poll ).  Chris that emblem isn't coming off because of the painted stripe.  No way do I have the funds to repaint the car or 1/2 the car so I'll be looking at that gloss straight stripe with the thick emblem for some time.   Gotta tell ya even though it's incorrect I've seen a few nicely restored cars done that way.  Why, you got me?

[1969chargerrtse]

Well I got the stripe kit today.  The great news is it is about a 1/4" wider total than what I have painted on.  This means after I fill the emblem holes I can sand down my wide painted stripe and the outer stripes and then smooth it all out, repaint orange and then sand down the edge lines which will be hidden under the outer stripes and lay down the complete decal.  I'll make sure this weekend after I do my dash work that I have the stripe dry laid and 100% positive this will work.  If it does I'll move on to the the other side, and then decide how to handle the trunk.  I laid the V'd stripe over my straight stripe and there is not to much variation.  I'm going to look into blending the variation into what's already there.  If not I can get another trunk and respray that and hope it matches and then lay down the V'd stripe , or worst case lay down the straight Coronet trunk stripe and be almost 100% correct.  We shall see.  This will take me a good amount of time but I look forward to the emblems gone and the cutout R/T on my sides.  Pictures as always coming soon.

[TUFCAT]

Well I got the stripe kit today.  The great news is it is about a 1/4" wider total than what I have painted on.  This means after I fill the emblem holes I can sand down my wide painted stripe and the outer stripes and then smooth it all out, repaint orange and then sand down the edge lines which will be hidden under the outer stripes and lay down the complete decal.  I'll make sure this weekend after I do my dash work that I have the stripe dry laid and 100% positive this will work.  If it does I'll move on to the the other side, and then decide how to handle the trunk.  I laid the V'd stripe over my straight stripe and there is not to much variation.  I'm going to look into blending the variation into what's already there.  If not I can get another trunk and respray that and hope it matches and then lay down the V'd stripe , or worst case lay down the straight Coronet trunk stripe and be almost 100% correct.  We shall see.  This will take me a good amount of time but I look forward to the emblems gone and the cutout R/T on my sides.  Pictures as always coming soon.

That's great Rob! You can always choose to have your decklid repainted at a later date if the V'd stripe doesn't work. For now, the straight accross tape stripe will look very nice in leau of paint.