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

[TUFCAT]

I wouldn't take my car out of winter storage in February (or March) unless it was a dire emergency!  

I don't understand the need to drive our classic mopars in the winter months..... There's no fun driving in the winter anyway!

Maybe I missing something?  I winterize my car - for the entire winter.

No regrets.

[1969chargerrtse]

I wouldn't take my car out of winter storage in February (or March) unless it was a dire emergency!  

I don't understand the need to drive our classic mopars in the winter months..... There's no fun driving in the winter anyway!

Maybe I missing something?  I winterize my car - for the entire winter.

No regrets.

Well, I miss something.  Driving my car!!  The roads were bone bone dry, it rained for days before.  I'm sure my car won't just rot away.  I looked underneath when I got home and it's perfect steel all around, no dust, dirt or salt anywhere.  My thought was this.  Remember the old saying if I could live my life over again?  I would of used the good china, I would of taken the covers off the sofa, I would of had many house party's with family and close friends? etc......   That's what I told myself, life is short go enjoy the car.  Besides, at 55 I'll be long gone before this garage stored, AirChamber controlled, limited used car ever rots out.  Life is short, enjoy it!!!
Oh and my car doesn't get set up for winter storage.  I just park it.  
Actually every Febuary I get crazy for a short road trip and post a picture near snow.  Here's last year. You probably hated that also.
Can't take it with me when I die........

[TUFCAT]

You love to drive that car! In fact, I'm sure you take it out for more trips in the summer than I have in the last 5 years of ownership.

I can understand withdrawls, because you love to drive as much as possible. - I also realize life is short.

BTW, I'm glad the roads were as perfect as your note indicated  - because I was getting a little worried for a while!  

[1969chargerrtse]

You love to drive that car! In fact, I'm sure you take it out for more trips in the summer than I have in the last 5 years of ownership.

I can understand withdrawls, because you love to drive as much as possible. - I also realize life is short.

BTW, I'm glad the roads were as perfect as your note indicated  - because I was getting a little worried for a while!  

Yep, I do drive it a lot. At least every Saturday and Sunday morning for coffee.  Sometimes 2 to 3 times mid week to run errands or cruise nights.  Oh yeah, ain't gonna do me any good when I'm gone.  And I know you know me well enough to know that when I say I thought something out, it means I think, and think, and think to make sure I'm making the right decision I won't regret later.  I didn't.  Now it'll sit again for awhile. Some guys drive theirs in the rain, I don't even wash mine.
It's all I have, it's my hobby and I hate the winters up here.  I would of loved to have done it again today, but instead I drove over a friends in my little Honda gyro.

Here's what our nice dry roads look like.

[TUFCAT]

Yep, I know you well enough. In fact, you're a lot like me.  

There's no way you're going to do anything to get moisture on your baby!

One side of my brain really likes what you're doing (by enjoying your car) and wants me to drive the Coronet more! ....but the "other side" wont get on board.

I always seem to have an excuse not to take the car out.

[TUFCAT]

Some guys drive theirs in the rain, I don't even wash mine.

Neither do I.  

I washed my car only twice since 2005. First time was the day I got it, and the other was just a small "bird bath" a couple of years ago.

[1969chargerrtse]

Yep, I know you well enough. In fact, you're a lot like me.  

There's no way you're going to do anything to get moisture on your baby!

One side of my brain really likes what you're doing (by enjoying your car) and wants me to drive the Coronet more! ....but the "other side" would get on board.

I always seem to have an excuse not to take the car out.

You have one life to live, take your passion out and enjoy it.  As mentioned before, you can't take it with you.  Enjoy it as much as you would enjoy moments with family and friends.  It's your love, your passion, your hobby and it's not doing you or anyone else any good sitting there. Now get out there and use it please.  

[The70RT]

Yep, I know you well enough. In fact, you're a lot like me.  

There's no way you're going to do anything to get moisture on your baby!

One side of my brain really likes what you're doing (by enjoying your car) and wants me to drive the Coronet more! ....but the "other side" would get on board.

I always seem to have an excuse not to take the car out.

You have one life to live, take your passion out and enjoy it.  As mentioned before, you can't take it with you.  Enjoy it as much as you would enjoy moments with family and friends.  It's your love, your passion, your hobby and it's not doing you or anyone else any good sitting there. Now get out there and use it please.  

Exactly...what are you gonna do save it for the next guy to drive? If I get caught out in the rain in mine it will get wet. Most of these cars seen snow and more extreme conditions than ya think. I remember knocking the snow from the headlight doors on mine and hoping the n-50's would get me home. I guess if you don't drive it you don't have to wash it. If you don't wash it dust will settle in the cracks the humidity will dampen it and rust anyway 

[Charger-Bodie]

I think we can all take a little from the statements made here. Drive it and enjoy it. Im still going to try to avoid rain though.

[BigBlockSam]

 

[Chargerrtforme]

I think we can all take a little from the statements made here. Drive it and enjoy it. Im still going to try to avoid rain though.

Yeah it aint  the old days anymore. With what they  cost today you won't find to many with snow filled grilles. But it is true you don't live forever so get out there and ride brothers and sisters.  

[Belgium R/T -68]

I agree to that life is to short to not use the charger whenever the wheather permits it. This
year I will surely use it as much as I can.

Per

[1969chargerrtse]

Back in 2007 when I bought my car and knew little about it, I bought non original looking tips and had no idea.  I just picked up a perfect original looking repro set for 79.99 on eBay.  They were the same size as my pipe so I had the tail pipe expanded for 20.00 at a local garage and the job is done. The seller was awesome, he said he would do whatever it took to make me happy and sent me 20.00 to paypal. I also replaced my long 80" odom cable with the correct mopar 66" inch one.  Other spring items are painting the trunk, rear seat backing and felt, trunk seal, rim and almost the correct jack.  Here are some before and after tip shots.  Tool the ole car out for a am DD run,  baby's running fine.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200535556916&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT

[LeeBoy]

Great looking tips. Are they stainless or chromed steel

[1969chargerrtse]

Great looking tips. Are they stainless or chromed steel

This time I got the chrome.  The stainless type yellowed.

[LeeBoy]

Great looking tips. Are they stainless or chromed steel

This time I got the chrome.  The stainless type yellowed.

Hmmm, didn't think about the stainless yellowing from the heat. That would be something to consider when deciding between stainless and chrome.

[1969chargerrtse]

Great looking tips. Are they stainless or chromed steel

This time I got the chrome.  The stainless type yellowed.

Hmmm, didn't think about the stainless yellowing from the heat. That would be something to consider when deciding between stainless and chrome.

Yeah, I first bought the stainless because I feared rust.  After the yellowing I re thought it and realized these chrome tips would never rust in my lifetime.  The car is garage stored and waxed.  Also I changed the clamps to facing down instead of up.  Here's a picture from our site of tips from an unrestored car.  Notice how the tips go in the pipes and clamps are down.

[1969chargerrtse]

   I'm so excited. I've been running an Edelbrock since I got my car 3 years ago.  I decided to look for the correct 4640sa carb and found one on ebay for 300.00.  I put a bid in for 125.00 and to my surprise the seller took it.  I got it today and ran a wire brush over it, and then a dremel tool. It cleaned up o.k but nothing as good as new or re plated.  I pulled the fuel line from my carb and hooked it up.  I ran my car with the Edelbrock on it as the Carter filled up.    I then shut my car down and swapped over the carbs, hooked everything up and adjusted the air screws.  OMG, 1 min later I'm cruising down the road with my stock rumble and a true original carb.  I loved it!!!   To be cruising all original is such a high for me.  I have to add every since I added the correct repro tips with that belly design the car just sounds so cool. Man, Mopar was the coolest back then. I'm so lucky this old carb was bolt on ready. Very lucky.  
From switching over to the 4640 I now have my kickdown, fuel line, and throttle cable correct.  Next item is the nightmare Choke setup.  I also can get rid of the incorrect electric choke though it worked great.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Wow you lucky SOB...took a chance & it worked out.

Even your pie tin is on the right way  WOW!

[1969chargerrtse]

Wow you lucky SOB...took a chance & it worked out.

Even your pie tin is on the right way  WOW!

Thanks for all your help, and tan top!!  You're always there for me.  

Thought I was gonna get a comment of having 2 carbs sitting on my motor, one disconnected running the car while the other one sits on the side of the intake filling up.  You had to of missed that?

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Missed that part....silly me

Curious to hear later on if you have the same problem as me....letting the car sit for 3 or 4 days the bowls go dry...supposedly "inherent" to the Carters....fuel boil off

[1969chargerrtse]

Missed that part....silly me

Curious to hear later on if you have the same problem as me....letting the car sit for 3 or 4 days the bowls go dry...supposedly "inherent" to the Carters....fuel boil off

I had that with a quadrajet on my 396 Pace car. The gas would boil over and the car would start flooded after sitting. I took it to a garage at the time and they didn't find anything but charged me 250.00. That's why I fix my own cars. When I got the rebuild kit there was a metal gasket that went on the bottom of the carb. This kept the hot exhaust fumes that came up to warm the carb, from over heating the base and boiling the gas. I was missing it. Problem went away. I'll start the Charger after work tomorrow and see if there's gas there. Then let it sit longer etc....  Now I'm off to ordering the choke. Tan top sent me a link.

[TUFCAT]

YOUR CAR WILL BE CONCOURSE CORRECT SOON! 

[1969chargerrtse]

YOUR CAR WILL BE CONCOURSE CORRECT SOON! 

Yeah, well I'm far from that and that's o.k. Just knowing the major compontents for power and sound are as close to original, if not original is good enough for me. Vrooooom rumpty rump.

[tan top]

     looks good