How Long has your Charger been a project?

[Leonidas Rex]

I have had my 68 Charger RT for almost 2 years now. I almost had to sell the car a couple of months ago but was able to clear up some finances to keep it. I already have all the parts I need that I cannot buy reproduced. All of the pans have been replaced. The car now needs to be stripped and primed to continue the body work. I feel like this is never going to get done. After next year, the finances will clear up significantly. Then, I can put full concentration on the car. Just frustrating to see it sit.

How long has your project sat unfinished? For the guys that have finished, how long did it take you?

[terrible one]

3 years. 

[NYCMille]

Since the day I bought it.

[1st_charger]

From start to finish 9 years and 7 months give or take a week! but in that time I also finished college, bought a house got married and had a daughter in that order!

Start
http://s55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/scottiboy/?action=view&current=chargerbefore1.jpg

Finish
http://s55.photobucket.com/albums/g140/scottiboy/?action=view&current=charger004.jpg

Actually Finish is the wrong word! We'll say road worthy it will never be finished!

[TruckDriver]

4 years. But the car sat by a friend in Arizona til' Aug. '05. Ad since then, it has been in storage with some little things being done to it.

[Slowpoke]

Since 1982 i'm real slow 

[HITMAN 149]

brought it home oct 7th last year!!!!!!!  hope to have it pretty much done for the summer!?!?!?!? 

[Skyview69]

18 years and counting for my 71 Charger 

4 years for my 69 Charger 

[Mass_Mopar]

Since the day I bought it.

what he said

Bought it in 2001, took me 2 years to replace 4 floor pans, the truck pans, the extensions, the gas tank, fix the brakes, etc before I drove it for the first time.  Then another 1.5 years down for me to put a new driver's 1/4 on it and a new radiator in it and rebuild the carb

[miller]

about 4 1/2 years now... floors, trunk, interior, a little motor work... the big stuff is yet to come, we do little things ever year, but to be realistic until im out of college its hard to really give it a complete restoration, so its going to be a project for at least 4 more years!

[jgbailey57]

coming up on 8 years and counting for me, last time it was registered was 1992.  but i'm making progress, i bought a fender for it last week.

[chargerman68]

mine going on 6yrs....

[PocketThunder]

Since the day I bought it.

what he said

   

[694spdRT]

Bought the 69 in 1991 and "finished" it in 2005. 

For those that have not got their's done yet don't worry...they are never really done anyway. 

[hemi68charger]

'69 C500: running driving car that will eventually need a cosmetic resto.
'68 hemi Charger R/T: Owned for 10 years, been in the painting situation for over 5 yrs. But, that'll soon end
'70 six pack Charger R/T: I've had the car about 2.5 years now and it needs to be restored....

Troy

[HITMAN 149]

Bought the 69 in 1991 and "finished" it in 2005. 

For those that have not got their's done yet don't worry...they are never really done anyway. 

yea aint that the truth!!! just like my harley.. i bought it brand spankin new in 2001... and i still have tons of things i wanna do to it!!!  LOL
i guess that's what the winters are for!!! hahaha

[68chrgrwife]

mine going on 6yrs....

yeah but it sat for almost 2 1/2 years before any real work was done then it sat again for alomst 2 years while slowly being worked on and not it has been 2 years since we got it back and it is still not done..ok maybe it is but you keep finding more to be done....

[Joshua]

I've always made changes to mine during the 18 years I've been driving it.......but now that it's actually APART, it'll probably stay that way for 5+ years........

[41husk]

I took my Challenger convertible apart in 1992 and it is getting close but still not in paint, so 15 years and counting.  The chargers I got into drivable decent drivers with in about a years time each.

[moparstuart]

 bought the 69 six months ago almost running now.       Been working on the superbird convertible for 11 years
   you can read about that tale on this thread   
  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,32617.msg355414.html#msg355414

[Chatt69chgr]

About 3 years.  I have bought several thousand dollars worth of parts  and restored several individual items but the car has not been taken apart yet.  The most important thing I have done is accumulate technical information concerning how to to my restoration and determine where to get the items I need.  I have chased the hardest to find items first particularly items that may not be reproduced as well as items that are available as reproductions now but may not be in the future.  This is a retirement project for me.  Something that I am enjoying and that I don't care about hurrying up.  When I get tired of messing around with the car, I delve into another of my hobbies for a while----book collecting and photography.  I fully expect that it will take 4 or 5 more years to get the car finished.

[six-tee-nine]

I only have mine for 6 months now but exept undenting the center grill trim piece i haven't done anything yet....too busy restoring my house for the moment...

[Leonidas Rex]

Now I don't feel so bad. Life just happened to place all of my projects on hold. I figured on at least 5 years so maybe that is not an unrealistic goal.

[kink67]

About 4 years for my 66 and counting.    My new project 68 R/T will be a little longer 4 or 5 years

Rich

[grdprx]

I've had my 68 for 2.5 months and I can't wait to get it on the road!  I hope for this up coming summer, but it needs a ton of work.  Paint, motor rebuild, etc, etc...  We'll see.....

[hutch]

Going on 10 months next week.  Every night.  I have spent more money on GoJo than I have parts I think.

[moparstuart]

Going on 10 months next week.  Every night.  I have spent more money on GoJo than I have parts I think.

yeah but think of the pride you will have , having done it your self

[ipstrategies]

Bought it in March 2005 and have the mechanics done to make it driver, now I need to get the body done.

[bull]

I'm at about 4.5 years now but it sat for the first two years of that time. I'm hoping I'll have it done within a year but that all depends on the inflow rate of cash.

[69bronzeT5]

almost 9 frickin years

[Wango Mango]

WAAAAYYYY to long!  My 69 R/T SE was started 4 yesrs ago & the body was stripped & painted B7 blue w/ black top.  Matching #'s block ws cleaned & sonic tested.   Got all the legendary interior, but the project is sitting in a storage unit.  Cant' decide whether to sell the project or finish it.  Got 5 4 other mopar projects in competition for my time!   

[moparstuart]

WAAAAYYYY to long!  My 69 R/T SE was started 4 yesrs ago & the body was stripped & painted B7 blue w/ black top.  Matching #'s block ws cleaned & sonic tested.   Got all the legendary interior, but the project is sitting in a storage unit.  Cant' decide whether to sell the project or finish it.  Got 5 4 other mopar projects in competition for my time!   

wango mango sweet                  oh i guess not

[dodgecharger-fan]

Almost 6 years and I'm about to start over from scratch again.

I've just bought up some good used frame pieces; I'll need to take advatage of gunslingr's Christmas sale and get a tailpanel.
I've arranged for another shop to take it in, blast it back to bare metal and re-do all the heavy metal work but this time keep right on going until it's in paint.

[moparstuart]

Almost 6 years and I'm about to start over from scratch again.

I've just bought up some good used frame pieces; I'll need to take advatage of gunslingr's Christmas sale and get a tailpanel.
I've arranged for another shop to take it in, blast it back to bare metal and re-do all the heavy metal work but this time keep right on going until it's in paint.


   good luck i hate those stalled project stories i guess cause i have so many myself

[Mefirst]

Bought my Charger back in 2002 and started a mechanical rebuild on her in 2003... and she is fighting me in every way possible... The Bitch

/Tom

[moparstuart]

Bought my Charger back in 2002 and started a mechanical rebuild on her in 2003... and she is fighting me in every way possible... The Bitch

/Tom

just give ole christine a hug

[Mefirst]

Bought my Charger back in 2002 and started a mechanical rebuild on her in 2003... and she is fighting me in every way possible... The Bitch

/Tom

just give ole christine a hug

-What I'm thinking of doing is to have a Priest come down to the garage and sprinkle Holywater on her and do some exorcism... Then again my bet is, that the second the Holywater drops touch her, she will burst into a flaming inferno...

[moparstuart]

Bought my Charger back in 2002 and started a mechanical rebuild on her in 2003... and she is fighting me in every way possible... The Bitch

/Tom

just give ole christine a hug

-What I'm thinking of doing is to have a Priest come down to the garage and sprinkle Holywater on her and do some exorcism... Then again my bet is, that the second the Holywater drops touch her, she will burst into a flaming inferno...

or spinn around in a complete 180 several times  ?

[Charger-Bodie]

always has been, always will be

[firefighter3931]

-What I'm thinking of doing is to have a Priest come down to the garage and sprinkle Holywater on her and do some exorcism... Then again my bet is, that the second the Holywater drops touch her, she will burst into a flaming inferno...

Tom...make sure you have a fire extinguisher handy ! Too funny !!!


Ron

[firefighter3931]

always has been, always will be

They're never really finished. 

Mine's been "down" for several years but soon to be resurrected. 

The E-headed 446 will eventually be replaced with something bigger....it will never end ! 



Ron

[Magnumcharger]

Lets see:
Got out of the military in 1990, had a nice R4 1969 Roadrunner with a 440+6.
In 1991, I traded it for my 1968 Charger R/T. Duhhhhhhhh....
1992 my daughter was born. All ahead...stop.
Between 1993 and now:
Built two houses, rejoined the military, been to basic training again, trades college twice, went into business, moved across the country four times, had numerous jobs. Paid for university for my wife, now paying for my son.

And the Charger got disassembled, dipped, had new floors and shifter hump, subframe connectors, gas tank, fenders, quarter panels (x2), trunk extensions, wheelhouses, inner fenders, rad support, doors, trunklid, hood, seats, transmission (Hemi fourspeed from automatic), rearend, brakes, changed to fourspeed pedals, new console (complete), new glass, and the list goes on.....

Built a rotisserie in 1999, and put it on there. Stayed on it 5 years. Re-assembled it a for move. Disassembled again, and back on rotisserie since 2004. Still there.
Haven't driven the car since 1998.
Owned since 1991 so I guess it's been 16 years.
16 long years, and it's not even close to being done.
If I spent the time working on it that I've spent here on this website, the car would have been done a long time ago!
However, this website is FREEEEEE!!!

[The70RT]

I have had mine for 30 years. Drove it for like 3 years then rebuilt the engine In like 81. Since then It has only had about 1000 miles on it. Since than lots of little stuff kept me from driving it. Finally last year I said enough is enough and completely tore it down. I have been working on it for a year now and I was figuring about 2 years to do it....yeah right I have had to stop on it for funerals, family surgery's, fix this fix that ...yada yada yada. Looks to be 3 years....maybe. I am doing it more extensively than I thought but since it is torn down I might as well be as thorough as can be.

[71ChallengeHer]

My brother's 70 Charger 500 has been sitting since 1984. I finally gave him a good swift kick in the ass to get it on the road.

[mally69]

restoration on mine took 3 years and iv had it oon the road for a yer anda half..   oh  and by they way, you will never be totally done working on it    there is always somthing

[70charginglizard]

Since the day I bought it.

lol....no doubt

Is it ever really finished? 

[Lord Warlock]

Don't get in a rush at the stage you're in.  I can relate a little.  After you strip the body down, and start working out the body it tends to take forever getting things just right.  Mines in the paint stage as well and after a coat goes on, its never good enough underneath so you naturally rework it.  Eventually it will be good enough to me. 

As far as how long has it been a project?  I bought the car in 78, drove it for a year in HS, then drove it to college for 4 years, then stored it.  Its been in a garage the whole 30 years except during school.  It got an engine transplant in 83, did it myself with a cable comalong and a 4x4 in the rafters of my dad's hobby garage, actually i did it twice since i pulled the motor out of a wrecked 69 charger r/t with 69,000 miles, and after cleaning it up put it and the transmission into my car.  Its been a "project" ever since, it has seen less than 300 miles total since i stored it the first time.  Of course there were distractions along the way, such as 4 years of military service involving moving to California, then to South Dakota, then back to Florida, getting married, having 2 kids, and watch all my hobby funds go for diapers, then later female hygene products (wife and 2 girls) then for clothes, etc, other cars that i drove daily, each of which have been strong drivers and are still with me. 

I did plan a little bit over the years, and last year actually spent 30k building a garage just to cover the charger in the backyard.  Recently though, I've seen old friends who were strong ties to the automotive world pass away, and even family get diagnosed with cancer.  Finding out that time is actually running out has forced my hand and is making me rebuild the car finally.  I expect it will be drivable within the next 9 months, but it will be at a hefty expense, the wife will just have to accept that its waited long enough, and it won't wait anymore. 

Was going to trump everyone with the 30 year history, but got beat by another old timer. 

[The70RT]

LordWarlock.....thanks for going through all the details...similar in lots of ways. I built a garage behind my house also a few years ago also for the Charger. I'm glad I held on to it and tore up others while mine sat inside for so many years. I had all the fun and now it is getting close to relive them with a more sensible head on my shoulders.

[Lord Warlock]

I kind of primed the pump 5 years ago while rebuilding the stealth turbo, to give her an idea of what can actually be spent on a car "project" spent 18k redoing the engine, suspension then the interior and lastly the paint (it was my "learn to paint" canvas for 4 years) at least the charger's first ever repaint (stripped the factory paint off as soon as i finished the garage out back) has started out pretty well.  Still alot of work to go, and even when i'm happy with the paint, i still have to wetsand and buff it all back out afterwards.  Hardest thing for me is to take sandpaper to fresh paint, seeing a shine on the car after years of primer or dull factory paint is hypnotizing. 
The harsh part is that when i finished the stealth, it had depreciated from 10k to 5k.  Now i have to decide if i should sell it to buy my 16 year old daughter something safe and dependable to drive, or just store it beside the charger and use it occasionally as a back up or a means to keep from putting too many miles on the 04 svt cobra. 

[Marck]

I got mine in april this year, and (fingers crossed) I hope to have it running next summer, body work winter 08/09, and paint spring 09...

Not in too much of a hurry, but I've only driven the thing once, and I'd really like to try it again... 

[xp29f8b]

Bought it in Oct 02 and then in 05 I cut it up and replaced the complete trunk, both 1/4's, rear vallance + caps. Now it sit's in storage till I return home. Still have a long way to go.
to

[400/6/PAC]

Five years and counting.

[modmidget]

I bought my 68 and let it sit in the back yard for about 4 years.  Started the restore on Thanksgiving weekend, entered it in a car show 15 months later and came home with 2 first place trophies.  Got Best 1965 - 1972 Stock Division and Best Mopar in Show.  I did everything except body and paint myself.  Spent at least 3 hours a day through the workweek on it and 5 to 8 hours every Saturday and Sunday on it.

The car already had a brand new long block engine and tranny when I bought it, so I didn't have to mess with the drive train.

[onebadmopar]

ten years on mine started as a friend of mines project he moved to wisconsin and the car stayed in massachusettes he passed away and the car sat 2 years before anyone decided what to do with it. since i had so much time into it already.. i bought it. purchase drained my finances so it sat again for another 2 then divorce really screwed things up sat for 3 more years with very little getting done to it .finally i got enough money to get the quarters and trunk pan done .....then paint then relocated from massachusettes to alabama left the charger up there for another year now its home and getting alot of progress done......so hope fully by march i,ll be driving it .. but she,ll never really be done

[TK73]

Running/driving "project" for 7 years... can't sit on a vehicle that doesn't run for very long.

[morepower]

umm its been a slow project the whole time i had it like 6 years now myself and 6 with my dad, but it was a driveable project, now its roofless, but i can still fire her up! but havnt driven her on the street in over 2 years

[charger_mike75]

I'm goin on 14 years now.  I'm kinda slow too. 

[keepat]

13 months from basket case to completely restored! Looking for the next car!

[Charger-Bodie]

13 months from basket case to completely restored! Looking for the next car!

i bought my charger in september 06 and "finished " it in march 07 .....but i still skick with them never being done !! .......and yes it also was done on the rotisserie and all the way restored ! even got 2 1st place tropies atall mopar shows.

[rt green]

terrible one- its been 3 years since you got the charger? man, has time flown. had mine for 5 years now, and have been collecting parts. restored a few things hear and there, but had life and other projects going on. i have a serious motorcycle addiction and i need help. maybe i could join a group that sit around and talk about their motorcycle addiction, drink 5 pots of coffee and smoke 5 pack of smokes a nite.  maybe that could get a fire under my ass to get the charger done
have been working on the garage to keep what heat i can afford in it, so when its ten below out there i'll have something to do.     bruce

[dc69383]

Goin' on 5 years....Spent 1 yr. at the paint shop and  I let sit 1 yr. Hope to have it done for Spring.

[Lowprofile]

12+ years and counting..............don't ask. 

[suntech]

Bought mine in February this year, but did not get to touch it before in June. ( I live in Noway, car in the US) Went over in June, and went for a roadtrip, from Chicago to Reading, PA, where the car is sitting now. I guess the project started when i decided to buy the car, by figuring out what i wanted to do with it, and find the parts i wanted. Gathering parts now, to ship with the car ( a LOT of parts!!!!) My dream is to eventually bring the car back to US, and go for a track day together with Mike !! LOL

[Brock Samson]

took me 14 years to get her from a stripped shell with lots of holes in '84 to where she had all the stuffing back inside..
but because i bought a 318 '70 charger $ 500.oo parts car and just swapped in that drivetrain, she was back on the road and driven in a few days while the next decade plus i collected the BB drivetrain, which i finally installed in '99...
that's the short story... and i'm really glad i did it that way, but at the price of these beauties today, that would be impossible now...
that 318 parts car would be approx $8K today... the other $500.oo '69 SE parts car i got the interior and trim from would i guess be a $10K car.

only thing left to do now is a sure grip rear and recover the seats, and the A/C and the... 

[A383Wing]

Got my black 66 in 1974....it's still an "on-going" project.

Bryan

[superduperbee]

javascript:void(0);
brickwallBought my '71 Super Bee in 1990. It sat in storage for 11 years while I collected parts, went racing, got married, had kids, went bankrupt , bought a house and finished 5 other cars. It will finally be finished next springjavascript:void(0);Ray
icon_smile_big

[Charger_Croatia]

Almost three years now..And I thought it will be much easier when purchased (as a rookie in muscle car project) 

[AKcharger]

1970 - More work than I could ever imagine 17 months cost $16K (I was moving HAD to get it done or loose thousands $$$)
1972 - Much Better condition but still full resto 13 months cost $9K (moved 4 months after that one was done)

[dpm68]

I got my 68 R/T in '03 and it sat outside in my friend's back yard for a year, and it has now been sitting in pieces in my garage (3 car, thank god) since then. What a fine coat of dust she has! If I get off my ass, I might take a few snaps of it soon and show everyone just how forgotten it looks. Sad.

[BlueSS454]

I bought my 69 in November of 2001.  It sat untouched in my backyard until September of 2005.  It is now at the point were it can be driven, although I have some minor things to finish up on it.  I have 25 months into it from the time I tore it to pieces to where it has become driveable once again.  FWIW, both my Chevelles took me 2.5 years each to complete, and 6 months of each of those cars was tied up in body shop hell.

[451-74Charger]

6 years and counting
the workshop will be first, then the car.
I am planning on a 3 car "workshop" (the planning dept dont like the word Garage if you know what I mean)

[The70RT]

6 years and counting
the workshop will be first, then the car.
I am planning on a 3 car "workshop" (the planning dept dont like the word Garage if you know what I mean)

Around my area they will let you build a garage if you don't have a bunch of cars sitting around.....go figure?

[rudyjrusa]

got my 1974 charger back in sept 2006 and still working on it - didn't realize how long it takes to buy parts new or used and get time in my busy schedule to work on car - it is also hard in the northeast when winter comes around. 

[Doright]

Hmmm
71 took 4 months!.... sold long ago just did paint interior and eng
1 st 72 never did restore just rebuilt the engine in it and just drove the heck out of it!!!!!! the best ones!
Current project one of many going all at once
This 72 I bought err some time this year and havnt really started it yet pulled the eng and tranny dissasembled the sunroof and started buying parts Removed the seats the other day to find the Build sheets, yep theywere there in all there deterated condition but they prove its a sunroof car.
Its a true survivore! Blown original engine, wasted original paint totaled original interior and oh its a POS but its mine all mine!

I am hopeing to have it done in acouple years

If any one knows were to get real original 1972 window felts and seals and wipers I would really appreciate the tip (the next really hard to find parts!!! for a 72)

[Silver R/T]

probably around 6, collecting all the parts, buying house last year, etc. etc. keeps it off