Hemi Charger Restoration thread (Updated 5/28/10 - Nearly complete!!!)

[bzabodyn]

Well, progress is continuing!!!

The majority of the rusty panels have been removed and now we are done to the bare skeleton - but honestly, there's more left at this point than I originally would have thought - the guys at distinct auto are doing a great job so far and are in the process of replacing the panels as we speak, so keep an eye on the website (there's about 20 or so new pictures now - including a funny one that shows you the things you find when you start taking panels off a car!)

www.distinctautomotive.net/69hemi.htm

We are currently in the process of making some crucial decisions on a few things, so when I have some more information, I'll pass it on...

BZ

[bzabodyn]

sorry the pics are so big...

BZ

[SFRT]

 

[tan top]

   see why you had a doner car now ...  to get every thing you need    .................  intresting pictures   thanks for posting     ................... link don't work for me  BZ   ....

[1969chargerrtse]

Thanks for taking the time to post all the pictures.  Looks great, kinda.  Odd how the lower outside rear window panel didn't rust out?

[Dans 68]

I imagine one of your problems is how to keep the trunk lip serial number intact, without actually replacing the piece. Good luck! 

Dan

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Holee crap!  I applaud your attempt at keeping as much metal as you can but there aint much left!

Cant stop now though!

[SFRT]

man///srsly...just graft the numbers and drivetrain on the donor and call it a day.

[hemi-hampton]

Never seen a Jig like that, Looks like lots of fun & Lots of Time & Money. I'm going to guess you'll have $100,000+ into it when done LEON.

[TUFCAT]

WOW!!!  I agree with Tan Top. Whomever initially assessed the car and advised on using a donor car was a pure genius in the area of cost savings.... that thing is more wasted than I thought! The original pics really didn't do justice to the overall rot.   Even the inner sail panels are swiss cheese!  I APPLAUD YOU FOR NOT DOING A BODY SWAP.

btw, the correct link is:

http://www.distinctautomotive.net/69hemi.htm

[bzabodyn]

Like I've said from the beginning - we're going to do this right and the only way we were going to get the body work to the standard we want it without it costing an arm, a leg, and a left nut - we were going to have to use a solid donor car... there are many challenges that we're going to have to overcome (ie keeping serial numbers in place and documenting everything) but it's going to be what we want it to be in the end...

After discussions later this evening with the head body man, we're actually not going to use the quarters off of the donor car - as noticed before, there was excessive body filler on one side and it just wasn't of the quality we wanted - so we're going with the US-made steel quarters and we're going to try to salvage as much of the donor car so we can sell it when we piece out every little thing we need - so if someone is so inclined to take on the project or use it for a parts-car, they can and the car isn't completely toast when we're done (and I might package it with the engine/tranny if the price is right at the time)... only time will tell what we end up being left with in regards to the donor...

The project will hopefully keep up the steam and progress will continue to be made - I'll keep everyone updated as best I can...

BZ

[bzabodyn]

Never seen a Jig like that, Looks like lots of fun & Lots of Time & Money. I'm going to guess you'll have $100,000+ into it when done LEON.

Unfortunately, you're right on all aspects - the project has had some delays but has been a lot of fun but more headaches and check-writing than I had hoped for - at least it's rolling now and we'll start to see some good progress in the upcoming months 

I keep saying this isn't an investment, but even if it is, I look at my 401k/IRA/stocks and right now I'd much rather have my money in Mopar!

BZ

[bzabodyn]

WOW!!!  I agree with Tan Top. Whomever initially assessed the car and advised on using a donor car was a pure genius in the area of cost savings.... that thing is more wasted than I thought! The original pics really didn't do justice to the overall rot.   Even the inner sail panels are swiss cheese!  I APPLAUD YOU FOR NOT DOING A BODY SWAP.

btw, the correct link is:

http://www.distinctautomotive.net/69hemi.htm

Thanks for correcting the link - I saw I put .com instead of .net (fixed it - it's right in my signature)... Like I've said, we were never even thinking about doing a "body swap" or "rebody" or whatever - we just have to replace a shitload of sheetmetal!  We are going to document everything as you can see by the website, so everything is definitely on the up-and-up...

BZ

[hemi-hampton]

Has that car spent it's whole life in Texas? With all that Rust, looks liked most of the cars that can be found in Detroit area corn fields LEON.

[ChargerSG]

Wow, thats the greatest restoration/save i have ever seen its so great that you dont do a body swap i just have to applaud you to

[bzabodyn]

Has that car spent it's whole life in Texas? With all that Rust, looks liked most of the cars that can be found in Detroit area corn fields LEON.

You'd be surprised - when I see ads on classic cars from Texas that say "solid Texas body" I have to wonder... if you've read some of the other, older threads on the car, though, it sat outside with the rear end under a tree for at least 5 years some time ago so that's a main factor in why the top side is much worse off than the bottom/front...

BZ

[bzabodyn]

Wow, thats the greatest restoration/save i have ever seen its so great that you dont do a body swap i just have to applaud you to

With what this car means to me and to our community, I would have it any other way... you wouldn't believe how many people in my small town (10k pop) ask me on a regular basis about the progress on the restoration... it will be a cool day in El Campo, TX when this car is back on the road - local newspaper is wanting to do a front page article on it already! (as well as a couple of magazines)

BZ

[bzabodyn]

Ok, here we go again... after a couple of months of "chilling out" and trying to get my mind off the car and the situation for a while (not to mention starting to build a new home), we're finally getting the ball rolling on picking up the Chargers and getting everything from Conroe to it's new resto home in Taylor TX at Jeff's Resurrections... decided to just get it out of the shop there in Conroe and start over with a clean slate...

For those that were not aware of the drama: http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,47438.0.html

We have an enclosed trailer and a flatbed trailer lined up for Wednesday morning and I'm preparing for a long day... we'll head from El Campo (1 hr south of Houston) to Conroe (about an hour north of Houston) to Taylor (about 30 min NE of Austin) and then back to El Campo - dreading it already!!! BUT, we'll finally be putting one chapter of this car's clouded history behind it and turning the page to a much better one that hopely ends with a beautifully finished car...

Look for another update in a few days with pictures of everything getting moved to its new home - cross your fingers and wish me luck!

BZ

[Charger-Bodie]

good luck with all that!

[gers1968rt]

Ya, good luck with this new chapter on the r/t's restoration. gerry

[1969chargerrtse]

Thanks for the updates, we'll be looking for more pictures. 

[moparstuart]

Ok, here we go again... after a couple of months of "chilling out" and trying to get my mind off the car and the situation for a while (not to mention starting to build a new home), we're finally getting the ball rolling on picking up the Chargers and getting everything from Conroe to it's new resto home in Taylor TX at Jeff's Resurrections... decided to just get it out of the shop there in Conroe and start over with a clean slate...

For those that were not aware of the drama: http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,47438.0.html

We have an enclosed trailer and a flatbed trailer lined up for Wednesday morning and I'm preparing for a long day... we'll head from El Campo (1 hr south of Houston) to Conroe (about an hour north of Houston) to Taylor (about 30 min NE of Austin) and then back to El Campo - dreading it already!!! BUT, we'll finally be putting one chapter of this car's clouded history behind it and turning the page to a much better one that hopely ends with a beautifully finished car...

Look for another update in a few days with pictures of everything getting moved to its new home - cross your fingers and wish me luck!

BZ

I was in the same situation for 4 years and was in denial , good thing your taking care of it swiftly . 

[bzabodyn]

I was in the same situation for 4 years and was in denial , good thing your taking care of it swiftly . 

Wow - and I thought 2 months was an eternity! I'm happy to get everything going again, just kicking myself for not going with my original choice for a shop and now I'm going to end up getting it done there afterall, but for a pretty penny... and hoping I'll recoup the lost money over the next 50yrs or so at like $100/mo or something... 

BZ

[PocketThunder]

Holy Crap!  I finally just read the last few pages of this restoration and after seeing the pictures you certainly have me beat in the rust dept.     

Continue with the good work and keep your stick on the ice!   

[69bronzeT5]

Holy Crap!  I finally just read the last few pages of this restoration and after seeing the pictures you certainly have me beat in the rust dept.     

Same!