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

[bzabodyn]

Cough...cough ... REBODY... cough...cough....

uh, I don't think so - don't worry, the shop is photo-documenting everything possible on this project, so you'll get to see everything from start to finish... so please don't come on here posting that kind of stuff... we are going to save/refinish/refurb everything we can on the car to keep it as "original" as possible, but there are inevitably some things you just can't do that with...

all I can say is that this is going to be a high-quality resto that otherwise couldn't be achieved for the price or timeframe any other way... just for perspective, the gentleman that is doing the work, Ken, has also done a ground up resto on a Merc 300SL Gullwing that is on their showroom floor ($600-800k car) - it has won numerous awards and has been called the 3rd best Gullwing in the world (the #1/#2 cars are owned by Merc) - I have never seen attention to detail quite like that before...

BZ

[TUFCAT]

Brandon, I just read an article this month in one of my all-time favorite magazines "Hemmings Muscle Machines" which documented the worlds finest restored 1970 GTO Judge Ram Air IV currently in existence.  The owner spent countless thousands making his car as perfect as possible - as it started out a basket case. It also involved using a 1970 Tempest donor car which was needed for its virgin factory correct parts and panels currently not being reproduced. 

Nobody here can see your car... or possibly know the extent of body work that's needed. That's between you and the restoration shop. I think we all realize how important it is for you to make this car 100% right, which is crucial for a car like yours.  I think the guys who posted (like me) are not looking to bust your balls, but rather, just making sure you explore every avenue (both financial and quality) before choosing to go the donor car route.  I still appreciate your dedication to making this car as perfect as it can be and I realize, you, myself and lots of other guys, have budgets to adhere to.  Sorry if you were insulted.....its just that most guys around here still get all gushy over virgin sheet metal  . I still wish you the best of luck. 

[69bronzeT5]

Nobody here can see your car... or possibly know the extent of body work that's needed. That's between you and the restoration shop. I think we all realize how important it is for you to make this car 100% right, which is crucial for a car like yours.  I think the guys who posted (like me) are not looking to bust your balls, but rather, just making sure you explore every avenue (both financial and quality) before choosing to go the donor car route.  I still appreciate your dedication to making this car as perfect as it can be and I realize, you, like myself and lots of other guys, have budgets to adhere to.  Sorry if you were insulted.....its just that most guys around here still get all gushy over virgin sheet metal  . I still wish you the best of luck. 

[Charger_Fan]

Well then, so be it. That's just how it is with old cars...you can save some, but you can't save 'em all. At least there will be a Hemi car making a comeback after the dust has settled. 
Looking forward to future progress reports.

[69_500]

Just curious but what all parts are you needing to get from the 383 car for the HEMI car? Is it mainly interior pieces? Small fasteners? Wiring harness? Just curious. I wasn't trying to pick at anything for cutting up a car, just making an observation. And just to clarify and this might come accross as a smart ass but not meant that way. But parts from the 383 car wouldn't techincally be NOS, they might however be the correct date coded pieces. slight difference.

[bzabodyn]

Actually - the car we've bought had been completely stripped (bodywork complete - mainly just sanding/filling) - but most interior parts are present - to clarify, the previous owner purchased many NOS parts for his resto and they are part of the bundle... I've seen a couple of pics of the body panels/floors/roof and they are all in good condition...  the shop should receive the car by the end of the week with body work starting soon after...

Also talked to the owner of the shop a couple of hours ago and they have pulled the engine/tranny - engine was being disassembled and each component was being inspected and sent off as needed for machine work (machine shop's just three blocks away, so that's nice to know) - and they have actually rebuilt/detailed the transmission already as they said it was in very good condition and needed little work outside of cosmetics... progress is nice!

Brandon Z.

[bullit68]

does this mean you are going to sell it at barrett-jackson 09?

[bzabodyn]

nope - actually don't plan on selling it for a very long time - it is my 9- month old son's college fund!

[bullit68]

good to hear.i hope you and your son get many years of enjoyment out of it.he'll remember it for the rest of his life.i too have an original 69 hemi 4 spd charger although its not numbers matching.i plan on doing a driver type resto with a big stroker hemi so me and my son can drive the heck out of it.he's 4 1/2 now and tells me to "smoke the tires dad"when we drive in my other chargers.have fun.

[Ghoste]

I hope he finds his college funding through some other (legal) source and tells you that he intends to keep the car and pass it on to his kids one day. 

[69_500]

College fund for you son huh? Hmmmm, well I have a 4 year old son, and I know that he would throw an absolute fit if I ever thought of selling the Charger, that is unless it was to replace it with a Daytona. I think he would be okay with that idea, considering he does laugh and say that he will have a daytona before his dad.

[472 R/T SE]

...if you have any metal left on em...like usuable parts...send em to me



Good to see progress is being made!

btw, if you have any usuable parts left from the parts car...send em to me

Take a deep breath Cody. 

[bzabodyn]

Quick update - finally got an appt with Galen - he's flying in next Thursday (12/27) to do the visual inspection/verification of a couple of key things so the guys at American Classics and start the new year off with their foot on the throttle and really get cranking on the HEMI's resto... I'm going to meet up with him then, so I'll have some new pics and a nice update to end the year...

Can't wait to get the ball REALLY rolling here in the next week... BZ

[tan top]

sounds good , can't wait to see more pictures of the resto

[69_500]

Is there something in particular that your wanting Galen to inspect on your car before taking it all down to begin the restoration? There are plenty of knowledgeable people who would gladly inspect the car, and point out the finer details, for cheaper or even free. Just curious. I know that people who intend to sell their cars someday kind of covet that "Galen inspected" line for advertisement purposes. Personally I wouldn't, but that is just me.

[bzabodyn]

Well, the main reason is that Frank (one of the Mopar guys consulting on the project) is good friends with Galen going way back and he really respects what Galen says... and yes, the other reason is definitely for the marketing/investment side of things...

But remember that my car doesn't have a fender tag (remember the asshole guy that stored it removed it and will not give it up - still says he "can't find it"  ), so Galen is reproducing one and that's part of where the visual inspection comes in since the broadcast sheet was missing some info... and for what he's doing everything for, it is honestly not that bad of a deal - and in the grand scheme of things, it's a small price to pay for piece of mind since I already have a small fortune tied up in this thing...

BZ

[69bronzeT5]

(remember the asshole guy that stored it removed it and will not give it up - still says he "can't find it"  ),

Saw that coming from miles away

[TUFCAT]

Why would somebody purposely keep a fener tag after selling the car??  Its useless - especially on such a rare high-profile car.

[hemi68charger]

Well, the main reason is that Frank (one of the Mopar guys consulting on the project) is good friends with Galen going way back and he really respects what Galen says... and yes, the other reason is definitely for the marketing/investment side of things...

But remember that my car doesn't have a fender tag (remember the asshole guy that stored it removed it and will not give it up - still says he "can't find it"  ), so Galen is reproducing one and that's part of where the visual inspection comes in since the broadcast sheet was missing some info... and for what he's doing everything for, it is honestly not that bad of a deal - and in the grand scheme of things, it's a small price to pay for piece of mind since I already have a small fortune tied up in this thing...

BZ

That sucks about the fender tag Brandon........... Look forward in seeing the car at some point and helping out............

Troy

[charge69]

Brandon, if it were me, I would file suit in small claims court against the guy for the cost of Galen's visit and fender tag replacement! That is, if you KNOW he had it or still has it and he just kept it for spite!  Getting in his pocket may help him "find" the tag!  Can you prove he had it at one time?

[bzabodyn]

Well, he has admitted to taking it off - from the numerous times I've spoken with him, it's been anywhere from a few months to 15 years that it's been since he's taken it off (even though the fresh metal in the screw holes says otherwise!)

I think I am going to send him a copy of the bill from Galen's visit and see what comes about from it - he claims he's a big Mopar guy (owns probably 15-20 mopars - probably questionable how he came to own them -  plus around 40 Dodge Ram work trucks), but when you act like that, you're not a Mopar guy... you're just a jealous prick - can't wait to show him the finish product and really put a wad in his panties! The guy's worth millions, he's just the type of guy that is really difficult when he doesn't get his way - and me buying the car is probably the ultimate case of him not getting his way...

TROY - after the first of the year, we're definitely going to have to find time in our schedules to meet up and get you to check out the car...

Brandon

[TUFCAT]

The fender tag is worth nothing to this guy in the end.  After this car is properly restored with an authentic (Galen's reproduction) fender tag and blessing, I guess it will only be for spite...or something?  Even if your a scumbag who's planning to build a fake hemi car....without a title, and vin plate....what's a fender tag worth to anybody??  Zero dollars - - zero cents.   I wonder how this moron made his millions anyway? -- he certainly doesn't sound very "smart" to me. 

[69_500]

Well if you have the broadcast sheet it isn't that difficult to come up with what the fender tag would read anyways. They all follow a set order, and it doesn't list everything just key things. Wouldn't be hard to figure out.

[TUFCAT]

I think bzabodyn has the original broadcast sheet.  At least his reproductiuon will be authentic looking.   

[Shakey]

Brandon, if it were me, I would file suit in small claims court against the guy for the cost of Galen's visit and fender tag replacement! That is, if you KNOW he had it or still has it and he just kept it for spite!  Getting in his pocket may help him "find" the tag!  Can you prove he had it at one time?

A lawsuit - you're kidding right?