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

[PocketThunder]

Nice that the big block 4-speed will be saved. But I don't think any 383 Chargers were SE's  . Regardless, the restoration is looking fine. 

Dan

Edit...the Red Book states that the SE option was available on the base Charger and R/T in '69, and on the 500 and R/T in '70. 

Yep, my 69 SE parts car is a 383..  or was.. 
But i dont think you can get SE and 4-speed together...

[jerry]

and to think it won't be long and you could have bought a new complete body for under 30 grand. i noticed the gleam in the eye of the guy loading the car.he was  thinking....

[hemi-hampton]

That looks alot like some of the Michigan cars I gotta restore. Then they say do you think you can do it for $10,000

[bzabodyn]

I'm going to be happy if I can keep it under $100.... But now, we're going to do it RIGHT - no BS, no half-assin'...

BZ

[Ghoste]

But i dont think you can get SE and 4-speed together... 

You could get the SE with either automatic or manual transmission.

[PocketThunder]

But i dont think you can get SE and 4-speed together... 

You could get the SE with either automatic or manual transmission.

I thought with the SE came A/C, and you couldnt get A/C with manual transmission.?...??

[ChargerSG]

A former owner thought my RT/SE 4speed should have ac and cut the firewall(looks like crape) so its a hole with 2 pipes I dident think you could get ac to a manual

[hemi68charger]

But i dont think you can get SE and 4-speed together... 

You could get the SE with either automatic or manual transmission.

I thought with the SE came A/C, and you couldnt get A/C with manual transmission.?...??

A/C wasn't standard on SE's and A/C wasn't available with a manual if it was a 426/440 car... 383/manuals could get A/C..........

Troy

[Ghoste]

SE was just a trim option for 69 and as far as I know there were no other "hard" options required to get it.

[bzabodyn]

Yep - they think the donor car's an SE, 4-speed, A/C car...  Really contemplating doing it up as a "modern" driver - we'll see...

BZ

[Ghoste]

Shouldn't be too difficult to tell, what is it that makes them think it's an SE?

[1969chargerrtse]

But i dont think you can get SE and 4-speed together... 

You could get the SE with either automatic or manual transmission.

I thought with the SE came A/C, and you couldnt get A/C with manual transmission.?...??

A/C wasn't standard on SE's and A/C wasn't available with a manual if it was a 426/440 car... 383/manuals could get A/C..........

Troy

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!  440 4spd cars couldn't get A/C.  So if I fulfil my dream of putting a 4spd in my R/T it would be incorrect because it has air?  Please, no no.

[1969chargerrtse]

Shouldn't be too difficult to tell, what is it that makes them think it's an SE?

I pulled the sail panel interior trim out on mine to confirm the 2 factory SE holes.

[Dans 68]

But i dont think you can get SE and 4-speed together... 

You could get the SE with either automatic or manual transmission.

I thought with the SE came A/C, and you couldnt get A/C with manual transmission.?...??

A/C wasn't standard on SE's and A/C wasn't available with a manual if it was a 426/440 car... 383/manuals could get A/C..........

Troy

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!  440 4spd cars couldn't get A/C.  So if I fulfil my dream of putting a 4spd in my R/T it would be incorrect because it has air?  Please, no no.

Yes, alas, it would be incorrect. Nice to have, but incorrect....

Dan

[1969chargerrtse]

But i dont think you can get SE and 4-speed together... 

You could get the SE with either automatic or manual transmission.

I thought with the SE came A/C, and you couldnt get A/C with manual transmission.?...??

A/C wasn't standard on SE's and A/C wasn't available with a manual if it was a 426/440 car... 383/manuals could get A/C..........

Troy

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!  440 4spd cars couldn't get A/C.  So if I fulfil my dream of putting a 4spd in my R/T it would be incorrect because it has air?  Please, no no.

Yes, alas, it would be incorrect. Nice to have, but incorrect....

Dan

I'd do it anyway.  The dream lives!   Hey, if I didn't know?  Plus nothing wrong with building a car to suit your needs (aka spinning tires and sounding real cool ).


                                                                                                           

[bzabodyn]

Some updated pictures of the front fenders after priming, the body shell being blasted/primed, and the body shell complete ready for metal replacement (the fun stuff)...

Gauge cluster, HEMI carbs, other specialty parts have been sent off for restoration and they are getting ready for metal work and engine rebuilding as we speak... I plan on making another trip up there in a month or two and by that time we should have a good update with some good progress... things are still moving along!

BZ

[69bronzeT5]

The fenders look good....the underside..not so much

[bzabodyn]

No joke!

Also, take note of bent passenger frame rail - looks like it had a pretty good rear end collision at some point...

Can't wait to post pics of the body without all the swiss cheese sheet metal!

BZ

[tan top]

that's was swiss cheese .. making some good progress now ,  had a fare old bash in the rear then , explains all that brazing ..wonder when & who done the work .....70s i'm guessing  , doubt well ever know , but stuff like that fascinates me ... what these cars go through in there  life 

[69bronzeT5]

No joke!

Also, take note of bent passenger frame rail - looks like it had a pretty good rear end collision at some point...

Can't wait to post pics of the body without all the swiss cheese sheet metal!

BZ

I never noticed that! 

[500hp_440]

Looking good, I was told my car was a true rust bucket, no floors, trunk, quaters rusted, ect. but the guys before me cut EVERYTHING out, lucky me!, I hate rust.
Good luck to you, I look foward to having you pass me!

[orange383]

I don't like the way they've propped the car up on those 2 bits of wood. 

It doesn't like very safe for the car or the guy working on it.

Good luck with the resto though!

Matt.

[bzabodyn]

The disclaimer:

"We are true professionals - do not try this at home"

comes to mind...

BZ

[bzabodyn]

that's was swiss cheese .. making some good progress now ,  had a fare old bash in the rear then , explains all that brazing ..wonder when & who done the work .....70s i'm guessing  , doubt well ever know , but stuff like that fascinates me ... what these cars go through in there  life 

No kidding! I'm in the process of asking some questions on the body repair work to see what more I can find out - by what I've heard, that wreck happened pretty early on in the car's life as many people referred to the previous owner as being "in his teens" and his father bought him the car when he was 16...

BZ

[Topher]

I don't like the way they've propped the car up on those 2 bits of wood. 

It doesn't like very safe for the car or the guy working on it.

Good luck with the resto though!

Matt.

The way the car looks he doesn't need to worry. It's not that heavy with all that metal off it. Looks like there's alot of work to be done, keep at it!