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

[69*F5*SE]

I can't wait to start seeing pics of all the metal work that has to be done. That's going to be one awesome car when it's completed.

[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 

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

dang ...farther bought him it      must of been awesome back then to go into a dealer .....& order hardware like this
 
can't remember if it was mentioned BZ but was the charger sold in Texas   ..do you know what dealer 
good stuff !!  going to do some detective work on the cars history  ...looking forward to reading about it BZ 

[bzabodyn]

Of course it's a TEXAS car!  And the reason I've been so adamant about restoring this car is because it was one of the only HEMI cars sold new at a small dealership in my hometown (El Campo, TX) called Miller Motorcars owned by A.G. "Red" Miller - talk to him about it all the time (he's in his early 90's now) and he can't wait to take a picture with me in front of the completed car...

Also, the only previous owner is the half-brother of one of my good friends who has recently past away (June of last year) of cancer... he was the real help in getting all the paperwork/documentation together where I could walk away with a clean title to a one-owner HEMI car - this restoration is definitely a tribute to him!

Rest in peace Homer - we miss you buddy!

BZ

[hemi68charger]

Hey Brandon.........
Well, from the looks of it, you're really deep into her now........... Looks like a lot of work, but man, when you get the sheetmetal done and paint on her, you'll be on cloud nine....... Keep trudging away..........

Troy

[tan top]

Of course it's a TEXAS car!  And the reason I've been so adamant about restoring this car is because it was one of the only HEMI cars sold new at a small dealership in my hometown (El Campo, TX) called Miller Motorcars owned by A.G. "Red" Miller - talk to him about it all the time (he's in his early 90's now) and he can't wait to take a picture with me in front of the completed car...

Also, the only previous owner is the half-brother of one of my good friends who has recently past away (June of last year) of cancer... he was the real help in getting all the paperwork/documentation together where I could walk away with a clean title to a one-owner HEMI car - this restoration is definitely a tribute to him!

Rest in peace Homer - we miss you buddy!

BZ

yeah i would of definatly restored that ..... just got to , can't let a Hemi car go to the great junk yard in the sky ....too many went in the 70s
thats great ...you talked to the  dealers ships owner ...amazing stuff , i bet he has some good back in the day storys   ...
sorry to hear Homer passed away ..shame he was not able to see the car finished , at least you got to meet him .
looking forward to reading  anything else you find out BZ
 

[69hemi]

  where has she been and no updates , wasnt it almost finished   

She and her husband brought the car by my house last summer when she finished it and I just saw her this fall.  They were at a show and it started pouring so the car was pretty dirty but it looks nice.

[moparstuart]

  where has she been and no updates , wasnt it almost finished   

She and her husband brought the car by my house last summer when she finished it and I just saw her this fall.  They were at a show and it started pouring so the car was pretty dirty but it looks nice.

:2thumbs:cool we need pictures

[Chargerrtforme]

Wow, great pictures thanks for the update.

[69hemi]

  where has she been and no updates , wasnt it almost finished   

She and her husband brought the car by my house last summer when she finished it and I just saw her this fall.  They were at a show and it started pouring so the car was pretty dirty but it looks nice.

:2thumbs:cool we need pictures

Sorry, it was raining but I have some at home from the fall visit I will hunt up

[426HemiCharger]

  Can one feel all these at once? Yes. What does it? when someone else finds a 4-speed Hemi Charger. But Congrats on a 1 of 207 car!!

[69hemi]

Can one feel all these at once? Yes. What does it? when someone else finds a 4-speed Hemi Charger. But Congrats on a 1 of 207 car!!

Actually, I got two Chargers when I bought my Hemi as it came packaged with a rust-free '68 he was going to cut up for parts.  So by the time I sold the 68 I only ended up with half as much in my Hemi.

Sorry

[bzabodyn]

I wish that was the case for me... if I sell the donor 383/4spd car, it *might* cover about 10% of what I'll have in after everything's said and done...

Here's hoping the Montgomery County District Attorney's office can do their job and get me some of my money back!!!

BZ

[bzabodyn]

I know it's been a while, but here are a few teaser pics from the last two months or so... between building a new house, our boy turning two, and this car, time is just flying by!!!

First set of pics are after primering/minor rust replacement up front...

[bzabodyn]

Now a few after actual new metal is on - we now have a trunk floor and quarters!!!

Only missing the roof panels and wanting on the decklid to do tail panel, etc - they are saying everything is fitting together nicely but I'll have to see in person myself... I plan on trying to make it up there in the next few weeks, so hopefully I can get more/detailed pics... They have also started with the motor, so that's exciting too...

Moving right along - it's nice to see it look SOMEWHAT like a charger again!!!

BZ

[69*F5*SE]

It's good to see things are getting done.     Ted

[426HemiCharger]

At least she's in red-lead, so one less thing to do

[69bronzeT5]

She's looking great Brandon

[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

I don't see it anymore...   I hope it is in a safe location, somewhere dry. 

Dan

[tan top]

good to see the work going ahead again    ..... keep the pictures coming BZ

[bzabodyn]

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

Dan

I don't see it anymore...   I hope it is in a safe location, somewhere dry. 

Dan

Uh, try locked up in Jeff's safe in his office!!!

BZ

[hemi68charger]

Brandon..
I see you and the shop are chopping away at the car......... Keep it up............   
Troy

[Charger-Bodie]

I like it!! No re-body there.

[1969chargerrtse]

Very nice, thanks for the update. Great pictures.

[TUFCAT]

I'll say it again....WOW!! Awesome restoration. For those just joining, I'll re-post the thread the way it looked when Brandon bought the car.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,34526.msg376244.html#msg376244

[Charger-Bodie]

At least she's in red-lead, so one less thing to do

You apparently don't realize that "red-lead" is a nick name for spot putty? Not Epoxy primer.