shes on her way !!

[hotrod98]

The correct spelling is "concours". It's a term that has been used for many years. It refers to restoring a vehicle to as new condition including flaws. Flaws can be things such as overspray,   etc.   All of the original markings would be used as well as the correct materials for interior, etc.
It's the most difficult type of restoration and in my opinion, the most useless. Once the car has been restored, it cannot be driven without basically ruining the restoration. Enclosed trailers only.   
This term is mis-used almost as much as the term "balanced and blueprinted".   I hear people use this term all of the time and they don't have a clue as to what it means. It's been explained to me, but I don't really remember. It's a complicated procedure involving returning an engine to original specs as outlined in factory documents. There's not a good reason to do it.

My shop is restoring (actually restifying) an all original, rust free, matching numbers hemi GTX 4-speed for a guy right now. He hates single stage paint so we're going with base/clear. It's not correct, but he wants this car to look nice and single stage metallics don't look that nice...period. He's not concerned with markings, overspray or anything else. He just wants it to look perfect.

Enjoy that charger.

[Ghoste]

Looks like a great find.  They are truly an icon.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

If the pins were original to the car, J45 would have been on the tag.
Unfortunately yours doesnt have it on the tag

[Pistolpete]

Oh well, seeing as there not original to the car they'll probably go when it goes in for a repaint. I ran the fender tag decoder and a fewe things showed up as unknown at this time
T2 shows up as unknown but on 69 registry it shows up as light bronze metallic? T3 also shows up in three different spots on the fender tag?
CCT shows up blank but I may be reading it wrong - coulb be CRT for the interior ??
LMV and V8W also show up as unknown at this time, maybe I'm just inputing them wrong? anyone got any ideas??

[Blakcharger440]

Nice find and grab! Its cool that you got the car that you wanted! Its your car but.....please not another general lee clone. They are getting so overdone these days...but if ya like it then get to it! 

[Nupe]

Why is it I'm always drawn to cars like that which are not show, but definitely good looking?   Just love the look of a fresh project.  

Looks like a great start and looks very solid!   Congrats!  

It's the most difficult type of restoration and in my opinion, the most useless. Once the car has been restored, it cannot be driven without basically ruining the restoration. Enclosed trailers only.  

I agree 100%!   And tell your friend with the GTX he made the right choice and we want to see burn out pics when finished.  

[Brock Samson]

Oh well, seeing as there not original to the car they'll probably go when it goes in for a repaint. I ran the fender tag decoder and a fewe things showed up as unknown at this time
T2 shows up as unknown but on 69 registry it shows up as light bronze metallic? T3 also shows up in three different spots on the fender tag?
CCT shows up blank but I may be reading it wrong - coulb be CRT for the interior ??
LMV and V8W also show up as unknown at this time, maybe I'm just inputing them wrong? anyone got any ideas??

Give us All the numbers and we'll be abe to give you a wealth of info..

[Pistolpete]

allright then, the ones with question marks are items that I can't make out the numbers very well. the pic file is too large to post so if we can't figure it out I guess I'll have to wait til the car actually gets here and hope the build sheet is still hidden under the rear seat.

starting from top left

M31 N85 R11 V8W 26 LMV?
A33 C16 C55 C33 L31 M21
T3 T3 CCT? T3 A15 101688
E86 D21 XS29 L9B 178410

thanks

[2fast4u]

   Excellent score pete!!!   If you got the Cash and the Time to restore her....I say do it.  If not....restification works!

2fast

[Pistolpete]

looks like I may have found a couple of good resto shops up here, www.conceptsonwheels.com if I'm not mistaken are the ones that turned that ford van into a general lee, word on the street is they're pretty good !
I also found a small shop in my that does resto's (loves mopar, owner of shop owns a GTX) and he says he's willing to let me hang out and participate as much as I can.  told him I'm great at taking things apart! LOL so long as he can put them back together.

whaddaya think?

[hemigeno]

allright then, the ones with question marks are items that I can't make out the numbers very well. the pic file is too large to post so if we can't figure it out I guess I'll have to wait til the car actually gets here and hope the build sheet is still hidden under the rear seat.

starting from top left

M31 N85 R11 V8W 26 LMV?
A33 C16 C55 C33 L31 M21
T3 T3 CCT? T3 A15 101688
E86 D21 XS29 L9B 178410

thanks

Hi again, Pete!   Congrats on your purchase!!!


Here's my take on your fender tag, starting with the second line from the bottom:

T3 = Light Bronze Metallic Roof Paint Color
T3 = Light Bronze Metallic Body Paint Color
C     = Trim Grade:   Charger
6   = Front Seat:   Vinyl Buckets
  T = Interior: Tan
T3   =   Upper Door Frame Color:   Tan
A15 =   October 15, 1968 Scheduled Build Date
101688   Vehicle Order Number (aka S.O. Number)
A33   =   Track Pak
C16   =   Woodgrain Console w/ Floor Shift
C55   =   Front Bucket Seats (headrests not mandatory until after 1/1/69)
G33   =   LH Outside Remote Rear View Mirror
L31   =   Hood Mounted Turn Signal Indicators
M21   =   Mouldings: Drip Rail
M31   =   Mouldings:   Body Belt
N85   =   Tachometer
R11   =   Radio:   Music Master AM
V8W   =   Stripe:   White Transverse Sport
26      =   26" Radiator Width
END or EN2   =   End of Fender Tag Codes


Some of this info you have probably already figured out.   The items that I think are different than what you've listed are shown in bold print.   Those are my best guesses as to what should be on the tag in that position.

[Pistolpete]

Thanks hemigeno, thats awesome, where did you get all that info? I got what I could off the '69 registry but it was incomplete.

Just out of curiosity, do you actually own a hemi ??

[PocketThunder]

Thanks hemigeno, thats awesome, where did you get all that info? I got what I could off the '69 registry but it was incomplete.

Just out of curiosity, do you actually own a hemi ??

See those cars in his signature line??      the 1st one is a HEMI 

[Ghoste]

And an extraordinarily nice one!

[Pistolpete]

well don't I feel shtoopid?
woops

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Thanks hemigeno, thats awesome, where did you get all that info? I got what I could off the '69 registry but it was incomplete.

Just out of curiosity, do you actually own a hemi ??

All those codes are on the registry, just too many of them.
I have to trim that list down to only include those codes found on a 69 Charger tag to take away the confusion.........its in the making!

I would guess its only END as cars with EN2 are much later build dates......towards the end of the run...starting around May 1969

[Pistolpete]

thanks, believe me I appreciated getting the info I did off the site, is there any decent books and or sites to help me start this resto??

[hemigeno]

Thanks hemigeno, thats awesome, where did you get all that info? I got what I could off the '69 registry but it was incomplete.

Just out of curiosity, do you actually own a hemi ??

See those cars in his signature line??        the 1st one is a HEMI  

Yep, although I dunno about the extraordinarily nice part (thanks Ghoste!)     Cudaken has taught me too much about bodywork for me to look at it the same.

As far as where I got the info, I have a large stack of stuff I keep handy by the PC at work.

Here's a link to the source I use for most fender tag decodes... it might be the same info that Chris has linked to on the registry...

http://users.erinet.com/30561/broadcast.htm

Speaking of Chris, I actually hadn't noticed about the END vs EN2...   My R/T (Jan. build date) has END, and the Daytona (June build date) sure enough has EN2...   Learned my factoid for the day...

[694spdRT]

Great looking car PistolPete!  Looking forward to your progress reports

True 4 speed R/T's are hard to find these days. I guess you could say I went the "over restored" route vs "concours" with mine. I took it down to the bare shell on a rotiserrie and worked up from there. The bad thing if you go that route is be prepared to NOT enjoy driving it for quite awhile. Good luck either way.

On a side note:

Chris and Hemigeno,

I believe my fender tag has END on it as opposed to EN2. As you know my car is a very late build date...did the guys in St. Louis not follow proper protocal?     

[hemigeno]

That might have something to do with my tags too - the R/T (with END) is a St. Louis car, and the Daytona (with EN2) is a Hamtramck car...

You know us Missourians - we gotta be different!


Hey Ty, did you ever scan in that blurb from Musclecar Enthusiast?   I finally found a place that carries that mag, but of course they still had October's issues out...

[Spartan]

Nice car Pete.  As far as what to work on first, I did mine backwards out of necessity.  I redid the motor 1st to get it on the road and I can play with it.  Second I am currently redoing the interior since the vinyl was shot and it smelled musty. Carpet was due for replacing.  The body work will be last since the other items were more important for me to get the car on the road and enjoy it while I planned the next stage.  I am doing some prepwork for the next stage while I go so I am not having to redo things over again.  Have fun with it.

[694spdRT]

Hey Ty, did you ever scan in that blurb from Musclecar Enthusiast?  I finally found a place that carries that mag, but of course they still had October's issues out...

Sorry, I didn't know you wanted me too scan it.

I don't have a scanner at home...I will see if I can do it at work for you. The pic is rather small but, if it is your first one in a magazine that is one more than I have. 

[hemigeno]

[thread hijack]

Ty, MoparMuscle had a shot of me and my car two or three years back, but it was a small one too.  I'm never gonna complain though.

[/thread hijack]


Pete, you should look over 69Hemi's website.  Its a tremendous resource when it comes to restoring and detailing a '69 Charger.

http://www.69hemi.com

[Pistolpete]

thanks guys, cant wait to get started, I'll check it out I can use all the help I can get
I'll post pics along the way