I wanted my own Charger thread

[terrible one]

Why did you leave the collision center? Did you find work in a resto shop?

No, but maybe that's where I'll end up at some point. To make a long story short, I came back down here the day after graduating from college in Kansas, just a necessary detour to take care of the estate. Two years later I found myself settling in here, wrapped up in that job, etc. and hadn't even taken care of everything I came here to do. I left that job to address all of the things still tying me down here as well as life in general. Also, my wife operates a small online venture that has recently enjoyed a growth spurt and it was past time for me to dedicate more of my resources to that.  

[Charger-Bodie]

Well, that all sounds positive anyway.

[terrible one]

For the most part that is the case, I am working hard to keep it that way!



Okay, how's this for something neat:


Picture 1: Back in 2006 I pulled the gas tank because it was in horrible shape. This is what I found stuck to the side that faces the trunk floor. It is a shipping label from Chrysler Parts to a dealership; Compton Motors in New Jersey and was never removed. What's especially odd is that Compton is my last name.  


Picture 2: Before I replaced my windshield I studied this red blotchy spot. It had always been there, and I never paid it any mind. But for some reason I was looking at it and I took some pictures to document it, including this one. This is ALL I had to go on. I had never seen anything more than red but when I looked closer, at the bottom I could see what looks like the letters "NE," and to the right I could see a couple of numbers. For some reason I thought about the gas tank and began searching for New Jersey windshield stickers/ inspection stickers. Like a needle in a haystack I believe that I have, without a doubt, found what this sticker is/ was!


Picture 3: Here is the match I found. The digits visible in the right side of my original are what's left of the 26 and 27, and the NE is obviously the beginning of NEW JERSEY, and looking at this image a faint outline of the "11" is present too!

I only included a small thumbnail out of respect for the sticker website, but here is the link to the page:
http://inspectionsticker.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=972

Obviously the car failed inspection and was awarded this sticker and it looks like the owner (and the others after that) just kept it on there out of laziness or as a badge of honor. What are the odds of figuring out what this joker was with so little to go on? COOL!  

[Charger-Bodie]

Great follow through with not much to go on. Cool story.

[terrible one]

I came across some pictures I took when I did the back seat. As with most things I wish I would have taken more, but I was happy to learn that I still had these!

Something neat I realized as I was posting; apparently I took the picture of the 4/18/68 seat tag on 4/18/12  

[terrible one]

More pictures.

The first picture is the reverse side of one of the "seat backs." The date range of the vinyl is interesting. 2/68 and 3/68, then if you look VERY close the piece on the far right is dated 12/67.

I went through several HUGE sample books to find material that matched the grain of the original vinyl. I didn't realize until I began dissecting the old cover that they used two different textures of vinyl to help with the bucket seat illusion/ effect they were going for.

[terrible one]

Far from perfect, but not bad for $80, and $20 of that was shipping!