1st generation rescue - the journey begins

[Boy Racer]

As promised, here are the pics from our big adventure this past holiday weekend. My wife and I were up at 5:00 EDT Thursday the 3rd, flew to DC, caught a train to MD, hitched a ride with Mom to the Budget truck rental place and headed back to Mom's house. Friday morning we got started on the project, and here's what were were up against:



Mom is renovating her house in preparation for sale sometime, so you can see sections of wall paneling, sheetrock, insulation, etc. We cleaned around the car, threw some stuff away, put some stuff away and moved still other stuff and got it to this point:



Where I was able to use all my borrowed tools:



To pump up the tires:



She sits more level and higher off the ground now (like she's supposed to):



A shot of the left rear:



With the crap out of the way -and off the hood- I was able to lift the hood and get some shots of the dirty, dirty 383:



Next we closed the hood, took her out of gear, and pushed her into the daylight for the first time since July 1984:





As you can see, I'm kind of tall, so a big passenger compartment like the Charger has is good for a lummox like me:



Another engine shot, this time taken in the light of an overcast and muggy July sky:



This is a Bobcat Toolcat. If you have a neighbor from whom you can borrow a Toolcat, I highly suggest you do so. It makes loading a non-running first generation charger up onto a trailer much, much easier    :



After some creative persuasion, we were able to coax the old girl up onto the trailer:



More in the next post...

[Boy Racer]

Once on the trailer, we cleaned up the tools and returned the borrowed stuff, then took the rest of the day off. We loaded the moving truck with some other stuff on Saturday, and at 0600 Sunday morning we headed south. Here we are at our second stop of the day, the South Carolina welcome center. It was about 1430 Sunday afternoon when I took this photo, roughly 1/2 an hour before the bottom dropped out of the sky and we (and the car) got drenched:



The first shot of her new home, garage bay willing and waiting:



No tool cat this time, so we had to get her off the trailer using manual power. This consisted of a 2-ton come-along from Tractor Supply, with a $9 yellow tow rope as a safety back-up in case the come along snapped. At least the car wouldn't roll through the garage wall if something went pear-shaped during the unloading (and yes, I had a blanket over the cables to keep a snap from coming through my head):





And here's where she sits today, chocked with a couple of bricks to keep her from rolling into the street. There's a tarp over the cab right now to keep any rain water from seeping in through the holes around the windshield and rear glass trim. Once I re-arrange the garage and make some space for the car, I'll roll her into the space and she can stay dry:



So all in all, we went to MD to pick up this stuff:



But the car is the jewel in the crown.

[oldcarnut]

Good luck on the Charger.  I live near Charleston SC and made a trip to Maryland early last year. I trailered up there a 31 Ford and brought back my 70 Challenger I took in trade.  Where in SC are you?

[Shakey]

Excellent write up (& photos) and a great car to start with - very cool!   

Keep us posted as to the progress of the restoration.

[WingCharger]

I wish I could find a first generation Charger, or any before 1973 for that matter. SHARP CAR! I like the yellow.

[CB]

Excellent write up (& photos) and a great car to start with - very cool!   

Keep us posted as to the progress of the restoration.

Thanks for sharing 
CB

[Todd Wilson]

Thats a great story and photos. Look forward to seeing the progress.


Todd

[Boy Racer]

Where in SC are you?

We're not in SC, we just passed through on our 12-hour journey from MD to GA. It would have been sub-12 hours, but the last 25 miles was pull up & stop driving due to heavy 4th of July weekend traffic. We live in Gwinnett Co., GA, near Buford.

I'm hopeful I can join a local or regional MOPAR club to meet some like-minded individuals off of whom I can bounce questions. Or at least a muscle car club of some sort.

The car is ZZ1 gold. I think it could actually have a tiny bit of shine to it if I'd give it a good scrubbin' and go over it with some rubbing compound. That's not a priority right now. Formulating a plan of action and then getting started is a priority. I am a little stuck on that first part right now, but I'm sure I'll figure something out.

[hemi68charger]

Great story... I love the fact it's a family car.. Too bad your father passed away, but you have the joy of cruising in his Charger........ Do you remember much about it as a child / growing up?

Troy

[twenty mike mike]

Great report. The guys over on http://www.66-67charger.com/ would love to hear about you and your car, too.

[Back N Black]

I wish I could find a first generation Charger, or any before 1973 for that matter. SHARP CAR! I like the yellow.

I thought you already found a first gen.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,46099.msg503683.html#msg503683

[Boy Racer]

Great report. The guys over on http://www.66-67charger.com/ would love to hear about you and your car, too.

Done. I am already a member over there, but just posted in the newbie/introduction section, anyway.

[konigcharger]

nice score

I wish I could find a first generation Charger, or any before 1973 for that matter. SHARP CAR! I like the yellow.

I thought you already found a first gen.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,46099.msg503683.html#msg503683

exactly what i was thinking

[Dans 68]

Nice story and car. Thanks for sharing them. 

Dan

[DREDILSKI]

Thanks for the post, and good luck on the 1st gen.  Seeing posts like this give me hope that there are still needles in the hay stack here in Maryland.  Your ride looks just about in the same condition as mine. ( Has just been sitting around for years.) Good luck on the project and once again, thanks for the post & pics.   

[69*F5*SE]

Cool story, cool pics. Keep us informed with its progress. 

[tan top]

Excellent write up (& photos) and a great car to start with - very cool!   

Keep us posted as to the progress of the restoration.

      ...................   good car to start with  ....what are you plans stockish resto  or ........

[WingCharger]

I wish I could find a first generation Charger, or any before 1973 for that matter. SHARP CAR! I like the yellow.

I thought you already found a first gen.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,46099.msg503683.html#msg503683

It aint for sale!

[1969chargerrtse]

Great write up and fantastic looking car.  Good luck with fixing her up, she's a beauty.

[68rt]

  nice

[charge-it]

How much for the two pink flamingos? Great story and I`m sure the car is considered a family member and will be treated as such.

[Boy Racer]

Excellent write up (& photos) and a great car to start with - very cool!   

Keep us posted as to the progress of the restoration.

     


      ...................   good car to start with  ....what are you plans stockish resto  or ........

I think we'll stay mostly stock. I'm one of "those" guys. I can't stand resto-mods, really. There's nothing wrong with them, per se, but they're just not my thing. I like the cars the way they were. And this one's in good enough of shape that I'd hate to lose what I've got.

That being said, I'm also not a purist in every sense of the word. I actually like period correct changes like headers and glass packs and such. So we'll keep it mostly the way it came from Ma MOPAR, with the occasional example of shade tree mechanic'ing.

[Chatt69chgr]

Very interesting writeup.  Pictures were great too.  You have a nice project to start with.  I live up the road in Chattanooga.  There's a few Mopar types around here.  No club that I know of.  Folks take them to the local cruise-ins.  I think several Mopar folks go to the local dragstrip on fri and sat.  I have seen posts about clubs in your area so I don't think you will have much trouble hooking up with some fellow enthusiasts.  Good luck with your project. 

[73-charger-383]

nice looking car, and great story............good luck

[pettyfan43]

ONE major WARNING! First Generation cars are ADDICTIVE!!!! I have a 66 and NOW I want a 67, Red on red 383 4-speed!!!! If I could just find one I can AFFORD!!!!!!

Good Luck and remember, those cars have their OWN set of peculiarities! It has a DEFINITE learning, and guard the TAILLIGHT with your life!!!!!!