Just Another 69 Build... with a long story and pictures

[Long Island RT]

It's been cold out in the garage but I did get some things done this past weekend.

I finally got my steering column all painted and put back together with a new grant wheel on it.   
That was real interesting.


It's already a little dusty so the pictures don't do it justice.

I also put on the passenger side header, and spark plugs.  I mounted the engine to the K-Frame and dropped the car onto it when I installed the engine so the driver's side was done before the motor was even in

The Headers are Doug's 2" primaries.  I think I'll probably take them off and have them Jet Hot coated or something after I break them in.  I read not so good things about the coatings they come with from the manufacturer and then there's the breaking in the engine and ruining it all factor. Anybody recommend a coating?  I kinda like the black look  - but that won't last for long I'm sure.

Tight Fit!
I had to message the tube that passes by the shock tower, it was just about touching it without that.  I also had to message underneath for the torsion bar.  Driver's side fit perfectly.

Next step:  The dash board

I stripped it all down and got it ready for paint. 


I'll have to wait for some decent weather to put on the paint so in the meantime - I moved into my basement and started designing my custom dashboard.  I always wanted to have new gauges in the dash, even though all my gauges actually worked - the cluster was in need of a total overhaul, so for the price of that I decided to get aftermarket gauges and build a custom dash panel instead.

Here's the AutoMeter gauges I choose.

I debated on the style for a long time but decided on the LED backlit black faced gauges.

All of the resto-mod dashes that I've seen look ugly or just out of place.  I want to keep the gauges in the same line up as they were stock.  The only thing I'm going to swap is the speedometer and tachometer, as I'd rather look down and see that clearly through the wheel.  The biggest problem is that the big 5" speedo and tach along with the 2 1/16" others don't fit in the panel with the same pattern as stock - everything is too close together and looks cramped.  I could have used the smaller Tach and Speedo (3 3/8") but when I mocked that up it looked stupid.  So after many drawings and mock-ups - I'm going to eliminate the dimmer and the brake warning light on the left side.  Here's what the layout looks like:



My plan is to use 16 gauge sheet metal for the entire part of the dash that's covered with the plastic patterned pieces.  I'm going to try and do it one piece, with a smooth bend down and under the sides, then laminate a cherry veneer to it, stain it, and polyurethane it.  The ultimate goal is to make a custom center console and use the same veneer and stain to match. 

One step at a time though......

By the way - I am not altering the dash underneath in anyway.  If the whole thing sucks or I ever want to go back to stock - I can.

Thanks for all the positive feedback.

I'd be curious to see what you think about my plan.  You can tell me it sucks if you want

[FLG]

Car looks sweet!

Great to see another guy from NY.

You might want to consider welding in sub-frame connectors. With a engine that big its gonna have some serious torque.

[autodynamics]

looking sexy!!

[FlatbackFanatic]

Welcome! Thats going to be one bad ass car when your done!!

[Long Island RT]

Car looks sweet!

Great to see another guy from NY.

You might want to consider welding in sub-frame connectors. With a engine that big its gonna have some serious torque.

I did the bolt in ones many years ago.  After they were installed I then welded everywhere they touched the frame.

I never did the torque box thing however.  I don't think I'll ever bolt up a set of slicks on this and run it down the track so I wasn't sure if they were necessary.   I switched to the tremec so I could smoke tires and still cruise highways.     - Well I'm sure I could have done that with an automatic, but it wouldn't be as fun.

Come to think of it - Have you ever noticed how much the front clip (i know, it's a unibody - but what else do you call it?) moves when you jack the car up from the K-Frame while it sitting on jack stands under the frame where the body starts?  I hope it's not just my car - but it seems like the K-Frame will go up about a 1/2" up before the car comes off the stands.

I could only imagine the twisting that will happen when 600 ft lbs of torque hit the pavement.  I hope the only thing that breaks loose are the tires.

[suburbanfireman]

Car looks great so far.  My car is pretty much at the same stage as yours - I sympathize with you about working in the garage this time of year.  It is currently 16 degrees & the wind is rattling my garage door!  I have one for you - how many times did your wife complain about parking her car outside?  Man, if I had a dollar for every time.......    Want to hear something really funny - I just removed my dash to do almost the same thing!  I scored a nice piece of polished aluminum from a fire truck manufacturer (they gave it to me - it was a cut off) last fall - I made the cardboard template, set out the (same size) gauges, and marked out all of the mounting screw holes.  I'm just waiting for a nice day to paint the dash frame and steering column.  I think your idea of using the woodgrain will look great - are you going to hide your radio in the glovebox?  Thanks for posting - it helps to motivate us on our projects! 

[Long Island RT]

Car looks great so far.  My car is pretty much at the same stage as yours - I sympathize with you about working in the garage this time of year.  It is currently 16 degrees & the wind is rattling my garage door!  I have one for you - how many times did your wife complain about parking her car outside?  Man, if I had a dollar for every time.......    Want to hear something really funny - I just removed my dash to do almost the same thing!  I scored a nice piece of polished aluminum from a fire truck manufacturer (they gave it to me - it was a cut off) last fall - I made the cardboard template, set out the (same size) gauges, and marked out all of the mounting screw holes.  I'm just waiting for a nice day to paint the dash frame and steering column.  I think your idea of using the woodgrain will look great - are you going to hide your radio in the glovebox?  Thanks for posting - it helps to motivate us on our projects! 

I remember your post - Did your get your $$'s worth out of the paint job.  What color?

What kind of gauges are you going with?  I too thought of doing an aluminum dash bezel.

I hear you on the garage situation.  Not only is my wife complaining but I have my own car out in the driveway and it's supposed to snow over one foot tonight

I'm still on the fence about the radio.  I'm leaning toward putting it in the original spot.  I don't have the original, and my dash is going to be custom anyway - so if nothing but for convenience sake.  My only issue is all these new radios are too fancy looking.  I want something simple looking that will still play MP3 CD's and run my Ipod.

Well while I'm here - I might as well post what I did this week.  I spent the week disassembling and polishing my rear tail lights.  The chrome bezels are shot.  I see B/E&A sells them for $375.  I'm going to check some local chrome platers and see what the damage will be to redo mine.



I used my dremel to polish the smooth part of the facing lens.  I used it a little on the ridges - and it worked great but a little too much pressure or not enough compound and I got a few burn marks  .  I also polished off the black paint on the inside of the right lens - you can see it in the picture.  I'm sure it's going to show up when I put on the parking lights - but I want to see how bad before I go and screw them both up by repainting.  I then taped it up and resprayed the silver line back in.  Probably not show quality but pretty awesome compared the mess they were when I started.  I'm still an amateur but love trying to do everything myself.

Check this out - My car has been so screwed with that the back half of my assemblies are different?  I vaguely remember this when I was taking them out.  They seem identical except the long eyelids on one?



They both have the 69 date on them?  I don't remember if I took one from the parts car I had used for my roof - but even so that was a 70?

Oh well - I hope they both fit under that plastic cover that goes over them in the trunk.

[dkn1997]

Where on LI are you?  I'm in Coram.  We should have an LI charger something or other this summer.  I know there are more than a few guys from LI her on the forum...  I think I have only seen another charger once while driving mine in the 15 years I have had the car, and that was when I had another charger owner come to my house so we could come up to bald hill. 

[Long Island RT]

North Babylon.

I'd love to cruise this summer.  I have to be realistic though - I don't have the time or the dough to complete my car by then.  How about 2010? 

Let me know when you get your car back on the road and bring out - I'd love to go see it.

[dkn1997]

I have a friend who lives in north babylon on alexander.  If I'm headedhis way, I will shoot you a PM and we can get together. 

[FLG]

All us NY guys should get together at a diner one day. Im up for it 

[dkn1997]

I smell a "calling all LI charger owners" thread being started......

[FLG]

Do one for all of NY. I got family in LI but live in BK.

Would be nice having a meet on a sunday morning, grab some breakfast...and have our own little car show in the parking lot 

[dkn1997]

...... I got family in LI but live in BK. ....

I'm sorry, you can't come then.

[FLG]

LMAO

Well fine, i knew you guys were all stuck up out there 

[dkn1997]

LMAO

Well fine, i knew you guys were all stuck up out there 

More like snowed in and bored!  can you believe this nonsense? 

[FLG]

It will be gone by the week and ill take the charger out for a spin next weekend 

Sucks though, was pretty warm lately.

[autodynamics]

anyone mention food?/

[Long Island RT]

Count me in - Even if I can't drive the charger yet....

[autodynamics]

set the time and place fellas...any excuse to get together...Pete

[FLG]

This Sunday morning...

Anyone know a good diner on the island?

[Matthan]

What type of metal are using to hold the gauges and what did you cut it with?

[Long Island RT]

I'm using a piece of 16 gauge steel that I bought at a local ACE Hardware store.  I have a friend who works in a machine shop that's cutting the holes for the gauges out for me.  I used a jigsaw with a fine metal blade to rough cut it out and I'll use it to cut out the switch locations.  I have all kinds of files I'll use to get everything smooth and square. 
I'll be able to use all the stock mounting places with screws accept the one that will be behind the Tach.  I'll figure that out when I get to that point.

I'll posts more shots when I get it back from him

[suburbanfireman]

"I remember your post - Did your get your $$'s worth out of the paint job.  What color?

What kind of gauges are you going with?  I too thought of doing an aluminum dash bezel.

I hear you on the garage situation.  Not only is my wife complaining but I have my own car out in the driveway and it's supposed to snow over one foot tonight

I'm still on the fence about the radio.  I'm leaning toward putting it in the original spot.  I don't have the original, and my dash is going to be custom anyway - so if nothing but for convenience sake.  My only issue is all these new radios are too fancy looking.  I want something simple looking that will still play MP3 CD's and run my Ipod."

To say I got my $$'s worth would be an understatement!  I just happened to be talking with a friend who works in another fire department about my car, and he suggested a guy from his firehouse who used to paint cars for a living.  Jeff wanted to paint my car because he never painted a charger before.  He lives over an hour away, so he set up a website to post pics.  I could then check in on the progress whenever I wanted to.  (Check it out - 68charger.info)   If you check out the left side, there are links to other cars he has done.  He worked on my car between other small collision jobs, his full time fire job, helping his daughter find a college, life, etc.  It took a year, but worth the wait - my car had a lot of sin hidden under the paint.  I traded him a 63 corvair monza and $1500.00 for the job (I figure it cost me $4000.00 if I paid him cash only)!  He is a perfectionist, and a really nice guy.  The color I chose - 1975 corvette flame red.  (I'm not making a GL clone, but I love the color!)  I will put in Stewart Warner Max Performance Comp gauges. 
I totally understand the lack of funds issue.  I usually have time, but not the money - occasionally I have the money, but then I do not have the time to work on the car.... ...very seldom do I have both at once!!!  Keep up the good work.

[Long Island RT]

Well, I haven't updated this post in a while so here goes. The warmer weather here in NY sure makes it nice to work in my garage - problem is, I have to now work on the house, yard, deck, pool, kids baseball swings and whatever else I'm forgeting....

I polished up the reverse lights and lenses and painted the inside with a chrome reflective paint.  Now all I need is the correct mounting screws.  The grey colored gaskets didn't fit my blackout theme, so I painted them black. 


I also glued in the trunk weather stripping and mounted the deck lid.  Not perfect in its alignment but probably as good as stock.  Installed the rear harness after cleaning up all the sockets and soldered in a splice on a broken wire.  Ordered the tail light bezels from BE&A - I'll definitely post a shot of those when they come in.

I made my own engine wiring harness.  Sand blasted and painted the horns flat black.  Mounted my Mopar MSD Unit behind the horns (with a slight modification to their brackets).  I also ran the engine harness under the (eventual)radiator and through the the drivers side frame rail.  I blocked off the firewall square wiring hole with a bolted in plate.


All that's left in the engine compartment is the cooling system.

I've spent many an hour working on my custom dash panel.  I finally welded the whole thing together and fitted it as close as possible to the dash frame by hand filling it and welding in washers/nuts to the back to get it to sit right.






Here I welded some wood nuts to the back so I can mount my switches (when I eventually get them back from the plater's)



I then laminated a piece of cherry veneer to front and carefully cut everything out.  Here it is before any stain.



Not knowing much about woodworking, my stain effort was disastrous.  The stain mottled the veneer and you could barely see the grain of the wood.     Back to the drawing board....

Instead of trying to rip off the veneer - I just laminated another piece right on top of it and after consulting some friends - they recommend I not stain.  After just sealing it once - I could see that was the right choice - it really brought the color out.






Now I just need to add a few more coats of sealer over the next few days and I can finally start assembling it!