How to build an Ugly car, the story...

[ugly2u]

I will make this the start of the thread building a 69 Charger SE, R/T Clone, 440, auto- non numbers matching.

My dad had one of these cars when I was 4-8yrs; he bought it new. Blue base model, nothing fancy. I have always loved that car, and it probably started me as a motor head. I have been collecting pictures of chargers for years and knew that I would have one, eventually.

Last Christmas my father was in Denver and I reminded him of my goal to have a charger, "that was one sweet car he said"; Three months later, a project in progress popped-up on the local Craigslist. I didn't jump at it right away because I didn't love the price...and I was working on another project

[ugly2u]

At the time, I was just getting to the end of a 5 year project building a 72 Blazer. Frame off restoration, rebuilt 454 motor, 3/4 ton running gear, full roll cage, rhino linned, yadda, yadda, yadda...

The truck was taking all the space in my garage while I worked on the body.

The charger was on craigs for 3 weeks and he dropped the price; i checked on it every day...

I went and checked it out that day, and agreed to 70% of the original asking price; sorry Rob.

Rob stripped the car down, had the body rotisserie restored, rebuilt the 440, 727, and 8.75. He bought quite a few new mechanical parts, and some still need to be purchased. I will re-do the upholstery with leather, myself.

All the parts are in boxes... with labels....and I have the dodge shop manual...

[ugly2u]

The truck has since been kicked out of the garage and sent to a body/paint shop. It will be 95% done when it comes back; the last plan is to paint a flame job down the side. I started taking airbrush classes after SEMA last year, but still need more practice.

This thread is not about the Blazer, but it gives you some background...I'll stick to the charger from here on

[ugly2u]

I set up a makeshift sand blasting area so i could clean parts, and a paint area to make them look new.

I also tested a new buffing wheel on some chrome, looks sweet... 

[Hemidog]

That thing sure looks ugly! 

[ugly2u]

Ha Ha HA...

The ugly thing started with the cheby; my wife said "you cant park that ugly truck in front of the house." 5 years later, its still here. 

The charger on the other hand....

[Tilar]

How to build an Ugly car, the story...

How to build an Ugly car, the answer... Pacer!

All jokes aside, I like those old Blazers with the removable top. I remember in 2005 a customer brought a pretty new Navigator into the body shop with the grill and left front wheel pushed back and was about where the emergency brake pedal should have been. Found out that she hit an old K-5 Blazer. She had to have that new Navigator towed in, The Blazer she rear-ended drove away.