Getting Started?

[McCharger]

Hi Yall,

I have been browsing around the fourms and there is a lot of good information here. I have a doge charger that i have had for a bit and i have been saving up some money to get the project going. So i just wondered where some of yall started your projects. I will work on getting some of the pictures i have size down so i can attach them to the fourm. Which im sure will help with some ideas on where to start.

Thanks in advance.

Mc

[WingCharger]

You need to evaluate your options, and where you want to go with the project.
First of all, we need to know your car year, engine, tranny, etc.

Do you want a street beater, cruiser, strip car, pro-touring, show car, concourse, clone of some sort, wild custom, etc.
You have a lot of options.

[McCharger]

When i bought the car it said 69/70 in the ad. When i was talking with the previous owner he originally had two cars a 69 and a 70 but he said that he was taking the best parts form each car to make one car. From the best of my knowledge about the differences between the two it is a 69 or at least a 70 made to look like a 69.

It has a 318 engine in it now and at the time a newly rebuilt auto transmission. For the type of car i want something that's solid and i can drive, and is fun to drive. I would like to drive it on a somewhat regular basis, not a daily driver necessarily but I'm sure yall get the point. 

I know there is a good bit of rust to deal with and a lot of other work but overwhelmed with where to start and so on. This is my first time trying to start a project like this.

I also am attempting to attach a photo of the car.

[WingCharger]

WOW! Somebody made themselves a Dirty Mary Crazy Larry Charger clone.
Most guys say to start with rust and structural issues. Do you plan on upgrading the engine?

THOSE ARE SOME SHARP SLOT MAGS!

[69bronzeT5]

Most guys say to start with rust and structural issues.

Rust and structural issues suck! Just wait until you get a Charger with that!  Mc, what's the first 7 digits of the vin number?

[McCharger]

When i bought the car it also came with an 440 engine block and many various charger parts. I will try and get that info, and the medal tag part from fender area, i dont have it off hand and the car is at my parents house as they have more space than my apt. But i plan on trying to make some progress on the car, now as i have some more free time and a little bit of money saved.

I have seen parts of that Dirty Mary Crazy Larry movie mainly the ones with the car. Before i saw the movie clips i was wondering why i saw so many with that paint set up and all.

I was also curious on how to get a ballpark idea on how much it would cost to get everything to a solid state. Or if there even is a good way to tell.

Thanks again for any advice.

[green69rt]

When i bought the car it also came with an 440 engine block and many various charger parts. I will try and get that info, and the medal tag part from fender area, i dont have it off hand and the car is at my parents house as they have more space than my apt. But i plan on trying to make some progress on the car, now as i have some more free time and a little bit of money saved.

I have seen parts of that Dirty Mary Crazy Larry movie mainly the ones with the car. Before i saw the movie clips i was wondering why i saw so many with that paint set up and all.

I was also curious on how to get a ballpark idea on how much it would cost to get everything to a solid state. Or if there even is a good way to tell.

Thanks again for any advice.

How much will it cost:hah:  How much do you have???  You know that these projects are NEVER finished.  Just plan on what you want and figure out a step by step process to get you there.  Take one thing at a time.  Yeah rust/frame are always a good place to start but that means you usuualy have the car torn down for some time.   Again, what do you want (in detail!!!!?)

[McCharger]

I guess I should rephrase my question. On average how much money did yall spend to get the car to a solid and reliable state? I can see and understand that there will always be things to upgrade on the car so that it is never truly finished.

In more detail I want a car that is free of rust and is setup for as must rust prevention as possible. For the body I would like to keep it pretty stock looking nothing to wild.
Engine wise I would like it to be reliable (not scared I'm going to get stranded somewhere). But to be fun to drive and have good acceleration and all not slow.  Also I would like to have dual exhaust.

Interior wise I don't have any strong opinions on that yet.

I hope that gives a better idea as to what I'm looking for. I am pretty new to the restoration scene and was trying to get an idea of things I can do myself vs having to send out to a shop. And the money involved in buying different tools / materials and such, and or which would be must have tools minis typical hand tools which I have already. I like the idea of doing as much work as possible on the car but want to have it done the right the first time. Don't want to pay to do the same thing twice.

Thanks again.

[4aThrill]

 I guess I will bite  but very good questions I say, first of all are you doing the work yourself or taking things apart and having someone do it for you?

I started with the engine and trans first then looked around for a body/paint shop but since I move around alot and my job we are the first to be there and the last ones to leave type of deal.   

I spent about 3k on my engine 383 4bbl thats from me taking it apart having it check and put back together and later on putting on better add ons such as headers, carb, and so on.

trans maybe around 1500 for rebuild counting converter note this was back in 03 so prices may vary now.

as for parts get catalogs from every company that you can find/ then search for the best deals, you can find parts just about anywhere you look. you also will get leads on parts or parts themselves working at shops on your car or just cruzin around. find parts on this website, moparts.com, and ebay check there everyother day I say. all you have to do if ask.

for sure check out that 440 and if you go with the 440 what kind of set up you want then ask yourself what type of trans you want and rear end look around at other cars go to car shows and see what others have done just to get ideas for yours 

have fun and if you get stuck somewhere along the way there is atleast one of us or more that has been stuck in that area too. 

before and now pics

[Winged 1]

 
Just a ball park number, Shop- 18000.00
Car parts and labor- 20,000.00 plus or minus.
Best of luck
Your going to want a shop of some sort to put things as they come off and to keep the car dry..
Just my 
Eric

[4aThrill]

Just a ball park number, Shop- 18000.00
Car parts and labor- 20,000.00 plus or minus.
Best of luck
Your going to want a shop of some sort to put things as they come off and to keep the car dry..
Just my 
Eric

shop aka parents garage   
but ya get a storage unit

[green69rt]

As you can see there are as many opinions as there are people out there.  I spent a year on my car thinking about what I wanted to do before I touched it.   Every time you look at it you will find something different.

Again, frame and body (this means rust and old repairs) will take a lot of time and/or money but don't be afraid to tackle them.   I'm doing that now and have repaired the rear frame, rear window frame, rear inside wheel wells and getting close to having the new truck floor in and this is my first job.  There are a TON of people out there willing to help  (including this forum) so just keep on trucking and enjoy the trip.

Ok, so what's the first thing you think you should do???

[McCharger]

It appears that i will tackle some of the body issues first i should be able to handle some disassemble work and sanding down of the car to see whats under the paint. xp29606 is the part of the vin. Thanks for the advice.

[426HemiCharger]

I made notes of what I noticed was missing, what needed to be replaced, and keep the list safe.  I would gut the interior first.

[tan top]

hello & welcome    looks a good project   

[PocketThunder]

Did the satellite dish come with it?   

I took a field car and spent $18,000 plus 3 years worth of working on it to make my old 68 a nice driver.  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,16609.msg184595.html#msg184595

I would plan on getting a garage space secured first, or storage unit, etc...  Then start with making the car mechanically sound, brakes, steering, etc...  Then worry about body work and interior.

Paul

[Silver R/T]

you need to make inventory of all parts you have and go on from there. Buy any parts you need, sell any that are extra, etc.

[green69rt]

I have to ask... is the car drivable now?  Do you need it to run to get you to work?  This may help to decide what you want to do.  I've seen people pick at their cars a little at a time because they wanted to keep them on the road.  Others were willing to spend a couple or years, or more, with the car in pieces doing a restoration.  Comes back to the same question...what do you want to do?  Until you decide you will get all sorts of advice that will range all over the world.  Just to help, here are a couple of other things to think of, is this car going to be part of the family or is it an investment that you want to turn over for another car?  Is this a hobby for you or do want this car long term.  Sorry for the ramble but first you need to make up your mind what you want.  Don't forget, things change so what is a hobby now may become a prized possesion later, etc.