School Project

[Hudson Hornet !]

Well, it's about time I started this thread. I am fairly new to this site with a few posts, but I have loved chargers all my life. I am a new teacher of autobody at the Venango Tech Center in Oil City Pa, and as an incentive for my students, next year we will be involved in giving a 68 charger a new lease on life. In the welding shop next door, we are already assembling a body cart with a rotisserie following after that. The particular car in question is a 1968 Dodge charger 383. I have owned the car for a while and it is starting to show it's age. When the car is done we plan on taking it to carlisle, hershey, and the usual haunts to display what a bunch of kids can do when they put their mind to it. Maybe we can get some of them to stop thinking about drugs, and violence, and find a positive direction in their life. I can't think of much more positive than a mopar big block rattling your teeth!
When I can, I will post some pictures of the car and the kids, and along the way in our journey I will post progress pictures, and If the moderators allow it, Maybe I can use this thread to ask for parts if and when we need any. I am financing the car myself, so it might take us a while to finish, but seeing a kid get excited to come to class is an awsome feeling. What do you guys and girls think?

[FLG]

Sounds like a great idea!

But PLEASE, we need PICS!!! LOL   

[69bronzeT5]

Awesome idea! I wish my auto shop at school at a Charger to work on...all we had were crappy imports. Looking foward to seeng pictures!

[Hudson Hornet !]

Imports are illegal in our shop!!  My computer skills are nonexistant, but I will do my best to keep everyone updated.

[moparstuart]

 great idea , be sure and let us know what parts you need and get us some pictures of the car .

[Hudson Hornet !]

Not a problem. It's nice to know that there are places like this and people that are willing to help. As of now, the car needs quarters, trunk floor, front floors, front fenders-but hey, the rockers are good!!   If you guys give me a couple of days, I can post some pics. Being a new teacher, I am swamped with requirements from the state, but I am getting there.

[SeattleCharger]

That is a great idea, 

     

[bk72]

i an in a auto body class up in wilkes-barre pa and i want to do a charger in school too

[Sublime/Sixpack]

Great idea! Look forward to seeing the photos of the project as it progresses.

[69*F5*SE]

 

[teamroth]

Best of luck and welcome.

[wayfast1500]

When I took automotive in highschool we mostly just changed the oil and did maintnence to the teachers cars.  A student did bring in a 73 satellite with a 360 in it.  We only had to do a intake, 4 barrel to it but it was there all year because everyone loved to look at it.

[Hudson Hornet !]

Okay guys, I will take some photos and hopefully have them posted by Monday-No internet at home!

The car itself is an oddball, and it has had a different life.

1968 dodge charger 383-4 speed car (4 bbl), 26" rad. tic toc tach, 3.55 8 3/4, green with a vynil top.

This was the first car I ever owned at the ripe old age of 17 in 1998.

I sold everything but my parents to come up with the $1,400 to buy it. It was pretty clapped out.

I did a "driveway resto" on the car the same year I got it, and had alot of fun with it over the years-now, here is the different part that might tick a few people off. In 98, I painted it like the General lee, enjoyed the heck out of it, and in August of 2000, I heard that Ben Jones was going to have a get together at Sperryville Virginia. On a whim, I drove the car down. (Please remember this was before the large Dukesfest parties every year.) Ayway, there I am in Virginia just pleased that the old girl didn't let me down when Ben Jones himself comes up to me to ask about the car. I told him about it and that I did the work myself and he said, "we are shooting commercials down here this weekend and we would like to use your car as our General for commercials for Cooter's place and to advertise the show being put back on the air by TNN." I couldn't believe it!! I got to meet John Schnieder, Ben Jones, & Tom Wopat who all signed the car. John himself said this was an actual general now, but you can't claim it was used on the show- No Problem!!

Fast forward ten years- I am now an auto body teacher, the car is showing it's age, and I have 42 students who want nothing more than to learn about old cars, do a ground up resto, and show the community that today's kids are not all interested in drugs and gangs.

So there you have it, the reader's digest version of me and my car, and the travels along the way. I never built the car for money, I did it for the love of the car. I hope that by bringing this into a school setting, I can share my love for these muscle cars and give these kids the chance they deserve.

Okay, I am off my soapbox, and I ask you, what direction should we take with the car?

[Charger74]

That is awesome Hudson.  I remember we were allowed to bring our own cars to work on for auto.  Glad to see some kids want to learn about the old iron...

[41husk]

I am good friends with the auto teacher, I bring all my cars in.  Some of the kids love to see it and enjoy working on them.  I seldom let them work on any of them with out me.  I will go down during my prep and lunch some days.  Unfortunately there are many who I am not even sure they like cars of any kind, but they are in vocational auto   I wish you luck and I hope you create some new mopar young guns.

[bakerhillpins]

Imports are illegal in our shop!!  My computer skills are nonexistant, but I will do my best to keep everyone updated.

If I may make a suggestion. I would bet that there are at least a few of your students that are computer savvy. Give them the opportunity to bring something to the experience by teaching you how to get around a computer/web? Maybe - make your classroom exercises include planning and documenting the work they will/have done using a website/forum (here, cardomain, the schools website) and take part in that process with them. It never hurts to get experience with planning and organizational skills to boot. At the end of the year you could burn of a DVD of the work they did and send it with them. Plus it gives the parents a chance to see what their kids are doing first hand.

I am not trying to tell you how to run your classroom, merely making a suggestion that might be beneficial to all involved. (even the employers after the fact) I get soooooooo much more out of my kids if I find a way to let them make a contribution that isn't the result of me asking them to do "this or that".

Bryan

[bull]

I think this is a great idea. And now I wish I'd have paid for a Master's degree in teaching and done the same thing because it would have been cheaper than restoring my Charger.

[no40jm]

When I was in high school 9 years ago, I restored a classic car. It was a turning point in my life. While my friends where out getting in to trouble drinking and doing drugs I was in night school working on my car and also working at a parts store so I could pay for car parts. Maybe this charger project your doing will find a kid like I was and change there life!!!!!! Here's a link to my high school restoration.   http://429mustangcougarinfo.50megs.com/john_michalek%27s_429_mach_1.htm

[69*F5*SE]

Aah, another Michigander.   

[charger_cody]

So tell me are the kids going to do paint also???

Reason i ask is because i got to paint all the jams and engine base and trunk pretty much everything. That is the best part besides turning that key.    Please let us know what the school and everyone has to say about it.

Cody

[Hudson Hornet !]

Thanks to everyone who has posted-having the students do the computer stuff sounds great! I will never cease to be amazed at how they take to that kind of thing naturally. As for the actual work on the car including paint, yes the students will do it all ( with guidance, of course!). I would not feel right to drag the car in and just have them watch. You should see some of the work we have put out this year! I have been very impressed with some of the raw talent they display.

[rav440]

  cool cant wait to see the pics .



how would they like to do a resto on a 73 runner / gtx project for the next year ? 

[Finn]

[bk72]

 

[rav440]

 

[Hudson Hornet !]

Guys, sorry that I let this thread slide for a week. I have been preparing for a major test- one that decides whether I keep my job or not. I took the test Saturday and passed. I promise I will have pics up this week. Thanks for being so patient.

[rav440]

Guys, sorry that I let this thread slide for a week. I have been preparing for a major test- one that decides whether I keep my job or not. I took the test Saturday and passed. I promise I will have pics up this week. Thanks for being so patient.

understood  test is a bit more important than updating progress on the CHARGER


congrats on passing the text 

[Hudson Hornet !]

Guys, I ahve been trying to post pictures for an hour. It won't let me do it for some reason. I am getting some help!

[b5blue]

Get them young gun's on here to help ya!  (then explain it to me...I'm lost!!)

[FLG]

Send them to my email, ill resize and post em.. fgrand11@gmail.com

[Hudson Hornet !]

FLG,
Will do . Thanks For the help! I am at work now but I will e-mail as soon as I can. Pics are back at home. THanks again!

[C_stripes]

Hudson,

I like to use a photo hosting website like photobucket.com. It makes it much easier. I have had problems with adding attachments on here sine day one.