About to start back after 3 1/2 years!

[Bulldog69RT]

When I was 15 I saved up about 1200 bucks to buy a 69 dodge charger. I found one on Yahoo in Fayetteville, TN (i lived in GA) for $2500. It was a '69 Dodge Charger R/T with a 400 and 727 out of a '71 charger. The floors were gone, the trunk was gone and the tail-light panel was like a sponge. The guy gave me all of the interior, chrome, rear glass, full quarters, bumpers, and a buncha other little parts to complete my dream. Me and my Grandpa started working on the car, he taught me how to do body work and I spent days on just one body panel. I started working at the feed store in town to pay for parts. I ordered full floor pans, trunk floors, and paint, bondo and fiberglass. I sandblasted the entire interior, replaced the floorpans with my grandpa and he replaced the trunk pans. The car was sanded and primed from the front fenders to the doors and the floors and interior painted black. We found the rear half of a '70 charger in a local junkyard and my grandpa cut the tail-light panel out of it. I joined the army when i was 18 and the car has pretty much sat on blocks since then. I get out of the army next month and im moving back to the south. I started ordering parts again this week and hopefully my grandpa's parkinsens will let us finish the car. Its been 4 years. Heres some pics... I ordered the RH trunk extension to finish the trunk on friday. Next to get ordered is a rear valance.

[b5blue]

Good Luck to ya Bulldog! Looks like you and Grandpa have made a good start! Thanks for your service to our Country also  My uncle has Parkinson also an we get together and work on his place, just make sure he takes his meds ontime and pace things out with break times now and then. It's great to have you two working on the Charger together!  Keep us posted.   

[68X426]

Bulldog, sir, thank you. Welcome home.

I wish you all the success in the world with the Charger and hope grandpa can keep up with you for a long, long time. 

What driveline are you planning for?

[Silver R/T]

cool project. Nice that you're driven to restore car. Most kids these days want latest model car and then put some speakers and rims on them and that's their "project" I admire anyone who puts time/effort into restoring a classic.

[1969chargerrtse]

Thank You sir for being in the services.
Great story and look forward to many more pictures.  Follow it through, your grandpa will be thrilled.  

[Belgium R/T -68]

Welcome here There's a lot that can be learned from the members on this forum if you need help.
I'm a living example of this.

Per

[400/6/PAC]

Yes
Thank You for serving
good luck on Your project.

[Bulldog69RT]

I really appreciate yalls comments! Im pretty darn exited to get down there and get started! My grandpa has tons of step-by-step pictures on floppy discs in his computer desk at home. Once i get down there ill be able to post alot of awesome detailed pictures!
Im planning on pulling the 400 and the 727 out and selling it this winter sometime. Once I get the bodywork done and painted and put the glass in, Im gonna do the suspension. Dunno what im gonna go with, brands etc.., but its what im gonna do. Then I want to buy a 440 shortblock and fresh 727 and start building the 440. Aluminum heads, cam, etc.. I want the body to look as it did from the factory, that same green color w/o the R/T stripe, just the emblem. And the interior the same as stock, but I want a ratchet shifter!   Ill definitely come on here and ask advice as I go, my grandpa is a mustang guy. Ive got a few more pics ill post in a few

[1969chargerrtse]

I really appreciate yalls comments! Im pretty darn exited to get down there and get started! My grandpa has tons of step-by-step pictures on floppy discs in his computer desk at home. Once i get down there ill be able to post alot of awesome detailed pictures!
Im planning on pulling the 400 and the 727 out and selling it this winter sometime. Once I get the bodywork done and painted and put the glass in, Im gonna do the suspension. Dunno what im gonna go with, brands etc.., but its what im gonna do. Then I want to buy a 440 shortblock and fresh 727 and start building the 440. Aluminum heads, cam, etc.. I want the body to look as it did from the factory, that same green color w/o the R/T stripe, just the emblem. And the interior the same as stock, but I want a ratchet shifter!   Ill definitely come on here and ask advice as I go, my grandpa is a mustang guy. Ive got a few more pics ill post in a few

" A Mustang guy "   Now why did you have to go ruin everything?     

[Bulldog69RT]

I really appreciate yalls comments! Im pretty darn exited to get down there and get started! My grandpa has tons of step-by-step pictures on floppy discs in his computer desk at home. Once i get down there ill be able to post alot of awesome detailed pictures!
Im planning on pulling the 400 and the 727 out and selling it this winter sometime. Once I get the bodywork done and painted and put the glass in, Im gonna do the suspension. Dunno what im gonna go with, brands etc.., but its what im gonna do. Then I want to buy a 440 shortblock and fresh 727 and start building the 440. Aluminum heads, cam, etc.. I want the body to look as it did from the factory, that same green color w/o the R/T stripe, just the emblem. And the interior the same as stock, but I want a ratchet shifter!   Ill definitely come on here and ask advice as I go, my grandpa is a mustang guy. Ive got a few more pics ill post in a few

" A Mustang guy "   Now why did you have to go ruin everything?     

Oh I get that all the time. My grandpa tells me "If you would have wanted a mustang, you wouldnt have had to buy any parts and we could have got it done in no time. But you had to fall for a Mopar." Haha. Ill probably restore a '65 mustang one of these days. I definitely have the resources.

[The70RT]

Enjoy your build. You will find out you can build 3 65 Mustangs compared to one second gen Charger. Repo Mustang stuff is cheap.

[Bulldog69RT]

I found this picture this morning. You can just see how much work Ive got ahead of me.

And heres a picture of the trunk. Its just dusty, cleaned up it looks pretty good. The RH Trunk Extension came in the mail Saturday.

[Matthan]

Good luck

[b5blue]

You will do just fine one step at a time....

[Bulldog69RT]

I've been working on the car alot lately. An hour or two a day. I got the fenders and hood off. The upper cowl cut out and I pulled the engine and transmission yesterday. Thats my 13 month old helping me separate the transmission! 

[Steve@BentonMotorsports]

what part of GA are you in I am in Marietta. I might have a motor trans for sale soon.

[nvrbdn]

good pic's great start on your project.thanks for your service. now its time to do something else.

[Cooter]

Keep your head up Bulldog, and keep your eye on the prize. Takes one helluva person to hold on to a dream like you have. I know all to well how it feels to know you have alot of work ahead..Thank You for service.
Think yours is bad? Check Dis out...A Camaro I'm doing for my Cousin. Where there's a will, there's a way. Lemme know if I can help 'ya. Gotta couple 440's layin round. Might even a have a 4-speed for it.

[Bulldog69RT]

Ouch! That camaro is pretty rough!

I'm out in Washington State now. I hauled the Charger out here with me when I moved. And I just bought a house, with my own garage finally! So Im now able to work on it. Im thinking of building a stroker out of the 400. not 100% though, Im still sleeping on it.

[RallyeMike]

I'm out in Washington State now.

Welcome to WA.

[Silver R/T]

Welcome to WA, what part of WA?

[Bulldog69RT]

Rochester, WA... 20 minutes south of Olympia.

[Steve@BentonMotorsports]

oh thats cool i have some adopted family out there. i lived out there IN late 80' and early 90's and visited every summer up until 1998. I lived in marysville , everett , and Mukilteo. There is a great little lake on the western side of the state with good lake trout and a type of lake salmon fishing.

[Finn]

Good to see you're still cranking on it!! What's your plan for it? Back to stock or doing some mods?

[Bulldog69RT]

It will look stock inside and out, just a little bit wider wheels and 15's. Beef up the motor/trans and suspension. Still debating on the color. I was wanting to go back with the ol F5 green but lately Ive been seeing some other colors catching my eye. I dont know, Im sure Ill change my mind a few more times before I paint it.