Going to look at a 69 Hemi 500 today (not to buy)

Ghoste · November 25, 2005, 04:46:45 AM

I am going to look at a 69 Hemi Charger 500 today just to take a bunch of pictures and crawl around the car. For all of you that catalog these cars, is there any particular thing you want to know besides vin and data tag?

Silver R/T · November 25, 2005, 05:31:21 AM

looking forward to pics

Ghoste · November 25, 2005, 05:42:22 AM

Oh, I'll be taking lots of pics of it. This may be my last chance. The car has been kind of a loosely guarded secret in this area for a while and it is coming out now because it is going to be available for sale very shortly. I saw it once before from a distance but this will be my first opportunity to get close.

Shakey · November 25, 2005, 07:15:54 AM

Is that the one from Sarnia or London?

Ghoste · November 25, 2005, 07:21:43 AM

Closer to you than that. Wallaceburg.

69_500 · November 25, 2005, 08:14:35 AM

If you haven't left yet, the only pictures that would be nice to see are pictures of the edges of the front grille. There is a rubber strip that runs along the left and right edge of the grille between the grill and the body. That piece is usually missing on most 500's, and if that one has it it would be nice to get a close up picture of the ribs on the rubber. Another thing to take a picture of is the side marker lights on the rear, and if the car hasn't ever been painted just curious as to what color those are. If they are painted stripe color or body color. As I've seen them both ways on other survivor cars.

Is this car a 4 speed or an AT? And if it is going up for sale here shortly, any ideas on the price he would be asking. I know of quite a few people who are on the look out for HEMI 500's.

Ghoste · November 25, 2005, 08:16:19 AM

Not leaving until about 1pm this afternoon. I'll get that stuff for you.

69_500 · November 25, 2005, 08:27:50 AM

Ask the owner if he has a broadcast sheet too. Typically if the car has either green or black interior, the sheet in the car didn't go to the car it was in. I have found that quite a few of the blue interior cars as well as white and red interior cars had the correct broadcast sheets in them.

A picture of the fender tag and VIN would be appreciated as well. If the car has been out to any shows over the past 20 years, there is a good chance I might already have a pic of that, but it would be another nice car to add to the 69 Registry.

Ghoste · November 25, 2005, 08:37:05 AM

I don't know how much it's been out. As I said, it's been a loosely guarded secret so most people didn't know he had the car and the current owner hasn't shown it all that I know of. But I don't know how long he's had it. He built a reasonably impressive Mopar collection very quietly so I don't know how long he's been at it. I just became aware of him about 7 or 8 years ago and this particular car about 5 years ago.

69_500 · November 25, 2005, 08:47:58 AM

Well best of luck to you, in being able to take pictures. Looking forward to seeing them. So have you seen the car before? Do you know if its a 4 speed or AT? Or what color it is?

73rallye440magnum · November 25, 2005, 11:43:13 AM

is this car restored, needs to be restored, or a nice original?

Ghoste · November 25, 2005, 11:59:05 AM

I believe it's a four speed but I could be wrong. It most very definitely does not need any restoration. I don't know yet if it's a survivor or not, but it is an excellent example.

hemi68charger · November 25, 2005, 12:15:03 PM

If you can.. take pictures of the grille, the area behind it, the headlamp bezel fillers between the headlamp bezels and the front fenders, the stainless wind deflectors and the rear window area........ The last place would be the "500" emblem on the taillamp panel passenger side.....

Troy

Ghoste · November 25, 2005, 12:19:26 PM

Just kind of all over those areas? I'm leaving shortly so I need to know if there are specific details in the grille and rear window that you are looking for.

Charger_Fan · November 25, 2005, 12:22:20 PM

I can't think of a better way to spend a few hours than looking at a car like that!

Don't forget your drool catcher.

Ghoste · November 25, 2005, 12:24:53 PM

Oh yeah, they've been my dream car for many many years but always stayed just out of financial reach. Now they seem to have moved permanently there.

Ghoste · November 25, 2005, 03:42:41 PM

Okay, the good news and the bad news. The bad is that even though I shot lots of pics, it's old fashioned light emulsion film so you will have to wait until I get them developed before I can post. Sorry, I'm just not that digital (ask 6pk how long it's been taking me just to scan some brochures

)
Now the good news is, I think most of you know the car quite well. I wasn't going to publicly post the vin but I think this vin may be known. XS29J9B110510.
Do you know the car?

Shakey · November 25, 2005, 03:53:52 PM

If it were a 500 wouldn't the VIN start with XX not XS?

Troy · November 25, 2005, 03:57:48 PM

Quote from: Shakey on November 25, 2005, 03:53:52 PM
If it were a 500 wouldn't the VIN start with XX not XS?

Not necessarily. I'm sure someone else can answer that question better than me though so I'll wait.

Troy

69_500 · November 25, 2005, 04:05:28 PM

I believe that you have 2 typo errors in the VIN number to that car.

Is the car R4 red, black interior, with cloth inserts, power windows, 4 speed, white tail stripe? If I am not mistaken the car should also have the side marker light bezel painted body color and not the stripe color. The car was also in many magazines over the years. Last time I saw the car it had I believe 15,000 miles on the odo, and it is a survivor car.

The fender tag for the car is XS, however the dash vin is XX.

and it is a 610 not 510 for the last 3 digits.

Ghoste · November 25, 2005, 04:15:35 PM

One possible typo and you are correct on everything else. I'm quite certain of the "XS". The 6 and 5 could be mixed up though. There was a lot of paint on the fender tag so I could have misread or even just wrote it down wrong. The dash vin was somewhat obscured and hard to read. The stripe has been replaced at some point in it's life and it has had some other paint work as well. It almost appears as though it was hit once in the driver's rear quarter. I'll let you be the judge when I post the pics though. I am going back on Wednesday and I hope to spend more time in it. I had to leave early today to pick up my daughter.
This was the Dodge press car used for the road tests. The Hot Rod article where the Hemi 500 ran 13.9, this is that car.
As to the XS Shakey, some of the very early 500's came through with XS intact because remember, these cars began life as RT's and were plucked from the regular assembly line and then shipped to Creative for the 500 alteration. Some assert that this car is the very first 500 to roll out of Creative Industries but I'm not well versed enough in the cars to confirm or deny that.

69_500 · November 25, 2005, 04:33:21 PM

Okay then i'm correct, it is 110610. It is the first of the 69 Charger 500's. And your correct it has been wrecked. It was wrecked during a press test drive in 1969. I believe it was Hot Rod magazine that wrecked and repaired the car. I don't remember the stripe having been replaced however.

I know for certain that the fender tag reads XS, but i'm also 100% certain the VIN is XX. So did you look at any of his other cars while you were there? As in his Survivor Superbird? I think he also has a Survivor 69 1/2 Superbee as well. It might have been a RR, I don't remember. Very nice guy who has these cars. Had the privaledge of parking my 500 next to his Superbird at the Chrysler Classic in Columbus this year.

Just 6T9 CHGR · November 25, 2005, 05:04:53 PM

Danny you already gave that one to me. Its S/O # 925000! First Hemi/first 500 no?

Ghoste · November 25, 2005, 06:12:15 PM

The Super Bird and Super Bee are not going up for sale (yet) so they were not there. The car was not at his home, it is at the auction company head office. He will also be selling off a 65 Coronet with a 426 Wedge, a 68 Road Runner, a 68 Mr. Norm GSS Dart, a 70 Hemi Cuda, a 70 Hemi Challenger and a 66 Hemi Satellite.
You're right, he is a very good guy and he has a nice collection.

hemi68charger · November 26, 2005, 09:26:53 AM

Look forward to the pics....... Danny, great info...........

Thanks,
Troy

69_500 · November 26, 2005, 09:30:23 AM

Yeah its the first of the 69 500's. It is a beautiful car. Definately one that I'd love to have if I had the money. First of all because its a HEMI, then because its also a 4 speed. But mostly because of the cloth insert seats, and the power windows. And its a tri-color car as well. R4 exterior, black interior, white stripe.

hemi68charger · November 26, 2005, 09:36:04 AM

Was this the one that was at Hodges' Dodges?

Troy

Ghoste · November 26, 2005, 09:38:01 AM

It was the Dodge News Bureau's car so it was all over the country. When they were done with it, I believe it was sold to it's first private owner in New York State. Am I right?

Charger_Fan · November 26, 2005, 12:30:14 PM

What a cool car, with such a cool history!

Do you have a digital camera on this year's Christmas wish list?

Ghoste · November 26, 2005, 01:36:20 PM

My wife has one. I just have so much money tied up in my old 35mm that I never use it.

69_500 · November 26, 2005, 01:56:30 PM

The car was in Chryslers ownership I believe until like 1972 or 1973. Then it was sold at auction, and Mike Russo wound up with the car. I believe that he had the car for close to 25 years. The next I heard it was in Harold Sullivans collection, then went to the current owner now.

Any ideas on what he is looking to get out of the car?
If your asking if its the same car that was at a dealership in Canada last year for sale, no its not the same car. This one is R4 red, the one that was at he dealership was R6 Red.

Shakey · November 26, 2005, 02:59:55 PM

Thanks for the lesson in Charger 500 history fellas!

I sure am glad I wasn't Mr. Cocky when I asked about the XS vs. XX VIN deal!

I imagine I would have looked like a fool if I came off with sumthin' like:

"Uh, excuse me guys, but if any of you so called Charger guys knew anything about Chargers then you would know that the 500's and the Daytona's VIN's start with XX, NOT XS!

This is a cool thread and the only way it could be any better is if there some pics!

While we are waiting, can you 500 owners post some pics of the parts of the car you were interested in seeing?

Ghoste · November 26, 2005, 06:38:15 PM

The pics will be here soon and I will get more on Wednesday. As to the dealership question, no, he isn't asking about one in Canada. Hodges Dodge was a Mopar dealer in Ferndale located on Woodward Avenue. The Ramchargers ran their cars out of there. It was Dodge's skunkworks garage on Woodward in the 60's. The dealership still exists but in a new location and today they sell Suburu's. The original location was a paint store or something like that the last time I went by and paid any attention.

69_500 · November 26, 2005, 07:46:26 PM

I don't have any up close pictures of the rubber trim piece I was talking about earlier in the thread. Last time I checked out that car I do believe it still had the trim piece. I just didn't manage to remember to get a picture of it that day. I remember looking for it, but some how in the 4 rolls of film I shot of the car, I didn't get a picture of that. I didn't get any pictures of the backside of the grille either.

There are a few of the 500's that actually have XS on the VIN dash plate as well. They are down the line though, and weren't actually t he first one's produced. Not sure how that screw up happened but it did.

Ghoste · November 26, 2005, 08:41:43 PM

I did get some close up pics of the rubber and if they aren't what you are looking for, I can reshoot them. I'll have access to the car for a little while. I went out today and had a quick but better look at the vin and yes, it is XX. I didn't doubt you, I just wanted to see for myself. I'm sure you know what I mean if I try to explain about being fascinated by the small details.

Todd Wilson · November 26, 2005, 11:50:39 PM

It wasnt this 500 was it?

Ghoste · November 27, 2005, 12:06:25 AM

Nope. Dodge Division hubcaps and white stripe.

wingcars6970 · November 27, 2005, 01:02:49 PM

The Mike Russo NY car .I believe was a magazine test car loaned by chysler public relatations .I have this VHS tape I got from a friend .With a 69 road test by Bud Lindeman severly flogging a red hemi charger 500.I wonder if thats the car on the tape.While were on 69 charger 500. There used to be one in my area. Known as Propane X 110615

Ghoste · November 27, 2005, 05:24:07 PM

Yes, that's the one we are talking about. I forget if the Bud Lindeman car is this one. I have that episode on tape and there were two cars. An auto and a four speed. I am talking about the 4 gear car.
I have some old magazine pics of that propane car at the drags.

69_500 · November 28, 2005, 09:10:36 AM

Is there anyway one of you guys could make a copy of that VHS tape for me? Just curious, but I would love to see it. Are you talking about the article where they are test driving a 4 speed and an automatic HEMI 500?

I haven't ever seen any more info on the Propane X car Dave. 110615.

Is the car pictures above the R6 red, 4 speed HEMI car that was for sale about a year ago?

Ghoste · November 28, 2005, 06:56:26 PM

Yes, that's the article.

wingcars6970 · November 29, 2005, 11:12:09 PM

Cant anyone post a video of those 500s

Ghoste · November 30, 2005, 04:43:14 AM

I can't. Sorry. I'm going back tonight to spend some more time with that car and I'm going to shoot some video but it won't very interesting to anyone. Just walking around an old car sitting there parked.

69_500 · November 30, 2005, 01:34:21 PM

If you could, could you get some detailed video of between the grille and the radiator core support for me. Like the backside of the grille. Just curious on how all that looks on his car. I thought that I had taken some pictures of it, but can't seem to find any of those area's. That and did it have the rubber on the grille?
Oh and on the underside of the hood, where the Hood comes down to meet up with the pads, does the hood have the squares there? I have seen some 69 cars with and some without. Just wondering if the 500's all have them or not.

Ghoste · December 01, 2005, 04:44:05 AM

It does have the rubber parts. I shot a bunch of video up front but it was kind of general. I didn't see your post until this morning so I'll review and go back if I need to. I'll be there Friday as they are running a bunch of cars in a local Christmas parade so I'll be helping out with that. (the 500 isn't one of them)

69_500 · December 01, 2005, 07:20:45 PM

Are you able to divulge which auction house the car is going to be sold at? I'd be curious, if it was close enough I'd love to go.

Ghoste · December 01, 2005, 08:11:02 PM

It's RM and it will be at the auction held at Boca Raton in February.

69_500 · December 01, 2005, 08:21:19 PM

Well I don't think I'll be able to make it to Boca Raton, I wish that I could. Just so that I could continue to follow the history of this car. I first saw this car in the mid 80's. This car had a build sheet in it to another HEMI 500, very early build date as well, that no one has ever been able to locate. Only difference in the two cars is that 110610 is a 4 speed the other car is an AUTOmatic. Which leaves me to guessing it was the other car in the Road and Track magazine article where they compared a HEMI 4 speed to an Automatic. Because both cars were the same exterior color and interior, and stripe.

Ghoste · December 01, 2005, 08:26:06 PM

It still has the wrong build sheet with the car. The one it has is for a C5X interior as well.

69_500 · December 01, 2005, 08:30:52 PM

I wasn't aware that the buildsheet was still with the car. I believe that the buildsheet is for car 110614 correct?

69_500 · December 01, 2005, 08:32:37 PM

Which is a car that identical to the 110610 car, except for the 4 speed and the automatic options right? Both have the C5X interior, both have power windows, both have the AM/FM radio and such.

Ghoste · December 01, 2005, 08:35:22 PM

Correct. It is for 110614, von 925004.

69_500 · December 01, 2005, 08:39:18 PM

I had always been under the impression that the buildsheet was in the possesion of one of the winged car clubs.

Ghoste · December 01, 2005, 08:49:01 PM

Well, between this thread and our pm's, maybe we can put a couple of cars right?

2fast4u · December 01, 2005, 11:01:05 PM

HEY GHOSTE!! Are we any closer to seein' any pictures of this car.....it's been almost a week! Or are you just teasin' us and stringin' us along?

Ghoste · December 02, 2005, 05:26:38 AM

No, I'm not teasin'. They'll be up today. The problem is mainly my work schedule. I have today off though, so it's to the one hour for me as soon as they open. I expect to post some around noon.

69_500 · December 02, 2005, 10:11:01 AM

I guess I can post some pictures of the car.

69_500 · December 02, 2005, 10:11:28 AM

and one more.

69_500 · December 02, 2005, 10:12:26 AM

Those are the few that I took with the digital camera, I think I shot about 50 pics with the digital camera, and I know I took 5 rolls of film on the 35mm. I think that the owner was tired of me taking pictures by the time I got done that day.

69_500 · December 02, 2005, 10:13:31 AM

Oh and I don't remember this photo being taken, but someone took a picture of me and the car together.

Ghoste · December 02, 2005, 12:52:33 PM

Well your pics turned out a hell of a lot nicer than mine. I'm just uploading them to a host site and I'll post some shortly.

Ghoste · December 02, 2005, 01:25:01 PM

Here are the first couple.

Ghoste · December 02, 2005, 01:37:35 PM

Interior and underhood.

Ghoste · December 02, 2005, 01:42:42 PM

Rump stripe. The first pic is the right side and the second one is the drivers. If you look closely at the drivers, you will notice it's been replaced. Look at the 500 portion and the forward pinstripe.

PocketThunder · December 02, 2005, 01:46:18 PM

Are those hubcaps worth saving? I have a set off of my 69 new yorker. or arent they the same? they look the same.....?

Ghoste · December 02, 2005, 01:47:36 PM

I have a beat to hell one hanging on my wall in the garage that I paid a dollar for at the Nats, so they're worth saving for somebody for something.

Ghoste · December 02, 2005, 01:50:55 PM

The hood and taillights. The blacked out portion around the hood turn indicators has been applied with paint.

Ghoste · December 02, 2005, 02:06:14 PM

Here are a few of the filler panel around the headlight bezels.

Ghoste · December 02, 2005, 02:10:35 PM

The fender tag.

69_500 · December 02, 2005, 03:25:42 PM

Good pictures of the rubber I was wanting. I just wanted to know what they exactly looked like.

I had the advantage of getting to take the pictures outdoors. I have some from when the car was under a tent too, but those didn't turn out nearly as good.

Ghoste · December 02, 2005, 03:43:22 PM

There are several others but some of less interest than others. Still another roll to develop too.

69_500 · December 02, 2005, 03:44:37 PM

I don't know about everyone else but I know t hat I'm looking forward to more pictures of that car.

Ghoste · December 02, 2005, 03:51:07 PM

Maybe what I'll do is make a list of what I have pics of and see what everyone thinks they want posted. My low light indoor profile shots are senseless after your daylight ones but I have some from inside the trunk that might interest folks. If I can swing it, I may try and get the car up on a hoist and take some underneath pics.

hemi68charger · December 02, 2005, 03:55:43 PM

Quote from: 69_500 on December 02, 2005, 03:25:42 PM
Good pictures of the rubber I was wanting. I just wanted to know what they exactly looked like.

I had the advantage of getting to take the pictures outdoors. I have some from when the car was under a tent too, but those didn't turn out nearly as good.

Mike over at Dayclona reproduced those filler w/ the rubber, $300 last time I heard for the pair.............

Troy

69_500 · December 02, 2005, 04:13:34 PM

Thats the thing though I don't need the filler, just the rubber. Anyone know how much or if he even sells the rubber by itself?

Are your trunk pics inside the building too? I might have some pics of the inside of the trunk too.

News:

Going to look at a 69 Hemi 500 today (not to buy)