chargervert's Charger Convertible Pics

[Old Moparz]

I was going to add these photos on another thread, but didn't want to hijack it. I had strong intentions of building my own for years, but changed my mind for several reasons. I already had the Coronet convertible for the base car, & started to accumulate Charger parts. I saved whatever photos I could find, & spoke to a few people who made similar cars over the years. The one person I spoke with semi-regularly, was Pete Veight who built the green Daytona convertible from a '68 Satellite convertible. I'd see him at the Marcus Dairy cruise in Danbury, CT all the time.

I also took a bunch of photos at Carlisle one year of chargervert's (Pete) '70 convertible, so I had some reference shots. I think it was the first time it was there since I had never seen it there before. I made the decision to get an entire Charger shell to use the rear clip from after talking to Pete at Carlisle. When I did find the shell, a 1968 Charger that was a 383-2V car, it was rust free & way too nice to cut up. If I had found a rougher car to begin with, I probably would have went that route instead of a Daytona replica I am in the process of.

Once I had my own Charger & Coronet side by side & saw what the major differences were, I knew it was beyond my capabilities with sheet metal work. I took some welding courses, researched some equipment I almost bought, but decided to bail on the idea. Even with a second Charger I bought, a rough parts car, I didn't want to tackle the amount of work involved. Maybe one day if I get bored or hit the lottery I may give it a try, but right now I'll pass.

Here's some pics of the orange '70 I took. One of the major areas of work that looks pretty difficult, is where the Charger deck lid is grafted to the convertible deck lid. Different widths & lengths.

My daughter Kate was more interested in the grass than the car. 

[Old Moparz]

Here's some more as well as the "never-built" '71 Daytona.

[Old Moparz]

One more of the '71 & a few of a the Joe Dirt Daytona with my daughter at the wheel. The owner of the car back then, said she could sit in it if she wanted. At first she was too shy & didn't want to, but as we started to walk away, she changed her mind & got in. She was ear to ear smiles & loved the foot shaped gas pedal. She's 6 now & doesn't remember being in the car, but wants me to build our Daytona just like it. I will, but not by choice. It'll probably stay in primer for a while when I get it running, & then I'll want to drive her around.

[Old Moparz]

More Joe Dirt Daytona pics, & a show truck that Dodge had there that should have been built. I don't know how well the Chevy retro truck is selling, but this one looks nice.

[Old Moparz]

Since it's my thread, I'll hijack it & add some more pics of other cars that were there. Here's a really clean Hemi Coronet my daughter found. Well, she actually found the owner's wife's Poodle, so I followed her over to it. The car pulled up as she was making friends with the dog, so I got some photos.

[Highbanked Hauler]

 Hey Old Moparz,is that Sunday afternoon at Carlisle or Monday?

[Silver R/T]

its different yes, but I do not dig convertible chargers. Hardtops for me!

[Mefirst]

I cant say I like the look of that conv. Charger, it looks just to weird..

[Old Moparz]

Hey Old Moparz,is that Sunday afternoon at Carlisle or Monday?

I was only there Saturday & Sunday, but my wife & daughter were only with me on Sunday. The pics were on Sunday afternoon, but I forget what time. We left around 5 PM I think.

[Chris G.]

Bob, great pics! 

We have a featured area on the site about that car. http://host219.ipowerweb.com/~1970char/pictures/Charger_Vert.html

[golden73]

The convert does look weird to me, although I admire people willing to try something different. That car was very well crafted. 



I like that 71 daytona... anymore 3rd gen daytona pics?

[Spartan]

Old Moparz, the Chevy SSR is selling horribly.  The GM Craft Center that these are built at is one that was announced to be closing.  Biggest problem with those was its $40,000+ novelty car.  If they could have been produced cheaper they would have probably sold better but in that price range there wasn't much of a market.  That one in the pic looks good though.

[Daytona R/T SE]

I really like the Convertible Charger Idea,I especially liked the Yellow 68 that was for sale a few years ago. I'd really like to do this to my old 68 Charger, if I could just find a SOLID Coronet convertible donor car,( all four framerails and the rockers not rusted completely to death would be nice )this would be my next project

[chargervert]

Hey Bob,thanks for posting the pics! I enjoy the Charger convert,Its a fun car!I have 4 Hardtop Chargers,so if I miss the look of the roof,I don't have to look too far.I have the 500/Daytona project,3 Chargers(my 70 R/T SE,and two 68 Chargers,and the convert)So I have just about every roof combo there is.I also have an electric sunroof from a 69 R/T,that I am going to put in my 70 R/T SE! Thanks again Bob.

[84shelby]

          Thanks for the pics

          I love that convert charger save the wing.

         

[chargervert]

Convertibles arent for everyone,if they were there would be a lot more 70-71 E body Hemi converts,than the 14)70 Hemi Cuda verts,the 14)71 Hemicuda verts,and the 11)70 Hemi Challenger verts that were built! I beleve that if Chrysler would have built the 68-70 Charger in convertible form that it would have shared the same platform that the other B body convertibles were built on. I enjoy driving the Charger convertible,because it has everything that I always missed about a Charger,when I am driving one of my E body converts!

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Bob, I take it the date is wrong on that camera?

Heres a pic of Pete Veight's "beater" as he calls it    

PS---sweet ride Pete.  I was drooling over it at Carlisle along with your other creations from you, Mike & Pam.  great stuff!

[Old Moparz]

Hey Chris,

Yes, the date isn't right & I didn't know it was turned on that day. I haven't seen Pete Veight's car in a long time, probably at least a few years. He used to bring it regularly to Danbury until he finished the Superbird with the sunroof. That car was nice & he did some amazing work. He showed me the before & after photos & said the only part of the bird that didn't need extensive repairs was the fire wall. It was in a junkyard with a car on top of it.

Bob

[Charger_Fan]

Although the roofline makes up a lot of the 2nd gen Charger's character, Chargervert's car looks great IMO. It's definitely not a look that everyone likes, but it seems lots of people always wonder what it would look like...well, THAT's what it looks like!

I think Chargervert did a great job on the car, it looks like it was made that way.

[chargervert]

Petes Daytona Vert is a really sweet ride! He told me that its his daily driver. Some years back a friend of mine had a 70 Charger R/T SE,with an electric sunroof.He was driving down a road that they were doing road construction on,and they had just put in the curbings,and the road was not paved yet.The curbings were about a foot tall.While crossing a side street a van had run a stop sign,and struck the Charger in the left rear quarter panel,and the Charger hit the foot tall curb,and flipped onto its roof,and slid down an imbankment.The car slid to a stop,and the filler cap on the rear quarter panel was spewing out gas,at this point Mike said to Dave(his brother who was driving the car,where did that cigarette that I was smoking go!!!! They tried to open the door to get out,but the roof had the vent windows pinched,so Mike kicked out one of the windows,and they got out! The car did not blow up!But a very rare Charger was totaled! The sunroof was damaged,but not badly enough not to be sold to a gentleman from Connecticut who put it in his Superbird!

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

We need to get Pete over here!

http://community-2.webtv.net/petev8/WINGNUT426/

[69_500]

Wasn't that Sunroof Superbird up for sale just last year?

By the way isn't the retro style Dodge truck what they called the Sidewinder? Powered by the V10 out of the Viper?

[Old Moparz]

Wasn't that Sunroof Superbird up for sale just last year?

By the way isn't the retro style Dodge truck what they called the Sidewinder? Powered by the V10 out of the Viper?

I was pretty sure he sold it because of finding a Hemi car, but I don't remember if the Hemi car was a Superbird or a Daytona. He had also sold another white Superbird around 1990, & that one I remember because I saw it at a show in CT for sale at $15,000. My wife spotted it & said "That's a good price, isn't it?" But we had just bought our house & were totally broke. 

I think you're right about the truck called Sidewinder.

[69_500]

I wasn't aware he was on the look out for a HEMI wing car. That makes sense though as to why he would have sold that car.

[Old Moparz]

Dan,

From what I recall, he already has it, & has had it a while. Got it before prices went totally nuts, but I just don't remember which wing car.

Bob