Bull's 68 Charger restoration thread

[moparstuart]

Alright, it's about flipp'en time.  

Screw that notion. I'm in too deep. There's no way I'm going to do all I did and not drive the piss out of this car. My goal now is to give this car at least half the abuse it has given me over the years. Payback is a bitch!

Geez Bull you are sooo slowwwww.....  

en for the 2 1/2-year "burnout" phase I'd probably be close to done. I'll tell you what though, I worked by butt to the nub for roughly 18 months doing overtime and working a second job to save up the cash for the body work and paint. After that I got very, very lazy for a long time. I'm over it now so things are progressing quickly but for a while there I had just about had it with the whole notion of restoring a 68 Charger. Looking back I'm surprised I held on.

you better kiss it and hug it everytime you take it out , if she get pissed off at you no telling where she will leave you   

[BB1]

I didn't say flip it, I said it's about time you made a thread, Gezzz  a flipp'en thread 

[bull]

I didn't say flip it, I said it's about time you made a thread, Gezzz  a flipp'en thread 

Oh. I put the emphasis on the word "flippin" instead of "time" when I read your sentence. Well, at least now everyone knows where I stand on the issue of selling it.

[twodko]

Really nice stuff Bull. You da man!


Tom

[bull]

By the way, I've had this car and have been working on it for about six years now and I've dealt with a lot of restoration support businesses during that time and I can tell you that hands-down, the absolute best company I've dealt with throughout this process is Firm Feel. Dick is the nicest, fairest and most helpful person I've had the pleasure of dealing with. I have zero qualms about recommending Firm Feel for any and all your suspension needs. They may charge a little more for a few of their items (usually not though) but if/when they do it's well worth any extra cost to avoid the usual hassles IMO.

http://firmfeel.com/

[bill440rt]

Nice thread, Bull!! 

Congrats on your progress!! 

[Purple68]

By the way, I've had this car and have been working on it for about six years now and I've dealt with a lot of restoration support businesses during that time and I can tell you that hands-down, the absolute best company I've dealt with throughout this process is Firm Feel. Dick is the nicest, fairest and most helpful person I've had the pleasure of dealing with. I have zero qualms about recommending Firm Feel for any and all your suspension needs. They may charge a little more for a few of their items (usually not though) but if/when they do it's well worth any extra cost to avoid the usual hassles IMO.

http://firmfeel.com/

I agree on Firm Feel. They were very helpful when I ordered my stage 2 box from them.
The car is looking good Bull, keep it up!

[squeakfinder]

   Sounds like your entering the assembly process. Doing anything with the interior and wiring at this point?

[bull]

   Sounds like your entering the assembly process. Doing anything with the interior and wiring at this point?

Not yet. My space is very limited and I've already got too much stuff spread all over the garage. When I get the front suspension, engine and trans installed I'll have more room to work and can start tearing into something else. I think the next thing I tackle will be the rear axle and suspension and while that's out I'll be working on cleaning and spot-treating the undercoating. Then I'll replace the brake and fuel lines before the rear end goes back in. I think at that point I'll pull the dash frame and wire it up on the bench and then I can finish up the interior.

[A383Wing]

Wondering if I will ever see this car done before I die....   

[bull]

Wondering if I will ever see this car done before I die....    

A lot of that depends on when you die.

[khodne]

Curtis,  I like how you time lined your progress.

[bull]

Curtis,  I like how you time lined your progress.

Thanks. My memory is not the best so it really helps me to be able to document this stuff here. The pictures help a lot too.

[chargergirl]

Jealous...but a happy for you jealous! Can't wait to get mine aparts and start the process your almost done with. It's looking great...hours of hard work will pay off the first time you get to drive her.

[PocketThunder]

Did you ever get that shed built in your back yard to get some of the stuff out of your garage?

[bull]

Did you ever get that shed built in your back yard to get some of the stuff out of your garage?

Yup, 4 1/2 yrs ago. Good memory. http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,1894.0.html

[PocketThunder]

Did you ever get that shed built in your back yard to get some of the stuff out of your garage?

Yup, 4 1/2 yrs ago. Good memory. http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,1894.0.html

I'm and Estimator by day, i've got a mind like a steel trap!   

When i get home though i suffer from CRS, just ask my spouse..   

[A383Wing]

Kinda like "selective hearing" when she's talking to ya?? 

[bull]

Finished up my front end dolly setup last week but forgot to post pics. I did kind of a wrap-around version using one k-frame hole and one bumper bolt hole, and I still want to connect the two caster mounts with a heavy piece of square tubing so I'll have a jacking/lifting point. Guess I've got more drilling to do...

[tan top]

Finished up my front end dolly setup last week but forgot to post pics. I did kind of a wrap-around version using one k-frame hole and one bumper bolt hole, and I still want to connect the two caster mounts with a heavy piece of square tubing so I'll have a jacking/lifting point. Guess I've got more drilling to do...

they look great !! nice work 

[Shakey]

Wow Curtis - I haven't been around much, glad you captured everything here so I could easily catch up on your work.

Good progress - car looks great!   

[bull]

Thanks. Mine can't hold a candle to your work but for the most part I'm happy with it. Seriously, I've looked to your threads dozens of times to see how it's done. I've often thought, when I have a question about how to do something, let's see how Shakey did it. Fortunately for me you're ahead of me on your project.

[Shakey]

Thanks. Mine can't hold a candle to your work but for the most part I'm happy with it. Seriously, I've looked to your threads dozens of times to see how it's done. I've often thought, when I have a question about how to do something, let's see how Shakey did it. Fortunately for me you're ahead of me on your project.

Thanks Bull!

You'll probably catch up to me as mine has sat idle for at least a year.  Last summer my Father, Father-in-Law and I built a swing set, a playhouse/climber and a deck in the backyard so that is where my time went.

I did see the car this past weekend, first time since October.  Put the battery cables on, a couple of tugs in the choke and it fired right up.

Keep the progress pics coming.

[bull]

Maybe I will catch up a little because my progress has actually picked up a little here lately.

[bull]

Got a little more progress to report. Been screwing around with four different parts stores for weeks trying to find a steering pump and finally gave up so I sent it off to Steer and Gear to rebuild. It's a small TRW pump and I couldn't find a rebuild kit or a rebuilt pump. Turns out Firm Feel could have done the same thing for a little less but I had already sent it off so S&G is getting it done. There's a pic of the freshly painted reservoir below. I blasted and painted it and my trans mount at the same time.

Pulled the passenger side fender off and scraped the undercoating off the inner fender but still have to scrape the fender itself. I have a gallon of Resto Rick's undercoating coming and already have a Shutz gun. Got all the fender splash shields and seals I need from Megaparts and while I was at it I bought a spark plug wire bracket kit from them too.