Bull's 68 Charger restoration thread

[472 R/T SE]

Wasn't this thread up for years?

...and what's your point?   



I don't know how many grounds you have Curtis but with that new paint it's worth double checking them all.

[bull]

I believe that's a lot of what's going on. I've already fixed or improved 2-3 of them so I imagine there's more.

[NHCharger]

I don't know how many grounds you have Curtis but with that new paint it's worth double checking them all.

Yep. I had a problem with my parking lights and fender mounted turn signals when I reassembled my 71. Turns out it was bad grounds due to the new paint job.

[Steve P.]

I've heard of people brazing brass screws into hidden areas before paint jobs to keep from having to bite through new paint jobs. I've only seen it a few times, but think it's a good idea.

[bakerhillpins]

How did they handle it from the factory? Did they just use the star washers and hoped it would bite through or did they just not paint that well?

[Troy]

That's pretty smart to get 2 "first" drives! Sounds like a spur of the moment decision and I'm glad it worked out! Are you more motivated - or at least a bit relieved?

Troy

[tan top]

During the past couple of days I got the choke wired up, adjusted the torsion bars and torqued the LCA pin nuts, adjusted the alignment and tightened the tie rods, changed the oil and filter, aired up the tires and ordered some more parts.

After all that was done I thought 'what the heck,' I'm going to see if this thing will move under its own power. Started it, threw a furniture dolly on the floor to sit on and backed it out of the garage. I put it in first and went but it stumbled a little so I gunned it and smoked both tires for about 20 feet, and that's when I decided I should probably call it good and backed back to the house and pulled into the garage. I poked my head in the house and told my wife I had just driven the Charger and she demanded to witness this miracle so I basically had to repeat the process. Man, what a rush. I was shaking when I finally shut it off. But now I've got two pairs of pretty black marks on my street to look at for a while.

  awesome stuff !! looking forward to seeing more pictures ,  video  etc 

[bull]

That's pretty smart to get 2 "first" drives! Sounds like a spur of the moment decision and I'm glad it worked out! Are you more motivated - or at least a bit relieved?

Troy

Both relieved and motivated. It was spur of the moment but I did sort of plan it too. Let's just say that my main focus after getting it running was to quickly finish up the torsion bar adjustment, air up the tires and do a rough alignment. Then, move the Durango and see if it will go forward and reverse. Yes, it works. Ok, let's try a little trip down the street...

I got the ride height pretty close too. Had to tweak the front to get the back right but it's within about 1/8" of being even now, near as I can tell. Not sure if it will be the final adjustment until I get the fenders on but it looks good for now.

[HeavyFuel]

Home stretch, man.......

[G-man]

Wasn't this thread up for years?

...and what's your point?   



I don't know how many grounds you have Curtis but with that new paint it's worth double checking them all.

Point is, I was wondering if it has been or not or whether it was something new. Just checking I got my wires around the right way. Thanks for confirming they are. Btw - Relax

[472 R/T SE]

Point is, I was wondering if it has been or not or whether it was something new. Just checking I got my wires around the right way. Thanks for confirming they are. Btw - Relax

....yada, yada, yada...

If you feel you need to get the last word in, PM me please. 



EDIT:  George thoroughly beat me down in a PM.  I'm so relaxed & chilled that the girls had to go spend the night at a hotel since our house's natural gas heater can't keep up with the chilled air in da' house. 

[TUFCAT]

Point is, I was wondering if it has been or not or whether it was something new. Just checking I got my wires around the right way. Thanks for confirming they are. Btw - Relax

....yada, yada, yada...

If you feel you need to get the last word in, PM me please.  

EDIT:  George thoroughly beat me down in a PM.  I'm so relaxed & chilled that the girls had to go spend the night at a hotel since our house's natural gas heater can't keep up with the chilled air in da' house.  

I looked back on this thread and couldn't find anything posted between you and G-man that was controversial So I have wonder why you got beat up via PM Care to share?  

[G-man]

The suspense  

[Charger68.ce]

Been reading this for days!! Looks good!

[bull]

I've been working steady on this thing every day for the past month or more after a "disinterested" break so I figured I'd put up a few pics. I'll post more when I get home but for now I'll put up some grill pics I have access to at work.

This the the top left end piece of the center grill section that was completely broken off. At first I tried using Styrene from a train hobby shop but the stuff was junk. Then yesterday I found a plastics supplier in town that had ABS remnants for sale at $1.70 per pound. Got three good-sized pieces (roughly 6" to 10" square) in varying thicknesses that weighed a pound and used one to replace the broken pieces. Turned out pretty good so far.

[JB400]

 

[bakerhillpins]

I've been working steady on this thing every day for the past month or more after a "disinterested" break so I figured I'd put up a few pics. I'll post more when I get home but for now I'll put up some grill pics I have access to at work.

This the the top left end piece of the center grill section that was completely broken off. At first I tried using Styrene from a train hobby shop but the stuff was junk. Then yesterday I found a plastics supplier in town that had ABS remnants for sale at $1.70 per pound. Got three good-sized pieces (roughly 6" to 10" square) in varying thicknesses that weighed a pound and used one to replace the broken pieces. Turned out pretty good so far.

So how are you bonding that stuff? Plastic welding or some sort of ABS cement?  I have never had any luck with the ABS cements on my motorcycle plastics.

[bull]

I've been working steady on this thing every day for the past month or more after a "disinterested" break so I figured I'd put up a few pics. I'll post more when I get home but for now I'll put up some grill pics I have access to at work.

This the the top left end piece of the center grill section that was completely broken off. At first I tried using Styrene from a train hobby shop but the stuff was junk. Then yesterday I found a plastics supplier in town that had ABS remnants for sale at $1.70 per pound. Got three good-sized pieces (roughly 6" to 10" square) in varying thicknesses that weighed a pound and used one to replace the broken pieces. Turned out pretty good so far.

So how are you bonding that stuff? Plastic welding or some sort of ABS cement?  I have never had any luck with the ABS cements on my motorcycle plastics.

I've been using two very different kinds of epoxy and have had fairly good luck with the one I thought would be junk. I bought Loctite and JB Weld "Quick Weld" and they are very different. The JB hardens fast and seems a lot more like plastic when it's dry. The Loctite seems to stay pretty soft and takes a long time to cure but it gets into the seams and cracks a little better. One thing I really hate about the Loctite stuff is that when you squeeze it out it comes out very unevenly. I've wasted so much of it just trying to get equal amounts onto the mixing board. The JB, on the other hand, comes out perfectly even. Like the said the JB Weld hardens fast so basically what I've been doing is cutting a pretty deep V in everything and building it up because if you don't it will just sit on top and do nothing.

[bull]

More progress pics. First, more grill repairs and then onto some other projects I've been working on.

[bull]

This headlight surround was broken in 7 places.

[bull]

Pretty much done repairing it now.

[bull]

The mess from two grilles.

I've been working on the console too and finally seem to have got it dialed in for the most part.

[bull]

Bought new tail light bezels and painted the grooved bases with the correct silver (will buy new housings someday) and reassembled everything with new tail panel trim. I also just recently got the upper trim back from being straightened and polished and installed it too.

Can't recall posting any pics of the air cleaner I got off Ebay (after buying and returning the wrong one) but here's that. It started out with a combination of original paint and rust so I blasted it and painted it with SEM trim black. Here's the 4-page drama regarding air cleaners: http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,97946.0.html

[A383Wing]

Interesting bend in that shifter...mine's more straight in both cars

Bryan

[bull]

Interesting bend in that shifter...mine's more straight in both cars

Bryan

Hmmm. I thought 66-68 Inland shifters were the same. I guess the 68s are one off.