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Bull's 68 Charger restoration thread

Started by bull, March 15, 2010, 02:39:19 AM

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bull

Quote from: tan top on December 18, 2011, 07:20:42 PM
:coolgleamA: :2thumbs: looks good

not trying to hijack  , just this second noticed this !  wonder why the rear shock cross member is different of a 68  to the 69 /70 cars  :scratchchin:

:shruggy: I didn't know they were different. Mine is a Goodmark replacement that matched the original one that came out, and I believe they listed this part as being for 68-70. Now that you mention it I did notice that 70 R/T crossmember pictured on the previous page is slightly different along the back side. Mine runs straight across and that one dips down some.



tan top

Quote from: bull on December 19, 2011, 04:42:06 AM
Quote from: tan top on December 18, 2011, 07:20:42 PM
:coolgleamA: :2thumbs: looks good

not trying to hijack  , just this second noticed this !  wonder why the rear shock cross member is different of a 68  to the 69 /70 cars  :scratchchin:

:shruggy: I didn't know they were different. Mine is a Goodmark replacement that matched the original one that came out, and I believe they listed this part at being for 68-70. Now that you mention it I did notice that 70 R/T crossmember pictured on the previous page is slightly different along the back side. Mine runs straight across and that one dips down some.





:2thumbs: :cheers:
been trying to look for  other 68s  now ! seen  another 68 with the same as yours , need to see more really , might be a vendor suppling a specific assembly plant  if there are two different styles on a 68 :shruggy:, or was changed for the 69 & 70 model years  :scratchchin:  your 68 is deffo more of a shorter higher curve  :scratchchin: ,
Feel free to post any relevant picture you think we all might like to see in the threads below!

Charger Stuff 
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,86777.0.html
Chargers in the background where you least expect them 
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,97261.0.html
C500 & Daytonas & Superbirds
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,95432.0.html
Interesting pictures & Stuff 
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,109484.925.html
Old Dodge dealer photos wanted
 http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,120850.0.html

bull

You're right. I was referring to the back half of the crossmember but I see what you mean on the front. It turns up right past the bolt on the blue one and mine comes out toward the middle more before making a sharper turn up. :scratchchin: Interesting.

Troy

I forgot to post these when I took hem. Better late than never I guess! These are my 68s... sorry for the bad angle on the one.

Troy
Sarcasm detector, that's a real good invention.

bull

Thanks.

While I'm at it I'll leave some more progress info. The Charger is now able to hold her own rear end up off the ground now. Everything under the back is bolted down, clamped, torqued and marked off. Except for two things: the axle stamp and ratio tag. I got both in the mail the other day so it's just a matter of getting out there to do it.

A few days ago I crawled into the trunk with a bottle of SEM Rust Seal and went to work on all the surface rust I could find. After that I coated pretty much the entire ceiling with the stuff so that's looking pretty good now.

Also, James Smith from Smith Brothers Restorations stopped by and grabbed my steering column. http://smithbrosrestorations.com/ Don't feel like doing it so he's doing it for me. I will likely have them do the interior wiring and the seats, headliner and carpet. But they're definitely doing the steering column at least. Really would like to get this thing operating under its own power next summer if possible.

The70RT

I am going to wait and tourqe my leaf spring bushings when my car is complete with all the weight on it. I put a rear sway bar on and it wouldn't bolt in right because the car sat too high. I'm gonna wait to tourqe the front a arms as well. I think that's the right thing to do.
<br /><br />Uploaded with ImageShack.us

bull

Quote from: The70RT on January 13, 2012, 09:55:01 PM
I am going to wait and tourqe my leaf spring bushings when my car is complete with all the weight on it. I put a rear sway bar on and it wouldn't bolt in right because the car sat too high. I'm gonna wait to tourqe the front a arms as well. I think that's the right thing to do.

:scratchchin: Never thought about the rear. I can't imagine why it would matter much back there but then I haven't done a rear sway bar. I think you're right about the front.

The70RT

I was thinking I was a couple inches high, I figured no fuel bumper glass interior etc. I think you want them in a relaxed state when all the weight is on them before the final tightning.
<br /><br />Uploaded with ImageShack.us

XS29L9B2

dodge charger 440 R/T match
dodge charger 70 projet daytona

1970Moparmann

My name is Mike and I'm a Moparholic!

lexxman


skip68

skip68, A.K.A. Chuck \ 68 Charger 440 auto\ 67 Camaro RS (no 440)       FRANKS & BEANS !!!


miamivice

James did all of my interior and it came out great!

Quote from: bull on January 13, 2012, 09:48:15 PM
Thanks.

While I'm at it I'll leave some more progress info. The Charger is now able to hold her own rear end up off the ground now. Everything under the back is bolted down, clamped, torqued and marked off. Except for two things: the axle stamp and ratio tag. I got both in the mail the other day so it's just a matter of getting out there to do it.

A few days ago I crawled into the trunk with a bottle of SEM Rust Seal and went to work on all the surface rust I could find. After that I coated pretty much the entire ceiling with the stuff so that's looking pretty good now.

Also, James Smith from Smith Brothers Restorations stopped by and grabbed my steering column. http://smithbrosrestorations.com/ Don't feel like doing it so he's doing it for me. I will likely have them do the interior wiring and the seats, headliner and carpet. But they're definitely doing the steering column at least. Really would like to get this thing operating under its own power next summer if possible.

bill440rt

"Strive for perfection in everything. Take the best that exists and make it better. If it doesn't exist, create it. Accept nothing nearly right or good enough." Sir Henry Rolls Royce

TUFCAT

Quote from: bull on January 13, 2012, 09:48:15 PM
Thanks.

.....would like to get this thing operating under its own power next summer if possible....


Don't you mean this summer? I don't think I can wait another year!

bull

Quote from: TUFCAT on January 16, 2012, 01:53:47 PM
Quote from: bull on January 13, 2012, 09:48:15 PM
Thanks.

.....would like to get this thing operating under its own power next summer if possible....


Don't you mean this summer? I don't think I can wait another year!

That's what I meant. The "next" must have been a Freudian slip.

bull

Quote from: miamivice on January 16, 2012, 12:19:52 PM
James did all of my interior and it came out great!

Quote from: bull on January 13, 2012, 09:48:15 PM
Thanks.

While I'm at it I'll leave some more progress info. The Charger is now able to hold her own rear end up off the ground now. Everything under the back is bolted down, clamped, torqued and marked off. Except for two things: the axle stamp and ratio tag. I got both in the mail the other day so it's just a matter of getting out there to do it.

A few days ago I crawled into the trunk with a bottle of SEM Rust Seal and went to work on all the surface rust I could find. After that I coated pretty much the entire ceiling with the stuff so that's looking pretty good now.

Also, James Smith from Smith Brothers Restorations stopped by and grabbed my steering column. http://smithbrosrestorations.com/ Don't feel like doing it so he's doing it for me. I will likely have them do the interior wiring and the seats, headliner and carpet. But they're definitely doing the steering column at least. Really would like to get this thing operating under its own power next summer if possible.

I've heard nothing but good about the Smith Bros. and meeting them has confirmed this. I hope to head up to their place in the near future, probably with my bare blasted seat frames. They can do all the work on my car at my house so that will make things go much smoother and less costly.

bull

I'll post some pics later but just wanted to give you all a quick update. I've been pretty busy, lately. Over the past three weeks I've gotten the steering column restored, the dash frame sandblasted and painted (both done by the Smith Bros) after I spent a couple of hours knocking dents out of the dash frame. And then all on my own I restored the steering wheel, the brake/clutch pedal assy., painted the firewall and installed the insulation, restored the wiper assy., installed the park brake assy., tore the seat frames down and had them sandblasted, rust-treated the interior roof and tonight I began installing the steering column.

Here's some before pics. See that seat frame all bent to hell? How did they do that? Took me a couple of hours to peel that sucker back into position (pics 2 and 3/before and after).

bull

Seat frames blasted and dash frame straightened and blasted. Brake/clutch pedal assembly ready to be blasted and plated along with some other odds and ends ready for plating or powder coating. And a late pic of the seat tracks that have since been blasted and primed.

bull

And here's some after pics.

bull

One more of the wheel... and a random cat pic.

The steering wheel turned out pretty good. I found a good horn rim on Ebay and other than a few dings here and there the wheel was in good shape so I sanded it with 320 grit, cleaned it, prepped it with SEM adhesion promoter and SEM flexible primer. Then I painted it (and the center cap) with SEM Landau black and finished with two coats of clear.

Oh, and in the bottom left of the frame you can see the wiper linkages ready to go. I blasted and painted them and the pivots and am waiting on a set of new clips from Megaparts. I still need to drill the pivots for grease fittings so I can re-lube them but I'm waiting until the last minute. I hate the idea of drilling the pivots for some reason.

resq302

Brian
1969 Dodge Charger (factory 4 speed, H code 383 engine,  AACA Senior winner, 2008 Concours d'Elegance participant, 2009 Concours d'Elegance award winner)
1970 Challenger Convert. factory #'s matching red inter. w/ white body.  318 car built 9/28/69 (AACA Senior winner)
1969 Plymough GTX convertible - original sheet metal, #'s matching drivetrain, T3 Honey Bronze, 1 of 701 produced, 1 of 362 with 440 4 bbl - auto

bill440rt

Looks great Curtis!  :cheers:
Good to see you got up from the couch!  :icon_smile_wink:  :2thumbs:
"Strive for perfection in everything. Take the best that exists and make it better. If it doesn't exist, create it. Accept nothing nearly right or good enough." Sir Henry Rolls Royce

skip68

skip68, A.K.A. Chuck \ 68 Charger 440 auto\ 67 Camaro RS (no 440)       FRANKS & BEANS !!!


Musicman