The HEMI Charger has landed!!!

[bzabodyn]

It's been a long road, but we finally took delivery of the HEMI Charger today - what a feeling!  I figured the original thread went long enough - 30+ pages - so I decided to start anew - for reference, the old thread is located here:  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,36552.0.html

We're still waiting on a couple of minor things to be 100% complete (HEMI door badges are finally on the way after months of waiting and had to return the interior taillight cover - incorrectly sent a '70 that was marked '69 and they are not the same) but it has undergone enough of a shakedown that I was comfortable bringing it home.  We have a small local show this weekend, so that will be the Charger's public debut... should be fun! 

Speaking of publicity, the car has already had its first professional photoshoot before it even left the shop - I need to get them some more information, but the guys from Musclecar Enthusiast are wanting to do a feature on it.... hopefully the first of many!  It's a great car and a great story... I've included some pictures from the photoshoot to start because I need to upload a ton of pictures from the camera to the computer of the car being delivered to its new home, but I'm just too beat tonight... more to come!

Enjoy the pics - even though they do this beauty ZERO justice - it's just stunning in the sunlight and looks even better on the road - it drives/rides/tracks perfectly and with the solid roller cam, it sounds much smoother than most other HEMIs I've heard in person. But it's still a beast!  The last dyno only showed like 300hp to the rear wheels, BUT an amazing 510ft lbs of torque!!! 

It has been a rocky long road, but now that it's home it's all worth it... enjoy the few pics - more to come!

Good night!
BZ

[Dans 68]

 

Needless to say, take a lot of photos this weekend.... 

Dan

[bzabodyn]

...and yes, that is a black '70 HEMI Charger peeking in the corner of the last picture...

BZ

[472 R/T SE]

...and yes, that is a black '70 HEMI Charger peeking in the corner of the last picture...

BZ

Have any pictures of it?


I've been doubted before about there being two different tail light covers.

Amazing car.     Will it be driven or chauffeured around on a trailer? 

[bzabodyn]

A little bit of both... too much $$$ to drive it cross country, but also too much $$$ to just let it sit   

I do have a custom enclosed gooseneck trailer on the way though 

BZ

[Todd Wilson]

Nice! Love the color and the wheels!


Todd

[ChgrSteve67]

Congradulations.

I bet you really pumped to have it done and now you get to enjoy it and show it off.

[RIDELIKEHELL]

  So happy for you! That car is stellar ...enjoy...
Marc

[69*F5*SE]

Congrats    The Charger turned out great.  It's already a star.

[66FBCharger]

Nice car. What is the paint code for that color? It looks orange to me in the photos.

[hemi68charger]

Sweeet !!!!!!

Good goin' Brandon................ What show are you going to?

[PocketThunder]

Nice car. What is the paint code for that color? It looks orange to me in the photos.

Thats what i was thinking.   

[charge69]

The car looks fantastic Brandon.  No way the car should be kept out of sight. I hope my Charger comes out as nice as yours.  Mine actually came with the full wheel covers and I have managed to come up with a set of NOS covers for it.  Still debating over whether or not they should go on the car. It is a really different look with them but, I am just not sure.  I would hate to have to take them off very often as it would undoubtably scratch  them and they are only new once!

I really want some old-school mags (maybe Cragars) on it for driving  around and  put the originals on for a show. It will not be in many shows so, see it while you can. The engine compartment will be mostly original except for the ignition and headers. Got to have the TTI exhaust setup for power.ALL original pieces will be kept and cleaned and I  have the original pieces.

I am jealous now as mine will be a while longer being finished and yours........... Wonderful job!

Enjoy it while you can and do not be tempted to sell!


Carl

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Nice car. What is the paint code for that color? It looks orange to me in the photos.

Thats what i was thinking.   

His car is R4 Bright Red which is a tough color to photograph correctly (V2 Hemi Orange is the same way)

Congrats on the new found stardom & great to hear that its finally in your possession to enjoy!  

[69bronzeT5]

Congratulations Brandon! The Charger looks GREAT!

[twodko]

The first and last thing that comes to mind is..........WOW! Good for you Brandon.

Tom

[68X426]

I'll pile on, even if late. Great car, in every possible way.

[nh_mopar_fan]

 

[roger440]

Congratulations. It looks fantastic. As already stated, we need more pics 

[FlatbackFanatic]

 

[ChargerSG]

Congrats, it sure looks great

[69 OUR/TEA]

Good for you!!!!!!!!! Looks killer!!!!!! Gotta be a great feeling,and well deserved,have fun,enjoy!!!!!

[WINGR]

 Major Congrats, looks sweeeeeeet. Well worth the wait I would say, enjoy.


WINGR

[tan top]

aww man that looks awesome  !!   
pleased for you dude 

[charger_fan_4ever]

awesome car congrats.

[bzabodyn]

Thanks for all the compliments guys!!! Been so busy with work and getting ready for the first show that I neglected to post more pictures for you... so... here we go!  Pics of delivery courtesy of my lovely wife Jenna!

BZ

[bzabodyn]

More... that's me and my son Dayton - funny to see pics of him from the old thread as a baby and now he's almost 3 1/2!!!!

BZ

[Ghoste]

Hard to believe it's been 3 1/2 years, it somehow seems so much more recent to me.  The car looks great!

[69bronzeT5]

Wow Brandon, GREAT pictures!!!

[bzabodyn]

still more...

BZ

[bzabodyn]

and more! showing off the new TX vanity plate.... (my personal favorite pics) 

BZ

[bzabodyn]

More still!

BZ

[bzabodyn]

That's all I've got for now!  The show tomorrow is in Wharton TX (about 10min down the road) - it's called Freedom Fest and features a classic car show/motorcycle show/antique tractor show and after the judging has a car parade... should be lots of fun!  I'll post more pics probably Sunday...

Enjoy!

BZ

[bzabodyn]

Enjoy it while you can and do not be tempted to sell!


Carl

No worries Carl!  As you can see in the pics - there's no way that Dayton would let it ever leave his sight - after all, he tells everyone that it's HIS HEMI!

BZ

[moparchris]

WOW!!!  Brandon, that is one fantastic looking Charger.  Congratulations to you and your family.  Many happy years to enjoy it

[tan top]

   more awesome pictures ! thanks for posting BZ 

[hemi24]

man shes sweet but looking at those tires i bet that's a hand full under full power !!!

[hemi68charger]

That's all I've got for now!  The show tomorrow is in Wharton TX (about 10min down the road) - it's called Freedom Fest and features a classic car show/motorcycle show/antique tractor show and after the judging has a car parade... should be lots of fun!  I'll post more pics probably Sunday...

Enjoy!

BZ

Man, I almost went to that show today..... How far are you from Northwest Houston?

Hope you had fun.... You're probably there as I write this.........

Troy

[Back N Black]

Man! that looks awesome.  Now we need a video of that thing running.

[Shakey]

The car looks great!  Very nice.

[moparmark]

                  That's probably one of the 5 nicest  1969 chargers that I have ever seen.Congratulations on such a NICE FACTORY CORRECT car!!!!

                        WOW !!!!


                           Mark K.

[RT/SE]

Congrats BZ on the completion of the project.   Your car looks absolutely amazing!!!!!!  It has been great seeing your Hemi Charger come back to life 

[66FBCharger]

Will you be bringing the car to Chryslers at Carlisle or the Mopar Nats? I would love to see the car in person. It looks fantastic!

[bzabodyn]

Man, I almost went to that show today..... How far are you from Northwest Houston?

Hope you had fun.... You're probably there as I write this.........

Troy

You should have made the trip!  Only probably an hour, hour fifteen drive for you... A couple of mopar nuts from Brookshire came down (don't know if you know John Hovas - owns like 20+ mopars) so it turned out great... probably 8-10 nice mopars and over 100 cars total - I was pleasantly shocked at the turnout!  Hot as HELL though!!!

The HEMI Charger did take 1st place in '60s Muscle Car as well as Participant's Choice - but even more satisfying than that was all the stories that we got to share with people that remember the car from back in the day and could tell stories about them racing on open back country roads.... best story was from the organizer of the event who remembers running the original owner with his Olds 442 - from a rolling 100mph start! 

I trailered it there, but with as hot as it was, I decided against taking the time to trailer it home... so after the car parade around town (like a 3 mile circle), I drove the car liek 15-20 miles home... cruised great at 60mph the whole way with the truck/trailer in town and my dad just kept calling me the whole way home telling me how great the car looked cruising down the highway... I dropped it to third right before the El Campo exit and floored it one time real good and 60-100 came in nearly a blink of the eye with a nice puff of white smoke once I dropped the hammer... it IS a handful at speed with the bias ply tires!!!

Pics from the show to come...

BZ

[bzabodyn]

A few pics of the paint finish at sunset - the wife showing off her skills with the camera...

BZ

[bzabodyn]

Pictures from the Freedom Fest show...

BZ

[bzabodyn]

A few more - including a 3-Gen shot and also the winner of the 70's Muscle Car class - a very nice custom '74 440 Cuda... one of the best paint jobs I have ever seen!

Other notable mopars included another '69 Charger, a Duster (which was parked to the right of us), a Demon, and a really slick '50 Power Wagon - favorite non Mopars included a '57 'Vette with C5 underpinnings and stretched interior and a nice GSX Stage 1 clone (on the other side of us).... tons of Mustangs/street rods/Bel Airs/rat rods too so there was a little of something for everyone!

BZ

[tan top]

more awesome pictures 

[hemi68charger]

A few more - including a 3-Gen shot and also the winner of the 70's Muscle Car class - a very nice custom '74 440 Cuda... one of the best paint jobs I have ever seen!

BZ

Looks like Gary was there... He's a club member and a very nice guy.... He put a LOT of effort into his 'Cuda.....

Maybe we'll cross paths again soon, there should be a show or two coming up... Let me know which one you may be attending in the near future...

[bzabodyn]

Yep - Gary's Cuda was definitely a piece of work... Keep me updated on what you might be attending and maybe we'll get together.  Deciding what "big" shows, if any, we want to attend this year...

..Finally got the HEMI badges in today so I'll be installing those in the next couple of days... just got to find me a tic toc tach adjustment knob and the hardware to install the inner taillight cover and I'm money!

BZ

[Dans 68]

... just got to find me a tic toc tach adjustment knob....

http://rt-eng.com/mediawiki/index.php/RTE_Tic-Toc-Tach_Knob_kit   

Dan

[bzabodyn]

I'm sure you've heard this before, but... you're the man, Dan!!!

I've been trying to call Stephen's Performance (they were the only place I knew that had them) and their phone has been busy for like 2 weeks it seems!

Thanks again!
BZ

[Dans 68]

I'm sure you've heard this before, but... you're the man, Dan!!!....

Thanks. I never get tired of hearing that from fellow Charger guys. My wife, on the other hand, tells me that all the time....

By the way, if I have not said it before, that is a stunning car. Just one year too late to be my fantasy Charger. 

Dan

[LoneStar Mopar]

Great looking car. Hopefully I will get to see it in person at one of the local Houston area shows.

[adauto]

Oh man, VERY NICE!!! 

[Road Dog]

I could never own this car. I would drive it way too much.

[bzabodyn]

I know! Thankfully the weather has been sh!t the last week here from Alex (we're catching 2-3in rain/day) so it's been sitting idle... I did get the HEMI badges in and took those to get the pins chopped off and have some adhesive backing put on them... should be on the car next week along with the tach clock adjustment knob that's arriving tomorrow (thanks again Dan!) and now just waiting for the hardware for the inner taillight cover...

Regarding shows, I don't think we're going to be making any of the "big" Mopar shows this year (just not enough time to plan - really want to make the 'Nats but alas, will have to wait for 2011) but we're planning on making a few local Texas shows (including Good-Guys Lonestar Nationals at TX Motor Speedway) - if any Texas guys know of any good shows in the Houston/Austin/San Antonio area that are worth the time, please let me know!

Thanks again for all the compliments - I'll get some motion shots and maybe a video or two when the weather clears up!

BZ

[1969chargerrtse]

So how have things worked out with this car?  Any disappointments etc?  Where is it now and when's the last time you fired it up?  Any regrets with anything?

[Mikesmoparperformance]

HEMI DAMN thats a sweet ride!

[bzabodyn]

So how have things worked out with this car?  Any disappointments etc?  Where is it now and when's the last time you fired it up?  Any regrets with anything?

No disappointments at all! I've enjoyed it and we've taken it to a few shows here/there but I enjoy just taking her around town every so often. I fire it up a couple times a month but she says put most of the time. I know it's a sin not to drive it more but it's just not worth the risk.

My CTS-V give me all the excitement I need behind the wheel

Brandon

[RIDELIKEHELL]

So how have things worked out with this car?  Any disappointments etc?  Where is it now and when's the last time you fired it up?  Any regrets with anything?

No disappointments at all! I've enjoyed it and we've taken it to a few shows here/there but I enjoy just taking her around town every so often. I fire it up a couple times a month but she says put most of the time. I know it's a sin not to drive it more but it's just not worth the risk.

My CTS-V give me all the excitement I need behind the wheel

Brandon

CTS-V as well! Jealous