68 69 70 Topless Charger is DONE - PICS!!!

[professor-patrick]

Just finished today - getting alignment tomorrow, then road test.  Can't hardly wait for the wind in my hair!!! Mopar Nats - here we come...

[TylerCharger69]

Say!!!   That came out really nice!!!  Good luck at the nats!!

[JT01]

SWEET

[A383Wing]

    

[MoparManJim]

That looks great!   

Hey at least a charger didn't die!

[miller]

How can anyone say a convertible charger looks bad when done in such a manner as this!

[41husk]

WoW!!  That looks great 

[R2]

nice,,,,
is there a top for it if needed ?
Nice job,,,,cant wait to see it at the Nats.

[professor-patrick]

Nope, no top at all.  Just an enclosed trailer, custom made car cover (thanks to California Car Covers), and hidden floor drains.

[Ghoste]

It will be interesting to see it in person.

[jaak]

Very nice looking Charger! BTW...I'm really digging the color combo too 

Jason

[oldcarnut]

Looks like a nice job 

Can't hardly wait for the wind in my hair!!! Mopar Nats - here we come...

I have a vert just not the hair

[70charginglizard]

 

That looks awesome.

Very nice job!

[tan top]

   nice work !!  looks good 

[ChargerSG]

Looks like a nice job 

Can't hardly wait for the wind in my hair!!! Mopar Nats - here we come...

I have a vert just not the hair

Hahaha 

[1969chargerrtse]

That is cool.

[NYCMille]

Now THAT is a nicely done car!! VERY COOL! 

[BrianShaughnessy]

 

Really nice job!

[Arigmaster]

VERY COOL!

[Old Moparz]

Just finished today - getting alignment tomorrow, then road test.  Can't hardly wait for the wind in my hair!!! Mopar Nats - here we come...

Looks really nice, congrats. 

Was it originally a Charger, or a B-Body ragtop? 

Do you have larger pics? I have a rusty '68 Coronet convertible I'm planning to use for a Charger convertible one day.

[professor-patrick]

It was originally a charger.  I've seen the conversions using a convertible, but didn't want a top at all.  I'll be posting some larger pics on my website shortly. www.scotlea.com

Thanks everyone - I appreciate your support on this unusual build.

[Brock Samson]

 Very Cool!  Congrats on the compleation, i see the handles are shaved the seats are different the spoiler is enlarged and the side markers are '69s, dual fuel fillers and that's I'm sure just some of the Mods...  It's like one of those sunday paper quiz drawings "What;s Different?.. What else?...

       

[71ChallengeHer]

It's looks beautiful,  very well done. 

[Dans 68]

Now That is a good looking car.    Cudos to you. Nicely done. 

Dan

[professor-patrick]

Here's a list of a few of the modifications:

Roof removed (obviously)
Window channels filled & upper door panels removed and painted so there is a seamless transition from outside to inside
Firewall smoothed and cowl extended - removed wiper motor and "flattened" firewall where the indentation for wiper motor was
Inner fenders smoothed
Cowl smoothed - shaved wiper arms and cowl vents
Door handle and locks shaved - no locks now, no point.  Reach in to open doors.
Used 69 fenders and quarters because I like the 69 side markers best
Used 68 grille and taillights because I like those best
Quarters are "flared" starting at the door jamb - when attaching new quarters, pulled the back of them out 1.5 inches on each side -effectively widening the rear of the car 3" - this allowed for "tubbing" the outer wheelhousing to fit a larger tire.
Rear spoiler enlarged 1.5 inches taller and smoothed into fender and decklid.
Added functional pass fuel filler.
Subframes connected with 2x2 square tubing, frame cradle 1 5/8 round tubing connects subframes and triangulates to subframe and rear framerails to add rigidity lost when roof was removed.  Subframes connected to body as well with 1 5/8 round tubing.
Door jamb "wedges" from early camaro/firebird convertible were added to strengthen door jamb when shut - prevents any binding - but none has occured so far.
Bumpers smoothed and painted.

You can see the process of building this car on my website www.scotlea.com.

Thanks.

[Brock Samson]

very, very cool like I said, but man, that is one heck of a bright dashboard!  your gonna sear your retinas the first bright sunny day! wish i could see her in person, and Great website BTW, very impressive. 

[Khyron]

Fantastic! Looks like a rolling piece of....... art


well what did you think I was going to say

[moparstuart]

awesome   

[noff57]

I'm ready to see it a NATS. 

[Finn]

The widening and the shaped dutch panel make a huge difference imo!
Very nice work man!

[Mike DC]

 
Best looking 2nd-gen convertible I've ever seen.  It's the only one so far that really pulls it off IMHO. 

The widened rear end turned out better than I expected.  Looks natural.  And I like the dual gascaps.


I would have kept the vent windows on the doors, though.

[Charger´69]

I´ve never seen nice topless 2nd gen Charger but THIS IS NICE  Very cool Charger 

[Wicked72]

Wow she turned out awsome! Honestly I didnt expect it to look so good!

[mauve66]

very sweet roadster

[jeryst]

Well, I dont like it.





I LOVE IT!

[drifter69]

That thing looks " BAD ASS ". Who's silver did you go with on the car?

[mopar73]

That car looks AWESOME!!!!

[professor-patrick]

The silver is Bright Silver Metallic - matches my 06 Ram.  The charcoal on top is a Mazda color.

[Charger-Bodie]

The silver is Bright Silver Metallic - matches my 06 Ram.  The charcoal on top is a Mazda color.

PS2 is a great silver. Very clean.

[G-man]

Doesnt look like a charger anymore considering its the roof that  gives the charger a big part of its looks. Now it looks like a brick with wheels.

However, I love the work that was put in to get the car to that standard. And since its obviously been a dream of yours to do, its a dream well done 

[professor-patrick]

I agree that it's not as quickly identifed as a Charger, and it is pretty square overall, but you are right - it was something I wanted to do, and I'd already "saved" enough Chargers from the scrap pile that I felt it wouldn't hurt to cut one up this time.  The top was trashed and would have had to have been completely replaced - not a hard job, but it would have been just another Charger.  Sometimes you have to throw convention to the wind and try something completely different to keep yourself sane.

[aone415]

Killer Car!

[jeryst]

 
I would have kept the vent windows on the doors, though.

I agree. I think vent windows would give it a more finished look.

[professor-patrick]

I debated on keeping the vent windows or not.  In the end I didn't see any reason to keep them.  My initial thoughts were they would help to support the A-pillars (windshield) at highway speed, but I was able to reinforce the A-pillar internally and at the cowl.  Eliminating them also allowed me to completely seal the doors.  Keeping the vent windows would have required the opening in which they are inserted to be larger than the actual vent window (if you've ever removed these you know what I mean).  Eliminating them let me close the top of the doors completely and also eliminated a vertical line (the backside of the vent) on the side of the car.  Again, just personal preference.

[Highbanked Hauler]

Just finished today - getting alignment tomorrow, then road test.  Can't hardly wait for the wind in my hair!!! Mopar Nats - here we come...

   Excellent  work   what did you use for the deck lid and the tops of the quarters? Is it sheet metal?

[chargergirl]

Truly slick looking car...absolutely beautiful!

[professor-patrick]

It's all metal - a lot of it!

[Brock Samson]

I personally think you need not make any apologies or rationalizations for building a Custom. 

[Patronus]

Probably the nicest 'vert Charger I have ever seen. The two-tone really sets if off... and the shaved vent windows...
Very nice, best of luck at Nats

[scatpack69]

A friend of mine in Mass has a 70 Charger RT SE he made into a convertible complete with a top. He used a Satellite convert I think. Looks awesome.

[Magnumcharger]

And now - it's on the chopping block!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Dodge-Charger-68-69-70-Charger-Roadster-Natl-Awards-Magazine-Car-/290492838254?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item43a2b8f16e

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Had a small pic & write up as well in this months Hot Rod

[professor-patrick]

The plan all along was to sell it.  I enjoy building them more than anything.  Each project funds the next one....

[Darkman]

Good luck with the sale 

Doesn't seem like a bad price considering all the work that went into it

[mauve66]

seems damn cheap to me, but of course i dont have any money for my own project

[Highbanked Hauler]

seems damn cheap to me, but of course i dont have any money for my own project

            Me too !!!!!!!

[A383Wing]

seems damn cheap to me, but of course i dont have any money for my own project

            Me too !!!!!!!

me 3

[MoparManJim]

seems damn cheap to me, but of course i dont have any money for my own project

            Me too !!!!!!!

me 3

make that me 4.

[PatrickPeeters]

Cool, like it!

[djcarguy]