My '69 charger restoration / conversion to clone R/T / ...

[crowe-t]

Beautiful work so far and nice story too!

It's good to see you are back at this.

[UH60L]

I ended up just going with an original style starter.  I started power on testing a couple weeks ago.  No major issues with the painless wiring kit.  I did have two wires backwards on the panel light dimmer though, but got that  fixed.

Yesterday, at long last after 8 1/2 years, I started the engine!!!  Since it sat for so long, we put oil in each plug hole before starting it, so of course it smoked a lot.  Cranked it over 6 times before it started up.  No major issues so far, just timing and carb tuning.  Next step is breaking in the cam and then testing the tranny.  After that I'll get the front and back glass installed.

At that point I think it'll be safe to drive it up to the gas station and back.  It's all fun and games from here on out!!!   

[marshallfry01]

   Car looks amazing man! 

[M5Ivan]

Looks great! You are much more patient than i could ever be 

[qwick68]

Nice work, I hope you get it on the road soon.......

[UH60L]

Well, I'd like to say thank you to everyone on here that has given me advice, helped me figure out things I didn't know on my car, or sold me parts I needed.  Thanks in part to you guys, yesterday, for the first time since 2007, I drove my car around the block!!!!!!!!   

Man, I had forgotten just how great it feels to drive a real car.   

I couldn't go too fast with no windshield or hood striker, but it sure felt good.  Thanks to the painless kit, everything works on my car except the ammeter (not hooked up at this time) and the fuel gauge, which just needs to be grounded.

A local shop is sending a couple guys out tomorrow to install the front and back glass, and I just found a hood striker on here!!! 

Gas is cheap and life is good!!!!                

[myk]

That's a great feeling.  Keep the good times rolling...

[tan top]

   good stuff 

[UH60L]

Well, I've driven it around town!  Sure is a great feeling.  I haven't had this much fun in a long time.  It sure sounds good when you open up the throttle.   

Unfortunately, when I filled it up with gas, I've got a leak.  I think it's either the rubber hose between the tank and fuel line, or it's the seal for the sending unit.

Should be a relatively easy fix.  Gonna try tackling the side window mechanisms tomorrow.  Seems like an erector set had sex with a blender for the back windows...   

[green69rt]

Look about halfway down on page 4 of this thread, might help some.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,54582.75.html

[UH60L]

Still tinkering and tweaking and finding parts, but I've been driving it pretty regularly and taken it to several cruise-ins and shows this summer.  Got the windshield in but none of the other glass (body shop forgot to re-drill the clip holes for the back glass). 

First time we got to take the Charger and our new 2015 Challenger to a cruise in together was in July at Antique Powerland in Brooks Oregon.

[UH60L]

April 25th 2016, drove the car to work for the first time since 2007.

[UH60L]

May 28th 2016, it suddenly occurs to me that I now own the General Lee and Uncle Jessie's truck (sort of...).  Time to buy a yellow Roadrunner?

[UH60L]

May 29th 2016, The first car show since 2007, the Keizer Iris Festival show.

[UH60L]

June 19th 2016, Father's Day pic!

[UH60L]

July 4th 2016, small car show in Gervais Oregon.

[UH60L]

July 6th 2016, A&W Cruise-in in Stayton Oregon.

[UH60L]

July 14th 2016, Pentastar Pride car club monthly meeting.

[UH60L]

July 23rd 2016, my club's annual all Mopar car show in Salem Oregon...somehow I have no pictures of my car from that day.  

Won a second place trophy for the "B Body Dodge Modified" class!

[UH60L]

August 13th 2016, Disabled Vets of America car show at Home Depot in Salem Oregon.

[UH60L]

September 3rd 2016, 25th Annual Carousel Cruise show in Salem Oregon.  I won a trophy for best "work in progress"!

[Mopar Nut]

Coming along nicely! 

[charger chris]

Wow that is a nice car.

[Dino]

Dude put the glass in the car!   

Looks stellar my friend.   

[tan top]