Redmist's after 9 years!! back on the road! FIRED ENGINE PG:2!!!!

[redmist]

I purchased this 1968 Charger 383/727 PS/PB car in 2001 or so. I rebuilt the 383 as a young guy and did it sort a not correctly. It lost oil pressure and I parked the car for 9 years!!!

Time was hard on the car even though it was indoors the whole time. Kids/bikes, stuff falling off shelves onto it, makeshift work table, paint overspray form other projects. Even some welding spatter on the side window.   Anyhow, this year i decided to get the car back on the road!

My wife purchased a 1967 440 out of a C body for $500 to get me started   I had the engine Bored, squared and decked, align bored with main studs, balanced, and reground the crank .010/.010







Specs for the build are:
Block prep above bored .030
SRP Flat top pistons at Zero Deck 10.2:1 compression
K1 rods with ARP 2000 bolts
Main studs, and head studs
Edelbrock RPM 84cc Closed chamber heads OOTB
Performer RPM Intake
Proform 850 street series (In idaho it gets cold, I needed the choke!)
Dougs 2" Primary/3.5" Collector Coated headers
Crane Gold roller rockers 1.5
Smith Bro's 3/8" .080 wall Pushrods
Comp Cams XS-282S Solid
Int. .520 Exh .540
Dur @ .050 in. 244 exh 252

It goes on the engine dyno in about two weeks!!!!

I will add to the progress as it happens. I am going for a "Mr Angry" type of build with this car in the end.

[redmist]

Also I went through all the wiring on the car last weekend and checked it all out. I bypassed the AMP Gauge, and did the firewall mod to run a 60amp denso on the car. Here is a pic of the almost done engine. Just a couple little things left.

[charge69]

Glad to have you here and give us regular progress reports. The engine build looks extremely nice and a dyno report is mandatory !!

[WHITE AND RED 69]

That engine looks sweet! are you keeping the car blue?   

[redmist]

The original color of the car is B5 Blue. The color that is on it now is some sort of Blue/green/purple light changing stuff.  It's a little toooo "Chevy guy" for my taste.    I am going to either do a Semi-gloss black, or medium silver.

[daveco]

...My wife purchased a 1967 440 out of a C body for $500 to get me started 

What a great wife!

[redmist]

...My wife purchased a 1967 440 out of a C body for $500 to get me started 

What a great wife!

Oh yeah!! She is awesome!  She races her Mini Cooper in SCCA so she is a car gal..     She has also dumped a bucn of her own money into the one ton crawler we built. Love the girl!

[Roger 68 charger]

Welcome        Looking Good -- I know how it is..Im trying to get my car on the road after sitting for 12 years.
Where are you located?

[tan top]

 good stuff RM  , keep the pictures & updates  coming 

[Dans 68]

The original color of the car is B5 Blue....

Not to be nit picky ( ) but for '68 the color is known as QQ1, and is slightly different from B5. I've linked to some threads that tells the story.
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,5227.0.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,12822.0.html
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,30646.msg335018.html#msg335018

...My wife purchased a 1967 440 out of a C body for $500 to get me started...

Does your wife have a sister?    Sounds like you picked a good one. 

Dan

[redmist]

Interesting on the QQ1!! I will store that info in my brain housing group.

I am located in Boise, Idaho

Here is the engine bay of the car. I am using a large 13.5 volt power supply as a "battery" to test lights and such.
The car will get a hydroboost system out of a ford Superduty or the likes, and disks at all four corners.



Interior shot, some pannels are off of the dash. it needs new carpet, but the rest is great!



My work area. The wife takes up one side in the evening with the little Mini Cooper. The Superduty and Rock Crawler sleep outside.  




And another engine shot with outside light.



I am using some 8lb clip magnets to pull the plug wires tight with the block and away from the headers. I thought it was kind of a cheese ball deal, but it is working so damn well!! I may order some 20lb magnets online to be more on the safe side, but it is working great!

[Dans 68]

Nice all around. 

Dan

[1969chargerrtse]

Wow interesting stuff.  Your work is flawless.  That engine is perfect in everyway.  Great work and get the story and pictures flowing please.

[redmist]

Decided to pull the gas tank out of the car tonight after dinner. It went real smooth! 

Now for some Bubba!!

Someone bubba'd the ground strap on the tank. It was a hose clamp with a wire soldered onto it.

And then for the most ultra bubba move I have ever seen! Why climb under the car to change a sending unit? Us Bubba's can just use a plasma torch and cut a circle in the trunk!!    Whats that?? Crap! the sending unit float arm won't come out of the hole! Well lets just cut a slot in the hole to get it out!!   

Looks like I will be replacing the trunk pan.. Thanks Bubba!! Whoever you are!!   



the tank had a huge dent in the bottom, and I want to replace it, and run some 1/2" Fuel line to the front anyhow. I want my fresh engine to be drinkin the good stuff!!

[six-tee-nine]

You'll probably learned alot over the years......
Looking at your avatar pic i guess you are pretty skilled because building rock crawlers and keep them rolling is all about wrenching....

keep up the good work.

[Bob T]

Good looking car redmist, keep up the good work, You  must be keen to get it tearing up the road after 9 years tho 

[Cooter]

Dang, I wish I hadda wife that would buy things like a '67 440 instead of the usual things..

[LeeBoy]

Great looking project. What is the color of you're car and is it a factory color?

[redmist]

Great looking project. What is the color of you're car and is it a factory color?

I have no idea what it is. It's a light changing sort of color. Purple,Green,blue... I will try to take a pic showing the color change. It's sort of sad, because the car WAS stripped all the way down for paint for the most part, but they did a crap job.

Today I found some damage under the passenger side frame rail where it comes togeather with the floor boards. Looks like a log or rock pushed up next to the rail and pulled it away (the floor board) from the rail itself. So a pan replacement will be needed on the passenger side of the floor board down the road!

[69bronzeT5]

Wow, that engine looks FANTASTIC!!!!!!

[69rtse4spd]

Like your vise stand, , great looking car, sounds like a keeper, your wife & car. . Motor build looks sweet.

[redmist]

Here is what the paint looks like when strong light hits it. Sort of like a carnival ride ...   




Started working on the rear axle. Both bearings were TRASH, and the end play adjusting nut was loose as all heck. I forgot how much I HATE Pressed on bearings. Working with the full float stuff is great! I got the old bearings cut off the shafts today.



I will press on my replacemetn bearings tomorrow if i can find a local place open with seals available tomorrow.

I also think the center section has way to much play in the backlash, so I will put an indicator on it and see what I have going on. The rear gear is a 3:55 with some sort of sure grip.

[BIGBLCK11]

  Nice looking engine and Charger! 

[Rolling_Thunder]

nice to see you around again buddy -  Last time I saw you online (old forum) I didn't even have my Charger yet   haha

[71ChallengeHer]

Looks great.  Keep the updates and pics going. I know what you mean about the Bubba stuff. I've ran into a lot of it on my Challenger this year.

[redmist]

Today was rear axle day yeah!!!!!!

I set out to get seals and bearings and was able to get some! Got home and cleaned up the center section. It's a "489" case with 3:55 gearset and a sure grip. I cleaned the face of the axle housing and installed the center. I had a REAL HARD time trying not to drop the axle housing and clean/paint the whole thing. I keep reminding myself that it's to get it on the road! Not go through the whole thing and make it look good. I need to use the money for functional stuff and not let it go to looks right now.



Flanges/retainers cleaned, and new seals installed.



Busted out the 12 ton press and pressed on the new bearings and retainers.



Both axles ready to go!



I installed both axles and set end play, but i do not have the locking tab that was on the car. I am almost sure it was never on the car, and that explains why I had slack in the axles, and the bearings were trash. I am going to either have to Fab one up and go to a junkyard and find one.

Thats it for today!

[redmist]

Welp figured I better get an update on the car in...

I finished the engine build, and off it went to the Dyno!



max Torque was 542, and max HP was unknown as we never ran it past 5700 RPM, but it hit 497 at that point so it should be around 500 HP or so... 510 perhaps at 6000? Wish I had him run it past that just to see the 500 mark. Close enough! hahaha!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw0FXe_I-wM


I purchased a new fuel tank for the build as well, my old one had a masive dent in it, and i want my engine to sip on fresh gas from a fresh tank. This led to the trunk!!!!    Yuck!   It was worse then I thought so it looks like I will take a time out from drivetrain and fix the trunk pan. Should be fairly easy from what I have found on the net.









Am I ok letting the car sit on the wheels while i do this?? Or do i need to brace the car some how as I cut this out? It looks like most folks just get the pan out without any added bracing but I wanted to be sure!!!

[DustinSimmonds]

Wow, that is one beautiful engine, and it's powerful! That is the kind of engine I want, right in the 500HP/TQ range.

[69 OUR/TEA]

If I had to geuss,I'd say your car is/was originally EE-1 .

[Blakcharger440]

If all you are doing is cutting the trunk floor out right now and all the rest of the rear sheetmetal is still in place (quarters rear panel,etc..) then you should not need any bracing at all.

[Silver R/T]

Nice project, it's nice to see another NW Charger

[tan top]

 

If I had to geuss,I'd say your car is/was originally EE-1 .

yeah i'm thinking that also    nice color 

check out the  lower hose  in the dyno video !!  now you know why mopar put a spring in there  

[redmist]

Yeah, the new motor wants to drink real bad in the dyno video, hahah!!

[Roger 68 charger]

If I had to geuss,I'd say your car is/was originally EE-1 .

yeah i'm thinking that also    nice color 

check out the  lower hose  in the dyno video !!  now you know why mopar put a spring in there  

Good Eye---I didnt even notice that

[aone415]

Impeccable work... that engine is porn!

[redmist]

Started work on the trunk floor today. I needed some room to work, so i made it. 



While removing the rear light harness, I found another good one from Bubba!! The reverse light wire was pinched in one of the trim stud nuts. It didn't go through jacket of the wire, but it was close!



I removed a bunch of the body sealer and found the both trunk extensions look decent. The drivers will need a little more love then the other, but thats fine. The lock bracket and surrounding looks great so I will cut around that. Both the bumper bracket extensions will need to be replaced though as well as the cross member in the middle of the floor.



tomorrow I will start with a flapper wheel on the spot welds to better find them but for tonight this is the damage.

[RIDELIKEHELL]

 

[redmist]

Welp, I figured while I am waiting for trunk pans to come in I may as well throw the engine in this thing....

NOW! It feels like a car again!!!

The Dougs Headers are great! no problems at all. Clearence was perfect in all spots. Mine are the large 2" Primary 3.5" Collector as well, and they fit awesome!

[bakerhillpins]

If I had to geuss,I'd say your car is/was originally EE-1 .

yeah i'm thinking that also    nice color 

check out the  lower hose  in the dyno video !!  now you know why mopar put a spring in there  

In one of the earlier pics it looks like there is a fender tag. Maybe post the codes?

You have done some impressive work.     Love the blue chargers! 

[redmist]

Here is the fendertag. It looks like it was removed at one time?? These are rivited on most of the time correct?? Anyhow, I have never taken the time to decode it. Looks like the paint code is EE-1 And that's nice cuz I LOVE dark blue!!

[FLG]

Looks good 

If you got the green axle bearings you dont need the center block, nor do you need to set any end play.

And the fender tags are screws not rivets.

[redmist]

Roger that FLG, I went with the factory style taper bearings in the back since the wife may be running the car in Auto Cross. I don't know that it matters, but I had read enough about side loading on the greens to scare me. So factory taper bearings it is! 

I am sure it will be interesting watching the wife unit run the car around the cones, it's a long ways from a tuned Mini Cooper...   

[69 OUR/TEA]

My 68 coronet was EE-1,very nice color!!!!!

[six-tee-nine]

Here is the fendertag. It looks like it was removed at one time?? These are rivited on most of the time correct??

I believe those screws are the correct ones for the fender tag. Vin tag was riveted to the dash.

[redmist]

More Progress and I know you guys like pictures....

I put the passenger fender back on the car. What a pain in the ass!!  



I then cut my core to make room for the 26" 3 row radiator that I recieved used from member FLG here on the board! I spent some time with a screw driver and a tooth brush to try and get all the fins nice looking. It had just a couple small spots of folded fins.





and then the grill!!!

I can't wait to drive this thing again. It's parts like this that get me excited about the car. it just looks bad ass....




I also found some wire damage that was the cause of my headlights blinking on and off when the car was running. I will most likely replace the whole harness as the $100 or so is a decent price for not burning your car down.





And I have my fingers crossed on this next part!

I am starting a new business and we have an offer on an old "DentPRO" building. Inside the building is a full blown sanding bay, and a professional paint booth that we will most likely not use at all, but It can remain in the building and not be in the way. I hope to have the funds in a few years to lay down some paint on this pig, and having a place to do it myself will be great.

thats all for today...  

[redmist]

Well kids, today was a big day. I stayed home and finished all the electrical connections, Trans connections, and all the other frickin connections and fired the engine in it;s new resting spot!!!

The whole neighborhood came out to see what the hell the noise is!

Carb preasure is at 11 PSI so i need to regulate that down.

Now just floor of trunk, and install gas tank and she is drivable!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E314Qwurh64

[Charger-Bodie]

Very Cool.

[Rolling_Thunder]

looking good buddy - you've been gone so long and your car will still beat mine to the road   haha   

[Back N Black]

  It a great feeling!

[tommymac]

Nice car and motor,you may have just solved my Blinking Headlight problem,I;ll let you know,Thanks TMC

[redmist]

Today the wife went for an extended shopping trip so i decided to tackle the crap job. Removing the old trunk floor. I used a Blair spot weld cutter and it worked great! I removed the floor all the way to the seam over the hump. To be honest, this was real easy. I was thinking about cutting before the hump and slicing the trunk pan in, but it's only another 14 or so spot welds to get the rest of it out, and now I don't have to but weld the cut on the hump.




I also got my twin 12" fan system installed on the 26" radiator. I wired the control unit on the passenger side just above the horn relay. Hope this works decent.




And I went full retard on the transmission cooling lines! They are -6 Teflon inner 1200 PSI rated hose with a coating jacket over the braided hose. This should be great in the event I have to remove the trans, or splice in an external cooler.





I am now thinking that I may install an exhaust system while the trunk floor is out. I also have some KYB shocks that will go in the rear as well.

thats all for today!

[Rolling_Thunder]

nice -  I went "full retard" on my power steering lines as well                I'm just wrapping up mounting my gas pedal and making a P/S fitting and return lines then I should be pretty close to starting my beast up at well     

Lookin good buddy

[redmist]

Rollin, You know what fittings or adapters are needed on the stock stearing box??

[Rolling_Thunder]

i should have the bags here somewhere...   the only M***** F***** about it is that the return fitting will need to be drilled for a step - beneath it is a pressure spring and ball valve that sit inside the stock fitting...    so...      I will be tackling that process tomorrow...   i'll definitely take some pictures for you and fill you in

[redmist]

sweet thanks man!

And good luck, hahah

[Rolling_Thunder]

Finally got around to that...    

I went with a -6AN x 1/2-20 for the pressure line and I believe a -6AN x 11/16-18 for the return...      this is the one that needs to be drilled out for the relief spring so protrude into...      




After Drilling...    




The drilling was done on a typical drill press - nothing exotic...    then I just drilled down as deep as i needed....     I measured the depth of the old fitting and found it is goes until about the mating surface between the fitting and the pump itself...      so I drilled the new fitting accordingly...     not rocket science.

[y3chargerrt]

Excellent looking progress! Have you got a locking tab for the real axels yet? I have an original one I can send you. I went with the green bearings and have a spare. Ron

[redmist]

y3charger RT....

Yes, me and my son had a little guy time a few weeks back and we searched a huge junkyard to find the little part. we had a blast, and i found one on a Dart..

Thanks for the offer!!!


R_T  Thanks man!!! That should work on my stearing box setup!!

[redmist]

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE!!!!!!   

Gone for a while folks, sorry!!!!

First thing first. Trunk floor is installed! Not all that bad of a job to be honest. I would try any other part of the car for sure. I sealed the bottom with seam sealer and re-undercoated the bottom. I still need to seal the inside and get something on it. Not sure what yet.




Fuel system is all in. I installed a new 1/2" pickup for upgrades down the road. New fuel tank is in and all hooked up! I have a total of 4 inches of Fuel Injection rubber hose in the system. This will go away as I upgrade the line down the road. It will be just fine for now though.



The wife decided to purchase the exhaust for me... Full 3 inch with cutouts and Dynomax Ultra-Flow welded mufflers. I will be installing all this tomorrow. I am running turndowns for now, but I do have pipes to go all the way back to the end of the car. I decided to build my own exhaust with universal kits and the total was around $500 for everything. Just need to do some cut cut, weld weld..   



And the major update!!!!!


IT MOVES UNDER IT'S OWN POWER!!!!!

I drove the car around the neighborhood on the 4th of July....  Talk about a crowd pleaser...  Open headers and all!  Man it felt good!  I need to get the brakes better situated, and get tires and rims, then i can drive this puppy daily!!!!


http://youtu.be/JVa-e5FBRx8

[Rolling_Thunder]

looking good!   

[sixty8charger]

motivating!

I am going to tackle my trunk here shortly!
and the roof skin..

[redmist]

Exhaust installed....

Final welding on layout of parts.





I modded the factory hangers at the back so I could clamp the 3" dumps at the rear.





And a shot under the car all installed!  Nice and tight to the floor, and its all higher then my oil pan.





It sounds great, Nice deap bass sound and a nice lope when in gear. I kept the cutouts so I can be that guy some day down the road at shows and such.   

Little vid of the sound:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DhomEjMWSc

I also got my temp gauge working, and the electric choke hooked up. Installed some autometer gauges above the console as a redundent system of sorts. Still need to install the aftermarket temp gauge. So I have Temp/oil/volts above console to check against my old factory gauges.

[randr]

engine looks and sounds great! nice car!

[ChargerD100]

exactly what I'm gunna do under my 69 (still debating kick-outs), since we live in the same town, I'd like to try getting together. I'd really like to check out your car, and try to get some help on (making a parts list for) what I need to get for mine, I know a few Charger people, but none really have the time and live too far away.

[redmist]

No problem man, I will try to help ya as much as I possibly can...   

[ChargerD100]

alright thanks, I'll Pm ya my #

[TexasStroker]

Very nice...I kind of like the color on now.

And your headers fit with plenty of room?  Awesome!  I was looking into the Doug's, but couldn't find much on clearance...I like the coating as well.

Keep up the great work!

[redmist]

UPDATE!!!!

We drove the piss out of it today!  no problems, it felt great.

NEW RIMS AND TIRES!

Coys C-55's  Fronts are 17x8  235-45 R17"s   Rears are 17x9.5  285-40 R17's

Man this feals graet folks, i am going to drive it to work tomorrow...   

[Brass]

Kick ass, man!   

[tan top]

   nice job 

[1970Moparmann]

Hey, where's your hood?

Glad you brought it out after a LONG time.    Sounds like your wife kept on your a$$ to get it going.   Definitely helps when the wife is involved!

[redmist]

Yup, wife has some cash into this thing also, love her! I am going to roll without the hood for a week or so. It just makes it easy to spot problems while driving. When i feel great about it, I will throw the hood on.

[RIDELIKEHELL]

Looks great with those rims n tires! I had looked into those as well so excellent choice

[Charger-Bodie]

Im not always a fan of the bigger wheels. But, some cars pull it off. Yours does that My friend! Love it. It looks bad azz.

[WHITE AND RED 69]

Great work. It looks awesome.     Are you going to lower it a little bit?

[projectanimal]

Beautiful car!    
gives us another goal to reach for!!  like those rims too, may have to look into upgrades!!   

[redmist]

I do plan to lower just the front a tad. perhaps an inch or two. I like where the rear is at.

I drove the snot out of the car today. I put about 200 miles on it. I need to get the copes trans, and converter installed. This B&M converter is locking the stator at idle causing a low/high idle problem. It's still drivable and so far this thing is a tire smokin good time!

[1970Moparmann]

Check your drive shaft angle.  Mine was off a ton when went with a similar set up.

[redmist]

Will do, thanks for reminding me, i did feal a small vibration (driveshaft) at around 80mph.