My basket case R/T

[MaximRecoil]

This car is a 1969 factory R/T 440 4-speed car, T7 dark bronze metallic and vinyl top. I have the broadcast sheet for it, as well as the [rusty] fender tag.

• The floors are mostly solid except for in the driver side footwell area.

• The subframe sections are mostly solid except for a hole about the size of a half dollar in the passenger side rear rail.

• The trunk floor, extensions, rear wheel housings, rear shock mount member, and rear quarter panels have all been cut out because they were rusted out and need to be replaced.

• The driver side rear quarter panel and tail light panel area got bent up at some point after the cutting was done, as can be seen in the pictures.

• I have the original doors, fenders, and trunk lid, but they are not in very good condition. They are not rusted, but they are beat up (not major dents, but a lot of little dents, similar to how the hood is).

• I have the original back seat and the driver seat, no passenger seat. If I remember right, I have all of the glass as well.

• I have a 1969 440 engine, but it is not numbers matching, nor is it a 440 Magnum (I think it came out of an old police cruiser).

• I have an A-833 4-speed transmission, also not numbers matching.

• The 8 3/4" rearend is still in it; I don't know its internal condition, nor do I know if it is original to the car, what the gear ratio is, or whether or not it has Sure Grip.

The pictures are recent, but the condition of things not easily visible like the subframe and floors are based on last known condition. Unfortunately, it has sat outside for about 5 years now, and may have deteriorated.

Is this car a lost cause? I'm thinking of selling it, but I don't really have any idea of what it is worth.

[tan top]

with all the repoped sheet metal & parts out now , i would deffo be fixing that one  , if it were me 

[Scaregrabber]

The car looks tuff. However it is a Charger R/T and it must be saved especially with a build sheet and FT to back up it's origin. All the metal is available to fix it, if you are apprehensive about bringing it back please sell it to someone who has the skills to save it. Where are you at? I knew of a 4 speed 69, T7 R/T in Prince George B.C. but I don't know where it ended up.

Thanks
Sheldon

[Brock Samson]

with all the repoped sheet metal & parts out now , i would deffo be fixing that one  , if it were me 

Assuming you have the budget of course... 

[MaximRecoil]

The car looks tuff. However it is a Charger R/T and it must be saved especially with a build sheet and FT to back up it's origin. All the metal is available to fix it, if you are apprehensive about bringing it back please sell it to someone who has the skills to save it. Where are you at? I knew of a 4 speed 69, T7 R/T in Prince George B.C. but I don't know where it ended up.

Thanks
Sheldon

I'm in central Maine.

[PocketThunder]

Just the way it is.... $2000   

If it wasnt poop brown bronze and instead it was black or red,...  $3000      

[tan top]

with all the repoped sheet metal & parts out now , i would deffo be fixing that one  , if it were me  

Assuming you have the budget of course...  

yes thats true Brock , i tend to forget on times  , as i would only be paying for parts & materials if it were mine  , & we all know its the labour rate in restos that kills the the bank account



hey MR have you registered it with the 69 charger registry 

[Patronus]

Tube frame. Fiberglass/lexan. 750 hp, some aero mods and your set!

[RIDELIKEHELL]

Mine was as bad or worse  but love the options on that car ..Marc

[MaximRecoil]

hey MR have you registered it with the 69 charger registry 

No, I've never even thought of it.

[tan top]

hey MR have you registered it with the 69 charger registry  

No, I've never even thought of it.

its Chris of just6T9CHGR on heres!  web site , check it out , full of awesome stuff  

http://www.1969chargerregistry.com

[MaximRecoil]

is Chris of just6T9Chger on heres web site , check it out , full of awesome stuff 

http://www.1969chargerregistry.com

Thanks for the link.

Here's the broadcast sheet, by the way:

[LeeBoy]

AMD to the rescue. If you're wallet can handle it they can all be saved now.

[Old Moparz]

I'd sell it. If I kept it I'd get an ulcer.

[NHCharger]

Is that moss or grass growing inside the car?
Yeah she's in rough shape. Not sure what she would break first, your heart or your wallet. Unless your have 30+ thousand to throw at that you should sell it. You can always find someone who is willing to save an R/T, no matter how far gone.
Please take the time to register your Charger with Chris before you sell it. Otherwise since you have the fender tag AND broadcast sheet that will most likely end up a rebody.

[TK73]

That's what, about 500 lbs (if that) of rust and rusty sheet metal.   Oh, some parts in storage too.

There is no R/T left.  It was sacrificed to keep others on the road.

Now, for the important questions:
1)  What is all that sheet metal gonna cost?
2)  Are you doing the metal work?  If not, what is the est cost?
3)  Are you doing the mechanical work? 
4)  You doing paint?  If not, cost?
5)  Have all the trim, dash stuff and electrical?
6)  What is the toughest project you have done?

One for the experts:  How many tens of thousands of $$ do you estimate?  5-6?

There is a whole lotta smoke being blown around the parts, partner... Take your money and buy one "Done"

[BIGBLCK11]

Def. some cars on here have been restored from worse condition, but with ALOT of time and money.  Great options, personally I really like T7.  Hopefully, someone can put it back on the road, more than I could afford or tackle.

[mikesbbody]

Walk away 

[MaximRecoil]

Is that moss or grass growing inside the car?

Those are dead leaves and there is some stuff (grass, weeds) growing around the car and through the cutout areas. Last I knew, the floors were solid except for the driver side footwell area, which has a big rust hole in it.

That's what, about 500 lbs (if that) of rust and rusty sheet metal.   Oh, some parts in storage too.

There is no R/T left.  It was sacrificed to keep others on the road.

Now, for the important questions:
1)  What is all that sheet metal gonna cost?

There is sheet metal that I forgot to mention; old (but unused) stuff from Year One; a trunk floor (in two halves, bought before the single piece trunk floors were available), trunk floor extensions, outer wheel housings (those you can actually see sitting inside the car), and both quarter panel skins (bought before complete OEM style full quarter panels were available). There is also the shock mount member cut out from an unknown donor Charger ages ago. I believe all the chrome trim is there, but I doubt it is in very good shape. I know that I have the vinyl top chrome trim for example, and the gas cap, and the trim around the window openings, etc.

I think it could be made into a solid, driveable vehicle (but not a pretty one) for not a whole lot of money, if one was doing all the labor themselves. For example, just welding in all the Year One sheet metal that is there would result in a mostly solid car; then the driver side floorboard would have to be patched or replaced, the small hole in the right-rear subframe section would have to be patched or replaced; and the mounting area for the rear window needs attention. All of that stuff is labor intensive, but not all that expensive for the sheet metal. The original doors, trunk lid, fenders and hood could all be straightened ... again, lots and lots of labor, but not much money for materials.

Making it into a like-new show car would be insanely expensive however.

Like I said, I am leaning toward selling it. I can't do all that stuff (at least, I never have before).

[nvrbdn]

i would just offer it up for sale and see what happens. if no-one wants it, then start advertising the few parts off it that there might be used by someone. in that case, pull the vin tag, cut the #'s from the radiator core and trunk lip. take the build sheet and fender tag and put it in a nice frame and hang it in your den with the title.

[greenpigs]

Not much left of it thats for sure, I would get it then put everything you have for it on & sell it plus the buildsheet helps.

Unless you are GOOD at bodywork this thing will eat you alive if farmed out.*edit* just seen you have not done any bodywork, so don't bother trying as this isn't for the newbie.

As for a value, with all the stuff back on I would go with 2500 - 3K max as the market isn't as strong and this car needs it all.

[RallyeMike]

If that was my car and someone coughed up 2500-3k for it, I'd be thrilled.

[Hissing Cobra]

I'm not an expert by any means but I know what it cost to build my Mustang from the ground up and it wasn't anywhere near the condition that your Charger is in. It looks like you're going to have $15,000-$20,000 for the bodywork and paint alone. Then, factor in a minimum of $10,000 for the rebuilding of the engine, transmission, and rearend. From there, you've still got to restore the entire braking system, cooling system, electrical system, and interior. Of course, this doesn't even take into account the items that are missing like the glass or dashboard, or the restoration of the Chrome and trim. I'm guessing that you're going to need somewhere around $50,000 to get it into the condition that it needs to be, and that's if you do it all by yourself. That's a lot of money for sure.

[MaximRecoil]

Is there much of a difference in value between a restored R/T (440 4-speed) and an R/T clone (440 4-speed), with neither car having a matching numbers drivetrain (the clone wouldn't have a matching numbers drivetrain by default anyway), and all else being equal?

[DustinSimmonds]

Pro or not, either way you look at it. It will be expensive and time consuming, but isn't that what owning a Charger is all about?