Where & How Did You Find Your Car?

[Ghoste]

Perusing the want ads looking for a 69 Charger and suddenly my wife leaned over my shoulder and pointed to a picture and said, "Now THAT'S a nice car.  That's what something called a Charger should look like".  It was my 67 and it was cheap.  Being the brilliant type that I am, I figured it was my way to get her to warm up to the hobby.  She absolutely hates the styling of the 2nd gen Chargers.  I thought I'd buy this thing, make it hers and have no choice but to get mine.  Nearly 8 years later, it's still here, I still don't have a 69 and she still couldn't care less about the old car hobby.

[PocketThunder]

Perusing the want ads looking for a 69 Charger and suddenly my wife leaned over my shoulder and pointed to a picture and said, "Now THAT'S a nice car.  That's what something called a Charger should look like".  It was my 67 and it was cheap.  Being the brilliant type that I am, I figured it was my way to get her to warm up to the hobby.  She absolutely hates the styling of the 2nd gen Chargers.  I thought I'd buy this thing, make it hers and have no choice but to get mine.  Nearly 8 years later, it's still here, I still don't have a 69 and she still couldn't care less about the old car hobby.

Ya know what Ghoste, i feel your pain.   Althought my spouse is into old cars now that we've been together for 10 years, most of my friends are all about buying newer cars... 

[itchyballs]

well i was like everyone here always looking for that elusive charger. i actually was doing some work for my sister and was getting ready to leave when i decided to look thru the pittsburgh post gazette. there was a 69 charger for sale!! i almost crapped my pants. it was late so i decided to call first thing mon. morning. i called the guy and he said he had some people coming to look at the car already(figures) but to call him later and see if it got sold. i did and he said only one guy was really interested but money talks so i took a ride down tues.(called off work too) to look at the car. i actually had to meet the guy because getting to his house was a nightmare. what a sight when i showed up at our meeting spot and saw the charger!! we went back to his place and looked the car over real good. it is a 318 white hat special. he was the original owner and gave me a bunch of original dealer pamphlets and the original sticker for it!! we made the deal and i came back  with my first charger!! what a high!! the only sad part about it was he told me he never wanted to see it again... but it still has the original never rstored interior in almost mint shape!!! factory air works great too!!!

[moparjohn]

It was the fall of 2001 and I had paid off my truck,  wasn't doing anything special with my spare time and  still liked reading muscle car mags.  I started looking for a car in Oct or Nov. I had a Charger in High School  so I wanted to have one again. I knew 3 things- it had to be a big block, I wanted PDB and I wanted an SE (like my HS car) I came across an ad 1969 Dodge Charger factory power sunroof and so on.  I called thinking the car would be gone- it actually was listed for over a month- NO TAKERS- Destiny! I talked to the owner Mike Konn of Co. and we went over every detail for 2 weeks- I wanted to know all about the car- he wanted a four speed car but wanted this car to go to good hands. He had the car scine at least 93 when he had it painted and the engine rebuit, but the car wasn't driven much and many trim items still needed to be bought/cleaned/attached etc. We agreed on a price and I wired him a deposit and then the balance.  I had only seen the car in pictures and when it arrived on Jan 4th 2002 it was loved at first site and the car was exactly as described.  The past 4 years have been the best- continuing the restoration, meeting Mopar people (GREAT PEOPLE) and going to as many car shows as possible. The car had 47,700 miles when I got it and is over 80,000 now. It will go anywhere, turn heads doing it and keep the smile on my face the rest of my life!

[694spdRT]

I found my 71 SE original 440 (u-code), 4spd,Dana etc in local add.
I call the guy and said i wanted to see the car, he said he could not show me the Charger for another 2 weeks due to that he would go on vacation (why try to sell the car when your on vacation??) He said he would call when he was back, I assumed I lost the deal but 2 weeks later he called me and said he had a new phone number!! (another guarantee to hide from any potential buyers) I went to see the car and found it under the tar.
I did the MOT test the next day (the car have been sitting under the tar. for several years) but the MOT guy was  LOL when he was doing the road test and she passed without any comments at all.

Did you know your car is 1 of 29 produced? I think all the 3rd gen big block SE 4 speeds are very cool cars.   

[SuBLimE 69]

Thanks for kicking this thread off Shakey !  Some killer stories here for sure.

I'll give you fellas the Readers Digest Version:  I looked at a ton of Chargers in several different states.  I drove all over the south east and lost a couple eBay auctions (they made me nervous anyways) Most of the cars were too rough and too much money.  I looked at two 68 R/T SE cars (one 440,4-speed) that I wish now I'd have pruchased but my plan at the time was to build a car with a resto theme and not original.  I skipped on the both R/T cars because I knew it would be a damn shame to start cutting the others.  I called a number with no pic in the online old car trader.  The description was very very vauge and basiclly said green power steering new tires.  I called the number and spoke to nice old fella who stated he had just retired.  he stated he was selling his house and his cars and was going to travel the country as an over the road truck driver for a few years.  He had no computer and could not send me pics but stated the online trader people had been by to take them but for whatever readon they never showed up online.  He described a solid car and seemed like a down to earth old man.  I explained to him that I was driving 12 hours to see the car and had just gotten back (day b4) from looking at a car in Florida.   He assured me it was a soild rust free car.  I was in the truck 1 hour later and drove all night because I was so scared someone was going to snatch it b4 I could get there.  I arrived and saw the car exactely as the old fella described.  The price was a damn steal to say the least.  I had really expected a semi rough non running car for the price.  I loaded her up and the search was over. 

After alot of money I think it has turned out ok.  I still need to put her in a new coat of paint and pick up a gear vendor but it's one step at a time.  I think the hunting the cars is the most fun.  I have turned several people onto cars that i found and didn't buy just so someone who cared would save them.  I'd love to own huge building a save them all but my wife would leave me for sure..........hmm.......maybe I am on to something here.....

[Telvis]

I had just sold my Challenger project so that I could buy the 69 Charger I had been trying to get for years. I started selling off parts on Ebay that I had left from the Challenger. I was at Yellow Freight shipping a 360 motor. The guy running the forklift started asking about the motor. I told him about the Challenger and my recent Charger purchase. He immediately asks me if I want another one. I said maybe. He got his cell phone out and calls his uncle who has a 68 Charger in his garage. An hour later I'm in the guys garage. There sits a 68 Charger with a 383. EVERYTHING is original and unmolested. It's been sitting in the garage for 15+ years. The guy hooks up a battery and it started right up. The interior was beautiful. I just about passed out. He then takes me out to a building in the back yard where he has parts hanging everywhere. He had bought a parts car years ago and had disassembled the car so he would have parts for the other one. At this point I am shaking all over. I asked what he wanted for everything. He scared me initially. I thought he would throw some inflated price at me.  He went on about how these cars are getting more and more valuable. He then told me he would not take less than $5,000 for EVERYTHING!! I couldn't write a check fast enough. The rest is history.

[SeattleCharger]

   I got mine from posting an ad HERE in the cars wanted section.   Well, the old site.  After about three or four months of ad running I got an email from someone that lives about twenty miles from me.   Thanks Dodge Charger site!

[road/track]

Did you know your car is 1 of 29 produced? I think all the 3rd gen big block SE 4 speeds are very cool cars.

Yes I have realized that, and doing the research I also found that it was EV2 HEMI Orange..........
I am collecting a few missing parts before I'll start the restauration.(most re-paint and detailing)

[67RedCharger]

While Bobbin' around out in the Pacific Ocean on a US Navy warship, USS COONTZ DLG-9 with the knowledge that I would be getting out of the Navy in a few months, I sent my brother a letter requesting sales literature for the 1967 model cars.  When I started getting the literature, I was favoring the 1967 Buick Riverra, but for $6,500.00 that was beyond my economic means.  When I saw that red 1967 Dodge Charger with the black carpets, and pearl white interior, the Buick took second seat to my likings.  I sent my brother $500.00 for a down payment, and the car was waiting for me at the local Dodge dealership when I got home January 13 1967.  I joined the rebellion on that date.  Of course there was no such thing as Ebay back then, and finding one in a junk yard was not my desire to finding a nice car.  YOU BUY NICE CARS AT THE DEALERSHIP with that new car smell eminating all around the car.   

  ~ 67RedCharger ~

[greenpigs]

 When I was in high school the city let co-op students work in the city garage. I was in light equipment(cars,trucks, cop cars etc and the guy who bought the under cover cars and ordered the regular cruisers told me about a Charger sitting beside a body shop. The car was in the rotton side of town where every other lot sold used cars. So anyways...one of the shops had a bodyshop as well and the Charger sat on the other side of the building hidden from view of anyone on the lot. I talked to the owner..blah..blah.. and it was funny he said it had 440HP..because it was stamped on the ID block by the distributor. So I paid $800 and had it towed home. Well my dad did as it was a present for graduation and to keep me busy, which is why the other guy told me about it. Moe..the guy..didn't want me to get into trouble as he figured I would be to broke and or busy to with that car. He was right
 I also got 1 drivers side door and 1 passenger side fender both green and a bunch of floor mats in the trunk( about 30 sets) for that price. The dead rats were free.
 This happened in May of 1990.  

[4402tuff4u]

It took me two years to find my number matching 1968 Charger R/T. Constantly searched the web, local classified and even lost one to a higher bidder by $ 100.00 on ebay. Anyhow, I got to work one morning (5:30 AM) on April of 2004 and logged on to Trader on Line.com and saw nothing new. At around 7:00 AM I saw a new listing under 1968 Charger's and sure enough a number matching - no rust - unrestored - with new interior in boxes Charger was listed. I immediately called and spoke to the guy who was a collector of cars and said he had to many projects going on at the time. He had purchased the Charger in California two years before. We spoke about an hour about details on the Charger. The Charger had the fender tag but no build sheet. Anyhow, he emailed tons of photos of every corner/inch of the Charger. We hit it off pretty good. I asked him if he would give me first refusal on the Charger. He said "of course! you were the first caller". I couldn't get down to Georgia due to work schedule and working weekends so after two days of thinking about it and having my friend a detective run a check on the seller and Charger, they both came clean. I bought the Charger. Did not try or bother to negotiate the price down. He had this fellow from Australia in hot pursuit of the Charger. The guy I bought the car from said he could give me this guy's number if I was interested in making some money on the Charger. We had reached a written deal already on the Charger and that's why the seller I bought the car couldnt back off from it. I think I made out pretty good on the deal. MM-1 Too!! With the help of expert ChrycoPsyco and many others here this Charger is going to be awesome!!

[96dacia]

After reading this post my chances to get a Charger one day are somethyng like 1% ? P.S.  I`m from Romania. What do you think, is it impossible to bring here a car like that? How much do you think it will cost?

[andy74]

After reading this post my chances to get a Charger one day are somethyng like 1% ? P.S.  I`m from Romania. What do you think, is it impossible to bring here a car like that? How much do you think it will cost?

hang around here long enough,and one of us will help you find a car,some of the guys here have already done it-welcome aboard

[hemigeno]

I got my first Charger exposure in my cousin's triple green '69, non-console 3-speed manual 318 car.  Even though that was about as far from a true musclecar as you could get, I still loved the look.  Wasn't able to buy a "toy" until about '95 when I found a black '68 383/auto for sale fairly cheap while cruising some local backroads.  Bought the car, and had envisioned turning it into a Hemi 4-speed, and actually collected a bunch of parts for that conversion over a 3 year period.  Then, I realized how much I would have in this conversion, and compared that to what real Hemicars were selling for at the time (1998).  The way I was going about it, I would have about as much in that clone as most concours-restored cars cost then.  So, I started trolling in Hemmings.  

One afternoon, I came home early from work, and the new Hemmings was in the mailbox.  I opened it up, and saw an ad for a '69 R/T, which was everything I was trying to turn my '68 into - 4-speed Hemi R/T, for less than what I would have in parts alone on my clone.  I talked to the wife about it, and within 45 minutes of seeing the ad, I was on the phone with the seller.  He later told me that he had well over 40 calls on that ad within 3 days, but I was the first.  He had offered the car for sale locally before the Hemmings ad, and a guy was already trying to scrounge the money to buy the car, so he had first dibs.  The seller gave him 2 weeks to come up with the money, and in the meantime sent me pictures, fender tag rubbings, etc.  After a week and a half, the seller called me up on a Thursday, and said that if I wanted the car, to come get it since the local guy wasn't ever going to get that much money together.  I said that was fine, and I'd be down the following weekend.  He said "No, you don't understand.  If you don't come down this weekend, I'm going to the next guy on the list - See you Saturday, or not at all"...  So much for having my buddy go down with me as a copilot.  Jumped in the truck the next day at noon, and did a solo banzai 15 hour run to get the car, napped for 2 hours, did the deal for the car, and drove 16 hours back with only a stop for a 1 hour nap along the way.  You couldn't have beaten the smile off my face the whole way though.

I found my Daytona through contacts made getting detail parts for the Hemicar.  A guy I was dealing with wanted to know what kind of car I was working on, and I described the R/T to him.  He said he knew of a guy in his hometown who had two project Daytonas, one of which was a perfect match (he thought) for my Hemicar.  Once he said that, he thought the better of handing out the guy's contact information, which I had to then pry out of him.  Ultimately, he relented and put me in contact with the seller, who not only had two project Daytonas, but two project '69 HemiChargers as well, all of which he had held in storage for 20+ years with nearly enough nice used and NOS parts to restore 2 or 3 complete cars.  I made contact with him, and we developed a friendship talking about wing car specifics, which I already knew a lot about.  He eventually figured out that I was serious about wing cars (and Daytonas in particular), and decided he'd be willing to sell me one of his Daytonas.  He had been given tons of offers over the years to sell his cars, but he had dismissed all of them as guys who either didn't appreciate the cars for what they are, or were just out to make a buck by flipping it.  From the date I first contacted him to when I took a trailer to pick the Daytona up, 18 months elapsed.  It was worth the wait, and I value the friendship I have made with the seller as much as I value the car (we still keep in weekly contact on average).

[96dacia]

 You are lucky to live in U.S, cause like you find the Charger in junkyards for a small price, well i can find a lot of old BMWs or Renault`s. ))...allmost a car )

[Charger Aficionado]

You are lucky to live in U.S, cause like you find the Charger in junkyards for a small price, well i can find a lot of old BMWs or Renault`s. ))...allmost a car )

You can find a junker around anyday too  

[ChargerSG]

I found mine in an old ad(i had been looking for one in like a year, been loosing allot of them and the prices had started to rise) soo i call this guy up and he says that he whants 16k for it and i just said thats to much for a 318 car(thou it was low milage) but he dident take any of mine offers soo it ended there. Like 2 months later i see a new ad on it and with the same price, soo i called him again and no one had bought it and put an offer on it but he still said 16k. Like a month later i mailed him about it and then he said 15k, but i thought it was to much but now he had showed that he could go down, we mailed back and forth for like a month and then  he just say "you can have it for 12k i just put a high price on the car because i wanted to sell it to the right person, not some one who would make a hotrod of it but would restore it to original".
And 2 month later i had the car, and it was a keeper for life, 2 owner car(only drove it to the curch) with really low mileage and look like untoched(exept the bad paintjob in 80)

[Khyron]

Well, my story is kinda good, but not too clever.

I was on a 3rd gen Firebird / Camaro board, and I was working on my trans am, I was just about done, had it driving and she ran well, built up a 355, solid runner.... But that's for a different board. My wife and I were having a conversation, we were joking around and she told me she wanted another baby.

I just looked at her, and said jokingly, "You get a baby when there is a 69 Charger in the garage"
She says "Are you serious" I said "yeah, here"
I sat down and wrote out a contract that says specifically that when I have ownership of a running street ready 69 Dodge Charger that I will give her another baby

Fast forward a few months. We decided we were going to take out a home equity loan to put siding on the house, put in a pool, extend the deck and put up a wood fence. When we got done with the work, we ended up saving quite a bit of money.

I fancy myself as a handyman and did a bunch of the work myself saving a lot of money, about 10 grand to be exact.

She says to me one night "Here is my permission to spend the rest of the money for a Charger."

I just starred at her. Then promptly posted on every board I'm on

Thread title "Looking for a 69 Dodge Charger"
In the body of the message I said "Looking for a 69 Charger in the NY area or surrounding states.

A day latter I get a PM from non other then BrianS from this board. He was also on the 3rd gen board I was on

He emailed me 2 links, One to Moparts.com and one to Dodge-charger.com The ad read this...

I've decided to sell my Charger-69, originally 318/904. Now 360/904.
Many new parts-partial trunk floor, new Legendary seat covers and carpet,
new Year One hood signal lenses and side markers, new paint, etc.
Needs some things done. Asking 7,000.00/neg. Upstate NY near Binghamton.
More pictures and info available for serious inquiries. PM, e-mail, or call XXX-XXX-XXXX. Thanks...

Dan

Yes, Yes, I saved the original ad

I was in shock; I shoot off an email explaining that I was interested. The reply was short and sweet "I made this Doc file to answer any common questions. If you're interested. Call me. I look at the Pictures and was in shock to how good this cars shape was to the price. I called and setup a time to go see the car. Had money in my pocket. I took the 3 ½ hour drive and was by myself. It was so hard to keep the speed limit. My heart was pounding and my hands were sweating. When I pulled up I saw her parked under a large tree. Sitting in her gold and black uniform. I couldn't believe the condition of this car. Dan and I spoke for awhile; he was honestly a great guy. Very fair, explained all that the car needed, and extremely helpful, I took the car for a test spin

Side note. I have wanted this car since I was 12 years old. But I never drove one. Was I going to like the way it drove? Was I doing to like the power? Handling? Suspension? Size of the car?

Dan drove first, he put the old girl through her paces and I was impressed. Then he pulled over and said "You drive"

I got in the drivers seat, and drove off like an old lady Dan was like "Common, drive it" So I got her up to speed and played a little. Just a little.

We pulled back into Dans driveway and he looked at me, smiled, and said "You know what, you're the only other person I ever let drive this car" I laughed and said "Well, I have a pocket full of money, that's why"

We talked a bit more then we came to an understanding. I want the car, we talked price, and we where bother satisfied with the final amount. I could tell Dan didn't want to sell this car, so I think I offered a fair price. It included the original engine, and he through in a bunch of other parts that the car didn't need, but it was nice to have.

Wow, I didn't expect this to go this long. But I'll leave you hanging a bit. After I put money down, and agreed to come back with a car trailer the following weekend. And that, was a WHOLE nother story.

And here she was the first day I found her.

[Shakey]

Thanks for all of the great stories.   

[NHCharger]

In 95 I was doing a addition for a guy(Warren) who drove a delivery truck. I was finally on my feet after the recession. Told him I was looking for an muscle car. One day later he brings me over to a small body shop 1 mile down the road. Behind the garage sat a #'s matching Chally, 340,4 speed. Car was in pieces, see thru floor option. Needed everything, asking price $ 350.00. I passed on the deal
Three months later Warren calls, "I found another car, don't know what it is, you never see them here in NH, kinda of swoopie looking". This car is only 6 miles from my house. I drive over with my friend Pete who runs a garage. Under a Pine tree next to a busy road sat a 71 Charger SE,383auto,slapstick. I alway loved the 3rd gen Chargers but hadn't seen one locally for 2 or 3 years. The car was Hemi Orange but was so dirty it looked brown. Price was $2k. Needed a new vinyl top, lower quarters, dashpad, rug, and some misc. items. It ran and drove great. The owner was 3 months behind on his child support, if he didn't have $1,200. by the weekend he was going to jail, and it was Wednesday.It was also mid-October and selling this car before winter was getting tough. He said a girl was coming over Thursday night with $1,200, if I could beat her there with $ 1,200. the car was mine.
While driving the car home on Thursday night I was stopped at a red light in downtown. My wife was giving a neighbor a ride to work and passed thru the intersection. The neighbor said to my wife "OMG, did you see that hideous looking car at the lights?". My wife said," Brian just bought an old car, I just pray to god it wasn't that thing."

[PocketThunder]

In 95 I was doing a addition for a guy(Warren) who drove a delivery truck. I was finally on my feet after the recession. Told him I was looking for an muscle car. One day later he brings me over to a small body shop 1 mile down the road. Behind the garage sat a #'s matching Chally, 340,4 speed. Car was in pieces, see thru floor option. Needed everything, asking price $ 350.00. I passed on the deal
Three months later Warren calls, "I found another car, don't know what it is, you never see them here in NH, kinda of swoopie looking". This car is only 6 miles from my house. I drive over with my friend Pete who runs a garage. Under a Pine tree next to a busy road sat a 71 Charger SE,383auto,slapstick. I alway loved the 3rd gen Chargers but hadn't seen one locally for 2 or 3 years. The car was Hemi Orange but was so dirty it looked brown. Price was $2k. Needed a new vinyl top, lower quarters, dashpad, rug, and some misc. items. It ran and drove great. The owner was 3 months behind on his child support, if he didn't have $1,200. by the weekend he was going to jail, and it was Wednesday.It was also mid-October and selling this car before winter was getting tough. He said a girl was coming over Thursday night with $1,200, if I could beat her there with $ 1,200. the car was mine.
While driving the car home on Thursday night I was stopped at a red light in downtown. My wife was giving a neighbor a ride to work and passed thru the intersection. The neighbor said to my wife "OMG, did you see that hideous looking car at the lights?". My wife said," Brian just bought an old car, I just pray to god it wasn't that thing."

Thats awesome!   When i tell my sposue about the next car i'm going to get, she already knows the basic questions like:
1) Does it run?
2) Does it have an engine?
3) Is it a complete car?
4)Does it have seats... Etc....

[nh_mopar_fan]

Brian,

I am rolling.

[Charger_Fan]

Brian,

I am rolling.

Me too!!

[NHCharger]

Brian,

I am rolling.

Me too!!

The conversation when my wife got home wasn't quite as funny.