TOP 10 MISTAKES WHEN RESTORING A 68-70 CHARGER!!!

[XS29L9Bxxxxxx]

Pentastar on both front fenders, 70 tail lights in a 69.

Could you post a picture of the two side by side...I really thought they were the same.

From, Bull:

4.  Incorrect 1968-70 Charger Tail Light Lenses:
There are at least three different tail light lenses that were used on 1969-70 Dodge Chargers.  All lenses will bolt up to both years, but there are subtle differences in all three lenses.
1969 Chargers use only one style tail light lens. It is solid red with a silver-painted pin stripe along its lower, inside edge. This lens also has a bright chrome bezel surround.   
1970 Chargers used two different styles tail light lenses depending on their model designation. The first lens style was used on the base model (VIN beginning with the letters XH). It looks almost identical to the 1969 lens with the silver pinstripe with the exception of a rectangular shaped red reflector mounted horizontally in the center of the lens face. (New safety mandates for 1970 required that all 1970 models have rearward facing reflectors for better visibility at night) The second style 1970 tail light lens was used only on the 500 and R/T models. It looks like the first 1970 style but does not have the silver painted pin stripe. This lens is pin-stripe delete because 500 and R/T models used an aluminum bezel that ran the entire length of the tail light panel. The area of this bezel that fits around the tail light lens, is painted black, so silver accent pinstripes were not needed


1969:


1970:

[vancamp]

Pentastar on both front fenders, 70 tail lights in a 69.

Could you post a picture of the two side by side...I really thought they were the same.

they are essentially except the 70s have a reflector in them the 69s dont the repros are correct for a 70 but will fit in a 69

[1970Moparmann]

For me it was with the last car..   Wanting to finish it, I put a crap load on my credit card - still paying for it!

Other than this, I'm really glad how it turned out.   Exactly how I wanted it to.  Research, research, research.....

[Magnumcharger]

Here is the other 1970-style tail lights with rear facing reflector...

[69bronzeT5]

Headlight bezels on anything other than a 68

'69s should of had them too.....makes the whole assembly look complete. I put them on my '69.

[ACUDANUT]

Biggest mistake....

listening to anyone else other than yourself....restore it how YOU want it....it is your car...

True, and it's only ORIGINAL once.
Thanks for the info on the tailight lenses. Never in my 30 years of playing with Chargers did I know there is a difference on 69-70 tailights...It's not a big deal to me, but I am not a nit-pick.
Just happy to own one.

[472 R/T SE]

This was an early September car like my current car so they both have the non reflector-ed lenses in them.  They used up whatever '69 stuff they had.

[472 R/T SE]

Master cylinders that are left natural.  Sure, some years that's normal.

[ACUDANUT]

 Hey, a 472 cubic motor does not sound "original" 
But I love it.

[ACUDANUT]

This was an early September car like my current car so they both have the non reflector-ed lenses in them.  They used up whatever '69 stuff they had.

So a 69 could have 70 tailights in them. ? It makes sense too me, to use up 69 parts on a 70.

[dodgedarren]

Here is the other 1970-style tail lights with rear facing reflector...

What kind of license plate is that??? Your plate frame is from the dealership I bought my Dodge Nitro from.

[FrnkNsteen]

Restoration? There is no such thing. Although I have seen some very nice rebuilds.

I have to agree with SRT. There is no way to bring the cars back to 100% original, unless it's a perfectly clean survivor car that has all it's original paint. I know some are going to want my head on a platter for this, but in my honest opinion, some people get WAY too concerned about "making it exactly how it originally came out of the factory".

I was at Monster Mopars a couple weeks ago and I was looking at some of the "restorations" where they even put the paint smears on the plug wires and the wax and chalk marks in various places. To me..... that's going to far. I'm not going to repeat crappy quality and ugly craftsmanship, just because that's how they originally rushed them through the manufacturing lines back in '69. If I would have bought one new back then, the first thing I would have done is go home and crean off all the paint smudges and chalk marks off my car.

In my case, my fender tag and original motor were gone long before I got my car back in the late 80's, so everything is moot. My car has no reference point that I have to get back to, so the point is moot. I do appreciate all the things people pointed out though. I didn't know the differences between the '69 and '70 taillights. I also know my '69 has black buttons on the door handles, so it must have been built early in the production run then. Beyond the obvious things though, like making sure to paint the engine compartment body color instead of black, I really don't care if I have the right percentage of gloss on the pinch weld below the rockers. If someone wants to get that picky about my car...... they don't have to ride with me. Don't get me wrong..... for you guys that have the ultra rare, investment grade collectibles, I can maybe understand being a bit more concerned about those little things. BUT,.... I can drive mine without worrying about how many miles I put on it!!

[wingcar]

Well said FrnkNsteen....................

[Back N Black]

Restoration? There is no such thing. Although I have seen some very nice rebuilds.

I have to agree with SRT. There is no way to bring the cars back to 100% original, unless it's a perfectly clean survivor car that has all it's original paint. I know some are going to want my head on a platter for this, but in my honest opinion, some people get WAY too concerned about "making it exactly how it originally came out of the factory".

I was at Monster Mopars a couple weeks ago and I was looking at some of the "restorations" where they even put the paint smears on the plug wires and the wax and chalk marks in various places. To me..... that's going to far. I'm not going to repeat crappy quality and ugly craftsmanship, just because that's how they originally rushed them through the manufacturing lines back in '69. If I would have bought one new back then, the first thing I would have done is go home and crean off all the paint smudges and chalk marks off my car.

In my case, my fender tag and original motor were gone long before I got my car back in the late 80's, so everything is moot. My car has no reference point that I have to get back to, so the point is moot. I do appreciate all the things people pointed out though. I didn't know the differences between the '69 and '70 taillights. I also know my '69 has black buttons on the door handles, so it must have been built early in the production run then. Beyond the obvious things though, like making sure to paint the engine compartment body color instead of black, I really don't care if I have the right percentage of gloss on the pinch weld below the rockers. If someone wants to get that picky about my car...... they don't have to ride with me. Don't get me wrong..... for you guys that have the ultra rare, investment grade collectibles, I can maybe understand being a bit more concerned about those little things. BUT,.... I can drive mine without worrying about how many miles I put on it!!

+ 1

[dodgedarren]

I think it is well understood that no way you can build a car that is show room fresh. Also it should also be said without mention that everyone has the right to do whatever they want to there car. Reason I started this was to get
some tips from the purest on what they believed was the top ten "rectification" mistakes made. So far I have learned allot and have made a few of them that I hadn't realized. Some I will correct, some I won't. Again to each there own. Thank you for all the comments and suggestions I will be out in the garage with a rattle can blacking out my radiator support and rocker panel pinch weld.

[charge-it]

Figure out what the total restoration cost will be, add 20%, then multiply by three.

[maxwellwedge]

Restoration? There is no such thing. Although I have seen some very nice rebuilds.

I have to agree with SRT. There is no way to bring the cars back to 100% original, unless it's a perfectly clean survivor car that has all it's original paint. I know some are going to want my head on a platter for this, but in my honest opinion, some people get WAY too concerned about "making it exactly how it originally came out of the factory".

I was at Monster Mopars a couple weeks ago and I was looking at some of the "restorations" where they even put the paint smears on the plug wires and the wax and chalk marks in various places. To me..... that's going to far. I'm not going to repeat crappy quality and ugly craftsmanship, just because that's how they originally rushed them through the manufacturing lines back in '69. If I would have bought one new back then, the first thing I would have done is go home and crean off all the paint smudges and chalk marks off my car.

In your "honest opinion" as compared to what? A dishonest opinion?    It is still your opinion. As others opinions may be to want a near perfect representation as to an "as delivered" factory restoration and their pursuit to acheive that.

There is the rattle-can resto crowd and the 100% factory crowd and there are the people in-between. That's the hobby - all of the above. To pick on anyone's opinion, including yours - is wrong........in my opinion. 

[472 R/T SE]

I think it is well understood that no way you can build a car that is show room fresh. Also it should also be said without mention that everyone has the right to do whatever they want to there car. Reason I started this was to get
some tips from the purest on what they believed was the top ten "rectification" mistakes made. So far I have learned allot and have made a few of them that I hadn't realized. Some I will correct, some I won't. Again to each there own. Thank you for all the comments and suggestions I will be out in the garage with a rattle can blacking out my radiator support and rocker panel pinch weld.

If you look at the schematic for the front rad. support it lists green as one of the colors not needing black out.  Your call though.  I've heard of some survivor cars having it some not.  What I've never noticed before is the top side of the valance shows it getting blacked out.  That should end a debate we've had over @ the '70 Registry.

I have original survivor pix of f8 green slopped on pinch welds though, don't remember what year.