69 Charger 500 Grille

69_500 · January 17, 2006, 11:22:09 PM

Question I have is where on the grille are the Charger and 500 emblems supposed to go? The grille as we all know is a pattern of thousands of squares. Any factory diagrams showing where the edge of the 500 emblem is supposed to be in correlation to the headlight? How far away from it? I'm assuming it is centered from top to bottom, but how far towards or away from the headlight is it supposed to be. And how far apart from the charger script?

Al, you bought your car new, how was it on your car? Also just curious Al, but do you have any pictures of your car when you first got it? IE in the year 1969 or 1970?

69_500 · January 17, 2006, 11:33:07 PM

here is how mine is currently, my 500 emblem is missing one bracket so its currently being held on by fishing line.

It just doesn't look right to me on the placement.

69Charger500 · January 18, 2006, 09:02:24 AM

Here's mine. front and back side...

Don't know about if it is in the "right" location, but it seems to appear pretty good there. When I get back to work I'll send you a copy of the page from the engineering graphics which shows exact dimensions for placement...

Mike

69Charger500 · January 18, 2006, 09:03:41 AM

and the back side shows a better view for placement of the pins...

69Charger500 · January 18, 2006, 09:04:19 AM

and another...

69Charger500 · January 18, 2006, 09:17:46 AM

and a vintage pic from around 1971 or 1972...

It looks like in the vintage pic the "500" is more on centerline with the "Charger."

I would not be suprised to see them literally all over the place on original cars.

The new 2006 Daytona emblems mount the same way, except they "snap" into the honeycombs, and it is really hard to get them all the same!!

hemi68charger · January 18, 2006, 10:10:55 AM

Yes, it has to be assumed that the designers wanted the script level with each other...

Troy

69_500 · January 18, 2006, 03:45:13 PM

I would assume they were supposed to be level. I know they aren't all going to be in the same spot, just wanted to see where everyone else has theirs. Have seen a few with the 500 so close to the headlight that it looks like it is almost in the headlight. Seen others with no gap between Charger and 500, others with a big gap. Was wondering if there was any sort of document that showed where they were supposed to be.

Great pics by the way 69Charger500.

Highbanked Hauler · January 21, 2006, 08:02:31 PM

Quote from: 69_500 on January 17, 2006, 11:22:09 PM
Question I have is where on the grille are the Charger and 500 emblems supposed to go? The grille as we all know is a pattern of thousands of squares. Any factory diagrams showing where the edge of the 500 emblem is supposed to be in correlation to the headlight? How far away from it? I'm assuming it is centered from top to bottom, but how far towards or away from the headlight is it supposed to be. And how far apart from the charger script?

Al, you bought your car new, how was it on your car? Also just curious Al, but do you have any pictures of your car when you first got it? IE in the year 1969 or 1970?

Funny you should ask about pictures of the car when it was new.We have started the LONG process of scanning slides into prints and I found some of it in 1972 with its lace work paint on the side and other abnormalities. Al

Ghoste · January 22, 2006, 12:14:40 AM

Here is the grille on that unrestored 500.

THE CHARGER PUNK · January 22, 2006, 12:36:19 AM

i think it looks best when its centered and a good distance from headlight and all together with the charger500 emblem-MATT

hemi68charger · January 22, 2006, 10:20:54 AM

Quote from: Ghoste on January 22, 2006, 12:14:40 AM
Here is the grille on that unrestored 500.

Man, that's one clean survivor C500... Is it really? Ghoste, I noticed the name of the file is 1stXXgrille... Is that the 1st Hemi C500? I thought that one was restored by Hodges Dodges?

Troy

69_500 · January 22, 2006, 10:46:02 AM

Yeah that is the first Charger 500. I believe it is a survivor car, however it has had some work. Had some body work done after it was crashed during a road test by a magazine.

Ghoste · January 22, 2006, 11:07:30 AM

Hot Rod crunched it up when they had it in 69. The body work they did was real quick and dirty too. You can see in the drivers rear 1/4 panel that it isn't shaped quite right and the left rear valence corner has been carved out of bondo. It's still holding though.
Hodges never had the car. It was on the west coast for a short time during it's initial tenure as a Dodge news bureau car but the first owner was shown on the paperwork as being the Dodge news bureau office in New York. The first "civilian" owner was also from New York. It came to Detroit a short time time ago but Hodges have been a Suburu dealer for many years now and I don't think they do much bodywork there of any kind.

69_500 · January 22, 2006, 12:04:29 PM

I believe that the car that Hodges restored was the car that was Cotton Owens car. Is that the one your thinking of? It was identically equiped to the first one. Was stolen off of the car lot new, and motor was taken body was left in a parking lot? Is this the one your thinking of?

Ghoste · January 22, 2006, 12:09:33 PM

The first automatic car but the second one built, right?

hemi68charger · January 22, 2006, 12:10:02 PM

Quote from: 69_500 on January 22, 2006, 12:04:29 PM
I believe that the car that Hodges restored was the car that was Cotton Owens car. Is that the one your thinking of? It was identically equiped to the first one. Was stolen off of the car lot new, and motor was taken body was left in a parking lot? Is this the one your thinking of?

ahhh, Yes, I am... Then is the one Ghoste referring to the red '68 Prototype C500?.........

T

Ghoste · January 22, 2006, 12:12:32 PM

Nope. That car came before the one I am talking about. The one I mean is the four speed one that was in the road tests.

hemi68charger · January 22, 2006, 12:24:00 PM

Quote from: Ghoste on January 22, 2006, 12:12:32 PM
Nope. That car came before the one I am talking about. The one I mean is the four speed one that was in the road tests.

Ahhhh, Ok........ Looks like they got the bottom lines of the scripts aligned....... But, they look too close...... Oh well.. Dana's script is were it's going to stay, thanks for the pic Ghoste.......... Most times though, you can see where the original retaining nuts scared up the back of the grille....

Troy

Ghoste · January 22, 2006, 12:32:30 PM

Agreed that it looks pretty close, but I'd be very shocked if they were all placed, or even meant to be placed, in the exact same location. Close enough was probably good enough.
I'm just trying to look at some of my old magazines here to determine where they are but so far only a couple of original pics are good enough to make out much. The protoype 68 had it as close as the one I posted, it almost looks to touch the Charger script. A pic of the Propane X drag car looks a little further apart but still about one grille square from the Charger script.
I'll check some more old mags. The Hot Rod article didn't feature any grille shots.

69_500 · January 22, 2006, 01:09:30 PM

No, I think that the one that was restored was also a 4 speed car. The first automatic car well is in hiding. Undisclosed, but known location.

Ghoste · January 22, 2006, 01:15:37 PM

Ah right, we had discussed that one hadn't we?

69_500 · January 23, 2006, 09:57:52 AM

Yuppers, it is still there. Not going anywhere.

nascarxx29 · January 23, 2006, 10:02:59 AM

That propane X 500 is from my town .And Ive lost track of it.Since it may have left from Wrightstown NJ .I heard.and maybe be in TX or CA.Thanks Ghoste for showing us where .The Former M Russo car went he had it a very long time.And where is is currently

69_500 · January 23, 2006, 10:05:35 AM

The Mike russo car is the one that is going to be going up for auction here in February.

As far as the Propane X car that one I haven't heard or seen anything about later than I think a club newsletter from the late 70's. which was owned by a lady at that time correct?

Highbanked Hauler · January 23, 2006, 11:19:01 AM

Quote from: 69Charger500 on January 18, 2006, 09:17:46 AM
and a vintage pic from around 1971 or 1972...

It looks like in the vintage pic the "500" is more on centerline with the "Charger."

I would not be suprised to see them literally all over the place on original cars.

The new 2006 Daytona emblems mount the same way, except they "snap" into the honeycombs, and it is really hard to get them all the same!!

Mine is the same as your vintage picture, there is 2 spaces between Charger and 500 and 4 or 5 spaces between "500" and the headlight.

Charger Aficionado · January 23, 2006, 11:24:11 AM

Coronet emblem placed the same?

EDIT:
Here is a coronet R/T... Looks like 5-spaces as well...

69_500 · January 23, 2006, 11:44:49 AM

I think that they probably all have little differences, maybe they were intended to all be in the same spot, but the workers are human and really didn't care so they might have put some on even upside down.

Just was wondering where everyone else had theirs at, so I can get an idea of which way I like mine best. Was hoping 69Charger500 would post the information he was looking for. The exact location where it was supposed to be.

Anyone else think that there has been a rash of 69 500 threads lately? I like it.

Highbanked Hauler · January 23, 2006, 12:42:17 PM

The time has come,there was a white 500 on ebay that hit 60K and didn't sell.A few years ago I couldn't get mine insured for $15,000

69_500 · January 23, 2006, 01:47:52 PM

I agree Al, the time has come for some serious money to be dropped on 500's. However I personally don't care what value my car has. I told my wife when I bought it, I don't care if 15 years from now I couldn't sell the car for $500. I feel the same way today. I love these cars for what they are, not for what value they are. It wouldn't bother me if I paid $50K for a Charger 500 and then 20 years from now couldn't give it away, because for one I dont intend on parting with any of the aero cars I ever purchase. But yes their time has come, they are finally getting close to the money they should for their rariety.

Ghoste · January 23, 2006, 09:33:32 PM

The MIke Russo car went to Harold Sullivan who sold it to a guy here just across the river from Detroit. The car that made me fall in love with the 69 500's and it was right here under my nose and I never even knew it! My cousin does a lot of the mechanical work for the guy who has it. I drove by one day and his shop door was open and I thought I saw a 500 and I inquired but I was told that the only Charger he had was a 70 RT (also going to be auctioned) so I figured the light was playing tricks.
So always follow up the slightest of leads I guess.

69_500 · January 24, 2006, 08:52:49 AM

I have a few pictures of that car from when Mike Russo owned it, then I hadn't heard or seen of it until 2 years ago at the Chrysler Classic in columbus. Went to the show to check out the Daytona's and saw 1 and only 1 Charger 500 in the survivor tent. Went over got to checking it out, and wound up getting permission from the owner to shoot several rolls of film of the car. Shot about 3 rolls of it in the tent, and 5 more when he pulled it outside of the tent.

Gorgeous car, with a stack of documentation and history. Would love to own it, but unless I make a career change, or hit the lottery I never will.

Ghoste · January 24, 2006, 08:56:44 AM

As a minor point of interest, Russo's custom plate is still with the car. I assume it will stay with it when it goes to the next caretaker in February.

69_500 · January 24, 2006, 09:02:20 AM

Are you refering to the one that reads HEMI 500?

Man I want to go to the auction in February so badly. I just want to know who the car goes to so that I can continue to follow its history.

Ghoste · January 24, 2006, 09:13:33 AM

Yes, that plate. I will be able to track the car. I hope I will be working that auction so that I can talk to whoever buys it.

69_500 · January 24, 2006, 01:21:57 PM

Ah so your going to the Auction then? Good at least someone will follow the whereabouts of the car.

Ghoste · January 24, 2006, 03:29:06 PM

I don't know if I'll be there or not. I should be able to find out afterwards where it goes at the very least. The downside may be that if it goes to one of RM's regular buyers and he is someone who demands privacy, I won't violate that.

69_500 · January 24, 2006, 03:47:46 PM

Well, I was thinking of trying to go, but after today it looks like I'll be starting a new job on February 6th, so it won't be so easy to try to get off of work that soon after starting.
Glad to hear to at least some people hold true to the privacy wants of others. I certainly hope it goes to a person who will take it to shows, and allow the rest of the public see the car. It is definately a piece of history.

Ghoste · January 24, 2006, 03:53:16 PM

And I'm glad you'll be working again shortly.

69_500 · January 24, 2006, 04:00:59 PM

Yuppers and I'm sure my wife will be glad too. Then again when I go back to work it will be back to just postin on here in the mornings, which means many times the good threads get locked before I ever get to reply.

So after that date just count on one comment in each 500 thread or aero thread per day.

By the way do ya just stay logged in to this all day long or what? I've been in and out of the house 5 times today, and get on here in between and everytime I post you have a response.

Ghoste · January 24, 2006, 04:13:43 PM

My 8 year old is sick today so I stayed home with her.

69_500 · January 24, 2006, 04:16:14 PM

well nothing better to do on a day off than chat about aero cars now is there?

Or at least to me there isn't anythin better, well maybe if my wife had called in sick today and we took my son to someone else's house for the day.

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69 Charger 500 Grille