Letting your Charger rot to the ground

[ACUDANUT]

Recently, I found an original plum crazy 70 challenger in a driveway rotting away. Stopped by to take a look and found a nice surprise. This Nam vet came out of his old broken down trailer and started telling stories. I asked about the challenger and he did say he would sell it. Unfortunately, it has seen much better days. Original 383 still in it, but rust beyond belief. I lifted the hood and it almost folded in half. It did still have the fender tag though.

Now for the surprise... He asked if I liked Mopars, of course I said hell yeah and he told me to walk in his garage. There I found a 69 coronet 500 and a 69 Roadrunner! Both in very good condition. He started telling stories of drag racing them at Old Dragway 42 in Ohio. He was very proud of them. The Roadrunner was his buddies who died years ago.

Now here's a guy who looks like he couldn't rub 2 nickles together and he has these cars just sitting in the driveway/garage. He really looks like he could use the money so I'm going back to make a nice offer on the two cars in the garage, I want the RR and my nephew wants the Coronet. If it all goes well, I will post pics of all 3.

Better show some pic's..

[Tilar]

He started telling stories of drag racing them at Old Dragway 42 in Ohio. He was very proud of them. The Roadrunner was his buddies who died years ago.

A couple friends of mine and I used to go watch the races at Dragway 42 back in the 70's. Haven't been there in years.

[GOTWING]

I have come to realize that a lot of these people are not really car guys, they just happen to have a emmotional attachement to the  car because they either bought it new or it was there fathers etc. They do not go to car shows, read forums etc. there are a few of them just on my road i live on.

69 Chevelle SS one owner, last tagged in 74
69 GTO was first car in 1984, last tagged in 92
69 mach I do not know story but it has been there for as long as i can remember, old black dude owns it. no plate on back.
57 chevy, it's at least inside a pole barn, looks like a 70's custom creation but rough.sidepipes radical paint etc.
73-75 elcamino sitting at least since late 80's

i don't bother dealing with them, it's the same ole chit every time.

[aussiemuscle]

..The guy is nearly 80 years old. .. I tried to buy the roadrunner but he won't budge. Gonna fix it some day.

get him to gift it to you in his will.

[Cooter]

I have come to realize that a lot of these people are not really car guys, they just happen to have a emmotional attachement to the  car because they either bought it new or it was there fathers etc. They do not go to car shows, read forums etc.

I agree, but brings me to what I said earlier about money. Every year I'm AMAZED at how many "Unbuyable" cars were suddenly "Buyable"....Enough money and "Private Malone's" '66 Vette is up for sale.

[Jim 68cuda]

I've had regrets every time I's sold an old Mopar. As for my 68 Charger RT, I've owned it for more than 20 years. For many of those years, I was the guy who had the Charger rotting away in the driveway. When ever anyone approached to ask, I would be the one saying I was going to fix it up one day. For me, it took alot of years, but it is now in the body shop and will one day soon be looking good again.

[Surf Charger]

I'm in the situation. I have a '69 R/T SE sitting on the side of the garage. Mind you its covered completely with 3 tarps and a waterproof/UV car cover. So its nice and dry. But I've been on the fence as far as whether I would a.) restore a little bit at a time over a span of several years, b.) pull everything out and swap into my G code Charger, or c.) just put it up for sale for someone to do a proper restore since it has all matching numbers, engine, tranny, etc (basically hasn't been touched since it was wrecked in '78).

I bought it for its A/C parts, rear defroster, 440 engine/tranny, and rear gears. But haven't done anything with it yet. 

[Cooter]

I'm in the situation. I have a '69 R/T SE sitting on the side of the garage. Mind you its covered completely with 3 tarps and a waterproof/UV car cover. So its nice and dry. But I've been on the fence as far as whether I would a.) restore a little bit at a time over a span of several years, b.) pull everything out and swap into my G code Charger, or c.) just put it up for sale for someone to do a proper restore since it has all matching numbers, engine, tranny, etc (basically hasn't been touched since it was wrecked in '78).

I bought it for its A/C parts, rear defroster, 440 engine/tranny, and rear gears. But haven't done anything with it yet. 

IMO, there's a HUGE difference in how you have it stored. I can't see it "Rotting to the ground" under all that protection. Good on 'ya for not Letting sit out in the rain. Maybe you can fiddle round with it and do little thigns here and there. Before you know it, it will be running.

[Moparman01]

I gotta chime in on this one. I've had my yellow '68 Charger (sig pic) for about a decade now. I used as an everyday driver (nice weather, not winters) while i was in school and back and forth to work up untill a few years ago. The car is very tired, needs a full restoration but is 100% complete and is a factory big block 383 car. I took it off the road a couple years ago and now it just sits in the garage waiting for "someday". I've been working on the General for the last couple years and it's scedualled to go to a body shop this coming spring, so that has taken up alot of my time. Plus other "toys" have made there way into my toy box so to speak. OK, there is a point here, i'm gettin there lol. My father keeps bugging me to sell the '68, make a few bucks to put into the General or my 71 Demon and make more room in the garage. Both make sense i'll say that, BUT, i look at it a little differently. My Charger is sitting high and dry in a garage not exposed to any elements. Plus, like i said it is fully complete, not in horrible condition, it's rough yes, but in today's market i highly doubt i could find a better project canidate '68 Charger for reasonable money ever again! I don't need the money, so why sell and regret it down the road? I have thought about selling (or trade), it's crossed my mind a few times but i just can't bring myself to get rid of it. I have no idea when "someday" will get here, may be a few years, might be another 10, i don't know, but i'm keeping it!

[moparstuart]

I gotta chime in on this one. I've had my yellow '68 Charger (sig pic) for about a decade now. I used as an everyday driver (nice weather, not winters) while i was in school and back and forth to work up untill a few years ago. The car is very tired, needs a full restoration but is 100% complete and is a factory big block 383 car. I took it off the road a couple years ago and now it just sits in the garage waiting for "someday". I've been working on the General for the last couple years and it's scedualled to go to a body shop this coming spring, so that has taken up alot of my time. Plus other "toys" have made there way into my toy box so to speak. OK, there is a point here, i'm gettin there lol. My father keeps bugging me to sell the '68, make a few bucks to put into the General or my 71 Demon and make more room in the garage. Both make sense i'll say that, BUT, i look at it a little differently. My Charger is sitting high and dry in a garage not exposed to any elements. Plus, like i said it is fully complete, not in horrible condition, it's rough yes, but in today's market i highly doubt i could find a better project canidate '68 Charger for reasonable money ever again! I don't need the money, so why sell and regret it down the road? I have thought about selling (or trade), it's crossed my mind a few times but i just can't bring myself to get rid of it. I have no idea when "someday" will get here, may be a few years, might be another 10, i don't know, but i'm keeping it!

If you dont need the money , have a safe inside place for it and still love the car . HELL YES its yours keep it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[6pkrtse]

I am in the same situation. I have family & friends always harping on me to sell the other Charger project to help fund the Challenger project. If I did sell the Charger it probably wouldn't be enough money to even get the Challenger completed & up & running, so why bother. Mopar fever. The other people just don't understand.

[Surf Charger]

I am in the same situation. I have family & friends always harping on me to sell the other Charger project to help fund the Challenger project. If I did sell the Charger it probably wouldn't be enough money to even get the Challenger completed & up & running, so why bother. Mopar fever. The other people just don't understand.

Family members encouraging you to sell to fund another Mopar project is a lucky thing! Your wife could be bugging you to sell it cause she's tired of looking at it!

[6pkrtse]

I am in the same situation. I have family & friends always harping on me to sell the other Charger project to help fund the Challenger project. If I did sell the Charger it probably wouldn't be enough money to even get the Challenger completed & up & running, so why bother. Mopar fever. The other people just don't understand.

Family members encouraging you to sell to fund another Mopar project is a lucky thing! Your wife could be bugging you to sell it cause she's tired of looking at it!

Hah, she would never do that. She know's how much I love playing with cars. She just hates the cost to play. She even sacrificies her apot in the garage so that I can keep two of them at home (2 car garage). The third one sits out in my parent's pole barn, so it kind of gets forgotten about.

[ACUDANUT]

Stu, it looks like you have 3 Chargers ?

[moparstuart]

Stu, it looks like you have 3 Chargers ?

i have only 2 69's now used to have an 87 for 24 years but sold it 2 years ago 

   my son does have a 66 project 

[mauve66]

I gotta chime in on this one. I've had my yellow '68 Charger (sig pic) for about a decade now. I used as an everyday driver (nice weather, not winters) while i was in school and back and forth to work up untill a few years ago. The car is very tired, needs a full restoration but is 100% complete and is a factory big block 383 car. I took it off the road a couple years ago and now it just sits in the garage waiting for "someday". I've been working on the General for the last couple years and it's scedualled to go to a body shop this coming spring, so that has taken up alot of my time. Plus other "toys" have made there way into my toy box so to speak. OK, there is a point here, i'm gettin there lol. My father keeps bugging me to sell the '68, make a few bucks to put into the General or my 71 Demon and make more room in the garage. Both make sense i'll say that, BUT, i look at it a little differently. My Charger is sitting high and dry in a garage not exposed to any elements. Plus, like i said it is fully complete, not in horrible condition, it's rough yes, but in today's market i highly doubt i could find a better project canidate '68 Charger for reasonable money ever again! I don't need the money, so why sell and regret it down the road? I have thought about selling (or trade), it's crossed my mind a few times but i just can't bring myself to get rid of it. I have no idea when "someday" will get here, may be a few years, might be another 10, i don't know, but i'm keeping it!

If you dont need the money , have a safe inside place for it and still love the car . HELL YES its yours keep it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sold that RR yet.............

[moparstuart]

yes pretty sure i have

[arrow]

Ive stored this one sense the mid 70s it has 40k on it- Id give it away before Id leave it outside

[Wicked72]

i hate it when i seem em rot. like the post in the classifieds with all the 3rd gens for sale. wants to sellem cheap he says then doesnt try to contact you back wont wont take any reasonable offers but he says he practically giving the stuff away to see them go to a good home. LIES!  as far as my car if it had to be out side id throw as much rust prevention crap on it i could to keep it from rotting but its safe in the garage and kind of a table but its getting cleaned off today to get worked on for awhile before its a table again   

[ACUDANUT]

Stu, what state did the RR go to ?

[mauve66]

yes pretty sure i have

gonna regret it...............