Why I'm not restoring to "All-Original"

[JB400]

14's or 15's?

[Ghoste]

If I had the money I would love to do a restoration to oem standards but I'd need enough money to do that car plus have one I can drive and enjoy.  And after the oem party was over, it would be the car I was more likely to sell.

[HeavyFuel]

14's or 15's?

JK on needing more steelies.  

I've got the original 500's to put on.  They are too nice not to use, at least for a while.  

I'm kicking around putting on narrow whites with the magnums.  My bro thinks I'm nuts.....could be.

[charge69]

I bought a set, from Coker Tire, of their repoped F70-15 Redline Firestone Wide Ovals that are on my original wheels now as that is what it came with and I have a set of new NOS wheelcovers like originally came on the car to put on the wheels. Aretro look for sure and I am not sure about the "look" . That said, this look is only for the very few carshows I enter (not much of a carshow person) and it will have either Cragar SS or some old-school slots for most of my driving around. I will put some big , street-legal , drag radials on the back (Nitto) and not sure yet of the front but it will be blackwall whatever it is.

Been following your rebuild , HeavyFuel , and your Charger will be BadAzz ! Using the original 500's is never a bad idea! Your choice on the narrow whiewalls but I probably would not. Raised white letter tires always look great on 500's.

[HeavyFuel]

Thanks.

I think you're right about the narrows....just a passing thought.   As others have pointed out, there's only so much dough to throw at these cars we love, and it sucks to waste any of it.

[bakerhillpins]

Each to his own. I think you have quite a st of rides there and I would be happy to own such cars.  Me personally, I plan to go back to n OEM config for no other reason than that's what I want and that's what I think is cool about these cars.  I also think all the go fast goodies are cool too and maybe one day I will have a second car to do that to. A 70 Cuda would be nice! 

When I did my '70 back in 2003 I went the all-original route. I thought that the proper thing to do but after going to multiple shows I learned two things 1) My car looked "plain" 2) The guys that pull their cars out of enclosed car trailers win

Plain, smain.. It's what I want so WTFC.  Funny thing about that is you have to care about winning for that to be an issue. 

Now I went the same route with my '72 but then went off the reservation and added Cragers, Hide-aways, '71 R/T Stripe and Go Wing...makes it really stand out, I love it. So I'm going to keep all my original stuff and not "hack" but it's going to be exactly what I want.

I think that  sounds like a great plan. The best of both worlds and easy to move to one format or the other.

So for those of you thinking the same question consider:
- Money$$$$ - basically unless you have a TON of money it's not going to look right. You will have to replace/refurbish EVERYTHING even if it's working. Think old wiring in engine bay, trim (both inside and out) and re-chrome EVERYTHING. And repainting do not always make things new, makes it look like a 40 year old part that's been repainted

We could get into an academic argument over this but I guess all I have to say is that you can get dam close without spending that much. I believe the old 80/20 rule applies here. 80% of the effort/money goes to 20% of the end result.

- You really going to drive it? - Going to chance tarnishing those new zinc plated fasteners? wanna wash the under body after driving in the rain?

Dam straight I am. I can't fathom spending that kind of money to sit and look at the dam thing. My time in this life is too short to not enjoy the hell out of it.

- After all that time and $$ it's not really what you want - Who can honestly say they LOVE the look of black steelies and dog dishes over some Mags with fat tires. Or roasting in 95° weather 'cause your car didn't "originally" have A/C...OK, there might be some who like that stuff, bless your hearts! 

I freakin LOVE steelies with dog dishes.    My car came with AC so I get a bye on that one. 

- Who cares? - Unless you're shooting for one of those OE Gold certifications no one appreciates that you used the proper hose clamps? really, 90% of us are going to local meets where MOPARS are rare anyway. I spend most of my time at shows with my '72 explaining it's NOT a GTO!

- Comfort - I took a 3000 mile trip with my family in 2005 (VA to KS) and it was brutal. The noise and heat make any long drive fatiguing. A/C and an over drive would have made things much more pleasant. Plus wife is more likely to join you in the future 

Not doing it for the sheepskin or the mantle fodder. Doin it because I enjoy the hell out of it.    I have actually been impressed with how many recognize it as a Charger. At least in these parts anyhow. Not many around so it always gets checked out.  Have to say that highway gears and overdrive would be a nice addition though.

[bill440rt]

Seems SOME of the other posts have an axe to grind with folks that are trying to make a car as original as possible.  Before declaring that "Everyone should build it the way they want", and then bashing someone that strives very hard make there car original, maybe realize that an original restoration is what makes some people happy.

Exactly.

[Lennard]

Short and simple... it's my car, I build it the way I want it and I don't care what anybody else thinks about it.