Gramp's Last Gift for Me...a 68 Charger!

[472 R/T SE]

Someone correct me if I am wrong, and I probably am. . .  I did not think 68's came with hood mounted turn signals.

IIRC, I think '68 is just different.  

[resq302]

68 and 69 were the same.  70 changed the style of the light.

[garageguy]

Well guys....gramp's had another gift for me, wrapped beautifully under the o.g. trunk mat...

I've ordered the 1/2 panels, spare tire bracket and floor braces from AMD....gonna tackle this weekend.  Unfortunately, this is beyond the POR-15 trunk kit.   

Even if I don't keep this car, I'm not leaving this for the next owner.  Gotta do the responsible thing here. 

[garageguy]

Please forgive my first comment about "zero rust"...should have been a little more thorough in my investigation.   After all, this is a CA car.  Thought it was all good

[garageguy]

OK guys, many apologies for the delay in posting as I have been tied up with many other things as is usually the case.

Anyway, a quick update.  The car is home with me now and is running fine.  I have done the following since my last post:

1)  Replaced the trunk floor with the AMD panels.  Looks great.  Just need to seam seal it and it's good to go.

2)  Removed the light and dimmer switch and cleaned it out so that it works properly now.

3)  The gas gauge wasn't working right.  Ended up having to pull the float and found it full of fuel due to a small leak.  Fixed the leak and she's working fine now.

4)  Temp gauge wasn't working right.  I found the bad sending unit and replaced it with a new one.  Had to install an inline 10 Ohm resistor to get it to read properly.  Checked it against an IR thermometer and they match up perfectly. Probably a calibration issue with the new senders.  I didn't want to mess with the gauge

5)  The heater switch was leaking into down the firewall and soaking the carpet on the pssger side.  Ended up taking the whole assembly apart and replacing the rubber seal.  Works great now.

OK, so now I have an issue.  Since this car had been partially disassembled before I started reassembly, I have found most parts but I'm missing the tail lamp brackets that hold the taillight assemblies to the rear trunk panel.  I cannot find them anywhere and nobody seems to make these.  Ironic that I cannot find this RARE part from the parts I had to work with.

Anybody got ideas on where to find them?

[69charger2002]

Ive got plenty if you need a set. or sell me the car and i'll install them!! 
PM me if you want some brackets

[garageguy]

Thanks 69...

I sent you a PM.

Damon

[nvrbdn]

Ive got plenty if you need a set. or sell me the car and i'll install them!! 
PM me if you want some brackets

  now thats funny.

[resq302]

Great update!  Glad to hear its running and you're getting the bugs worked out!

[garageguy]

Hi Guys...At the finish line, finally (minus one vent window that goes in this week)...Just finished up g-pa's Charger and took the parents for a cruise on Saturday.  My dad drove this car new off the lot in '68!  Unfortunately, we've decided to part with the car and it will go up for sale in a few days.  Here are some pics of the finished trunk and car...

[garageguy]

More pics...

[garageguy]

Interior

[garageguy]

Last one...

[472 R/T SE]

Person's gotta do what a person's gotta do.

Too bad it couldn't stay in the family.  Do you have any children? 

[myk]

No disrespect intended, but what a sad ending...

[nvrbdn]

beautiful car. came out nice. my opinion is that a gift from my grandparent would stay with me till the end. a gift from my dad would stay with me until the end.  just me   the item means more than the money, sad to see her go to another family. not dissing on you. people need to do what they have to. and everyone has a different story and reason for their decisions. good luck watching her drive away for the last time.

[lexxman]

Wow I don't know if I could sell the car. That would be hard, it looks great.

[Matthan]

nice

[moparstuart]

wow , sad day for sure

[Dino]

White body, green interior...and here I thought I had something unique... 

Beautiful car, if I had the room and enough use for it I'd take it.

[HeavyFuel]

Many of us can relate to the attachment that forms between a builder and the car he resurrects, so by all means keep the chebby.

But I wonder if gramps would have left you the Charger if he'd known you were going to assemble it then promptly sell it.  

If a nice Charger dropped from heaven on me from my grampa, and he thought enough about the car to keep it for 40 years, and enough about me to leave his prized possession in my care.....you'd have to pry it out of my cold, dead finders.  I'd never give up the car, except to another trusted family member.    Never.       But hey, I like Mopars.  

You're doing the right thing by selling the car, because it sounds like you don't care about it that much.  Hopefully you're selective about the new owner, and it goes to someone that will truly appreciate and love it.  

Put the proceeds from the sale into a worthy investment, then put your kids through college.  Maybe the positive karma will ward off any family curse that might be ready to set in.    
 

[maxwellwedge]

Here are a couple pics...

For the K-member, what are the "isolators" and what do they look like?  1 per corner for a total of 4?

K-Frame bolts directly to the frame rails - no isolators.

[charge69]

I started to say something, but ......... I guess it is better left unsaid.  I am a grandfather as well as a few other members here and it should be a lesson for anyone planning to will your Charger to any of your grandchildren! Even my wife still refers to it as "just that old car in the garage"!  

I sure hope I have enough warning about dying so I can sell my car myself to someone who will appreciate it!

I suppose there might be a number of legitimate reasons for selling. Many have already been stated in this thread. I never got to know ANY of my grandfathers as they had all passed by the time I was born but I still have a very few momento's (sic) of them including a gold pocket watch worth many thousands of dollars but, it ain't going anywhere no matter what the circumstance.

It took me a long time (over 30 years) to come up with enough money to restore my Charger but, my grandfathers' possessions in my care never entered the picture.

[nvrbdn]

my kids arent really big into my charger, but my 13 year old grandson is drooling over it.  my son in law and daughter would protect it for him should anything happen. so it will probably follow that path rather than just being auctioned off so they all can split the proceeds.

[1974dodgecharger]

Glad u restored her bro, congrats but sad you are gonna sell her do what you got to do right.


As a lesson to most folks on this board who are saving their cars for next generation and beyond so they can enjoy it let's face it very few care about the grandpa car. Enjoy them while u can while you walk this earth........