My free 69 charger R/T ....

[XS29L9B2]

 

[Pat1973charger]

more test fitting...

[alfaitalia]

All very nice work. Not meaning to dis your work in any way (wish I had your skills) but, slightly off topic, at what point does it cease to be a 1969 Charger and become a replica of a 69 Charger made from a lot of mostly pattern and non Dodge parts? From where I'm looking there is going to be a very small % of the original (when I say original I mean original as in having had those exact parts when it left the factory) car left upon completion....especially as it was gutted inside and dispossessed of any funning gear. Now having said that, if I was going to drive it on a regular basis, would I want a 69 Charger from 1969 or would I like an exact replica of a 1969 Charger built today.....hmmmm?

[Lennard]

  Who cares?  After it's been painted, nobody will see the difference.

[alfaitalia]

Very true and as I said I wont like this Charger any less than any other.......just promoting discussion!

[Lennard]

Very true and as I said I wont like this Charger any less than any other.......just promoting discussion!

I've seen many of those discussions on this board over the years. I don't know if Pat would like one in his build thread though.  

[alfaitalia]

Fair enough!! Ill leave it there.....maybe Ill search for some or those older threads.....just for entertainment value you understand!

[Baldwinvette77]

Wow, thats looking good.. even if it is just a test 

[6spd68]

All very nice work. Not meaning to dis your work in any way (wish I had your skills) but, slightly off topic, at what point does it cease to be a 1969 Charger and become a replica of a 69 Charger made from a lot of mostly pattern and non Dodge parts? From where I'm looking there is going to be a very small % of the original (when I say original I mean original as in having had those exact parts when it left the factory) car left upon completion....especially as it was gutted inside and dispossessed of any funning gear. Now having said that, if I was going to drive it on a regular basis, would I want a 69 Charger from 1969 or would I like an exact replica of a 1969 Charger built today.....hmmmm?

I'd have to agree with Lennard on this.  Once it's painted, as long as the metal work is done correctly, it shouldn't really matter.  In my opinion the car is still a 1969 Dodge Charger.  It was built off of an existing 69 shell(regardless of how extensive the metal work), and has the proper title.  It would be different if Pat had bought a complete refab shell and tried to title it, but that's not the case.  That being said, congrats Pat on the work you've done thus far!  The road is long, but I'm hoping it works out in the end  

[Pat1973charger]

Thanks for the replies guys! No offence taken as to your question alfaitalia. Very little of the original car is left, but many of the parts are originals from other mopars. What I have replaced with aftermarket sheet metal many do anyway, such as floor pans, quarters and rockers, rear frame rails and tail panel. The front end will be all original mopar metal aside from fenders which I am still on the hunt for originals. I have a bunch of refurbishable interior parts, the original k frame and torsion bars etc. Original 8 3/4 rearend. Doors from other 69 chargers. So to sum it up, not a lot of the original unibody will be left that I started with but I am using original mopar pieces when I can. Ultimately in the end I just want a 69 charger and always have. I don't feel what I am doing is crossing any boundaries as far as legally or otherwise. We've all seen a certain 71 cuda which was the beginning of graveyard carz that now is 75% AMD. My build is fairly similar except I used repro rockers where they used original but I'm using oe mopar firewall and inner fenders which they didn't. Thanks for watching my thread guys more to come in the not so distant future!

[djcarguy]

 

[charger chris]

Look great pat. I hope to get start on my car soon. Got get my roof finished first. Watching what u are doing and learning as go.    

[Dreamcar]

Great stuff!!! I'll be doing the same very soon!!! Getting some of the parts tomorrow

[Mike DC]

 

Original sheetmetal  > Asian repro metal.

Asian repro sheetmetal  >  original car lost to rust.

IMO original metal is worth more on a survivor/stock resto type car.  
When the car is heavily modified and never going back to stock . . . meh, a ton of replacement sheetmetal is just one more modification.  


BTW this project is really cool.

[Stevearino]

Pat1973Charger. Looks like you are making your dream of owning a Charger come true through sheer force of will. It is going to be one of the most satisfying rides once you are done. Keep jamming on.

[charger chris]

Pat1973Charger. Looks like you are making your dream of owning a Charger come true through sheer force of will. It is going to be one of the most satisfying rides once you are done. Keep jamming on.

[tan top]

good stuff 

[Back N Black]

Charger looks great!! I have a 69 driver side fender that requires work but it's free if you want it.

[charger chris]

This thread is great. He covers everything I am going to have to do to my charger.  

[ht4spd307]

Pat1973Charger. Looks like you are making your dream of owning a Charger come true through sheer force of will. It is going to be one of the most satisfying rides once you are done. Keep jamming on.

[MxRacer855]

 

[500Jon]

Nice work Pat!!!

Its an old adage in the resto world 'never let the customer see the repairs'!
Why is that?
Its too scary for most Folks to understand the lengths you have to go,,, to put REAL rusty cars right again...

I like most metalmen have spent untold hours fixing rusty seams, where most panels tend to rust.
So you end up with the original panel, but warped and buckled to hell.
Then you spend another week filling and rubbing bondo!

So we are all in Mopar heaven now, call AMD and buy every exterior panel.
Weld them on just like Mother Mopar did and all paint them without bondo work!!!
That way the car will look like factory and NOT a BONDOED replicar lol

MY friend worked at the Ford Dagenham UK plant back in the day.
Yep, they bondoed those Cortina's A LOT, as the factory panels were sooo baad...

[charger chris]

 

[Mopar Nut]

Coming along nicely!   

[Tilar]

Wow.... Just wow.