Re: Restoration of my B5 Blue 4Spd Charger 500... Blue Thunder debuts...Finally!

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Its "Showtime"... arrival at the paint booth... looks like more restricted parking... 

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Final pics for now... notice the deck lid is not installed, but was painted at the same time and in the same orientation as if it was installed.  Last picture shows application of base color only...

[moparstuart]

 

[UFO]

Trim all ready to go on??
Powertrain done??

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Thanks Stuart!  There is still a chance you could finish your C500 before I finish mine... but you would have to start in the next year or so...   

Trim all ready to go on??
Powertrain done??

Unfortunately no...  That indeed was the original plan, but health issues have been the main impediment...  Also, the over $19,000 spent at the first body shop for maybe $4,000 worth of usable work used up my original budget and my 20% reserve fund.  The original verbal estimate "out the door" for body work & paint was $16,000 which was raised to $18,000 on a written estimate after the C500 was transported to the body shop.  In the end, the $19K+ spent did not even get the uni-body structurally sound... when the car was removed from the first shop, the quarter panels and most other repro sheetmetal was held in place with some small welds and small screws.  As it turned out, that was fortunate as almost all of the alignment fits & gaps had to be redone...  Blue Thunder has come a long way since then.

Although my health has improved, it will still not allow me to do the re-assembly of the Charger 500.  I have talked to a talented restorer about doing the build on the C500, but that was about a year ago.  Looks like we will be talking again soon, now that the paint & body work is coming to an end...

During the almost three years the C500 has been in "restoration", I have collected a good amount of NOS, quality reproduction (BE&A), and nice used parts.  In the next month or two, I expect to take a pickup load or more of loose parts to the restorer, and expect some of the work will be farmed out (like the steering column, instrument cluster, etc).

Right now I am working on locating all the loose parts, and trying to budget the funds to finish the C500.  Although I have done a pretty good job of keeping most of the removed parts together, there is always a chance something was misplaced.  Also, there were items that were not with the Charger 500 when I bought it 24 years ago... most of them have been purchased over the years, but might be hiding in one of the 100 or so boxes that remain stacked in areas of my workshop. One other problem exists with an item purchased for the C500... the Dana 60 axle assy that was missing when I bought the car.  I know exactly where it is... trapped behind several car lift posts that weigh about 800 pounds each!  I hope to remove the lifts first, but will "drag" the Dana out one way or another...

[hemi68charger]

  

Awesome Allen !!!!  I'm so happy for you. It's been a long time comin'.........

[moparstuart]

did you ever find a donor motor ? 

[xs29j8Bullitt]

 

Awesome Allen !!!!  I'm so happy for you. It's been a long time comin'.........

Thanks Troy! 

did you ever find a donor motor ? 

Not really...  After the crazy drama of almost buying the 238099 motor, I gave a lot of effort to tracking down the original motor for my C500 (238071).  After tracking it down to the 1971 time frame, the trail went totally cold... not a hint of what happened to the motor in the first two years.

I have at least one 1969 440 engine from a 1969 GTX IIRC that is currently in my 1970 Six Pack Charger R/T, but I believe the engine assembly date is after the SCD of 12/4/68 that my C500 has.  A better fit might be for my Daytona, which may be getting pulled out of long term storage in a few months.  I need to go  into my shop and see if I have a second 1969 440 engine/block, and if so what the assembly date is.

I have also started checking Craigslist, eBay, and various Internet forums for a good re-builder '69 440, or a ready to go fresh rebuild or low mile turnkey motor that can be checked out before purchase.  Looking for leads on a 1969 440 engine with a mid-October to late November 1968 assembly date... any leads would be appreciated!!!  Email me at xs29j8@charter.net .  I might consider out of range date codes, or even another model year engine if the deal is appealing enough.  BTW, I have a LOT of potential trading material... so "Let's make a deal!"

Allen

[moparstuart]

from john madden to now monte hall        good luck

[moparchris]

Allen,
The C500 is looking great.  I have a bare 440 block that has beautiful bores.  I think it is a late 1968 casting date, but it has been a few years since I have looked at it.  I will try to remember this weekend to clear out my under workbench area where the block is and check it for you.
Chris

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Allen,
The C500 is looking great.  I have a bare 440 block that has beautiful bores.  I think it is a late 1968 casting date, but it has been a few years since I have looked at it.  I will try to remember this weekend to clear out my under workbench area where the block is and check it for you.
Chris

Thanks Chris!  I appreciate you taking the time & effort to check it out.  If practical, I would like to know the casting date, and any stampings visible (especially the engine assy Julian date).

If you have a digital camera handy, a few pics would be great too.  Thanks again!

Allen

[Davtona]

Looks very nice Allen. I'll be looking foward to seeing it in person. I'll bet you're glad its finally Blue.

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Looks very nice Allen. I'll be looking foward to seeing it in person. I'll bet you're glad its finally Blue.

Thanks Dave... I might have new pictures in a few days (Talked to Greg briefly yesterday).

And yes on being glad the milestone has been cleared... I am now trying to locate all the loose parts and order some needed items.  Also,  have an Ad on several forums for a November 1968 build 440 HP engine or even a bare block... I need to go do an inventory in the Dodge Mahal... just in case!

[xs29j8Bullitt]

I talked to Greg yesterday, and he said that he was working on the C500 part time.  He expects to work on it more by this weekend, and says the color sanding & buffing are going very well.  Greg sent five new pictures, and said there should be more by this weekend or early next week.

Here are three of the new pics...

[xs29j8Bullitt]

The other two pics...

[hemi68charger]

Sweet !!!!!     

[tan top]

      wow !!!!!

[charger500440]

Awesome, very happy to see things going a little smoother for you...

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Sweet !!!!!     

    wow !!!!!

Awesome, very happy to see things going a little smoother for you...

Thanks guys!  There is still a long way to go, but Greg has been great to work with.  Together with Ken's behind the scenes help, Greg has managed to fix the vast majority of the inherited problems.  I am now scrambling to gather up parts for the C500, and locate some items that I never had for the car.  My biggest missing item is a 1969 HP engine with appropriate date codes.  Of the six 1969 440 engines that I have located so far, two are non HP motors, two are too early builds, one is too late, and one has an unknown date along with racing damage requiring two sleeves.  I am going to try to do a brief inventory of the 440 engines in my workshop this weekend.

Here is a "before & after" pic showing the top of the trunk lid...

[Davtona]

Too bright and shiney. Hang on I need sunglasses.    There thats better.    Looking real nice Allen. She'll look real good out in the sunlight.

[hemigeno]

Allen, car looks great!  B5 would make a Gremlin look good too, but it makes a IIGen Charger awesome...

Have you checked out the E440's listed on Moparts?  I'm assuming you have.  What Engine Assembly Date are you shooting for (not that I have any '69 blocks in my shop)?

[gtx6970]

B5, my favorite color , period.

I know we're several states away , but I know someone who could to do the assembly part if your so inclined. And he have an opening begining mid-Dec to early Jan

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Allen, car looks great!  B5 would make a Gremlin look good too, but it makes a IIGen Charger awesome...

Have you checked out the E440's listed on Moparts?  I'm assuming you have.  What Engine Assembly Date are you shooting for (not that I have any '69 blocks in my shop)?

Thanks Gene!  The only E 440 HP motor that I remember on this month's Moparts Ads is the one listed by "junkyardmaxie" with an "install" (assembly?) date of 9/15/68, too early AFAIK for my SPD  of 12/4/68 on my C500.  Based on what I have seen from that time period, an engine assembly date of mid November would be appropriate.  The block casting date might be in the mid to late October time frame...

Looking for feedback though... especially from owners of 440 powered Mopars built in the same time period that have their original motors...

[xs29j8Bullitt]

B5, my favorite color , period.

I know we're several states away , but I know someone who could to do the assembly part if your so inclined. And he have an opening begining mid-Dec to early Jan

Thanks Bill, its one of my favorites too... but I have also got a strong liking for stone cold black that you can see about 30 miles into when it is polished!

I have already talked to someone about the assembly work on the C500, but will keep your suggestion in mind if he decides not to do take on my car.  I certainly appreciate your suggestion though... is the guy up in your area?

Allen

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Too bright and shiney. Hang on I need sunglasses.    There thats better.    Looking real nice Allen. She'll look real good out in the sunlight.

Thanks Dave!  Maybe the company that gave the $350 sunglasses to the Chilean coal miners will sponsor Blue Thunder when she's done...