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

[69_500]

Okay so really, what are you going to do with the removed quarters and such? I'd hang them up on the wall of my garage if it was my car. But that it just me. I mean might as well get some use out of them right?

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Okay so really, what are you going to do with the removed quarters and such? I'd hang them up on the wall of my garage if it was my car. But that it just me. I mean might as well get some use out of them right?

The quarter panels are already back in my workshop.  I do have some plans to get various uses out of them, both for display and for repair patches.  I had not considered trying to display the entire quarters, thinking more in terms of small sections like the area around the driver's side C500 decal mounted for display with the car at shows.  I am saving other weathered original items for display also.  Even saving the lead melted out when removing the rear window plug... might have something cast out of it!

Other items, like the trunk floor, are so toasted they are being tossed out...

Well, a few more pictures tonight afterall...

Allen

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Can't wait to see the photo's. 

Well, there they are...    I just have to keep telling myself this is the low point in the life of the Charger 500, and it is going to start getting better soon! 

Allen, Just my  :Twocents:on the door handle button question.  My 68 Hemi charger has a SPD of 5/16/68 making it a fairly late 68 and it had the chrome buttons on it.  My hemi 500 has a SPD of 11-14-68 which really isn't that long after the 68 was built and to the best of my knowledge it has always had the chrome buttons also.  I bought the 500 from my friend who bought it in 1986 and I know he never changed the handles as well as theperson he bought it from and he never changed them either.  Like I said just my  and I'm not trying to be a mr. know-it-all.
Keep the pictures coming.  Thery're great.

Thanks for your input Chris... I will investigate the matter further, starting with my cars and those of friends that have been unchanged since the 1970s.  Thanks for the compliment on the pictures posted... almost 1900 taken so far (includes duplicate pictures, blurry pictures, etc), about half of them useable... BUT, don't worry, I am not cruel enough to post 'em all! 

Can't swear to it, but I believe they were chrome when my brother and I had it, Chris.

Any chance that there are "back-in-the-day" pictures of the car that might show them?

[69bronzeT5]

That'll be cool! (The C500 decal part). Definitely a good idea to leave the rear valance on or else it would of bent big time and that would of sucked

[paironines]

Hang 'em on the wall!  I got this one off of a burned out bee.  They make cool decorations.

[69bronzeT5]

I got this one off of a burned out bee. 

Any pics of the car itself?

[tan top]

all systems go now ........  thanks for sharing the pictures    ..  .....................  

[PocketThunder]

On the door handle buttons, my car has black buttons and it was built Nov. 18th, 1968.  I'm 99% sure that they were never changed out. 

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,30500.msg357733.html#msg357733

[69_500]

My car has the black buttons as well. I'm looking at some photo's from back in the late 70's to early 80's of various 500's and I only see 2 that have the chrome buttons. However I will admit that 1 of the cars that has the chrome buttons I know for a fact had been "restored" by the time the early 80's came about. So the thought of putting new handles on the car probably wasn't even thought about, and since origional ones would have been old, and NOS ones would be new, why not put them on right? I'm just making an assumption, but in the early 80's if it was NOS it just came out of a box and went on a car without as much thought as it does today.

Its just a thought, I don't think that there is anything that is 100% accurate on these cars is it?

OH side note on the quarters. If it was my car, and I cut the entire quarter off as you did, I'd hang the whole drivers quarter up on the wall the way it is. I have a buddy who has an entire quarter from a HEMI cuda that he has, hanging up on his wall. He "restored" the car back in the early 80's, and replaced the whole quarter with an NOS one, and has the origional quarter with billboards and all hanging up in his garage. Definately something that is very neat to see when you walk in.

[xs29j8Bullitt]

A few "action" shots & misc pictures tonight...

Joe removing the rear window plug support angles... attached with screws, but also picked up by a lot of the plug mounting spot welds.

No trunk floor has it's advantages! 

Allen

[xs29j8Bullitt]

More, including removal of the deck lid hinges...

Also, comparing a "factory" mix of PPG's EB5 Blue to the cleanest original paint on the C500.  It doesn't show well in the picture, but appeared a shade too light compared to the original (using shop light only).  A test panel will be sprayed, and if necessary darkened to match.  For a "factory" (non-custom) mix, the match was very close.

Allen

[PocketThunder]

I just cant believe the strength that the car has when it is cut up like that and the car still holds it shape on the rotisserie like that. 

[xs29j8Bullitt]

I just cant believe the strength that the car has when it is cut up like that and the car still holds it shape on the rotisserie like that. 

The paint shop owner says he has taken them down to just the rear frame rails and not had a problem.  Being a conservative Engineer, I opted to leave some extra stiffness in the rear of the body.  I would have left even more material if I were doing it...

Also, the body will be supported at the front of the rear sub-frames during shipment... Still, I'll be soooooooo happy when the new quarter panels are installed!

Allen

[Fitz73Chrgr]

Being a conservative Engineer,

Allen

Engineer, eh?  Where did you graduate from and what type of engineering? 

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Being a conservative Engineer,

Allen

Engineer, eh?  Where did you graduate from and what type of engineering? 

Texas A&M University  - BS Aerospace Engineering - Class of 1977 

Currently working as a Senior Staff Aerospace Engineer, but looking forward to retirement... when I can afford it. 

Why do you ask? 

Allen

[69_500]

I didn't know you were an Aggie. Then again I went to the university of Illinois, and was a major in Physics. Didn't graduate, would have been the class of 2000. Not but a few years after you were in college huh Allen?

Oh and I think that if you sold a few of those projects  that you could retire early. 

[xs29j8Bullitt]

I didn't know you were an Aggie.

We have infiltrated everwhere... 

Then again I went to the university of Illinois, and was a major in Physics. Didn't graduate, would have been the class of 2000.

Physics major    My brain hurts just thinking about it... 

would have been the class of 2000. Not but a few years after you were in college huh Allen?

Hmmmmm... is that a crack about my age? 

Oh and I think that if you sold a few of those projects  that you could retire early. 

There are days at work that I think about that... and no, I am not kidding.  But, I want to keep a lot of my toys, so off to work I go every day.  Actually, in today's economy I am grateful for the job that I have! 

Allen

[moparchris]

Keep up the great work Allen;  I was thinking somemore about the chrome/black door handle button issue and I started to think of all the Chargers I've had over the years, 5 68 R/T's, 3 69's and 2 69 'Runners, to the best of my recollection all my Chargers had the chrome buttons.  I'm not ancient but we're talking going back many years before these cars were restored, they were $1,000 hot rods for young guys to buy.  So I'm sure previous owners weren't going to the dealerships and buying new door handles for 8 year old cars.  I only remember 1 68 Charger that we parted out due to a savage 65mph rearending that had the black buttons.
Also I just thought that I have a new 68-70 Charger right outer wheelhouse thats been collecting dust for years.  If this is something you can use for your car, let me know and I will give you a very good price on it.  Keep on truckin'!!

[69_500]

Yeah I know a physics major, not very exciting is it? Then again the people who were in my classes in college weren't the most outgoing and exciting people either. It was pretty much what you would expect from a bunch of NERDS. Sitting around on Firday and Saturday night, seeing who could rattle of PI to the farthest decimal place. Guess I was the odd ball, I liked the classes because they challenged me mentally, but didn't spend all of my time doing things like that. Always had a goodm memory for numbers, and remembering odd ball stuff. So the picking of that as a major was an easy decision. My goal when I went to college was to get an internship at NASA after my junior year. So started by taking 22 credit hours a semester for the first 2 years, then 20 a semester for the last year. Had a GPA of 3.85 no internship, so I left. Wasn't really interested in the idea of getting the degree and being a teacher or anything like that. I know it wasn't the smartest thing to do now looking back, but at the time I was only 19 and it sounded like a good idea. Now 10 years later I wish I hadn't done that.

Oh and that wasn't a crack about your age, but I guess it could have came accross that way. Think of it this way, if your looking for a crack on your age. When you graduated from college I wasn't even born.

I never knew what you did for a job Allen until this thread. I always wanted a job that challenged me mentally, but so far all that I've wound up with are physical labor jobs. That tends to be the only ones that people are willing to hire a person who didn't complete college, in todays society that is.

[learical1]

I didn't know you were an Aggie.

We have infiltrated everwhere... 

Then again I went to the university of Illinois, and was a major in Physics. Didn't graduate, would have been the class of 2000.

Physics major    My brain hurts just thinking about it... 

would have been the class of 2000. Not but a few years after you were in college huh Allen?

Hmmmmm... is that a crack about my age? 

Allen

Arizona State University, Class of 1977, B/S Mathematics.  Never used my degree for anything.

[69_500]

Hey thats the same degree that my brother in law has. He has a B/S in mathematics from Indiana University, and he works at Lowes as a paint pro. Worked for a landscaping company for 10 years prior to that.

[learical1]

It's my fault I don't use my degree.  Finished my last final exam in May,'77 and went on the road with my band that night.  Toured around Arizona til Jan 78.  Never got around to filing for my degree.  To be honest, I wasn't sure I had completed everything I needed to get the degree.  I've been selling parts at Ford dealers since Feb 78.  (the Chrysler/Plymouth dealer wouldn't hire me.  Something about owning too many Mopars and stealing them blind.)  Finially, in 1999, the wife tells me to contact Az State and see what I need to do to get my degree.  They write back, "send $15 and we'll mail it to you."   

[xs29j8Bullitt]

I never knew what you did for a job Allen until this thread. I always wanted a job that challenged me mentally, but so far all that I've wound up with are physical labor jobs. That tends to be the only ones that people are willing to hire a person who didn't complete college, in todays society that is.

Danny - Wow, I never knew about your college experience.  You are right about being denied opportunities without a Degree.  When I first started my career it was not uncommon for non-degreed Designers to work alongside degreed Engineers, but that has completely changed today.  In fact many companies have a Degree as a hard requirement, with no exceptions allowed.  I disagree with that policy, but it is more and more common.

You are still young enough to get a Degree or equivalent if you decide to...

Allen

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Finially, in 1999, the wife tells me to contact Az State and see what I need to do to get my degree.  They write back, "send $15 and we'll mail it to you."   

Bruce - WOW again, that would be the best $15 you ever spend.  It could get you a position totally unrelated to the Degree.  I know of a LOT of people with Degrees that have NO bearing on their work.  Even some of my co-workers have Degrees that I have scarcely heard of before.  I would guess that less than 5% of my co-workers have BSAE/MSAE Degrees, with the majority having BSME/MSME Degrees, and others a wide variety of Degrees (some seemingly having little relation to their work).

Allen

[Fitz73Chrgr]

Being a conservative Engineer,

Allen

Engineer, eh?  Where did you graduate from and what type of engineering? 

Texas A&M University  - BS Aerospace Engineering - Class of 1977 

Currently working as a Senior Staff Aerospace Engineer, but looking forward to retirement... when I can afford it. 

Why do you ask? 

Allen

I'm in school for my BS in Mechanical Engineering, University of Missouri Rolla