Hemi Charger Restoration thread (Updated 5/28/10 - Nearly complete!!!)

[bzabodyn]

Well, looks like the ball might finally be rolling in the right direction - Jeff and Jaime from American Classic Cars in Conroe, TX came today to pick up my '69 Hemi Charger 4speed to begin looking it over to get a game plan together for getting this beauty/beast back on the road.  Jeff's father is the owner of the company and they both are huge Mopar heads - his knowledge of my car and Mopars in general was comforting... I've been talking to another gentleman with their company for the last week or so and they were so excited about the project that they arranged to actually pick up my car on their day off!

American Classic Cars is expanding rapidly, and in conjunction with the Speed Channel they are going to be doing some air time to promote their new franchises... after they learned of my car, they also started talks with the Speed Channel to possibly look at doing a show on the complete resto of the car - basically a huge promotional tool to show that with all the repro parts out their now (including sheet metal), nearly any project is viable (hopefully if this gets approved, it'll help the $$$ aspect too ).  Still a lot of speculation, but exciting nevertheless... I also plan on giving a few magazines a call to get them involved in the project also - so hopefully there is plenty of coverage out there for the Mopar world...

I'll use this thread for regular updates on the resto - I haven't 100% committed to the shop yet, but it is promising...

Here's a few pics - towards the end, that's me with my 8-month old son, Dayton (sweet name, huh?) and then of us stalking them down the highway  

















Brandon Z.

[69bronzeT5]

There she goes! Looks good man! Keep us up to date on everything

[Hemidoug]

Good luck with your project!  I know it will be a little easier now a days with all the great sheet metal comming on market. I didn't have that option when I did mine starting back in 92. It took me 6 years just to find a rot free fender! Most of the parts I needed I had to scrounge from various yards and two parts cars. Mine took 10 years to complete, most of that was due to lack of parts. Finding it whole is another blessing. It looks like you are on the way to having a very nice restored Hemi car! Keep us up to date and don't forget the pictures!

[bzabodyn]

No worries on the pictures - Jaime is actually a photographer and is always putting together a digital "scrapbook" on the resto - he actually took about 60 pictures of the car today before it even left! 

I think I'm going to start a website/blog for it... we'll see...

BZ

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Man, you left in "as found" condition all this time?   I would have been out there with the toothbrush the first day I got it!

[Ghoste]

It isn't exactly as found. 

[69_500]

hey between the first  5 pictures who stole your flip top gas cap? It is present in the first photo, then goes missing in the last ones.

[hemi68charger]

Yo B..
Thanks great... Amazing to think there are two Hemi Chargers with 10 miles of each other going through restorations. My '68 is in the Woodlands area just before Conroe. Maybe you can meet me some time so I cxan show you my '68, it's almost done though.. Look forward in helping out..........  I'll also be interested in talking to them about the resto.... Make darn sure they know how to treat the rear valance/end cap area if you need to mess with it (It's a Charger, of course you will).. Just passing on some words of wisdom..

Happy Thanksgiving........
Troy

[bzabodyn]

Thanks Troy - I'll be heading there Saturday and probably Monday the 3rd to iron everything out... Maybe I'll swing by Mo's and check out your blue beast!  and yes - the end cap area will DEFINITELY need to be "messed" with, so I'll make sure they know how to do that properly...

...the car was being stored about 30-40min away, so I really didn't have a bunch of chances to get there and go over it... just enough to pull out most of the interior to look for broadcast sheets and of course, to pull off the wing... had to actually crawl through the interior into the trunk area to "jimmy" open the trunklid to access it... AND I DIDN'T FALL THROUGH THE FLOOR!

The wing is going to a local body shop to be blasted/primered before I put it up for sale (most likely on EBay unless I get an offer I can't refuse)...

BZ

[THE CHARGER PUNK]

looked better with the wing

[bzabodyn]

Well, that's been a tough thing for me since day one - until xs29j8bullitt (Allen) posted those pics in another thread of the car from back in the early 80's without the wing... I then confirmed with another gentleman (the mechanic that has been in question) that they were going to restore the car as a road racer in '88ish when he purchased the wing and installed it... so, I just don't think there's enough history to keep it...

BUT, if I would have found a picture of the car with the wing on it rounding the track at TX World Speedway back in the early '70's... you bet your ass I'd keep it on there!

BZ

[NMike]

Please post the "other thread" with the wing not there, I can't find it.  Thanks, Rob.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,34526.0.html

[1969chargerrtse]

Please post the "other thread" with the wing not there, I can't find it.  Thanks, Rob.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,34526.0.html

O.K, call me stupid but I still can't find a picture taken way back in the 80's without the wing?  I went through all 4 pages and saw no wingless pics of that car from the past?  Help me here.


"Well, that's been a tough thing for me since day one - until xs29j8bullitt (Allen) posted those pics in another thread of the car from back in the early 80's without the wing... "

[Troy]

Here you go:
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,35251.0.html

Troy

[69bronzeT5]

hey between the first  5 pictures who stole your flip top gas cap? It is present in the first photo, then goes missing in the last ones.

Its looks like theres alot of rust around it..maybe it fell in?

[1969chargerrtse]

Here you go:
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,35251.0.html

Troy

Many thanks!!!

[HeavyFuel]

In that one pic, it looked like you were ready to give up your first born to get the car done.  Sometimes it feels that way. 

[xs29j8Bullitt]

Looking forward to following your Hemi Charger's restoration! 

Allen

[Ghoste]

Me too, and some of us lke it better without the wing. 

[69bronzeT5]

Me too, and some of us lke it better without the wing. 

me too

[bzabodyn]

hey between the first  5 pictures who stole your flip top gas cap? It is present in the first photo, then goes missing in the last ones.

Just saw this post... no one stole it - more like it fell through the hole in the quarter panel!

BZ

[bzabodyn]

In that one pic, it looked like you were ready to give up your first born to get the car done.  Sometimes it feels that way. 

hahaha - good one! Yeah, definitely have a new "baby" in the family since I've acquired the charger... he's kind of a reason for restoring it - probably a much better return on my money than some state-sponsored college fund!

BZ

[charge69]

Sounds like a great opportunity for you and the Charger to get a lot of press time!  Hopefully some money to help with the restoration too.   Good luck and keep us posted.

Carl

[69bronzeT5]

hey between the first  5 pictures who stole your flip top gas cap? It is present in the first photo, then goes missing in the last ones.

Just saw this post... no one stole it - more like it fell through the hole in the quarter panel!

BZ

knew it!

[justin1987]

Good luck with the resto.