Should haves?

[Aroz34]

Hey guys...new guy here. I'm getting ready to pick up my first charger this weekend. I'm 25 and wanted to start a project with my grandpa before its too late. It's a 1970 Charger 500 with a 318 and auto trans. My plans are a complete restoration. I'm going to swap the 318 with a 440 and install an A-833 just because. My question to you all is what would you have done differently or what you have done to make your charger great?

Aroz34

[Mopar Nut]

Take plenty of pictures, before and after.

[charge69]

Welcome here and what color is the original color? Changing the Charger to a 440-4spd is certainly a doable project. Just takes rubbing enough time and money on it. Good luck and some "before" pics, please!

[F8-4life]

Dont argue/fight with whoever your working with on the charger. Be in a good headset..have fun. best advice I can give. Wish I would have taken it earlier

[Cooter]

Differently? Spent more money on the body and just waited for it.


To make it great? NEVER listen to someone else when it comes to doing your Charger, your way. Do it for YOU and no one else. WAY too many get caught up in this one. They SAY they don't care, but inside, deep down, they really do. Afterall, this is basically why this thread was brought up to a certian extent.

[Mike DC]

  
If you have the car in running condition, value that.  Don't be in too much of a hurry to tear everything down if you can enjoy it for a while as it is.  


-  It's very easy to take these cars apart.  
-  It's very easy to see tons of things you want to redo once you have it apart.  
-  It's very easy to take many years & big dollars doing all that.

But . . .

-  It's very hard and expensive to redo everything in a short (or even medium) timeframe.  
-  It's very hard (and not as cheap as you might think) to make yourself reassemble the whole car without redoing everything.

[Fred]

I pretty much did it right the first time.
But let me welcome you to the forum and wish you good luck  

[70 sublime]

Are you from Ontario ?
I saw an ad for someone looking for a Charger to work on with grandfather

[Aroz34]

Thanks for the help so far. Good info. Nope not from Ontario. Kansas, long way from there. Keep it coming!

[Tilar]

Welcome to the board! Great bunch of folks around here and more knowledge and experience here than you'll find on the rest of the net combined.

Differently? Spent more money on the body and just waited for it.


To make it great? NEVER listen to someone else when it comes to doing your Charger, your way. Do it for YOU and no one else. WAY too many get caught up in this one. They SAY they don't care, but inside, deep down, they really do. Afterall, this is basically why this thread was brought up to a certian extent.

Gotta agree with Cooter here. With my 68 I wish I had waited to get one with the options I wanted, but the body on mine is really pretty good for being original so it's a wash IMO. I have everything to add all the options I want.

[six-tee-nine]

What Cooter said!

Dont cut corners on the body and paintwork. if you think a panel needs replaced dont patch it because you want to save cash.
Do it right.

If you run out of money for a fancy set of wheels or maybe an expensive suspension uprgrade, you can always upgrade later during a winter season.
But stripping a car down again for a repaint because it needs a new quarter 2 years after you had the car restored is'nt something you want to go trough.

BTW, 440 4 speed is probably the coolest way they came (except for the Hemi  ). But keep in mind that it does'nt stop with a trans hump.
Tip spend one night a week on ebay and other sites for parts.

[Back N Black]

Should haves...
1. lots of money
2. lots of time
3. Skill.
4. Realistic timelines
5. Plan.

[bill440rt]

Restoring it with your Grandpa? Very nice.
I restored my first with my dad at 16. What would I have done differently? Spent more time with him. Other than that I wouldn't change a thing.
Hopefully this is a positive experience for the both of you. 

[Blusmbl]

 
If you have the car in running condition, value that.  Don't be in too much of a hurry to tear everything down if you can enjoy it for a while as it is.  


-  It's very easy to take these cars apart.  
-  It's very easy to see tons of things you want to redo once you have it apart.  
-  It's very easy to take many years & big dollars doing all that.

But . . .

-  It's very hard and expensive to redo everything in a short (or even medium) timeframe.  
-  It's very hard (and not as cheap as you might think) to make yourself reassemble the whole car without redoing everything.

This isn't Mike's first rodeo, judging by this post.

What will you enjoy more, a running Charger a little rough around the edges, or a Charger apart in your garage for the next 10 years, waiting on time/money?  Once it's apart it will be very difficult to not make everything perfect, and that gets expensive in a hurry.

[Homerr]

It will try to snowball you.  Don't try to make it so nice that you won't drive it or can't afford to finish it.

Here's a good thread on building with a budget over at FBBO"

http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/showthread.php?40022-Project-Pittsbird-Almost-Done

[Dino]

Best advice I can give you:  It's all about the journey, not the destination.

Enjoy this time with your grandpa, the car is just a tool, nothing more.

About the car itself, write down all the options you would like on it and figure out cost and work to make it happen, then see if it is worth it to you.  Don't cut corners, if you see anything that needs work then do it, don't ignore it as you will regret it later.

Don't forget you can add options after it is done.  It doesn't mean you need to start all over.

Lastly, make the car as you and your grandpa want it and don't listen to anyone else.

[six-tee-nine]

Should haves...
1. lots of money
2. lots of time
3. Skill.
4. Realistic timelines
5. Plan.

If you have "lots" of skill you can go ahead with just money instead of "lots" of money

My timelines are so realistic a don't have them anymore

[Aroz34]

Really good advice guys and thanks for the support. I will probably get pics up this weekend and try to document the entire build.

[b5blue]

  Get and study a Factory Service Manual first! 

[Fred]

  Get and study a Factory Service Manual first! 

Excellent advice.   

[tan top]

 hello & welcome 

[Patronus]

Dont paint it black 

[six-tee-nine]

No, not orange with a flag on top either

[6pkrtse]

Welcome to the site. I also have a 70 Charger 500 S.E. that was also originally a 318 car. It came with a 440 though. It is your car build it you way.

[HeavyFuel]

 
If you have the car in running condition, value that.  Don't be in too much of a hurry to tear everything down if you can enjoy it for a while as it is.  


-  It's very easy to take these cars apart.  
-  It's very easy to see tons of things you want to redo once you have it apart.  
-  It's very easy to take many years & big dollars doing all that.

But . . .

-  It's very hard and expensive to redo everything in a short (or even medium) timeframe.  
-  It's very hard (and not as cheap as you might think) to make yourself reassemble the whole car without redoing everything.

And if you're a perfectionist....factor the above considerations exponentially.

If I had it to do over.....I'd buy a "done" or nearly done car and start enjoying it right away, unless you have mad skills and/or $$.

Here's my sad tale, don't let it happen to you:

My car was a pretty decent car, very complete, with a few issues...but nothing major.  I thought the car should be beautiful and near perfect, so it sat for 14 years till I could start the resto, which has taken another 7 years and counting.    It's a numbers '68 R/t I picked up for $6k, probably got another $20-25k into it, and have yet to put in any really enjoyable seat time.  My daughter wasn't born when I got the car, she's never ridden in it, and she's at college now.