1970 charger re creation

[spoolinhard]

Ok, here is my story. I am 29 years old, when I was in high school my dad and I found a 68 R/T out to pasture that I bought for pocket change. I bought it and brought it home; since I already had a challenger project my mom was pissed when I drug the charger home. Needless to say she made me sell it and I have wanted one ever since. I vowed that the next opportunity I had to own one I would keep it. Fast forward to todays insane charger prices it took alot of digging but I bought a very crusty (but complete) 70 charger. While I was hunting up unibody parts for it I ran across the 69 that I am currently building, which turned out to be in way better shape than the 70. So, with the 70 being my favorite (and also the the best year for chargers:hello2 I sold off all of the 69 specific pieces of the car (made my money back and even a couple dollars on the 69) and am going to convert it to 70 with the parts car that I have as well as all of the pieces that I have collected. It is going to be plum crazy with a white bench seat interior and a white rump stripe with go wing.

The car was wrecked in the 80s and sat around as a parts car ever since. The car is currently at the frame shop getting the front frame damage pulled. After I get it back I am going to replace the upper and lower cowl along with the firewall from a donor car. I am also replacing the drivers frame rail/inner fender along with the radiator support as one unit (scavenged from 70 R/T). The car will also need new floors from the firewall to the tail light panel. I have pretty much everything, just waiting to get the car back and am super excited to start on it!!!

Here is the crusty 70. It will give up its drivetrain, suspension and interior.

and here is the soon to be former 69

Here are a few of the parts that are going to be used in the resto.

 

[747mopar]

You wouldn't happen to still have the grill trim for the best year Charger "69" haha? There's a few Chargers being built on this sight right now if you didn't already know. Like you I love the Chargers and am looking forward to seeing another being built here on FBBO. Congrats on a sweet car.

 

[spoolinhard]

You wouldn't happen to still have the grill trim for the best year Charger "69" haha? There's a few Chargers being built on this sight right now if you didn't already know. Like you I love the Chargers and am looking forward to seeing another being built here on FBBO. Congrats on a sweet car.

I found about a 2 inch chunk of the grill corner where it meets the bumper (found it in the interior). That is all that remained of the grill lol! I threw it on ebay and got 20 bucks for it. The way the car looks on the trailer is how I got it. Other than a pass fender, nothing up front, and the fender was shot. already cut it up for patch panels for the 70 fender!

 

[Mr.SpeedFreak]

Cool project man, I'm 21 and knee-deep in my own Charger, too. Looks like that '69 got hit pretty good, looking forward to seeing your progress!

Also I'm starting to do grille restorations for people, if you'd want me to do yours just shoot me a message. Here's mine that I'm finishing up
ccasion14:

 

[CHARGERSTEVEN]

I have a few used pieces here centre piece is a bit dented but rest is good needs a good polishing. Also have inner pieces with no end pieces or centre.if interested send pm for pics

- - - Updated - - -

I HAVE A FEW USED PIECES HERE CENTRE PIECE IS A BIT DENTED BUT REST IS GOOD NEEDS A GOOD POLISHING. ALSO HAVE INNER PIECES WITH NO END PIECES OR CENTRE.IF INTERESTED SEND PM FOR PICS

 

[spoolinhard]

Heres some more pieces awaiting their turn. These 2 pieces will make the job much easier :hello2:. Drove down to Kansas for the firewall

Here is the front frame/radiator support. I bought the whole engine basket out of Beatrice Nebraska and salvaged what I needed. It was a shame, it was a true 70 R/T. The PO bought the car as a bare shell and cut the rocker out of it and scrapped the car.

Here is the 26 inch radiator opening that I made. All the contours were there to make the smaller opening a 26 inch, so I just chopped the center out of the panel and stitched them back together! Worked great, much better than trying to salvage the opening out of the parts car in this weather!

 

[747mopar]

Somebody is going to be buisy, looks like some nice solid parts.

 

[Basket case]

:happy1::happy1::happy1:

 

[snakeyes]

you have gotten a lot of work done and it looks like you have a lot more to do thanks for up dating and posting photos :headbang:

 

[howco70]

Love those Chargers. Should be well worth the effort when it's done. Not many of them left that haven't been found, at least in the Northwest.

 

[Mr.SpeedFreak]

Cool deal, looks like the core support is for a 26" radiator car too. Good score, fire up the welder!

 

[roadrunnerman]

So what's going to happen to the white charger?

 

[spoolinhard]

Cool deal, looks like the core support is for a 26" radiator car too. Good score, fire up the welder!

Nope, I made that lol! The white car has a 26" support, I didnt want to go through all the hassle of stripping away the front end and such to drill it out, so I just shorted the pass. side non 26 in. radiator support to make it a 26. All of the contours are exactly the same, just had to remove a little metal from the center.

- - - Updated - - -

So what's going to happen to the white charger?

Its getting scrapped for sure. All 4 frame rails are shot, along with every body panel except for the front valance. there is also a significant amount of rot in the roof structure.

 

[Mr.SpeedFreak]

That works! haha, how good of shape is your '70 grille in? Doesn't look too bad other than the hit in the bumper. And plum crazy with white interior is gonna look sharp!

How did your Challenger come out?? Love me some E-bodies too

 

[spoolinhard]

That works! haha, how good of shape is your '70 grille in? Doesn't look too bad other than the hit in the bumper. And plum crazy with white interior is gonna look sharp!

How did your Challenger come out?? Love me some E-bodies too

The grill in the pics is in not too bad of shape. It is my backup grill lol, I have one that is much nicer. The challenger on the other hand has been a bit of a headache and an unrealistic project. It is a 70 4 speed TA. Its on Hiatus due to how expensive it is to work on and the level of quality that I want for the car. The metal work is done and the hard to get parts have been acquired, it has become more of a chore than fun to work on, thats why I am building this charger. I have had alot of good luck acquiring parts and met alot of nice folks.

 

[tallhair]

The grill in the pics is in not too bad of shape. It is my backup grill lol, I have one that is much nicer. The challenger on the other hand has been a bit of a headache and an unrealistic project. It is a 70 4 speed TA. Its on Hiatus due to how expensive it is to work on and the level of quality that I want for the car. The metal work is done and the hard to get parts have been acquired, it has become more of a chore than fun to work on, thats why I am building this charger. I have had alot of good luck acquiring parts and met alot of nice folks.

Us B body guys are a lot more fun

 

[spoolinhard]

Still waiting to get the car back from having the frame pulled. In the mean time here is the grill, getting real close to paint:


from this

to this

and lots of work in between!

 

[cdr]

looks very good,keep at it.

 

[Budnicks]

cool project, sounds like you have your hands full, fabricating & converting the 69-70, interesting thread/build, I'll have to keep an eye on this one too... good luck I always liked the 68-70's Chargers

 

[Propwash]

Heck of smuck that old Dodge took on. Looking forward to the build. Looks like a really cool project.