'69 charger r/t-se: Building my dream car

[ChargerRTguy]

Great job soo far.......keep up the good work.

 

[Mr.SpeedFreak]

Thanks guys, really exciting to see this stuff start to come together

Thanks for the ****, looks great and console looks really good as well. Vinyl wrap? Looks like an easy cheap way to make something look good again. Congrats

Yeah it's pretty cool stuff! Only $15 for a 1'x5' sheet, and pretty easy to use. My original woodgrain was pretty nice, just a couple scratches, but I just felt like doing something different. And I already tested this on a junk extra woodgrain dash panel, the vinyl will peel back off with some heating and still leave the woodgrain underneath just fine, if I ever decide I want to go back to it. And I'll be doing my dash panels in matte black, was considering doing the titanium all the way across but think it'd look a little over-done.

 

[cdr]

looks VERY good

 

[tallhair]

You are really kicking *** now speed ! I'm loving the updates and gonna hate to see the build come to an end

 

[Mr.SpeedFreak]

Thanks guys and I'm glad to have you all along for the ride, I'd probably still be scratching my head a few miles back without the help of everyone on the forum. I wouldn't worry about it ending any time soon though, I think "finished" is going to be a relative word for the Frankencharger haha. Still planning on doing that procharged injected 440, and some different chassis/suspension upgrades. Definitely going to be some long-term fun here :icon_thumleft:

Had a pretty busy weekend but managed to get a bit done, vinyl wrapped my faceplates for the dash, got the distributor in the engine, and actually shanghai'd my gifriend into helping me finish up the vinyl wrap on the console. Fun times watching Two Lane Blacktop and working on it with her, and I'm stoked with how it turned out

Also here's a shot of the rear drums painted and hubcentric spacers on, and a before-and-after of the rear stance with the spacers installed.

Didn't move them a ton, but just enough that I think they're spaced perfect now. Just a hair wider track

Before:

After:

So right now I'm taking a shot at making my own sheetmetal glovebox and modifying my dash plate to fit my new stereo. Once I get this dash fully put back together I'll be back to the grille, hopefully finish that up this weekend
ccasion14:

 

[cdr]

HEy i was not ready to do my console

 

[747mopar]

Curious, where's your back up lights? Is it a new panel that requires drilling them yourself? That console looks sweet! I know what you mean, I've already got plenty of upgrades planned after it's done, 4 wheel disc, T56 6 speed, possible front end upgrade, and other little things. Procharged, is that a supercharger, blower, turbo? Not trying to sell you on something but thought I'd ask if you've read up on BB motor combo's, the BB 400 is a real good starting point for a cheap power plant even preferred by allot. It has a bigger bore than the 440, is 3/4" shorter, uses the same head, and with little work can be fitted with the 440 crank making a 451 on the cheap. I was originally going to use a 440 but ended up robbing it's internals, now when I do something with it it will be a 500+ ci. Just thought I'd mention it seeing how they're pretty easy to come buy.

 

[Ron 73]

Looking good SF! I love the console, really looks good!

 

[Mr.SpeedFreak]

Well you're blazing a trail Charlie so I had to jump ahead with at least one thing lol

And 747 that's actually an original '68 rear valance that was pieced in sometime before the car got to me, luckily I have a friend in the next town over that has a General Lee shell on display in his front yard, so we made templates for where to cut the holes off that and bought a mint set of lights from him too. And yep Prochargers are centrifugal superchargers, like a belt driven turbo off to the side so no need to chop up the hood. And the gap between the radiator and grille happens to be the perfect size for an intercooler :thinker: lol. I was thinking about going with a tremek, but now looking at the Passon Performance 5 speed, it's in an aluminum A833 case so it'd be a pretty straightforward swap. And yeah I was reading up on the different 400 block builds after seeing yours, pretty awesome stuff. But I'll most likely using my current 440 for the build now that I know the whole bottom end is balanced and brand new, it'll give me a little headstart on the build just having to do the top end.

Thanks Ron, I wasn't sure how it would turn out but I really like it now that it's done :icon_thumleft:

- - - Updated - - -

Here's last night's progress, got my radio plate modified for my new stereo. Took very little convincing and it fits like a glove.


Then I vinyl wrapped it and got it and the other faceplates in the dash, and mocked up the pads and A-pillar moldings to get an idea how it'll look. I was worried about the modern stereo jumping out as being "out of place," but I think it all fits together nicely. Considering painting the chromed plastic around the edge of the faceplates black since it's started to show bare plastic in some spots, but still not sure on it

 

[cdr]

your dash is friggin awesome !!!!

 

[747mopar]

X2, very nice and I like that look versus the woodgrain "something about sticker wood just bugs me, maybe because I do allot of woodworking". I agree the Passon would be more straight forward "I guess I'm a gluten for punishment" but after feeling the shifting at a show and doing the math I gotta have it. If I remember correctly I will be at 1,900-2,000 rpm cruising at 65mph and running 4:11 gears "who said you can't have your cake and eat it to". Looking good

 

[cdr]

thats why i went a518 overdrive,i have 4.57 rear gear & with my trans it will be like a 3.15 rear gear .

 

[747mopar]

thats why i went a518 overdrive,i have 4.57 rear gear & with my trans it will be like a 3.15 rear gear .

Nice, what's the ft lb capacity and what does it take to install? Sorry Speedy, don't mean to much on your thread.

 

[Mr.SpeedFreak]

No problem guys I'm curious about that trans too haha when I was reading that how-to article I sent Charlie on his swap, it sounded like a pretty cool option. I'm not set in stone on which to go with yet, still a lot of research to do but "from what I was told" you could run 4.56's with the Passon and still cruise at high speed/low revs. But like I say, still have to do some research and see what the actual ratios are for that trans. so any input you guys have is appreciated

And thanks for the compliments on the dash, I'm pretty excited to see it in the car finally. Looks a little different from when I got it haha

 

[BigBlock61]

That interior is looking amazing my friend! For being as young as you are you're attention to detail is impeccable. You give me hope for the youth of America.

 

[hunt2elk]

Your dash turned out great Speedy. That's going to be one of the next projects for my car - hope it turns out 1/2 as nice as yours did.

 

[Ron 73]

well you're blazing a trail charlie so i had to jump ahead with at least one thing lol

and 747 that's actually an original '68 rear valance that was pieced in sometime before the car got to me, luckily i have a friend in the next town over that has a general lee shell on display in his front yard, so we made templates for where to cut the holes off that and bought a mint set of lights from him too. And yep prochargers are centrifugal superchargers, like a belt driven turbo off to the side so no need to chop up the hood. And the gap between the radiator and grille happens to be the perfect size for an intercooler :thinker: Lol. I was thinking about going with a tremek, but now looking at the passon performance 5 speed, it's in an aluminum a833 case so it'd be a pretty straightforward swap. And yeah i was reading up on the different 400 block builds after seeing yours, pretty awesome stuff. But i'll most likely using my current 440 for the build now that i know the whole bottom end is balanced and brand new, it'll give me a little headstart on the build just having to do the top end.

Thanks ron, i wasn't sure how it would turn out but i really like it now that it's done :icon_thumleft:

- - - updated - - -

here's last night's progress, got my radio plate modified for my new stereo. Took very little convincing and it fits like a glove.
View attachment 142414

then i vinyl wrapped it and got it and the other faceplates in the dash, and mocked up the pads and a-pillar moldings to get an idea how it'll look. I was worried about the modern stereo jumping out as being "out of place," but i think it all fits together nicely. Considering painting the chromed plastic around the edge of the faceplates black since it's started to show bare plastic in some spots, but still not sure on it

View attachment 142415

View attachment 142416

sweet!!!

 

[roadrunnerman]

You really blended the radio in with the dash so it doesn't scream "out of place" when you look at it.

 

[Budnicks]

Dash is looking sweet... great job

 

[cdr]

Nice, what's the ft lb capacity and what does it take to install? Sorry Speedy, don't mean to much on your thread.

most info should be in my thread, an a518 is a 727 with an overdrive on the back, they used them behind 5.9 diesels ,if you are serious about the swap contact me & i will give you my phone # .