Operation: My new Hemi Charger 500, 5th one built of initial 6.

[66 Sat]

Yeah of course it does, just having a blonde moment!

 

[odcics2]

Nope.... There were six built with VINs running from 110610 to 110615, mine is 614. My broadcast sheet was found in 610 and 610 found in mine, 614. The 6 consisted of 3 manuals and 3 autos. All built exactly the same way; R4, 426 Hemi, PW, PS, am/fm, cloth/vinyl with white 500 stripe. So, I know mine was built at the exact same time as 610, the lowest VIN since our seats were found in each other's car. A pair was sent off to California, a pair stayed in the Midwest and a pair to the East Coast. Bud Lindermann's video was done on a track in the Midwest. It is my understanding from a 500 specialist that mine stayed in the Midwest for PR duty then was slated for Carolina delivery to be sold. So far, mine is the only 727 to have surfaced... There will always be room for debate...

Debate!! Well, I guess so.
Hot Rod magazine had 3 test cars according to the November 1968 issue.
So, for this series of Press 500s, all we have is what some folks think happened.
Hey, ask me how hard it is to find Chrysler Documentation for stuff they did!!
Plenty hard - go to aerowarriors.com
I donated a lot of wing car oriented paperwork to the site. Makes for a good read.
I'd guess a lot of you reading have looked at the link to the Bill Wright set of documents from the Woodward Garage South - Where the #88 Daytona was based?

 

[1969daytona]

X2. Clearly a 4spd hump. Strange.
View attachment 850682

The car was being converted to a 4speed when it was bought in 1982 by the previous owner... I'm putting it back to original 727

 

[1969daytona]

Well, the shop is full bore.. Whew..

 

[70VCode]

The car was being converted to a 4speed when it was bought in 1982 by the previous owner... I'm putting it back to original 727

Oh cool! thanks for clearing that up!

Keep up the good work! looking forward to following this build

 

[polyjohn]

Hi Troy,
Great progress indeed!
I woudda kept her 4-speed, but thats just me!
Anyone can fit an auto back in, at anytime easy peasy.
Converting from auto to MANWELL is a tricky jobbie at the best of times...
Thinking of converting my 71 GTX to MANWELL so any spare bits would be wonderful lol...

Have a supersonic Christmas from Limey John

 

[1969daytona]

Hi Troy,
Great progress indeed!
I woudda kept her 4-speed, but thats just me!
Anyone can fit an auto back in, at anytime easy peasy.
Converting from auto to MANWELL is a tricky jobbie at the best of times...
Thinking of converting my 71 GTX to MANWELL so any spare bits would be wonderful lol...

Have a supersonic Christmas from Limey John

Hey John...
Since this is part of the 1st patch built by Creative Industries and the video car, I wanted to put it back to the way it was originally, for the most part. In this case, there wasn't a "1st" built. There were 6 built at the same time... If the lowest VIN broadcast sheet was found in my car, my car and the #610 car would be considered the 1st at the minimum. But in reality, there were 6 "1st"..

 

[1969daytona]

More updates... We decided to go ahead and replace the taillamp panel as well.... Heard good things about them and what to look for..

Floor in the interior coming along..

Found nearly perfect Monaco/Polara full wheel covers that most of the Press Release cars came with

 

[HD539]

Cool story, I somehow missed the start of this thread. Looking forward to seeing the end result. The video was very entertaining.

 

[1969daytona]

Arranging the garage this weekend to make room for a 70 Barracuda ragtop.. Thought I'd snap a picture of the 426 Hemi for my 500.. Took the valve covers off and she is clean as a whistle in there, fresh motor..

 

[1969daytona]

starting to look like a complete car again.. The rear of the car has gotten some focused time..

 

[odcics2]

Hey John...
Since this is part of the 1st patch built by Creative Industries and the video car, I wanted to put it back to the way it was originally, for the most part. In this case, there wasn't a "1st" built. There were 6 built at the same time... If the lowest VIN broadcast sheet was found in my car, my car and the #610 car would be considered the 1st at the minimum. But in reality, there were 6 "1st"..

Where were they piloted?
Outer Drive Pre Production??

 

[1969daytona]

Where were they piloted?
Outer Drive Pre Production??

Outer Drive Pre Production?

Well, the 1st 6 cars were built in 3 pairs; manual and auto to send to magazine and test drives / road tests. The cars were destined for the West Coast, East Coast and Mid-West. I have spoken to Galen about this, also Richard with car 110610 (I am car 110614) and he, along with Galen would place money on our 2 as the Press Release cars in the MidWest, where Bud Lindermann did his videos. Galen mentioned, according to this list he has, the first sequence of cars were XXX610-615. Our data tag VON all start with 925***. The 925 designates the Charger 500 A11 package and the 610 car is 925000 and mine is 925004. His broadcast sheet was found in my car and mine in his car. That in itself shows the cars were built at the exact same time. In essence, these were the 1st production group of cars destined for PR duties then to be sold. These are unlike the '68 pilot Charger 500..

 

[odcics2]

Outer Drive Pre Production is where Pilot Cars were built.
Your car, and all the others, would then be shipped to Creative to install the rear plug
and grille assy.
That's where your build sheets got swapped. At that time, Creative could have had all 6, or 8 or 10 or whatever the number was of early Charger 500s.
Now, if the cars were built at the assembly plant, but just some the first ones off the line
that were designated as Press cars, Outer Drive would have been out of the loop.

Does any documentation exist as to where the Press cars were first built, prior to conversion to "500" status?

 

[1969daytona]

Outer Drive Pre Production is where Pilot Cars were built.
Your car, and all the others, would then be shipped to Creative to install the rear plug
and grille assy.
That's where your build sheets got swapped. At that time, Creative could have had all 6, or 8 or 10 or whatever the number was of early Charger 500s.
Now, if the cars were built at the assembly plant, but just some the first ones off the line
that were designated as Press cars, Outer Drive would have been out of the loop.

Does any documentation exist as to where the Press cars were first built, prior to conversion to "500" status?

Yes, I totally know the process of Charger 500's being built: Charger built (as an R/T), then taken over to Creative and converted, done.. It is clear that there were Press Release cars built to get the "word" out. No denying that. There isn't anything that says "this car or that car" was destined for Press Release duty. I believe there is something that states 110610 (Richard's car) was. The Mopar forensics are there.. If there are going to be doubters, there will be. But when there are a grouping of 6 consecutive VINS at the very beginning, then a big gap, it seems clear that those 6 were the 3 pairs shipped off for PR duty and mine was one of them. There was only 1 pilot car, the 68 body version that was built as we all know and love.

 

[odcics2]

Let's not forget Clairepointe Pre Production, either!

When did model changeover occur from 68 to 69 Chargers? Mid July, 68?
So, there were some quantities of "regular" Chargers built prior to the 500s being launched, from what I can tell. Just trying to figure out stuff...

 

[1969daytona]

Let's not forget Clairepointe Pre Production, either!

When did model changeover occur from 68 to 69 Chargers? Mid July, 68?
So, there were some quantities of "regular" Chargers built prior to the 500s being launched, from what I can tell. Just trying to figure out stuff...

Yes, I am very sure there were regular Chargers being built prior to the initial C500 kick-off. I have a friend here in Houston that has what is thought of as being the first 69 Charger built, the "Wailer" ad Charger. I think it has a 1st week of August SPD. Typically, the end of the 2nd week of July was when the previous model year stopped production then there was the changeover period for the next model year.

Now, not sure what the pilot C500 and any Clairepoint connection is, but Clairepoint is typically associated with Superbird production since that is where they finished the Superbird assembly process with the nose and wing,,, then shipped.. It is my understanding all production, even the first Press Release 500's, were all built at Creative Industries.

 

[1969daytona]

Well, the ole girl is in good hands with Brian and Ray Reitz over at RF Customs.. There is a strong momentum forward with the car. They are making sure the moldings and gaps are all good, soon the car will be in primer.. Moving along nicely..

 

[rolling_Thunder]

Looking good as usual!

 

[1969daytona]

1st primer
What a big difference when the car is a uniform color. RF Customs shot the first coat of primer on the car yesterday.. Looking great !!!
Have a few items to address like the console brackets and misc wire tabs on the trunk and rear section. Thanks also to Dave Points for removing the original rear valance wire tabs and reconditioning them. Thanks to Brian and Ray Reitz at the shop..