Should I buy this project 1969 Charger?

[Matthew Maloney]

I payed $300 for this as a stripped roller. Not a XP29 rather a BH23 but it was crudely hack minitubbed with pop rivets, aluminum, and silicone. Booger **** welded relocators, and required everything sheetmetalwise from the firewall pinchweld, back to and including the rear valance had to be replaced because of butchery, and rust, or just missing like the seat braces, and wheel houses that were mercilessly cut out.

Also had to convert a slant sux K frame that was under there to a V8 K frame since it's what I had. Had to find a 69 only non butchered rallye dash frame, a drivetrain, decent front brakes, rims, decent rear axle, driveshaft, all the seats, roof bows, all the wiring, gages, console and brackets, bumper brackets, grilles, front and rear window trim, taillights, hood, header, hood hinges, fenders, front valance, and on and on. Plus all the repop stuff. MoPars are not cheap to restore. Not even A bodies. Needed New wheel houses, LH inner fender apron, lower radiator support, the whole nose sheetmetal and on and on.

Still have to hang quarter skins and trunk drops on it Thank God I have a shop I work out of in my back yard, and the know how to fabricate, weld, modify whatever I need, otherwise it would be junk. This charger having the *** end hacked off it, there is no frame of reference to measure from to put it back together again. Unless you have another of the same car to take accurate measurements from to make sure all the pieces are lined up before you start welding.

Pix below are of the same car currently shown in my avatar. Nothing special really. A 318 auto on the floor, A01 light package. It's a blank canvas for how my son and I want it to be. There was a lot of work in between those strip down pix. I am about 2 years in on this one, and estimate several more years on it as I can get to it a few hours at a time a few days a week .

Note the green turd I bought to drill apart to get replacement structural pieces out of to replace the ones on mine that were crudely hacked out with a torch for minitubs. These are some of the pieces that you cant buy new, since nobody repops them. You reuse off your project, or if butchered or missing like mine were, you get a hacked up donor and get to drilling.

Work and family slow things down a lot. With things this far off in bad condition, you have to have a plan, the madd skillz, the equipment and a dedicated place to utilize the skillz, and the cash to do it. Or at the very least the cash to take it to the AMD service center and pay to have them re skin it. I bet they have all the measurements archived. And at the very least the mental fortitude to stick with it. I say this because people give up on projects like this because they get overwhelmed.

Better have a photographic memory, and take pix. Take lots of pix. Buy a reprint of the factory assembly manual from Faxon. Not the service manuals. The "assembly manual" these were used on the assembly lines when these were built. This car was junk, it wasnt an H or M code car, so it's not particularly valuable. However I dont count my labor because this is enjoyable for me, kinda like people who's hobby is model ship building with individual pieces of wood, and taking years to build one.

I work in the aviation industry as a sheetmetal structural mechanic, so I have access to metal brakes, hydraulic shears, and english wheels. Believe me, its all precision measuring, precision holes and rivets. After dealing with that 10 hours a day, I find automotive sheetmetal work to be crude yet oddly satisfying, and very relaxing for me to do.

 

[Matthew Maloney]

Manual in these pix is 67-69 A body from Faxon auto literature as a reprint. This is the type of book to have, but in your case you will need to find one for B body cars. Price is cheap for all the information it will offer you.

 

[Dave6T4]

Wait and find a better car. In the long run it will be $$$ cheaper. '66 and '67 B-bodies are more affordable. I think "The Dukes of Hazzard" drove the Charger prices up initially, and they just kept going.

 

[Sonny Black]

Very best of luck to you, finding one....I really hope you do!.....
Sonny...Salute' Cin-Cin...

 

[DeltaV]

No!

Be patient and keep looking.

That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Runcharger]

My son paid $15k for this one including $10k worth of AMD tin. I sewed it altogether for him. If you've done it before, Chargers are still really tricky to put the back end together. If you haven't done one before I'm not sure I would recommend it. That aside, financially expect to spend $10k on sheetmetal, then either you have to weld it together or pay someone a lot of $$$ to do it for you. That is just the start, then the expensive part begins, interior, running gear etc. It still may be worth it depending on your skill level.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

Wait and find a better car. In the long run it will be $$$ cheaper. '66 and '67 B-bodies are more affordable. I think "The Dukes of Hazzard" drove the Charger prices up initially, and they just kept going.

Sorry 66 and 67 B bodies may be more affordable but they look nothing like a second gen Charger... And I like 66-67 B bodies so it's not like I'm hating on them, just the fact that the 2nd gen Chargers were recognized as an inspired design when new and still are... Sure they got exposure from the Dukes of Hazard but they really weren't that expensive back then... They also got exposure in the F&F movies.... Chargers are getting hard to come by and folks with more dollars than sense keep laying out big $$$ for them...

 

[Matthew Maloney]

Sorry 66 and 67 B bodies may be more affordable but they look nothing like a second gen Charger... And I like 66-67 B bodies so it's not like I'm hating on them, just the fact that the 2nd gen Chargers were recognized as an inspired design when new and still are... Sure they got exposure from the Dukes of Hazard but they really weren't that expensive back then... They also got exposure in the F&F movies.... Chargers are getting hard to come by and folks with more dollars than sense keep laying out big $$$ for them...

I owned 2 of em back in the day a 68 bright blue 383 console car in the late 1980s. And a 69 B5 440 4 speed car in the early 1990s. I wish I could have em back. I had all kinds of stuff in my folks driveway back then. Several A body barracudas, a 70 duster, a 66 coronet 2 door, even a 70 barracuda with a slant sux LoL. I bought and sold this stuff all day long. It was everywhere back then. The junkyards were littered with A,B,E body cars. sold both chargers to get my life started. Trade school, a house, family etc. All the stuff one does with their life. The popularity of the 68-70 models is now beyond insane. When I decided to get back into the hobby after whetting my appetite doing a frame off restoration on a1960 El Camino and wanting another mopar, I started looking for a 68 charger. This was in 2009. The cheapest deal I could find was a stripped roller 68 383 car with title for $3500. When i say stripped, it was a firewall,cowl, roof, rear quarters. Basically a welded unibody with nothing in it but an 8.75 axle a set of junk springs, and junk rims. But damn man it had that gold plated title lol. Damn, how times have changed. Back in the 1980s and early 1990s a rough and running complete 68-70 charger with title could be had for $400-$800 dollars. Knowing what it was going to take to find it all, the costs for it all etc. I passed on it, got into A bodies, and never looked back. Even A bodies are their own special kind of expense.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Sorry 66 and 67 B bodies may be more affordable but they look nothing like a second gen Charger... And I like 66-67 B bodies so it's not like I'm hating on them, just the fact that the 2nd gen Chargers were recognized as an inspired design when new and still are... Sure they got exposure from the Dukes of Hazard but they really weren't that expensive back then... They also got exposure in the F&F movies.... Chargers are getting hard to come by and folks with more dollars than sense keep laying out big $$$ for them...

I think that a properly restored 1967 Coronet R/T or GTX is still going to set you back in the 50+ large range.

 

[Cojohnso1]

The 2nd gen Charger is hot. I have posted this before comparing a friend's '69 base model Charger to my '69 GTX. I would rate both car very simular in condition (2.3 on a scale 1-5. Where 1 is "Concourse" level show condition.) Both are non numbers matching cars. Charger has base 383 727 trans. My GTX. Base 440 4-speed. I consider my GTX certainly a step up in performance, handling, interior quality. A better car. But there is every indicatcation that he would get 10% more for his Charger on the open market. Even with the 4-speed advantage. (GTX to a R/T would actually be a more fair package comparison.) But of course a R/T would even expand the price gap.

Personally I believe the hide away headlights option plays a role. Lol. But never the less? It's a hot platform. And no indicatcation that demand is going anywhere. Maybe even up?

So in the end? You are not getting "Taken" with that purchase consideration.

 

[OKDart]

The 2nd gen Charger is hot. I have posted this before comparing a friend's '69 base model Charger to my '69 GTX. I would rate both car very simular in condition (2.3 on a scale 1-5. Where 1 is "Concourse" level show condition.) Both are non numbers matching cars. Charger has base 383 727 trans. My GTX. Base 440 4-speed. I consider my GTX certainly a step up in performance, handling, interior quality. A better car. But there is every indicatcation that he would get 10% more for his Charger on the open market. Even with the 4-speed advantage. (GTX to a R/T would actually be a more fair package comparison.) But of course a R/T would even expand the price gap.

Personally I believe the hide away headlights option plays a role. Lol. But never the less? It's a hot platform. And no indicatcation that demand is going anywhere. Maybe even up?

So in the end? You are not getting "Taken" with that purchase consideration.

Not only the hideaway headlights, but the C pillar. The C pillar is slightly awkward looking from the side view on a 68-70 B body. I think it’s because it’s wider at the top. But not on the Charger, they nailed it, pure art!

 

[Fran Blacker]

The bottom line here is if you can't do the MAJOR body repair is forget about it. My 65 Dodge is way better and I'm over my head unless I open my wallet wide.

 

[Cojohnso1]

Not only the hideaway headlights, but the C pillar. The C pillar is slightly awkward looking from the side view on a 68-70 B body. I think it’s because it’s wider at the top. But not on the Charger, they nailed it, pure art!

I agree. Pontiac tried. Made them look big nosed. Their '67 Firebird did best. But got worse from there in my opinion?

 

[spoolinhard]

The car this thread was posted about sold for asking price within 3 days of being listed. Not to the poster. Everyone is entitled to thier opinion.

 

[Cojohnso1]

The car this thread was posted about sold for asking price within 3 days of being listed. Not to the poster. Everyone is entitled to thier opinion.

Like I said. The price was not insulting. Not sure I would tackle? But certainly have seen FAR worse. 2nd Gen Chargers are in hot demand.

 

[Carcinogen]

The market on these has priced out the regular guy. Seller probably regretting not pricing it higher as it sold so fast.

 

[spoolinhard]

The market on these has priced out the regular guy. Seller probably regretting not pricing it higher as it sold so fast.

The seller was happy with what he got.

 

[Matthew Maloney]

Cojohnso1 you also have to remember that exterior visible sheetmetalwise, the only thing a 68-70 charger shares with any other B body in these years is the A pillars, and cowl. Everything else is unique to a charger. The reason its valued more than your 440 4 speed GTX, is likely that reason, along with the hideaway headlights, and flip fuel filler, and all the hype behind em from the FnF series and Dukes of Hazzard.

Not knocking it, so dont take it as such, but the GTX is really just a gussied up Satellite with Road Runner running gear. Plymouth was a price leader type car back then Dodges were concidered a step up above a Plymouth back then. This may be a reason why the Belvedere, Satellite, Road Runner, and GTX shared a common body, exterior trim pieces, bumpers, lighting etc. and all the same exterior visible sheetmetal. It was all to keep the tooling costs down, and by extension, the bottom line on price, so the Plymouth would not need to directly compete in the same price range as Dodges. This way both divisions were able to rack up sales without directly competing against one another.

How many Belvedere, Satellites, Road Runners, and GTXs did they make total per year in those years. It's all the same exact exterior sheetmetal in a 2door hardtop, and pillared coupe, and in 4 different flavors. I'm betting Plymouth made a **** load of em in all 4 flavors in 68-70. I'd say 250,000 per year ? How many Dodge Chargers total each year ? 80,000, maybe 85,000 ? How many are left ? Remember, the only visible exterior sheetmetal the Charger shares with any other B body from this era is the cowl and A pillars. This uniqueness, and limited availability of a Dodge Charger compared to a 2 door Plymouth B body of the same years makes it more exclusive, and therefore of more value.

 

[Cojohnso1]

Cojohnso1 you also have to remember that exterior visible sheetmetalwise, the only thing a 68-70 charger shares with any other B body in these years is the A pillars, and cowl. Everything else is unique to a charger. The reason its valued more than your 440 4 speed GTX, is likely that reason, along with the hideaway headlights, and flip fuel filler, and all the hype behind em from the FnF series and Dukes of Hazzard.

Not knocking it, so dont take it as such, but the GTX is really just a gussied up Satellite with Road Runner running gear. Plymouth was a price leader type car back then Dodges were concidered a step up above a Plymouth back then. This may be a reason why the Belvedere, Satellite, Road Runner, and GTX shared a common body, exterior trim pieces, bumpers, lighting etc. and all the same exterior visible sheetmetal. It was all to keep the tooling costs down, and by extension, the bottom line on price, so the Plymouth would not need to directly compete in the same price range as Dodges. This way both divisions were able to rack up sales without directly competing against one another.

How many Belvedere, Satellites, Road Runners, and GTXs did they make total per year in those years. It's all the same exact exterior sheetmetal in a 2door hardtop, and pillared coupe, and in 4 different flavors. I'm betting Plymouth made a **** load of em in all 4 flavors in 68-70. I'd say 250,000 per year ? How many Dodge Chargers total each year ? 80,000, maybe 85,000 ? How many are left ? Remember, the only visible exterior sheetmetal the Charger shares with any other B body from this era is the cowl and A pillars. This uniqueness, and limited availability of a Dodge Charger compared to a 2 door Plymouth B body of the same years makes it more exclusive, and therefore of more value.

It is true Charger got Charger only panels. Charger is a Dodge. That got more resources. It was a broader baseline. One could get a 6 cylinder if they so ordered. Not true with GTX. Plymouth took a big gamble in '67. It was "Muscle" or bust. For this and the fact that Plymouth all but carried Chrysler thru the performance wars of the Muscle car era (64-71) is why I prefer Plymouth. In the A and E body world? It's not close. Barracuda out duels Dart. Cuda out paced Challenger. Including in today's sales markets.

In 1969 they made a little over 15k GTX. They made about 90k Chargers.

I've never owned Dodge. For me? Plymouth's look better. And have a better performance pedigree. (For lack of a better word.)

JMO of course.

 

[Richard Cranium]

It's hard to believe that the 2nd generation Charger is as desirable as it is over a half a century later. Dodge hit a home run with the styling of this car and it is as beautiful today as it was when it was introduced in the summer of 1967.