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My 1970 Charger 500 is almost done

Started by darbgnik, January 20, 2017, 04:14:44 AM

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darbgnik

I figured I'd give it a shot at doing my own car refurb thread. I bought this car back in 2009 when our dollar was basically as good as the greenback. Prices were low, and our dollar was good. I managed to pick this car up off of eBay from, a seller who was honest, almost to a fault about the condition. It wasn't perfect, but it was a real, solid 1970 Charger! Being that it wasn't a numbers car, or even an R/T for that matter, I could treat it like a blank canvas, not having to worry about committing sacrilege on a car too nice to make my own. It was exactly what I wanted, well, minus the minor rust anyway.

I know the smart money is to buy one done, but honestly, I really bought this car for the journey. That being said, I wanted to do everything myself except body work, and of course the headliner... This car was a very solid example, with at least a 10 year old paint job, so it wasn't hiding any evils. The frame rails were perfect, crossmembers too. Floors were good with a dollar coin sized hole in the drivers floor. It had typical rust in the usual places, trunk floor was more patches than original. Fender and quarter lowers had second rate patches, but that was it. It had no rust around the rear window, or anywhere else for that matter. I bought it in Maryland, but I doubt it spent most of its life there.
The car was a solid 10 footer, easily solid enough to drive, which I did for the first year. In this time I really got familiar with the car, and what it would need. I managed to talk a life long family friend, who owns a well respected body shop, and a 68 Charger, into taking it on. He redid his Charger long before AMD was around, so mine was gonna be a piece of cake in comparison. I sent it to his shop, and started collecting sheetmetal.

Next post, I'll try to figure out how to post pics on here....
Brad

1970 Charger 500. Born a 318, AC, console auto, now 440/727
Build thread:  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,127291.0.html

darbgnik

These are the small pics from the eBay add. This car had started life red, but somewhere along the way, it found it's way under a low quality Sublime paint job. At least it was year correct, right? It also came with a 1967 HP 440, 727, and an 8 3/4, a 4.10 Suregrip, longtube headers, and a highstall torque converter. It was mechanically solid, and a decent driver.
Brad

1970 Charger 500. Born a 318, AC, console auto, now 440/727
Build thread:  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,127291.0.html

darbgnik

The rear window area was surprisingly rust free, and the correct high back 1970 buckets looked to have been redone at some point. The interior was complete, minus the carpet and headliner. Takes away the pain of tracking down all those little pieces later. Roof bows were in the trunk.
Brad

1970 Charger 500. Born a 318, AC, console auto, now 440/727
Build thread:  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,127291.0.html

darbgnik

Brought it to the body shop, and put in an order for 2 full quarters(basically replaces half of the cars exterior metal with something that wont bubble in a year), and end caps, trunk floor and extensions, and outer wheel houses. I also grabbed trunk gutters just in case, as that would be all that's left after the full quarters came off. Rather than pay them to spend hours and hours on the 40 plus year old door skins, I grabbed those too.

Pic of the doors with new skins on, an original rust free skin is leaning on the wall in the background. Pics with the quarters off, and trunk floor going in. A great view of those perfectly solid inner rockers and rear window area.
Brad

1970 Charger 500. Born a 318, AC, console auto, now 440/727
Build thread:  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,127291.0.html

darbgnik

Trunk floors and extensions in, and outer wheelhouses on.
Brad

1970 Charger 500. Born a 318, AC, console auto, now 440/727
Build thread:  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,127291.0.html

darbgnik

Smoothed out trunk on. Quarter panels on. They said the AMD panels fit very well, with very little work. And man, do those body lines pop on the new door skins! I've heard they may not be completely accurate, but what they lose in accuracy, they make up for in crispness.
Brad

1970 Charger 500. Born a 318, AC, console auto, now 440/727
Build thread:  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,127291.0.html

darbgnik

The quarters were also pretty straight, out of the box.
Brad

1970 Charger 500. Born a 318, AC, console auto, now 440/727
Build thread:  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,127291.0.html

darbgnik

The 45 year old replacement fenders I bought were another story. I actually bought them from an Arizona car from a member on here. Thanks Joe! They were rust free, just not exactly straight.
Brad

1970 Charger 500. Born a 318, AC, console auto, now 440/727
Build thread:  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,127291.0.html

darbgnik

Bolt on goodies, ready to get bolted onto the car for the final paint.
Brad

1970 Charger 500. Born a 318, AC, console auto, now 440/727
Build thread:  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,127291.0.html

darbgnik

All blocked out, ready for paint. Finally!
Brad

1970 Charger 500. Born a 318, AC, console auto, now 440/727
Build thread:  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,127291.0.html

darbgnik

Painted. I could have chosen any color, seeing as it was a total repaint, and the original color was red, not Sublime, but the color really grew on me!
Brad

1970 Charger 500. Born a 318, AC, console auto, now 440/727
Build thread:  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,127291.0.html

Kern Dog

Looking at these cars with the quarter panels removed reminds me of looking inside the human brain...
Hey, does your screen name mean King Brad in reverse?

darbgnik

Hahaha, yeah it does..... It's actually not as narcissistic as it seems. I copied my brothers lead(his was llibgnik) trying to get an email address to work years ago, after about a hundred attempts using combinations of my name, initials, dates, etc.

On the plus side, this user name is never taken, on any site, anywhere! lol
Brad

1970 Charger 500. Born a 318, AC, console auto, now 440/727
Build thread:  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,127291.0.html

darbgnik

And how it sits today, exterior is assembled. Waiting on rear quarter covers(door panels) to be made by Legendary, and the upholstery guy to show up and install the headliner. New front and rear glass is in.
Brad

1970 Charger 500. Born a 318, AC, console auto, now 440/727
Build thread:  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,127291.0.html

Lennard


sean257


Tmb84

was the car delivered with those side mirrors? if so its very rare 
70' Charger 383 -top banana
71' hemicuda Sox&Martin "tribute"

JR

70 Charger RT top bananna /68 Charger RT triple green

kokxville

That looks very good. Love the color.It turned out really nice. Ready for summer cruise this year  :cheers:  :drive:
1969 Charger R/T 4 speed A33 Track Pack.
1967 Dodge a108 360 Magnum. Daily driver
1969 Dodge Charger"the car you can take your kids in to school on a friday,go shopping on a saturday,dragrace on a sunday and go to work on monday"

Back N Black


INTMD8

Excellent pics and very nice work!  Panel alignment looks great.  :2thumbs:
69 Charger. 438ci Gen2 hemi. Flex fuel. Holley HP efi. 595rwhp 475rwtq

M5Ivan


Baldwinvette77


Sublime/Sixpack

1970 Sublime R/T, 440 Six Pack, Four speed, Super Track Pak

marshallfry01

I love reading stories like this! Sweet car too!
1969 Charger 383/auto
1969 Charger R/T 440/auto (waiting to be restored)
1972 Chevelle SS clone 383 sbc
1959 Chevy Apache short bed stepside
1968 Charger (glorified parts car)
Yes, I know I have too many cars. My wife reminds me daily.