Operation Superbird: Bringing the Lemon-Twist Bird back to life: She's gone...

[hemi68charger]

Hey gang...
Thought I would start a restoration thread on my new Superbird ( albeit it doesn't look new ). This will be a slow process, but hopefully there will be constant progress at some rate:

Initially, here's how this car came to into my Mopar-World..

1. Way back when, I used to have a cool white with burnt orange interior '70 Charger R/T, v-code 440 six pack auto. At the time, it was my daily-everyday car. Those were the days. It was my first R/T and my first car to hit the "big time" with a photo spread in Musclecar Review magazine.. I big deal for a 20 year old, especially it being my everyday car. It was a great car.... Into its retired years, I traded it for my future '68 Hemi Charger R/T which eventually became part of my Troy-trade for my current Daytona.

2. Fast forward years later. While surfing eBay, I came across a '70 4bbl Charger R/T in which. It was a nice car, so I sent the owner a complimentary email that I like the car and good luck. I mentioned I used to have a white '70 v-code Charger R/T and would love to have one again. ( of course, this is way before my Daytona, but during my '68 Hemi Charger R/T ownership days ). He replies back with thanks for the compliment and tells me he has a white '70 Charger R/T v-code.. What?! But, I didn't have enough money for it... Then, out of the blue, I get a call from a friend who's passing on a '70 Barracuda and wanted to know if I was interested or knew anyone that would be... So, I call the guy with the car, ask him to describe it and read off the VIN, I'm at work during this time and figure it's nothing more than a 318 car, 383 Cuda at most... Well, when the dude reads off B..... S.... 23..... V.... 0..... yada yada yada... What? I ask him, "Did you say "V" or "U" on the fifth digit.. He says "V"... Lordy.... Need I say more.... Sooooooooo I bought it for $1350

Six Pack Cuda found story

Well, long story short, I was able to make a butt load of green on this car and voila, now I'm able to buy the v-code '70 Charger R/T...

3. Here, here's the '70 Charger R/T v-code I bought... It was a real solid car, white, built 710 ( same as my first one - last day of scheduled production ). I had a complete burnt orange interior to swap out the original green.. Yeah, I know.... But, at the time, I wanted a car like my former '70...

Six Pack '70 Charger R/T story

4. Next, '69 Charger 500... This is the time I eventually did my patented Troy-trade ( traded my '68 Charger R/T Hemi-car project and '69 Charger 500 440 4speed car ) for the Daytona. By this time, I'm missing my former '69 Charger 500 ( Dana ).. I posted on mopart.com a thread on the possibility of trading the '70 Charger R/T for a '69 Charger 500. Within an hour, I get an email that Pete C. wants too. He was converting a '69 C500 into a Daytona but would put everything back... We exchanged pictures and within a short period, we agree to trade straight up... Yes sir !!! Two Aeros !!!

Y2 Charger 500 trade story

[hemi68charger]

5. Well, with all good intentions, the C500 was more than I wanted to tackle rust-wise. So, years go by after fixing this and fixing that. I eventually trade it plus some cash to Allen K. for his '69 Charger Daytona clone Larry built. At the time, I wanted a car I could just jump into to compliment my real Daytona. But, just like Allen, I didn't want a clone, albeit it was a very cool car.... So far, I only have about $11,000 of money in it ( initial money I spend out of pocket that went with the cash I made on the 'Cuda ). Not too bad..... Well, I sold it on eBay for $47,500 !!!.....

6. Next episode: Goin' E !!! After I sold the black Daytona, I found out a friend of mine had a '70 Challenger T/A 4speed. Right after I sold the black car, I was focusing on a real nice '70 Charger R/T, B5 on blue, 440 4speed car ( now owned by Bill W. ). Well, I past on the Charger and thought I'd try my hand on an E-body with racing pedigree.. It was a real nice car as a lot of you know. But, after a while, the E wasn't the thing for me. I wanted another B. Sooooo. Off it went to ebaymotors.... I sold it for $54,500 !!! Man, great return on a partial initial investment of $1350 for a rusty 'Cuda...

1970 Challenger T/A story

I did find a few other 4speed Charger R/Ts, but then found a B5 Superbird project out of Florida. I chatted with the owner, but then remember our very own Allen V. has a Lemon Twist Superbird.... So, I contacted Allen the following morning on the way to work at 5:30am, hoping I didn't wake him. Asked if the green I had made on the T/A would be enough to get the Superbird, even if it was available. He replied back with it was almost there, but would need a little more..... We agreed on the price and next thing I'm doing is shaking my head that I'm about to be a Superbird owner, a dual-winged garage....

[hemi68charger]

Now, Operation: Superbird...

Took out the carpet this weekend to assess the floorpans. From underneath they looked clean, but the proof to the pudding in these old Mopars is under the carpet... Much to my delight they are real solid. Nice knowing no panels need to be replaced. I even found the typical swath of vinyl that is typically laid on the floor to reflect the vinyl top color that is supposed to go on the roof.
I also swapped out the old tired polyglas tires that were on it for the new Goodyears I have. Even the drum retaining washers/keepers were still on the studs of the rear axle. The inner front wheel wells are real clean too... Factory undercoating is in great shape..

[hemi68charger]

undercoating in the front wheel well is in great shape and the tranny's original to the car.. The car looks a lot better with those Goodyears and the rear drums even have the original retainers..

[Mopar Nut]

Wow, congrats!

This is a good example of flipping up.

[Beep Beep Dave]

I am looking forward to following along with the progress you make on the Superbird.

Dave

[tan top]

    

[wingcarenvy]

Good for you Troy. I like to call it a property ladder. It would be real hard for me to let go of any multi-carbed Mopar and thats the reason I don't have a Superbird. Anyways good luck with this sweet find. Any chance the B5 Bird is still for sale in Florida?

[hemi68charger]

Good for you Troy. I like to call it a property ladder. It would be real hard for me to let go of any multi-carbed Mopar and thats the reason I don't have a Superbird. Anyways good luck with this sweet find. Any chance the B5 Bird is still for sale in Florida?

No idea... I can see if I have their email and you can contact them. Last I heard is was.... It has severe rust issues and cost $65,000 !!! $5000 more than I paid for mine....

Troy

[XS29L9B2]

very nice 

[hemi68charger]

Operation Superbird:
Today I jumped into the rear window/plug area of the Superbird to see how bad it was. After CAREFULLY removing the rear window trim I pulled the vinyl away in the area. Much to my surprise, the metal under it wasn't as bad I suspected. You can see the seam of the plug to roof at the upper passenger side and the filler Chrysler used to smooth it out prior to vinyl. Also seen is the vinyl top was installed prior to glass/trim and clips. You can also see the staples used to secure the vinyl to the window channel at the upper corners and lower section. So, looks like the worse parts is the lower window channel corners, which could be patched from segments of other production Mopar rear window channels?

[hemi68charger]

more of the rear window area..

[hemi68charger]

lastly..

[Alaskan_TA]

I even found the typical swath of vinyl that is typically laid on the floor to reflect the vinyl top color that is supposed to go on the roof.

It is actually a trimming from when the top was installed. 

[hemi68charger]

I even found the typical swath of vinyl that is typically laid on the floor to reflect the vinyl top color that is supposed to go on the roof.

It is actually a trimming from when the top was installed. 

Man, then all my cars have only had them on the passenger front floor pan.. mmmmmm    I found one on my survivor '71 Charger R/T right next to my IBM QC card and broadcast sheet... Oh well.... 

[hemi68charger]

More on the rear window plus.. 3/4 of it is in pretty darn good shape... I sprayed the bare metal with a Permetex rust inhibitor since it'll be bare until I get it all fixed up...

[birdsandbees]

Guess bondo was cheaper in '69 !!  Looks REALLY solid! 

[Redbird]

It is nice to see a picture of the welds.

Here is an old school, 1988 or so, picture of the back window welds.

Reading David Patik's article on Superbird construction, it seems to say that special parts like the back window plug were done on the side off the line in work holes beside the line. From that, someone, or more likely 2 people, put the plug in and hand welded it in place, and as I recall spot welded at the bottom.

I've taken a couple of vinyl roofs off of Superbirds. I wish I had kept the plasticol. Yours looks exactly as mine were. thick at the joint, thinned to the edges.

[Arnie Cunningham]

They must have really wanted to make sure my car received the correct top.  There were two swatches of top material in it.  One was under the carpet and one was under the package tray.

[62 Max]

I even found the typical swath of vinyl that is typically laid on the floor to reflect the vinyl top color that is supposed to go on the roof.

It is actually a trimming from when the top was installed.  

Man, then all my cars have only had them on the passenger front floor pan.. mmmmmm  :scratch chin:  I found one on my survivor '71 Charger R/T right next to my IBM QC card and broadcast sheet... Oh well....  

Maybe because whoever installed the tops wasn't too concerned to pick up the scraps after trimming !

[hemi68charger]

It is nice to see a picture of the welds.

Here is an old school, 1988 or so, picture of the back window welds.

Nice picture... Thanks for posting..

[hemi68charger]

front-end Troy-trade.
Traded lower 69 Charger dash pads for pretty much a complete new front suspension rebuild kit for the Superbird...

[hemi68charger]

Operation Superbird: rear window plug area; corners.
Thought I would remove the corner trim seam covers installed in all Superbirds. You can see the edge of the plug as it makes it way from the window down to the trunk train channels.... The area under the covers are in pretty good shape actually.. You see the spot welds used instead of the bead welds on the upper parts of the plug. Driver's side you can see where a pair of wrong holes were drilled from the factory... Opppssssss... I am sure that was a source of a water leak...

[kw mopar]

Great Pics. and keep up the good work.
Rob

[tan top]