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Charger 500 Grille installation

Started by C500, March 16, 2017, 05:17:55 AM

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C500

My 500 is back from the paint shop, and time to get er back together  ;D

I'm trying to work out how the grille/headlamp all goes together with the special brackets, long spacers etc. Does anyone have a few pics they can post up  :shruggy: or a link? I found a couple of threads, but nothing showing how it all goes together.
"An aggressive exterior with power to match was enough to pull in the performance boys-especially when abetted by a pair of pipes blaring out the back, and brawny red-sidewall rubber hitting the pavement."  

"........the four speed box changes cogs with the precision of a sharp axe striking soft pine."

Wingwalker

Hi C500,

I have some pics on my old computer but they need resizing.
I'll see how it goes and post some on for you, my fellow C500 owner.

WingW.
Fixed headlights 500's are the FIRST Aero's, and the rarest!

Wingwalker

Hi C500.

Its not as hard as it may seem to rebuild the grille.
Put the frame in place and then assemble the pods onto the vertical bar and the small screws that hold the pod onto the wing/fender flange.
Then the top and bottom pod bolts are very obvious.
Fit the centre grille in last and leave everything loose so it can be jiggled into place.
Don't fit the end plates on until the beam alignment has been roughly set-up.

Some of the bolts have LARGE washers to cover the big slots.
Some grilles seem to have all LARGE ones others a mixture of Large and small washered bolts.

Clear as mud!
Fixed headlights 500's are the FIRST Aero's, and the rarest!

C500

Thanks for the pics, definitely helps! How is the frame attached to the inside of fenders?
"An aggressive exterior with power to match was enough to pull in the performance boys-especially when abetted by a pair of pipes blaring out the back, and brawny red-sidewall rubber hitting the pavement."  

"........the four speed box changes cogs with the precision of a sharp axe striking soft pine."

Wingwalker

Hi C500,

There is a 90 degree angle plate that holds the lower part of the grille to the fenders(bottom of pic).
There is also the two welded in bolts that fit into the fender pods and have nuts in the wheel housing(far right).

The tricky bit is locating the two (or three) small self tapping screw holes to the fender flange(centre of pic).
These are drilled by the lads at Creative to mount the modified 68 Coronet headlight pods.
If you have your original C500 fenders they will be there, already drilled (of course).
Fixed headlights 500's are the FIRST Aero's, and the rarest!

Wingwalker

Hi C500.

The two outer support tubes for the grille facing are just the normal 68 ones with 'taped on' extensions!
No idea where you will find the EXTRA long screws from, if you don't have them already?
Fixed headlights 500's are the FIRST Aero's, and the rarest!

qwick68

Just curious, what did they use the headlights from on the 500s? I know about the 68 Coronet grille.......
68 Charger LL-1 Turquoise

70 sublime

Quote from: qwick68 on March 17, 2017, 08:14:02 AM
Just curious, what did they use the headlights from on the 500s? I know about the 68 Coronet grille.......

It is all 68 Coronet stuff
They used the Coronet grill around the lights so they just used the mounting part out of the fenders for the lights also

I have saved up the parts from a Coronet to make a 500 grill for my car
I have the 70 Charger fender headlight mounts and thought about using them so I tried the coronet grill on one and the lights are different spacing so will not work
next project 70 Charger FJ5 green

Wingwalker

Headlight pods are fitted complete from a 68 Coronet, with the headlights and mounting hardware too.
The pods are remodelled by Creative to fit on the 69 grille frame, with extra brackets welded on (top and bottom) part no. 2836986.
How rare is a NEW pod that never got fitted to a C500?
I assume that 500 pairs were allocated in 1968 and probably a 100 pairs got binned after car-392 was made???

The pic shows an original Creative pod (on right) next to a Coronet pod removed from a fender (with underseal) lol...
Fixed headlights 500's are the FIRST Aero's, and the rarest!

C500

Thanks for the posts! I have new AMD fenders on, the old ones are stored in the shed... will check out the extra drill holes for the screws on them from Creative, glad you pointed that out.  :cheers:
"An aggressive exterior with power to match was enough to pull in the performance boys-especially when abetted by a pair of pipes blaring out the back, and brawny red-sidewall rubber hitting the pavement."  

"........the four speed box changes cogs with the precision of a sharp axe striking soft pine."

Highbanked Hauler

Quote from: Wingwalker on March 17, 2017, 05:42:35 AM
Hi C500.

The two outer support tubes for the grille facing are just the normal 68 ones with 'taped on' extensions!
No idea where you will find the EXTRA long screws from, if you don't have them already?
[/quote

   I would recommend something like super glue on the extensions for the screws and tape for the looks, mine twisted off the first time I put the screw in.
69 Charger 500, original owner  
68 Charger former parts car in process of rebuilding
92 Cummins Turbo Diesel
04 PT Cruiser

A12 Superbee

How long are the grill tubes inc extensions, just the round portion will do.

Cheers.
A12 Dodge Superbee Coupe 4 speed Car number 157 in the A12 Registry.
XBGT Ford Falcon sedan, same model as Max drives in The Roadwarrior, the yellow car he starts off in.
WANT: Triple black 68 or 70 Charger!

C500

Quote from: A12 Superbee on March 19, 2017, 11:56:18 PM
How long are the grill tubes inc extensions, just the round portion will do.

Cheers.

two lengths, 32mm and 51mm, (the tube portion)
"An aggressive exterior with power to match was enough to pull in the performance boys-especially when abetted by a pair of pipes blaring out the back, and brawny red-sidewall rubber hitting the pavement."  

"........the four speed box changes cogs with the precision of a sharp axe striking soft pine."

A12 Superbee

Quote from: C500 on March 20, 2017, 01:07:51 AM
Quote from: A12 Superbee on March 19, 2017, 11:56:18 PM
How long are the grill tubes inc extensions, just the round portion will do.

Cheers.

two lengths, 32mm and 51mm, (the tube portion)

Thanks, I might add them to my list of repro parts i'll make. Is anyone in the US making them? I know no-one out here will be, though considering theres probably one C500 and a dozen 68 Coronets in Oz  I don't think i'll sell too many but it will be an interesting exercise.
A12 Dodge Superbee Coupe 4 speed Car number 157 in the A12 Registry.
XBGT Ford Falcon sedan, same model as Max drives in The Roadwarrior, the yellow car he starts off in.
WANT: Triple black 68 or 70 Charger!

hemi68charger

Quote from: Wingwalker on March 17, 2017, 12:21:30 PM
Headlight pods are fitted complete from a 68 Coronet, with the headlights and mounting hardware too.
The pods are remodelled by Creative to fit on the 69 grille frame, with extra brackets welded on (top and bottom) part no. 2836986.
How rare is a NEW pod that never got fitted to a C500?
I assume that 500 pairs were allocated in 1968 and probably a 100 pairs got binned after car-392 was made???

The pic shows an original Creative pod (on right) next to a Coronet pod removed from a fender (with underseal) lol...

Hey,
I resemble those feet...........  :icon_smile_big:
Troy
'69 Charger Daytona 440 auto 4.10 Dana ( now 426 HEMI )
'70 Superbird 426 Hemi auto: Lindsley Bonneville Salt Flat world record holder (220.2mph)
Houston Mopar Club Connection

Wingwalker

Famous FEAT indeed Troy! :2thumbs:

Without that picture the Charger 500 world would be severely lacking!
Fixed headlights 500's are the FIRST Aero's, and the rarest!

mopar346

Quote from: C500 on March 17, 2017, 01:20:31 PM
Thanks for the posts! I have new AMD fenders on, the old ones are stored in the shed... will check out the extra drill holes for the screws on them from Creative, glad you pointed that out.  :cheers:

Any chance you can get to those original fenders and take pictures and even dimensions of the original drilled holes? I've tried to read all the threads I can find on the 500 grille assembly and ran across this little detail that I cant seem to document in picture. There are a lot of pictures that will be very helpful with the recreation of the grille since my original is long gone.

Another piece that I would love dimensions on is the uprights, there are quite a few pictures from a number of contributors but no dimensions or reference to them being repopped. I believe I have secured all the pieces except for the up rights, I might find out differently when I start the assembly.

Thanks to all that has invested the effort in assembling these threads and for all who will continue to document information.