$500- 68 charger

[roadrunnerman]

I'm not a stamping numbers expert, but we all know things weren't perfect back then. Do you have any other b-body to check and see if it is like that also. Or maybe some other members can look on theirs.

 

[SGTPaul]

I need some help here guys, for my OCD, but I,m trying to do as many simple things as I can to make this car as perfect as I can, when I can. Here is the dilemma- the new trunk/bumper bracket plates I installed do not have what I think is a part number which is on the old ones. They are left and right and I assume the number reflects that beginning in R & L. The left says LT539 3 but the right says as you can see RT "S" 39 3. So is that an error and should read RT"5"39 3 and the guy at the factory got his S and 5 mixed up? Disregard the test/practice numbers & letters I put around the original. I meant to stamp them before I installed them and may not be able to get them in as deep as original but it will bug me to not try.

The reinforcement bracket in your picture is for the right side. The small hole in the top and the rusted area go toward the center of the car. This is where the vertical reinforcement bracket is connected to that goes up to the top of the tail panel. The small hole is used to align the vertical reinforcement bracket to. Note that the vertical brackets are also handed.

 

[daytona kid]

Sry dude, didn't mean to be confusing., I had already installed all the new brackets where they needed to go. I had no problem there. I was just wanting to know if the "S" should be a "5" in the part#. I went on and stamped it as a 5. I think the factory guy was just tired or something. Thnx anyway. I know that sounds a little too trivial but I can see someone someday looking at those brackets and saying "those don't have the numbers on them, they must not be original".

 

[Superfreak]

Looks like someone went happy with the s and the nines.

 

[daytona kid]

Looks like someone went happy with the s and the nines.

That was me practicing on the old one there before I stamped the new ones. Tip for anyone doing stamping (which probably won't be anybody unless they are ocd like me) - stamp before you install. I forgot to stamp them before installing and therefore had to do them lightly to avoid denting/bending the bracket. You definitely need to stamp them on an anvil or large dolly to get them as deep as the factory.

 

[Mr.SpeedFreak]

Wow I just went through the whole buildthread and all I can say is damn! Really outstanding job and much respect for the extensive metal surgery. Glad you stuck with it and brought the car back from the edge, you'll be yelling "it's uhliiiiiive!" in no time.

Just a note I agree with prop on the subframe connectors, definitely wait until every single piece is in the car before you do them. And as for the color, either way would look equally good, but Viper red with black '68 bumblebee stripes would be pretty sharp option to think about

 

[747mopar]

Great progress, it's looking solid again. Dido on what Prop and Speadfreak said about the subframe connectors, I installed mine to the rear and left the front to be welded when finally on it's own weight. I made my own like the ones Hotchkins sells, they bolt threw the 4 rear shackle studs and then get welded directly behind the forward frame rails. Good luck, can't wait to see it done.

 

[daytona kid]

I started putting the interior floor pans in. Wow, what a crappy fit but I can make it right. Had to add a little weight to get it in place and tweaked it with my rubber hammer for a while. Marked all the areas that overlap with grey primer spray paint to help me know where to drill my spot weld holes.

 

[blackblazer717]

coming along great. pretty interesting read ya got here. I will be watching this one!

 

[Budnicks]

Thnx guys.
I'm getting to the point where I need to decide it's color and would like some other opinions. I'm undecided between red or black?, stripe or no stripe? R/T clone? What's your favorite combo? Here are a couple of examples of each that I like.

between those two Black w/red R/T stripe

- - - Updated - - -

man you've come a long way in a short period of time...

 

[hunt2elk]

Nice use of a floor jack. Improvise is the name of the game with these cars. I'm surprised you had fitment problems with the floor pan - that is one of the pieces that fit quite nice in my Charger.

 

[daytona kid]

Thanks guys, but I really don't feel like I've made a lot of progress in a short time, especially while watching/studying Hunt's work, ( I'm jealous of him),.. My job is in my way too much. Some days I'm so beat after work I can't work on the car, and that bums me. I would be thru with it by now if I didn't have to go make money to pay for new parts, food, rent, etc.. I need to retire so I can have more time for whats really important,---- THIS CAR !!!!.
.:blob1:

I did some test fitting with the seat mounts while I have the floor in., they were way off. I had to relocate 2 of the 4 foot brackets. I think they are going to be to low. I got them from Jegs so beware.
I have to take the floor back out and cut my spot weld holes which will be hours of fun. But I am trying to plan where the roll bar will mount. To do that I need to put at least 1 seat in.

 

[daytona kid]

Well, it looks like the seats and mounts are going to work, with minor mods. It was kind of motivating sitting in the seat., thinkin this is about the same height I'll be when I'm pullin a wheelie. I think I may need to put the steering column in just to check the seat position also before figuring out the roll bar mounts. Maybe the pedals too!

 

[daytona kid]

After further analysis, the seats would be to high with the Jegs mounts. Unless I mod them even more. Sitting in the seat as it is in the above pic, my head was 1 inch from the ceiling. I may try them mounted directly to the floor. That would give me about 3 more inches.

On another note, I saw this Mooneyes gas cap on a charger in a link on another thread and had to have it. I know some will say I should use the stock one, but I plan on doing a lot of things different than stock on this car. Anything that I do different I am going to try to insure it can be easily put back stock, and I am going to restore and save the left over stock parts in case I ever sell it.

 

[Mr.SpeedFreak]

Hey you actually got it! Haha looks good man, fairly subtle too. :icon_thumleft:

I want really want this one from mooneyes but just can't bring myself to drop 400 bucks on a gas cap lol
http://www.mooneyesusa.com/shop/product.php?products_id=2082&MOONSESSION=fgh2n21k0nvj6oo9vog34823h5

 

[daytona kid]

Yea, I thought the $400 one is a little more trick/modern looking also, but $240 for the one I got was more than a sane man would pay. That was one of your threads where I saw it on a charger, thnx sf. A stock one is $145, with dish.

 

[Mr.SpeedFreak]

I hear ya lol, I might fork over the money for one down the road when the car is driving and the bigger fish have been fried. How was the fit when you test-fit it as far as the dish piece matching up?

 

[daytona kid]

I don't think it would work or look good with the stock dish. It fits good in the reccess by itself.

 

[Ron 73]

Looks real good on there, coming along nicely daytona! Wow, Its been about 8 years for me i think, i wonder if that Old Mill tastes as good as it did then, burp, drool, burp lol...

 

[daytona kid]

Thanks Ron.. That's the only beer I can drink. Anything else gives me a headache. I call it Old Millwater.