Tazet's 69 Dodge Charger.

[flc]

I have to agree andy, its hard/expensive work but so rewarding. And you know that you have good one.

[lunatic]

Well thats what ive been saying from the start!

[Manky Monkey]

  I can build a vehicle around an engine & know what goes on inside them, but I've never really built a motor from the ground up. We could do with someone more clued up than us to check the Dodge engine over & tell us what needs doing.

[tazet]

Er might now have a 440. Dave2lanes put me in touch with a guy who has one kicking about. It's complete except for intake manifold, sump and I think carb. It's not in a car and turns over by hand with no problems. It comes with a 727 gear box and torque converter. Andy and I are going to see it Tuesday evening. Dave said the sump that I have will just bolt on to it but not the other parts.

The 383's 6 1/4 litre -just how big do you need?!

As big as possible 

[twolanes]

The 383's 6 1/4 litre -just how big do you need?!

As big as possible 

girl after my own heart 

[Manky Monkey]

*Sigh* So now we're up to -what? 7 1/2 litres?

[tazet]

 

[tazet]

Manky and I had a visit from Paul, aka Goforest this evening. He came to have a look at the Charger to see what he thought as he works for a restoration company. A very, very nice chap indeed and very realistic as to what we can and can't do or afford. He understands we want a useable daily driver, not a concourse restoration. Admittedly if it went to the company he works for then yes, they would charge a small fortune, but he said most of the body panels we can fit or repair ourselves. We're more than happy to put in the hours & provide the labour, but need someone more clued up to provide expert guidance. He helped us make a more sensible shopping list of panels. We also measured the car and it's an inch shorter on the front near side. Looks like it's had a shunt into the wheel on the driver's side. The whole front suspension unit, (the front "clip"), may have been replaced. He's suggested that we see what Valley Gas Speed Shop say when they come and look at it next week. We are sooooo much more positive about the car now and it's much more within our budget.
A huge thank you Paul for coming over and giving us so much of your time. It's hugely appreciated and we hope to see you again soon. 

[goforest]

 ;)Very nice chap! haven't been called that in a while.Your more than welcome,love to see people having a go anyone can have a cheque book car  but appreciate some people have the money and not the time and without them I wouldn't have a job .See ya soon
Paul

[tazet]

You know where we are. Just pop in for a coffee if you are passing and we are home.

We went and had a look at the 440 engine but we didn't buy it. It needed to be fully stripped inside and out and it was just too much work for us. We already have a stripped engine and we don't need a second. It would probably work out more expensive. I'm sure it would sell but to someone who knows what they are doing. Also a previous owner had decided to re-paint the car by literally pouring a can of yellow paint over everything. That would probably take months to remove. Shame as it was a nice blue underneath. Oh well never mind.

[Manky Monkey]

Right, Taz & I have spent the day at the Mopar Nationals at Santa Pod. SO hot there. I'm not built for hot weather & I really suffered -typical Englishman. First sign of sunlight & I just go various shades of beetroot red. Couldn't think straight. I was a very grumpy Monkey apparently. A hot, cross bunny.
Anyway, it was a successful mission as we got to talk to loads of very helpful people & checked out lots of other Chargers.
We found Pascal -not difficult. He had a dirty great trade stall in the pits selling all manner of Mopar goodies. A very nice guy. Taz treated herself to a scale model of a Charger for the mantlepiece, which has more working parts on it than her real one. Then Pascal opened up his van & produced the bulkhead panel we'd gone to collect. Cost us 500 Euros, but for that we got literally the whole width of the car, from the bottom of the windscreen to the floor. Good, solid metal, including the door posts with hinge mounting points on either side of the car, which is the bit we really needed. Not sure whether we'll cut out & replace the entire bulkhead from Taz's car, or just remove the bits we need from this second hunk of Charger & graft it into hers.
Taz's original nearside A panel.

[Manky Monkey]

The new donor bulkhead -strangely, it's the same shade of blue underneath as her old one.

[Manky Monkey]

The top face of the bulkhead -the apron at the bottom of the windscreen, is badly corroded on Taz's. Perfect on the new one.

[Manky Monkey]

We couldn't believe the prices for some of the second hand parts today -the centre console, which houses the gearshift for example. A very tatty one was up for sale in the autojumble for 300 quid. Thank God Taz's one is fine. New repro steering wheels, 50 - 150 quid. Filler caps, 100 quid each etc. We've got 99% of the parts for her car, so hopefully won't have to spend too much on detail bits.

[texon]

nice bit of steel there manky I would replace the lot easyer than making a jigsaw m8 weres the pic of the model