Look what I saw at the local shops!

[BikerGran]

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[BikerGran]

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[Manky Monkey]

Common as muck ain't they!
That's a 1968 model. Taz's is a '69, (round back lights & side marker lights, instead of the oblong ones on hers & different grille). Love those grey Torque Thrust wheels but Taz wants plain steels & the lady always gets what she wants. Sometimes. 

[BikerGran]

Had a chat to the owner, Tyke - was telling him about Taz's rebuild and he said "You don't want to touch one that's rotten, it will cost thousands".  I think you and Taz already know that!
Gave the name of the site so he may be about later.

[Manky Monkey]

Nice to see one being used as a normal runabout car, rather than just on show somewhere -exactly how Taz plans to use hers.

[tazet]

Glad to see it being used as Manky said. Mine will be out and about come rain or shine.

It's all very well saying don't buy a rusty one, but we can't afford £40,000 + and even then, we've heard all sorts of horror stories of people buying what they think is a sound, solid car for £20,000+ then had to have it completely rebuilt and spent a further God knows what on it, because the shiny paint job was covering rust holes, filler or very poor welding. At least we're starting with our eyes wide open and can see all the bad bits in the beginning. When it's on the road we'll know it's 1000% rust, twist and filler free.

[Stephen Mac]

cant wait to see it when its finished hope there will be more pics

[Manky Monkey]

Oh, plenty more pics to come yet! It's a drama that's gonna run & run!
We've paid for the next batch of body panels from the States, but are waiting for the shipping price before they're sent across to us.

[Stephen Mac]

that will be pricey have yous got a rough idea how long it will take from start to finish

[Manky Monkey]

Shipping isn't actually that expensive, but then we get stung for a couple of hundred quid more by the British Customs agency.
Hoping to get the car on the road before I retire in about 15 years time! No idea Steve. It'd be nice if we could get it driveable & MOT'd by the Spring, even if it's just a painted bodyshell with no interior, trim etc.
I suspect that's being wildly optimistic though.

[Tyke]

Hi everyone!

In response to the comments regarding the rebuild of a Charger - mine (pictured above by BikerGran) was NOT as you see it now when I bought it! My remark to BikerGran about rotten Dodges and the repair bills running into thousands comes from doing it myself, transforming a lime-green wreck into what I have now.

 I'm going to try and dig out some old pics of what I started with so I can post on here and show what I began with, five years ago.

Yes, I now have a fantastic looking car that runs well, but it has been a long hard slog to get there, and it has cost thousands. Much of the work we did ourselves, although the engine was done by Billadeau. The costs come in with parts, shipping and import tax - there's not much you can do about that, and believe me, it will start to add up pretty fast, even for the basics....!

However, I wish Taz all the best luck in the world in getting her Dodge back on the road - it's great to see someone else interested in restoring one of these iconic cars! 

[Manky Monkey]

Hiya Tyke -nice to have someone else aboard who's been through the same hassles & headaches we have. 
Always looking for vehicles to feature in the Motors section of the main site. Fancy sending us some piccies & words? 

[tazet]

Thanks for your good luck wishes as I think we will need them and sounds like you know only too well what It's like. Have a look at my thread in the Hotrod tech section and you'll get the full picture of what I've been trying to put back together. Are you on the MMA?

[BikerGran]

Welcome Tyke - glad you found your way here!

[Tyke]

Thanks for the warm welcome! I've had a look at the barrow load of bits that you've got with your Dodge (from the pics) and that's what started my brain ticking over - noticing all that you do have and going through all the potential problems, missing parts and so on. I found that it's often not the big stuff that adds up, it's all the small stuff - seals, caps, trim and so on. Add on the shipping and tax and something that starts off as reasonable ends up stupidly expensive.

My car was recently off the road for 3 weeks while waiting for a simple seal for the petrol tank that didn't arrive three times in a row. Just getting a new petrol tank fitted in and ensuring all was well ran into hundreds and with the missing seal, took weeks. I also lost a wedding that I had booked in to try and recoup some of the money the car's cost me!

However, the fact that my Dodge is now the car you see today proves that it can indeed be done - just allow for time and additional expense - even if you do it all yourself. You do, after all, have to use Chrysler parts!
Mine cost me far, far, far more than I had EVER intended to spend on it, but once you start it becomes a case of having to find the cash from somewhere or give up on it as a lost project.

I'll dig out some pics of the car from when I bought it and get my wife to scan them in so I can send in with a few words about how it all went.
I was on MMA but haven't been on recently. Seems I spend more time driving my car these days rather than talking & writing about it - which is a good thing! I have also not got the cash anymore to rejoin MMA as my car has eaten all my money.....!!!