Author Topic: Most correctly restored Challenger ever? (Read 39654 times)

Rare_T_A · « **Reply #90 on:** August 22, 2008 - 11:11:21 AM »

Quote from: 71340RT on August 21, 2008 - 11:57:37 PM

Dave,
I checked out your Challenger at the Nationals and thought it looked great no matter how I looked at it. I don't even want to know the hours put into the car as I restored my 70 Cuda in a 2 car garage and it took me 5 years and I stopped keeping track after I hit 1,000 hours. I purchased some of your decals and tags for my 70 Cuda and must say they are top of the line as far as I'm concerned. Thanks for your contribution to the hobby and I hope I meet you someday as I live just across the river in southern Illinois. This is a great web site so stick around and enjoy all it has to offer.
Jeff

I totally agree!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish I had the time and cash to do a car that way. Best of luck with what ever you have planned for the car next.

resq302 · « **Reply #91 on:** August 22, 2008 - 11:25:54 AM »

Dave,

As a person who prefers OE restored cars and survivor cars as well, I applaud you in going that extra millionth mile that you did with this car. To me anyone can restore a car now a days but its the details that separate the "men from the boys" which is what makes the car stand out above the rest. Small details like replicating factory markings, decals and tags (something that you know all too well about), and stampings are all what make the car that much facinating. Don't get me wrong, I am not by any means knocking people who modify, cut, chop, rebuild, etc. I appreciate those cars as well for all of the work that goes into it. After all, in a perfect world, I would have one modified, one OE restored, and one survivor. But hey, who has that kinda money now a days.

kissalien · « **Reply #92 on:** August 22, 2008 - 12:21:42 PM »

What I meant was they weren't sitting there staring at an engineering drawing looking at what they should be doing. And not everyone received the same training. When a temp or fillin took over for the day or during a break they usually got instructions like paint this black ... I'm going on my break.

70challrtse · « **Reply #93 on:** August 22, 2008 - 01:26:54 PM »

Quote from: ECS on August 22, 2008 - 12:40:39 PM

You might be right. I was not around when those hypothetical conversations might have taken place between two employees in 1970. With that said, the only information I feel comfortable passing along are documented factory drawings or the provable characteristics of an original vehicle. Thanks for the input!

In the nomenclature utilized by attorneys it's known as "The Best Evidence Rule".

kissalien · « **Reply #94 on:** August 22, 2008 - 02:34:28 PM »

But overwhelming circumstantial evidence shows that the rules were not always followed as evidenced even by Dave's car, as well as the one I posted. Elsewhere in this thread (I believe) someone who did work on the line did mention how things did work back then.

kissalien · « **Reply #95 on:** August 22, 2008 - 02:37:08 PM »

Quote from: snowdog on August 12, 2008 - 04:17:09 PM

Well, being a certified old fart, I did work at Dodge Main back in 76 painting Volare and Aspen radiator core supports. I don�t believe it was much different from the Cuda / Challenger era. It�s pretty much like what most people are saying, the application varied from person to person. Myself, I pretty much painted every core support black, unless it was black. Did the dark green, dark browns and of course any medium to light color. I usually filled in for guys that called in sick. There was no engineering spec, just some guy painting the body took a smoke break and said "kid do it like this". Darn, that reply reminds me of how old I am and makes want to take a nap now. See ya, Snowdoggie.

This is the post I was referring to.

kissalien · « **Reply #96 on:** August 22, 2008 - 04:26:57 PM »

I also have the entire set of E-body engineering drawings. That doesn't mean that the line workers used them.

73Chally · « **Reply #97 on:** August 22, 2008 - 04:49:45 PM »

I don't see the point being whether or not the line workers had them or followed them. I think we can all agree that not every car came off the line exactly the way that the drawings had them designed. The point is that if there is any question as to the way it SHOULD have been, then the only way to do it correctly is to do it as per the engineered drawings.

resq302 · « **Reply #98 on:** August 22, 2008 - 05:15:25 PM »

Heck, I have a living proof that Chrysler made mistakes on my 69 charger..... it has no engine wire harness fold over tabs on the firewall. No evidence of them even ever being installed or broken off. No grind marks, nothing. Just the indicator and the round nub where the tack weld would have gone when they tack welded the harness holder in place. Now granted, my car was build on a friday so it is possible that they were rushing to get out the door but who knows. Also, the splash shield on the drivers side frame rail which would cover the starter was never installed as the holes in the rail never had any threads cut into them. Could this piece of rail have been replaced? Highly doubt it as there are no apparent weld marks or repair sections. Again..... two pieces of evidence that mistakes did happen. Not saying it was the norm, but just that things got out of the factory that shouldn't have.

2TAGS · « **Reply #99 on:** August 22, 2008 - 06:33:26 PM »

I'm not a huge Chally guy but to answer the question - IMO YES! This has to be the most correctly restored Challenger ever! If not, lets see the competition! Rock on Dave! Originality rules!

That is one sweet ride!

Moparal · « **Reply #100 on:** August 22, 2008 - 06:55:57 PM »

DW, do you happen to have any knowledge at all on any M46 barracuda's ? There are not many documents on them and some of us here are really into learning everything we can about the package. Have you seen any info on them? Just curious.

hemiken · « **Reply #101 on:** August 23, 2008 - 03:16:11 AM »

good question Alan. Dave, i also would be interested in what you amy know about M46 Barracudas buddy

resq302 · « **Reply #102 on:** August 23, 2008 - 08:40:33 AM »

Dave,

I would never refer to someone as "a know it all". Even the famed Galen. As far as I am concerned, there is only one person that knows it all and I don't plan to meet him anytime soon as I am only 32 unless the guy upstairs has something else planned. I do however, have a great amount of respect for you and what you do for the hobby. After all, if it wasn't for you and your companies research, I would not have the correct tags, decals, correctly stamped fuel filter, etc that I do on my car now to bring it to the next level. You are certainly a HUGE asset to our hobby and hopefully will continue to broaden the hobbies horizon with more detailed products and services.

Belonging to the AACA and being an AACA (antique Automobile Club of America) judge has taught me a couple of things. First, the AACA puts the burden of proof on the restoration on the owner to prove what is correct should something be debated or questioned. This makes it so a person has to "know their car". This is exactly what you have done Dave. You know your car now better than anybody and probably even better than what the assembly line workers did as they only had one specific job. You know the whole car inside and out. I only wish I had the time and resources to do what you have done. I can only imagine what an undertaking project this was and can only wish to have been a part of it as I know it would have been an event of a lifetime to partake in.

As for only seeing pics of the car. This is my only response since I could not see it in person.

And I am sure it would habe been more icons if I actually saw it first hand.

Again, congrats on an excellent restoration and success with it.

PS- did you ever find out what your score was on it?

js27 · « **Reply #103 on:** August 23, 2008 - 12:55:37 PM »

Dave,
Welcome and my congratulations on a beautiful job on awesome car. I have to say that guy's like you are such a asset to our hobby. You never settle with building one show stopper, you just dig deeper into the next one taking the whole hobby to a new level.
I have looked at alot of original cars and have to say that no two are alike. They all seem to have a little some thing to call their own. Mine had this white circle on the k-frame that some production worker was boared and wanted to paint a bulls eye or something. Attached are some photo's of the factory marks I found on mine.
JS27

js27 · « **Reply #104 on:** August 23, 2008 - 03:58:57 PM »

Dave,
Here is a little back ground on my car first. It is a Calif. car that was 99% rust free. I found the car 2 miles from my house ( Clarks Summit Pa.) and it took me 5 years to talk the owner into selling it to me. The right rear floor pan was full of small holes so I had that replaced with a rust free original. All other sheet metal including the bumper-grille-headlight bezels and side marker lights are original. I replaced the taillight bezels,the hood and trunk mouldings,both door handles, and the exhaust tips. The car was missing it's original 383 and had a 440 in it and one scratch and shoot green paint job. The owner said he painted it green because the brite hemi orange was attracting to many speeding tickets. The T5 saddle tan interior with the hemi orange paint and white top and stripe makes it a rather unique combination I think. I restored the car to fender tag and broadcast sheet specs. I have a 67 GTX that I restored to showroom stock with correct number and date coded parts ( doing one of those was enough for me ) and since the 383 was gone and the 440 was there I decided to have some fun with the drivetrain and build it up a bit like I would have done back in the 70's. ( I am 53 years old and also grew up with these cars and worked at a Chrysler/Plymouth dealer in the 70's) I did it in a way so that if I wanted to go back to stock I could just pull out the 440 and throw in a 383 and be original again. I took a few liberties here and there like the painted bottom.The car also came with 14" white walls and Deluxe hup caps but I was having NONE of that on my retro 70 look. I was able to doucment alot of the original factory marks because the car was in such great shape and return every mark I found. I talked to Roger Gibson and Galen about the white mark on the K frame and neither of them ever saw it before but Roger said if it was there put it back so I did. So here are a few pic's of the finished product.
Thanks
AL

Author Topic: Most correctly restored Challenger ever? (Read 39654 times)

Rare_T_A

Re: Most correctly restored Challenger ever?

resq302

Re: Most correctly restored Challenger ever?

kissalien

Re: Most correctly restored Challenger ever?

70challrtse

Re: Most correctly restored Challenger ever?

kissalien

Re: Most correctly restored Challenger ever?

kissalien

Re: Most correctly restored Challenger ever?

kissalien

Re: Most correctly restored Challenger ever?

73Chally

Re: Most correctly restored Challenger ever?

resq302

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2TAGS

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Moparal

Re: Most correctly restored Challenger ever?

hemiken

Re: Most correctly restored Challenger ever?

resq302

Re: Most correctly restored Challenger ever?

js27

Re: Most correctly restored Challenger ever?

js27

Re: Most correctly restored Challenger ever?