XX29; '69 Charger 500 project - 01/16/2012

XX29; '69 Charger 500 project - 01/16/2012 - 01/13/12 03:41 PM

As many already know, I now have another '69 Charger 500 (thanks Pete). I'm slowly, but surely making progress on getting her up and running. Got the motor going and verified the tranny works (from the standpoint of sitting up on jackstands). The next segment is the brake system.

Brake update.... Started tearing into it.. I just recieved me complete brake line kit from FineLines....... I'm in the process of removing the forward sections of the line system. The hard part will be the firewall line I'm sure. I had to cut the line at the valve, so it definitely will have to be replaced prior to restoration.. I'm going over to a friends tomorrow to use his air compressor so I can get the pistons out of the calipers and rebuild the assemblies. The booster and master cylinder seem fine... I'll attack the front to rear line and the Dana differential in the next day or two.... Slowly but surely....... The lines on the front were too far gone to trust not replacing it all...... I was able to find both side of the special brackets for the caliper's brake lines and caliper rebuild kits..

More progress to come.

Posted By: peabodyracing

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. - 01/13/12 06:23 PM

Nice car! You're spoiled. You think those are rusty brake lines? Can I send you some from a typical MN car to show you what rusty is?

Good luck with the project!

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. - 01/13/12 08:29 PM

Quote:

Nice car! You're spoiled. You think those are rusty brake lines? Can I send you some from a typical MN car to show you what rusty is?

Good luck with the project!

Guess so...

But, there were broken lines and all. The calipers had surface pitting developing on the piston bores, so it is just as well I did all this...

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. - 01/16/12 02:24 AM

More stuff.... Putting the driver's side caliper back together and mounted in the car. Fit's pretty good. Glad I did this for the Bendix system is pretty easy.... New calipers seals, new hoses and as seen before, new lines... I removed the old front-2-rear line and the Dana lines as well. I'll tackle the passenger side here in the coming week along with installing the new Dana lines, wheel cylinders and hardware kit... Rest of the car doesn't look all that pretty, but, I'll get to that later.. I just wanna get the car going down the road...

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Attached picture 7020784-DSC05851_Jan15.JPG

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project - 01/16/2012. - 01/16/12 02:25 AM

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. - 01/16/12 02:25 AM

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. - 01/16/12 02:25 AM

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Posted By: upnover

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. - 01/17/12 03:32 AM

nice build it looks very solid i will be following it, what options does the 500 have?

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. - 01/17/12 07:07 PM

Quote:

nice build it looks very solid i will be following it, what options does the 500 have?

Option-wise:
A01: light package

A32: Super high performance axle axle package which includes
- 4.10 Dana
- 26" radiator high perf. w/shroud
- 7-blade fan
- front power disc brakes
- power steering

C16:console for auto

Posted By: hemi68charger

XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 03/13/12 03:08 PM

Well, things are wrapping up on the hydraulic brake system. I've replaced all the lines, cleaned out the valving and replaced the master cylinder. I attached it to the power brake booster and freshened up the unit with a fresh coat black. I'm going to see about turning the drums and getting hardware.... After I get the brakes all bleed and good to go, new fuel lines are next.............

Here's I'm getting ready to paint the power bracke booster/master cylinder unit. It cleaned up rather nicely and then reman M/C.

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Posted By: hemi68charger

XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 03/13/12 03:10 PM

Almost done painting...

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Posted By: hemi68charger

XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 03/13/12 03:10 PM

Temporarily installed. Waiting to get the harness clip/bracket that attaches to the backing plate...

Attached picture 7116383-DSC06045.JPG

Posted By: 1970A13

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 03/19/12 02:05 AM

Troy,nice looking car,can't go wrong with a32 axle pkg.Havent seen to many 500's what are the hoses from the firewall for?I thought they have fixed headlights!Scott.

Posted By: xs29j8

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 03/19/12 04:04 AM

Quote:

Troy,nice looking car,can't go wrong with a32 axle pkg.Havent seen to many 500's what are the hoses from the firewall for?I thought they have fixed headlights!Scott.

The C500s were converted from R/Ts... Sometimes they cut the hoses off at the firewall, other times they wrapped them with electrical tape and hung them somewhere... True craftsmen those Creative Industries guys..

Attached picture 7125207-1969Charger500Restoration421.jpg

Posted By: xs29j8

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 03/19/12 04:11 AM

......

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Posted By: 1970A13

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 03/23/12 03:17 AM

That makes sense,thank's for enlighting me.Scott

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 06/28/12 12:04 AM

Update: Grille... I'm slowly getting the grille all squared away now. I have an NOS passenger side headlamp bucket and the attach brackets. What I was in need of was the inside vertical support brackets and driver's side headlamp bucket (which is IMPOSSIBLE) to find. I feel I'm extremely lucky to have found the NOS passenger side. Anywho, here's what I did/doing as of today...

Majority of what I have to start with...

Attached picture 7268076-grille_kit01Jun27.JPG

Attached picture 7268076-grille_kit01Jun27.JPG

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 06/28/12 12:06 AM

Fitting the NOS bucket in.....

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 06/28/12 12:07 AM

Grille fit with OEM brackets

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 06/28/12 12:09 AM

Fitting the spacers in.... They were the same used on Coronets with length modifications.

Attached picture 7268084-DSC06649Jun08.JPG

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 06/28/12 12:10 AM

Center grille and passenger side in and even got the lights to work...

Attached picture 7268085-grille_installation_passenger.jpg

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 06/28/12 12:11 AM

Time to work on the driver's side headlamp bucket. Now I'm working on a "clone" mirror image of the NOS headlamp bucket for the passenger side. I was able to acquire a '68 Coronet headlamp bucket cut out of a fender. It is exactly what I was looking for. I have cut away most of the unusable metal from the '68 Coronet bucket using the original piece as a template. Today also duplicated the inner attach bracket by placing tape over the original and outlining it. I place the tape on a piece of spare sheetmetal and cut away... Came out pretty good if I say so.. I wish I had a pinch welder for I would have done that. But, I just went ahead and fastened it with sheetmetal screws for now.. It'll work and is hidden...

1. right is original C500 headlamp bucket

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 06/28/12 12:12 AM

2. you can see the bracket I'm duplicating

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 06/28/12 12:12 AM

3. taping her up

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Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 06/28/12 12:13 AM

4. bracket fastened.

I'll eventually paint the complete unit gray like the original

Attached picture 7268093-DSC06762.JPG

Posted By: jrwoodjoe

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 06/28/12 01:29 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Troy,nice looking car,can't go wrong with a32 axle pkg.Havent seen to many 500's what are the hoses from the firewall for?I thought they have fixed headlights!Scott.

The C500s were converted from R/Ts... Sometimes they cut the hoses off at the firewall, other times they wrapped them with electrical tape and hung them somewhere... True craftsmen those Creative Industries guys..

Learn something new everyday.

Nice work Troy but tell me you didn't spray paint that booster near the Daytona.

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 06/28/12 01:49 AM

Quote:

Learn something new everyday.

Nice work Troy but tell me you didn't spray paint that booster near the Daytona.

It's just a car.......

No, I made sure all was good in that regard.......

Posted By: jrwoodjoe

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project. update 03/13/12 - 06/28/12 03:00 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Learn something new everyday.

Nice work Troy but tell me you didn't spray paint that booster near the Daytona.

It's just a car.......

No, I made sure all was good in that regard.......

Yea, and it's just a paint job too.

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project - 06/28/2012 - 06/29/12 02:08 AM

Got an early present today; new fuel lines for the 500...

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project - 01/16/2012 - 06/30/12 04:38 PM

Old and new... Looking forward in getting these in.. One step closer to road-worthy independence...

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Posted By: hemi68charger

XX29; '69 Charger 500 project - 03 Jul, brakes - 07/04/12 12:24 AM

Well, I think I have the brakes straightened out..

Things I've done:
All new brake lines (OEM from Finelines)
disassembled safety and proporationing valve and cleaned.
rebuilt both rear wheel cylinders, new drum hardware
rebuilt both front 4-pistion calipers with new pads (thanks Doug)
new master cylinder - booster seems to be fine.

-I had my son help me bleed the brakes.. Nice that he's tall enough now to reach the pedals..

-Everything seemed fine. Car is on jacks. Put rear wheels/tires back on and tested it.. Didn't have the booster connected (something I quickly learned needed to be done for power brakes)

-after connecting booster to intake vacuum source, rear wheels stop very nice while in drive spinning... Good news..

- now I'll reconnect the driver's tie-rod to the pitman arm and reinstall front wheels/tires.. Lower her and try backing her out into the driveway and try multiple back and forth stopping...

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project - 03 Jul, brakes - 07/04/12 04:14 PM

Brake video..

Here's Jacob and I this morning....

http://youtu.be/e1KHme51eeg

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project - 03 Jul, brakes - 07/07/12 09:33 PM

She lives !!! well, up and down the driveway for now....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7AAcxB0VvY&feature=player_embedded

Posted By: MuuMuu101

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project - 03 Jul, brakes - 07/07/12 09:39 PM

Cool!

Posted By: hemi68charger

XX29; '69 Charger 500 project - 04 Aug, floor pan here - 08/04/12 05:23 PM

Hey gang.... Got my new floor pan from AMD.. 1st purchase with the money I earned putting together the '71 six pack Challenger R/T I have at the house... Now, I have another friend who's going to put it in for me for free.... Looking forward to that.......

Cheers,,
Troy

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Posted By: hemi68charger

XX29; '69 Charger 500 project - 30 Sept - 10/01/12 03:15 AM

Update today.. A very good day out in the garage.. As been updated, been working on the grille and naturally the headlamps are part of it. Then, I went to the parking lights and while I was on a roll, I tackled the hood indicators.. yesnod

Came out pretty good... So, electrically, it's getting better... 2thumbs

http://youtu.be/XzNQ7tdk738

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Attached picture 7401559-Youtube_bubblebee_lights.jpg

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project - 30 Sept - 12/16/12 12:49 AM

Here's a little video of the cruise out onto the street....... The chattering of the rear tires is because of the spool in the Dana, now that's sure grip...

Video: Took the 500 out today, the 15th of Dec.

Posted By: Golden-Arm

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project - 30 Sept - 12/16/12 04:13 AM

looking good troy, now to get to those reverse lights!!

Posted By: hemi68charger

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project - 30 Sept - 12/16/12 05:32 AM

Quote:

looking good troy, now to get to those reverse lights!!

Yeap,,, just dawned on me they didn't work... I've always been inside. Hopefully it'll be an easy fix.... Tomorrow's project after church.......

Posted By: ricomondo

Re: XX29; '69 Charger 500 project - 30 Sept - 12/24/12 12:35 AM

I really like this car!
It just keeps getting better!