Project Charger. Larry Lyles
Karla Austin, Business Operations Manager
Jen Dorsey, Associate Editor
Michelle Martinez, Assistant Editor
Rebekah Bryant, Editorial Assistant
Erin Kuechenmeister, Production Editor
Ruth Strother, Editor-At-Large
Nick Clemente, Special Consultant
Vicky Vaughn, Book Designer
Copyright© 2004 by Larry Lyles
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of I-5 Press™, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lyles, Larry.
Project Charger : the step-by-step restoration of a popular vintage car / Larry Lyles.
p. cm.
ISBN 1-931993-22-X (softcover : alk. paper)
eISBN 978-1-62008-015-3
1. Dodge Charger automobile—Conservation and restoration. I. Title.
TL215.D64L95 2004
629.28’722—dc22
2003022778
I-5 Press™
A Division of I-5 Publishing, LLC™
3 Burroughs
Irvine, California 92618
Printed and bound in Singapore
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Table of Contents
9 Restoring the Trunk Floor Plan
13 Refinishing the Exterior and Interior
18 Window Tint and Door Glasses
22 Bumpers, Decals, and Stripes
Resources and Restoration Costs
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank the many people who helped bring this project to life. To my wife, Pat, who understands the feeling of power and freedom a restored muscle car can bring, I say, “Thanks, here are the keys. Have fun.” To Bryan, who worked harder on this project than I could have ever expected, I say, “Thanks, here are the keys. Take it for a ride then get back to work.” To Ted Kade, editor of Auto Restorer magazine, I say, “Thanks, my friend. Here are the keys. Don’t come back until the fuel tank runs dry.” To everyone else who contributed so much toward the completion of this project I can only say, “Thanks. Wish you could be here to enjoy this car as much as we do.”
Introduction
I originally wrote a 24-article series for Auto Restorer magazine. My intent was to take readers through a complete ground up restoration of a classic muscle car while offering real world information on how to accomplish such a restoration. This book is a compilation of those articles.
As a seasoned veteran of automotive body repair and restoration, I’ve attempted to lead you through a complete restoration without getting you lost or confused in the process. I’ve purposely stayed away from the usual heavy doses of mechanical information found in many other publications and instead have concentrated on the more prevalent aspects of automotive restoration. I’ve tried to meet the mechanical needs for restoration and, where I felt the mechanical needs exceed the expertise of the average garage restorer, I’ve always suggested the reader seek the assistance of a professional.
You won’t find a lot of information on which part is correct for a particular year or model, nor will you find a tutorial on how to read VIN plates. What you will find is a comprehensive, nuts-and-bolts book on automotive restoration containing the best information available on how to bring your car back to its original shine and luster.
Although this book focuses on the restoration of a 1970 Dodge Charger, you can employ the techniques and ideas I present here to restore any vehicle. Selecting a Dodge Charger as our project vehicle was not mere happenstance. I have a long history with the Charger, starting with my first attempt at restoration dating back to my high school days in the late sixties. That car was a 1966 Dodge Charger. The car was wrecked at the time