Makin my own General Lee Replica

[TomBo]

Hello everyone, I live in NJ & I have posted here & there on this site but have posted pix & more on a few other Dukes sites. I see alot of people that are on here & not on the other sites so I figured I share some shots of the progress.

Ok just as a background these shots have been over the last 2 yrs and I am gettin closer & closer to painting it, well here goes. (you comments are welcomed).

Here is my 69 yes its a 69 but its got a 70 clip on it as I traded the clip to a guy to restore my 68 Charger b4 I realized I wanted to do a General Lee.

[TomBo]

This is the shot when it arrived at my house

Pulled the bad 318 in there & replaced it with another 318 I had (you can see it in ther background):

Then the 1st winter arrived & worked stopped

Spring hit back to work:

[TomBo]

new tank goes in & sending unit:

OK here is the interior paint I used from SEM worked great:

[TomBo]

Here are some b4's & afters:

B4

AFTER

b4

AFTER

[TomBo]

I really like this stuff & b4 I just painted it I used a cleaner & then wiped it with rubbing alcohol to make sure there was no "fish-eying".

B4

AFTER:

[TomBo]

B4

AFTER:

I also went from a column shifter automatic to a console/floor shift automatic

didnt replace the entire column just the sleeve

[TomBo]

Here you see the buddy seat brackets that had to be removed & replaced with the console brackets

Going

Replaced

[TomBo]

Put in the console & then replaced the column sleeve & signal cancler whiel I was in there:

In my garage I had a nice woodgrain wheel so I decided to pop that in there as well while I was doing this process:

[TomBo]

Then I painted the center cap

[TomBo]

During all thius I attended local & not so local shows & sold Mopar parts to fund my project & left those shows with parts for the car remember the front end is still a 70 clip!

Here I am selling at E-town

.

& more shots

[TomBo]

Parts collected some later to be re-placed by better parts like this fender as you will see in future shots...I found a better one

Bought a set of thess too.

[TomBo]

Then off came the front so it could be replaced with what I had so far:

[TomBo]

THEN ON WITH THE 69 STUFF

[TomBo]

Yes those of you with good eyes thats a 70 hood still on there as I had yet to located a 68-69 hood at this point....for those that didnt cath that go head back & look I'll wait LOL.

My buddy John stopped over to lend a hand a few times & my house was a Charger fest LOL.

[TomBo]

woops a lil out of order there but thats the front bumper brackets I had to locate

Found some seats

Then winter hit once again

When spring arrived I still had to locate a hood but also made a deal with a local bodyman to do the car for me so he came to pick it up.

first time I drove it in 2 years!

[TomBo]

[TomBo]

Locate a hood but I still want a replacement as it has some issues

picked up a pushbar

BODYWORK STARTS

Realized it be better to replace some parts due to rust I went back to get metal at the local shows.

[TomBo]

Heres the replacement fender I grabbed

[TomBo]

More replacement pieces...ended up with rear valance, rear tail light panel, Both lower 1/4's & one fron lower 1/4.

[TomBo]

[TomBo]

Now the new 1/4's came without any marker lights & as with General Lees we all know they can be marker delete or 68 painted over or 69's can be in there. I decidde to use the original marker lights & my bodayman added them back in.

[TomBo]

Filled in the CHARGER emblem holes as well as the antenna hole

Here is the car a few days ago today being 12/30/07

Decided to replace the front shield & pull the rear one also to take care of issues

this is teh new front just covered with dust

[TomBo]

There ya have it so far.

I will keep posting pix as the car develops thanks for taking the time to look!

[MaryAnne]

Wow! That's coming along great! I love seeing restoration in progress photos.

[TomBo]

Thanks Maryanne.

I have also collected besides the pushbar (small GA) & the rebop rims,

I got a decal kit but then bought a stencil kit thinking I am going to paint instead of decals.

I bought a new headliner

I bought all new emblems

I got new door handles

Got a new front bumper re-chromed

I had my check moldings rechromed as well as my tail light surround bezels!

I also had the chrome rechromed that seperates the orange from the black on the rear of the car (they sometimes all'em the eyebrows)

I got a NICE dash pad (original & factory tan) no cracks

so I have been stocking up on stuff all along!