1968 Dodge Charger R/T Is Finished

I started this Charger R/T over 5 years ago and it ended back on the shelf...several times!  I've have decided to "git-r-dun" and get this Charger off the bench.  I painted the body and exterior parts with Tamiya TS-54 Light Blue Metallic.  I took a piece of painters tape1 1/2 inches wide and laid it loosely on the chassis and painted the over spray.  Not bad!



More Charger R/T to come...

Thanks for the 'tape down the centre" tip Mike. That's one I'm going steal!

No problem webby! I have spent years trying to come up with a technique to doing this easily.

Great start! And kudo's for 'gittin'  'er done' attitude - an inspiration for those of us who tend to put things aside and forget about them.

Thanks Kats! This has been hanging around for too long. Time to finish it and move on...

Love that colour, onwards and upwards keep up the good work.

Thanks kpnuts!

Very nice blue - almost 'Petty Blue'. Nice work.

Thanks Mike! The camera flash washed out the metallic and the paint looks almost like a solid gloss color. Trust me, it's metallic!

Well, I goofed up again! I used black embossing powder for carpet and then painted the floor pan with Tamiya TS-54 Light Metallic Blue. The blue did not cover the black. What was I thinking?!!! So, I spent about an hour scraping the black embossing powder and glue from the floor pan and I will start over with white embossing powder.
I have never used this brace since it can't be seen. The first time I tried to use it, the instructions didn't indicate how this was suppose to be positioned. This time I figured it out and installed the brace that the back seat will cover completely.


More Charger R/T to come...

I had used some old white lettered Goodyear decals and they had turned brown on the tires. I peeled them off and found a partial sheet of Shabo Graphics transfers in the decal drawer that I had forgotten about. I used these and then added a coat of Model Master Acryl Semi Gloss Clear over the transfers. I may clear over these with Model Master Acryl Flat Clear instead as these are a bit too glossy.

This is where I am at with the chassis. It is minus the 440 CID 4-bbl. engine and 4-speed transmission and the driveshaft. I need to finish the engine before installing it into the chassis.

I couldn't resist a mockup with the Cragar SS wheels and Goodyear tires.

More Charger R/T to come...

Another couple of coats of Tamiya TS-54 Light Blue Metallic has been applied to the Charger. I applied a coat of Tamiya White Surface Primer to the center cushion to cover the grey plastic. When I paint the center cushion with Tamiya TS-54 Light Blue Metallic, it should match the rest of the interior. I also painted a set of Hemi valve covers Testors Flat Black Lacquer for another 426 CI Hemi I am building.



More Charger R/T to come...

Excellent progress! The chassis is turning out great and the body colour looks fantastic. Too bad about the odd bump in the road but you are dealing with those quite effectively. Looking forward to seeing the development.

Thanks Kats!
I started on the Charger interior this morning. I added the dark inserts to the seats and inserted the seats and shifter into the interior pan.


I'll let the interior side panels dry a bit before I add them to the interior pan.

More Charger to come...

Nicely done!

Thanks Chris!

Some progress on the '68 Charger R/T! I finished the chassis and interior save for a few touchups and the air cleaner.



More Charger to come...

I have been reading about torque boxes for Mopars lately and the current issue of Scale Auto has an article about the torque boxes on the Revell '70 Charger R/T and how the Revell '68/'69 Chargers don't have them. I decided to see if I could make a set of torque boxes for my '68 Charger R/T. I looked (actually stared) at the picture in Scale Auto of a '70 Charger R/T for a while and tried to design one out of .020" sheet styrene. Some cutting here, clipping there and a little bending and I think I have the beginnings of a torque box. What do you guys think?



More Charger to come...

More work done on the Charger today. I added the pie plate decal to the air cleaner after I painted the air cleaner. I cut the decal just above the Magnum lettering to help it snug down around the air cleaner.

I painted the rear panel Tamiya X-18 Semi Gloss Black and trimmed the edges with my 1 mm Molotow Chrome Pen.

I added the torque boxes and painted them with Tamiya TS-54 Light Metallic Blue and a small brush.

More Charger to come...

I raided my wife's sewing box tonight for 4 pins. These pins have a flat, round and smooth head.

I drilled 4 holes in the centerline of the front and rear fenders. I have been told that I am a brave sole for drilling into a freshly painted body. Thank you very much! I added a touch of Superglue to the hole on the inside of the fender and inserted the pins. I cut off the shaft of the pin and painted the heads with a drop of Tamiya Clear Orange and Clear Red paint. Now, I have round side markers for my '68 Charger R/T. They have a 3 dimensional look to them instead of a flat decal.


More Charger to come...

Nice clean touch with the pins.

Excellent progress! The detailing is great, I really like the 'pin mod' for the side markers.

Thanks Mike and Kats!

I finished wiring the Hemi that was in the kit.



More Charger R/T to come...

Cool. 2 motors in one kit. Something kit makers have gotten away from in recent years.