Rare 69 XP Hemi Charger on Chop Cut Rebuild

[sdweatherman]

Just wanted to post and let everyone know about some interesting Mopar history being resurrected on this season of Chop Cut Rebuild. Even though its outside of our 71-74 B-body realm, it is something you just dont see everyday. Normally, you could only option a Charger R/T (XS23J9) with a hemi, but this particular base charger has a VIN code that starts with XP23J9. Usually this kind of car ends up being a promotional car of some sort, specially put together for brochure, magazine, and press shots. So how many of these XP Hemi Chargers could be out there? Road Runner Nest member ILUV72RRs has info on two such cars that exist or have existed. Are there any other rumers out there?

[Smellslike1974]

Was there an article about this In an issue of "Mopar" magazine?

[ILUV72RRs]

At one of the early Mopar Nationals I was at. Someone trailered in a '70 Hemi XP29R Charger for sale that needed to be restored. It was red in color. I didn't bother to write down the serial number. But ole' Galen took off like his pants were on fire to go and record the info on it.

[sdweatherman]

Just watched the second episode of CCR and good news! The recognize the rarity of this car and are going to restore it back to near stock. Most of the changes they plan for the car are direct bolt on upgrades which will not keep a subsequent owner from taking it back to bone stock. During tear down they even have taken notice where the special body stampings are, and will be transferring those over to the new sheet metal if they have to. Investigating further, they found no remains of a bumblebee stripe and there was no holes in the quarter for an R/T badge (Every 69 Charger R/T should have either a stripe or a badge on the rear quarterpanel). Scrubbing down the paint in that area revealed a bronzeish color, which matches the color scheme of the brochure car. Also discovered during tear down is that this car had 1968 door handles and a 1968 gas cap. For those that are keeping track, they flashed the VIN across the screen during the episode (XP29J9B186523). They also showed one of the special body stampings also. Both the VIN and the stamping matched, so we know that the dash VIN definately belongs to this body. Pretty cool stuff!

[quapman]

During tear down they even have taken notice where the special body stampings are, and will be transferring those over to the new sheet metal if they have to.

Call the VIN police! Just kidding. What network is this show on? Please don't say SPEED. I don't have it.

[sdweatherman]

Yep, this program is on SPEED. Sorry.

[ILUV72RRs]

Well, it looks like then that there were at least three of them built! As the two serial numbers I have in my records are: XP29J9B176562, and: XP29J9B497934. What's interesting is the fact that you know there has to be probably several months difference between the 562 & 934 cars when they were built. Then there's the '69 RT/SE 440 Charger I know about that was ordered with a bench seat interior, and that's what came into the Dodge dealership. As the guy wanted a Charger, and didn't want his honey sitting on the other side of the car.

[sdweatherman]

There is a thread on this car over on the moparts board. One of the responders mentioned a fourth possible XP car. XP29J9B298249. Reference for this car is on the Mopar Collectors Guide published Canada Hemi List.

If you cant follow the rebuild on Chop Cut Rebuild, Mopar Enthusiast Magazine has an article written on it. I got this link off of the moparts board. Just use the drop down menu to go to page 46.

http://editions.amospublishing.com/MPRE ... d=20101101

[sdweatherman]

Third episode in the books and wow what a rusty car. Fortunately AMD has just about every panel you need for a 69 charger. The crew had to pull a little bit of sub structure off a collision charger to get the job done, plus several little patch panels here and there. The car basically has new AMD sheet metal, quarters, fenders, roof, doors, hood, deck lid, floors, trunk pan, and frame rails. Not much of the original Charger remains but the sub structure. They did a great job lining everything up. The AMD shop has done their work and it is on to the next step - fine tuning the body work and getting paint on it. Till next time.

[Smellslike1974]

well geez,I guess we all dont have to watch the show now....

[ct71rr]

...If you cant follow the rebuild on Chop Cut Rebuild, Mopar Enthusiast Magazine has an article written on it. I got this link off of the moparts board. Just use the drop down menu to go to page 46.

http://editions.amospublishing.com/MPRE ... d=20101101

I thought I read somewhere that Mopar Enthusiast has been discontinued.

[bruce]

...If you cant follow the rebuild on Chop Cut Rebuild, Mopar Enthusiast Magazine has an article written on it. I got this link off of the moparts board. Just use the drop down menu to go to page 46.

http://editions.amospublishing.com/MPRE ... d=20101101

I thought I read somewhere that Mopar Enthusiast has been discontinued.

MOE has been discontinued as a separate title. It has been rolled into a larger all-makes magazine called Auto Enthusiast. Supposedly just as much Mopar coverage, you just have to wade through the Camaro and Mustang coverage ala Hot Rod or Car Craft.