Project Car 1969 Dodge Charger Nuremberg Daytona; Part 17
This is Part 17 of the story on our 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona Project Nuremberg Car. In future Parts we will update you on the Project Car itself and the restoration process. (Start with Part 1).
Although we have not recently brought you regular updates on our Project Nuremberg Daytona we have been very busy. The car will be going in to the paint booth for its new paint job and return to its factory color very soon. Over the past month or so the body has been massaged to a very smooth and sharp condition. The nose cone has been the one exception.
When the restoration began, the original nose was scheduled for an extensive restoration from years of touchy feely driving. In other words, it had been hit a few times! After media blasting and some work at the hands of a metal worker, I decided the original nose was beyond saving. The thought of putting a fiberglass reproduction nose on the car may have been the most cost effective solution but was not the right one. Finding an OEM nose was next to impossible and the cost if you could find one would not be within our budget.
The solution was to purchase the best fiberglass nose we could find and then have a master metal fabricator build a new steel nose as close to the factory as possible. This was a learning experience for everyone involved and took a great deal of research and testing, but the result was beyond my expectations.
The process began with getting the fenders, hood, and doors of the Daytona fitting as best as we could and within acceptable standards for the finished car. They then fit the fiberglass nose to the Daytona. The fit was not perfect but was well within what could be expected on a factory build. After all, these cars were not known for the craftsmanship quality of their construction. The nose fit on a new Daytona was far from show quality. I made the decision that the Nuremberg Daytona had to be completed to a level of fit and finish far better than the factory did. I was more concerned with the quality and beauty of the completed car than with trying to duplicate the errors and poor panel fit of a factory original car.
The new nose was built completely out of steel and carefully fitted to the car as you would expect it to be. It appears as close to the original as possible and its only flaw is that it was built better and fits better. All but the most knowledgeable of experts would ever know it is not an original Daytona factory nose.
Next up, the body gets its new clear coat T7 Dark Bronze paint with white tail stripe. The new date code correct 440 and four speed find their new home along with the all new suspension parts. The interior will follow along with the new tires and wheels.
We will show it all to you right here over the next few months. However, you will not see the completed Nuremberg Daytona until it is unveiled at the Muscle Car Corvette nationals in Chicago this November. This is arguably the most prestigious muscle car show in the Country and the only place we wanted to introduce it to all of you. When we get back from the show, we will give you an in-depth review of Project Nuremberg Daytona, as well as the complete show. Don’t worry, we will have lots and lots of photos of both!
