Drache
1971 Dodge Dart Swinger
First I need to start with a little story. Many here know this story already (I think I tell it once a year) but bite me, I'm telling it again :nana:
Back when my dad was in his 20's he owned a '70 Charger R/T.
Now before the car was B5 blue, it was it's original Plumcrazy Purple. My dad didn't like purple and decided it should be painted. At one point my dad ran into a ditch and had to buy a new front bumper and grille.
*Dramatization, not actual ditch incident
*
He decided the car might as well be painted at the same time.
The car needed some work so he sent the car off to a local mechanic in Kamloops, BC. A couple days later the mechanic using a tow truck dropped the Charger back into my dad's garage. My dad thought something was weird but shrugged it off and went to bed. In the middle of the night he awoke and told my mother that there was no bumper or grille on his car. He went racing down stairs, turned the light on in the garage and sure enough, he was right.
My mother assured him it was probably a mistake. My dad paced the night away until the shop opened in the morning and inquired about his bumper and grille. They exclaimed the car never had one when it came in. Dad called the RCMP who stated there was no proof the car had one and there was nothing they could do.
So dad put it behind him, bought a new bumper and grille, painted the car B5 blue, and continued on for a couple years until I was born. Dad sold his Charger for $800.
The car went on to be painted Panther pink, raced in the One Lap of America for a few years (back when the race was across the US), used for dirt track racing, then pretty much disappeared.
About a year after I was born my parents were divorced.
Fast forward 6 years later and my mom remarries. This guy had a '70 Charger sitting in his yard. I remember playing in it. At some point he tells my mother a story, how years earlier, his best friend owned a mechanics shop and called him up.He knew this guy needed a bumper and grille for his charger and lo and behold a '70 Charger R/T came into the shop with a brand new bumper and grille. This guy and the shop owner stole my dad's bumper and grille. My mom married the thief without even knowing! This guy and my mom had a kid, my half brother.
Anyways, eventually my mom and this guy divorce and the guy sells his Charger. I find out about 8 years ago from my half brother that the bumper from my dad's Charger is still hanging in his dad's barn! For the past 8 years I've been trying to buy this bumper back because my dad said that all he ever wanted was at least a piece of his old Charger be it the steering wheel, shifter, even the gas cap. Just now my brother gave me a call and said his dad is willing to sell me the bumper for $200. I bought it without even negotiating.
I'm going to surprise my dad with it when it arrives by Greyhound! I can't wait to see the look on his face!
Back when my dad was in his 20's he owned a '70 Charger R/T.
Now before the car was B5 blue, it was it's original Plumcrazy Purple. My dad didn't like purple and decided it should be painted. At one point my dad ran into a ditch and had to buy a new front bumper and grille.
*Dramatization, not actual ditch incident
*
He decided the car might as well be painted at the same time.
The car needed some work so he sent the car off to a local mechanic in Kamloops, BC. A couple days later the mechanic using a tow truck dropped the Charger back into my dad's garage. My dad thought something was weird but shrugged it off and went to bed. In the middle of the night he awoke and told my mother that there was no bumper or grille on his car. He went racing down stairs, turned the light on in the garage and sure enough, he was right.
My mother assured him it was probably a mistake. My dad paced the night away until the shop opened in the morning and inquired about his bumper and grille. They exclaimed the car never had one when it came in. Dad called the RCMP who stated there was no proof the car had one and there was nothing they could do.
So dad put it behind him, bought a new bumper and grille, painted the car B5 blue, and continued on for a couple years until I was born. Dad sold his Charger for $800.
The car went on to be painted Panther pink, raced in the One Lap of America for a few years (back when the race was across the US), used for dirt track racing, then pretty much disappeared.
About a year after I was born my parents were divorced.
Fast forward 6 years later and my mom remarries. This guy had a '70 Charger sitting in his yard. I remember playing in it. At some point he tells my mother a story, how years earlier, his best friend owned a mechanics shop and called him up.He knew this guy needed a bumper and grille for his charger and lo and behold a '70 Charger R/T came into the shop with a brand new bumper and grille. This guy and the shop owner stole my dad's bumper and grille. My mom married the thief without even knowing! This guy and my mom had a kid, my half brother.
Anyways, eventually my mom and this guy divorce and the guy sells his Charger. I find out about 8 years ago from my half brother that the bumper from my dad's Charger is still hanging in his dad's barn! For the past 8 years I've been trying to buy this bumper back because my dad said that all he ever wanted was at least a piece of his old Charger be it the steering wheel, shifter, even the gas cap. Just now my brother gave me a call and said his dad is willing to sell me the bumper for $200. I bought it without even negotiating.
I'm going to surprise my dad with it when it arrives by Greyhound! I can't wait to see the look on his face!
