Despite an hour long delay from a fuel system issue, Dad and I were able to sneak in one last drive in the Dodge just before sundown. Here's the short version...
My beautiful 1969 Dodge Coronet 440 was delivered to her original owner 47 years ago as of July 26th of this year. As of this coming October she's been mine for 18 wonderful years. I took her to proms, to car shows, and even used her to drive off from my wedding with my beautiful bride, Christine, sitting by my side. There were lots of shenanigans in between those events as well. I'm sure my old friend Joe Newby has a story or two. Maybe three. Sometimes a spring just breaks and lots of rubber gets burned on back county roads... . Sometimes radiator cores like to explode during a simple low speed cruise.
Anywho.
Today is the last day the sun will set with all of her original parts still together as one. The glass is scheduled to be removed tomorrow at 10am, followed by a prompt disassembly of her exterior trim, body panels, electrical, and interior. She will be a shell with an engine and eventually just a clean unibody core. She is to be rebuilt and restored, bolt by bolt, to better than factory condition. A safer structure with better panel fit, better finish, and better modern highway cruise-ability.
The goal is to have her completed by October 31, 2018, twenty years to the day that I first brought her home. Realistically, that will likely stretch to her 50th birthday in July of 2019. If I'm extremely lucky. I will be documenting the entire project in a soon to be published blog, mostly for my own reference, but if anyone is interested in following, have at. I'll post that in the coming weeks.
This has been a long time coming and I'm honestly somewhat terrified of the unexpected, yet guaranteed, surprises that will occur.
Here's to a new adventure, old friend. We'll both get through this. I promise!
So after one last properly golden sunset, it's now time to back her into the garage and say goodnight. See you on the other side...
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