67redcharger User Profile

I was on my way back to the States on board the guided missle Frigate USS COONTZ DLG-9 from the Vietnam campaign, November 1966 when I
realized that I would be getting out of the US Navy in January 1967. I wrote my brother in Burlington, N.C. to send me new car literature for 1967
models. We did get mail while out at sea you know. In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, I started getting sales folders from various dealerships from
Burlington, home of Sox & Martin drag racing fame. As soon as I saw that Red 1967 Charger with a Pearl White interior, and Black Carpet, I knew
that was what I wanted to have waiting on me when I got discharged from the Navy. I sent my brother $500.00 for a down payment and asked him to
order the car for me, just like the Red one in the sales manual. When I got home on January 13 1967, I went straight to Bick Long Motors, and on the
show room floor in the front of the building was my Red Charger waiting for my foot to moan the 4BBL carburator. I had been away fvrom cars for 4 years
since being in the Navy had taken me away from reality that civilians enjoyed back then. I didn't know about 426 Hemi's, and maybe it is a good thing I
didn't understand that sort of stuff back then, as my driving style wasn't the best to instill moderation in driving. The 383 4BBL was enough power for me
to contend with. I went to work for IBM in Greensboro, N.C. and drove the car in my work for four years. The car was serviced at Sox Sinclair in
Burlington where Willard Milo Sox ran the station with the local yocals appearing from time to time, being Ronnie Sox and Buddy Martin. Ronnie also
was involved in building Chevy's to drag race using the 409 engine, but that is another story for the Chevy people. Since I was using a car in my work,
I decided to get an air conditioned car, so I bought a 1971 Dodge Dart Swinger with a 318 engine, and gave the Charger to my wife. The wife used the
Charger to go shopping with, while carrying my 'Lil girl around with her. The back seats would be folded down, and the trunk flap let down into the trunk
area and that was Kimberly's play pen while the wife worked in her Laundromat. We could do things like that back in the 70's without the fear of someone
running off with our treaured 'Lil girl. Linda drove the Charger until it became just another old car on the road, and she wanted me to get her another more
modern car in 1982, so I got her a used 1976 Cadillac, and since the Charger would not valued enough for a trade, I parked it back by the cow pasture fence
to keep the cows company. The car stayed there amongst the dirt daubers, rats, and black snakes for 18 years until a ground hog found his burrow under
the car, and that hog pushed up dirt until I couldn't see under the car any longer. I got down sized by IBM in 1993, and for 7 years, I didn't do anything
worth while as watching TV and taking naps wasn't very productive. The wife crawled me in 2000 asking me,"When you gonna get off your butt and do
something around here"? I replied, "Like what"? Why don't you restore that car back there? "Cause I don't have the money." She said, "If you restore
it, I'll pay for it." That got me started into the restoration world, with all of the insights of meeting people, and a different world that I didn't know existed.
I have met some of the most wonderful people since 2000, that I was losing out on before that time period. I didn't do a frame off restoration on the
Charger, as it is a UniBody car, but it got the full treatment of restoration work. Since I had bought the car new, I knew all of the detailing areas to be
concerned with, such as the engine bay, and other areas of the car. I was an Electronics Technician in the Navy, and was able to get the headlights
to operate with the electric motors, and the dash light Electroluminecent lights to glow again. The car became a hit at car shows, as the paint now
was the base coat PP1 Chrysler Red with the Clear coat finish. The Dodge Charger Registry, ran by Jon Gibbs, found out about the car, and when MSD
Electronics Ignition wanted an early Charger to appear in an advertising campaign, Mr. Gibbs told the MSD Marketing team about my Charger. It wasn't long
after that the car was involved in a Photo Shoot at Ray Evernham Motor Sports along with Ray Evernham and Kasey Kahne's Charger. We couldn't get Kasey
to stand still long enough to get his picture in the shoot. He was running around the complex in his flip flops, and burmuda shorts like a youngster.
Here are a few pics of "Ole Red" along with one pic of my wedding day June 14 1970 with the car. This Charger is one of the best cars that I have ever owned,
and the most rewarding car to boot. I hope these pics bring back memories for some of those that look at her. It is now better than when she was brand new.

~ Don R. Dodson ~ Gibsonville, N.C.