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The Hunt I decided in about 1999 that I needed to have a Dodge Charger. I thought about a 1973 model because that was my first ever car in 1984. My Dad had bought that car off the lot in 1974. I drove it for about 5 or 6 years before it gave up the ghost late one fall. I got it going again in the spring but we had pulled the plates and insurance off it. So, it went to our mechanic's yard. The last time I saw it, it had an engine sitting in the trunk. But I really wanted to have a 1969 Charger. I'm not sure why. I'll admit that The Dukes of Hazzard influenced me when I was young. I will not be doing a General Lee clone, though. There just seemed to be a point where the look of the second generation Dodge Charger got my blood rushing. So, back to the hunt: I think I really started in earnest in 2000. Using mainly the Internet as my method of searching, I came across several that were either out my price range or beyond my skill set to restore. I finally decided that the only way I was going to get a Charger was to decide on a price that I could pay and just look for the best specimen that could be had. Over a 3 month period, I looked at about 12 different cars. Most were up for auction on eBay. I watched the price on a few rise above my price. So, I let them go. I bid on a few, only to be outbid. Finally, I checked out one that was listed at a good starting price and didn't seem to be getting a lot of attention. I e-mailed the seller with a few questions. I got good solid information from him and he came across as a good guy. I placed my bid, and crossed my fingers. One other person bid me up a bit, but I did not have to go over my limit. I won the auction and now owned a Charger. Along the way, I gathered a lot of things that are Charger related. Especially die-cast models. Just to satisfy myself, I continued to watch for new sales of Dodge Chargers. I wanted to be sure I spent my money wisely. Over a four month period I didn't see any better deal than what I got. There were many cars in better shape, but at a much higher price. There were some cars that were less expensive, but not in as good shape as mine. The places that I searched for cars included: |
