WHILE a good chunk of Street Machine feature cars these days have been bundled off to a workshop, only to reappear a year or two later as an immaculately W finished artwork, there's certainly something to be said for giving things a go and getting your own hands dirty. For Adrian Romandini, his ultra-tough '69 Dodge Charger is hard proof that patience, persistence and a willing attitude can pay off in spades.
Adrian's decade-long journey began when he snagged the left-hook car from Just Mustangs in 2011. It was far from perfect, with a 383 between the rails, turquoise paint, and a black vinyl roof hiding its fair share of tin worm. "I'd been looking for a tough muscle car for a cruiser, and had always been drawn to the look of the '68-69 American Chargers," he says. "As much as I love Holdens and Fords, I wanted to buy something that was different to what everyone else had."
Though Adrian set out to be different, there's nothing pretentious about the build's origins. "I took the car for a spin around the block a few times and decided to freshen it up with a quick blow-over," he recounts. "Little did I know that it would turn into a full rotisserie, nut-and-bolt, ground-up restoration!" It was always bound to be an extended process, too, with Adrian tied up running his own cabinetmaking business and raising three kids with wife Maz.
The vinyl roof had done the Charger's turret no favours, and the rest of the car wasn't much better, so Adrian started by stripping it down, welding in new floors and sorting out much of the sad metal, before enlisting the help of Andy McDonald of Andy's Rust Repairs. "I tried to do as much as I could myself," says Adrian. "The mini-tubs I did myself with guidance from the panel beater, and I fitted up the chassis connectors and he welded them in for me.
This story is from the October 2022 edition of Street Machine Australia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 2022 edition of Street Machine Australia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
JAPANESE STEEZE MEETS AUSSIE ICONOGRAPHY IN JAY DUCA'S GENRE-HOPPING VL
BIG-BUCK BURNOUTS
SUMMERNATS ANNOUNCES MASSIVE NEW PRIZEMONEY AND A BRAND-NEW BURNOUT SERIES
RETURN OF THE KINGS
WITH SOME OF AUSTRALIA'S MOST ESTEEMED CAR BUILDERS SET TO DEBUT CARS, THIS YEAR'S MEGUIAR'S MOTOREX IS SET TO BE A CRACKER
YACHT ROCK
PRO STREET luxury cars may as well be a religion unto themselves in Victoria.
THE LONG ROAD
A 20-YEAR ODYSSEY SAW JASON MACKENZIE’S CAMARO TRANSFIGURED FROM BURNOUTBRUISER TO SHOWSTOPPING BOULEVARD CRUISER
KICKSTART MY HEART
TWO HEART ATTACKS JOLTED JASON HANNAM TO HOME-BUILD HIS SL/R 5000-STYLE HOTTIE
DOUBLE ACTION
THINK BUILDING AN ELITE CAR IS TOUGH? TRY DOING A 1700RWHP HQ MONARO STREETER AT THE SAME TIME!
Mission BROWN
TWIN BROTHERS YOUNAN AND EDDIE KHAZI SET OUT TO SHOWCASE THEIR TALENTS WITH THIS CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED BARRA TURBO XE GHIA BUILD
HELL YEAH
HOW DO YOU IMPROVE ONE OF THE BEST-LOOKING MUSCLE CARS EVER? GIVE IT TO RINGBROTHERS, OF COURSE!
DIY DREAM
MONIQUE O'GARR'S EH WAGON WAS THREE DECADES COMING, BUT AN ELITE HALL DEBUT MADE IT ALL WORTHWHILE