Don's 69 Charger Rust Belt restoration

[mopar4don]

Look like a big car show but no chargers in the video, did you see any there?
Thanks
Pat

Yeah there were 5 or 6 I believe. 5 out of something like 1500 cars, I guess that shows how rare these machines are!

Looks like fun don, gotta love car shows! We have one coming up near me on Father's Day that has a few hundred cars in it (not bad for rural Nova Scotia lol). My dad and I usually try to get to as many as we can, this year I'm going to take my little guy, he is only 9 months but gotta start em young lol!

Definatly get them started young, before you know it he'll be wrenching along side of ya.

[mopar4don]

Did a little patching on the 4 speed hump

[mopar4don]

this shows good weld penatration on the back side. (I always like to check this)

[mopar4don]

I dont have a shrinker strecher (maybe someday)
so I find that cutting relief cuts into the metal works pretty good.

[mopar4don]

just add weld, grind, and good as new!

[Stevearino]

I dont have a shrinker strecher (maybe someday)
so I find that cutting relief cuts into the metal works pretty good.

You should get yourself a set. They are not that expensive and by God you deserve one after this ordeal. You have paid your dues and then some.

[mopar4don]

Thanks Steve, but where is the challenge? 

[BROCK]

Just found this thread today.  Awe inspiring Sir

[Steve P.]

Great work as always...   

[tan top]

   nice , goof stuff   

[70-500-SE-EXPORT]

You are incredibly talented piecing back together that unibody! Love this following this build keep up the good work!!

[mopar4don]

What can I say but Thank you guys!

[Ghoste]

You deserve all the accolades man, you aren't just saving a well crusted Charger but you're doing it yourself and without just strolling through the AMD catalog or handing a resto shop a blank check.

[mopar4don]

Here is my lastest find!
I've been looking for a couple of years.

[mopar4don]

I decided a while back that I would dehump my wheel houses. I figured that a little more room for the tires can't hurt! And now would be the time to do it rather than get the car done and have the tires rub!
So following is how I went about it. I'll show you the good and the bad. What I learned worked, and what did not work.
Keep in mind this entire process took approx, 2-1/2 months (yes I had trouble)

So I already had the wheel wells installed and mocked up to the quarters, rockers, trunk floor, and trunk extensions.
So knowing that everything looked good, I made these braces to help hold the outer lip of the well. (I was concerned that they might move

[mopar4don]

The idea is to slice the metal and hammer it out to make a smooth dished out transition on the outer half of the wheel well.
Here are my first cuts or slices

[mopar4don]

Here is a side view showing the hump that will be removed.
Sorry about the blurriness

[mopar4don]

More slicing and hammer work

[mopar4don]

Here you can see the shape I am try to get to. More of a dished out radius.

[keepat]

Now is the time to modify it with the quarter panel off. What size wheels and tires are you going with?
Thanks
Pat

[Aussiemadonmopars]

Great work Pat. Here's how I did mine:   

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,11111.msg139669.html#msg139669

[Pat1973charger]

Looks good don! I think I ruined my roof skin removing it today  keep the updates coming. One of my favourite threads going!

[mopar4don]

Now is the time to modify it with the quarter panel off. What size wheels and tires are you going with?
Thanks
Pat

HI Pat, I really don't know what size. I guess as big as I can.
Do you have any idea what will fit in a de-humped wheel well? Or where I can find that info?
Maybe I'll use what others have proven to work....
like NorwayCharger used 18x10 with 4,5" backspace. 295,45,18
                                 17x8 with 4,5"-----"-------. 245,45,17

Looks good don! I think I ruined my roof skin removing it today  keep the updates coming. One of my favourite threads going!

Sorry to here about the roof skin, what happened?

[Dino]

Don, great work as always.   

I run 275/50r17 with 4.5 bs and if it wasn't for the well hump, I could fit a whole lot more under there.  Actually the problem is on the inner well where the tires will rub making a sharp turn onto a steep driveway or something.  You should have no problems installing a 300+ tire.  I'll bet that with the right backspacing you could fit a 325 without issues.  It has been done but it may require raising the rear to clear the hump.  You don't have that problem though.   

[keepat]

Now is the time to modify it with the quarter panel off. What size wheels and tires are you going with?
Thanks
Pat

HI Pat, I really don't know what size. I guess as big as I can.
Do you have any idea what will fit in a de-humped wheel well? Or where I can find that info?
Maybe I'll use what others have proven to work....
like NorwayCharger used 18x10 with 4,5" backspace. 295,45,18
                                 17x8 with 4,5"-----"-------. 245,45,17

Looks good don! I think I ruined my roof skin removing it today  keep the updates coming. One of my favourite threads going!

Sorry to here about the roof skin, what happened?

Don,
If you have a stock length rear which is about 60"  you will need a minimum of 5" backspacing with a 10 inch wheel with a 295 tire. I do think you the space you have made you can fit a 305 tire. Using an 18" wheels gives you a lot of tire options. The 8" front wheel will work with a 4.5" back spacing
Thanks
Pat