Mitch's 69 Charger restoration -sheet metal

[green69rt]

Well, the work continues.   Got the front clip cut away from the rest of the car and hung one of the fenders just to check I was going in the right direction.  What do you know, after moving the front clip forward about 3/4" the gaps between the door and the fender appeared!!  I also raised the front end about 3/4" to get the gap more even. (PIC #1.)

You can see where I cut the inner fenders from the car, I've already got new replacement metal ready so when everything looks good I'll figure out what to do. (PIC #2.)

The TB cross member was tough to cut out because of the close quarters but it's done and it looks like I can save it, just weld it back to the inner rockers when I'm ready (PIC #3.)

You can see my setup, I put "legs" on the front clip to hold it up and then a car jack to raise the front.   I use shims under the "legs" to hold everything in place once the alignment is correct.  Looks kind of crude but it works (PIC#4.)

Next get the fenders, hood and maybe the front valance installed and lined up, tack everything in place and then undo all the damage I caused.....

[Homerr]

Mitch, thanks for posting and showing the work.  I'm learning all the time from your posts, even if it's what not to do.   

[green69rt]

Mitch, thanks for posting and showing the work.  I'm learning all the time from your posts, even if it's what not to do.   

That's the idea.  Nobody like to show their mistakes but sometimes that helps most!!

[fy469rtse]

That looks better Mitch , half way there to correcting it, your skills are amazing ,

[green69rt]

That looks better Mitch , half way there to correcting it, your skills are amazing ,

Thanks Geoff.  I just wished that I had known enough to keep the fenders and hood on while I was replacing the front frame.  Oh well, keeps me off the streets. 

[Ghoste]

Is that a separate floor under the car Mitch?

[green69rt]

Is that a separate floor under the car Mitch?

Don't know what you mean.  While I had the car in the restoration shop I had my workshop area floor epoxied.  If you're talking about the little step, I had my garage expanded before I bought the Charger.  I needed space to work and store the car.   The step is where the old garage floor ends and the new one begins.  Now that I think about it I don't remember exactly why the builder did that vs. just making it the same level as the rest of the floor.

Edit, now I remember,  The we raised the foundation of the new part because my lot rises in the back and I wanted to keep the top of the foundation about 4" above ground level.

[Ghoste]

Thats what Im seeing then.  I thought maybe you had built a specific floorspace just for the Charger and wondered.

[remta1]

workshop looks cleaner than mine

[XS29L9B2]

very nice work i love that

[fy469rtse]

No mistakes Mitch just a learning curve, love your work, not many would been prepared to do that level of work to one car, that's why mine has stalled, bit over it and I had half the work in metal that you have had to do
Fantastic , great to see you at it still watching, this is going to be a good thread all the way

[green69rt]

The cold, here in Houston (32 degrees one night and don't laugh, my blood is thin,) and the holidays have slowed me WAY down.  Been spending a hour here or there on getting the front panels lined up and thinking about the reassembly process.   Also, I sent the rear axle case out to get powder coated and it now sets at in a mechanics garage waiting for the new parts from DR Diff (489 diff, lines, axle bearings, brake assembly.)  Only things that will survive  are the case and the axles.

So there is a tiny bit of progress, just not enough to warrant pictures.   I'll get some out when the rear end gets home.

[fy469rtse]

what centre are you putting in,
traclock , suregrip , your going to replace axle bearings with factory type and not get talked in to non load green type ford bearings ?
a good friend of mine showed me a good trick with your axles , spin them in a lathe to check for straightness, i had to press one of my flanges straight where the wheel sits, benifit of the lathe could skim the surface of that for 100 % true face,
if you find a bent axle you might want to check the housing"s straight as well, you can never assume when you dont know the use history of the car , i lesson i have learned   
good to see you still at it.

[green69rt]

what centre are you putting in,
traclock , suregrip , your going to replace axle bearings with factory type and not get talked in to non load green type ford bearings ?
a good friend of mine showed me a good trick with your axles , spin them in a lathe to check for straightness, i had to press one of my flanges straight where the wheel sits, benifit of the lathe could skim the surface of that for 100 % true face,
if you find a bent axle you might want to check the housing"s straight as well, you can never assume when you dont know the use history of the car , i lesson i have learned   
good to see you still at it.

Shuregrip with 3.91 gears.  Stock tapered axel bearings.   Only thing I didn't plan on was the axel bearing retainer was shot.  Dr Diff makes a billit replacement for $130, I found a NOS one on ebay for $20 plus $5 shipping, guess which one I picked!

[green69rt]

When I shipped the Charger off to be painted, I also took the rear axle assembly to a local mechanic to have it taken apart.  I then took the case to be blasted and powder coated.   Took it back to the mechanic and bought all new goodies to go in the case, except for the axles.   Thank you Dr Diff for taking my money!  Came out looking pretty nice, just wish I could put it back on the car.  Oh well, into storage it goes.   First pic is "before"  next three pics are "after".  All that's left is to attach the parking brake cable.  I'm also going to paint the bare metal parts with Eastwood Cast steel gray paint to try to keep it looking good for a little longer.

[green69rt]

I think I have the fenders and doors pretty well gapped.   I still want to try to attach the front valence.    I don't know if it needs to be on but after my recent experience, it's a small amount of work.    First pic is just a general shot of the car as it is right now.  Second shows the door/fender gap.  I still have a problem where the passenger door, fender and cowl come together.  Profiles don't match up (pic 3.)  Finally the hood is a little bowed.   I knew that was the case so now I'll have to see if I can fix it or I'll have to buy another, it's only money right

[tsmithae]

That's one nice rear end you've got there.   

Good luck with the hood, I think you can save it!

[fy469rtse]

I agree ,
hood can be manipulated, but fit that valance up to make sure it fits to the new fender , how are those tail light buckets, only because there not that great even from factory,
the rest is looking great Mitch, everything lining up much better, looks great

[fy469rtse]

that fender to cowl area Mitch, just mark it how you want and slice and weld up,
your skills better than mine and thats what i would do,
actually i would take lots of photos and let us look at them and head off any issues before paint, theres parts i wish i could do over and someone had pointed them out

[green69rt]

that fender to cowl area Mitch, just mark it how you want and slice and weld up,
your skills better than mine and thats what i would do,
actually i would take lots of photos and let us look at them and head off any issues before paint, theres parts i wish i could do over and someone had pointed them out

I didn't think of doing a slice and dice on the cowl, interesting idea.  Just like I did on the door gap except not open the gap up but slice the cowl and push it closer to the fender and door to close the uneven gap up.  My first thought was to add about 1/8" of weld bead to the edge of the fender and door and grind the bead down to get the gap I want.  Let's see how things develop.

I had to fish around to find the valence mounting bolts.  Anyone have a picture of how the bolts are arranged?   Looks like four go along the bottom of the radiator support and three each side to mount the valence to the fender.  On the fender do the spring nuts(??) go on the fender or the valence?

[green69rt]

That's one nice rear end you've got there.   

Yeah, that's what my wife says...oh you're talking about the differential 

[green69rt]

how are those tail light buckets, only because there not that great even from factory,

I never touched the tail light panel so it should still be ok, but that's another test fit I'll have to do before final paint.

[cdr]

on the sides of valance the clips go in the fender except the front hole gets the clip on the valance

[cdr]

i edited my post it is correct now

[green69rt]

i edited my post it is correct now

It seems pretty clear to me now.  Two clips on the fender and one on the valence.  Kind of makes sense because the bolt heads would be hard to get to any other way.