Mitch's 69 Charger restoration -sheet metal

[lukedukem]

Can't wait to see it get back from paint. Glad to here you went with mo muscle. My buddy has his 59 el Camino there. They're good people.

Luke

[bull]

Dang, Mitch. If you had to guess, what percentage of the car would you say has been replaced?

Excellent work though. More than I would want to take on. I commend your work and patience.

[green69rt]

Dang, Mitch. If you had to guess, what percentage of the car would you say has been replaced?

Excellent work though. More than I would want to take on. I commend your work and patience.

Seemed like a lot got replaced, but AMD makes it possible.   If I had to do it again I would have to think twice.   It is fun, though, to see something come back from the dead thru your own efforts!

[green69rt]

Just looked at my first post and it's been at least 4 years since the first post, and really 5 years since I got the car in my garage.  Learned a lot and had a huge amount of fun.  I can't imagine doing this project without the help of everyone here.  A big thanks!

Now just to get the thing painted and start rebuilding!!!

[Homerr]

Regarding the door gap - is the trim, rubber, and glass going to fit if the door is shaved?

[green69rt]

Regarding the door gap - is the trim, rubber, and glass going to fit if the door is shaved?

Yeah, what gets trimed is the big pinch weld that connects the inner and outer shells of the door.  The glass opening and the seating surface of the door gasket won't change and their relation to the body of the car won't change.

[green69rt]

Dang, Mitch. If you had to guess, what percentage of the car would you say has been replaced?

Excellent work though. More than I would want to take on. I commend your work and patience.

Forgot to answer your question.  I've probably replaced at least 50% of the metal, may 60% if you count the two front fenders.  I hope to save the hood and trunk lid and one door.  Driver side door is a mess so not even going to try to save it....my estimate just went up to 65%.

What's left that is original is - the firewall, lower cowl, door hinge posts, door striker posts, kick panels, roof, sail panels, package tray, Dutchman, tail light panel, trunk gutters and the rear frame rails under the rear seat.   Maybe another small piece here or there.

[green69rt]

The car was loaded up this morning and taken to the paint shop.  Pics attached show:

In the garage this morning ready to go.
On the transporter.
Leaving.
Setting in the paint shop.

Great news!!  The bad news is that when I went to order the two new fenders, AMD is out of stock on the driver side fender and don't expect to make a run before October.  At that rate I might not get a fender till after Christmas.  At least I will have plenty of time to do the dash, grill and heater box.

[nvrbdn]

sweet. 

[cdr]

GOLBOWS GARAGE TOWED IT ,thats good,i worked in the repair side of the shop for about 14 years,,VERY good people.

[green69rt]

GOLBOWS GARAGE TOWED IT ,thats good,i worked in the repair side of the shop for about 14 years,,VERY good people.

Yeap, the guy got right to work and delivered the car with no problems.   Car did get rained on a little.  Where's a Texas drought when you need one!!

[Baldwinvette77]

been waiting for more of this 

[spoolinhard]

Try ebay for the fender:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-Dodge-Charger-Front-Fender-LH-/281070291557?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4171184a65&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-Dodge-Charger-Front-Fender-drivers-side-/180423711065?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a02175959&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-69-Dodge-Charger-Front-Fender-OEM-drivers-side-Left-side-GREAT-PIECE-WOW/400560585232?rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D17216%26meid%3D850481614130155966%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D8039%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D281070291557%26

[green69rt]

I did look on ebay but most are just resellers of AMD fenders.   If you look carefully they will not say they can deliver it from stock but it will be drop shipped from AMD.  I've called and most know that the fender is out-of-stock but keep their ads up anyway...hmmmm.  One guy was selling a OEM fender so I'll check that out.  Thanks for the links.

[charge69]

It's been a long and rough road to get to this point but, you have done a fantastic job of restoring a shell that many of us, including me, would not have had the skills and patience to take on.  I know you cannot wait to get it back from paint and begin the assembly process.

Beautiful job and I am impressed with your skills and work to get it to this point. Really looking forward to the pics of it painted!

[green69rt]

Try ebay for the fender:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-Dodge-Charger-Front-Fender-LH-/281070291557?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4171184a65&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-Dodge-Charger-Front-Fender-drivers-side-/180423711065?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a02175959&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-69-Dodge-Charger-Front-Fender-OEM-drivers-side-Left-side-GREAT-PIECE-WOW/400560585232?rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D17216%26meid%3D850481614130155966%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D8039%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D281070291557%26

Thanks to spoolinhard.  I contacted one of the people on his link and found a usable fender.   If everything goes well I will have it around 15 sept, take it to the shop and work can take off!!  By the way, this person does take old wrecks apart so if you need hard to find parts he may be a good source.  Just pm me.

[spoolinhard]

Glad to be of use!

[fy469rtse]

Mitch , watch out for the difference with amd fender compared to the original, nose not the same shape,
Not as round, and top of rear to door opening, folded over area not formed right , needs tapping around a bit, just thought I would mention this in case you don't mock up fittment of panels , also some of the amd fenders a bit tight towards the bottom and don't fit as the originals do ,
Don't forget to check the door opening especially at the top gap, or it will be like mine , the first time I opened door it took paint off , hope this helps avoid any issues Mitch

Cheers geoff

[green69rt]

Mitch , watch out for the difference with amd fender compared to the original, nose not the same shape,
Not as round, and top of rear to door opening, folded over area not formed right , needs tapping around a bit, just thought I would mention this in case you don't mock up fittment of panels , also some of the amd fenders a bit tight towards the bottom and don't fit as the originals do ,
Don't forget to check the door opening especially at the top gap, or it will be like mine , the first time I opened door it took paint off , hope this helps avoid any issues Mitch

Cheers geoff

Good thought's Geoff.  I've talked to the paint and body man at the shop and the first thing he wants to do is put all the panels on to check for issues like you mentioned.   I'm going out to see him Thursday or Friday to take the door and trunk gaskets and door locks for the first assembly.   I'll discuss you ideas with him and make sure he follows up on them.

Mitch

[djcarguy]

  are those repop door hinges??? thinking they can be off causing door gap to close up???  just a idea  might enlarge the hinge  holes too hinge post for little adjust room?  looking good an best on fit an paint. 


   impressed with all the work ya did and watching to see it come together,,,

[green69rt]

 are those repop door hinges??? thinking they can be off causing door gap to close up???  just a idea  might enlarge the hinge  holes too hinge post for little adjust room?  looking good an best on fit an paint.  

They are repop hinges and I also thought they might be the problem so I put the old hinges back on (I've learned...never throw anything away, never!!!) and it was the same problem.  Problem was only the pass side so I'm pretty sure it was my fault.  I am sure I had the driver side door in when I did the driver quarter, I can't remember on the pass side so I suspect I did the pass quarter without the door installed.

Edit:  well, I just went back thru this thread and I can see the pictures of the car with the pass side door in while I was installing the quarter so I guess it is just sloppy work

[Stevearino]

Edit:  well, I just went back thru this thread and I can see the pictures of the car with the pass side door in while I was installing the quarter so I guess it is just sloppy work
[/quote]Sloppy work my a##. Everything here looks first class. You are taking a lot of care to do the best job you can do. More so than some so called pro's.
If you don't do this type of thing on a daily basis for a long time it is just impossible to not miss a few things. Keep up the stellar effort. It looks great.

[fy469rtse]

Mitch looks fantastic    , funny feeling huh after all that work watching it go on the flatbed, bet there were times you thought you would never see it ready for paint , god this car is going to look good with paint

[green69rt]

Yeah, the garage feels strange because of the big space where the charger was.

I'll be taking a little vacation to Oregon, then I'm going to clear out my working area and paint the floor.

I spent a couple of hours in the shop, yesterday, talking to the paint and body man and we went over my car in detail, what gets done, how it gets done and what materials to use.   I had made up a list of items that I thought were needed and we marked the list up, dated it and they made a copy to keep in their files and the original in the shop.  They made some good suggestions, some to save me money and some things I had missed.   I think we are in good shape as far as what gets done.   The paint guy is going to use the next couple of weeks to clear out some other cars and when the second fender arrives he plans to jump on mine!!

[Homerr]

Would you mind sharing some of the arcane knowledge of that you went over with the shop?  Money savers, missed bits, etc?