elacruze '68 resto thread (Heavy photos)

[twodko]

elacruze ,

I very much enjoy watching someone restoring a beloved mopar AND doing it the right way the first time. The work you're doing is outstanding. You gotta love AMD, they make resto far easier. Great job...keep the pix coming.

Pardon me for assuming your deployment included full battle rattle. Be that as it may, if you're going down range with the rock & rollers make sure you all get back. Cheers

Tom

[elacruze]

What a pisser it is trying to post pictures sometimes.
Why do I have to post text?

[moparstuart]

just put a smiley up there if you dont want to post text    or  is what i always use

[Brock Samson]

dont forget to "save" "rename" and start the thread over again from scratch too... 

[Bob T]

Good pics elacruze, lots of new sheetmetal and a 30 year ownwership, very cool , keep up with the good work

[PocketThunder]

dont forget to "save" "rename" and start the thread over again from scratch too... 

     we learn to get it right after awhile..

[Silver R/T]

Nice job. I guess you've used AMD rear valance? I got mine off of ebay and it didn't have wire clips and didn't have hole for license plate light.

[HITMAN 149]

if your car is true R/T... and you have the matching numbers 440 & 4 sp.... im sure many willl agreeeeeee...
KEEEEEEEEP IT!!!! if you don't wanna use it... at least keeeeeep it somewhere... for later on with the car!!!!
i have a true r/t.. but my orig motor is long gone... my 440 is a 70 date block. lol

[elacruze]

if your car is true R/T... and you have the matching numbers 440 & 4 sp.... im sure many willl agreeeeeee...
KEEEEEEEEP IT!!!! if you don't wanna use it... at least keeeeeep it somewhere... for later on with the car!!!!
i have a true r/t.. but my orig motor is long gone... my 440 is a 70 date block. lol

I'm always sorry to report that the original donor R/T is long gone, because in the condition it was it could have been saved today. I saved all the R/T pieces, including the core support and trunk rail numbers-but lost track of those pieces (and the fender tag for this body) long ago. I originally intended to rebody, back when it didn't matter much.
I still have the numbers-matched engine and 4-speed, and I've decided that when the car is together I'll sell them to someone who can pull the value out of them since they don't help this car anymore. That will likely be next August-September. I've already had some interest from other members, I'll keep everyone posted.
All the sheetmetal is AMD. My body man demanded it and I'm glad he did. I have to admit though, it hurt my soul a little to cut away so much of a solid car but it was covered with Rebel Rash on all four corners. Replacing was about the same price as bodywork, maybe cheaper. Anyway, I have no intention of ever selling this car so the originality or lack of it should never come to issue.
I read everyone else's resto threads, and I can't wait until I get to post that first picture with paint-that's the most exciting point, right up to the shakedown cruise.

[elacruze]

Got moved to the new shop, slow going the last 2 months.

First job in and cash flow should get it moving quick...and knowing I'll be home in July to look over everyone's shoulder lol.

iphone pics, good ones to follow.

[elacruze]

Heh. I noticed that the Quarter bumper cap is straight as an arrow...nice.

I also noticed what looks like a dent in front of it. I'll get the story on that in a little while.

Pic #2; The 'dent' was there a long time ago. This photo was taken even before I saw the car first-hand, and I didn't notice it. Blocking revealed the low spot.

[69*F5*SE]

elacruze-in right along. Progress is good.   

[hemi-hampton]

Got moved to the new shop, slow going the last 2 months.

First job in and cash flow should get it moving quick...and knowing I'll be home in July to look over everyone's shoulder lol.

iphone pics, good ones to follow.

Missed the part about the move to new shop, Thought Paul was doing it out of his Garage? LEON.

[elacruze]

Got moved to the new shop, slow going the last 2 months.

First job in and cash flow should get it moving quick...and knowing I'll be home in July to look over everyone's shoulder lol.

iphone pics, good ones to follow.

Missed the part about the move to new shop, Thought Paul was doing it out of his Garage? LEON.

Was his 'garage', had been working on a big shop and this opportunity came up suddenly. He just finished moving in, after about a month.
I have ample proof that his 'garage' paint jobs are excellent, but I'm still very happy that they have a full-sized paint booth now.

[elacruze]

Woo Hoo! Let the painting begin!

all panel gaps final, fenders in the door, rear half in primer.

Brand-new larger paint booth install may delay the final paint, but I'll be home to watch!

[elacruze]

Door Gap

[69*F5*SE]

Elacruze (Eric), so you got a full AMD trunk pan in by just having the rear valance off?  That's what I gotta do but was'nt sure it would fit through the opening other than removing the trunk latch support.  I asked this in another thread in the "Paint & Body" section also.

[elacruze]

Elacruze (Eric), so you got a full AMD trunk pan in by just having the rear valance off?  That's what I gotta do but was'nt sure it would fit through the opening other than removing the trunk latch support.  I asked this in another thread in the "Paint & Body" section also.

You can see clearly in this pic that the quarters haven't come off yet, just the lower valence-




I haven't been there to see much of this first-hand, I'm still in Afghanistan until next month.

[69*F5*SE]

Thanks Eric    Here's to you getting back home safely      Ted

[elacruze]

I just got home Monday morning. Went to see the car first-hand. the bottom is painted and ready to get into the trunk/interior areas.

[69*F5*SE]

Welcome back home.     looks like the car has been in good hands. 

[Brass]

Very cool. 

[tan top]

looks great 

[rattlehead_74]

elacruze,very nice work you guy is doing there ..Is this the order things were done?
#1 frame connecters
#2 the rear valance was removed..
#3 then the trunk floor...
#4 new trunk floor installed...
#5 then new rear valance..
#6 then both quarter panels taken off..
#7 and new ones installed...

In that order??..and all he did was brace the interior area..and all the work was done while still on the rotisserie....or was it blocked up?

Just wondering as i posted in paint&body also..about my buddies 70 RR we are working on..It would be so much easier to do some of the sheet metal replacement if we could just spin the car ..Again your car looks to be in very good hands! :2thumbs:later

[elacruze]

elacruze,very nice work you guy is doing there ..Is this the order things were done?
#1 frame connecters
#2 the rear valance was removed..
#3 then the trunk floor...
#4 new trunk floor installed...
#5 then new rear valance..
#6 then both quarter panels taken off..
#7 and new ones installed...

In that order??..and all he did was brace the interior area..and all the work was done while still on the rotisserie....or was it blocked up?

Just wondering as i posted in paint&body also..about my buddies 70 RR we are working on..It would be so much easier to do some of the sheet metal replacement if we could just spin the car ..Again your car looks to be in very good hands! :2thumbs:later

It went like this;
1. Crossbraced interior
2. Frame connectors
3. Trunk floor
4. Quarter panels
5. Rear valence

The trunk floor went in before the quarters came off, but the quarters went on before the valence; the quarters are the soul of the car so everything was matched to the quarters. The AMD trunk floor had to be shortened at the rear about 1/2 inch, the valences were touched up a little along with the trunk floor to get the bumper where he wanted it, a little closer to the body and centered up better than factory. Everything has been done on the rotisserie, but with the crossbracing and the frame connectors nothing could move out of place. Also, while installing the frame connectors he jacked them into place lightly with a 4x4 so if there was any slack in the body it would be lifted into place.