Another 68 Charger has left the US

[Darkman]

Did he have a factory AC car?

I have got a lot of holes due to the AC that will need filling. It would have been a patch work job and wasn't comfortable with it. Plus I want the flat firewall as well. So that is why it has come out.

[440]

Yes his car was factory A/C as he gave me the heater box out of it to use for parts. He was going with an aftermarket unit.

I sent him a message and waiting on a response, although I doubt it would help you any now 

[Darkman]

Forgive me fellow DC members for I have sinned.

It has been quite some time since my last post and for this I am sorry.

I have been side tracked with new toys (dirt bikes etc) and a severe case of procrastination and hesitation.

For me to continue on with my project, I need to media blast sections of the car. I have opted not to do the whole car at once as I don't have the funds to do it and get the bare sheet metal protected from rust. Sooooo.....

I am currently building my own sand blaster out of stuff that is lying around. With this, I need to build a rotisserie to take care of the under side of the car. Once the car is back on its wheels, I will sell the rotisserie. I am also building a sand blasting cabinet to take care of all the suspension and anything else that needs rust/paint removal.

The sandblasting unit will be capable of all types of media (sand, garnett, walnut shells, soda, aluminium oxide etc) and can also be a wet blaster too (if I want it too).

Fingers crossed I will be building this stuff over the next couple of weeks and getting stuck into it again.

[nvrbdn]

sounds cool. good luck with the projects. will the rotisserie be all steel? or will wood also be used? ive seen both ways on here and the seem to work both ways.

[Darkman]

All steel. Nothing too fancy, no castors or height adjustment. Just enough to spin the car around to complete the underside of the car.

[Darkman]

Well, I have finished the rotisserie. Enjoy the build pics!

All the steel I got (for free as it was scrap!)




Building the base





Action Shot



Getting the uprights close to completion







A weld I'm proud of



Building the arms






Complete and a coat of paint








Now time to get that turkey on that spit and start cooking it!

[nvrbdn]

wow, nice job. didnt look like scrap to me. 

[Cooter]

Well Done Mate.

[Darkman]

Thanks guys.

I'm quietly pleased with the results (considering I am a desk jockey). My welding (stick welding) improved dramatically of the course of the construction.

The metal was all off cuts located in a fabricator's yard. There were bins full of the stuff

[Daytona R/T SE]

So...

The fabrication looks good, but...

How are you going to adjust the center of gravity of the car once it's on there ?

Without provisions for adjustment, it will be a bear to turn the car over.

I know this because I own a rotisserie and have tried to roll the car over without it being balanced properly...

Just asking ?

[Darkman]

If required, I can clamp a bar on with counter weights to centre the COG. I won't know the exact details of the counter weights until the car is on there. If it isn't too bad, I might not add anything.

The car will not need to be flipped a whole lot. The car will only ever be in 2 positions, level and 90 degrees so I can stand and blast then paint the car underbelly. Once the paint is done, it will come off the rotisserie.

Although, I am now thinking about sub frame connectors while I have the clearance to do it

[Fred]

Definitely go with the sub frame connectors. I added them to mine during the ground up resto (and front and rear torque boxes as well).

[six-tee-nine]

So...

The fabrication looks good, but...

How are you going to adjust the center of gravity of the car once it's on there ?

Without provisions for adjustment, it will be a bear to turn the car over.

I know this because I own a rotisserie and have tried to roll the car over without it being balanced properly...

Just asking ?

I build my rotisserie myself also. I made kinda the same mistake. Wich I know now......... I need to make some changes to get the rotating point more to the center of the car.
Daytona is right you have to be able to adjust the center of gravity. Only then you can spin the car around with one hand.
If I turn mine around it will turn 180° till the roof is down and I dont believe that I will ever be able to turn it up again

[Darkman]

I understand what you guys are saying. There are 2 ways I can change this if I need to....


1. Lower the COG by adding weight to the floor inside the car

2. Adding a bar to the rotisserie with counterweights

All this, I have around the house

The car will never need to go completely upside down

If I need to, I still can get my hands on more material to build new arms

[six-tee-nine]

I hear you..... maybe the counterweigh idea isnt the baddest one to try.

I will be welding a pair of vertical tubes onto the rotating bar. So I can slide the pieces that are mounted to the body up and down till they are exactly where I want them.

[Darkman]

Well due to an unforeseen change in my life, I have to move the car back to Adelaide (and quickly too!). The car was meant to go on the rotisserie but instead had to get back on its wheels. Not entirely a bad thing, at least I got to put in the RHD rack and pinion and once the engine goes back in this week, I can begin measuring the rest of the conversion (whenever I can get back to the car).

It hasn't been on its wheels for such a long time, I almost forgot what it looks like!








K Frame with rack and pinion

[JB400]

Glad to here your making progress.

[Ghoste]

You'll be able to move it okay?  There must be a lot of parts to transport too?

[Darkman]

There must be a lot of parts to transport too?

Quite a bit, but thankfully most of it is boxed up and ready to move

[surmanajaja]

just love those deep slot wheels!

[440]

Back to Adelaide as in metro area ?

[Darkman]

Not quite! Our house is in Lewiston, between Angle Vale and Two Wells

[440]

Cool, I have a buddy that races and builds cars in Two Wells.

I'll probably also see your car on the road before mine is done 

Are you going to put it back on the rotisserie once you get settled back down here?

[Darkman]

The plan is

• get it to Adelaide
• whilst all the k frame, suspension, engine and other bits and pieces are in, measure up and complete the steering column conversion and structural supports
• strip it all out again and then put it on the rotisserie

A slight deviation to the original plan, but I figure I should take advantage of the situation!

[Darkman]

Designed and built some sub frame connectors