No turning back from here.

[Ryan]

Driver side, I think i just need to raise it a tiny bit and I'll be happy. I'd say the fit is as good as it was when it left the factory. Its a little tight on the inside corner but it was with the original panel as well.

[Patronus]

You make me want to restore another Charger. 

[Ryan]

You make me want to restore another Charger. 

Your welcome.

[lexxman]

It's looking good Ryan. That spot welder looks like the one I have at work . It's a miller 220v ?

[Ryan]

It's looking good Ryan. That spot welder looks like the one I have at work . It's a miller 220v ?

Yep, that's the one.

[bsakal]

Great job!!!!

[MedPhys]

How much welding experience do you have? I have zero welding experience and want to gauge if this is something i can do.   Like you, I have had this car since I was a teenager, and now the I have the means to take on the project.

[MRCHARGER]

the fitment looks great from those pictures. Very nice work.

[Ryan]

How much welding experience do you have? I have zero welding experience and want to gauge if this is something i can do.   Like you, I have had this car since I was a teenager, and now the I have the means to take on the project.

I have been playing with welding for 11 years now (since I was 16) that being said welding is not rocket science, anyone can do it.
My advise would be to buy a good 220V mig welder and get some scrap metal to play with. The MIG will do just about anything you would need for the project. Dont get me wrong my TIG and spot welder get used to and make life easier but they are not mandatory.

If you decide to take on a project like this make sure you measure EVERYTHING before you start removing panels. Take your time and be patient and you'll be OK.

[Ryan]

the fitment looks great from those pictures. Very nice work.

Thanks, I am very pleased. The work is really starting to pay off.

[MedPhys]

I'm amazed by how much you have done to your car.  It seems like it is getting harder and harder to find solid charger bodies.

[Dino]

I'm amazed by how much you have done to your car.  It seems like it is getting harder and harder to find solid charger bodies.

It's all relative.  I've never seen a Charger without rust.  These things started rusting on the showroom floor. 

With any Charger be prepared to replace, partially or in full, trunk floor, rear quarters, front and rear windshield gutters, rockers.

[MedPhys]

With any Charger be prepared to replace, partially or in full, trunk floor, rear quarters, front and rear windshield gutters, rockers.

So true.

Well OP, I'm impressed with the work to say the least.  This thread has really fired me up to take on the project.  Thanks for posting your progress

[MRCHARGER]

I remember when my project was at that point. It's the most tedious work you'll ever do. It seems like you'll never be on the road but then one day, you're laying black marks on the street in front of your house.

That is going to be one awesome Charger when you get it finished my friend. It's obvious you want it right and will stand for nothing less!

I am enjoying your updates, looking forward to the next.

[mauve66]

How much welding experience do you have? I have zero welding experience and want to gauge if this is something i can do.   Like you, I have had this car since I was a teenager, and now the I have the means to take on the project.

I have been playing with welding for 11 years now (since I was 16) that being said welding is not rocket science, anyone can do it.
My advise would be to buy a good 220V mig welder and get some scrap metal to play with. The MIG will do just about anything you would need for the project. Dont get me wrong my TIG and spot welder get used to and make life easier but they are not mandatory.

If you decide to take on a project like this make sure you measure EVERYTHING before you start removing panels. Take your time and be patient and you'll be OK.

so you have to run a 220 outlet in the garage??  or does it have 2 cords for 2  110 outlets, ok, that was silly but do the welders have to be 220v??  my garage no have

[cdr]

How much welding experience do you have? I have zero welding experience and want to gauge if this is something i can do.   Like you, I have had this car since I was a teenager, and now the I have the means to take on the project.

I have been playing with welding for 11 years now (since I was 16) that being said welding is not rocket science, anyone can do it.
My advise would be to buy a good 220V mig welder and get some scrap metal to play with. The MIG will do just about anything you would need for the project. Dont get me wrong my TIG and spot welder get used to and make life easier but they are not mandatory.

If you decide to take on a project like this make sure you measure EVERYTHING before you start removing panels. Take your time and be patient and you'll be OK.

so you have to run a 220 outlet in the garage??  or does it have 2 cords for 2  110 outlets, ok, that was silly but do the welders have to be 220v??  my garage no have

depending on your clothes dryer location,in my old house i made an extension cord with a dryer plug on one end & female welder plug on the other

[69rtse4spd]

Looking da*n good  , glad your happy with the tail light panel. Seeing how the AMD valance's & tail panels fit , glad I have mine. Yes AMD might have used N.O.S. pieces to copy, but as said before, no two were the same. Unless you were to get two that were stamped one right after the other. Here at the plant over in body shop they make miner changes to the jigs all the time. Granted we are not a stamping plant but we spot weld the sheet metal together that we get from them. And trust me, they do vary. AMD & all the others have done a great service the hobby, even if we have to do some tweaks now & then. Keep up the great work, it is inspiring. .     

[69rtse4spd]

  When you weld in the torsion bar mount, could you put the t-bars in to help line everthing up or not worry.  . Not put anything under load, just line up side to side, more centered with the front end.   

[mauve66]

How much welding experience do you have? I have zero welding experience and want to gauge if this is something i can do.   Like you, I have had this car since I was a teenager, and now the I have the means to take on the project.

I have been playing with welding for 11 years now (since I was 16) that being said welding is not rocket science, anyone can do it.
My advise would be to buy a good 220V mig welder and get some scrap metal to play with. The MIG will do just about anything you would need for the project. Dont get me wrong my TIG and spot welder get used to and make life easier but they are not mandatory.

If you decide to take on a project like this make sure you measure EVERYTHING before you start removing panels. Take your time and be patient and you'll be OK.

so you have to run a 220 outlet in the garage??  or does it have 2 cords for 2  110 outlets, ok, that was silly but do the welders have to be 220v??  my garage no have

depending on your clothes dryer location,in my old house i made an extension cord with a dryer plug on one end & female welder plug on the other

we have a gas dryer but i don't remember what's behind there, maybe there is a plug??  I guess code would require one since the builder never knows what appliance you will install, i will have to look.
i tried renting a welder from home depot years ago when i did my exhaust but i kept burning through the pipe.  by the time i realized  the metal was going to melt together my reaction was too slow and it burned through, my enighbor finaly got tired of watching and just cobbled it together for my but it looks ugly as sin.  as a matter of fact i just ripped it out so i could pull the motor and trans.  maybe i'll try to practice again.  always wanted to learn

[JB400]

  When you weld in the torsion bar mount, could you put the t-bars in to help line everthing up or not worry.  . Not put anything under load, just line up side to side, more centered with the front end.   

It would be a good idea. Anything that is removable should be temperarily reinstalled to make sure everything lines up properly.  If not, it might cause you headaches later.

[Ryan]

On to the roof finally.
Got the old cut off. It went much quicker than I thought it would. Inner structure looks great. Just need to clean it up and shoot it with epoxy.






Test fit of the skin.





Initial fit is better than I expected. It is going to need some trimming here and there but other than that it looks good.

[Ryan]

Some more pics after some clamping.

[Dino]

I see someone had some fun with a paint pen.   

Looks real good Ryan, very nice work.   

[lexxman]

The car is looking great,it's going to be just like having a new car with all the new sheet metal.

[Ryan]

finally had some time to spray primer on the inner structure and the inside of the roof skin.