Question about seams on lower rear valance

[JMF]

Just a quick question I see comments on here about Chargers that have been restored or painted and the lower rear valance seams have been filled in , what is the significance of this as the comments suggest it's a big deal that they've been filled ? reason I ask is that I may be going to see a 69 and it has the seams filled , so should the car be avoided because of this ? I hope people know what I mean by the rear valance seams ? I may have the name wrong of the section I mean , maybe someone could post a pic ? Thanks

[JB400]

Basically, it's personal preference.  Some people think it cheapens the car.  Others think it cleans the car up.  Really, it depends on how the seams were filled.  If it was welded and worked, it was a quality fix.  If it was smothered in body filler, than it makes the rest of the car questionable. It's a quick, and easy to detect, red flag area.

[Nacho-RT74]

How it was from assembly plant?

[70 sublime]

I always think it makes me wonder " How much bondo could there be in the rear valance ? )

[green69rt]

IMO, if the car is being passed off as a restoration masterpiece, then the visible seam needs to be there.  Even if all you do is weld it up and then cut a grove with some kind of blade.  Even that can be wrong if it's done sloppy.

If the car is a daily driver and not numbers matching, restomod, etc, then it doesn't mean a lot.

[Mike DC]

  
Yeah, it's basically a yardstick.  It's an indicator about the overall quality of the bodywork on the whole car.  Quick-n-dirty cars usually have them smoothed over.

Sometimes a good restorer will smooth the seams by choice.  I'm sure the factory would have smoothed them if it didn't cost extra dollars per car.  But the bottom line is the factory left them showing.  It's a non-stock modification to smooth them.    

[JMF]

Also I noticed this on the underneath where the chassis rail meets the floor pans , any idea what that is ? Welding ? See attached , thanks

[Nacho-RT74]

those are subframe conectors... aftermarket piece made to fit againts the floorpans contour to get the car stiffer. It usually gets a welding cord all along the connector extension, depending on installer tools I guess








About the filler on seams... I DON'T LIKE THEM WHERE IT SHOULDN'T BE. I guess is like fill the quarter extension caps gap with body ?... and I have seen that.

I'M NOT familiar with 2dn gen rear valences, but I guess you mean the corner areas  ?

[JMF]

No I'm talking about that line of roughness where the floors meet the chassis , looks like someone has gone along it with under seal maybe , see towards the bottom of the pic

[hemi-hampton]

I don't like any Valance corners unless original, even if replaced & look right they are not right when ever body knows you gotta cut & splice & weld to make fit, Garbage in my opinion. The subframe connectors your seeing it looks like somebody just spread seam sealer over the welds to hide ugly welds. LEON.

[Nacho-RT74]

No I’m talking about that line of roughness where the floors meet the chassis , looks like someone has gone along it with under seal maybe , see towards the bottom of the pic

yes, I guess you mean this!!!

thats the welding cord, or seam, whatever you wanna call it, to weld the aftermarket subframe connectors to the floor pan... then if you add the undercoat over it will add some "roughness". I guess the welding cord is not perfectly smooth anyway

[Nacho-RT74]

Our cars doesn't have that rail from factory, is added for stiffenes.



Originally just could get Torque boxes ( visible on this car ) at the ends of front and rear frame rails ( down the floor pans ), linking them with rocker panel for HP and convertible cars