Help - Is it worth keeping/Fixing - when it comes to rust and body/frame-Pics

[73Charger]

   I think my poor charger needs more work than I'll be able to fix.    As I started to jack up my car today to replace the headers, I realized that the frame rails have been rusting and as I went to put a jack under one, it bent in the middle(bottom side).  I could jack it on the edges but the bottom part just bent in when not jacking on the edge.  I also noticed rust on the side of the rail at the front where it curves upward by the front wheel.  I also found that the floor pan on the driver seat side was seperating at the crease by the back of the seat.  I could probably weld that together with some new sheet metal, but I've never restored a frame.
   It seems like it would be a very lengthy and expensive thing to do for a "weekend hobbiest" like myself with little money to pay anyone else to do the work either.  I also have only one garage bay and a portable garage (dirt floor) and 3 cars so I would have to have the work done by winter so I could put my newer (race) car back in the real garage.
  So, any suggestions?   
  Should I just sell it to someone with better resources?  I love the car but I'd hate to see it deteriate any more.

   Is there something I could do to give the frame more support without replacing the whole frame that would not look a "cob job"?

  I am not even sure if my welder could really weld something that thick or if it is so rusty that it would even weld.
I have a cheapo $80 flux wire feed welder with a high and low setting and wire speed setting.  I have the usual hand tools, no lift but jacks and stands. I have oxy acetylene kit but dont know how to use it yet and no gas yet.

  I've sprayed all the underside with rubbersized under coating since I got the car to try to prevent rust, but it looks like the frame is rusting from the inside.  I put my finger inside the drain holes on the bottom, and pieces of rust came out.

The body has rust that has been patched with bondo in places and she remains in black primer. 

Most of the money in this car is in the drivetrain and suspension/fuel/brakes/exhaust/wheels,tires areas - mostly all redone.

What should I do?  I took some pictures of both sides of the car to give you a better idea of what the problems are.

My mechanic didn't even pass it for inspection so I can't drive it now either      They mentioned the emergency brakes and steering which I fixed so it may pass now, but I have a feeling they were trying to give me a message to get rid of her without actually saying it.

This is also not a "top dollar car" like a 60s-70 or a big engine but I actually like the coke bottle shape of the 73s and it gets good mileage on low octane fuel which is nice these days. So is it fixable? 
 

[73Charger]

and here is a picture of the driverside pan rust - how should this be fixed?

[PlumBad70]

oh my god, yes fix that, thats not bad at all..mine was completely rusted in half and floor pans completely rusted through and I saved mine..so there is hope for you..good luck!

[73Charger]

Previous owner put new floor pans in the front, but never cut out the old or welded them in.  I still haven't done it either so they're sitting on top of the rusted out pans - probably 12' square hole on driver side.  The last pic is a new crack about 3/4 way from the front of the door so I dont think that is part of the "front pan".. I stuck my finger through the hole and felt the carpet - not good. So how do people fix this section - seems like it is between the pans - a couple inches behind the seat bolts? or is that the rear pan?
Whats the best way to fix these problems? (with what I've got) I really have no clue on frame repair so any pics or descriptions would be greatly appreciated.

[NHCharger]

You can buy floor pans pretty cheap from places like auto body Specialties. I had the same problem with my 72. Someone put a piece of sheet metal over the rusting floor trapping water between them. If you don't feel comfortable fixing the frame rails take the car to a body shop and get an estimate.

[73Charger]

Thanks for that company name - never heard of them and they have lots of stuff and a nice picture for parts. this place might help.

[Wakko]

Easy fix, bro...keep that sucker!  My previous seller did the old sandwich floor pan too.

[73Charger]

looking at that website http://www.autobodyspecialt.com/ , it looks like a safe-t cap subframe would fix it.  anyone know what these really are and what it takes to install them?
Are they installed around the sides and bottom of the existing frames?

[Mike DC]

 
ART ("Auto Rust Technicians") are the guys that do this stuff. 

--  Yes, it works to restore the frame strength. 

--  No, it doesn't look original at all when it's installed.

--  No, you don't have to disassemble the whole car to install it.  It slips over the original framerails & welds into place.


These are good guys to deal with.  They're in the business of offering help for driven cars that won't be concourse restorations but the owners don't wanna throw them away over the rusting issues.  The stuff they build isn't complicated or very clean looking, but it definitely works and they'll sell it to you for less than you'd pay a local fabrication shop to do it.

   

[73Charger]

The safe-T cap pieces look good from the picks I saw on the paddock site. Only problem now - It would cost well over $1000 in parts alone to re'cap the entire frame. That would be about half the worth of the car from what I've seen on ebay so I'm not sure that is smart. besides I don't have that kind of money.

Anyone done something else cheaper?

[JimShine]

I think the cap prices are really reasonable considering you just have to have them installed. If you want to go rock bottom cheap, fabricate the stuff yourself by hand.