Budget 68 Charger build

[tan top]

 

[Wakko]

How will you repair the rusted DS quarter? 

[Kern Dog]

I think you and Kern Dog are in a race now to finish their project first. 

My guess is that while the OP will win in terms of build quality...I will have mine running first.

[70B5Cuda]

I think you and Kern Dog are in a race now to finish their project first. 

My guess is that while the OP will win in terms of build quality...I will have mine running first.

I'm sure you will finish before me. In fact, I may not even finish it at all. I have three 68's and I really should focus on the other two...

[70B5Cuda]

New rear crossmember and rear valance...



New one piece trunk floor...



fitting a lower patch...

[ACUDANUT]

I am not a body man, so please excuse my ignorance.  What are those bronze colored tags sticking out of the sheet metal.  I am guessing they hold the metal panels together.  What are the called and who sells them ??  Are they better than sheet metal screws ??
Thanks, love your work.

[white]

They are blind grip holders sold by Eastwood Company been using them for 20years, love them.

Blind Grip Holders 1/8" (clecos) pack of 30
https://www.eastwood.com/blind-grip-holders-1-8in-pack-of-30.html?SRCCODE=PLA00010&gclid=CjwKCAjwwMn1BRAUEiwAZ_jnEsfGCbK8_twf0vMMsQq_d6Ib-d8H3Q_d5suYWwzMPlL8SWPlTHfDEhoCuGwQAvD_BwE

[70B5Cuda]

Floor pans are in....

[nchrome]

Before you weld the patch and the real valance get your corners and screw them in place then get everything lined up before you weld anything.  Those corners are very tough to install correctly get them mounted with screws and get every thing properly lined up. You will find out if you don't you want those corners to look rite

[ACUDANUT]

 Very nice. You said Floor pans ? It looks like one piece (singular).    I bet shipping sucked on that. 

[Nacho-RT74]

Very nice. You said Floor pans ? It looks like one piece (singular).    I bet shipping sucked on that. 

I can se a small section of floor pan for rear bench passenger feet after the seatbelt nut hole on tranny hump. In fact that small section seems it's two halfs overlapped on trany hump

( still huge front floor pan LOL )

[70B5Cuda]

Yes-those two little corners are such a pain. They will need to get cut/bent/rearranged to make it look right.

The big one piece floorpan is the only way to go in my opinion. The shipping is not much more then shipping the long/thin driver/passenger side patch panels and you save a lot of labor by not welding along both sides of the tunnel. Ill never patch a forward patch panel again. Its just easier and cheaper in the long run to replace the whole thing.

[Nacho-RT74]

[orange383]

I'll be welding my floorpan in soon as well.
Did you have any issues with fitment?
Mine needs to go forwards some on the passenger side as the threaded seat belt hole is partially covered.
I have straightened the flanges at the firewall which helped but it still needs to go forwards a bit more.
Just wondering if this is a common issue.

Mine is an AMD floor pan.

Cheers.

[70B5Cuda]

I'll be welding my floorpan in soon as well.
Did you have any issues with fitment?
Mine needs to go forwards some on the passenger side as the threaded seat belt hole is partially covered.
I have straightened the flanges at the firewall which helped but it still needs to go forwards a bit more.
Just wondering if this is a common issue.

Mine is an AMD floor pan.

Cheers.

Nothing fits perfectly. It all takes some degree of work to get it to fit. The drain holes don't always line up perfectly so you'll have to get it fitting the best you can and then trim if necessary

[70B5Cuda]

Cabin floor spot welds all knocked down and dressed



Trunk floor is also in now

[70B5Cuda]

After some straightening, the driver's side quarter panel end cap fits greats now. before and after...



The driver's side quarter also had rust on in front of the rear wheel well. It was patched inside and out...

[70 sublime]

When you make a patch like that on the outside of the 1/4
How do you get anything on the back side of the weld to keep it from rusting from the back side out ?

[70B5Cuda]

When you make a patch like that on the outside of the 1/4
How do you get anything on the back side of the weld to keep it from rusting from the back side out ?

Two patches get made.... One for the inner sheetmetal and one for the outer skin

[70 sublime]

When you make a patch like that on the outside of the 1/4
How do you get anything on the back side of the weld to keep it from rusting from the back side out ?

Two patches get made.... One for the inner sheetmetal and one for the outer skin

No I mean on your weld you made and ground down on the outside of the 1/4 panel ( looks very nice)
How do you seal up that weld on the back side of it to keep it from starting to rust ?

[70B5Cuda]

weld through primer

[Kern Dog]

Nice work, Sir !   

[70B5Cuda]

Nice work, Sir !  

Just below the previous patch....also in front of the left rear wheel...

[funknut]

Love this thread, but I'm partial to '68s.

Your friend is doing some good work.

[Kern Dog]

I am trying to get better at stitch welding. My biggest problem is getting the small welds flatter without burning through. I've tried different settings and I still can't get it consistent.
THere was a '68 Charger at the end of one of the Fast and Furious movies....It was a widened body in unfinished form, no paint or primer. This car had extensive metalwork and the job was so well done, no welds were visible. It looked like the car was stamped from one piece of metal. I'd love to have those skills.