At it again! 1970 Charger resurrection

[bigez04]

Great! Thank you for the info.
Eric

[projectanimal]

Still working on loading the videos and need to shoot one driving down the street. 
Need to order up some wiring harnesses and get cranking on that so I can start putting the interior back together.  Just picked up some new bolts so I can weld in new studs for the seats. The list has grown again for paint and prep!! Hope to get the harness in and them get the car off for a respray. It looks good in pictures but the color is thin and the clear is rough! 
Will post up pictures soon and video when I can.
Keep your progress going!!  I've had a few bumps in the road lately, but am focusing on the car and yard work to keep me busy.

Cheers

[twodko]

I believe many members here, myself included, have used resto kits from DMT. Outstanding product for my 69 non A/C car with good instructions and the owners are a pleasure to work with and buy from. The finished install is nice and tight.  :Twocents:h

[tsmithae]

Let us know when those videos get uploaded and keep at your car as well, I will be trying my best! Between work and living in Chicago, it has been rough but I'm trying to keep at it!

And thanks for the info on DMT, I will be ordering that set as soon as I'm convinced that I can repair my heater box - mine has pretty sizeable damage to the passenger side, either someone tried prying against it or something, I'm confused... and ill post pics as soon as I can (if there is one thing I have learned, this place requires pics of everything!).

[tsmithae]

Well, time to get this thread back on track!


I have done a lot in the past couple days since I quite my oppressive, underpaying, frustrating job in hopes of making things work out for myself in the freelance realm.


However, back to what we all want to hear about, the Charger!
Headlight upgrade box is finished and waiting for a custom bracket and a completed car to mount it to (http://www.1970chargerregistry.com/mboard/index.php?topic=1146.msg10400#msg10400)

The heater box is now completed as well!

However, here are pictures of the progress, new heater core backing plate thanks to Jefferson and the rebuild kit thanks to DMT.

Before


Ouch....


Fiberglassed


DONE!

[tsmithae]

Well, not too much to report this very second, I have brought the heater box and my electrical projects to storage and picked up a couple more small parts that I can restore out of my apartment.  I also went to car show/swap meet earlier today in Belvidere, IL and while there was really no mopar parts to be found, I did find a set of YOM plates that I intend to use when my car is finished!




ooooooooooh, shinny.....

[nvrbdn]

can you run on those plates in illinois?

[jaak]

Cool plate! You can run YOM plates in Alabama to, a friend found and gave to me a nice 69 Bama plate.

Keep up the good work!
Jason

[Stretch]

Nice work so far and cool plates! We can run YOM plates here in Michigan. It's a one time registration fee of $35.00. Any idea what it costs in the land of Lincoln?

[tsmithae]

Yes, you can run YOM plates in Illinois, the catch is that you have to have current antique plates in the car with you and that the same rules & restrictions that apply to AV plates apply to your YOM plates.

[nvrbdn]

ok, thanks.i got a set, so mabey i will run them.

[tsmithae]

Once mine runs, I definitely plan on it!

[tsmithae]

Ok, ok... I know I don't post here much, I am definitely a lot more active over at the 1970chargerregistry.com.  However, I do like to try to keep you guys up to date as well; so, here goes an abridged version of the past few months (which have been quite busy for me with work and thus, little has been done on the car, unfortunately).


However, here is proof that I am still in it to win it!  One piece at a time.





Here is the most recent engine firing. And, no there is no "real exhaust yet... please ignore the part where it shoots off the "exhaust..." And, no, it isn't perfectly tuned... I plan on getting headers and a full exhaust when I install it in the car and then I will have a much better idea of what she will run like.




I wandered in to harbor freight the other day because I happened to be in the area and to my amazement, the bench-top buffers were 30% off! So, if I can manage to not work every day of September, I will be polishing all of my stainless trim.


Here is a comparison, you guys tell me which one looks better.  



This brings me to a good question.... what all parts are stainless that I should be polishing? I have the obvious drip rail, belt molding, and front/rear window trims. What am I forgetting?

[grdprx]

I love the video!  Mine sounded just like that!   

[tsmithae]

Thanks!

[RIDELIKEHELL]

Great work man! 

[tsmithae]

Well, I am resurrecting my car and this thread, I have been a little bit more active on the '70 Registry and figured since I have a few hours to kill, I will update everyone here (just don't chastise me tooo much for being so absent, life gets busy - plus all the cool cats hang out at the '70 registry  ). I have gotten a LOT done since my last post so, bear with me!

First off, I have redone the seats (Dante's had a sale that was too good to pas up) and some of the parts I have picked up as I have seen good deals and sales.

Ok guys, I know I have made you wait far too long for pictures, so, here you go!



Seat foam - Yes, it requires modification and I did a thread on it (http://www.1970chargerregistry.com/mboard/index.php?topic=1920.0)


Seat covers


Accelerator bracket - restored a many months back


Internal wiper parts - restored a several months back


Hood-mounted turn signal kit - purchased off ebay


Door handles from DCS


Window Cranks from DCS


Inner Door pulls from DCS


Fuel cap from my parents for my birthday

[tsmithae]

Some of you may recall a sandblaster that my uncles and I were building from scratch; well, that is now complete!

[tsmithae]

See the thread here...
http://www.1970chargerregistry.com/mboard/index.php?topic=1920.msg21317#msg21317

Also blasted and finished this guy.

[tsmithae]

The Bad:
-Need passenger side frame rail from axle back
-need new rear valence
-need both quarters
-need passenger rocker (the potential exists that I can still save it, doubtful tho)
-need passenger floor from cowl back
-need entire trunk and extensions

The good
-I have a surgrip already! (I haven't figured out the ratio yet)
-I think I have a 489 Diff
-I can work on my car in a heated garage with almost any tool imaginable!


I also spent a good period of time playing a game called "where does the bondo end?"

There is absolutely no reason on earth that this much bondo should EVER be used...


Someone brazed on a bunch of pieces from who-knows-what...

[tsmithae]

Second pic shows the bracing I have currently done in order to try to make sure that my tailpanel doesn't move. What do the experts say, is it sufficient? I will be removing the lower valence, trunk floor and extensions, and rear right frame rail from the hump for the rear end.

Rear window and windshield are out!

my car got hit sometime from the looks of it.

Braced the interior and I plan on getting more tubing to do an X brace from the front to the rear.

Started to remove some of the metal to see what surprises I could find.

Cleaning up at the end of the day yielded a HUGE pile of bondo.











Also, after driving 12 hrs round trip, I have returned with this.  Is it perfect, no, but it is MUCH better than what I have now and this one will definitely work!





I took many measurements and pictures and then eventually wound up here.


Good thing I have a new one of these coming...

[tsmithae]

I started out by removing the pass. frame rail, well, what was left of it! It is most definitely strange removing such an important piece of the care, kinda of exciting and scary all at the same time.




Then came the rest of the trunk floor and that what remained of the trunk support.



I removed my rear valence corner...  



Don't worry, I wasn't actually leaning on the taillight panel, just posing for a very cheesy self-portrait.



Cleaned up all the metal that would be inaccessible with a flap disc and then a wire wheel for the areas that I couldn't get with a flap disc.  After this was done, I sprayed it down with a product called Prep-Step, scrubbed with a brush, and then rinsed it off with more PS, which is to be left to dry and neutralizes the rust and metal.




Shot a few selected areas with Zero-Rust and I will say that I am so far pleased with the stuff and how thick it was, yet still able to be shot from a HVLP without thinning (as per their instructions).




As a last note, I took a lot of pictures of placement of things in the trunk and bracketry, if anyone ever needs, I am more than willing to share.  :beer:

[tsmithae]

More progress and more pictures.  

I test fit, hammered, retested, adjusted, refit, readjust... until finally....




Look Ma, no hands/jacks/clamps/vicegrips!!!  I am holding off on welding the rear hanger until I have the rear crossmember (tracking says it should arrive tomorrow).





I also spent some time making and welding in patch panels.







It is quite nice to see a solid frame under this thing again!



Also spent some more time fabbing and welding in the lower rear portions of the inner wheel wells.



Then, I saw the mirrors I got sitting on the shelf and decided that since I was in the mode of putting things back on the Charger...

[tsmithae]

More photos and more progress!

Finished up the inner wheel well patches, there is just a little bit of grinding left to do on them.





I shot primer up under the dutchman, in the drivers frame rail, and anywhere that will be a pain in the d*** when the trunk floor goes in - not the most even painting I have ever done but considering the circumstances and the positioning... I can't complain!




Test fit the trunk floor and the rear valence.







And then decided to punch a bunch of holes in my brand new trunk floor.





I finally have a solid trunk floor again!





I am also VERY pleased with how the patch/repair pieces I made for the inner wheel wells tuned out.






The rear valence is test fit right now and there is some massaging to do with the rear lip of the trunk pan to make it meet the valence properly...

[tsmithae]

I am now completely sold on the 999 Silver for my car  :pimp:



Well, new mini starter came in this week and I had to head out of Chicago for a friends wedding; so, I made a trip to the garage!








^CLICK FOR VIDEO!  ^