67Charger
Well-Known Member
Here is my midlife crisis car, a gift from my wife for my 30th B-day. Granted, I'm only 30, but my wife says I don't get to buy a red Corvette when I turn 40, I have to build my crisis car myself. This is what she bought me, explaining that it will take 10 years to finish, so I'd better get started now. It is a no frills 383/auto, and as such, I can do whatever I want to it rather than worry about #'s matching anything like on my '67. This post documents everything from the purchase date of January 15, 2010 through about June 1.
Here's the pics from the craigslist ad.
Here's some more detailed pics once I got her home.
Sitting with my '67
Mexican registration stickers from the '70's
Excavation has begun. Hood is trash, as is the RF fender. I removed them for better access to the engine and to begin assesment of the frame.
The engine cranks and tries to fire, but more exhaust was coming out the valve cover than the pipes, so I've got a burnt piston or something equally bad. No bother, I just won't mess with it anymore and move on to the body for now. I've unbolted the K-frame and loosened the control arms, I just need to ditch the t-bars and trans crossmember and the K-frame assembly will get pulled. Hopefully tonight I'll get to do so.
A rough life in the Mexican desert has led to massive amounts of silt in the frame and body work, holding moisture and causing rot. The car had a vinyl top that failed and caused rust all around the roof, so it will need replacement. Lower quarters, rear decklid, rear filler, sail panels, package tray, trunk floor, all shot. Ironically, the floors are perfect.
I'm just moving my way back and excavating before I cut metal and blast, patch and replace.
Rust in the lower A-pillar
K-member assembly out. What a pain!
I sliced the roof skin off to see what was underneath. All I can say is WOW. Stupid vinyl top was murder on the roof. I can patch a lot of it, but I'll need some actual parts to splice in for the bad areas.
I had already counted on a new roof skin, drip rails and rear frame bow. It's the sides that I need to start working on. Once I get the dash out, I'm going to sandblast the whole body. I'll picture frame the quarters that will be getting replaced so I can blast behind them but not lose all the structural integrity until I'm ready to replace the panels.
Rust by the bumper mount
Due to the extensive rust in the roof area, I've located a complete roof assembly (skin and all) that I could either install as a unit or use for parts, and a few parts cars that I can simply get the individual panels that I need to reconstruct the roof area. It's a bit beyond the hand fabricated patch method in a few areas. I'll need to get the actual factory panels. The area above the rear passenger windows is nearly gone.
On a side note, what are these numbers stamped in the flange where the 1/4 meets the roof?
Got the dash out... No surprises underneath, just tons of dust and dirt. I also removed some of the bad 1/4 panel, and saw just what I suspected. Dirt and crap has built up in the bottom of the panel joints and rusted them out. The dirt in the last pic is a typical example of what I have been finding.
Got the firewall completely stripped, no nasty surprises there. I was also pleasantly surprised thet the rear package tray is actually fine, it is just the lower window gutter that is shot. One less panel to R&R. I called AMD and asked them if they were planning on doing A-pillars, and they said yes, but about a year out. I should have this thing completely stripped and ready for blasting in a few weeks. I also took the time to clean out another bay in the garage for epoxy coating so I can get some of the stuff moved out of the bay the Charger is in and get some work space back.
I have just about everything from the latch post forward stripped. I just need to remove the brake lines, tail lights and trim, rear axle and the 1/4 window assemblies, and it will be ready to blast.
More pics coming soon!
Here's the pics from the craigslist ad.
Here's some more detailed pics once I got her home.
Sitting with my '67
Mexican registration stickers from the '70's
Excavation has begun. Hood is trash, as is the RF fender. I removed them for better access to the engine and to begin assesment of the frame.
The engine cranks and tries to fire, but more exhaust was coming out the valve cover than the pipes, so I've got a burnt piston or something equally bad. No bother, I just won't mess with it anymore and move on to the body for now. I've unbolted the K-frame and loosened the control arms, I just need to ditch the t-bars and trans crossmember and the K-frame assembly will get pulled. Hopefully tonight I'll get to do so.
A rough life in the Mexican desert has led to massive amounts of silt in the frame and body work, holding moisture and causing rot. The car had a vinyl top that failed and caused rust all around the roof, so it will need replacement. Lower quarters, rear decklid, rear filler, sail panels, package tray, trunk floor, all shot. Ironically, the floors are perfect.
I'm just moving my way back and excavating before I cut metal and blast, patch and replace.
Rust in the lower A-pillar
K-member assembly out. What a pain!
I sliced the roof skin off to see what was underneath. All I can say is WOW. Stupid vinyl top was murder on the roof. I can patch a lot of it, but I'll need some actual parts to splice in for the bad areas.
I had already counted on a new roof skin, drip rails and rear frame bow. It's the sides that I need to start working on. Once I get the dash out, I'm going to sandblast the whole body. I'll picture frame the quarters that will be getting replaced so I can blast behind them but not lose all the structural integrity until I'm ready to replace the panels.
Rust by the bumper mount
Due to the extensive rust in the roof area, I've located a complete roof assembly (skin and all) that I could either install as a unit or use for parts, and a few parts cars that I can simply get the individual panels that I need to reconstruct the roof area. It's a bit beyond the hand fabricated patch method in a few areas. I'll need to get the actual factory panels. The area above the rear passenger windows is nearly gone.
On a side note, what are these numbers stamped in the flange where the 1/4 meets the roof?
Got the dash out... No surprises underneath, just tons of dust and dirt. I also removed some of the bad 1/4 panel, and saw just what I suspected. Dirt and crap has built up in the bottom of the panel joints and rusted them out. The dirt in the last pic is a typical example of what I have been finding.
Got the firewall completely stripped, no nasty surprises there. I was also pleasantly surprised thet the rear package tray is actually fine, it is just the lower window gutter that is shot. One less panel to R&R. I called AMD and asked them if they were planning on doing A-pillars, and they said yes, but about a year out. I should have this thing completely stripped and ready for blasting in a few weeks. I also took the time to clean out another bay in the garage for epoxy coating so I can get some of the stuff moved out of the bay the Charger is in and get some work space back.
I have just about everything from the latch post forward stripped. I just need to remove the brake lines, tail lights and trim, rear axle and the 1/4 window assemblies, and it will be ready to blast.
More pics coming soon!
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