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Collision damage: How do they get these cars straight again?

Kern Dog

Kern Dog

Life is full of turns. Build your car to handle.
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I have made a deal to buy another 1970 Dodge Charger. This one is an XH model, bench seat, column shift, 383/727 with an 8 1/4" axle. Sometime long ago, it was involved in a collision in a parking lot. The core support was partially removed, the RH side of the core support is tweeked, the inner fender too. The cowl is also pressed back a little.
I should have taken pictures to post, I know!
Out back, I have a front stub from a 1970 Belvedere. It has an unmolested set of frame rails, firewall and cowl, inner fenders and core support. I am considering the possibility of removing the structural members from the donor and welding it into the Charger. I do have welding experience but what concerns me is panel alignment once it is all back together. I have seen the factory diagrams with all of the measurements but the area that concerns me is the following:
Looking at a profile view. what determines the height of the core support? Imagine welding the frame rails and firewall in and having an error even as small as 1/8".....at the core support I could be off by 3/8" or more. What can be done to avoid that? I see some really ambitious builds where guys tear out entire rear structures and somehow end up with everything fitting together again. I know that there has to be some method to ensure proper fitment. It cannot be THAT easy!
I can only guess that you'd test fit the fenders and hood multiple times, take measurements over and over, etc. The body lines would have to be checked and rechecked, maybe even with a construction laser or string line.
What tips can you guys offer here?
Thanks!
 
There are holes in the rails and floors that are used when putting them together on a jig. Dont quote me but it may have been Graveyard cars where I saw a jig used to replace 1/2 a car. I have a drafting sheet for a 40 Ford frame measurements.
 
if it was me...
before i even started
i would first get it on a frame machine and pull it all straight
then take some measurements
cut and replace the bad stuff
i would keep the donor metal together as a unit as much as possible
for less alignment issues.
 
I would find the books for frame body measurements prior to pulling.. Pull to far.. it could create a problem..
 
The core support is bad enough to need a replacement. The top "bar" across the radiator opening is torn out and the lower RH corner is dented and wavy as if someone tried to hammer and dolly it back...poorly. I also have a core support from a parted out 68 Satellite Station Wagon I could use. The car currently has no fenders, hood or valance on it. The owner did suggest I bolt on the sheet metal and see what a frame shop could do; Maybe they will be able to get it within spec. After that, as I take what I have read here...I would only replace what I wanted to obtain clean and wrinkle free metal. Am I understanding this right? With the reference points all within factory tolerances, I will likely still have to replace a few sections.
I am still curious how guys replace major sections without a frame jig. I do recall seeing them used on Graveyard Carz. I could make one based on my own unmolested and never wrecked 1970 Charger but that seems like a lot of work just for one car.
This car was built in December 1969, like my own 70 Charger. The VIN is 305 numbers later. Being an XH model, it was the stripped down base model Charger for 1970. Bench seat, Column shift, no tach, no upper door pads or aluminum taillight trim panel. The fender tag is somewhere at the owners house but the color looks T-7 Copper with a burnt orange interior....An unusual but nice color combination.
 
stop over complicating things........ bolt on a good set of fenders, and hood. If you can't bolt them on, look and see why. Look at what is crinkled or bent. Things become very obvious. Then you formulate a plan.
post up some pics, I'll walk you through it from here.... lol
 
Last edited:
you can't be afraid to dive in....the best part about collision work is the car is already fucked up........ lol....... this one had the roof crushed down into the hinge pillars; making the doors stick up above the quarters about an inch......... inner and outer rockers were folded right behind the torsion bar member.




last week......

IMG_20180215_193024.jpg





Sunday night......

IMG_20180218_223957.jpg
IMG_20180218_224021.jpg





tonight...........

IMG_20180220_005741.jpg
IMG_20180220_005642.jpg
IMG_20180220_005532.jpg
 
I had a local body shop do my 1984 Turbo TBird about 16 years ago. It was in a head-on collision. They put it on their frame table and stretched it back. They determined that the front rails needed to be replaced and sourced them at a local junk yard. After I paid the junk yard, they went there and directed the junker where to cut them. Then the shop carried them back to their shop and welded them in. Then they trial fitted the new sheet metal and towed the car back to my house. Total cost was $1,000. Well worth it in my opinion.

Good luck!

Nice job on yours eldubb!
 
eldubb440 said:
you can't be afraid to dive in....the best part about collision work is the car is already fucked up........ lol....... this one had the roof crushed down into the hinge pillars; making the doors stick up above the quarters about an inch......... inner and outer rockers were folded right behind the torsion bar member.




last week......

View attachment 573681




Sunday night......

View attachment 573682 View attachment 573683




tonight...........

View attachment 573680 View attachment 573685 View attachment 573684
Click to expand...
What Resurrection Garage? A new reality program without the BS.
 
Fran Blacker said:
What Resurrection Garage? A new reality program without the BS.
Click to expand...


no bullshit......... in about 91-92, I borrowed a camcorder and tripod from my older brother; ( high dollar stuff back in the day lol ) and shot footage of what was to be the first car based, reality TV show........ I never followed through :fool: :(
 
Kern Dog said:
I have made a deal to buy another 1970 Dodge Charger. This one is an XH model, bench seat, column shift, 383/727 with an 8 1/4" axle. Sometime long ago, it was involved in a collision in a parking lot. The core support was partially removed, the RH side of the core support is tweeked, the inner fender too. The cowl is also pressed back a little.
I should have taken pictures to post, I know!
Out back, I have a front stub from a 1970 Belvedere. It has an unmolested set of frame rails, firewall and cowl, inner fenders and core support. I am considering the possibility of removing the structural members from the donor and welding it into the Charger. I do have welding experience but what concerns me is panel alignment once it is all back together. I have seen the factory diagrams with all of the measurements but the area that concerns me is the following:
Looking at a profile view. what determines the height of the core support? Imagine welding the frame rails and firewall in and having an error even as small as 1/8".....at the core support I could be off by 3/8" or more. What can be done to avoid that? I see some really ambitious builds where guys tear out entire rear structures and somehow end up with everything fitting together again. I know that there has to be some method to ensure proper fitment. It cannot be THAT easy!
I can only guess that you'd test fit the fenders and hood multiple times, take measurements over and over, etc. The body lines would have to be checked and rechecked, maybe even with a construction laser or string line.
What tips can you guys offer here?
Thanks!
Click to expand...


Find a good shop and get it on the frame machine. With all the new technology out there they shouldn’t have. Problem getting it straight again. PS, you going to the Fling?
 
Find a shop thats willing to work with you and you need to be willing to work with them. Most likely there will not be any info in the racks system for dimensions so you will need to possibly find some. You may score if the person running the rack can figure things out without the dimensions. I used to work with a guy like that so they are out there. You will need all of the pieces needing replacement as they will probably get sacrificed during the pulls to get the main structure in the general area. Once its pulled, the tatered parts will removed and the new stuff fitted up. You will need your bolt on stuff, fenders/hood/hinges/bumper etc for them to help line things up. You can have the structure all squared up but the bolt ons won't fit correctly so they may still need to do some upper structure pulls and alignment. Keep in mind that the shop may charge you 2-4 hours just for the set up and measure to see where things are and from there pull time hours is anyones guess. On top of that you will have time to align parts, repair/replace, seam seal, paint etc etc. Ask them what condition they would like the car in when they receive it. Engine/trans out, interior out, firewall cleared off, clean grease/slime off etc. Make their life easier which will help you. I would expect this to be a 5-10 job day depending on conditions of the carcass. Also, if you find a shop, have them look at it real good before you get too far as you may have one thats not repairable or you may end up upside down in expenditures. From what you describe for damage, you may have issues farther back that are not quite as obvious. That kind of energy, from the hit, gets transferred through so you may want to look at the rockers, roof, quarters, current panel alignment[ doors/trunk] and see if there are any buckles/kinks/waves further away. Maybe someone needs a deck or addition done for a trade? Since you are a construction type, something to think about for offsetting costs.
 
Page 842 or around there 1970 Charger/Coronet in MyMopar service manual.

frame.JPG
 
Spring Fling? Oh yeah....I'm there !
 
I obviously will not be driving the bent car...
 
Back then, there were no frame benches, we used pull dozers and measuring. The upper tie bar and side baffle are easy replacements.Measure twice, weld once.
 
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