1973 Charger restoration

[Dreamcatcher]

I guess I didn't realize fenders would be hard to find in good condition. I am sitting on several (whole cars actually) I have had these for years but just got overwhelmed with other project cars and most likely wont ever get to them. The netting is because we have a lot of large hail out here. The center car is a highly optioned 72 SE the far right is a 73 U code charger (last year I think for the 440) Someday if I live long enough lol. Been there for almost 10 years now. But we are a low humidity area so things don't really rust away here.

 

[drobertson]

I guess I didn't realize fenders would be had to find in good condition. I am sitting on several (whole cars actually) I have had these for years but just got overwhelmed with other project cars and most likely wont ever get to them. The netting is because we have a lot of large hail out here. The center car is a highly optioned 72 SE the far right is a 73 U code charger (last year I think for the 440) Someday if I live long enough lol. Been there for almost 10 years now. But we are a low humidity area so things don't really rust away here.

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Any chance you'd sell some fenders? I'd be willing to take a week off work and drive all the way to south dakota. Just because having straight fenders would save me a lot of money at the bodyshop. In fact, I'd be interested in buying an entire car.

 

[Dreamcatcher]

Any chance you'd sell some fenders? I'd be willing to take a week off work and drive all the way to south dakota. Just because having straight fenders would save me a lot of money at the bodyshop. In fact, I'd be interested in buying an entire car.

I am not sure about selling a whole car but let me think about fenders a little. I will look them over and get back to you. Where are you in WY? It cant be too far from me. Funny thing I pulled the 2 73 cars out of Burlington WY. I lived in Cody for 35 years Riverton for 7 years and grew up in Thermopolis.

 

[Dreamcatcher]

I looked this morning and both fenders on the orange car are very straight. I see no rot what so ever.(there actually better than the U code car which is the one I was going to build. But there not real bad either and I want to keep them as there original to the car) The drivers side is still in paint so would have to pull it to make sure it is as good as it looks. The passengers side some one at some point took down to bare metal then painted primer on it with a brush. It has surface rust but it is very straight with no rot. It isn't pitted at all but really they both would need stripped anyway. Here's the thing. I will be coming through WY. on Monday morning. I will come through on I90 to Buffalo then over the pass to Worland , Thermopolis , on to Riverton. So if you could meet me along the line I could bring them. I had not really thought about selling them so shoot me an offer I guess and we will see. I don't believe in bending anyone over the back gate but wont take less than a reasonable offer as I don't really need to sell them. I will post some pictures this after noon.

 

[drobertson]

I am not sure about selling a whole car but let me think about fenders a little. I will look them over and get back to you. Where are you in WY? It cant be too far from me. Funny thing I pulled the 2 73 cars out of Burlington WY. I lived in Cody for 35 years Riverton for 7 years and grew up in Thermopolis.

I live in Burlington, and I bought my 73 from the Preator family in Burlington.

 

[drobertson]

I looked this morning and both fenders on the orange car are very straight. I see no rot what so ever.(there actually better than the U code car which is the one I was going to build. But there not real bad either and I want to keep them as there original to the car) The drivers side is still in paint so would have to pull it to make sure it is as good as it looks. The passengers side some one at some point took down to bare metal then painted primer on it with a brush. It has surface rust but it is very straight with no rot. It isn't pitted at all but really they both would need stripped anyway. Here's the thing. I will be coming through WY. on Monday morning. I will come through on I90 to Buffalo then over the pass to Worland , Thermopolis , on to Riverton. So if you could meet me along the line I could bring them. I had not really thought about selling them so shoot me an offer I guess and we will see. I don't believe in bending anyone over the back gate but wont take less than a reasonable offer as I don't really need to sell them. I will post some pictures this after noon.

I could definitely travel to worland! PM sent.

 

[Dreamcatcher]

After pulling the fenders I found no rot what so ever. No cracks in any of the flange areas. No major damage that would leave me to believe there is any bondo. No major dents. There may be a few minor places but very clean 44 year old fenders.

 

[drobertson]

I got the fenders from dreamcatcher! Those will save me quite a few headaches. Now I need to get off my lazy butt and test fit them to the front valence and what not. Hopefully AMD has their 71-4 Charger hoods for sale soon.

 

[drobertson]

I had a little spare time before work, so I sprayed a little primer over the trans tunnel. Then I need to sand down the rest of the floor and prime. Then seam seal. Fun.

I also started to fabricate a mockup patch out of thin steel for the cowl. The final patch will be made with oem thinkness steel salvaged from the old quarter panel.

In all honesty though, I haven't got much of a clue about what I'm doing. Just taking my time to learn, and do things the proper way. Replace rust with steel, not bondo.

 

[Dreamcatcher]

That is how most of us learned to do it. Just go slow and learn as you go. I didn't know you needed a hood. I had one of those too lol. Anyway looks like your heading in the right direction. Good luck!

 

[drobertson]

Good news!!!

I found a bodyshop in Cody, WY that's going to do the bodywork and paint on the Charger. One of the guys that work there, I have known for a few years. Just last week he stopped by my shop and checked out the Charger.

I'm not confident in my welding and fab skills to do bodywork stuff, so he's going to install tsome patch panels, trunk drop offs, drivers quarter panel, pass lower quarter patch, and finish the rust repairs. He's also going to do the bodywork and paint. Dual stage base and clear, factory appearance plum crazy purple.

They will also install the black vinyl top, apply rallye stripes, and what not. Quote is 8-9k for all that. That's actually considered average for wyoming body shops, (considering it's hard to find customers in such a low population state).

So my job now is to gather all the panels and pieces for the body shop. Hopefully gonna be in paint in fall, and back in my shop late fall, early winter.

New parts:

 

[drobertson]

Long overdue update!!! I got all 6 pieces I was waiting for from AMD. Interestingly enought, the panels were listed to fit a 71-2 Charger, but they test fit just fine on a 73-4. They look identical. Except one panel was different, the "AMD 71-2 Charger Rear Quarter Panel Inner Reinforcement Support" But is easily modified with two cuts, and a bend. Now looks Identical to the 73-4 piece. I'll photograph those modifications later and post them up.

These photo graphs below only show the test fitting of the quarter end-cap support.

 

[drobertson]

Haven't been posting as much lately, but I have done some stuff on the Charger.

Here I removed the remainder of the driver's side trunk drop-off panel.

 

[drobertson]

New AMD trunk drop-off extension panel fits pretty good. I'm gonna have to tweak it just a little to fit perfect, though. At one point the wheelhouse was damaged in a collision, and I've pulled it mostly out. Just doing my best to fit the puzzle pieces together.

 

[drobertson]

Here I have all the rear-half quarter panel reinforcements removed. Interestingly enough, the "71-2" only reinforcement panels appear and fit the same as O.E. 1973...

 

[drobertson]

Got to practice a little bit of fab work. I found some rust at the back of the wheelhouse, so I cut out the cancer and made a patch using scrap metal. Welds aren't great, but it's my first time welding with 75/25 gas. (recently converted the welder from flux core to mig). But with some grinding the welds are just fine.

 

[drobertson]

Update, 7/26/2017

Today I did more stuff for the Charger. I started by trimming the old quarter to the dimensions I want, so the skin will fit properly. Not pictured - but I primed the inside of the quarter skin and applied generous rubber undercoating, in an attempt to replicate (somewhat) how the factory did it.

I also did lots of test fitting panels and drilling holes for cleco pins as well. Most of all my AMD parts fit near perfect, which is impressive. When test fitting panels, I found a rusty spot in the structure, so I cut out the bad steel and made a small patch out of scrap steel.

 

[drobertson]

Here are some of the patch panels in place, will be welded in shortly.

 

[Bb70charger500]

Keep going it's looking good !

 

[drobertson]

Keep going it's looking good !

Thanks! What's amazing to me, is that I've done more to this car in this week than the past 7 months. Lol. Hopefully I'll have the quarter panel on by the end of the week.