Don's 1969 Charger Restoration

[mopar4don]

www.consolidatedstripping.com

The stripping company I went to was Consolidated Stripping & Derusting Inc. 269-685-1340
They are in Plainwell MI just north of Kalamazoo

The really great thing about them is they offer self serve blasting by the hour.

They have a different sized cabinets with the biggest at approx 6-8 feet long.
And a blast room is for the big stuff. They set you up, including getting you suited up with the air conditioned helmet.
(JUST LIKE DONNY)
They will let you and a buddy in the blast room at the same time. This helps to get the job done quicker!
Don the owner is very knowledgeable and is willing to help!

So all you fellow Michiganders check them out,
I highly recommend them!
http://www.consolidatedstripping.com/

 

[MT_Mopar]

Don, your craftsmanship is incredible, thanks for sharing with us! Consolidated stripping sounds like a great place, I read the RULES FOR SANDBLASTING AUTOMOTIVE PANELS, very interesting, I didn't realize the details and such a person needs to follow when media blasting.

Keep up the good work!

View attachment 203328

 

[mopar4don]

Don, your craftsmanship is incredible, thanks for sharing with us! Consolidated stripping sounds like a great place, I read the RULES FOR SANDBLASTING AUTOMOTIVE PANELS, very interesting, I didn't realize the details and such a person needs to follow when media blasting.

Keep up the good work!

View attachment 203328

Thanks MT, a lot of good info on his site!

 

[mopar4don]

Parts in epoxy primer

Here is how they look after epoxy primer.
NO MORE UGLY RUST!

:yaayy::yaayy::yaayy:

 

[cdr]

YEA lookin AWESOME

 

[747mopar]

Wow, looks like new AMD stuff now. What did it take you....................5 minutes to paint the whole car haha? Betcha that's allot more encouraging to look at now.

 

[snakeyes]

Don I don't think you need any inspiration , to me your an inspiration to everyone on this forum that has a project going or just starting , Don do me a favor sit done for a few and have a beer on me :VB toast: :headbang:

 

[SGTPaul]

Forward march from here solder!! Looks great!!!!

 

[conv67bdere]

Looking GOOD there Don . . . wow . . . what i difference a little paint/primer makes . . . Guess I need to follow suit and get some paint/primer on my ride ! ! !

Your work is amazing . . . sorry that we missed you at the Nats . . . was hoping to get a chance to meet you in person - next time ! ! !

 

[mopar4don]

Wow, looks like new AMD stuff now. What did it take you....................5 minutes to paint the whole car haha? Betcha that's allot more encouraging to look at now.

Thanks 747, It sure is a LOT eaiser on the eyes now. Thats for sure! 5 minutes?????? Naw come on now. I'm not that good!

Don I don't think you need any inspiration , to me your an inspiration to everyone on this forum that has a project going or just starting , Don do me a favor sit done for a few and have a beer on me :VB toast: :headbang:

Thanks snakeyes,:icon_redface: I'm just passing it forward....... Can I substitute that beer for a pepsi?

Forward march from here solder!! Looks great!!!!

YES SIR SARGENT SIR! .........Thanks Paul! Say how's your Charger doing? You going to get it out for the Dream Cruise?

Looking GOOD there Don . . . wow . . . what i difference a little paint/primer makes . . . Guess I need to follow suit and get some paint/primer on my ride ! ! !

Your work is amazing . . . sorry that we missed you at the Nats . . . was hoping to get a chance to meet you in person - next time ! ! !

Hi Kahn, The wife and I got down there on Fri at about noon. My mission was to find sheet metal. Ended up not finding metal, but I did pick up a few items! I was quite impressed with the amount of venders in the swap area. (I really had to hustle to get through it in the time I had) I did get to meet Moparmarks, (I thanked him for the advice he gave me) but that was about it. (I kept my eye open for a FBBO tent, but did not see one) Maybe next year we can meet up.

 

[Ron 73]

Don, Its so much different looking now its cool as it gets, Really coming along nice!

 

[mopar4don]

More patches

I had to fix a few more areas around the rear window. Here is one of them.
I had a few pin holes in the package tray (where I had put in a patch) Thats why the primer is ground back.








And yes I did come back and fix this hole. (I just did'nt get a picture)

 

[Ron 73]

Looks as good as it was before the rust made you fix it! great work with the finish!!

 

[mopar4don]

Thanks Ron, I am not a "paint guy" but that epoxy primer sure "wets" out nice!
A little painters lingo for ya!
I learned that from Rafael (my go to paint man) letting me hang with him!

Wets out = the paint levels off for a nice finish

 

[Coronet66JJ]

I have been watching several similar projects, and I was wondering what will you use as a reference when you are rebuilding your floor and welding to your rockers. and frame rails for critical structure.? this is the first time I have seen the method you are using it looks much simpler than using a body jig and removing one section at a time. I ask because I am planning a project and I want to avoid problems with panel/ window glass alignment, frame straightness, etc. Thank you for all of your posts so far . very helpful!

 

[mopar4don]

I have been watching several similar projects, and I was wondering what will you use as a reference when you are rebuilding your floor and welding to your rockers. and frame rails for critical structure.? this is the first time I have seen the method you are using it looks much simpler than using a body jig and removing one section at a time. I ask because I am planning a project and I want to avoid problems with panel/ window glass alignment, frame straightness, etc. Thank you for all of your posts so far . very helpful!

Hi Coronet66,
As far as a reference to go by. Before I took the car apart I measured as much as possible.
(distance across, diagonals..... any dimension that might help me get it back together properly)
From what I understand, if everything is close, the floor pans should drop in with minor tweaking.

The reason I am doing it this way is I replaced the front clip, and rear frame rails, and inner rockers, with parts from a donor car. For me, this seemed much easier (and faster and cheaper) than fixing countless areas of frame rail, torsion bar crossmember, and inner rockers.

Believe me when I say I am a bit nervous of everything going back together properly! (panel fitment and gaps)

Right now my plan is to get it back together just far enough to get the frame alignment checked! (no floors)
And since we are on the subject.
Can anyone give me some advice on putting it together just far enough to get the frame alignment checked?

 

[747mopar]

More nice work, boy are you going to be **** about taking care of this after all the work.

 

[mopar4don]

More nice work, boy are you going to be **** about taking care of this after all the work.

Mmmmm maybee

 

[CharGer]

Man oh man Don, you're making great progress, I gotta get going on mine again soon.

 

[Stevearino]

No fair Don. I have to come over here to keep up with this project. The rust primer looks good and it must feel great to have it look new and clean. Keep it rolling. Great work.:icon_winkle: