For the Love for my Father, My 69 GTX Restoration

[Fran Blacker]

No kidding...at that price all I should have to do is to insert the clips...anything to save a penny...I wasted a fair amount of time prepping for the clips and mocking up because not all clips recesses were stamped out....

Plus, one of the staples was place in the way for the clip to slide all the way in.....That good QC there...Of course when I ordered it I had to wait 3 months for it.....

Pics below are of the old panel and new panel...The old one used bigger staples and the recesses for the clips were pre cut. The new ones you have to go around with a razor blade and pop out a portion of it and you have to be careful not to go too far...Thats crap...and time consuming..

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That red POPS! Great work.
Looks like they don't cut holes to come out. Wonder how factory did holes and cut out for clips. Does it look cut or stamped flat for clip recess?

 

[moparnation74]

That red POPS! Great work.
Looks like they don't cut holes to come out. Wonder how factory did holes and cut out for clips. Does it look cut or stamped flat for clip recess?

Fran,

Thanks for the compliment my friend!

Factory panels had the recesses as the old panel I had pre cut. The new panel they are stamped. If you look closely you can see tiny tabs. So you have to take a razor blade and cut those. Once cut, I used the razor blade as a pry bar and pop out a portion. Keep in mind not all pop out at the same depth so you have to slowly pop more out in order to get proper clip placement. If you do not you will dimple the cardboard and hence it will be noticeable on the panel.

Plus on the front door panel I had to create two openings for clips that were not even stamped. If I did not do that it would have had a large gap.

 

[OK charger]

I know this doesn't mean a lot coming from a stranger but your dad would be proud to see this project. I lost my dad at a an early age and I know the feeling of that dark spot that's hard to come out of. Great work on that car though and I hope it brings you many more great memories.

 

[Glenwood]

Wow the red interior is looking great against the black!

 

[moparnation74]

I know this doesn't mean a lot coming from a stranger but your dad would be proud to see this project. I lost my dad at a an early age and I know the feeling of that dark spot that's hard to come out of. Great work on that car though and I hope it brings you many more great memories.

OKcharger my friend, Thank you very much for your kind words and also something very personal to you.....

I like how you referenced it as a "dark spot" because it truly is....almost like a black hole at times slowly sucking the life away at times. You know this unfortunately and I am so sorry for your loss..No matter what point in ones life this occurs the pain and healing is the same..I have come to terms that falling in a dark spot is not a bad thing, let the emotions and memories happen...Through time doing such has allowed me to cope much easier....

btw coming from a fellow member and a neighboring state. You are by no means a stranger and your statement above meant a lot to me and thanks!

Justin

 

[moparnation74]

Starting on the drivers door.....Can I say again I hate doing door glass and mechanisms, lol

Filed out the holes/openings to accept the door handle and lock cylinder...Remember the cylinders go in one way only....Also reuse your old door handle mechanism the props do not work well....

Look...The Grey lock cylinder gasket....

 

[69 GTX]

Wow that picture just goes to show what a great paint job you have, I thought it was a mirror til I saw the handle openings!

 

[moparnation74]

Wow that picture just goes to show what a great paint job you have, I thought it was a mirror til I saw the handle openings!

Tim, no kidding...I almost deleted it till I saw the openings as well....believe it or not the car has orange peel all over to.mimic the factory look....

Thanks for the compliment....The bodywork and paint is stellar where I had it done.....

 

[Speedbird]

Passenger upper door pad. Installing the fuzzies. The originals used staples which these came with but when I asked the company how to staple them? The tech guy said, "I do not know?" lol I asked so you sell them like this but do not offer a tool or advice how? WTF

So I did them as I have done and that is to use small screws...
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"Vise grips".
Or maybe some cases, "Vise gripes".

http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/66-67-charger-quarter-window-trim-fasteners.127721/

 

[moparnation74]

"Vise grips".
Or maybe some cases, "Vise gripes".

http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/66-67-charger-quarter-window-trim-fasteners.127721/
View attachment 495956

True...but yours is a little different than 69's....I am dealing with a full painted panel and at the cost of the body shop work my nerves could handle screws better than staples....

If only they were like the one you have above for the earlier B bods....

Your method is the best method to install them btw....I was hoping in 2017 the company had a better option but....they did not

 

[moparnation74]

Working on the driver side door.....When I assemble the parts I test and retest the functionality of those as I progress and for good reason(key function, door handle function etc) . My driver side window regulator was working fine when I cleaned it up a year ago but once installed it did not function well an is unusable. So I will get another one soon of course and install later but that will not hold up the glass install. Better to find out now than later down the road....

 

[moparnation74]

More parts...

 

[moparnation74]

More parts

 

[Richard Cranium]

Assembling all those little bits looks like lot's of fun!

 

[themechanic]

I recommend long sleeves or split rubber hose around the sharp edges of the door to protect your arms when reaching through to install those itty bitty parts.

 

[oldbee]

Noooo- cuts&blood are a badge of honor!!!!

 

[moparnation74]

Noooo- cuts&blood are a badge of honor!!!!

True that....I just roll with the flow and display my war wounds later!

So far the worst I have endured with this restoration.....Was...well...me and a wire wheel on a drill, had a disagreement and the drill won, lol...

Thankfully, I had 2 gloves on and a long sleeve shirt....Ripped through both gloves, sleeve and obviously grabbed the shirt and the shirt won at that point...

 

[oldbee]

LOL- no brewski's with wire wheels!

 

[Richard Cranium]

Man, you're a hairy bastard! By chance, is this you?

 

[moparnation74]

Man, you're a hairy bastard! By chance, is this you?

View attachment 497116

Surprisingly not...the picture makes it seem more than what it is...