The Willomet Charger

[1970RT]

Here’s a bit of an update.

The jig is removed and sold to a local Mopar dude who’s rebuilding a Charger and Coronet. It actually slipped apart pretty easily, and moved around without too much trouble.

Then the car leveled up pretty nicely. The frame is pretty darned rigid. I can level up on front corner, and it lifts the same side at the rear. The cage and rest of the unibody will go even further.

The rockers are welded in 1.5” every 2”.

The front suspension is pushed forward 1.5” and the crank is behind that by just a little bit. That’s not as much as Rev1, which is good. Now, only plugs 7 and 8 are under the cowl.

This places the shifter right at my knee, which is what I prefer, and allows for a straight and vertical (and maybe gated) shift level.

I scrapped Rev1 this time last year. Now, with Rev2 fully installed and the powertrain resting in its own mounts, I’m not just caught up, but well past where I was.

I know not everyone gets excited about an old shell sitting on a new frame, but it’s a valuable milestone to me.

David

 

[plymouthman72]

Here’s a bit of an updated.

The jig is removed and sold to a local Mopar dude who’s rebuilding a Charger and Coronet. It actually slipped apart pretty easily, and moved around without too much trouble.
View attachment 965075

Then the car leveled up pretty nicely. The frame is pretty darned rigid. I can level up on front corner, and it lifts the same side at the rear. The cage and rest of the unibody will go even further.
View attachment 965074

View attachment 965076

The rockers are welded in 1.5” every 2”.
View attachment 965077

The front suspension is pushed forward 1.5” and the crank is behind that by just a little bit. That’s not as much as Rev1, which is good. Now, only plugs 7 and 8 are under the cowl.
View attachment 965080

This places the shifter right at my knee, which is what I prefer, and allows for a straight and vertical (and maybe gated) shift level.
View attachment 965081

View attachment 965079

View attachment 965078

I scrapped Rev1 this time last year. Now, with Rev2 fully installed and the powertrain resting in its own mounts, I’m not just caught up, but well past where I was.

I know not everyone gets excited about an old shell sitting on a new frame, but it’s a valuable milestone to me.

David

That is just a beautiful work of art right there.

 

[Jarven1977]

Here’s a bit of an updated.

The jig is removed and sold to a local Mopar dude who’s rebuilding a Charger and Coronet. It actually slipped apart pretty easily, and moved around without too much trouble.
View attachment 965075

Then the car leveled up pretty nicely. The frame is pretty darned rigid. I can level up on front corner, and it lifts the same side at the rear. The cage and rest of the unibody will go even further.
View attachment 965074

View attachment 965076

The rockers are welded in 1.5” every 2”.
View attachment 965077

The front suspension is pushed forward 1.5” and the crank is behind that by just a little bit. That’s not as much as Rev1, which is good. Now, only plugs 7 and 8 are under the cowl.
View attachment 965080

This places the shifter right at my knee, which is what I prefer, and allows for a straight and vertical (and maybe gated) shift level.
View attachment 965081

View attachment 965079

View attachment 965078

I scrapped Rev1 this time last year. Now, with Rev2 fully installed and the powertrain resting in its own mounts, I’m not just caught up, but well past where I was.

I know not everyone gets excited about an old shell sitting on a new frame, but it’s a valuable milestone to me.

David

I'm excited

 

[69sunfireGTX]

Very nice

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

I enjoy following this build

 

[Ghostrider 67]

Here’s a bit of an update.

The jig is removed and sold to a local Mopar dude who’s rebuilding a Charger and Coronet. It actually slipped apart pretty easily, and moved around without too much trouble.
View attachment 965075

Then the car leveled up pretty nicely. The frame is pretty darned rigid. I can level up on front corner, and it lifts the same side at the rear. The cage and rest of the unibody will go even further.
View attachment 965074

View attachment 965076

The rockers are welded in 1.5” every 2”.
View attachment 965077

The front suspension is pushed forward 1.5” and the crank is behind that by just a little bit. That’s not as much as Rev1, which is good. Now, only plugs 7 and 8 are under the cowl.
View attachment 965080

This places the shifter right at my knee, which is what I prefer, and allows for a straight and vertical (and maybe gated) shift level.
View attachment 965081

View attachment 965079

View attachment 965078

I scrapped Rev1 this time last year. Now, with Rev2 fully installed and the powertrain resting in its own mounts, I’m not just caught up, but well past where I was.

I know not everyone gets excited about an old shell sitting on a new frame, but it’s a valuable milestone to me.

David

I get excited. I think this is an awesome build being done by a complete artist. it inspires me to try to be ever more careful and thoughtful in my own build. To not make half steps, to go the extra mile. Thank you for that.

 

[440jimr]

Any recent work done on the Charger?

 

[RemCharger]

Maybe the motor slowed him down? (lol)

 

[1970RT]

Any recent work done on the Charger?

I spent most of 2020 building a new suspension on my truck, and a big chunk of 2021 fine tuning and enjoying it.

Now, I'm back on the car, and have been making steady progress for a few weeks now. So far it's all bumping metal to get the cowl closer to how I'd like it. Here's a fast catchup.

Fresh air vents closed, and new lower flange constructed.

Shrink shrank shrunk the upper flange to match.

The start of the new upper cowl relief where the wiper motor used to sit. I'm trying to maintain this little cutout for access to the rear of the intake manifold, and it gives me a chance to play with a bead roller.

Next, the wrinkled cowls have always bothered me. I get why it's there - just part of a production car that's made of stamped panels - but since it's apart, a few hours with some body hammers is all it takes to reduce the amount of filler required to smooth it out.

It's not going to be a "no filler car," but I'm going for a low filler one.

All tacked together. Likely a lot of silicone bronze TIG work ahead to get it all fit and sculpted as I have in my imagination.

Maybe the motor slowed him down? (lol)

Nope.

I like going back and forth between projects, focusing entirely on one at a time. One feeds the other, and I got a lot of fab time in on the truck. Those skills all feed the car project.


David

 

[Ghostrider 67]

I spent most of 2020 building a new suspension on my truck, and a big chunk of 2021 fine tuning and enjoying it.
View attachment 1172221

Now, I'm back on the car, and have been making steady progress for a few weeks now. So far it's all bumping metal to get the cowl closer to how I'd like it. Here's a fast catchup.

Fresh air vents closed, and new lower flange constructed.
View attachment 1172202

Shrink shrank shrunk the upper flange to match.
View attachment 1172203

The start of the new upper cowl relief where the wiper motor used to sit. I'm trying to maintain this little cutout for access to the rear of the intake manifold, and it gives me a chance to play with a bead roller.
View attachment 1172205
Hey there David! Missed ya. Hope you had fun with the truck and glad your back on the car. That all looks great, as usual! Always interested to see your work. Randy
Next, the wrinkled cowls have always bothered me. I get why it's there - just part of a production car that's made of stamped panels - but since it's apart, a few hours with some body hammers is all it takes to reduce the amount of filler required to smooth it out.
View attachment 1172207

View attachment 1172211

View attachment 1172210

It's not going to be a "no filler car," but I'm going for a low filler one.
View attachment 1172209

All tacked together. Likely a lot of silicone bronze TIG work ahead to get it all fit and sculpted as I have in my imagination.
View attachment 1172208


Nope.

View attachment 1172212

I like going back and forth between projects, focusing entirely on one at a time. One feeds the other, and I got a lot of fab time in on the truck. Those skills all feed the car project.


David

 

[Ghostrider 67]

Hey there David! Missed ya. Hope you had fun with the truck and glad your back on the car. That all looks great, as usual! Always interested to see your work. Randy

 

[1970RT]

Hey there David! Missed ya. Hope you had fun with the truck and glad your back on the car. That all looks great, as usual! Always interested to see your work. Randy

Good to be back dude. I love building from scratch, and am glad to be back at it.

David

 

[RemCharger]

Beautiful work, and shop!

 

[1970RT]

Corner filler panels. I’ve never liked the original drain design, and will make a new one that ties into the lower cowl.

David

 

[Ghostrider 67]

Corner filler panels. I’ve never liked the original drain design, and will make a new one that ties into the lower cowl.

View attachment 1174972

View attachment 1174973

View attachment 1174974

View attachment 1174975

David

Looks great David! I cut the front of both corners out and replaced with smooth metal. Too many wrinkles..

 

[1970RT]

Too many wrinkles.

So true. It’s also fun to improve on what the designers were trying to accomplish without having to make concessions for what can be easily manufactured.

David

 

[Ghostrider 67]

So true. It’s also fun to improve on what the designers were trying to accomplish without having to make concessions for what can be easily manufactured.

David

I know, right? Same with the gas filler doors on the 67 Coronets. They design these flowing beautiful quarters and then slap an ugly huge filler door right in the middle of it. What is the thought process with that?

 

[1970RT]

Just making steady progress assembling and blending the cowl, and filling in now-useless holes.

I forgot what these holes were for, but they’re no more.

This cowl might end job being the most modified panel on the car. Lots of small tweaks.

David

 

[Ghostrider 67]

Just making steady progress assembling and blending the cowl, and filling in now-useless holes.

View attachment 1202958

View attachment 1202959

View attachment 1202960

I forgot what these holes were for, but they’re no more.
View attachment 1202961

View attachment 1202962

View attachment 1202963

This cowl might end job being the most modified panel on the car. Lots of small tweaks.

David

As always, professional quality work and creativity. Thanks for the update!

 

[1970RT]

Front of the cowl is done. Next up are pillar corners, vent delete, and I’ll probably redo the side flanges.

David