71 RT resurrection

[all original]

HI
Nice work, where are you located in Alberta?

 

[norwayduster]

im really impressed about the work you are doing.

 

[gdrill]

I'm in Lethbridge. In the sunny / windy South!

 

[all original]

That's interesting, Im in Lethbridge as well.
I would love to see your car

 

[gdrill]

im really impressed about the work you are doing.

Thank you very much. I am learning as I go and I am building a car to drive. It won't be a high quality show car but I will enjoy it knowing I resurrected it!

 

[gdrill]

That's interesting, Im in Lethbridge as well.
I would love to see your car

I'm tinkering in the shop right now and I'm off to work for two weeks tomorrow. Perhaps when I get back we can get together. What car do you have? I've probably seen it around town.

 

[all original]

let me know when you get back to town and we will make it happen

 

[340challconvert]

Really doing some excellent work on your Challenger

 

[gdrill]

Thank you paharamia. Excellent may be pushing it but it is definitely solid and good enough for driving!

 

[340challconvert]

Thank you paparamia. Excellent may be pushing it but it is definitely solid and good enough for driving!

I can really appreciate the workmanship that goes into doing the type of body repairs your are taking on.
I'm just starting to work on my A66 Challenger convert after sitting since 1984. I will need some front driver area floor pan work and my trunk center is in poor condition.
The rest of the metal body/frame seem to be in really good condition. You are really taking on some extensive work, but job well done!

 

[gdrill]

Well, I decided to mess around a bit today. I pulled the column I picked up a couple weeks ago apart most of the way and blasted and painted it. I need a new "instruction" insert for the key release. And I see the column to dash mount has a bend to it, but it fits everywhere, so I wonder if they are like that to offset the column. I also am missing the bearing or bushing at the bottom of the sleeve. I'll give it a couple days for the paint to harden and then re-assemble it.

 

[gdrill]

Well, I didn't wait. I was very careful and never got a singe blemish.

 

[moparlee]

Very nice job on your steering column. Isn't it a great feeling to go take a grungy looking part and turning it into a thing of beauty. Nice work. I have the same issue sometimes in moving on to the next step before it's maybe ready.

 

[gdrill]

Thank you Sir. Yes it is rewarding seeing the change. I am trying to build this on a low budget so I will be "saving" as many old parts as I can! I also know that it's going to be a while before I really get into this car so each little piece will make the big job easier when I get to it. But I am continually hunting parts down and I'm getting quite lucky with finding a bunch, which is also motivating.

 

[RUNCHARGER]

Thank you Sir. Yes it is rewarding seeing the change. I am trying to build this on a low budget so I will be "saving" as many old parts as I can! I also know that it's going to be a while before I really get into this car so each little piece will make the big job easier when I get to it. But I am continually hunting parts down and I'm getting quite lucky with finding a bunch, which is also motivating.

 

[RUNCHARGER]

That's the best way to do it anyway. If a car is complete it is best to restore the assembly at the time you pull it off. That way you remember what it looks like and any problems with it. Restore it and bag it up. It also saves getting burnt out after doing all the metalwork and you are sick of the car and don't have the energy to restore the parts.

 

[gdrill]

Over the weekend I picked up a trunk pan and two rear rail repair sections. The rails were surface rusted from sitting in a car for a long time. I made an electrolysis tank and gave them and bath. It works great. Leaves very little to blast. Then I hit them with glass bead, probably 1/2 hour worth each, and they look like new. I forgot to take a before pic but here is one after the tank and a wash off and then one after blasting and ready for self etch.

 

[gdrill]

I figured it was time to pull my balls out of my purse and attack the rear frame rails. Measure 453,217 times and cut once! I discovered that the aftermarket rails are slightly different than stock. Good thing I am a measurer. I took my original measurements and cut the old section out. When I started comparing I discovered the back bumper / spring mount was slid onto the rail about 1/4" further than the original on the new piece. That would have sucked as the bumper mounts and spring mounts would have been 1/4" further ahead than they were. Probably acceptable by factory tolerances but not by mine. Anyway, I got the driver side done and will do the pass tomorrow.

 

[quapman]

Yes, the steering column collar is supposed to look like that.

 

[gdrill]

Thank you quapman, I figured it was a strange place to get accidentally bent.
I finished the pass frame rail change out and repaired the tail light panel. It wasn't too bad but I had to section in a piece in the middle at the bottom. The rails are welded both inside and outside. Now I just have to clean up around the wheel houses so I can fit the pan.