Can it be saved?

[gtw940]

Rusted all the way thru, i found the rear filler panel thru AMD. can the rear deck and pillar be repaired? planning new roof, quarters and package tray.

 

[terrywalker]

Anything like that can be repaired with enough time and $$.
Terry W.

 

[340challconvert]

to FEBO from New Jersey
Extensive project but anything can be restored with enough skill, time and $$$
Glad you looking to save another e body!

 

[tonysrt]

The other problem may be if the sheet metal is not available. A while back AMD was waiting for shipping rates to come down so may still be a problem.

 

[gtw940]

thanks everybody, good to be here.
Dream car for me so here we go!
Tony, yep august till i can get the rear filler panel.
My big question is what parts are neede?
Rear filler
Rear roof support
Bother rear quarters
Roof

 

[Rich Followell]

Given what I can see in these few pictures. I have to question what is the bottom of the car like? How much of it even exists? If the rest of this car is in similar condition. I have to say don't waste anymore of your time. the cost or reconstruction far exceeds the cost of a decent Challenger that has already been restored to a high standard. I have been rebuilding cars for over 50 years and I can tell you that replacement body panels Do Not fit near as well as the original ones from Mopar. You will need to hire a highly talented professional body man and pay him for work hundreds of hours of labor just to put the body back into a usable condition. then there is all the small stuff that's gonna take a lot of time and money to find and restore. And good paint costs over a thousand dollars a gallon these days. My best advice would be to sell or salvage any remaining usable parts and look for a better car to buy or build. We can't save them all. Sorry, I know my words will not be well received. I love to see old cars cars brought back to life and driven. But sometimes that just isn't practical.

 

[gtw940]

Car is very complete and rust is only in the roof area, never been wrecked. Most of all this is my project and will not be what someone else thinks it should be.
Now back to my original question…
To repair the rear window
Rear filler
Rear roof support
Both quarters
Rear package tray
What am I missing to install the rear window

 

[Rich Followell]

Well then, I recommend that you cut the complete roof and rear shelf off a donor. you will be better off than trying to piece one together. If you have good welding skills you should continue your project as planned. Sincerely wish you best of luck.

 

[gtw940]

Thx Rich. Will send you some pics to you later, need to pic your brain if you dont mind.

 

[rklein71]

My package tray was missing most of the flange. I couldn't see spending several hundred dollars on a repro one. Here is a picture mocking up a new flange. Since this is under the dutchman panel, it is not visible once installed, I thought it was good enough.

 

[gtw940]

Well for now i have passed on the deal.

 

[Xcudame]

Welcome to the site from the desert! Unfortunately you can't save them all. Scary thing looks like someone was driving that Challenger regularly.

 

[71vett4spd]

Looks like new to us up here in the rust belt. We are forced most times to work with real rusty cars. This is easy money..

 

[gtw940]

lol, yea i lived in PA for a while, eye opener for sure. I passed on the car, not really for the rust but just too many projects. I will say this challenger almost made me foget about my 41 willys. will start looking for another e-body this fall.

 

[71vett4spd]

lol, yea i lived in PA for a while, eye opener for sure. I passed on the car, not really for the rust but just too many projects. I will say this challenger almost made me foget about my 41 willys. will start looking for another e-body this fall.

I find the shows on television funny sometimes. Especially the ones out of California and Texas. What they consider bad. LOL

 

[Rich Followell]

When these cars where built the only paint on them was what you could see and only where the painter could reach. Simply put every internal structure was left as bare metal. After removing rusty panels, soda blasting the surface and priming with an acid based zinc chromate primer. I think your on the right path by waiting for the right car. On my current build we are only keeping the stock body and external trim. and selling all the OEM hardware I have already made over $7,500 and still have boxes of parts left to sell.

 

[71vett4spd]

When these cars where built the only paint on them was what you could see and only where the painter could reach. Simply put every internal structure was left as bare metal. After removing rusty panels, soda blasting the surface and priming with an acid based zinc chromate primer. I think your on the right path by waiting for the right car. On my current build we are only keeping the stock body and external trim. and selling all the OEM hardware I have already made over $7,500 and still have boxes of parts left to sell.

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Holy Cow! Is there any other pieces of the original body/car? I know I'm willing to work hard but I couldn't go this far down that road. You are a brave person and I'm sure very capable and an accomplished auto artisin.

 

[Xcudame]

Rich, after seeing what you're doing and when you suggest to someone to walk away from a rusty car, I'm believing you 100%. Wow!

Gtw940, best of luck finding a better candidate soon.

 

[gtw940]

Rich, thats way further than i would think about lol.

 

[Rich Followell]

Rich, thats way further than i would think about lol.

Yeah, this was never the plan when I started. LOL. it had some rust between the drip rail and roof skin by the qtr. window had to remove the roof skin to repair the spot and then found much of the structure under it was rotted thru so those panels had to be removed the rust cut out new parts made then rewelded. You know it's like the old saying, one thing leads to another an so on.