Sublime Lime 70 Challenger R/T SE

[Dodgey]

Looking good!
How well was the fit out of the box?

I thought it was actually pretty good, at least compared to what I had been expecting from others experiences. To put that in context, my “pretty good fit” took me the better part of a day to get in position, clamp and plug weld my way from the brake master position across the firewall, weld both engine sidewall brackets in position, then work my way around the sides then from centre of windshield out if that makes sense.
It took a bit of gentle tapping throughout the process and once I’d gone across the windshield I had to spend about an hour with a dolly and slapping file to pull a ripple out that was introduced by pulling the windshield edge into position.
So certainly not a case of welding straight into position, but I didn’t have to cut anything or heavily bend/beat it to get it to fit.

 

[Mopar426power]

Saw the comment earlier about blackening out behind the grille. Looks like you are getting close. Not the greatest pic but you get the idea...

 

[Dodgey]

If you don't go looking for them, you won't find problems ... I've got to stop looking

Well the rear quarters are off so I can address the rust in the roof structure. The passenger side rocker and bottom of door jam pillar are going to need some work as well. On the positive side, while it may be taking a little longer (ok, maybe a lot longer) once I've got it finished it should out last me ...

 

[Katfish]

The fun never ends.......
Any of those sections reproduced, or is it fab time?

 

[Dodgey]

The fun never ends.......
Any of those sections reproduced, or is it fab time?

Unfortunately it’s fab time.

 

[Challenger RTA]

Fab time,It's just a state of mind. Make templates and their reversible. I always save mine.

 

[Dodgey]

Good thing I enjoy it and I'm not getting paid by the hour ...

The better part of two, maybe three days over the last two weekends and I have one of the six components made up . All jokes aside, I'm actually pretty happy with how it turned out. I started out trying to make it out of a single piece and using my bead roller and english wheel I thought I could get it into the right shape. There was just too much metal and I couldn't see if I was getting close to the orginal profile. I ended up cutting it up into three sections then TIG welded the pieces together. Making them in 3 pieces meant that I could effectively clamp the top and side piece over the rusted original and get it almost exactly the same profile.

Hopefully making the passenger side should go a lot quicker now as I have the template and the concept of how to make them. Potentially I'm kidding myself, but the other 2 braces each side should be easier as they don't have quite so many complex curves.

 

[Katfish]

Wow, very impressive!
How many more hrs do you estimate before paint?

 

[Challenger RTA]

Wow, very impressive!
How many more hrs do you estimate before paint?

A lot of them!

 

[Challenger RTA]

80% rule. I'm going to pass this curse along, that my inspection mechanic gave me a while back.
You can get to 80% pretty quick. It the last 20% that things change. What should take or think take 5minutes take an 1hr or 2. What is an 1hr job takes half the day if not all day. What you know is a days work take all week. And not last but need no need to go any further a week turns into month. If you don't when to walk away and take break you will go crazy.

 

[Katfish]

Same rule we apply at work,
The last 10% is 90% of the effort

 

[Dodgey]

Wow, very impressive!
How many more hrs do you estimate before paint?

Thanks.

Yeah, I have in my head maybe this time next year but I think I’m being overly optimistic!

 

[Dodgey]

I removed the next brace down the B pillar. It's a much simpler shape to make, almost all of it is straight lines. Underneath the brace surprise, surprise more rust that needs to be cut out and replaced. While I was poking around, I discovered that when the outer wheel arch was replaced, either the old outer was rusted out to the seam, or they cut it off flush. So there was the rusty old "flange" sandwhiched between the old inner wheel tub and the new outer tub. Wasn't happy with the prospect of the rusty "flange" sitting in there, so I've ended up removing the outer ...
At least it should make it a little easier to repair the rust on the inner part of the B pillar. It's just a shame that I'd finished the painting of the underside. Guess I'm going to have to re-do at least the wheel tub area ...

 

[Katfish]

Reminds me of a scene from the great movie Days of Thunder.
After a bad race, the mechanic says "hey look, there's 1 panel we don't have to fix", Robert Duval (Crew chief) promptly walks over and kicks a dent in the fender and says "I don't want you getting spoiled"

Keep at it........

 

[Dodgey]

Reminds me of a scene from the great movie Days of Thunder.
After a bad race, the mechanic says "hey look, there's 1 panel we don't have to fix", Robert Duval (Crew chief) promptly walks over and kicks a dent in the fender and says "I don't want you getting spoiled"

Keep at it........

That's so true!!

 

[Ariovistus]

Looks great! Are You going to put the small Back Window in and the Vinyl top? I have a 70 Challenger RT/SE and I am thinking about Putting the Full Size Window in so I don't have to put the vinyl top and risk rust issues.

 

[Dodgey]

Looks great! Are You going to put the small Back Window in and the Vinyl top? I have a 70 Challenger RT/SE and I am thinking about Putting the Full Size Window in so I don't have to put the vinyl top and risk rust issues.

Yes I will be putting the small rear window back in and the vinly top. I will be completely painting the roof as per the rest of the car, then putting the vinyl over the top. I shouldn't have any problem with it rusting. I expect it will make another 50 years with no problem. The rust problems under the vinyl came from putting the vinyl over the top of bare metal.

 

[Romero14]

Your car is looking great. Most of the rear brace pieces are reproduced. I know because I had to buy them for the Cuda I'm currently restoring.

 

[Dodgey]

Your car is looking great. Most of the rear brace pieces are reproduced. I know because I had to buy them for the Cuda I'm currently restoring.

Unfortunately the braces are different between the cuda and the challenger. They haven’t started reproducing them for the challenger. AMD says they might at some stage in the not too distant future, but for now no …

 

[Romero14]

Unfortunately the braces are different between the cuda and the challenger. They haven’t started reproducing them for the challenger. AMD says they might at some stage in the not too distant future, but for now no …

Oh well, that sucks