1968 Charger w/ 6.1L, 6 speed, and RMS AlterKtion/4 link

[Slantscamp]

Nice job! I’m going to be following your build since I’m at the same point as you.

 

[70B5Cuda]

The Charger went on the frame table this week. The lower quarters were cut off in front of the rear wheel openings to see what condition the rockers were in. The passenger side rocker was completely packed with mice nesting but somehow it is solid and won't require any repair!

Setting up for 2"x3" subframe connectors.......

 

[rolling_Thunder]

You'll love the 6.1L in there - did my 6.1 swap back in 2010 and love it - havent put many miles on it since I joined the service but plan on doing a MSIII and some other fun things soon - mine is backed by a T-56

If you need any help feel free to ask!

 

[70B5Cuda]

Thanks Rolling Thunder! By the way, I love the wheels on your Charger. If you ever decide to go with a different look, please let me know!

 

[70B5Cuda]

I knew the driver's side rocker was bad but I didn't think it was as bad as it was. When I first brought it home it had a hole in the rocker about the size of a half dollar. When I cleaned the car off with the power washer, it punched a hole in the driver's rocker that was bigger then a baseball. I was planning on replacing the outer rocker, but once opened up, it needed to all come out...I just made a call to AMD to get the inner rocker coming my way.

 

[70B5Cuda]

Rear quarters have been cut off...

New rear crossmember is in place

 

[showard]

Wow! This is a serious project. You've got a lot of work ahead and your are doing a great job.

 

[70B5Cuda]

It always requires more sheetmetal then expected. I was hoping to save the dutchman panel but it had several deep dents in it, rust in the channel (between the dutchman's panel and package tray), and a deep dent in the trunk gutter lip that bowed the dutchman's panel. So, out came the dutchman's panel.

The trunk floor was welded in and the rest of the quarter panels were removed. I am very impressed with how solid/clean the quarter panel and roof structure are.

And finally, the cabin floor pans have been channeled for the subframe connector rails and welded in.

 

[mopar_chuck]

You are doing a fantastic job! Any mods for the 6.1?

 

[70B5Cuda]

The stock wheel tub shape/profile drives me crazy so these are getting modified heavily.
This is the passenger side tub. A widening strip was welded in place.

The slope of the outside tub leaves a lot of tire space on the table. On a stock Charger, the tires look silly because they are set back so far away from the wheel lip. Everything inside the green tape line will be cut out. And when you look from the front/back you will see a yellow card that is displaying the new profile/slope of the outer tub.

 

[70B5Cuda]

With the new outer tub.....which started out as a single piece of steel...

 

[70B5Cuda]

Side by side comparison:

 

[5.7 hemi]

Mad Scientist Skills! Damn fine job.

 

[showard]

Wow! your doing some serious work. Looking good!

 

[eldubb440]

but I don't want to spend a ton on body work and paint. I'll figure that out later but I'm leaning towards driving it in faded red or possibly doing a quick/cheap LL1 paint job with a painted white top. Nothing expensive...just functional.

lmao...... that never works out......

love the tubs, nice work....... great project!

 

[70B5Cuda]

lmao...... that never works out......

love the tubs, nice work....... great project!

Yeah-I never can leave it alone or keep it simple. Thanks!

 

[70B5Cuda]

Well, The last couple months have been nuts. On Christmas Eve I got T-boned while doing 55mph in my survivor 1969 Dodge Charger. Miraculously, I escaped the car accident with scrapes/bruises. I declined medical attention At the scene of the accident but a few hours later, my lovely wife convinced me to go the emergency room, where I received a chest x ray and a head CT scan. The ER Doc pronounced me healthy and sent me home but two days later I received a phone call. The head of radiology was at home on the day of the crash. Two days later, he was reviewing the work done over the holiday when he came across my chest x-ray. He spotted a bump on my right humerus (the big bone in the upper arm). Several x-rays/MRI's and 14 days later I was told I have bone cancer in my right arm. I'm only 36 and a father of 5 little ones so it hit me hard. The surgeon/oncologist said that I needed to have the top third of my right humerus cut out and replaced with a cadaver bone. It took 3 weeks to find a cadaver bone that had the right size/profile since the head of the humerus needed to fit my existing rotator cuff/shoulder. It took three weeks of taking it easy because the bone was so thin that it was close to breaking. The picture of the x-ray shows how bad it was-the black void is where the cancer had eaten out the bone. As soon as the bone came in, I had surgery. Before the bone could be removed, the surgeon had to cut/unhook and peel back all the muscles that attach to the shoulder (bicep, tricep, deltoid, pectoral, and 4 back muscles) before cutting the cancerous bone out and grafting in the cadaver bone section with a 6" plate and screws. After the graft, all the muscles had to be sown back in place. I spent 5 days in the hospital where the pain was BRUTAL. The first 5 days at home were pretty rough too but things got much better after that. I've been in a sling for 6 weeks now and I've never sat still so much. The surgeon thinks he got all the cancer, but I will be doing body scans every 3 months for the next 5 years. The bone was sent off for pathology and upon inspection, the bone was hairline fractured but the tissue above it tested clean. The surgeon says this bone can take 6-9 months to heal fully. If it's not healed by 9 months I will have to have another bone graft done so if you're a praying man/woman, please pray for healing. I have to take it really easy for the next year which is NOT MY STYLE!!
I'm not sure why this had to happen, but I believe that all things happen for a reason and I'm truly grateful to God have survived the crash and to have a solid chance at beating this cancer. I do know that without this wreck, the cancer would not have been found in time. This type of cancer does not respond to radiation or chemo so it can only be cut out. And when it spreads, it usually goes straight to the lungs....so all in all, I feel fortunate. If you pray, please keep me in your prayers. Enjoy the pictures...
The tumor....

One of my favorite pics from inside the 1969 Dodge Charger...

 

[70B5Cuda]

I wandered over to Matt's shop to take some pics of the car. In the last two months, the AMD quarter panels arrived are just hanging on the car in these pics. Matt also removed the original K member/front suspension and installed the Reilly Alterktion front suspension. Also, my 70 Barracuda photobombed this picture (it's in the background).

I parted a wrecked 1970 Challenger last year that was equipped with this aftermarket 9" rearend wit Baer discs and a 4.10 limited slip diff. Since I have it already, I'm going to use it. I ordered a Reilly Motorsports 4 link-you can see the bar in the trunk.

 

[khryslerkid]

It is weird sometimes how things come about. My older brother fell off a ladder, didn't see a doc for a few days. Finally went for a CT for his back pain and they found a tumor. He had the operation and is doing fine.

If you didn't have the accident, who knows how long it would have been until it was discovered.

Good luck with your recovery. I'll keep you in my prayers.

 

[The Rebel]

While I'm sorry to hear that you had an accident in the end it saved your life. Someone above was looking out for you and your wonderful family.

Love that picture of you & the kids. They're only small for a short time and grown ups forever.