69 Coronet 440 project

[BigBlock61]

Hello from the great state of still plugging along. I got over my frustration and told myself that if it's not right then its not right and took the drivers quarter and tail panel back off. It sucks, I know, but I figured out that the drivers frame was tweeked up 1/4" translating to about an inch at the rear bumper. I ended up cutting the frame and welding it back together straight then reinforcing it for strength. Now it's fix the quarter, tail panel, wheel well, and trunk floor So I can put it all back together. Lots of fit, weld, grind going on. I'm thinking one more day and it should be going back together again.

 

[747mopar]

Bummer!

 

[hunt2elk]

Glad to see you are fixing it correctly. If you didn't, it would always be bothering you.

 

[BigBlock61]

Glad to see you are fixing it correctly. If you didn't, it would always be bothering you.

I'm figuring out that the whole drivers quarter is not right. as it sits now the front trunk gap is wider than the rear trunk gap. Thats something I'll need to fix.

 

[BigBlock61]

I put a thermal piston coat on my pistons as well as some micro slick on the skirts. Now that they are ready I can send the block out the be bored and honed. There was a Mopar engine builder that was recommended to me by someone here years back. I even visited the place and was impressed with them I just can/t remember who they were. I believe they were in Livonia MI. If anybody here knows who I'm talking about please let me know.

 

[BigBlock61]

After finally getting the quarter panels to fit properly I'm able to continue with the rust repair.

No more rust on the frame or the kick panel.

Trunk Hinges welded in place

This part I'm dreading and have put it off for awhile. Fixing the rust on the deck lid. It's coming together though.

 

[BigBlock61]

Getting the fold on the outer skin to fold over the inner frame was interesting but in the end it worked. Half of the rust gone from the deck lid.

 

[ct71rr]

Nice job! I’m fitting my quarters now and am living what you just went through. It is a giant PITA!

 

[BigBlock61]

Nice job! I’m fitting my quarters now and am living what you just went through. It is a giant PITA!

Thanks and yes it is lol.

 

[BigBlock61]

The patching on the trunk lid continues. Most of the rot is under the fold of the outer skin the rest is mostly surface rust. I'm glad about that.

The last really bad piece. As you can see it's the inner and outer pieces that are rotted.

 

[Nxcoupe]

Wow, I just read the whole thread. You never give up, I respect that immensely. Glad to see you are still plugging away at it. Hope you get it going sooner than later

 

[BigBlock61]

The goal for this year was to get the Coronet off of the dolly by the end of summer, mission accomplished. I took the 440 in to the machine shop for some massaging and now I'm sandblasting the front end to get the paint and rust off and to make sure the metal is solid. I still need to weld up the rear floor under the rear seat from the mini tub but that can wait.

 

[BigBlock61]

Wow, I just read the whole thread. You never give up, I respect that immensely. Glad to see you are still plugging away at it. Hope you get it going sooner than later

Thanks, one day it will be finished. I have to redo my trunk hinges as the trunk lid sits to the left. No gap on the left side and all the gap on the right. You can adjust back and forth and twist but not side to side as far as I know.

 

[Durandal25]

Respect. You're doing a fantastic job sir. It looks awesome. Few folks know how hard it is to put a car back together, but to do it in a modest space and by hand....with jack stands.....is totally old-school.

 

[blue69runner]

Use spacers on the hinge pin's in the trunk to move the lid side to side. Their should have been some plastic washer's in their. Bought my washers at a local hard ware store. Like lowes. Their is different thickness you can get. Doing grate work and have been down that road my self. Just don't get frustrated it will all come around in the end. Had to cut my upper corners on my lid where it meet the filler panel. The trunk lid was a donor I think. Then welded them back up every thing fit fine then.

 

[BigBlock61]

Thanks, it's also my first time doing anything like this. I figured there would and still will be, many setbacks.

 

[BigBlock61]

Use spacers on the hinge pin's in the trunk to move the lid side to side. Their should have been some plastic washer's in their. Bought my washers at a local hard ware store. Like lowes. Their is different thickness you can get. Doing grate work and have been down that road my self. Just don't get frustrated it will all come around in the end. Had to cut my upper corners on my lid where it meet the filler panel. The trunk lid was a donor I think. Then welded them back up every thing fit fine then.

I actually never thought of that. I was considering spacers where the trunk lid bolts to the hinge, or cutting the hinge arm and moving it over to make things fit. I will be putting washers on the hinge pins, thanks.

 

[BigBlock61]

Got the new Grizzly sandblast cabinet put together and plumed with air. The first thing to get blasted was my lower control arms. I installed new bushings and greaseable shafts and welded in the stiffener plates. After that they got painted with Por15. I now have 90% of the front suspension completed. I still have to purchase lower ball joints and torsion bars. Slowly the build continues.

 

[blue69runner]

Nice work. Moving along and check another one off the list.

 

[Scott Engelhardt]

I use the hell out of my blast cabinet, so nice to toss parts in an pull out clean metal