Donny's 1969 GTX

[Donny]

Good idea to have this thread here...pics coming!

 

[Donny]

Shortly after I picked this car up.




Two of 'em out back in 'storage'



Tearing into it revealed a nice Q5 original color!



But, also revealed a horrendous condition this car suffers from, lots of abuse and neglect, when the floor is compromised, and let's in salt spray from RI roads, it's over Johnny!



Got it tore down, built an external skeleton to hold it together, fitting new frame rails



Tearing the front out/off, find out the firewall is too damaged to fix, out it will come!



And this will go in it's place!

 

[GTXperience]

Glad to see you were the first to use the new "Member's Projects & Restorations" forum. I can't imagine having two projects of this magnitude going on at the same time. Good luck.

 

[Donny]

It's a challenge, but, since the GTX is in the worst shape, it's behind the Satellite. Oh yeah, I didn't mention I have a 70 300 in this mix too, but, It's (I'm) stuck on an electrical issue, and, I did that one first, so, what I thought was 'high-speed / low drag' 12 years ago (meaning my work), now, it looks like well, "You can do better" is running around in my head.

 

[daredevil]

how can you adjust this page to see it all. its so big i can only see the left half

 

[Donny]

I use Mozilla Firefox, it puts a scroll on the bottom of the page to scroll over to the right. Let me know if that does not work, then I will shrink those pics.

 

[moparcanuck]

Can't wait to see the end results. My first GTX back in the day was Q5. Rare colour.:grin:

 

[Donny]

Hey Bernie,

Thanks for sharing, however, pics DO NOT do justice to the Q5 color! When I found some untouched by hands, salt, sun or anything paint areas on this car, I fell in love with it! This was a big part of my insane efforts to 'restore/restify/restomod' this car!

 

[Patrick]

This page is to big and needs cut in half its size.

 

[sumbit]

Keep up the great work Donny. Projects like yours help keep mine in perspective. That's an awesome color on one of my favorite B's of all time! Good Luck and keep us up to speed on your progress.

 

[Donny]

I fixed some of the pics...tell me if anyone can't scroll to the side to see the remainder of the two remaining large pics...I feel I lose a lot of detail when I shrink them, and, most browsers allow you to scroll sideways, or SHOULD allow you to scroll sideways.

 

[ramenth]

Love the Q5! My '69 Sport Satellite is originally in Q5. Read somewhere that only 7% of all Chrysler were made in that color in '69. Don't remember the source, so my memory is suspect. Here's to success!

 

[Donny]

Thanks ya'll! I've got my AMD list of new metal to acquire. So, my Media Blasting operations powers my restoration progress, so, any inclined TX folks out there, give me a holler so I can send that order in, things are slow these days. In the mean time, I am carefully and surgically cutting out the front end, and prepping the donor piece for an installation. This is big, and critical to get it 'right'! More pics coming later in weekend.

 

[ramenth]

Can't wait! (Living vicariously through others at the moment)

 

[Donny]

Today was cut short...my daughter called me up asking me to take her to the Mall! However, I did get the entire front end removed from the GTX, man, it's a scary sight to see nothing there, I mean nothing! I did get the new front clip hoisted in position; now, it's cut/fit and fabricate it to fit on the structure. I'm cutting out the remaining floors in the donor clip, well, not cutting them out, I am cutting 'em out via drilling the spot welds, don't want to hack stuff up! Took some pics, will post them tomorrow.

 

[Donny]

As promised...floors removed (what was left of them). I did this to see better the underneath structure, and, I have new floors to weld in (of course). I'll get this front clip welded on, and reinforced, then move onto the rear frame assy. Then, when it's a complete frame system with floors, and frame reinforcements I will Media Blast it on my rotisserie.

 

[Donny]

Got the white clip mounted up, and tacked in place, took about 30 different measurements on all angles -- glad I have the Satellite to use as an example! Ran into an issue...not surprising, the outer rocker panel on the donor clip is a different shape than the GTX, so, I sliced the old ones off, and sized up the old outer GTX segment.

 

[Donny]

Further along in the white donor front end clip, got it all welded in, about 75% complete. Had to fashion the rocker panels, as the white ones are wrong for the GTX. I cut out the face, and welded in the good GTX parts, and made some work from the cut-out white clip rockers. Lots of welding today, lots! I'm going in behind perhaps tomorrow, or, Monday and weld in some braces behind the weld seams to strengthen it up. I have not welded the A Pillars together yet, still pondering that little adventure.

 

[Donny]

Got the A Pillars done! The right one is not 100% straight, it has a little bend in it (first one I did). I think a little hyrdaulic ram action will be in order as it may need to move about 3-5mm. The left one is straight and came out MUCH better than the first one. Again, I forgot my camera and had to use my cell phone...when I ride the Ducati to my shop there ain't no room for an SLR camera! I will take some better quality pics this weekend. Notice the rocker panels; major surgery with the old GTX originals as the donor was/is different.

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And a lil' treat!

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[Meep-Meep]

I admire your enthusiasm! ...........And admiring the treat!