Donny's 1969 GTX

[Donny]

Agreed! On all fronts!!

 

[Donny]

Small update: I was finishing up the 1929 Model A last night, then did my front right fender for the GTX. I knew the car was hit in the front right sometime in the past by my former observations of the inner fender, and front right frame rail (both were kinked up and obviously repaired...but now it matters not b/c I have a new clip). The fender is a replacement; but, it's from another car, it was painted (I think) B5 blue, or slightly darker when I got under the undercoating off it. What's odd, it I wonder when it was hit? Sometime after the mid 80s I would think, not much later. This makes sense as by mid 80s there was probably no NOS at Chrysler as they just emerged from near bankruptcy, and all that remains were scrap cars in junkyards....when junkyards kept cars for years. This replacement fender is not in too bad of a condition either!

Got new inner rear fenders on order, along with underseat footwell pan (where the frame ties in). When this comes in, I can tie in the car, make it stronger, and have something more substantive to work with as I start the climb up the mountain in re-assembly. Take down is easy, now the fun part starts!!!!

 

[Meep-Meep]

Donny, you're a mad man!!! I was just looking through your pictures and thinking holy crap, that's some major surgery!! Keep up the good work!!

 

[Donny]

Yeah, I know, it's nuts Meep Meep!! I was going to scrap this car, keep the VIN, GTX unique parts, and whatever is good, rear end, console, 150 mph speedo, etc. But, while I was doing some serious part part part part part time work on that car, and my other cars while in the US Army...it was so bad, I had NO time to do anything to anycar, for like 7 years! From 9-11 to Apr 08 when I retired I was pretty busy with Iraq, etc. So, now, I have time, AMD makes parts, I have the tools, desire, and as I said time, I am the mad-scientist. But, when done, looking at a finished product vs. the before pics will be amazing, I hope to go to a show somewhere and have people oogle over the before pics and what they then see. I don't care about numbers matching, or correctness anymore, I'm more of a Resto-mod mind-set kind of guy after seeing the magic Steve, Brandon, Wayne, and Lorenzo perform on cars are www.paintshop101.com I am a believer in mods. Thanks!

 

[old tired rebel]

Any new updates?

 

[Donny]

Yeah, I was debating whether to post 'em as they are small...not too much. Picture in your minds eye the front fenders (outer). You know the inner brace assembly on these fenders that is there? Well, it runs from the top to bottom of the fender near where it meets the door. Well, as this GTX was a rust bucket, and, as such, these inner fender braces were pretty bad. I got some donor braces from www.paintshop101.com cleaned them up, along with the fenders when I was Media Blasting some other items a few weeks ago. On the fenders I had to cut out the bottoms, and re-weld new out panels on, in addition to the inner fender bracing that was bad, and needed to be replaced.

Here's one of the GTX fenders, with the old lower cut off, but held there for the photo, and, another with the new piece held in place, and, the other fender with the other new piece mounted up, ready to weld in place. Then, I re-Media Blasted it, again (didn't need to) but wanted to get uniform profile on the new pieces recently welded in. The pic of the fender with the brace in it, I was spot welding it in last night, the fender is layered in a coat of self-etching primer, I will take some more, and better pics tomorrow (school today).

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[Donny]

Jeez, sorry about the size, I re-sized 'em three times, it isn't reducing! Oh well, hey, anyone know what color stripe (Red or White) on the lower black section of the 1969 GTX painted Q5? I think it was white (by the picture above).

 

[Donny]

Ok, got it finally!

 

[old tired rebel]

Small progress is good. I can't wait to get a project car. I have a eye on a 73 Duster that needs some TLC and a owner that cares.

 

[Donny]

Did the reinforcement routine for the metal where the donor clip meets the car in the rocker panel area. Here you see both areas drilled out, and above the metal to line the back and weld thru. Came out pretty good.

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[Donny]

Can't believe it's been almost 10 yrs since buying this car! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqFml3j7urY

 

[Donny]

I did all the 7/64 drilling out of roof spot welds, and the boring hole-saw spot weld remover today, got it partially loosened, but, ran out of time...had to head home and do some school work. There are probably like 100-125 spot welds holding that roof on! Pics coming...

 

[Donny]

Some more of the fenders from the other day...better pics.

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[old tired rebel]

Looks Great. Now where's that weld.

 

[Donny]

It's there, the plug hole welds.

 

[Donny]

Ok, some more pics...started something new; it's called waking up early in the morning, like at 5 am, take care of my school work and breakfast till 8am, then to the shop till 1-2 pm, back home and make dinner, then off to school from 5-7 pm, not bad, and get back to watch some TV! Nice schedule! I am amazed how much I am getting done in the 5 or 6 hours per day on this GTX!

This roof needed to come off, there would be no way I could angle the nozzle when Media Blasting the underside. Considering how some 'Bubbas' in RI beat this car to death (almost) and gave it an inside salt spray when the floor was compromised. Frigging New England roads; too much salt, too many pot holes, and too many tree branches dipping down in the road! I can't believe how Red was a cool color vs. the Q5 color!!!!??? When this is done, this will be the car to go WOW on as this thing is basically nothing...but, I'm on the upswing of re-assembly now! Amazing.

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[moparstuart]

wow you are truely bringing that thing back from the grave . great love the pictures .

 

[Donny]

Thanks Mopar Stuart! The only thing in the grave will be my bank account when I start buying the new AMD metal! I see you own a Salvage yard? :grin: I will be snooping around for a 5.7 new HEMI w/ tranny and accessories, and, perhaps a 69 440 motor? You got any? I kick myself for not scoring a 440 when the pickin's were good several years ago down the road from me!!!! the 5.7 would go in the Satellite, the 440 in the GTX.

 

[moparstuart]

keep checking craigs list , I see good mile 5.7's on there all the time .

all my 440's are mobile home motors

 

[Donny]

Thanks, will do! I was just looking at your Clone Superbird thread, lots of familiar territory when you get these cars torn down to this level!