Don's 1969 Charger Restoration

[mopar4don]

Awesome work Don! Very inspiring thread! Glad to see your making good progress. Must feel great to be fitting that much together and make it look like a car again?

Thanks Pat, Your right, it does feel good to see it look like a car. Feels even better knowing that I got those back corners to come together with the help of members on here! THANK YOU CDR, KEEPAT, 747MOPAR, CHARGERSTEVEN

 

[SGTPaul]

All ya needs Don was a vacation to clear your head. Nice job. Nothing a bfh can't massage.

 

[mopar4don]

Here is my dilemma

I welded the passenger side rocker in and now I find that it is out of level by 1/4"- 3/8" in a 4 foot distance.
The rear of the car was completely mocked up (assembled using screws) including the rockers. (look back the last couple of pages)
So nothing has moved, its right back were it was during mock up.

I knew the rockers were out of level a bit but figured it was ok because everything else came out good
So now I am second guessing myself and wondering if I really messed up!
And maybe I am a bit paranoid, but I just would like to know what to do or if there are other things I can check.

I have adjusted the door to get a consistent gap on the bottom, and with the window up the gap looks ok, but I don't know for sure until I get the drip rail and door seal installed.
The car is on a chassis jig, and the torsion bar crossmember and rear frame rails are in the correct location (they are level front to back as per the frame diagram)

So any help or advice is appreciated

 

[pat1969charger]

Your gaps look good all around Don. I know the factory allowed up to a 1/4" tolerance in the frame
Specs, not sure if that would be a similar thing with rockers as well? My car has a similar forward slope if you want to call it that on the rocker. It was that way from the day I set the car on the jig at the frame rail locations per the diagram. As you know I had my car apart like you did except I installed a new roof instead of the original. If there is a measurement that pertains to the rockers you'd like me to check I will. If it's close then chances of both us screwing up the same are a million to one! Best of luck, still my favourite threading going now!

 

[747mopar]

Really hard to tell with so much of the car missing??? You really need the front fender and rear quarters on to really tell, I'd install all the panels loosely before fully welding any of them incase there's issues.

 

[eldubb440]

i agree with 747....... you really need the 1/4s and fenders on the car. I ALWAYS begin any build by lining the doors up with both the rocker and the 1/4. using just one isn't enough.... forget about "level", the sheet metal will dictate everything

exterior mock up is the most important part of the job (and my favorite part of the job) you may need a couple tacks here and there, mostly screws, but refrain from welding until everything fits. A mistake at this point is likely to snowball

I have seen many mopars with the door to rocker gap wider than the rest, anywhere from 3/8 to 7/16, fender to door to quarter gap 1/4" to a tight 5/16" (9/32?)

the more panels you have on the car, the easier it will be, I'd like to have the fenders up there also, even a hood to keep the fender side to side position correct. everything affects everything else. the "cowl to fender" gap will locate the door which will locate the quarter. the Trunk lid will also help locate the 1/4........ all the sheet metal installed as a unit will usually settle into it's obvious "happy" spot

I've had my balls broken, but 1/32 of an Inch here and there adds up....... I have been called "MR. 64th" for being such a stickler for perfect gaps

Hawk's car was a perfect example, it came in with very tight, unacceptable gaps. I absolutely now love how his car "fits"

 

[eldubb440]

notice the 5th picture above....... you can see the door to rocker gap is noticeably wider than the rest..... that is the factory rocker

 

[mopar4don]

Ok, thanks guys, I guess I have my work cut out for me.
Panel fitment here I come

 

[69 GTX]

Full speed ahead!

 

[mopar4don]

So time for an update....
While fitting the quarter panel I realized I needed to fix a small detail.
At the bottom corner of the lock jam pillar is a small extension of metal that should wrap under the mating area of the quarter panel.

Since the lip of the quarter is really short I decided to fix this area

 

[mopar4don]

Much better

Here is the other side

My 1-1/2 year old grandson approves

 

[Riverdawg]

Looks good. I see you have a helper and future Tiger in the Garage.

 

[mopar4don]

Looks good. I see you have a helper and future Tiger in the Garage.

Thanks riverdawg, I AM BLESSED!

So I am thinking of using all-metal were ever the factory used lead. IS this a good choice?

 

[threewood]

Thanks riverdawg, I AM BLESSED!

So I am thinking of using all-metal were ever the factory used lead. IS this a good choice?

That is what I am doing. I have used it in the past and have never had any of it so much as bubble. Great stuff and kind of sands like lead. It is pricy but it is only needed in certain areas.

 

[mopar4don]

Update time....
Wow it has been a while (almost 3 months) A lot has happened, I will recap.
Just before Christmas I put a new (used) motor in my wifes 2005 Tahoe. Here are a few pics of the motor as I recieved it

This motor is used and has 75,000 on it. It comes with a 36,000 or 3 year warranty on it.
They go through the motor and test it. But I was quite impressed!

I pulled the valve covers for inspection and it was clean!

Out with the old...

Not a lot of room! I sure am glad I built my garage 28 feet deep.
Still not a lot of room! (never big enough)

I sure am glad I had a couple of helpers, (2 of my sons) They helped a lot! Love you guys!

here it is, a nice and snug.

I never did get a completed picture but you guys know what they look like.
The old motor made it to 199428, not bad considering it had (I believe) the infamous castech head crack problem. (the head develops a crack allowing coolant to get in the oil).
It never turned milky but would turn the oil into sludge. I was changing oil every 2000 miles. As long as I did that, the oil did not sludge. If I let it go to 3000 miles, SLUDGE!
WEIRD! I lived with it this way for about 4 years, until one warm autumn day we were one our way camping (towing a 28 footer) when I heard the engine beginning to knock. I check the oil pressure and it is below 20! NOT good. To make a long story short we get it home, I switched vehicles and we finished the weekend camping. I get back and look the truck over, and all is good, a bit low on the oil pressure but it ran fine! You would never know it had a problem. So now I don't trust it and I start looking for a motor .....

 

[CHARGERSTEVEN]

That's just a walk in the park considering what your doing to bring that charger back to life.There is always set backs.As for your body gaps I was thinking the same when putting the new panels on n with removing n placing back on n adjusting everything seems fine.All I did was work the full quarters till there was no pressure on fitment.Its a lot of Dolly work on some places but it makes the welding a lot easier.

 

[mopar4don]

All I did was work the full quarters till there was no pressure on fitment. Its a lot of Dolly work on some places but it makes the welding a lot easier.

Thanks Steve,
Please tell me more. You had to hammer dolly some areas to get the gaps right?
What areas? Any pics?

 

[mopar4don]

My dremel died AGAIN! I decided I was not buying another one so I picked up this gem!

I never had my own while I was in the metal working trade (still am) and now I have one for body work!
Anyway its a Dumore grinder, and this thing is BUILT to last!
Here you can see how much beefier it is than the dremel.

Here I am, puting it to use

 

[69 GTX]

Can't beat the old stuff.

 

[Don selleck]

glad to see your still at it! I'm in limbo waiting to get mine back from the painter, should be soon, probably next couple weeks. your new helper looks pretty ambitious, you'll have to teach him how to block sand. keep up the good work.