Lookie what $5000 buys you....

[Kern Dog]

Thank you. I did plan to use some self tapping screws that I got from work. The flanges on the frame rails will get screwed to the torsion bar crossmember. That area should not require any adjustment since I am putting them in exactly the same distance off of the rocker panels as my red car and as the Belvedere was. I see that there is plenty of room for error up top at the cowl area though. Too high and the fender gap at the rocker is too wide. Too low and the fender will overlap the rocker.
This picture was before doing any work. Look at how the door to fender gap changes from top to bottom. The gap at the rocker was over an inch! The core support was high and the cowl was low.

This is getting interesting!

 

[eldubb440]

lol....... I have nothing to add...... you're killing it

 

[Kern Dog]

Go to Junkerup ratmusclecarz on U-tube he's great on what he does. Check out what he did on a GTX

I have watched several of his videos. I've seen some impressive metal work from him. He isn't afraid to jump in and get it done.
Thanks you.

 

[Kern Dog]

lol....... I have nothing to add...... you're killing it

I first saw this car a few years ago. I knew it needed work but didn't know how much. As the possibility of him selling it became more likely, I asked more about the damage. When I brought it home, I first thought about finding a body shop with a frame rack. I figured that it needed to be pulled back into range before anything was replaced. You were the one that suggested that I just rip out the junk and replace it.
I started looking closer at the car and noticed that the left fender apron had some damage near the core support. When I did some measurements and then test fitted the fenders and hood, it was evident that the left frame rail was pushed to the left. This made it easier for me to go ahead and just use the Belvedere stuff.
I give thanks to ElDubb 440 for not only advice but also stating how easy that this could be. I don't mean to dance before the band starts playing but the rest seems like routine fitting and welding. The MIG has wire and gas. I have grinder discs. The beat goes on.

 

[eldubb440]

this is awesome, it's like I have a hand in it from 3000 miles away! I feel like a proud papa.......

lmao....... here are a couple pearls from earlier in the thread

yes.... everyone over thinks it

the nice thing about collision work is, you can't really make it any worse....... and you'll be surprised how easily it all falls in line

you won't be happy paying someone else to have the fun

 

[Kern Dog]

When I was removing the left frame rail, there were 2 welds that I missed. I shook it and it barely moved. It surprised me how just 2 welds have such strength.
Being a Carpenter/Framer, I know how much stiffer a wall is once a few sheets of plywood are nailed to the studs. Shear strength.
The same principle applies here. All the spotwelds act like nails in the plywood. The fender aprons are actually referred to as "Shear panels" in the factory service manual.
This is a learning experience. The engineers must have worn out their slide-rules with the work they did to develop the uni-body construction idea.

 

[chargervert]

Remember to test fit the whole nose on the car before you weld the whole clip to the car. It may sound like a lot of extra work,but if you don't do it,and it is misaligned,you will wish you did. Tack the front clip where you think it belongs,fit the nose,check all the gaps,then finish welding the clip.

 

[Kern Dog]

Back to it today. I put some self tapping screws in to hold it all in place.

 

[Kern Dog]

I had to get the cowl/firewall section done before hanging fenders. The original Charger section could have been used but the edge was punched in. A guy with more skills than I could have straightened it and if I had no other choice, I would have tried.

So I decided to use the Belvedere cowl section :

 

[Kern Dog]

Some trimming, some fitting....

Some prying UP to get better fitment....

Then, time to weld it up.
Stitch welded, of course.

 

[Kern Dog]

It has been awhile since I have welded. I don't do it enough to be really good at it.

The seam on top fit well but there was some warping. I did take my time and avoided long welds to minimize it but it still happened. It isn't horrible but will require a skim of filler to smooth it out.
Now, panel gap check!
The left side has a consistent gap as expected.

The right side does have a small "step" where the Belvedere panel begins. Again, a better welder would have done better work but I can still work with this.

Overall though, I'm happy with how it is going. Tomorrow I'll hang the fenders and see how it all lines up.
This bracket needs to be test fitted and retained with screws until I determine the exact position.

 

[Kern Dog]

I backed off the floor jack and currently, the entire stub is supported by the screws. Both sides are an even distance off the floor....42 1/4"!
Did I get lucky?

 

[eldubb440]

I backed off the floor jack and currently, the entire stub is supported by the screws. Both sides are an even distance off the floor....42 1/4"!
Did I get lucky?

View attachment 874462

you didn't get lucky..... you kicked it's ***

as chargervert stated, mock up as much as possible....... it will show you everything

 

[Kern Dog]

Thanks for the kind words! It is partly because of the encouragement from great members here that I felt capable of doing this.
This is some fun stuff.
I am certain that if I had pieced it together as I had originally planned, it would have taken longer and been more difficult.

 

[eldubb440]

I am very big on "efficiency" ....... I'm not sure what your plans are for the car, and by no means do I intend to break your stride; but I'd like to offer up another tidbit from my experience

In my little world, this job would most likely get carried through to paint; and I look for the easiest, most efficient path to get there.
once the front is mocked up and ready to weld......... I like to break it all back down, and clean and sandblast the new part and firewall. Blasting would be much easier, quicker, and more thorough in pieces....... then mask areas where weldable primer will be applied, and epoxy prime the rest. Then pull the tape and brush on the weldable primer....... screw it back together and welder up.

Also, I use "Bloxide" weld prime non aerosol...... way less money than spray cans.... a quart will last forever

again, two paths to the same place.......you can blast everything later (or not), and you have already applied weld primer...... I just learned to do as much as I can while I am there and it is easy, rather than do it later

 

[Kern Dog]

I don't need to sell this car but I don't "need" a second Charger either.
I wouldn't mind having a second one though.

I do go back and forth on what I'd do with it if I kept it.
One idea was B-5 Blue since I have always loved that color.
Another idea is Black with a RED BumbleBee stripe. The car would be a photo negative of the Red XP car.
With the firewall right here in my face, it is tempting to patch weld in the NON A/C firewall from the Belvedere. This is because the Classic Auto Air kit for factory A/C cars uses some block off panels that don't look as clean as I'd like. I'd then use a kit for a NON A/C car. This is assuming that I would spend the money to do a kit in this car. It did sit since 1995 so the original A/C system needs a full restoration anyway. The water control valve is gone so it would be a matter of sourcing some original stuff or just ordering a kit like I did with my red car.

 

[eldubb440]

keep any firewall mods small........ I just replaced a full firewall in a coronet and although it was straight forward, it was VERY invasive and a lot of work....... you won't like it

 

[Kern Dog]

I am very big on "efficiency" ....... I'm not sure what your plans are for the car, and by no means do I intend to break your stride; but I'd like to offer up another tidbit from my experience

In my little world, this job would most likely get carried through to paint; and I look for the easiest, most efficient path to get there.
once the front is mocked up and ready to weld......... I like to break it all back down, and clean and sandblast the new part and firewall. Blasting would be much easier, quicker, and more thorough in pieces....... then mask areas where weldable primer will be applied, and epoxy prime the rest. Then pull the tape and brush on the weldable primer....... screw it back together and welder up.

Also, I use "Bloxide" weld prime non aerosol...... way less money than spray cans.... a quart will last forever

again, two paths to the same place.......you can blast everything later (or not), and you have already applied weld primer...... I just learned to do as much as I can while I am there and it is easy, rather than do it later

I did clean all mating edges and sprayed them with the copper weld through primer. I do plan to weld then smear seam sealer where the factory did. I don't have a sand blaster so I used a wire wheel and a flapper disc on the 4 1/2" grinder.
I do plan to paint it and I am leaning toward Black. I'll probably prime it after all of the welding is done but I'm not sure when I'd paint it.

 

[Kern Dog]

keep any firewall mods small........ I just replaced a full firewall and it was VERY invasive and a lot of work.

If I did do anything, I'd patch the original A/C and blower motor holes with the Belvedere firewall.

 

[eldubb440]

I'm doing this exact repair to a Rebel Machine probably in the spring..... already have the parts trimmed out......... looking forward to it