Need Help With Body Work / Rust Repair

[DC67]

I'm nearing the point my charger is mechanically roadworthy and I'd like to get the rust repair done by someone in the Mid-Atlantic area. Wondering if anyone knows of someone I can hire this work out to
The DYI approach isn't an option for me when it comes to body work.

Would appreciate any recommendations near the DC areas, so Virgina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, etc. I can probably haul the car within a few hours of Washington DC.

I'm looking to get the following done on the under carriage:

1. Front Passenger Side Floor Pan, Small area on Driver Side Floor Pan
2. Rear Passenger Side Floor Pan
3. Cross Member small area patched in and tube sprayed with cavity wax.

There is other rust in the wheel arches and quarter panels I can deal with as well at the same time in the usual places, wheel arches, rear skirt, etc. however the above work is what I need to be have the car road worthy enough to put some miles on it.

 

[Dodge33]

@ eldubb

 

[DC67]

Thank you. Anyone else have any shop recommendations?

 

[Darrah]

Masi Muscle Car Garage on the Southside of Richmond is top notch. Robert is a stand up guy.

 

[DC67]

Appreciated! I’ll give them a call.

Would be great to hear from others who have any recommendations.

 

[DC67]

Masi is only a mechanical shop. They don’t do bodywork but I appreciate the recommendation

 

[Don Frelier]

I don't see anything that needs to be done immediately in that picture to use the vehicle.
I've seen cars look way worse than that one that had no issues for years.

 

[DC67]

I don't see anything that needs to be done immediately in that picture to use the vehicle.
I've seen cars look way worse than that one that had no issues for years.

Thanks that's encouraging, always good to get perspective. I'll have the car on a lift soon and will take some better photos. There is through-rust in the floor pans and in the quarter panels and wheel arches. I'd like to patch them in simply to keep the water out and put some miles on the car but I'd be interested to see what other think in terms of how viable the car is for restoration with more photos posted.

My compliments on your charger, that dark green is probably my favorite color, and it looks great with that tire and wheel combination.

 

[Rebelrouser]

Rust is called the cancer of automobiles for a reason. Your pictures show minor issues, let a shop tear stuff apart and you never know what will happen. If you just want a driver, pull up the carpet cut out the section and get some body shop adhesive and glue in some patches. If you pay a shop to repair just the floorboards for example, a quality job means floor board replacement. Watch some youttube videos on what that entails. I had a buddy with a challenger with just some minor rust, they opened it up, and it spent two years in a body shop. Seen it many times.

 

[eldubb440]

the patches are always bigger than they appear....... you can buy half pans and use what is needed; it's best to go all the way to the firewall and clean those rails and cross member out......... do it like this and be done for ever IF the rest of the pan isn't bordering on swiss cheese

 

[DC67]

@eldubb440: Thats great looking preparation snd nice work. Also thanks for posting those photos it’s very helpful to see the floor layout.

My floor rust seems to be forward of the cross member but It’s clear I need to pull the carpet to better assess it.

If this is something you would take on please PM me a good way to reach you and discuss.

Going all-in on a restoration is one thing but what i need now is an intermediate step just to get the car road worthy and put miles on it.

I’ll post a few more pictures once it’s on the lift an d maybe get your thoughts on how to approach the body of this particular car…and gratitude to all helping find someone willing to take it on!

 

[DC67]

@Rebelrouser very good points that even limited repairs can snowball. I’ve looked into the adhesive idea and while perfectly legit knowing myself If I start cutting and buying panels i’ll probably just buy a welder and try to weld it correctly and then i’m back to doing the work I really don’t want to DYI! so I really need to hire this out

 

[Big bill]

Your box is full I tried to pm you.

 

[1 Wild R/T]

What I did on my Coronet.... Mine looked rusty but actually there wasn't any rust through and very little pitting.... What there was is a huge hole from the original owner installing a 4 spd.... I'm not sure if he used a Hatchett... Or a hand grenade....

Anyway, I cut inside the torsion bar crossmember & trimmed back the the forward edge of the rear side of the crossmember.... That gave me access to clean and paint the inside of the crossmember but also left the rear floor fully supported.. And then the new front floor section laps over the rear floor....

 

[DC67]

@Big bill, thank you I didn’t know my mailbox would fill but I deleted the messages I had there so hopefully it’s clear now. Please let me know if doesn’t work

 

[DC67]

@Big bill, thank you that I didn’t know mailbox fills p but I deleted the few messages I had so hopefully it’s clear now. Please let me know if doesn’t work

 

[DC67]

@1 Wild R/T
Thanks for posting those photos. Looks like you used metal from a donor car right? Was that due to availability or preference? Curious how well repair panels metal fit.

Your repair also looks like it might have been tricky to cut and fit given it included the transmission tunnel. I’m guessing you had much of the drivetrain out of the car..

As much as seeing these repairs is tempting me to DYI this still prefer to find a person to do it.

Just in case, I did purchase a used welder today (hobart 135) that’s a turn-key setup, incase I dont find anybody reputable to do this job but i’m hopeful I will - thanks for all the great feedback

 

[1 Wild R/T]

@1 Wild R/T
Thanks for posting those photos. Looks like you used metal from a donor car right? Was that due to availability or preference? Curious how well the reapir panel metal ffitz.

Your repair also looks like it might have been tricky to cut and fit given it included the transmission tunnel. I’m guessing you had much of the drivetrain out of the car..

As much as seeing these repairs is tempting me to DYI this still prefer to find a person to do it.

Just in case, I did purchase a used welder today (hobart 135) that’s a turn-key setup, incase I dont find anybody reputable to do this job but i’m hopeful I will - thanks for all the great feedback

I used the floor section from a four door because it was all ready getting cut up as a donor for another car..
My Coronet was stripped to a bare shell...

There was not problem at all fitting the floor, dropped it in, marked the locations where it rested on the frame rails, rocker boxes & rear crossmember/floor pulled it out & drilled holes in the floor so it could be plug welded... dropped it back in place, Used clamps to pull the firewall seam tight then used self tapping screws to secure the floor to the firewall, rockers & frame rails.... Then started plug welding the floor in place.... It really wasn't hard... I don't do final body work, I find guys that can do that... But fitting floors? not to difficult & a great place to learn cause if it doesn't turn out perfect you can use seam sealer to seal it & hide it under carpet.... Though honestly you'll find it's not hard to make a 100% acceptable repair...

 

[DC67]

Thanks for that description. Always impressed when I see progress photos of fully stripped down car built up from bare metal.

After all the comments I got the welder and will start practicing on some scrap metal incase I dont find a good solution hiring it out but I’ll keep this thread updated if I take it on.

If anyone has further body shop recommendations please keep me in mind.