Need some opinions/input on my "plan of attack"

[lemming303]

I'm in the process of stripping down/ prepping to start removing metal and get ready to begin replacing it. I will be doing all of this myself, with help from friends of course. So basically I'm just asking on input as far as the plan I have laid out to get where I need to. Thanks for the help.

Right now I have the floor cut out. I am thinking about doing subframe connectors now while it is out of the way. I am also gonna rust proof the inside of the frames since they will be easy to get to. Then I will install the new floor pans. After this I plan to remove the roof, and cut openings in the rear quarters to make it easy to blast the inside structures. After this I will start on the rear. Almost all of the rear sheet metal needs replaced. Both quarters, dutchman, gutters, trunk floor, wheel houses and taillight panel. After the rear is rebuilt, I will move to the front. I need to replace the cowl, and then patch the firewall. The front quarters and valance/headlight panel will be repaired and reused.

So the main questions I have are this:

I was told to replace the back half one piece at a time. Problem is it is rusted bad at every joint. So once I start removing metal its going to lose stabilitily anyway. This is one of the reasons I want to do the frame connectors, floor and roof first. How hard will it be to do the whole rear at one time?

When measuring, what points should I measure at? I would think straight across, up and down, and diagonally in as many ways as possible.

Any other pointers will be greatly appreciated! I am doing as much reading and watching as I can, but it is all very limited. Thanks for all your help!

[Brewster_440]

i have a 1970 challenger. i got it in 1994. sometime in the 80's it was hit in the driver's quarter and put back together like crap. they did a lower quarter. i believe those days they didnt have full quarters like we have now (if you can shell out 600 bucks). thearea between the trunk lid and the side of the quarter is bent and bondo filled.  to fix it i need a full quarter.

anyhow, i tore my car apart and "back-halved" it with a new four link frame. i subframe connected to the original front longitudes and those were boxed with 1/8" plate steel. i have a 12 point NHRA cage. strong as ****!.  the first thing i did when i started this was to get the car level. i raised it on jack stands and measureed everything i could with a plum-bob, recording every measurement. get a notebook. write everything down and thatstays with the car. i have **** written down from the 90's that i reference to from time to time. very helpfull.

get the car level and plan to keep it in that state till you are done. Then everyone is right. take one piece out at a time and replace. if it is that rusted up you might want to get some sheet steel to use as bracing. get some cleekos (spelling?) that the nascar body boys use. drill and install the cleekos and then bust the factory welds. I used the spotweld cutter eastwod sells. BUT you need to use one of the factory welded panels to position the replacement panel - otherwise you will not know how the new piece is suposed to "float in place"

like i said earlier, my driver quarter is phucked. that side of the car is 1/4" higher than the other undamaged  side - and you can see it when you look at it. But if you level the car, never move it till done, and replace piece by piece, (and double and triple check as you go) it should work out well.

also, you should be able to blast the insides when you remove the panels you are changing.

[rhamson]

I did much of what you are facing now and agree that you should replace one peice at a time.  Level and stabilize however you can with cross piecing wherever you have too.  If you run into pieces adjoing rusty ones, then I would cross brace and measure as much as you can to set that point.

As far as the  frame connectors I would wait until after the floor is installed until you weld them in.  None of them fit perfectly and you don't want to tweak it to fit something that was never there in the first place.  You can rust encapsulate the insides of the frame when you have the floor out and you can do the same to the frame connectors before you install them.

[lemming303]

Ranshom, I plan on making my own connectors instead of buying some. There are some good posts on here about making your own, I just have to find them.

As far as hanging metal, I don't understand what you (brewster440) meant by floating over the new piece?

[Brewster_440]

about "float" there lemming303, just ment "floating in space". when you take the old panel off you want the new panel back in the exact same place. if you have too many panels taken off you will end up loosing the reference points.

the quarter panel is a long piece. plus or minus 1/4" is a bunch. (remember mine was put back together bad, it's a 1/4" higher in the back than the other side and it is very noticable).

[lemming303]

Oh ok. I gotcha

[rhamson]

I am sorry I assumed you would be using prefit frame connectors.  I used them and found that the fit was adequate and wanted to keep the floor inside stock.  Here is a link to a guy that fabricated his own.

http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=77214.0

Here is how mine came out.  I installed a number of other components such as Torque boxes, tower supports and front radiator frame support.