1970 FM3 Challenger Project

[70chall440]

I am completely amazed this car isn't twisted up like a pretzel since there doesn't appear installed bracing and according to many on here the car will be complete useless if you cut out panels without them...

Car looks great.

[CUDA JAS]

I am completely amazed this car isn't twisted up like a pretzel since there doesn't appear installed bracing and according to many on here the car will be complete useless if you cut out panels without them...

Car looks great.

Funny, I was thinking the same thing!

[manycj]

I am completely amazed this car isn't twisted up like a pretzel since there doesn't appear installed bracing and according to many on here the car will be complete useless if you cut out panels without them...

Car looks great.

And yet it measures dead on to the factory specs.,,,,,,

[Brillo1974]

Nice work, looking to seeing more of it! 

[70chall440]

And yet it measures dead on to the factory specs.,,,,,,

I have no doubt that it does, I was being sarcastic because there are a number of people on here who will state you "MUST" have bracing if you remove any part of the car or it will be completely useless as it will collapse. I am not of the same opinion and have cut off quarters, floors etc without issue. Great work, this will be a very nice build.

[manycj]

I have no doubt that it does, I was being sarcastic because there are a number of people on here who will state you "MUST" have bracing if you remove any part of the car or it will be completely useless as it will collapse. I am not of the same opinion and have cut off quarters, floors etc without issue. Great work, this will be a very nice build.

Thanks you sir. It is still a good idea to at least "think" about bracing before you cut.  I left a lot of the trunk pan in place when I cut the front floors out. It was the best way to keep the inner wheel wells in the correct place. Otherwise I suspect that the inners would have moved inboard along with the quarters.
Chris

[rhamson]

I replaced the back half of a Challenger without bracing and everything went back in the way it was supposed to. The trick is to replace one thing at a time and brace the weight where it is needed. Supporting the car on its' frame is most of what makes it work.

[70chall440]

I agree with you both, but there those on this forum who go crazy if someone is cutting out a floor pan w/o bracing. I put new full quarters on my car w/o issue or anything moving. I think these cars are a lot more ridged than given credit for.

[jimynick]

The problem with "factory specs" is that they're inevitably width and length with a smattering of datum line #'s, so you can be right on their money and still have an issue if the car sags or hogs. As for poo-poo'ing the "you can't do it without bracing" school, there are also guys who've run across a field alive with machinegun fire and lived to tell the tale- but there's more that haven't. 'Nuff said. Do it your own way- it's your car. Good luck. 

[manycj]

For the record I'm no sloutch. I have 35 years of experience in collision repair. The car had previously been in a front end accident. I have a full set of frame gauges that I used to ensure that the car was properly straightened in the past and that it was straight after my repairs.

I really do appreciate everyone's comments though.

Chris

[70chall440]

You do awesome work.

[manycj]

It's been a while since I posted an update on my Panther Pink Project. At this point the body work is 100% complete. It has been put in slicksand & blocked followed be a final coat of DP40LF. Even the roof was blocked even though it will receive a vinyl top. It is now dismantled and is back on the rotisserie for interior painting and undercarriage detailing.  I am going with the original factory look. I have a gallon of dip gray from RestoRick, which will be followed by red oxide overspray, light gray overspray, body color overspray and eventually pinchweld blackout overspray. this will happen a couple weeks from now.  I probably won't get to spray the outside until July.

The following pictures are of the car sprayed down with Wax&Grease remover for blocking inspection and the second one was taken just before I put it on the rotisserie. More detailed info can be found on my resto website here:

http://www.relicrecyclery.com/PantherPink/page1/FM3_1.htm

enjoy -Chris

[YellowThumper]

 

[manycj]

I finished painting the undercarriage this week. I sealed the undercarriage with DP40 and then painted it with Dip Gray paint that I bought from RestorRick (picture 1).  I then replicated the original factory overspray using red oxide primer & light gray primer (picture 2). And then finally I oversprayed it with Panther Pink (picture 3). Panther Pink really took over, I was hard pressed to identify any of the primer colors on the finished product, but it is visible in person. I still need to add the black overspray from the rocker pinchweld black out, but I will hold off unit the car is completely paint.

This weekend's project: paint the inside.

-Chris

[BFM_Cuda]

Looks great! Awesome progress !