One rust bucket from Finland (small update)

[Kapteenikosmos]

My parents are thinking about the same and our local village lunatic told me that I am wasting my youth with this car and why on earth I am fixing junk like this. (I think that I've been over the youth part for couple of years now, only getting older day by day)

btw, our local luney drives lada 1200 (real musclecar from russia!) 

Here's a pic, not the same car but the color and body matches.

[SilverChally]

I have no clue what that thing is    I get bored with easy projects myself, but not sure I could stay motivated with one like yours. 

[Kapteenikosmos]

its been a looong while I have posted new pics and there are very many pictures to show but because the disk space is limited I will post only some so others can post too  hopefully my gf will have time to update our website after she finishes her master of science thesis in one month or so (or what ever it is called).

Ok first set of pics is from the ds quarterpanel, fixing it up and prepping for paint. The wheel lip had many pin holes and even more deep craters where the two metals had been in close contact (inner wheelwell lip & quarterpanel lip). Areas to fix were small in size, large in numbers, so this time that I didn't do any actual patch panels. I just welded all pin holes shut and filled up most of the craters. There were also some small work to do with structure on the upper part of the quarterpanel, where the quarter window comes.

In the end the panel was cleaned up and prepped for paint and I also tried the lead for the first time in my life. Seemed pretty easy to use and much more durable than body filler when correcting bigger bumbs. I don't have good pics from the first led experiment but I will post from the second one bit later.

[Kapteenikosmos]

seems like I didn't have many pics from the weekend I fixed the ds quarterpanel shown above. I was very busy to get it done and painted before the weekend was over. During that weekend I also got the glass and other junk out of the ds door. Door seems to be in pretty good condition. Only couple of small spots and one cutted hole (no idea why it has been made there) to fix.

On the next weekend my priority was to get the panel mounted back into the car. The process went pretty easily and things seemed to line up good. When the q-panel was back in the tricky part began. I had to fix the roof & quarterpanel above the c-pillar I had previously fixed. I did have some problems with the right shape and it didn't turn up as good as I liked and definately needs some lead but anyway I now have atleast almost solid roof. I went to see local challenger for the right shape of the sheet metals in that area last week to get mine straight.

Second lead test was with the factory roof vs quarterpanel seam and it took loads of lead but it's coming great anyway. I still need to add slight amounts of lead so the needed body filler will be minimum.

During that weekend I also pressed out the pins from my pistons and hopefully I can get everything else ready for the machine shop in two weeks.

[Kapteenikosmos]

Next on the priority list was to get that filler panel back on car and get the trunk surrounding ready. As you can see from the pictures the filler panel is patched from about three different panels and that wasn't a good idea when I did it but I just have to live with it. I have lots of work to do with it to get the shape right although it doesnt look very bad in pictures. Anyway the car is starting to look like a car again and I'm very anxious to get it primered but I still have to wait for 6 months or so before the weather warms up again.

btw, the second lead test pictures seems to be in this set.

[Kapteenikosmos]

Deck lid fitted surprisingly good when thinking about how much shape I have done with bare eye and neck feeling. The passenger side front corner of the filler panel was about 4mm too high and I have to cut it bit open and give a good  from a hammer to get it good. Also the side cap on passenger side wasn't as parallel as it could be but that is easily fixed and I was expecting it.

Last thing I did during that weekend was the removal of the glass & other stuff from the ps door. I had major problems to get the glass out because the bolt which attaches the glass to the "lifter beam" was so rusted up that the nut started to turn over behind the glass and there was no way I could squeeze my hand with any kind of tool in there. With lots of cursing and twiddling I managed to get it off. I had to cut many bolts because of the hard rust. I definately need new slider & base (Don't know what it is exactly called, seen in pic) for that door. If it is hard to find one I can probably manage with new base only (I might just fabricate new one if the donor ones are expensive) the slider beam might be saveable.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Nice job!!   

 I admire you guys that do metal work.   


  Mike

[SilverChally]

I think you guys arfe crazy, great work   I got your email, so just let me know what ya wanna do 

[Jacksboys]

Nice job!!   

 I admire you guys that do metal work.   


  Mike

Keep up the good work   

[74chall]

WOW!!!!!!!! Nice job.looks great! love the hand fabbed pacthes,they are actually quite fun to make/weld in

[Street_Challenged73]

Awesome work!!!  It's cool watching something that was in so bad of shape morph into something that actually resembles a complete car again.  Glad my signature picture motivates you.  I haven't had much motivation lately with it myself because I can't really start/finish anything large scale when I'm home on breaks without having to leave once more for schooling across the state.  That lead looks like it filled in nicely and will give it a nice factory appearance when it's finished.  Nice job with the metal fabrication and welding, too.

[A110235]

Wow, great work Kapteeni!  I am glad to see another Challenger being brought back from the dead.  Make sure you keep posting your progress pictures.

Kyle

[Topcat]

I can't tell you how much I appreciate all these pics. I've never done anything like this before. So this is encouraging to watch.

[71GTX]

That looks great! Nice work!

[Kapteenikosmos]

Thanks for the input everyone! It sure feels good to get the metal work done. I might have tons of more work left to get the surfaces nice and smooth but atleast I'm getting something else to do for a while. Before the metal work is done  I still have to fix both doors, ps side driprail (need to do new for whole way), fenders and some little things here and there. Although it is almost whole again it still looks like crap. I just want to get it primered but I have to live with it through the winter.

When it comes really cold I start working with suspension, motor and transmission. I can do that kind of stuff inside so no more frostbites for my fingers (had enough last winter). I'll try to keep the updates coming somewhat regularly.