It's finally happening!!!!

[Bills70]

I don't know if any of you will remember her but an old member around here named "mopar-or-no-car" had a 1971 chally in her backyard just sitting there! and with ton's of persistance my wife and I talked her into selling it to us!! and we finally got it in the shop a few weeks ago! the shop says there is little body rust(yea!!!) but the top under the vinyl is real bad! so they ground all the rust off the roof so now is it almost paper thin     they are going to fibreglass the underside and the top then put a new vinyl top on it!! the interior is getting redone so it the undercarraige, the brakes are being rebuilt, a thicker sway bar is being added, new leaf springs are being put on.  The 340 was SO rusted from sitting outside with no carb on it that they thought is was a gonner BUT I am so excited they can save it and we are gonna make one heck of a beast out of it!! I can't wait!! and the best part of this whole thing is that the owner of the shop is taking PERSONAL care of the whole project EVERYTHING goes through him before it gets done!! if I am lucky it will be done except for paint by the june mopar alley's rally for all you folks out here in cali !!!!!!  She told me that that car has been sitting for over 14 years I am s SO lucky that there was not more rust!! the guy said it is a REAL SOLID car!!    I just can't wait to get behind the wheel !! I am not too sure the wife is on board but she will come around when she sees the finished project!!
Bill
I guess she figures we already have the '70 why do we need another one? But this one is gonna be IT!!   
Sorry guys no pictures everytime I go down there I forget the camera plus I don't want to get in there way!! I promise I will post the finish product!!

[RickyBobby74]

you should take pictures of the hole process. my car is in the body shop now and the guy doing it has been doing custom and restos jobs for years. he told me to take pictures and document all the work and it will make the car worth more in the end. not that i would ever sell my car.

[72hemi]

Sounds great. I will be at the Mopar Alley show, I will be working in the main tent. I would reccomend that you not let them fiberglass the roof. Instead I would reccomend it be replaced with a new one from AMD. The fiberglass will not do any favors to the remaining roof in the future.

[wiging19]

   How cool.  I'm happy to hear you scored on this one.  I was reading the latest version of Mopar Muscle today and in the section of Parts department they have company called Auto Metal Direct (866 591-8309) autometaldirect.com which offers new ebody car roofs.  I know new parts usually aren't as straight as original but when you measure the trade off of body shop labor it might be a push to put new metal on the car.  I'm not a body man so I can't judge whether this is helpful to know or not.  I thought since your going this route it might be nice to know your other options beside canabalizing an old ebody (like you can find one these days easily).  

[72hemi]

AMD is Auto Metal Direct and a member on here has already installed one of their roof's on a car. In the long run it is by far the way to go.

[Topcat]

She had a lot of extra parts. Did you get those too?

See ya at Ohlone. 

[DoNotChallengeHer]

Bill, That's fantastic. And before anyone else says it    

[Street_Challenged73]

Awesome news!!!  Congrats on the purchase!   Oh, and I'm with the others who say you should have them replace metal with metal instead of fiberglass reinforcements.

[Bills70]

Sounds great. I will be at the Mopar Alley show, I will be working in the main tent. I would reccomend that you not let them fiberglass the roof. Instead I would reccomend it be replaced with a new one from AMD. The fiberglass will not do any favors to the remaining roof in the future.

I discussed replacing the roof with him and he said that with labor costs out here in cali it is cheaper to fiberglass than replace it!! we went round and round and he won! I figure this is his business and he knows what is best he also said that to replace it, it sometimes NEVER gets on there quiet right so the windows don't roll up right and the windshield and rear window wont seal properly!! and that made tons of sense to me!! This guy has my best interests at heart so I believe he wouldn't stear me wrong!! and I don't have TONS of money to do this resto so he is really watching that too!! I actually found an honest guy in the resto field!!   

[72hemi]

I have to disagree with your resto guy. My Dad picked up a 72 Chevelle and when we got into the body work found that the roof had been fiberglassed and was now a complete disaster. If you are planning on keeping this car for a long time replace the roof skin. When you replace the roof skin the inner structure remains, so you should not have a problem with glass fitting. At the end of the day though it is your car and your choice. Where in Cali are you? If you are here in the bay area and want I could go look at the car and talk to the resto guy.

[Bills70]

She had a lot of extra parts. Did you get those too?

See ya at Ohlone. 

No why would I have wanted those and she is keeping her 73 anyway!!   Plus the 71 was totally complete!!  

[Bills70]

I have to disagree with your resto guy. My Dad picked up a 72 Chevelle and when we got into the body work found that the roof had been fiberglassed and was now a complete disaster. If you are planning on keeping this car for a long time replace the roof skin. When you replace the roof skin the inner structure remains, so you should not have a problem with glass fitting. At the end of the day though it is your car and your choice. Where in Cali are you? If you are here in the bay area and want I could go look at the car and talk to the resto guy.

You have a PM

[Bills70]

Bill, That's fantastic. And before anyone else says it    

OK jackie I already addressed this I haven't been taking pictures because when I go there I keep forgetting my camera PLUS I don't want to get in the workers way!! I said I will post a picture when it is all done! ok!!

[74 340 4speed]

I too would replace the roof skin if you can get the part shipped to cali.  Lets see some pics. 

[Rare_T_A]

We are photo hogs here!