Author Topic: ShelbyDogg's 71 Challenger Pace Car (clone) (Read 100496 times)

hemiken · « **Reply #105 on:** October 08, 2008 - 06:40:01 AM »

I always love reading your posting and enjoy the detail you give to explain what and why in each section, a lot of people could learn from your postings on how to make posting themselves and more so to become more capable body builders themselves.

Your Challenger certainly looks to be in very capable hands and i would like to congratulate you on your build so far.

For all the Newbies or even resident or what ever members, this is a thread that is of the highest quality and should be looked at as a guide. Not trying to blow smoke, i just know what i like, and you my friend are coming along nicely.

Freaky color match up on the fenders and hood aswell

you said they were from different people right

hemiken · « **Reply #106 on:** October 08, 2008 - 08:20:57 AM »

for a first real restoration, i have to say you are doing an excellant job

Super Blue 72 · « **Reply #107 on:** October 08, 2008 - 09:36:23 AM »

I agree with Kenny, Rob.

Love reading the how and why of what you do!

Very informative and gives us a peek as to what is under all that sheet metal we see on the outside of the car! Feels like we're in shop class in high school!

Super Blue 72 · « **Reply #108 on:** October 08, 2008 - 09:08:18 PM »

Quote from: shelbydogg on October 08, 2008 - 11:35:10 AM

Thanks Dudes! Makes you want to go home and cut your car apart doesn't it?

I know better than that. I don't have that much super glue and duct tape to fix that mess!!!

Street_Challenged73 · « **Reply #109 on:** October 08, 2008 - 11:49:45 PM »

Progress is looking great, Rob!!!

Jacksboys · « **Reply #110 on:** October 09, 2008 - 01:02:02 AM »

Hey Rob, That car has come a long way and looks great. Keep up the good work.

ShelbyDogg · « **Reply #111 on:** December 17, 2008 - 11:35:48 PM »

It's been cold so I've been doing little stuff like welding up my offset front spring hangers, painting my front-end parts, pedals and rear-end, I also found a 1-1/4" receiver on Craigslist, that I will adapt and hide under a flip down license plate holder. I need a hitch behind my vert to haul a custom fiderglass rear seat cover that I will build later. I also found some Rustoleum paint that looks like dark argent for my plastic center caps that I bought for $20 for all 4.

Locking the thread till I have some better pics to post.

Rob

ShelbyDogg · « **Reply #112 on:** December 21, 2008 - 04:16:23 PM »

I put a want ad on Craigslist looking for a b-body rear end and got a reply for one the next day. It came out of a '68 Satellite, with a 3:23 open gear, for $50. I wanted to put my 15x10 Rallyes and 295-50s on it, just like my '70. So I had to offset my spring hangers and shackles just like I did my other set. The b-body rear is 2" narrower at the spring perches, so the springs have to go in 1" on each side. Cass, Dr.Diff, sells an offset kit for $185 so you might just want to buy one from him to save time. Many people ask about my big 10" wheels and fat tires and ask if I mini-tubbed it. I took a few pics building mine.

First, you need an extra set of front hangers to cut up. Cut off the sides.

Measure 1" towards the inside. Then you have to drill a couple of holes on the second bracket so that 2 of the mounting bolts go through both brackets. I drill a small hole then use a die grinder to move the hole to the exact location needed.

The top bracket has to have a couple of notches cut into it to allow changing of the bolts.

Here it is on the right, ready to weld.

Here it is in primer next to the finished one, on the left.

For My convertible, I had to cut the top corner at an angle to clear some metal at the bracket mount. I don't remember cutting the corner for my hardtop.

Now, when I install my b-body 8-3/4, it will drop right on to the springs without moving the perches and now have extra tire clearance.

ShelbyDogg · « **Reply #113 on:** January 04, 2009 - 05:44:09 AM »

I did a little more fitting and welding. I moved to the rear.

The rear frame rails needed patching on all 4 sides.
Most looked like this:

I cut off the bad, then made a patch, ready to weld in.

Welded and etch primed.

Passenger side after changing both sides, a 6" top piece and a 3x3 section of the rear rail mount. I had to change 4 pieces here.

The driver�s side tie down bracket holes were rusted all the way around, so I cut it out and made a new piece.

Here it is after welding.

Next, I cut off the remaining trunk floor from the tail panel. I usually leave the gas tank braces in while fitting the 2-piece trunk floor to keep the pan from sagging in the middle. If you've ever put in the 2 piece pan, you know what I'm talking about. Not needed if you can afford the 1-piece pan.

The way that the trunk pan was attached at the tailpanel, was angled up and caught water, causing all of this rust.

I have the 2-piece trunk floor, so I don�t have a rear lip, so all of this will have to be replaced with new metal. I�ll cut this off and weld on a lower piece that goes all the way from the tail panel to the trunk pan, without the water catching overlapped gap.

More when the weather warms up again.
Rob

ShelbyDogg · « **Reply #114 on:** January 08, 2009 - 11:26:09 AM »

For the lower tail panel, I bent up a piece of 20 gauge steel to 90 degrees, . It was 5 inches wide and 55 inches long. The factory had an overlapping lip here that I am getting rid of. It held water and caused this piece to rust.

These holes hold the bumper filler and I need them for positioning. I will lay the new piece in like this.

First I laid the piece up against the inside of the panel. I drilled the 4 holes needed at the rear and bolted it to the tail panel using the 4 holes to hold it in place.

I then used an angle grinder with a cut-off disk to cut off the rusted section and also cut off the inner new section to match it. I cut around the 4 bolts to keep the panel in position. I will cut the 4 tabs off after welding the gaps, then weld that area.

This was one of the best tools I use. A 4-1/2� angle grinder from Harbor Freight, using the 4-1/2� metal cut-off disks.. It was on sale for $20. An electric cut-off tool runs circles around my air-powered cut-off tool when you need cutting power. It leaves a perfect gap for welding. If you weld without a gap, you will grind off your weld when finishing your metal.

Here it is ready to weld with the 4 tabs and bolts visible. If it is welded carefully on the inside, it will look like a seamless one piece part.

Here is the before pic:

More later, I have to take my dog out. It really is a hassle stopping to take pics and update this, but it will help me remember how much time I put into this car. I did a all this on my Cuda and didn�t take many pictures, so I forget how much work it is.

ShelbyDogg · « **Reply #115 on:** January 10, 2009 - 02:44:59 AM »

Before welding my tail panel, I drilled the weld holes and painted the bottom and top of the rear cross member with Rust-oleum Cold Galvanizing Compound. It is 93% Zinc, it is cheaper than weld-thru primer, and I get it at Lowes home stores.

I welded everything around the 4 tabs, unbolted them, cut them off, and then finished welding that area.

This is a close up view of the inside and outside of the welded panel. The welds look huge but are tiny and I think that I might have hit my mig gun trigger about 400 times at 1 second intervals, to weld the entire panel in.

I used the cut off disk to reach in and grind the welds. If you can see behind the sparks, all that is left is a nice smooth weld filet. High build primer is all that is needed to fill the pits.

Locking the thread to keep it clean and avoid the �keep it up� posts.
Any questions, PM me��.Rob

ShelbyDogg · « **Reply #116 on:** January 26, 2009 - 12:39:14 AM »

I bought some 2x3 .083 stock to put in some thru-the-floor subframe connectors. Cost me $30 for the pair. I was thinking that my convertible needs to be stiff and the XV connectors were too hard to put in. A friend stopped by and talked me into not cutting my new floors in case that I have to sell it one day. I listened��

Here are the 2 side by side. You can see why the 2x3 is stronger. If this was a race car, I would go 2x3.

I held one up to the floor to check for fit.

I had to peel down the torque box and slice a section and bend it down to fit around the front spring bracket. This piece was later bent up and around then welded to that bracket. The gap closes up as I match the floor.

If you have a contour gauge, it helps to get an accurate copy of the floor. Look how the bottom of the guage also takes the shape of the floor.

This helps transfer a pattern but not really needed.

Here it is marked for grinding. I just kept going side-to-side, marking where it hit, then grinding, then doing it all over again. I am on a creeper, no rotissery. Must have fitted this thing about 15 to 20 times

Here it is ready for welding.

I hate welding upside down! It would have looked better if I was sitting on a stool. Now I have to grind my crappy welds.

Nice and level with the rear frame, NOTHING hanging down! You can see where I welded the torque box to the bottom.

Took about 8 hours for the one side. Well worth the effort! No holes in my floor!

ShelbyDogg · « **Reply #117 on:** February 09, 2009 - 12:06:59 AM »

Had a warm day, so I spent it grinding and welding in my second frame connector. These things really take a long time to put in. I welded them in right next to the torsion bar holes. I watched a show called "Chop, Cut, Rebuild" and on their Cuda, they welded them in a few inches away from the torsion bars. If I would have done that, they would have covered the brake and fuel line holes. They don't come with directions, so I guess you put them in where you want them.

Now that they are in, I would say go for it and put in the XV Motorsport's connectors. Took me about a day for each one, so if have more time than money like me right now, get these.

Nice and flush at the torque boxes.

ShelbyDogg · « **Reply #118 on:** March 06, 2009 - 03:12:56 PM »

Here is the trailer hitch that I got on Craigslist for $20. I will need it to pull a small trailer to hold the custom fiberglass rear cover that I will build to make the vert look like a 2-seater. I wanted to hide it behind a flip down license plate but it looks like it might hit my mufflers or tips. The sides unbolt so I can make new ones that mach my frame.

Took my complete dash apart and noticed the wiring was cut all apart to bypass bad primary wires, a real butcher job..

My frame was very rusty, so I sandblasted it.

My A/C vents were so brittle that they broke, so if anyone has any to sell let me know.

Harbor Freight has a 100% Satisfaction guarantee, so I took a bunch of tools back and got a store credit for $120, had a coupon for 20% off, so I got this for about $80.

I�ve been a glass beading M-Fer lately and did some of my small parts, then painting them in "cast blast" color. Front suspension was very rusty too.

After fitting my back bumper, I welded in half of my trunk floor after welding in the left top tank brace. This will strengthen the rear frame rail before I install my quarter skin. After grinding, a light coat of bondo was spread to smooth out the welds. The spot welds will all be faked after the filler primer is sprayed on. Fishn4Cuda (Tony) showed me how to dip a pencil eraser into the wet primer to create those.

Perfect weather for working in the garage!
Locking thread to keep it clean, PM me for any questions...... Rob

ShelbyDogg · « **Reply #119 on:** March 09, 2009 - 09:37:02 AM »

Started work on the rusty gutter.

Got this piece from Al for $20. THANKS ALAN LEMON!

Laid it over the bad section to mark it.

Started cutting a little at a time to let it fit all the way into the opening.

Installed the decklid to set the final gap that I wanted.

Sandblasted the gutter and it�s underside to etch prime it, then screwed it into place.

Checking gap, then cutting the gap to fill with weld.

Took my time with little welds, using the air compressor to blow the heat away before moving to another area. Lots of welds to go.

Ground down the welds and etch primed. Also had to weld a patch on top after melting out the body solder. There was about �� of LEAD in this area to fill a big dimple. I worked it with a hammer and will now only require a thin coat of bondo.

Author Topic: ShelbyDogg's 71 Challenger Pace Car (clone) (Read 100496 times)

hemiken

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hemiken

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Super Blue 72

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ShelbyDogg

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