I Finally started my 70 Challengers Gen III Restomod!!

[71 Bahama Yellow]

Rock on!  Keep us posted with the teardown and build. 

~John

[Travis72]

Did you adapt the stock seat sliders to fit the seats?  Was the width between the sliders the same distance?

Travis
72 Cuda

[PlumCrazyChris]

No, they are 2" wider.  I doubt I'll try to get them in the factory holes, too much of a stretch.   I'm thinking I'll just drill some new ones and weld a plate on the bottom to reinforce it.   Although the brackets I make will probably be very similar to the factory ones. 

I need to get some power to the seats and see how much adjustment they have in them so I know where to place them fore and aft.   I'll be setting them farther back then stock for more leg room.

The seat height is just right and the seat backs are high enough to actually put head rest behind my head (I'm 6'3").   With the factory seats, if I got hit from behind the head rests are just at the right position to snap my neck like a twig. 

[PlumCrazyChris]

If I mock it up on that , it will kinda suck.  Too many shadows...

I guess we'll just wait then.  If I do end up getting a better side shot any time soon, I'll post it.  Thanks for the offer, I appreciate it.

Chris

[PlumCrazyChris]

Not much going on, its been raining for a week.  I did get my SEM color coat paint to match my seats.  It turned out to be Lt. Neutral that matched the tan seats.  I'm sure glad I didn't just order it based on the swatches shown on the websites.  They were way off what I thought was the right color.  I took one of the seats into the store and compared it with the SEM factory swatches to get the right one. 

I've been waiting until the humidity went down and it got a little warmer.  It this keeps up I'll have to wait until spring. 

[PlumCrazyChris]

I've been traveling for work the last two weeks, now doing chores around the house every spare minute to get ready for our new arrival... no not a new project car, but definately a project. 

My wife is due in the next couple of weeks and we still have a few tasks left to be ready for him.  I'm afraid the Challenger is going to have to wait a bit. 

I did get out and started stripping the old duplicolor vinyl paint off my door panels, some areas just flake off, and other areas won't budge!  I don't want paint over the old stuff just to have it release at some point down the road.   

Anyone got any ideas how to get the old stuff off?   

I've tried heavy doses of simple green and let sit, acetone just smears it, but does show promise.  I just don't want the acetone to erode away the grain on the panels. 

I'm sure I'd be better off with a new set of panels, but these are actually in really good shape, or were, until I used the duplicolor.   

Apparently they werent' clean enough or something even after I scrubbed them with a brush with simple green, soap and water and acetone to finish.   I'm told the acetone may have opened up the "pores" in the plastic to release new oils to the surface. 

Has anyone tried any other solvents on the door panels?  Whats safe and whats not?

[ShelbyDogg]

Try brake fluid. It comes in plastic bottles and paint doesn't have a chance with it.

[4THECHALLENGE]

Great idea  Shelby dog I'm gonna try that myself

[E-Body Products]

Good looking project you have there.  I finally got the hemi in the challenger running, so if you ever have any questions just buzz me.

Also, congrats with the new addition that is on the way.

[PlumCrazyChris]

Try brake fluid. It comes in plastic bottles and paint doesn't have a chance with it.

I tried the brake fluid, it didn't do a thing to it!!   After you mentioned it, I thought you hit the nail on the head, but it didn't put a dent in it.  Do you think it matters whether it was dot 4 fluid?   

Still working on it, but no go so far.  It is getting closer though.

Thanks, Mom and son are doing well.....if they get any sleep, which they are doing now.  I'll definately ping you when I get to wiring up the motor, thanks!

I'd love to use some of this time off to get moving on my car,  but I haven't had a chance at all.   Maybe in the next few days I can accomplish something at least. 

[ShelbyDogg]

Chris,

Dot 4 fluid is silicone and does not harm paint. Save that for inside the master cylinder.  Get the cheapest Dot 3 in a quart that you can find.

[PlumCrazyChris]

Well my son is 2 and a half now, and I'm finally getting back to my project.   I've even moved to a different state, hauling the car and parts with me.  I've been going through all the many boxes of parts, and relearning what I have and what I need to put this together and am almost back to where I left off. 

I've started polishing trim and installing it, cleaning our the car so I can install sound deadener, installed the frame connectors and I bought a harness for it. 

Next the fuel pump system needs to get installed, wiring harness install.  Then I can work on the interior.  All my panels still need painted and I still need to build brackets for my seats and a trans crossmember.  I'm thinking I can build one that will just bolt to the frame connectors, we'll see how that works out. 

Its nice to be able to get back to it, I'd like to finish it up quickly.

[PlumCrazyChris]

Well, since my last post, I've picked up and moved again!  This time out of the rust belt and back to the Lone Star State.  Momentum is really starting to built as things get closer to a road worthy car. 

Here is a few from a few months ago.  I've got the A500 bolted in now and the headers, the wiring harness hooked up....mostly, and the dash put back together and installed.  Its starting to look pretty good. 

I put the old front seats back in it, until I can figure out how to make some brackets for the new seats.  I've got the sound deadener nearly completed, and installed the battery over the rear axle and wired to two power posts mounted in the firewall.   I even got the hood light looked up.    

My youngest wants to get in the act now.... the new generation.

My new A500 overdrive trans cross member

[Raw Untamed]

Glad to see you're making progress.  Keep in there and give us the inspiration.

By the way, I'm from Waco.

[brads70]

Cute little "assistant" ya got there!