My 71 Challenger RT Project

[Bluemonster71RT]

uploading now

[Bluemonster71RT]

[Bluemonster71RT]

Thanks to wagesofsin aka John for talking me off the ledge.    Seems that all is not lost.  It's gonna be a bit more work but alot better than what I thought was gonna have to happen.

[Bluemonster71RT]

I managed to "fix" the quarter as far as re-bending it to the correct shape.  I found that the extra contor is where it should of been curved in but for some reason they just tacked it up incorrectly.  Can't for the life of me figure out why they missed that. It has been to cold to work on the car after I get out of work. (I need heat lol).
However today is 60 so I'm gonna attempt to put the spot welds back on the inner and outer quater. Then I have to tack up some mounting tabs on the valance because wouldn't you know that they don't line up to factory holes

[wagesofsin]

 

[e-tek]

I had the same issues with my quarters and valence. i ended up re-working the valence on both sides and one qtr! Hope it all works out - just take your time until each part is done to perfection!

[Bluemonster71RT]

Well I am hopefully only days away on working on the ride again.  I need it to be a little bit warmer to continue.  I am itching to go go go 

[CHALLENGERRON]

Keep up the great work, it will be one awesome ride.    I am in the process of stripping my 71 R/T down to the bare uni-body.   

[Bluemonster71RT]

We finally have some good weather and I have nothing else to do but work on the car this weekend.
Getting back to my lower quater issue. I managed to be able to bolt the valance up but I am sure that this thing is to long. It fits correctly where it meets the quaters but it sags to far down in the center. And mocking up the bumper it looks aweful.  If I tweak it up towars the bumper to lessen the gap it bows it at the slots for the (bumperetts?).

I read on here many times of issues fitting these poor excuses for replacment rear valances but c'mon just one hole to line up would of been great.

So any way how much of a gap between the bumper and the valance is there supposed to be?  A nice low pic would be super helpful.

[Bluemonster71RT]

All set up to put the high build on this weekend.  I got the valance issues the best that I can make it. I feel as I am not sure all the steps that I need to take but I'm just going ahead as per watching and reading what you folks have been doing. I am in uncharted waters so I hope that I can make in back. lol

[ShelbyDogg]

Make sure that the top of the valance is even with the bottom of that bumper pocket because that really shows even after the bumper is installed.  I didn't think it mattered that my valance was 1/4" to 1/2" too high till I started looking at other people's cars and my other Challenger. I ended up cutting off the mounting tabls then rewelding them on 1/2 inch higher so it is now even.

[Bluemonster71RT]

The side I fixed is just right. On the other side I have to slot the holes or weld a new peice on and make a new set of holes on the valance to slide it down a 1/4" so it lines up correctly.  I thought that I wouldn't care about a 1/4" inch but I put the tail pannel and the bumper on to see if every thing fit right and I didn't like the looks of it.

[Bluemonster71RT]

It's been a while. I had many things to take care of the put my car on the back burner. Some on my main issues were taken care of over the lost time perion I was having and today I got started adding color to her. More to come soon.

[hezzel]

Nice to see her coming together 

[Bluemonster71RT]

So small poll.  Should I put the drivetrain in now prior to the rest of paint or wait until it's painted and clear coated? Thoughts?  My thought was even if I just put the motor and trans in now and all the other parts on it after, might be a safer thing to do.