Sure... I'll Give It A Try.

[Chlngrcrzy]

Mike, you are defiantly the MAN!   . You find any hidden treasure in there. One of these days you will be done with the sheet metal and on to the next phase. Keep at it. I have been 4 years now, and hope to have it on the road before 5 years. 

[Challenger III]

Thank you very much guys!

Looks like I have a bunch of welding to do tomorrow.....









 

[cudaized]

It always looks at it's worst before it looks looks it's best......  Right?

And you sure are making it look it's best!  Nice work.

[dutch]

great way to spend your easter weekend 

[mopar12372]

sheeeew i definately feel your pain!!!!!! i like it ha a total from the ground up build  gives me insentive to save for my q panels my last big project . THAT IS IF I DONT FIND MORE RUST!!! hahahahahahaha  E-BODY = RUST HAHAHAHA

[Challenger III]

E-BODY = RUST HAHAHAHA

I heard you there Bill! Here a couple of weeks ago I thought I was getting close to the end of rust!   

[jimynick]

I should maybe call mine Neil Young, 'cause "rust never sleeps" in the sumbeech! But Mikey, you've got me beat! 

[Challenger III]

I should maybe call mine Neil Young, 'cause "rust never sleeps" in the sumbeech! But Mikey, you've got me beat! 

What the heck, I have "less" rust today than yesterday!  By the way, stand by for pics of the mods I had to do to the cowl sides and door hinge pillars. I'm sure each car will be different, but everyone should know these pieces don't just plug in. 

[cudaized]

 

[Challenger III]

Here are some photos showing a few minor adjustments I'm making before I weld in the firewall.

The first one shows the left cowl side where it meets the firewall, inside the car. As you can see, it's a great fit.



My primary concern in these repairs is the proper fit of the doors (of course!). On both sides I fit the doors a few times during the installation process.
I welded in the left panels prior to removing the old firewall and prepped everything for the new one to slide into place. Before I weld in the new firewall I will install the right side panels.

Here is the fit of the right cowl side in place with the door located:



I will alter the bottom of the new piece to take up the gap shown.

Here is inside the car looking up into the corner. You can see where the firewall hits the cowl side before I can mate it to the windshield area:



Here is looking down at the lower corner of the windshield frame. I will trim the new piece where it touches to make everything fit tighter:

[mopar12372]

hell the factory would have welded it together then put a10 pounds of seam sealer . 

[bigblock4speedman]

Excellent work!  You're a very skilled man in the art of metalwork!!!  My cowl and trunk floor are the rusty parts of my Challenger, the rest is solid.  I cut a good cowl out of a parts car, I think that by looking at how you did this will give me some direction in repairing my cowl, thanks!  I have been putting it off for a LONG time.

[Cooter]

Dang mike, you must really love that challenger, as most woulda parted that heap. I'm still amazed at how well you work. I think the door jambs and one inner fender is about the only stock sheetmetal left at this point...Good on 'ya brother.

[jimynick]

Mike, I wonder if the gap between the hinge plr and the floor/cowl is due to the fact that you fit the doors so they don't have the oem 1/2" gaps and that caused the hinge plr to be farther back? Who cares, that is the way the car should have been built in the first place and a minor annoyance at this stage of the game! I'm stalled waiting for a lock plr to carry on fitting my 1/4s and you're making fantastic progress. You've learned the big secret of bodywork- if it doesn't fit, WHY doesn't it and what do I have to do to MAKE it fit. Coming VERY nicely, man; very nicely!

[cudaized]

Challenger III,
Are you using a Mig, Tig, or Oxy/Acc?