70 TA Challenger Tribute Build

Author Topic: 70 TA Challenger Tribute Build  (Read 25256 times)

Offline Moparinho

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Re: 70 TA Challenger Tribute Build
« Reply #30 on: August 03, 2010 - 08:03:27 AM »
nice thread !     The cost of parts to stiff the frame shocked me as well.  :22yikes: :22yikes:
I'm following your same approach fabricating inner fender braces and frame connectors by myself.  I spent no more than 40$ for all the metal.
Paolo (Italy):
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'70 Challenger R/T 383 Hemi Orange
'70 Barracuda GC convertible 383  (coming soon...)
'65 Shelby Cobra 427 Replica




Offline 68-383Bee

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Re: 70 TA Challenger Tribute Build
« Reply #31 on: August 04, 2010 - 08:27:56 AM »
Thanks for the feedback guys! I have been traveling a lot on business, but should be able to get some more pics posted soon as the Photobucket login is down for maintenance right now. I have never used it before, so hopefully it doens't happen to much. Anyone else ever have problems? 

Offline Moparinho

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Re: 70 TA Challenger Tribute Build
« Reply #32 on: August 04, 2010 - 11:49:58 AM »
I've heard issues with PhotoBucket very often.  I personally use Picasa through my gmail account.  Very easy to use and never experienced any issue.  Take it in consideration.
Paolo (Italy):
-------------
'70 Challenger R/T 383 Hemi Orange
'70 Barracuda GC convertible 383  (coming soon...)
'65 Shelby Cobra 427 Replica

Offline 68-383Bee

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Re: 70 TA Challenger Tribute Build
« Reply #33 on: August 06, 2010 - 09:02:37 AM »
Couple pics of the inner fenders.  I welded up all of the unused holes and smoothed the weld areas.  I also filled the AC holes and electrical holes in the firewall. I plan on using Vintage AC and a painless wiring kit and will re-drill holes where necessary.

Offline 68-383Bee

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Re: 70 TA Challenger Tribute Build
« Reply #34 on: August 06, 2010 - 09:07:41 AM »
Below is a picture of the bumpers that I am going to use.  The front is off of the 73 and I do not have the original 70 bumper for reference.  Does the heavy steel reinforcement (laying in between the bumpers)  belong on all cars or was this added for later safety standards?  Has anyone bolted the brackets directly to this bumper and not used this reinforcement?  I want to get rid of it for weight reasons.

Offline ShelbyDogg

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Re: 70 TA Challenger Tribute Build
« Reply #35 on: August 06, 2010 - 09:47:51 AM »
That big piece of steel was used to absorb the 5mph bump that they were trying to accept back then behind the big bumperettes.  I junked mine and just used the bumper. you can either shorten the brackets to pull it in os use the earlier year brackets.
Rob

3 E-bodies, Megasquirt-1v3.0, Edelbrock Pro-Flo-1, Holley C950, FAST EZ-EFI; say no to carbs...yes to throttle bodies

My Pace Car restoration thread:
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=44869.0


Offline 68-383Bee

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Re: 70 TA Challenger Tribute Build
« Reply #36 on: August 06, 2010 - 10:19:24 AM »
Can you just elongate the bracket to frame mounting holes so it sets closer to the body?  Also, part of the bumper bracket bolted to the reinforcement channel. Did you just eliminate this or did you weld a small tab to the bumper for this to bolt to?

Offline ShelbyDogg

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Re: 70 TA Challenger Tribute Build
« Reply #37 on: August 06, 2010 - 02:00:21 PM »
Can you just elongate the bracket to frame mounting holes so it sets closer to the body?  Also, part of the bumper bracket bolted to the reinforcement channel. Did you just eliminate this or did you weld a small tab to the bumper for this to bolt to?

Someone else will have to answer that one for you. After I remove that plate, I sent my cuda off to a friend for some body work and it has been 2-1/2 years so far.  I'm not complaining because I'm working on my vert and as long as he is draggin his A*S, the car is inside. 

Another user posted some pics a while back. I think they slid the brackets back, used a different hole for one of them, then drilled a 3rd hole for the 2nd frame bolt. Maybe a search will find it.
Rob

3 E-bodies, Megasquirt-1v3.0, Edelbrock Pro-Flo-1, Holley C950, FAST EZ-EFI; say no to carbs...yes to throttle bodies

My Pace Car restoration thread:
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=44869.0


Offline 68-383Bee

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Re: 70 TA Challenger Tribute Build
« Reply #38 on: August 07, 2010 - 09:25:56 AM »
I did a search on old threads and it looks pretty straight forward.  Unfortunately the car will be on the rotessire until after I paint it so I will have to wait until then to work it out. 

Offline 68-383Bee

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Re: 70 TA Challenger Tribute Build
« Reply #39 on: August 07, 2010 - 09:27:07 AM »
My T/A hood finally arrived and I am using tapered wood shims to help hold the hood to fender gaps while I adjust the door and fenders.  At this point, I have cut out the scoop openings and leveled the hoods high spots to the fenders.  I debated for some time about cutting the rear vents and installing screen like the originals, but ultimately decided not to.  This car is shaping up to be far from original and I have no intention of trying to pass it off as a real T/A. 

It is finally starting to look like a car again and my wife has even stopped laughing when she looks at it!

Offline Travis72

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Re: 70 TA Challenger Tribute Build
« Reply #40 on: August 08, 2010 - 11:33:37 PM »
Impressive work!  It's looking great!

Travis
72 Cuda

Offline 68-383Bee

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Re: 70 TA Challenger Tribute Build
« Reply #41 on: August 09, 2010 - 08:33:44 AM »
Drivers side rear quarter was a mess.  At some point in the past, this quarter had been replaced. I didn’t realize it until I started installing the Dutchman panel, but had wondered why it did not have the factory undercoating on the inside while the pass quarter did.  Luckily it was a factory quarter and even has the part number on the backside.  Unluckily, someone decided to not use the factory seam at the roof joint.  On top of this, they brazed it in place and really made a mess out of it.  Because, the overlap was so great I was able to cut off the “new” quarter below the braze joint, straighten it out and mig it back together. I also ended up cutting it loose from the door jamb as it was in to far at the bottom and out to far at the top. I also had to cut it loose in the back to make the trunk lid joints correct.  I wanted to save this because it had no rust on it, but in hind sight, I should have put a new quarter on as it would have been less work.


Offline 68-383Bee

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Re: 70 TA Challenger Tribute Build
« Reply #42 on: August 17, 2010 - 01:20:20 PM »
I have started fitting up the new rear valance.  Has anybody had good luck with these things?  None of the bolt holes lined up with the factory holes so I ended up welding small tabs to the factory ones so that I could bolt this on.  I have debated some time about welding up the bumper slots and probably will in the future.  Eventually when I get the exhaust fitted up, I will probably make some custom cut outs for the pipes to pass thru.  In fact I have some turn signal openings that I saved from a banged up 69 Charger front valance just for this purpose. 2-1/2” pipes should fit thru them nicely.



Offline 68-383Bee

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Re: 70 TA Challenger Tribute Build
« Reply #43 on: August 23, 2010 - 05:58:42 PM »
I have been looking at paint colors everywhere. I even went to the mall with my wife and looked at nail polish, etc.  Still nothing.  Then the guy at the local paint store suggested I look at toy cars. So I raided my sons hot wheels and came up with 9 orange cars, all different colors. We eventually narrowed it down and took it to the store to have it scanned. They made several 2 ounce samples for me, plain and with pearls, etc.  I thinned them and used an airbrush to spray them on some sample sheet metal. It is hard to tell in the pictures, but it worked really well and has allowed me to see the colors in different lighting.  After driving around for a week with the paint samples in the pass seat, I decided I didn’t like any of them.  I took all of the samples I had back to the garage and started mixing them together in various percentages and doing more spray outs.  After several hours of this, I think I finally have a color that I like!  It is hard to tell in the pics the true color, but is the one marked 1-2 which is a mix of 2 of the original colors with a pearl clearcoat.


Offline ShelbyDogg

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Re: 70 TA Challenger Tribute Build
« Reply #44 on: August 23, 2010 - 08:02:08 PM »
I know that you took a long time to pick that one  but I hope you paint something big like a door or trunk lid and take a good look at it.  Pearl changes your color drastically and you may not be happy looking at the whole car with that on it. That little disc give you a taste of the dish but you might not like it as your meal.

A big car show would be a start.
Rob

3 E-bodies, Megasquirt-1v3.0, Edelbrock Pro-Flo-1, Holley C950, FAST EZ-EFI; say no to carbs...yes to throttle bodies

My Pace Car restoration thread:
http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=44869.0