'72 Challenger Project

[rhamson]

Finally able to work on the car since building and getting the car on the rotisserie.  Just stripping paint and undercoating.  Since this was an Arizona car there is only undercoating in the wheelwells.  This car is going to be a driver but I want to get all the rust out first so it won't bite me in the a#* later on.  Beginning to think about an undercoating for the car.  I thought I would prime it with a good gripping primer and then use Rust-olem before I apply an undercoater.  Any suggestions as to what is a good undercoater I could apply over the Rust-oleum?

[rhamson]

Here is one of those things that burns my butt. The whole car was finish painted with rust bubbles and holes.  This was done by a professional shop.  This is why I don't trust the bodywork to continue the build when this kind of stuff lurks under the paint.

If you buy a car make sure you invest in one of the paint thickness gauges. It will alert you to exsessive body filler and repaints when considering a project.  I did and knew I would find stuff like this on the rear wheelwell lip.

[rhamson]

Started working on the frame strengthening kit I got from US Cartool.  The kit is a good one but could have used some instructions and measurements.  I first blasted the areas where the parts would be installed.

[rhamson]

Next I painted POR15 under the areas I would not be able to get to once I installed the parts.  Then I began welding in the frame connectors.

[rhamson]

Front and rear torque boxes.

[rhamson]

Front tower supports.

[rhamson]

Front frame core support.

[rhamson]

Full frame strengthening kit installed.  There was a lot of welding and filling but I had only a few burn throughs which is good considering the kit is 1/8" thick metal being welded to 22 gauge floor pan material.

[Super Blue 72]

Very cool car!  Love the slotted rims!

Reminds me of a model car I did years ago!

[barracuda7199]

i also dig the slots!! have a set on a duster. i like that stiffening kit!

[Chlngrcrzy]

Great progress. Your getting right after it. I went through similar processes a year or so back. I sprayed my underside with raptor liner after I weld in torque boxes and the stiffening pieces. But it sure took a lot of time and preparation to get the underside cleaned up.  Good luck and keep us updated.

[rhamson]

Thanks Guys.  There is a lot of half a##ed repairs from the body shop I am going back and fixing.  The upper cowl over the passenger side had been crushed in an earlier accident.  The frame is fine and measures out correctly but the repair which is hidden by the fender is horrible.  Here is what it looked like and what I cut out.

[rhamson]

I stitched in two new pieces and ground it down. A little bondo and you won't know it was there.

[Challenger III]

Nice work! 

[rhamson]

I finally found a rusted out hopeless donor car.  I had to drive some distance but it has a complete interior and even a gas pedal.  My project car is basically a stripped down rolling chassis and missing so many parts that this is quite a find for me.