Here's what I've been doing with my time...

Author Topic: Here's what I've been doing with my time...  (Read 1287 times)

Offline rtgambit

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Here's what I've been doing with my time...
« on: December 09, 2004 - 02:01:07 AM »
It's taken a while, but I finally have the pieces to start working on the Chally again. Woohoo!
This is $1400 worth of body panels!

[attachment deleted by admin]
Matthew
1967 Dodge Dart GT
1971 Dodge Challenger R/T
2014 Ram 1500




Offline BB73Challenger

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Re: Here's what I've been doing with my time...
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2004 - 06:37:21 AM »
WOW!!

Just thinking of your project makes me sweat. ( hehe )

Good luck on your project. As you financial planner though, you could have bought a big bucket of body filler for like a third of the cost.

Are these all the panels you need or is there still more to come?
Also, a little premature, but what color are you thinking?
Jeff from Cleveland, Ohio

Offline ragtopdodge

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Re: Here's what I've been doing with my time...
« Reply #2 on: December 09, 2004 - 09:45:08 AM »
Have fun fitting those trunk panels and trunk extensions.  There were not on my car:

Required lots of muscle to get it to fit like this:


Trunk was fun too:

Also, if I were you, I'd right now ditch those quarter skins and get full quarters (now available) to avoid welding/flanging along the sides of the quarters.

If you do end up using the skins, and the tops of the quarters are good, keep 'em; and cut them at the main body line down the middle:





« Last Edit: December 10, 2004 - 09:38:22 AM by ragtopchally »
'70 318-auto Chally 'vert
'71 383-auto 'Cuda 'vert (sold)
06 300c SRT8
04 2500 QCLB 4x4 HO

Offline 4Cruizn

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Re: Here's what I've been doing with my time...
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2004 - 09:49:04 AM »
Looks impressive!!  :grinyes:  :grinno:  Definitely have to hand it to you for tackling that job yourself!!  Body work and paint was the only thing I contracted out!!   The progress looks SWEET ragtop!!  Keep up the good work and keep us up to date whenever you can!!   :grinyes:
« Last Edit: December 09, 2004 - 02:49:08 PM by 4cruzin »

Offline ragtopdodge

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Re: Here's what I've been doing with my time...
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2004 - 01:22:52 PM »
Looks impressive!!  :grinyes:  :grinno:  Definitely have to hand it to you for tackling that job yourself!!  Body work and paint was the only think I contracted out!!   The progress looks SWEET ragtop!!  Keep up the good work and keep us up to date whenever you can!!   :grinyes:

I wish I could take credit for the awesome body work, but my best friend from way back in elementary school is doing the work.  He is truly a metal artist and not making any shortcuts whatsoever.
'70 318-auto Chally 'vert
'71 383-auto 'Cuda 'vert (sold)
06 300c SRT8
04 2500 QCLB 4x4 HO

Offline 4Cruizn

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Re: Here's what I've been doing with my time...
« Reply #5 on: December 09, 2004 - 02:51:19 PM »
You are very lucky for that. Body work is expensive and it's good to know the body man first hand!!  :thumbs:

Offline Topcat

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Re: Here's what I've been doing with my time...
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2004 - 06:35:02 PM »
Is that a an original shaker hood vert? That would be a pretty rare Challenger! Looks about where my car is like right now.
Mike, Fremont, CA.


Offline ragtopdodge

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Re: Here's what I've been doing with my time...
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2004 - 12:04:07 AM »
Is that a an original shaker hood vert? That would be a pretty rare Challenger! Looks about where my car is like right now.

Hah!  Yeah I wish it was one of the five made in 1970 (11 made in 1971).  Original SHaker hood though.  Plain ole 318 car; perfect for heavy customization (e.g. Hemi, rack and pinion, EFI, 5-speed mod, etc., etc.).
'70 318-auto Chally 'vert
'71 383-auto 'Cuda 'vert (sold)
06 300c SRT8
04 2500 QCLB 4x4 HO

Offline rtgambit

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Re: Here's what I've been doing with my time...
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2004 - 02:54:21 AM »
Are these all the panels you need or is there still more to come?
Also, a little premature, but what color are you thinking?

These should be the last of the panels that get welded to the car (I'm hoping, but the rear window filler panel is in rough shape).
As for colour, she'll be back to her original Black Velvet. You don't see too many cars with this type of colour combination: Black paint, no stripes, no vinyl top, black interior and body colour wheels.

If you do end up using the skins, and the tops of the quarters are good, keep 'em; and cut them at the main body line down the middle:

Yep, that was my plan. The PO had just brazed in a patch on the passenger's quarter and got a lot of warping as a result. I'll be replacing this lower area along with the rust that had started again.
Thanks for posting those pics of your ragtop. It really helps to see some "during" pics to guide me in the right direction. I've never actually done anything outside the car yet - just the floor so far.

I'll definitely post progress over the next couple of weeks as I tackle this.
Matthew
1967 Dodge Dart GT
1971 Dodge Challenger R/T
2014 Ram 1500

Offline 360 'CUDA

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Re: Here's what I've been doing with my time...
« Reply #9 on: December 10, 2004 - 07:03:21 AM »
Black paint, no stripes, no vinyl top, black interior and body colour wheels



Schweeeet. Saw an all black chally on a trailer go by the other day....It was cool

Offline ragtopdodge

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Re: Here's what I've been doing with my time...
« Reply #10 on: December 10, 2004 - 09:29:58 AM »


These should be the last of the panels that get welded to the car (I'm hoping, but the rear window filler panel is in rough shape).
As for colour, she'll be back to her original Black Velvet. You don't see too many cars with this type of colour combination: Black paint, no stripes, no vinyl top, black interior and body colour wheels.



Yep, that was my plan. The PO had just brazed in a patch on the passenger's quarter and got a lot of warping as a result. I'll be replacing this lower area along with the rust that had started again.
Thanks for posting those pics of your ragtop. It really helps to see some "during" pics to guide me in the right direction. I've never actually done anything outside the car yet - just the floor so far.

I'll definitely post progress over the next couple of weeks as I tackle this.


Welll...if you've never done this before, be VERY CAREFUL!  My buddy lined up the panels and then took cutting wheels to slice through both sheets of metal to get the perfect fit.  Then he did  a mass amount of butt welds, working from one end, then the other, then back, then back, etc., etc., to avoid the chance of warpage.  You can also warp the panels when grinding the welds down too, so be careful w/that.

To get the gaps hunky dory, my friend also had to do some cuts near the door.  E.g.:




« Last Edit: December 10, 2004 - 09:37:52 AM by ragtopchally »
'70 318-auto Chally 'vert
'71 383-auto 'Cuda 'vert (sold)
06 300c SRT8
04 2500 QCLB 4x4 HO

Offline ragtopdodge

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Re: Here's what I've been doing with my time...
« Reply #11 on: December 10, 2004 - 09:44:54 AM »
Black paint, no stripes, no vinyl top, black interior and body colour wheels



Schweeeet. Saw an all black chally on a trailer go by the other day....It was cool


I like black cars, but I would put some shiny wheels on it myself.  E.g.,
'70 318-auto Chally 'vert
'71 383-auto 'Cuda 'vert (sold)
06 300c SRT8
04 2500 QCLB 4x4 HO