SURVIVOR vs. GROUND-UP RESTORATION!

[JS27N0B]

Awesome stuff!

Any chance you can post up some of these detail pics of your Challenger in another thread?

[JoltinJoe]

Here are a couple of photos that show the entire "Before and After" of the bottom.  We will start to cover the various detailed sections that were restored on the under side.  If anyone has any particular area of interest they would like to see first, please let me know.

Would you talk about the leaf springs.

[GranCuda1970]

Pretty neat thread.

['Cuda Hunter]

I'm in !! 

Great thread!!   

[Cuda Cody]

This thread is AWESOME!  More close up details (photos & stories) of the Challenger please! 

[JS27N0B]

Thanks for bringing that particular vehicle into the conversation!  It actually represents the "Ground-Up" restoration of this thread so I would be happy to provide some of those pictures as well.  Are there any areas in particular that you would like to see?  Just  let me know and I will be happy to post them!  Here is a recent article that was written by Automotive Historian and Journalist, Wolfgang Blaube.  It covered both vehicles!  (Sorry it is written in German.)

http://www.ecsautomotive.com/other/As_Bad_As_New.pdf

DW

As long as you post some great photos with the how and why you did it a certain way that would be fantastic! A how-to bible in effect. Heck put it into a book and I'd buy one.
Thanks,

BTW, just got notice my date coded windshield from ECS is in for my current Cuda project. Can't wait to see it.

[ChallengerHK]

I'm not big on the 100-point restoration stuff, but I have to say that that is just beautiful.

[GranCuda1970]

   pretty cool to see the transformation back to origional.

[GranCuda1970]

Looks like you guys really took the time and effort without destroying any origional components in the process. The work is simply stunning like looking at a real time capsule. I'd say it is definately better than survivor. It is restored survivor.

[Jamiez]

Survivors are cool.
OE restorations are cool.
Resto mods are cool.

Why can't we all just appreciate the work even if it's not exactly what "we" would have done?

[RamSRT]

Looks like you guys really took the time and effort without destroying any origional components in the process. The work is simply stunning like looking at a real time capsule. I'd say it is definately better than survivor. It is restored survivor.

Discovery of original assembly procedures was a neat part of the journey on this project. The time spend duplicating these discovered procedures and assembly marks was staggering but rewarding. Keep those pictures rolling. Documenting the original aspects of the car through photographs allowed them to be used as the reassembly manual for the car. Those Wash and Wax products used on the project are some HD items! Got to get some more of them. 

[71340RT]

Great pictures for sure you guys do great work!

[GranCuda1970]

We will listen to any trade secrets you are willing to divulge.

[DodgeMaterial]

  :

We will listen to any trade secrets you are willing to divulge.

I was fortunate to participate in this project, and from start to finish we had the mission to share what we learned and discovered, as well as our processes and efforts in returning this car back to the "as delivered" state. As Dave has already acknowledged, we learned about the politics of this hobby...and some of those will get shared too.

Having restored other cars on my own and with Dave, Steve and Tom, I will attest that this project was by far more difficult due to the mission of returning it as EXACTLY as possible to the original state.  No guessing what it was supposed to look like...we had the pictures and went to extremes to make everything exact. Fun!  Dave- speaking of politics, since you are in the engine bay, show us the "rubber" valve cover gaskets that Chrysler "never" used!   Dave S.

[Oldschool]

Awesome thread!  Keep 'em coming.....