News:

It appears that the upgrade forces a login and many, many of you have forgotten your passwords and didn't set up any reminders. Contact me directly through helpmelogin@dodgecharger.com and I'll help sort it out.

Main Menu

Here is what $5000 buys you.

Started by Kern Dog, August 26, 2019, 08:08:45 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Kern Dog

I was not discouraged but it did seem like the more I looked, the more damage I saw. The left rail could have been pushed over to spec if I had a way to anchor the car down. I could have used a chain and a winch to bend the rail back but I decided to change the game plan to one that I had considered from the beginning.
For at least 10 years, I have had a front end section from a 1970 Belvedere out back, up the hill. A buddy gave it to me when he parted out a 4 door that was an abandoned Police car clone.

Kern Dog

It is dirty but it is straight and has no rust. I learned that the 1966-70 B body cars use the same basic structure. there are a few small differences but for 1970, this Plymouth stub has everything in the same place as my own 70 XP car as well as this XH. 26" radiator opening, two holes each side of the top bar and the fender mounting holes all line up.
I brought it down the hill and began drilling out all of the spotwelds.

Kern Dog

I mounted the K member I bought for this car. I figured that it would keep the rails nice and sturdy for the installation. It also gave me a way to lift the structure into place. I am doing all of this by myself. I have a bracket for the floor jack that wraps around the K member to keep the jack from slipping off.
The bare & rusty K member is the original. I suspected that it was bent but it measured out square. It may have had a twist to it though so I just went with this other one.

Kern Dog

I had to back pedal a bit and remove the rest of the damaged Charger stuff. 
You can see the buckle on the floor from the crash.

Kern Dog

The right rail came off in a few pieces but since the left was in better shape, I was careful to remove it with no damage.

Typical of the rest of the disassembly, I used an 1/8" bit in the DeWalt drill for a pilot hole and the spotweld cutter in the Milwaukee drill.

Kern Dog

All clear and ready!

Kern Dog

All mating surfaces were sprayed with the recommended weld through primer.
Now the process of fitting this up into the car..... The structure and the car have interlocking bracing so fitting it up in there alone was going to be difficult. Fender aprons lay over the firewall bracing but the frame rails fit between bracing that is welded to the rocker panels and firewall. Nothing is just straight either. The rails spread apart wider from the firewall to the torsion bar crossmember. They needed to flex to fit into place but the K member had everything tied together. I had to remove the K member to squeeze the rails in place, then I put it back in to keep it straight.

Kern Dog

It would have been a slam-dunk if I could have just raised it up and slid it rearward into place. That was not possible with the way that the frame rails are shaped.

Once into place, I used some screws to hold the rails to the torsion bar crossmember.

Kern Dog

The top side also has a few screws holding the stub in place. The plan is to now hang the fenders and lay the hood to see how it all fits.

Oooops! I'm getting ahead of myself here.
I first had to weld in the cowl section that I removed. I had a few ways to go here. I could have used the original section but the top of the cowl was punched in. I decided to use the section from the Belvedere.

Kern Dog

I had a better idea:


Kern Dog

My cutting and fitting skills are better than my welding. I stitch welded but still got some shrinking and some warping. It isn't horrible but will require some additional finish work.


Kern Dog

Now I hung the fenders and laid the hood down. I made a few adjustments and shimmed the areas near the cowl but the gaps look nice.
The right fender fits nicely. Before, there was a 1 inch gap at the rocker panel.

Kern Dog

Hood fits the opening nicely too.

Kern Dog

I feel that I have had some real good luck with this. The structure is only held in with a few screws but it sits level to the floor at the core support. The body panels line up and things are looking good. I will need a little more work on the cowl patch section to improve on the hood to cowl gap in a small area, but....
I am ready to weld it together.
I will be adding frame connectors and seam welding the frame rails to the torsion bar crossmember. I'm going to make torque boxes similar to what I made for the red car.  I am tempted to make my own bracing for the shock mounts similar to the US Cartool pieces.

alfaitalia

If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you !!

Kern Dog

Thank you. I am enjoying this so far.
I'd bet that if I had another car waiting, I could do the next one in 2/3 of the time.

Lennard


ACUDANUT


darbgnik

Brad

1970 Charger 500. Born a 318, AC, console auto, now 440/727
Build thread:  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,127291.0.html

Kern Dog

Quote from: ACUDANUT on December 01, 2019, 09:42:17 AM
Quote from: Lennard on December 01, 2019, 08:17:29 AM
Great job  :thumbs:
X2  :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
How was everything Leveled and Squared ??
Would you believe that I just got lucky? Nahhhh. Well, I did have some luck but I also measured at several points, measured diagonally and compared it to the other cars. This would have been much more difficult if I didn't have anything to compare it to. My red XP has never been wrecked so it was a great "pattern".
With the frame rails resting against the torsion bar crossmember, I had the front resting on jackstands under the sway bar brackets. I guess some credit goes to a level floor and straight parts. If the car had any twist to it or if the floor wasn't level, I would have had to shim a jackstand or make some other adjustment.
I'm just a rookie at this stuff. I used basic carpentry sense I've learned in wood framing to measure and fit it together.
There have been numerous times in my life that I have tried something new and had a hell of a time fumbling my way through. At those times, I have wondered if I am struggling because I don't know all the tricks or short cuts that the more experienced guys already know.

Birdflu


hemi-hampton

Quote from: Kern Dog on December 01, 2019, 02:45:17 PM
Quote from: ACUDANUT on December 01, 2019, 09:42:17 AM
Quote from: Lennard on December 01, 2019, 08:17:29 AM
Great job  :thumbs:
X2  :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
How was everything Leveled and Squared ??
Would you believe that I just got lucky?
With the frame rails resting against the torsion bar crossmember, I had the front resting on jackstands under the sway bar brackets. I guess some credit goes to a level floor and straight parts. If the car had any twist to it or if the floor wasn't level, I would have had to shim a jackstand or make some other adjustment.
I'm just a rookie at this stuff. I used basic carpentry sense I've learned in wood framing to measure and fit it together.
There have been numerous times in my life that I have tried something new and had a hell of a time fumbling my way through. At those times, I have wondered if I am struggling because I don't know all the tricks or short cuts that the more experienced guys already know.


Yeah, That's the way I do things, just cross my fingers & hope I get lucky. NOT.

69rtse4spd

Looks good, just remember, they all started out the same way also. I have yet to undertake some of the bodywork that you or others have done, yet it gives me hope, my field is in Tool and Die.  

Kern Dog

Quote from: hemi-hampton on December 01, 2019, 05:22:20 PM


Yeah, That's the way I do things, just cross my fingers & hope I get lucky. NOT.

That is what you gathered from this? That I just slammed it together and hoped for the best?
You are not paying attention.
If you did read any of the text of the last 2 pages, tell me where you would have done this differently. You have your business logo attached to every post you make so you must be advertising to support your business, right? If so, you must have some experience.
To recap, I humbly admitted that I had not done this before but measured 3 cars to assure myself of where the rails are positioned. I used tape measures and levels. I made brackets and used tools. I used common sense. What else could I have done to complete this in a better way?

smithenhiven

Looking good man, I'll be starting on my project Charger here soon.  However, I'm totally new to all things "restoration" so even fitting and welding patch panels will foreign to me.