Trunk Floor Replacement (Updated/Complete 1-28-2010)

[Hemidog]

Did have one question come up tonight...The small holes in the bumper support mounts (wedges) are they a factory item or something someone did along the way??  You can see them in both of the previously posted pics.  Anyone know? 

those holes are original

[TexasStroker]

Cool!  You don't happen to know the logic behind them do you?

[Hemidog]

no really  access hole for paint/primer, draining... I do not question mother mopar!

[Hemidog]

pic of my trunk after replacing it.

[TexasStroker]

nice trunk shot!

I was just curious on the holes, you can never know too much about your Mopar
I'm just glad it isn't the relic of an early 80s air shock install 

Did you replace your trunk lock support/tower or was it still solid?

[Hemidog]

solid enough to be saved.

[UFO]

TexasStroker, If you want to hide the seam over the axle hump make your splice over the shock brace.Just make sure your replacement panels go that far BEFORE cutting.

[TexasStroker]

Glad you got lucky and were able to salvage your trunk lock support...
Guess 68 guys luck out with having better access with the tail lights in as opposed to 69-70s...Although you do have the tail light mounting bracket coming up to deal with, guess it is about an even trade...

I will definitely consider making the splice there...

I am still debating that part actually (you can do that when you don't get much time in working on the car...just knit-pick everything you plan to do to death)...
The last few nights I've been contemplating setting the new pan in over the old pan (maybe where the jump becomes parallel to the ground).

When I got the car it had a fuel cell, and I'm probably going to keep it that way...I was wanting to go the route that would provide the best rigidity for the trunk floor (and yes I'm going to essentially build a sq tube framework for the fuel cell).

Not sure how that will go over with everyone...haven't been on the board long enough to know if members are diehard factory spec or willing to live with modifications (although from the number of stroker engine builds I've skimmed it can't be TOO bad  )

Nothing is really set in stone till I actually get the time to make it happen, so good advice or me dwelling on it without getting to work on the car might sway things.

[TexasStroker]

I got in some time on Sunday (Sat was a cruise night  ).

Cut a little more out and spent alot of time sanding in the frame rails, and other hard to reach places...

I've got to ask though, does anyone have shots of their trunk area looking at the package tray, upper wheel well housings, and the likes?  I'm also curious as to the brace and box area...I thought mine looked pretty rough, but cleaned it up very nicely!  It has rusted thru just to the LH side of the brace...
I have heard horror stories from guys that just needed a center section or other simple repair to their floor and when they were cleaning up for paint started messing with this and really regret it...My question is, should I just coat it and leave it, or should I put some sort of a patch on the box?

Would it be best to put the patch inside the box and or on the outside?  Or should it just be left as is?

[TexasStroker]

Trimmed quite a bit more...Got a few questions...

First, can I go from inside the wheel well and drill out the spot welds to get rid of the flange from the factory pan?  It seems like I'd have more access and better sight of the spot welds this route, plus I wanted to clean up the undercoat and paint the wheelwell anyway.

Also, when installing the new floor as opposed to spot welding the flanges of the trunk floor to the extension can it just be tacked along the seam instead?

I swear my RH side is done that way...hence why I had so much trouble with getting the "seam selaer" off...It was just a trashy tack job that was laced with sealer...LH side was no trouble at all....It also explains why I couldn't see the spot welds on the flanges there...Idk if this is something someone did back in the day to cover a gap or what...Anyone heard of the factory doing it mix n match this way?

I'm thinking with a solid two day weekend I should be able to get everything trimmed out to my liking, coat the frame rails, and have the new pan trimmed and drilled out for spot welds...Now if I can just get the two day weekend 

Thanks in advance for any help!

[TexasStroker]

FINALLY, got some time back in on the floor...I've got about 95% of the old floor trimmed out (just waiting on the wheel well area, should be quick, and the bumper supports).

Due to the poor conditon of my floor brace and the floor around it (previous owner had laid down some nasty, water retaining shag carpet under the fuel cell) I didn't get to examine it well...Should the brace overlap this far or is it to be flush with the inner frame rail?  Not a big deal, just want to do it right...

[NMike]

i'd make it flush, the extra bit does nothing for strength, plus it is more hard to reach surface area for rust to start on.

[UFO]

here's an original one.

[TexasStroker]

Thanks for the insight...I will definitely trim a hair off both ends (well actually a little more, lol).

UFO, do you have a picture of your splice (I'm assuming it was above the shock tower).  I am now debating whether to make mine there or go all the way.  I've got time though, started in earlier tonight on the wheel well undercoating...hoping to knock that out during the weekdays after work.

[UFO]

No, I don't have a pic.
If your replacement pce goes all the way to the factory joints then I would do that.

[TexasStroker]

yeah, I'll get the bumper mounts/latch out of the way and see how far up the tf goes...Hopefully it'll be complete, if not I'll splice.

[TexasStroker]

Necropost?  I think not.  This will finally wrap the thread up 

Last left off 7-21-2008!?  Obviously wrapped things up since then.  Going little by little with what free time I had it slowly came together.  We had 3/4" of ice last night/today followed by 7" of snow, with 3" more to come...so I have time to post all this 

Milestones:

7-19-2009:  Trunk floor fully welded!  Shortly after coated.
8-9-2009:    Seam Sealer, Tail Panel Refresh, Primed Oil Pump, Plumbed 90% of the Fuel System
8-16-2009   Trunk Mat, Fresh Paint for Rear Bumper, New Charger Script Installed
8-19-2009   Restored & Installed Taillights
8-26-2009   Off Jackstands, On 4 Wheels
8-27-2009   Back on the Streets 
9-7-2009    Restored Tail light cover
Since         Rebuilt Carb, Replaced Electric Fuel Pump, Reworked Vavle Body, Drove thru Paint (present)

None of that really matters aside from the trunk floor related stuff.  Finally got it done and then you realize everything else in now an issue. 

That said here come the pics...Keep in mind, first major body work I've tackled.  And of course, thanks to everyone on here who offered advice and pointers for getting the job done 

Kind of where this left off...

Test fitting Pans...What a weird sight after all that time:


Prepped Frame Rail Surfaces w/ WTP:


Coated Inner Frame Rails:


LH pan plug welded:


LH pan plug welded and ground down:


LH, RH In:


Coated Floor:

[TexasStroker]

Seam Sealer...Nice and sloppy just like the factory     Went ahead and put some down the center seam for two reasons: 1) I don't want rust and 2) 90% of the seam is concealed by the fuel cell.

Overall:


Tail Panel/Truck Lock Support Tower:


LH Side:


RH Side:


Painted Seam Sealer:

[TexasStroker]

Bonus Tail Light Panel Stuff:

One final shot of the "as it sat" tail panel:


Prep on the tail panel:


Paint on the tail panel:

[TexasStroker]

Trunk Floor Mat (I'm a blend of resto and custom, what can I say...Purists can take some solstice in that):


Then went ahead and glued down the weatherstrip:


You can see the installed weatherstrip and trunk floor mat together and clamp free here:


Also prepped the rear bumper for some new paint:


Here it is installed on the car:


FINALLY time for the new tail panel "Charger" script:



Cleaned up the SS trim and installed it...Also cleaned up the back up light lenses and screwed them back in place:

[TexasStroker]

Bonus Wheel Well Stuff:

LH Blacked Out:



RH Blacked Out:


The LH side is shown in all its glory prior to getting basted with white oil based paint on New Years Day 2010    Such a short return to glory.

Tail Light Cover:

I opted to spruce my original up a bit:

Before, note the overspray:




Half-n-Half:


Complete:

[TexasStroker]

Fuel Cell:  Know there are better pics, just not sure where...


Tail Lights Installed:


Similarly I know there is a good shot of the entire finished product (shows the cell, mat, and tail light cover installed, it is archived somewhere).

I think that pretty much re-caps everything.  It took quite awhile and was a learning experience, but I think it turned out pretty good and I am happy with the results.  I have had no issues with anything related to any of the refurbishing so that is a plus.  Basically the trunk floor turned out to not just be a trunk floor replacement, but essentially a reason to re-do the entire trunk compartment, replace the floor, re-do the wheel wells, upgrade the fuel cell and fuel system, restore the tail lights, tail light cover, and tail panel, and a few more things I'm sure I have forgotten about.

Once I get the rear-end out of the car I will go ahead and clean it and the springs up and treat them to some new paint etc.

I know this isn't 100% stock and is far short of a concourse resto, but it is the way I wanted it done.  I'm sure the coating and fuel cell will tick people off, but hey, someone has to do it.  Thanks again to everyone who took the time to offer advice, leads, or send pics thru PMs and e-mails...that may not seem like much help but it really was and I appreciate it!  If anything can be said, the trunk floor is solid, the fuel cell and lines are clean, and things are definitely better off than they were when all of this started!  The pics don't show near all of the work or time spent between phases, but that would be too detailed and not many folks would care.  This covers most of the highlights.

If anyone is debating about tackling a trunk floor themselves I say go for it.  It really comes down to time.  Anyone willing to take the time and learn a little is capable of pulling it off.  Granted you will probably mess stuff up and spend time re-doing things, but that is part of the process.  In the end you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you did it yourself and that everything was done to your standards.  You can't put a price on that!

[tan top]

nice work 

[RCKSTR]

I know that car! It was featured in Mopar Muscles June 09 Young Guns. Nice to see your not standing in the trunk anymore, Nice work! 

[TexasStroker]

I know that car! It was featured in Mopar Muscles June 09 Young Guns. Nice to see your not standing in the trunk anymore, Nice work! 

Thanks for the compliments!  And yeah, that was me in the June 2k9 issue    I kind of kept it on the downlow.  Guess it is my 5 mins of fame or something.  Odd thing is when I had it out at a few shows/crusies this fall we would have out-of-towners come up and tell me they saw a car like that with some kid standing in the trunk in Mopar Muscle    I had two shots standing in the trunk floor, one in the AAM shirt and another in a cap and gown for graduation    After that I have one of me sitting the trunk floor welding, and finally the money shot standing beside the completed project!  Like the article said, once I wrap it up the plan is to get on the stroker