Sublime Lime 70 Challenger R/T SE

[NxCoupe]

Sadly my shop just isn’t big enough - I know, everyone has the same problem
I’ve got parts of my challenger taking up floor space in my garage, which means I keep having to move things in and out as I use them. Also means I spend almost as much time looking for a tool as I do actually using it. That’s after I put it in a place so I can come back to it later quickly
Anyway, a few of the tools I’m using at the moment. All from Machinery House.

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Nice! Thanks!

 

[don selleck]

I built a new shop last year, built a loft in it to store parts while cars are disassembled, I put them on a pallet and lift them up with a old forklift then walk up the stairs to unload. Will be awhile till I can get some cool tools to try to fabricate some stuff, and alot of practice. Again nice work, and great imagination on Fabing and stamping those panels, should be a nice solid Challenger when your done.

 

[Dodgey]

Well it’s taken a lot longer than I had planned and I’ve had to change tack a little but I’ve finally finished repairing the sail panel braces on the drivers side.
I ended up repairing the originals, rather than making new ones from scratch.
I had originally made an entirely new upper and middle piece, but when I test fitted the drip rail something was off. Even though the new pieces seemingly fitted perfectly over the old ones, there was just something not right.
Still need to prime and spot weld in place, but it’s getting there.
I’ve added the pic of what they looked like before I removed them.

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[don selleck]

wow the gift that keeps on giving, amazing how good the car looked when you started and then finding all the hidden secrets. again nice looking work.

 

[Dodgey]

wow the gift that keeps on giving, amazing how good the car looked when you started and then finding all the hidden secrets. again nice looking work.

Thanks, you always expect some “secrets”

 

[Dodgey]

I've been trying to convince myself out of having to make up a jig to hold the body level (stop the sag). I'd braced the interior along the way, so thought it would all be ok, but I've got to the point where I need to check the panel alignment before I weld the out wheel tub on, so I can weld up the repaired roof/door frame sections. After talking to one of the guys that owns a resto shop nearby about something totally different, I managed to talk myself into making up the jig.
I spent the better part of this week building it - using the height measurements from the manual. I made up the rear mounts, then the front - these gave me my fixed points. There was a slight twist drivers front to rear passenger that I pulled back inline.
Turns out I had quite a bit of body sag - I had to lift the middle/rear mount 45 mm (a little over 1 3/4"), this in turn brought most of the middle/front points up.

So after trying to convince myself that it wasn't required, I'm now very glad that I did!

 

[Katfish]

Nice and good catch, almost 2" seems like a lot?
I'm guessing you triple checked all the measurements.

 

[Dodgey]

Nice and good catch, almost 2" seems like a lot?
I'm guessing you triple checked all the measurements.

Yes, I spent a day going over the measurements when I just had the front and rear mounted. Measuring and re-measuring. Going back to the datum from the manual. It had me worried. The measurements check out and the sills are level longitudinally. So fingers crossed it’s all good

 

[don selleck]

looking great!

 

[Dodgey]

Sooo, turns out I don't know when to stop. Probably some form of OCD sitting there undiagnosed ...

The trunk floor had been replaced already but there was quite a bit of porosity showing through in the plug welds that where apparently holding it down. I started to gouge some of them out so I could re-weld them. The more I poked, the more I came to the conclusion that I just wasn't happy with what had been done. The majority of the plug welds across the two rear chassis rails weren't actually tied in. In places there was up to a quarter inch of air gap between the trunk floor and the rail it was meant to be welded to. Also explains some of the warps that were in the trunk floor. So what started out as a tidy up a few few (dozen) welds, turned into me totally removing the trunk floor, drop sides, drivers side wheel tubs. Yes, the passenger side tub will come off as well, not happy there either.

So, very happy now that I have it sitting happily in the jig. I keep telling myself I'm getting closer to putting metal back into the rear of this girl ... at least I think I am

I've started cleaning up the freshly exposed rails, cross members etc. They will get a combination of weld through on the contact surfaces and 2k on all the rest before it goes back together.

 

[Katfish]

Wow, the hits just keep coming in!
You'll be happy you did it, when all done.

 

[Dodgey]

Wow, the hits just keep coming in!
You'll be happy you did it, when all done.

That’s what I tell myself as well. Not making them anymore either and it’s the first year, so worth taking my time and being happy with the result.