1970 A-66 Challenger Convertible

[AUSTA]

The wheel wells look repairable looks like you need some cutouts from a removed wheel well .
Keep the Tyre hold down bracket not all the floor pans have them

 

[340challconvert]

Removal of rear bumper.
Tail panel and lower molding in really good condition.

Cleaning sealer from the weld seam below the tail panel. Besides surface rust, the seam is coming up very clean.
Happy about this.
Trunk floor is the worst of it!

 

[340challconvert]

Cleanup going smoothly
I noticed there were screws in the lip panel below the tail light panel.
Is this piece welded on or screwed on?

 

[340challconvert]

Cleaning up the seams, left side trunk overhang is ok, need another very small patch to the wheel well edge on this side also where the overhang panel meets the wheel well center.
Starting to expose the welds to drill out the trunk panel for replacement.

Looking at the very sloppy welds that were under very thick body sealer.

 

[340challconvert]

Trunk cleaning and inspection continues.

 

[340challconvert]

Seam by the tail panel and jack holder bracket

View attachment 46870

 

[quapman]

The narrow filler panel under the tail panel is screwed on from the factory with a lot of seam sealer in between the two.

 

[340challconvert]

The narrow filler panel under the tail panel is screwed on from the factory with a lot of seam sealer in between the two.

Thanks for that response. I wasn't sure how that filler panel was attached.

 

[jeff968]

Cleanup going smoothly
I noticed there were screws in the lip panel below the tail light panel.
Is this piece welded on or screwed on?

Screws are correct. And then seam sealer is applied.

 

[quapman]

Like the fenders & cowl, the seam sealer went on first, then the panels were assembled.

 

[340challconvert]

Preparing the trunk floor by identifying and exposing the welds to be drilled in replacement of the trunk floor. Finally removed the mufflers and getting ready to drop the original gas tank.
The exhaust system was replaced in 1977 by the original owner by Midas. Midas installed an H pipe, factory resonators and factory mufflers that had the Midas name emboldened on the units.

When I bought the car as the 3rd owner I was given the Midas "Lifetime" warranty paperwork. from the original replacement install.
Wonder if they would still honor it? Only Kidding.

 

[340challconvert]

Believe it or not, one of the muffler shields was still pretty much intact. The other had one end pretty much rotted away. Self tapping screws came out with little resistance.
I am measuring out the placement of the trunk lid support plate that will have to be removed and re-welded after trunk replacement.

 

[norwayduster]

Grate work. Just keep going

 

[340challconvert]

Finally pulled the original gas tank in preparing for the removal of the rotted trunk floor. Most likely this is the original sending unit.
No sign of the original silk filter at the end of the tank unit.
Surprisingly, the tank float was still intact.
Having not started the car for over 15 years, the tank itself has a small rust hole at the bottom and the fuel is long gone. All will be replaced.

 

[340challconvert]

Removed the gas tank in preparing for trunk floor removal and spot welds being drilled out.
They always seem to rot out by the exhaust hangers.
They are the only two areas really rotted through.
Also found some original yellow markings on the back of the differential. Will try to clean up enough to read without removing them.

 

[340challconvert]

What's left of the markings on back of unit

 

[340challconvert]

More rear axle factory markings:

 

[340challconvert]

Front of axle, passenger side;

 

[340challconvert]

Finally tackling drilling out the spot welds in the trunk floor for removal and replacement. The Blair bits work great; using machine oil to lubricate the blade to extend their life!

 

[DetMatt1]

Every tool should work as good as that Blair cutter.