1970 A-66 Challenger Convertible

[340challconvert]

Lee, Thanks for your thoughts
Most of the floor is in great shape.
A small area below the gas pedal left side only needs replacement or patching.
The trunk and lower quarters are the most needy areas of the body.

 

[340challconvert]

Started the early process of test fitting the new 2 piece trunk floor.
Just wanted to see what the Challenger looked like with a trunk again!

 

[scottylack]

Awesome...I grew up a few towns away. I picked up a 70 Barracuda convertible recently here in Jersey... Hurricane Sandy casualty

 

[340challconvert]

Just picked up a reproduction exhaust hanger bracket that mounts on the left side for a dual exhaust car from Accurate. Looks like a nice piece.
(Hard to believe the original muffler hanger is still intact)

 

[340challconvert]

Fitting and "tweaking" the trunk floor to fit against the wheel well, trunk extension panel and back of the rear trunk floor panel.
I bent the back L shape lip at the back of the panel down a little to give more wiggle room.
Trunk extension on the left side is a little concave in the middle (needed to "bend" the trunk floor down a little to come close to matching.
Bottom of trunk floor seems to meet the frame rail relatively flat.
Toughest task so far; to get the side of the trunk floor to match cleanly to the wheel well. A lot of hammer dolly work to flatten this area along with the frame rails.
As noted by others, the BFH and a piece of 2x4 are coming in handy!
Glad I don't do this for a living.

 

[Adam]

Good work! Vise grips can be your best friend, in this situation. Also, just sheet metal screws, that you later remove and weld up.

 

[340challconvert]

Trunk floor meets the frame rail well enough.
There was a natural bend in the frame rail in this area. Did it serve any purpose?

 

[340challconvert]

Close up shot of the pan and the wheel well housing gap.

 

[340challconvert]

Laid in the trunk floor and scribed the frame lines on the bottom of the panel to determine location of drilled holes for the plug welds. Taped off the locations and drilled from the underside of the panel. Worked pretty well for accurate drilling.

 

[340challconvert]

Spot weld holes line up perfectly!

 

[moparlee]

Looks good Phil. You have a nice fit up by the wheel house. Now just screw it down tight and weld up all those little holes. Sounds easy enough ha?

 

[340challconvert]

Right side wheel well; cut out small rust area in back, need to create a patch.

 

[Adam]

Spot weld holes line up perfectly!
View attachment 62151

View attachment 62147

View attachment 62148

View attachment 62149

View attachment 62150

Well done!

 

[DetMatt1]

Can’t wait to see some welds!

 

[340challconvert]

Can’t wait to see some welds!

Me too!

 

[340challconvert]

Fine tune fitting the trunk floor for the two, half trunk pieces being fitted. Fun

 

[rbbruno3]

Looks good Phil, time to make it permanent .

 

[340challconvert]

another shot

 

[340challconvert]

Center at seam is "flimsy",

Looks good Phil, time to make it permanent .

putting some sheet metal screws in this area for temporary strength.
Panel center at seam needs tweaking to match up panels

 

[AUSTA]

Good stuff
Did the rear lip fit inside the tail panel Ok