Cowl Question

[69bronzeT5]

Hey all;

Looking at picking up a '70 Challenger for cheap from a friend. The cowl sides look weird to me; is this normal or are they damaged?

[Cuda Cody]

Looks like it might have been bumped in the front at some point.  Here's some clean blasted shots that might show you what they look like stock.

[anlauto]

In the industry, that's what we call BTF......"Beat to Fudge"

[69bronzeT5]

Thanks guys; that's what I kind of figured. I knew it looked off. The front end has definitely been banged around a bit that's for sure LOL. At least AMD makes a replacement cowl I guess. I can't complain too much for the price I'm getting it for. Does the passenger front rail look good? Sorry, only picture I have at the moment.

[340challconvert]

Looks like it took a front end hit and crumpled the cowl sections behind the inner fenders. Hard to tell the condition of the frame rails. They may not be rotted but I would worry about them being out of alignment. Good idea to do some frame measuring from the factory body specs to see what you are getting in to? Just as a precaution.
Anything  can be fixed, but frame repairs are additional work.
Just my thoughts.

[jimynick]

Looks like it took a front end hit and crumpled the cowl sections behind the inner fenders. Hard to tell the condition of the frame rails. They may not be rotted but I would worry about them being out of alignment. Good idea to do some frame measuring from the factory body specs to see what you are getting in to? Just as a precaution.
Anything  can be fixed, but frame repairs are additional work.
Just my thoughts.

That's pretty good advice as this thing has definitely had a pretty good punch in the nose along the way. The rt rail looks like it's kinked along the outside and I don't like the look of the upper section either. Good luck fitting fenders as it is. You can get the upper outer cowl section by itself, but I'd measure and pull to length before cutting anything. Cross measure as well with an eye to making sure there's no sway left in it as well before you cut. Good luck   

[69bronzeT5]

Looks like it took a front end hit and crumpled the cowl sections behind the inner fenders. Hard to tell the condition of the frame rails. They may not be rotted but I would worry about them being out of alignment. Good idea to do some frame measuring from the factory body specs to see what you are getting in to? Just as a precaution.
Anything  can be fixed, but frame repairs are additional work.
Just my thoughts.

That's pretty good advice as this thing has definitely had a pretty good punch in the nose along the way. The rt rail looks like it's kinked along the outside and I don't like the look of the upper section either. Good luck fitting fenders as it is. You can get the upper outer cowl section by itself, but I'd measure and pull to length before cutting anything. Cross measure as well with an eye to making sure there's no sway left in it as well before you cut. Good luck   

Appreciate the advice guys. The weird part is the car was used as a parts car for my friend's R/T. The hood and fenders were used on his R/T and they were in really nice shape with no signs of damage and looked to be original parts or at least on the car for a good amount of time. Definitely odd.

[69bronzeT5]

I guess it could be worse. It could look like my '71 Road Runner 

[Topcat]

Looks like it took a front end hit and crumpled the cowl sections behind the inner fenders. Hard to tell the condition of the frame rails. They may not be rotted but I would worry about them being out of alignment. Good idea to do some frame measuring from the factory body specs to see what you are getting in to? Just as a precaution.
Anything  can be fixed, but frame repairs are additional work.
Just my thoughts.

That's pretty good advice as this thing has definitely had a pretty good punch in the nose along the way. The rt rail looks like it's kinked along the outside and I don't like the look of the upper section either. Good luck fitting fenders as it is. You can get the upper outer cowl section by itself, but I'd measure and pull to length before cutting anything. Cross measure as well with an eye to making sure there's no sway left in it as well before you cut. Good luck   

Appreciate the advice guys. The weird part is the car was used as a parts car for my friend's R/T. The hood and fenders were used on his R/T and they were in really nice shape with no signs of damage and looked to be original parts or at least on the car for a good amount of time. Definitely odd.

From the sounds of the damage and hood was still good, it sounds kinda like a Dukes of Hazard jump.
Whatever happened, it sounds like it took a lower impact like the car caught air. Then slammed on the ground.

[69bronzeT5]

Looks like it took a front end hit and crumpled the cowl sections behind the inner fenders. Hard to tell the condition of the frame rails. They may not be rotted but I would worry about them being out of alignment. Good idea to do some frame measuring from the factory body specs to see what you are getting in to? Just as a precaution.
Anything  can be fixed, but frame repairs are additional work.
Just my thoughts.

That's pretty good advice as this thing has definitely had a pretty good punch in the nose along the way. The rt rail looks like it's kinked along the outside and I don't like the look of the upper section either. Good luck fitting fenders as it is. You can get the upper outer cowl section by itself, but I'd measure and pull to length before cutting anything. Cross measure as well with an eye to making sure there's no sway left in it as well before you cut. Good luck   

Appreciate the advice guys. The weird part is the car was used as a parts car for my friend's R/T. The hood and fenders were used on his R/T and they were in really nice shape with no signs of damage and looked to be original parts or at least on the car for a good amount of time. Definitely odd.

From the sounds of the damage and hood was still good, it sounds kinda like a Dukes of Hazard jump.
Whatever happened, it sounds like it took a lower impact like the car caught air. Then slammed on the ground.

Lower radiator support, K-frame etc is all in nice shape too......an odd one indeed.

[Shane Kelley]

Actually I have seen that a few times. Probably went through a ditch or something of that sort. Car definitely needs to go on a frame rack before anything is cut loose. Get everything squared and straightened up. Going to need doors and front sheet metal hung while it's on the rack. Very critical for getting gaps nice.

[69bronzeT5]

Actually I have seen that a few times. Probably went through a ditch or something of that sort. Car definitely needs to go on a frame rack before anything is cut loose. Get everything squared and straightened up. Going to need doors and front sheet metal hung while it's on the rack. Very critical for getting gaps nice.

Appreciate the advice Shane! 

[jimynick]

The hood and fenders look nice because the original ones were replaced. With inner apron/cowl damages like that, it's a foregone conclusion that the original tin didn't survive the occasion. Somewhere on here or over on CC.com are copies of the original frame spec books which will get you in the ballpark you need to be in. check 70 challenger frame specs on the 'net and you'll get what you need. I don't know if I can do this right or not, but I'll try.

[anlauto]

The hood and fenders look nice because the original ones were replaced. With inner apron/cowl damages like that, it's a foregone conclusion that the original tin didn't survive the occasion. Somewhere on here or over on CC.com are copies of the original frame spec books which will get you in the ballpark you need to be in. check 70 challenger frame specs on the 'net and you'll get what you need. I don't know if I can do this right or not, but I'll try.

Yea 'cause heaven forbid we use the resources that we put together on this web site https://forum.e-bodies.org/reference-material/18/e-body-frame-diagrams/4768/   

[340challconvert]

   This may help!