70 Challenger Conv. Restomod. 6.1 Hemi

[soundcontrol]

Love seeing all this metal work.     There's something about fixing rust that makes me happy.

Me too. I come home from a whole day of welding and grinding and I just sit down and watch Youtube videos of other people welding and grinding....my wife thinks I'm crazy.

Now I have 2 spots on the sides of the radiator support that previous owner just welded over rust holes, (they did not cut out the bad parts, just ugly welds over the rust). I thinks thats a common spot for rust on the Challengers also, seen it on many cars. Since the sides are a bit bumpy, I'm cutting out more than just the rust spots on the left side, that big square hole, is that for the harness to the lights? I forgot, and didn't take a picture of it assembled. I actually cut that out also, cut more after I took the picture.

[soundcontrol]

I had the same issue on mine when I first got it. Pretty common spot to rot out.

You got the holes all nice and stock looking, I wonder why there is so many, I think there is 2 bolts there right?

[Cuda Cody]

Those oval long longs are normally for clips that are used to hold the fenders on.   

Love seeing all this metal work.     There's something about fixing rust that makes me happy.

Me too. I come home from a whole day of welding and grinding and I just sit down and watch Youtube videos of other people welding and grinding....my wife thinks I'm crazy.

Now I have 2 spots on the sides of the radiator support that previous owner just welded over rust holes, (they did not cut out the bad parts, just ugly welds over the rust). I thinks thats a common spot for rust on the Challengers also, seen it on many cars. Since the sides are a bit bumpy, I'm cutting out more than just the rust spots on the left side, that big square hole, is that for the harness to the lights? I forgot, and didn't take a picture of it assembled. I actually cut that out also, cut more after I took the picture.

[usraptor]

Very impressive skills with the fabrication and rust repair.  I'm fortunate that my needed little fabrication and what it did need was done by my best friend who is a paint and body man.  Otherwise, I would have been in a land of hurt.   

[Brads70]

Those oval long longs are normally for clips that are used to hold the fenders on.   

Clips are for bolting the battery tray to the fender.

[soundcontrol]

Done with the front radiator support repairs, came out pretty good, need minimal amounts of filler before paint, (don't know if I will decide to box in the upper radiator support yet, we'll see). The TIG is working out pretty good for me, even though everyone says I should really use a MIG. I don't put in a lot of heat, use 25 amps and pulse mode (to 10 amps), no big warps of the panels, and it's pretty quick to weld the panels up. I will borrow a MIG next week to change the trunk floor though, the plug welding is probably easier with it. I can do great spot welds with the TIG, but only of the panels are super clean, really tight and if I get a copper piece behind the weld, and that ain't happening everywhere. And I decided to improve on the Mopar way of only spot welding the sides to the upper support so I welded the whole upper edge.

[JS29]

Nice job!!!!

[MOPAR FANATIC]

Nice job!!!!

 

[Cuda Cody]

Nice job man!     Glad to see the TIG is working well for you.  I spent a few days at Walden Speed Shop and he's a be TIG guy.  He was showing me a few tips on TIG welding and I was really getting in to it.  I could see if I was a little better with TIG I would use it a lot more.  Always more then one way to do it.  And the way you're doing looks great.

https://www.waldenspeedshop.com/

The TIG is working out pretty good for me, even though everyone says I should really use a MIG.

[usraptor]

Nice job!  I've got to learn how to weld one of these days!

[soundcontrol]

Nice job!  I've got to learn how to weld one of these days!

I bought a TIG in 2014, got a Master Youtube Degree now!
Love it though, shaping and welding metal is both relaxing and rewarding.
I'm not a total newbie to it, I did go to a welding night school when I was 18, gas and stick welding, and I've been using a MIG every now and then, the TIG is very similar to gas welding.

[soundcontrol]

I fixed another ugly repair on the inner fender today. I also discovered that the factory missed a few spotwelds so the inner fender bracket on the driver side was not connected to the framerail, just hanging loose. Fixed that also.

[Cuda Cody]

Looks much better!  Good job.

[soundcontrol]

Next fix is this. I wonder if I should wait until its back in the rotisserie though, (for better access inside) they ugly-patched the cowl like this but did not repair the holes behind it in the firewall. Might be better to cut this out, but then fix the firewall behind it before I patch this up again?

[Cuda Cody]

That can be a tough one to get behind there.  Since it's so small and you already know you'll have it back on the rotisserie it might be best to wait.