70 Challenger RT convertible 426 tribute build

[Shawn]

This car had sat for over ten years, nearly finished, after previous owner died.
I started this restoration Nov 2017.
This is how it looked when we received it.
Quarters, jams, inside trunk, engine compartment and interior compartment nicely painted in a base / clear.
Fenders, doors and hood in high build primer with rust starting to fester.

[Cuda Cody]

     

[6bblgt]

  & tell/show "US" more

[Morty426]

This thread needs more posts

[dodgemania]

  to the site.    and yes tell us more about it..

[JS29]

  From central New York! Inquiring minds want to know.   

[RUNCHARGER]

Looks interesting all right.

[BIGSHCLUNK]

A 'vert w a HEMI and a SHAKER.... what's not to like?   

[Shawn]

Sorry been busy, time to add to this post.
The festering primed panels were removed and stripped with 36 grit stick-it discs on a 8 inch air polisher, and then blasted with glass. Some hammer and dolling, welding of cracks and previous attempted welds ground back and re-welded.
The quarters, deck lid filler panel, rockers.... basically, the rest of the car was stripped and glass blasted to revel a lot of WTF! Horrible patches, rust holes and attempted welds over leaded seams. It was a mess! Lower quarter panel interior and exterior panels from AMD were welded in behind the rear wheels. In front of the rear wheel AMD doesn't make a panel for the lower quarter, We purchased the DS lower quarter in front of wheel (PS was out of stock), from Sherman, what junk! After much cutting and reshaping it was welded in. PS we just made our own panel from scratch. Then x2 coats of epoxy prime over entire car. Then it was taken off the rotisserie and put on a roll around table.
The fenders, doors, hood, deck lid and new AMD front and rear valances were put back on the chassis and hours of alignment, proper panel fitment was achieved, discrete index holes were drilled to get these panels back exactly as aligned after they are painted off the car.  Then the filler and putty work commenced. I'm not fast at filler work, but I'm good. After many hours and hours, it was blocked down with 80 grit then 150 grit. Then x3 coats of spray-able filler was applied to exterior panels and blocked down with 150 then 220 grit. Doors, fenders, valances, hood and deck lid were removed, and each panel was sprayed with x3 coats of high build, all jams and the truck floor too. Jams sanded with 320 then finished with 500 grit.
The chassis was put back on the rotisserie, the underside was undercoated (sorry purists it's how I like it) with 3M body shoots, and the passenger compartment floors were also undercoated to add sound deadening.
Put the chassis back on the roll around and reinstalled the exterior panels (love those indexing holes!). Exterior panels were blocked with 320 then 400 wet sanded. Etch primer sprayed over any small spots that blocked through the primer.
I'll post pics when whatever glitch that's preventing me from attaching pics is fixed.

[RUNCHARGER]

Tons of gruntwork that feels like it will never end.

[Shawn]

Some of the crap found under the painted quarters.
Rust holes just covered with filler.
Horribly formed and welded patches.
Attempts to weld over leaded seams.

[Shawn]

The glass blasting was finished, patches welded, dents pulled, and all the hammer and dollying done. The entire car is sprayed with x2 coats of epoxy primer and remaining low spots marked.
Filler and putty work in progress.

[nsmall]

Good thing you double checked whats under the primer.  Glad to see you are correcting what you find so you dont have do it again.  Nothing worse then doing the same job twice.

[Morty426]

Good thing you double checked whats under the primer.  Glad to see you are correcting what you find so you dont have do it again.  Nothing worse then doing the same job twice.

Ain't that the truth

[Chryco Psycho]

looking good , glad you found the poor repairs under the paint