'71 R/T, fixing a parts car

[Flatdad]

Posting this up to keep sort of a running record of this project, plus I know you guys/gals like pics.

First things first, this is NOT a restoration. This car is waaay too garbage to be worth restoring. Metalwise, all it needs is everything behind the firewall. It would have made a great parts car for someone with a clean shell, but it seemed like a shame being a real R/T and all. So, I decided to just fix the structure quick and dirty to make it safe enough to be a fun driver.
Some background:

Bought in April-ish 2016, stuffed in storage until February 2017. Progress didn't really happen until winter 2017/18 through present.

Some pics from the previous owner to start with:

[Flatdad]

First thing I did was yank out the seats, rear panels, old carpet, and headliner. It used to be home for squirrels, by the time I was done vacuuming there was rust cloud in the garage. Next, the trunk was unbolted, fuel tank dropped, brake & fuel lines removed, rear bumper dropped, and side markers removed.

Next came ripping, drilling, cutting, and grinding out the old trunk. The rear rails were getting replaced, but I wanted to use the old ones as a guide to fit up the new trunk pan.

[Flatdad]

Next came dropping the rear suspension. There is a humorous story about that debacle in the 'what I did with my e-body today' thread. Long story short, I drilled and hacked out the old rails leaving the rear seat pan as a guide for the new rails. Through a lot of planning, measuring, and clamping I welded in the new rails, new trunk, and rear cross member.

Next, the interior cross braces were drilled out, and the old rear seat pan hacked away. Lots of grinding and welding later, and the rear seat pan was installed, followed by the original cross braces. This is how the car sets as of yesterday.

[Chryco Psycho]

That is a project !!
if you are going this far with it anyway why not restore it , is the drivetrain original ?

[Flatdad]

Kinda sucks just breezing through all the work that was done, can't communicate all the hours of prep, and battle to make this stuff happen. I didn't just blindly sock new metal to unprepped rusty metal.

Next to do, rockers. Then front floor, then, outer wheelhouses, quarters, trunk gutters, trunk drop offs, etc.

Picked up a really nice roof chopped off a '70 that was hit in the rear for $200. Saving that one for another winter, the goal this year is to just put it back on the road.

I should mention that the car did run and move under its own power when I bought it. The brakes were even working. The front frame and torsion bar mount are good shape. The engine is not original, its a '77 400.

Still left to buy: front floor pan, outer rockers, maybe a passenger door, and outer wheelhouses. Already have the rest.

[Flatdad]

That is a project !!
if you are going this far with it anyway why not restore it , is the drivetrain original ?

That's a fair question. To do the car "right" absolutely everything would have to be blasted or dipped and I'm sure 75% of the metal would have to be replaced. Many of the parts are good enough for a driver but not nice enough for a restoration (fenders, glass, thin areas around hood hinges, damaged trim, etc). Doing it this way, I can just fix the rear structure, put it right back together again and enjoy the car... in theory. I wasn't even going to fix the roof until seeing the cheap one at the swap meet.

It was a 383 car, a 400 is in it now, unsure about the trans.

In all likelihood, I'll end up getting attached to the car and tear it down to make it pretty some day. For now... its put it together fast and drive!

[72 Challenger]

I would have been to afraid to put it on jack stands with that much rust.

Sometimes cars shouldn't be show cars. Fix it drive the doors off it.

[70chall440]

I would have been to afraid to put it on jack stands with that much rust.

Sometimes cars shouldn't be show cars. Fix it drive the doors off it.

Exactly!!

[superdave]

  '71 R/T is way up on my favorite list. Glad to see it is being put back on the road instead of sent to crusher.

[340challconvert]

I'm glad to see you are working on it rather then just stripping it or letting it go.
You are doing some nice metal work on that Challenger.

[RUNCHARGER]

Nice to see you saving it. It's great to see cars getting resurrected that once would have been good only for parts.

[Morty426]

Great progress so far. 

What are you going to make it into?  A 383?  Stroker 400?  What color?  What transmission. 

Looks like one on the fenders is off a 70

[6bblgt]

  I spy two "notches"

[Morty426]

I spy two "notches"

OK - I see it now.  Fender emblem in the wrong spot

[RUNCHARGER]

Wrong paint dabs on the diff, incorrect texture on the primer, I could go on and on .