74 Challenger Canadian Restoration

[daaboots]

Been watching when you first start rebuilding this car. Glad you are getting close to be done with the rust repair. Seems like never ending. Any plans to go beyond factory like sub frame connectors etc? Don't recall if you spoke about your plans for the car. Tell us more on your visions of the end product. Driver, pro-touring or factory restoration?

I plan on adding some home-built subframe connectors and torque boxes for the rear suspension mount point. I might add some bracing to the front shock towers as well. I plan on using this as a daily driver in the summer months. I'll be upgrading to a 4-link suspension in the rear. Front will remain stock for now, but would like to switch to one of those fancy double a-arm kits with rack & pinion steering someday. I'm looking for a 440 engine, and would like to convert it to EFI. I already have a factory 4 speed and posi rear end from my father-in-law, although a Dana 60 would sure be nice! I'd like to install a roll cage, but I don't want it getting into the way too much for the back seats.

That's the plan anyway... we'll see what the future holds!

[daaboots]

After many years of rust repair, I FINALLY have this car on a rotisserie. Thanks so much Ian (@jimynick) for lending me this unit. I have a few repairs on the back frame rails and driver rocker panel to complete, and after that, the metal work is finished! Time to start thinking about subframe connectors, suspension, and paint!

 

[jimynick]

Glad to see the car on the rotisserie! May I suggest welding back together the longitudinal piece of angle iron that runs from front to back? It keeps the ends from wanting to walk out when a load gets put on them. I just blew it in half for portability and thought I'd given it to you ?? With your acquired welding skills it'd be a piece of cake to re-install it. Roll on 

[daaboots]

Glad to see the car on the rotisserie! May I suggest welding back together the longitudinal piece of angle iron that runs from front to back? It keeps the ends from wanting to walk out when a load gets put on them. I just blew it in half for portability and thought I'd given it to you ?? With your acquired welding skills it'd be a piece of cake to re-install it. Roll on 

I think I left that piece behind because it was too long to fit in the back of my truck. I have some scrap angle around here somewhere that I'll weld to it. Take care!

[anlauto]

Another great video....you've come a looooong way brother !

[7212Mopar]

Been watching when you first start rebuilding this car. Glad you are getting close to be done with the rust repair. Seems like never ending. Any plans to go beyond factory like sub frame connectors etc? Don't recall if you spoke about your plans for the car. Tell us more on your visions of the end product. Driver, pro-touring or factory restoration?

I plan on adding some home-built subframe connectors and torque boxes for the rear suspension mount point. I might add some bracing to the front shock towers as well. I plan on using this as a daily driver in the summer months. I'll be upgrading to a 4-link suspension in the rear. Front will remain stock for now, but would like to switch to one of those fancy double a-arm kits with rack & pinion steering someday. I'm looking for a 440 engine, and would like to convert it to EFI. I already have a factory 4 speed and posi rear end from my father-in-law, although a Dana 60 would sure be nice! I'd like to install a roll cage, but I don't want it getting into the way too much for the back seats.

That's the plan anyway... we'll see what the future holds!

Planning and decide ahead is important to avoid doing more than once and save some $ and time. I did my share of that. For example, like if you keep the stock front suspension, then you need bigger torsion bars for the 440 since you pulled out the 318 originally. The bars you have now does not have the correct spring rate for a heavier 440. Later when you go with the rack and pinion and coilover setup then you will need to sell the torsion bars.

[anlauto]

Unless you're hitting the dragstrip every weekend and build a motor with gobs of torque, all that extra bracing and stiffening is overkill and will just make the car so ridged that it won't be a pleasure to drive, it will ride like a tank...good luck keeping the family interested in a Sunday drive

[daaboots]

Unless you're hitting the dragstrip every weekend and build a motor with gobs of torque, all that extra bracing and stiffening is overkill and will just make the car so ridged that it won't be a pleasure to drive, it will ride like a tank...good luck keeping the family interested in a Sunday drive

Interesting... I'm hoping to someday have a motor that will be around 500 hp and I'd like to take it to the track once and a while. I would like something that's comfortable to drive though 

[7212Mopar]

The more stiff and rigid the chassis is, the better the suspension can do its job. So springs and shocks calibration determines stiffness or softness of the ride. Stiffening the chassis (in our case, the unibody) to remove flex is always a good thing to do.

[anlauto]

It boils down to what the intended purpose of the car is...

[jimynick]

Glad to see the car on the rotisserie! May I suggest welding back together the longitudinal piece of angle iron that runs from front to back? It keeps the ends from wanting to walk out when a load gets put on them. I just blew it in half for portability and thought I'd given it to you ?? With your acquired welding skills it'd be a piece of cake to re-install it. Roll on 

I think I left that piece behind because it was too long to fit in the back of my truck. I have some scrap angle around here somewhere that I'll weld to it. Take care!

Guess I'll have to be a wee bit more careful when mowing!    Glad 6you can replace it and I think it'll work better for you.

[YellowThumper]

Unless you're hitting the dragstrip every weekend and build a motor with gobs of torque, all that extra bracing and stiffening is overkill and will just make the car so ridged that it won't be a pleasure to drive, it will ride like a tank...good luck keeping the family interested in a Sunday drive

Interesting... I'm hoping to someday have a motor that will be around 500 hp and I'd like to take it to the track once and a while. I would like something that's comfortable to drive though 

Stiff body will be a necessity with the hp you noted.
4 link with proper shock setup will more than make up for the "stiffness".
Same with proper front shocks. A lot of fine tuning is available with factory suspension. Converting to a rack setup will increase turning radius. I converted another project of mine. Enjoy its precision. Hate its turning.
Adding frame connectors to mine right now as I am aiming for 500hp with the turbos.

[daaboots]

New video up on YouTube. Getting really close to having the metal work done on this old rust bucket!

[daaboots]

Here a dump of photos I haven't posted yet. Most details are already covered in my last few videos. The 4 speed hump is installed, and I started to work on the doors. The passenger side was good enough to save, but the driver side was a mess so I decided to pull the skin off.

[larry4406]

You should have kept the portion of the floor pan which covered the cross member. Now road crap can get in.