Converting rust into a 72 Challenger

[MarctheDrifter]

I was reminded that I should post my progress on this forum, so here it goes.

When I bought it:











So we're loaded with rust all around the front windshield (don't have the pics, but after I took the window trim off there was even less metal left than I thought), completely rusted out trunk, heavily rusted front floor pans, rust around the rear windshield and where the leaded seam for the vinyl top was, and not pictured is the giant rusted out hole in the upper firewall.

Also worth noting is that lovely 318 which mice decided to make a lovely home inside the intake. Complete garbage.




This lovely 440 was pulled out of a running RV. I can't wait to feel all 205hp. It also came with a 727 I'll be using for now.



Here we see this mint condition roof that I managed to snag with minimal Mopar tax/mark-up. Got some fun looks on the freeway driving it home.


Before

After

These door panels were garbage to start with so I grabbed some spraypaint and a little vinyl I had leftover and had some fun. I'll still use them because my money is better spent elsewhere, and they look good enough from 10ft away.




Tried rust removal with vinegar on the license plate holder here. Worked very well, I would say. They flash rusted not long after that picture, so I painted it with some POR-15 afterwards

--------------------------

That's where I'm at so far. I bought a mid-sump oil pan and a few other goodies for the 440, but I'm not going to put too much work into the engine until I get the car waterproof again. I've got a 4-speed tranny for it, but no other manual swap parts. I will be throwing in a 727 for now just to get it back on the road as quickly as I can.

The plan for the car is just to make it a mild street car. It'll lean more towards a rat-rod than a hot-rod as far as looks go. I'm building this car to drive, not to re-sell. No fancy paint or ultra straight body for me.

P.S. My car restoration skills are next to none, so this project will be slow going.

[DAYLEY/CHALLENGER]

First of all let me say Welcome to the site and you are very correct........a lot of rust........but there are a lot that have come back from worse that where you are.   Good luck with the project and of course, keep posting pics...........

[Brads70]

Wow your very ambitious ! 

[Cuda70-74]

Welcome and let the rust war  begin

[ec_co]

cool to see the rest of the project. I'm guessing yours is in W/WA. I brought mine back from E/WA a few years back. lots of work, but looks like a fun project to mess with. you have a LOT of good solid e-body folks in the PacNW and everyone here is more than happy to help advise if you ever need.

[RUNCHARGER]

You can do it.  Much worse cars have been saved.

[Ifixmycarmyself]

Welcome! I love rust repair so I will follow your tread 

[jimynick]

Welcome to the site from Ontario, Canada and good luck with the restoration. Slow and steady and measure 3 times- cut once. 

[MarctheDrifter]

Got a little more work done today.



What could be better than one roof? Two roofs!



Pulled the rear window out and managed not to break it.




Did a little interior clean up

[jimynick]

And so it begins! Check the front floors for pin holes as you'll never have a better time to change them than you do right now. Good luck! 

[nsmall]

Thanks for sharing and I wish you the best.  Sounds like you have a plan and arent going to get all stressed out if something isnt perfect which will be a great asset. Striving for perfection can be stressful and a real joy sucker.

[ZEN357]

I'd be getting new floor pans.  I wouldn't even try to fix those.

[anlauto]

Strip the car completely and have the shell media blasted first, then worry about fixing the rust.

[nsmall]

   You sound like you want to keep it, not resell it, not worried about how much you have into it, save yourself time and money in the long run and have it blasted.

[MarctheDrifter]

While I would love to get the whole car media blasted or acid dipped, I just don't have that kind of cash. I know I probably won't defeat the rust without that, but that's not really a concern. I just want a car that runs and drives and still looks like a Challenger for the most part. I'll fix the rust as it comes. Basically my car is going to be like this guy's 'Cuda