Go Mango Boys Project Car

[GoMangoBoys]

It is a long story that I won't go into, but I have been long overdue in completing my 1932 Plymouth Project.  This winter (2019/2020) was to be the time when I would finally complete the build.  My son who is going to graduate soon and be gone said he really wanted to get an old Challenger.  I told him that I was not the kind of guy to spoil my kids by buying them an expensive muscle car.  However, I WOULD buy a project and he could earn it.  I told him that if he showed ownership in the car that he would indeed own it.
In September 2019, I bought a Go Mango 1970 cHALLENGER R/T.

The car seemed pretty solid and a great starting point for a good build.  I should have taken a magnet when I looked at it because it was all bondo.  The last guy to work on it was a terrible welder but was awesome with the bondo.

[GoMangoBoys]

Off the trailer for 1 hour and the work began.

[GoMangoBoys]

fender tag

[GoMangoBoys]

A 383 1966 block with stock bore.  A very buildable core.

[Shoooter]

This is going to be a great thread. I'm on the hunt for a car to do the same thing with my boys! Enjoy

[71vert340]

  My youngest son in 2002 said he wanted to do a father/son project on a 1971 Challenger I was going to part out. I made him strip it down to a shell, we did all the mechanical work, body work and paint, electrical and interior. He got to drive it to school the last 4 months of his senior year in high school. Total cost was $9000. The best investment was in a fine young man. The car turned out nice also. It's the yellow one in photo.  He does all his own car work now.
Terry

[Brads70]

What a fun project! I'm envious! Enjoy the ride! 

[Mr Lee]

Yeah that sucks about the bondo.  Looks can be deceiving.  Good luck with the build.  Should be a nice looking car when done. 

[JS29]

Your son will learn a lot and the experience and memory will build character.   

[Challenger in NC]

Great Color. Good luck with the resto, will be following along.

[usraptor]

Looking forward to seeing your guys progress.  Keep the pictures coming.

[GoMangoBoys]

The first step of bodywork was to replace the LH lower rear quarter panel.  I bought the AMD replacement panel but only use the part that I felt was really needed to be replaced.  We also had to fabricate and replace the lower 2 inches of the inner panel that extends down from the trunk.  I might have just bought the replacement panel had I realized at the time that there was a replacement panel available.  Also, I later came to realize that it might have been easier to just replace the entire LH rear quarter panel.

[GoMangoBoys]

The next step was the RH quarter panel.  We decided to just replace the entire panel since there were big problems both front and rear on the panel, along with about a half-inch thick layer of bondo.  Also, there was a lot of rot on the rear end of the rocker where it overlapped with the rear quarter panel, as well as rot in the front of the inner wheel well.  The mount for the front of the RH rear spring was a total disaster.  Someone previously had made a VERY bad repair there.  I cut it all out and bought the replacement part from AMD at Summit.  I had to fabricate a new section of the subframe and a new inner rocker panel.

[GoMangoBoys]

The next hurdle was the dutchman panel.  It was coated in layer of bondo about 3/8" thick across most of the panel.  This was apparently done to hide some very bad weld repairs.  I decided to buy a new dutchman panel and just replace it.  Good thing Summit Racing is only 20 minutes away.

[GoMangoBoys]

There was one spot on the edge of the LH fender well that needed to be patched.  I had saved this section of the RH quarter panel to use for this repair.