HELP!! 70 Challenger

[WhyohWhy]

I need major help. I purchased a 70 challenger a month ago. It didn't look too bad till I started taking all the trim and headliner out.  Well when I started taking the drip rail trim off, I noticed something extra nasty. Can anyone tell me if there are parts I can buy to fix this or does it all have to be hand fabricated. I know it is part of the vehicles actual structure.

[Cuda Cody]

I do not think those inner structures are reproduced.  That's a lot of work to save that car.  Tell us more about the car.  What engine / trans and what's the rest look like?

[aussiemark]

I hand fabricated some sections to repair a Barracuda with some rust issues in the same area, you will need to sand blast the area to get decent welds. You could try Dynacorn they make the Challenger body shells so you may get the sections you need from them.

[70 Challenger Lover]

I'm pretty sure the internal structural stuff is not reproduced but the roof skin and cross bars for the top are. You definitely have some work ahead of you but it can be done if you are willing to dig in.

It would help to know more about the car to determine if all that work is worth the effort and expense.

[cuda hunter]

looks like a good candidate to consider if it's an original tx9 car. 

Did the car have a fender tag or a build sheet?

[WhyohWhy]

I would love to tell you something nice about the car. The problem is there really isn't anything. No motor, no transmission, It needs lots of work. I purchased it cheap or so I thought for $1100. I didn't realize the structure was this bad till i opened it up. Seems like someone rigged it up to hide all the bad stuff a while back. Only thing in good shape is the doors. The car brand new was a 6 cylinder automatic in dark green so its nothing special. how far gone is too far and how much money is too much?

[Cuda Cody]

It kinda looks like someone patched over the rust.    It's going to be a super hard car to save.  There's not many times I would tell someone to think twice about putting an E-Body back on the road, but this might be one of those times.  Can you post other photos of the car?  How's the rust in the frame rails and the front firewall?

[70 Challenger Lover]

I would love to tell you something nice about the car. The problem is there really isn't anything. No motor, no transmission, It needs lots of work. I purchased it cheap or so I thought for $1100. I didn't realize the structure was this bad till i opened it up. Seems like someone rigged it up to hide all the bad stuff a while back. Only thing in good shape is the doors. The car brand new was a 6 cylinder automatic in dark green so its nothing special. how far gone is too far and how much money is too much?

I think you might be better off than you realize. Many people have bought cars like this for 5-10k. You got in at the right price. This car is really nothing special in terms of options so you can do anything you want to it without guilt.

If it were me, I'd use it as an opportunity to learn metal work. You can pay someone 20-30k real fast to have the metal work done professionally and then you still get to pay another 10k for paint and body work plus the cost of all the other stuff for another 10-20k.

If you have a bit of space, some mechanical aptitude, and lots of patience, you could dive in and fix all of that yourself without breaking the bank. I'd start by stripping the car to a bare shell taking lots of notes and pictures, labeling all the parts and hardware well for future reassembly. Then I'd assess the entire car and come up with a plan of attack. That roof for instance can get worked on last. You need to make sure the front and rear frame rails, rocker rails, floors, inner fenders, upper lower cowl, door hinge pillars, trunk floor are solid first. All of that can be fixed. Just take it bit by bit until it's all done. Then focus on quarters, Dutchman panel, roof, and all that inner structural stuff.

A lot of parts are reproduced but some of that stuff can be fabricated easily enough. Sometimes, you can cut away only the bad metal and make a new piece to graft in. Don't always have to have the entire new piece intact. A good welder is a must. Sheet metal in bulk sheets is cheap and comes in different gauges so you can get the right thickness to match the original. I don't suggest making stuff for the outside of the car that will be painted and seen. No need to as quality stuff is already reproduced.

[TelisSE440]

Agree with everything the members said until now, the inner structural parts, like the pillar and roof frame can be fabricated. I have scrolled through the net though, and i have found this (as aussiemark said). It is being sold for the last 3 - 4 years. Don't know if someone has used it or it is still being sold but i think it does help a lot. Its price is forbidden though... Maybe the company does offer isolated parts of it though...

[RUNCHARGER]

Dynacorn makes those side structural assemblies. I would use them as they are pretty good value IMO. You have a 70 Challenger, it IS worth saving and if you like modified cars you have the perfect platform.

[Rich G.]

Like everyone else said if the rockers and frame rails are good I'd fix it or your going to spend a lot of money just in metal assuming you're doing all the work yourself. You're going to have to take the roof off and quaters to see how far the damage goes. If you can find good metal to weld to you might be ok. At least it will all be hidden when it's done so as long as it's Structurally sound it doesn't have to look perfect. Is everything else there other then the engine and trans? If you're missing things like the interior, dash, grill,  glass, bumpers you're better off selling what is salvageable otherwise you'll be spending a ton of money before you're done. Good luck.

[cuda hunter]

you definitely got in at the right price.

There is a cuda for 2500 bucks floating around on craigslist.   It has nothing.   no floors, rails rotted, no tags.  no title.  Nothing.
There is also a shell of a cuda for 1200 with fender tag only.  Has no rails attached.  Just the body.  No floors.  again. nothing.  no front clip. 

I know I'm comparing a challenger to a cuda but you get the point.  I think the car is still savable especially if you do it yourself.

But we are all awaiting more detailed pictures here to really determine this.......

[cuda hunter]

 

[Katfish]

Run Forest run!  If the roof is that bad, the rest of the structure is worse.

[cuda hunter]

I've had an ebody that had a terrible roof.  rusted to death.  But the bottom had very little rust. only a few spots where the water ran out of the car while it sat and rotted the roof.   Very southern coastal car. 
You might be lucky......?