Original Dodge Challenger

Original Dodge Challenger

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neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,478 posts

170 months

Tuesday 17th September 2019
quotequote all
aeropilot said:
Not really a problem now with brand new shells available. Much easier and cheaper (in the long run) than trying to fix a rough as a badgers arse rusted shell.

I was talking to the guy from the Porsche factory at Goodwood Revival on Saturday as they had a customers 356 shell on the stand which he has been restoring. That was rough as anything and he said it will be 1000-1200 hrs work just in repairing and replacing the rotten and damaged structure....and Porsche Classic hourly rates were 130 Euro/hr......eek
Yes, AMD ( Auto Metal Direct in Georgia, have all of the repair sections available now, including the firewall panels.
They will also restore a shell for you. The other option would be to re shell it into a better shell.

aeropilot

34,589 posts

227 months

Tuesday 17th September 2019
quotequote all
neutral 3 said:
aeropilot said:
Not really a problem now with brand new shells available. Much easier and cheaper (in the long run) than trying to fix a rough as a badgers arse rusted shell.

I was talking to the guy from the Porsche factory at Goodwood Revival on Saturday as they had a customers 356 shell on the stand which he has been restoring. That was rough as anything and he said it will be 1000-1200 hrs work just in repairing and replacing the rotten and damaged structure....and Porsche Classic hourly rates were 130 Euro/hr......eek
Yes, AMD ( Auto Metal Direct in Georgia, have all of the repair sections available now, including the firewall panels.
They will also restore a shell for you. The other option would be to re shell it into a better shell.
No, I meant re-shell into a brand new Dynacorn shell.

https://dynacornbodies.com/body-shells/challenger/


neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,478 posts

170 months

Tuesday 17th September 2019
quotequote all
aeropilot said:
No, I meant re-shell into a brand new Dynacorn shell.

https://dynacornbodies.com/body-shells/challenger/
I wouldn't go down the complete repro shell route. There are loads of still good Challenger doner cars out there.

newsatten

3,307 posts

114 months

Tuesday 17th September 2019
quotequote all




Think my Challenger must be slightly unusual as far as corrosion's concerned, it did require some small repairs, but nothing major,
you can still see the mopar part numbers on most parts, even the boot floor and fuel tank supports,

How bad is your SE???? Re Shelling is a very expensive option, as a New re manufactured one are big money, as will a Challenger that has a decent shell,

Unless yours is totally shot, a rebuild is the way to go, body parts as you say are available from AMD and Good Mark etc, but be aware a 600 buck panel will be £1000-1200 by the time it get here!

Stick up a pic or two ............................

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,478 posts

170 months

Wednesday 18th September 2019
quotequote all
My R/T SE ticks So many boxes......
Awesome original colour Plum Crazy, desirable engine spec, air con, elec windows, pas, power disc brakes....

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,478 posts

170 months

Wednesday 18th September 2019
quotequote all
neutral 3 said:
My R/T SE ticks So many boxes......
Awesome original colour Plum Crazy, desirable engine spec, air con, elec windows, pas, power disc brakes....
Shame its rough !

newsatten

3,307 posts

114 months

Wednesday 18th September 2019
quotequote all
Is your RT on the road?, or some kind of barn find?
Dont be coy , lol give us some pics! and the full SP,

Is it a UK car or did you bring it over?

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,478 posts

170 months

Wednesday 18th September 2019
quotequote all
newsatten said:
Is your RT on the road?, or some kind of barn find?
Dont be coy , lol give us some pics! and the full SP,

Is it a UK car or did you bring it over?
On the road......haha, if Only !

newsatten

3,307 posts

114 months

Thursday 19th September 2019
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Oh Dear, sounds like a major project, lol

But it will be interesting if time consuming, but if that what takes to end up with your ideal yank, bring it on!
Will you be doing the resto or are you going to get a specialist team to do it? ,

I had a quick tote up on mine, im at a ball park £60K , at 40 quid per hour, Ha Ha .............................................

JC , come recommended, as they one of the very few that have all the proper Celete type brackets needed if the shell is taken back to bare bones, any major body part replacement will require the car being properly fitted to a decent body jig,

Great to get another of these fabulous cars back on the road, they make such a refreshing change from all the lines of Mustangs, and boring E'Types,
Best of luck and enjoy......................................


neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,478 posts

170 months

Friday 20th September 2019
quotequote all
newsatten said:
Oh Dear, sounds like a major project, lol

But it will be interesting if time consuming, but if that what takes to end up with your ideal yank, bring it on!
Will you be doing the resto or are you going to get a specialist team to do it? ,

I had a quick tote up on mine, im at a ball park £60K , at 40 quid per hour, Ha Ha .............................................

JC , come recommended, as they one of the very few that have all the proper Celete type brackets needed if the shell is taken back to bare bones, any major body part replacement will require the car being properly fitted to a decent body jig,

Great to get another of these fabulous cars back on the road, they make such a refreshing change from all the lines of Mustangs, and boring E'Types,
Best of luck and enjoy......................................

Who are JC ?

My 70 RT will be up for sale soon.

newsatten

3,307 posts

114 months

Friday 20th September 2019
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J C auto Re finishers, in Surrey, theve done loads of high end muscle cars, Mopars are a specialty,

Which is academic if yours is going up for sale , lol

aeropilot

34,589 posts

227 months

Saturday 21st September 2019
quotequote all
newsatten said:
J C auto Re finishers, in Surrey, theve done loads of high end muscle cars, Mopars are a specialty,
Tornado Automotive in High Wycombe are another.


newsatten

3,307 posts

114 months

Saturday 21st September 2019
quotequote all
Well mine's not getting a new vinyl roof fitted, rang several so called fitters, left a dozen messages , only one guy actually got back to me,
he came this morning to quote, but on seeing the job he told me it was far to complicated for him to do!

Obviously not a trimmers job, rolleyes

To be fair i was pleased with his honesty , so hours of blocking the roof now lol...........................
Still on the bright side, no period vinyl top means i can run the car on bigger rims !

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,478 posts

170 months

Saturday 21st September 2019
quotequote all
newsatten said:
Well mine's not getting a new vinyl roof fitted, rang several so called fitters, left a dozen messages , only one guy actually got back to me,
he came this morning to quote, but on seeing the job he told me it was far to complicated for him to do!

Obviously not a trimmers job, rolleyes

To be fair i was pleased with his honesty , so hours of blocking the roof now lol...........................
Still on the bright side, no period vinyl top means i can run the car on bigger rims !
To me, the Challenger looks Way better without a vinle roof.
However, the SE was factory supplied with the vinle roof.
The vinle roof on my R/T SE is in tatters.

newsatten

3,307 posts

114 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
quotequote all
Mine had a factory vinyl , which was replaced back in 88' with a moody UK vinyl , the seems on a geni one follow the drip rails,
rather than running screen to screen ,

Its made me a bit more work, as factory vinyl cars, had a gob job on the sail panel joins, the leading at the screen pillar joins was a bit crap,
plus the factory kept roof panels with pressing faults and handling dings back solely for vinyl tick box cars,

Just like Jaguar done with the XJC, the roof/pillar change made a vinyl mandatory,

I'l just have to put up with the odd wobble , laugh


neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,478 posts

170 months

Sunday 22nd September 2019
quotequote all
newsatten said:
Mine had a factory vinyl , which was replaced back in 88' with a moody UK vinyl , the seems on a geni one follow the drip rails,
rather than running screen to screen ,

Its made me a bit more work, as factory vinyl cars, had a gob job on the sail panel joins, the leading at the screen pillar joins was a bit crap,
plus the factory kept roof panels with pressing faults and handling dings back solely for vinyl tick box cars,

Just like Jaguar done with the XJC, the roof/pillar change made a vinyl mandatory,

I'l just have to put up with the odd wobble , laugh

No decent vinle kits available in the States ?

newsatten

3,307 posts

114 months

Monday 23rd September 2019
quotequote all
Yes there probably is a good choice, but something as important needs to be seen and touched imo,
Uk quality suff is Everflex , or an equivalent, good enough for a Roller, is good enough !

Ive made the decision now , and carefully welded the 4 small time fixing holes, remove the welded stud pins, skimmed the panel, blocked and 2K primed, just finished the first guide coat block, re guided it, blocked again, then primered it again, i squared the screen pillars at the roof
on both sides, it was just a bit rough, the rear ones were fine,

so the shells ready for paintspin

I went into this job with the primary aim to make the car as corrosion free and as strong as non modded shell would allow, not over anal as far as panel gapping goes, and deffo no piano wire door gaps!.
I fully intend to rag the old girl when its back on the road,

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,478 posts

170 months

Tuesday 24th September 2019
quotequote all
Is she a 383 or a 440 ?

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,478 posts

170 months

Tuesday 24th September 2019
quotequote all

Plum Crazy Lurve......

neutral 3

Original Poster:

6,478 posts

170 months

Tuesday 24th September 2019
quotequote all

My R/TSE was highly optioned by either the supplying dealer to be used as a “ Dealer Demo “ car or by its first owner.
Its MSRP exceeded $ 4,500 dollars.
Add the 3 speaker dash, radio and other bits and it must have come to circa $ 4,700 i think.